1. Police investigating Chloe Campbell’s abduction take DNA samples from friends and family.
The police have taken DNA samples from 20 people to aid their search for Chloe Campbell’s abductor. The 20 individuals include family and friends of the Campbells, and Detective Inspector Bruce McNab says that all have been given voluntarily.
The police also collected fingerprints and footprint samples. McNab said that the police were pursuing various avenues of investigation, despite speculation that the abduction was drug-related. Click here for a summary of the Chloe Campbell case to date.
2. Brian Harradine dies at 79.
The longest serving independent senator in Australian history, Brian Harradine, has died at 79. The former Tasmanian senator, who served from 1975 to 2005, died in his home yesterday. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
3. Whooping cough vaccine losing its effectiveness.
There are concerns that the whooping cough vaccine may be losing its effectiveness after a new study from NSW researchers found that the bacteria that causes whooping cough has mutated to more easily overcome the targeted vaccine.
Mutated bacteria caused almost 80 per cent of whooping cough cases examined in the study. These specific mutated bacteria stopped producing partactin, which is one of the proteins targeted by the vaccine.
Peter McIntyre, one of the authors of the study, said, “Immunisation is still the best and only way to protect against the most extreme cases of the disease … but the effectiveness is waning and the bug mutation could be contributing to the vaccine wearing off faster.”
4. Former teacher – and convicted sex offender – asks his victim to pay his legal fees.
A former teacher who was convicted of indecent assault against a student is now asking that his victim pay his legal fees – which total almost $20,000.
Top Comments
RE 15: this was done in Australia in Wee Waa back in 2000...and the Farah Jama case in Victoria more recently is an example of why I think it is reasonable for people to be nervous about handing over their DNA samples.
Number 15 actually really concerns me. It is a right to refuse DNA testing if you are not in custody. There is no guaranteeing what will happen in the future with the DNA that is on record now. If it is entirely voluntary, that's awesome, and an effective way of finding an attacker. However it is extremely concerning that the prosecutor said that anyone not giving samples will be a suspect. This makes it not as voluntary...
Of course it's still voluntary. In ANY investigation they have to investigate ANYONE who might be a suspect. If a person refuses to give DNA, that might be a good reason to investigate. If there is no additional evidence against them then the investigations will cease - seems pretty straight forward to me!
Excluding a suspect by investigating them is a necessary part of investigating any crime. The person can exclude themselves early by providing DNA, or they can go through the same process any other suspect in the world goes through.
The most important thing is finding the rapist NOT inconveniencing a potential suspect.
If you give away your rights so easily you should think about going to live in North Korea I'm sure you will soon change your mind.
Wow. The fact that you would even compare North Korea to this situation shows how privileged and ignorant you are. That is a disgusting comparison.
Freely offering to have your DNA tested to help find a rapist = living in NK?? Are you f***ing serious??
Yeah I am because I'm talking about your rights and my rights. Don't you get it ? I think only people who are suspects should give their DNA and with a court order. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty ? So I'm privileged and ignorant because I believe in people having rights so be it. I am extremely sorry for the young girl who was raped but I one of those silly people who think not all men are rapists until proven otherwise so yeah I'm f***ing serious.