Tuesday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Mick Fanning posts emotional tribute to Julian Wilson.

Australian surfer Mick Fanning has posted an emotional tribute to fellow surfer Julian Wilson who swam to Fanning’s aid when he was attacked by a shark yesterday.

The two were competing in the final of the J-Bay Open in South Africa.

“So thankful to be able to have this hug with @julian_wilson this man came to my aid like a warrior!!”

Fanning wrote, “It was by far the scariest thing I have ever been through and am still rattled.

“In our sport we always think about sharks and know we are in their domain. JBay is an incredible place and I will go back one day.”

Fanning is due to arrive back in Australia today where he will front the media.

2. Asylum seeker boat facing turnback off the Pilbara coast.

The Australian reports that a police boat was on its way to intercept the boat yesterday when word came through that the boat had been seen about 80 nautical miles off the port of Dampier by workers on an oil-production vessel.

A navy vessel is now reportedly making its way towards the boat said to contain refugees who originated from Vietnam.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has refusing to “comment on operational matters’’

Human rights lawyer George Newhouse, with Shine Lawyers told The Australian “depending on who they are, and where the government is taking them, their removal may be open to challenge. We have a team of lawyers that are currently looking into that.”

3. Detainees denied sanitary products.

A senate inquiry has heard that female asylum seekers on Nauru were denied easy access to sanitary pads for “security reasons”.

Fairfax Media reports that Save the Children worker Samantha Betts told the inquiry sanitary products were provided to women on an “as needed” basis and women were made to ask male guards for the items each time they went to the toilet.

Ms Betts said she was told by guards it was necessary for “security reasons”. She said, according to Fairfax Media, it was because sanitary pads were allegedly soaked in gasoline during 2013 riots at the centre.

Greens spokesperson Sarah Hanson Young said that there were no female detainees at the centre during those riots.

4. Tree that killed a 4 y/o girl was given the all clear in the months before.

An inquest has heard that a gum tree that fell and killed a four-year old girl, while leaving her mother with paraplegia as a result of spinal injuries, was deemed to be safe three months before fell.

Patiya May Schreiber died when her and her mother Kristy Thomson, were hit by an 18-metre tree branch in a Bendigo Park in December 30, 2013.

Bendigo council arborist Daniel McWilliam told a formal inquest into her death yesterday he had inspected the large Grey Box in September, 2013 and found it to be structurally sound.

Mr McWilliam, who says he spent around three minutes inspecting the tree said yesterday that the structure was “not ideal”, but said his observations revealed “none of the indicators of imminent failure.”

The Herald Sun reports that a panel of three expert witnesses found the tree was actually structurally unsound – and had an above ground inspection been carried out this would have been discovered.

5. 10-year old boy who died in Brisbane was alone with his Aunt before he died.

A young boy who was found dead in his home in Brisbane was cared for by his Aunt, reports The Brisbane Times. 

The boy was found by family members in a bedroom at a home on Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Rd, Mackenzie, about 5pm Sunday.

Detective Acting Inspector Tony Geary said the boy’s aunt, who had cared for him since he was two, was taken to hospital on Sunday.

The aunt, who had been alone with the boy, was reportedly found unconscious – she has been treated in hospital.

The boys’ siblings also live with his Aunt.

6. Three women and a baby suffer carbon monoxide poisoning while camping.

The ABC reports that three women camping with a 15-month old baby in Victoria’s east are recovering from carbon monoxide poisoning after they went to sleep with a butane heater on inside their tent.

When other members of the family went to check on the baby they found the women unconscious inside the tent.

They were dragged out into the fresh air and driven to hospital.

Paul Fearon, Victoria’s director of Energy Safety told the ABC “Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. You can’t see it. You can’t smell it and you can’t taste it,”

“The golden rule is if an appliance is attached to a potable gas bottle, don’t bring it inside.”

7. MP welcomes entitlements review.

Federal Labor frontbencher Mark Butler has told the ABC he would welcome a review of the entitlements rules for politicians after Speaker Bronwyn Bishop used a taxpayer-funded helicopter to fly to a party fundraiser.

Speaking on the ABC’s Q&A Mr Butler said he would support a review of the system.

“From my point of view, all MPs just want to know what the entitlements are, when you can travel, when you can claim this, when you can claim that and then get on with doing your job,” he said.

“The one silver lining that comes out of these controversies — that happen every several years or so — is that there’s generally a good review.”

8. Proposal to increase the GST.

NSW Premier Mike Baird’s proposal to increase the GST to 15 per cent has been welcomed by the Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Ahead of today’s special COAG meeting and leaders’ retreat on tax reform Mr Baird has suggested increasing the GST from 10% to 15% will raise an extra $30 billion a year.

“I certainly think it was a very constructive proposal from Premier Mike Baird,” Mr Abbott said

“What we have got today is a very strong, structured proposal from the NSW government that will go into the mix for Wednesday (leader’s retreat) and go into the mix for the white paper processes that are underway.”

His proposal has been met with resistance from other state leaders though with Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas saying “It’s not reasonable for the Abbott government to propose it or for any of their apologists like Mike Baird to be advocating for it.”

8. Salmonella outbreak at prestigious hotel.

Six people have been hospitalised and at least another 28 struck down by a salmonella outbreak after attending High Tea in Melbourne’s prestigious Langham Hotel on July 11 and 12.

The Department of Health has confirmed six of the most serious cases had to attend hospital, but details of their condition have not been released.

9. Queen veers onto grass verge to avoid young family.

The Queen has had to veer onto the grass as she drove her car through Windsor Great Park to get to church.

Her Majesty was impatient to get to her destination, veering onto the grass, rather than waiting when she was blocked by a young family out walking.

The family told The Daily Mail they were shocked when they realised who it was.

Scarlett Vincent. 23, and Toby Core, 30 said “Toby was pushing the trike and I was pushing Teddy’s pram when I realised what had happened. I turned to him and just said “Oh my god, it’s the Queen”.

“He was as shocked and surprised as I was. I pointed at the car and she just smiled at us and waved.”

The Queen is the only person in the UK who is permitted to drive without a licence.

10. Husband busted on google street view.

A man who was supposed to have quit smoking has been outed as a liar after his wife saw him puffing away on Google’s street view.

Julie Ryding, from Merseyside in the UK told The Telegraph she first became suspicious that her husband’s health drive was not what he said when she found bikkie wrappers in his car.

She then checked Google street view after hearing the car had been in their area and hubbie was sprung.

There caught on camera was 58-year old Donald having a sneaky one.

Mrs Ryding, 50, said “I couldn’t believe it – there was no denying it now we’d seen him smoking. When Street View first launched, they didn’t blur out faces, but there was no need to with him – he was covered by a cloud of smoke anyway.”

11. Former teacher admits to sexually abusing students.

A teacher at Geelong Grammer in the 1980s has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing students during his tenure.

John Hamilton Buckley, 74, was accused of possession child pornography, gross indecency and sexual penetration of a minor, ABC News reports.

Boys aged between 10 and 13 were among Buckley’s victims — whom he abused on school grounds.

The former drama teacher lured students to his sleeping quarters, showed them pornography and groomed them before assaulting them.

He will be sentenced later this year.

Do you have a story to share with Mamamia? Email us news@mamamia.com.au.
[post_snippet id=324408]