Tuesday's news in under 5 minutes.

1. Why did no one help this Mum?

The mother of a four-year old boy who was killed after being hit by a car on the NSW Central Coast last year has told an inquest that as she held her dead son in the middle of the road paramedics “looked the other way.”

Thomas McLaughlin died after he was hit by a car as it reversed out of a driveway at McMasters Beach on the NSW Central Coast on January 6.

Four-year old Thomas came from behind a parked car and was hit by a four-wheel drive driven by a 64-year-old woman.

Michelle told the inquest of her anguish.

“I remember it crystal clear,” she said.

“I sat in the middle of the road with a dead child (and they were) watching me.

“They all stood there looking at me.

“Every time I looked up, they looked away. No one came over to me on the roadway.”

The Gosford Express Advocate reports that the family has started a foundation, Little Blue Dinosaur, to promote road safety in holiday areas.

Launched earlier this month, the foundation aims to push for a review of road safety within holiday towns and to advocate for safety improvements.

“This time last year I never would have imagined I’d be doing this. But you would do anything for your children so we are doing this for Tom. So other mums and dads don’t have to suffer.” Michelle said.

2. PM Satisfaction rate drops

The latest Newspoll has shown that the Prime Minister’s satisfaction has dropped for a fourth consecutive month, giving him 33 percent.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten remains the preferred prime minister, with his level unchanged at 39%

The government and opposition are tied for the primary vote on 37% each.
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3. Baby hatches’ considered after second infant dumped in Sydney in one week

By ABC

Baby hatches are being considered in New South Wales as a place for mothers to leave their unwanted newborns in the wake of two abandoned babies discovered in Sydney in just one week.

Two boys, aged six and seven, found a baby’s naked body while they were digging in the dunes at Maroubra Beach on Sunday morning.

It is the second grim discovery in seven days after a baby boy was found alive in a drain by cyclists riding along the M7 at Quakers Hill in Sydney’s west on Sunday November 15.

The child’s mother has since been charged with attempted murder.

The New South Wales Government said it was looking at several options including so-called baby hatches, which are legal in countries like China and Germany.

They provide a safe drop box that is often built into a hospital wall.

Police Minister Stuart Ayres said the Government is aware that action is needed to give women who want to abandon their children better options.

“I think that everything has to be on the table for us to be able to support particularly mothers but families that are in desperate need of help and assistance,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that we find ourselves with two cases that are currently under investigation that require us to think seriously about what we need to do to help families that are in crisis.”

Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione agreed that desperate women may need more options.

“Anything we could do to save the lives of our most precious, our children is a good idea,” he said.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC and has been republished with full permission

 4. Should Barbie be banned?

The Greens have backed a campaign to end gender based toys with Greens Senator Larissa Waters linking gender stereotyped toys to domestic violence and pay inequality.

The online campaign the Greens have backed is called. ‘No Gender December’ which calls on retailers to stop using old-fashioned gender stereotypes as marketing ploys and customers to sign a pledge publicly declaring their commitment to avoiding stereotypes while shopping for gifts for children this Christmas.

“While the starkly separate aisles of pink and blue might seem harmless, especially to well-meaning rellies and friends, setting such strong gender stereotypes at early ages can have long-term impacts, including influencing self-perception and career aspirations,” Senator Waters said.

News Limited reports that leading child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg has labeled the campaign “a nail in the coffin of common sense” saying there was no research to indicate ‘gender-stereotyped’ toys were unhealthy for children.

The No Gender December campaign wants federal parliamentarians to introduce legislation that would ban retailers from marketing toys to children along gender lines.

Play Unlimited co-founder Thea Hughes said “We are calling on politicians to stand by Australia’s support of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child and legislate against the marketing of toys along gender lines.”

5. Cricketers arrive in Macksville for Phillip Hughes funeral

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke, along with Stuart MacGill have arrived in Phillip Hughes’ home town in northern New South Wales to help prepare for tomorrow’s funeral.

They are expected to be joined by Shane Warne, Glen McGrath, Mike Hussey, Ricky Ponting and India’s Virat Kohli, as well as representatives from Cricket Australia, politicians and dignitaries.

In Sydney the SCG will be open to the public for a live broadcast of the funeral from 1pm.

 6. Chloe Valentine Inquest

An ongoing inquest into the death of four-year old Chloe Valentine has resumed. The four-year old died after being forced to repeatedly ride a motorbike by her mother, Ashlee Polkinghorne,

Social worker Katrina Heading told the inquest she considered removing Chloe, then aged 16-months, in November 2008 after her “paralytic mother Ashlee Polkinghorne” left her with a 15-year-old friend while she drank at the beach.

The inquest heard that Chloe’s grandmother agreed to take her but when her mother resurfaced she demanded Chloe be returned to her and Families SA agreed.

The ABC reports that the inquest is examining the response to more than 20 notifications made to authorities about Chloe before her death in 2012.

Her mother Ashlee Polkinghorne and Polkinghorne’s then partner, Benjamin McPartland are serving jail sentences for manslaughter by criminal neglect.

The two used social media, smoked cannabis, and looked up what to do with an unconscious child instead of tendering treatment to Chloe when she was knocked unconscious.

7. TV Host slapped by man

An Indian TV host has been slapped in the face while filming by a man who took offence at her “short dress”.

Gauhar Khan was hosting ‘India’s Raw Star’ on Sunday when she was attacked.

A 24-year-old man was arrested by police who quoted him as saying “Being a Muslim woman, she should not have worn such a short dress.”

The Hindustan Times quoted a police official as saying “A preliminary probe has revealed that someone from the audience started teasing Khan to which she protested. An argument ensued between Gauhar and the man who was teasing her. Things turned ugly when the man suddenly slapped the actor,”

The man was arrested and police “registered a case of assaulting a woman writes the BBC.

8. Woman advertises on Gumtree to find the father of her baby

A Perth woman who fell pregnant after a one-night stand has taken the unusual step of advertising for the father-to-be to come forward on Gumtreee.

Bianca Fazey says she only knows the man’s name is Jeremy.

For more read this post here.

 9. Dog saves family

A pet German Shepherd has saved the lives of his family, only to die himself in a tragic incident in the US.

The family were caught in a road-rage scenario in Atlanta at a strip mall.

A witness said the dog jumped in front of one of the children in his family and a woman in the car. Surveillance video captured the dog trotting off to die behind a nearby building, WXIA reported

 10. #FeelNoShame

A campaign for World Aids Day called #FeelNoShame has seen Prince Harry reveal a secret.

The Prince Harry spoke about how he suffers anxiety when he has to public speak.

In a video message in support of his charity Sentebale’s #FeelNoShame campaign for World AIDS Day he said

In his video message, the Prince said: “First of all I would like to thank everybody for getting involved in the #FeelNoShame campaign, a part of Sentebale.

“On today, World AIDS Day, my secret is, believe it or not, I get incredibly nervous before public speaking, no matter how big the crowd or the audience.

“And despite the fact that I laugh and joke all the time, I get incredibly nervous, if not anxious actually, before going into rooms full of people when I’m wearing a suit.”

The campaign aims to raise awareness of how eradicating shame and stigma can save the lives of HIV sufferers.

11. Most popular names in UK

A study by UK website BabyCentre has revealed the top baby names for their members.

At number one for boys is Muhammad rising 27 places from last year.

Sophia was the top name for baby girls.

For boys, Teddy was the biggest climber within the top 100. The highest new entries were Kian and Jonathan.

Names from the `70s have also made a comeback, with Emma, Sarah and Maria up 10, 32 and 12.

The top 10 girls’ names:

1 Sophia

2. Emily

3 Lily

4 Olivia

5 Amelia

6 Isla

7 Isabella

8 Ava

9 Sophie

10 Chloe

The top 10 boys’ baby names:

1 Muhammad

2 Oliver

3 Jack

4 Noah

5 Jacob

6 Charlie

7 Harry

8 Joshua

9 James

10 Ethan.

The Mirror reports that the BabyCentre names may not accurately reflect the baby naming pattern for the UK with the website combining the names of Mohammed, Muhammad and Mohammad under one name. They point out that Oliver came second – but Ollie was listed separately.

12. Give boys Ipads to encourage them to read

A report by the National Literacy Trust, has suggested giving boys Ipads to encourage them to read.

The report showed that all children aged three to five who read stories on tablet computers as well as books also had a better grasp of vocabulary than those who just read printed stories.

The Daily Mail reports that 36% of boys use touch screens to learn more than play games or watch films, compared to just over 28 % of girls.

It also revealed that the study showed boys would read for longer on a touch screen.

‘”Touch-screen technology has the potential to positively influence the reading behaviour of children of lower socioeconomic status and boys.”
13. And today’s weather is.
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