1/31/2019 0 Comments ACT Health staff describe in detail persistent emotional abuse, sexual harassment on the jobUpdated February 01, 2019 15:50:40
A "worrying" and "poor" culture exists within ACT Health, where two-thirds of staff surveyed revealed they had witnessed their colleagues being bullied, a review panel has concluded. Key points:The report surveyed nearly 400 ACT Health staff about workplace cultureMore than 200 said reports of bullying were not being addressedMany were looking for other employment options due to a persistent "toxic" culture The review of Canberra's public health sector was commissioned by the ACT Government after it was found ACT Health's most senior executives had failed to effectively manage a series of misconduct and bullying complaints. In its findings, the review panel said the relationship between Calvary Public Hospital, the Health Directorate and Canberra Health Services had "deteriorated", with behaviour by executives cited as "starkly discordant with the stated values of both organisations". More than 350 staff were surveyed in the review, with more than 200 alleging bullying in the workplace had not been addressed. Inefficiency in conducting medical procedures and processes and "inappropriate recruitment" were also common, the report revealed. Of further concern was the fact that one in 10 staff said they had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. And only 7 per cent of those who did report issues said they felt it was addressed by more senior staff. 'Emotional abuse' forcing staff departures The report, released by Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris today, included anonymous submissions from those who participated in the study. "In my years as a registered nurse, employed in both public and private hospitals across the UK and Australia, the workplace culture within the [redacted] is the worst by far that I have seen," one submission read. Another said bullying was ignored and complaints were not acted upon. "There is no such thing as mediation," they wrote. "So the person who suffers the most is the person who has been bullied. "They suffer more if they report it, because it usually changes in their workplace, which is a big upheaval. "But the biggest psychological insult is that they are invalidated." Another health worker said "emotional abuse" was rife, leaving staff with little option but to seek employment elsewhere. "Many feel that making a formal complaint would only make matters worse, for fear of later being the target of poorer treatment," they said. Some were less critical. "Staff members use the term bullying and harassment loosely and may not fully understand the true meaning, which then has an effect on the manager and/or supervisor who is just trying to do their job," one person said. But more positive submissions were "very much in the minority", the report stated. "It is concerning that over 60 per cent of staff that have experienced bullying, harassment or unacceptable behaviour did not report it," the reviewers said. "Pride in working for the ACT Public Health System is low, bullying is common and confidence in how the organisation resolves grievances is extremely low." Heads may roll in light of review findings Under the current system, staff report incidents either through a system called RiskMan or through managers, who may conduct a preliminary assessment. "However, the reviewers found that there were no clear thresholds or guidance on when an incident should be entered in RiskMan, versus managed locally. This has resulted in matters escalating quickly, rather than supporting early intervention," the report said. Calvary Public Hospital is developing a tailored system which permits 'staff-to-staff' reporting, with a site trial expected to commence shortly, it stated. Ms Fitzharris said the Government would work to ensure all the recommendations would be "fully considered and align with work already underway to improve the workplace culture". ACT Health had previously removed some senior members of staff when allegations of a toxic workplace culture surfaced last year. And review chair Mick Reid said more personnel might be let go in light of today's published findings. "There will be some areas where people will need to be removed from their jobs if they have demonstrated poor behaviour over many years," Mr Reid said. He also revealed that while some doctors did engage in the review process, "the majority did not". Topics:health,bullying,states-and-territories,australia,act,canberra-2600 First posted February 01, 2019 11:13:21 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-01/act-health-toxic-bullying-culture-report-reveals/10770022
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Updated January 30, 2019 07:44:54
Laws slashing the amount of money unions are allowed to spend on NSW state election campaigns are unconstitutional and at odds with freedom of political communication, the High Court has found. The laws cut the amount unions and other third party campaigners could put towards funding state election campaigns from $1.2 million to $500,000 and imposed prison terms for breaches. At the same time the laws increased the amount political parties could spend on campaigns to $11 million. The NSW Government had argued the laws were justified, in part to limit the influence of large sums on the electoral process. The Government said the laws would prevent voices from being drowned out by big spends from third-party campaigners. But the unanimous decision by the full bench of the court held that while the Government's propose was legitimate, the laws put an impermissible burden on constitutionally implied freedom of political communication. It comes just weeks from the NSW state election, which will be held on March 23. The decision potentially gives a massive boost to the union movement's war chest as it goes into the state election campaign. The secretary of Unions NSW, Mark Morey, said the decision was significant. "The union movement has always pooled its resources collectively, taking small amounts from all its members to get its message across so this now allows us to do our work effectively," Mr Morey said. He said the laws had been designed to muzzle the union movement and other third party campaigners who wanted to speak out against the Government. "What the High Court has said is that a government cannot rig an election, cannot silence its critics in NSW by simply passing legislation in NSW." Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the High Court's decision meant unions would be able to "disproportionately dominate" the election campaign. "This decision means unions will now have the ability to exercise free rein on spending their member's due without giving them a say on wall-to-wall advertising during the NSW election campaign," Mr Perrottet said in a statement. "The Government believes elections should be free and fair, not bought with out-of-control spending by unions and other third parties." Topics:courts-and-trials,law-crime-and-justice,elections,state-elections,canberra-2600,act,australia,sydney-2000,nsw First posted January 29, 2019 14:22:44 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-29/high-court-unions-nsw-free-speech-decision/10759430 1/29/2019 0 Comments Car crushed as four-tonne concrete slab plummets from Canberra construction siteUpdated January 30, 2019 16:05:44
Photo: Emergency services blocked off the scene around the crushed car. (ABC News: Niki Burnside) Map: Canberra 2600 Authorities say it is extremely lucky nobody was hurt after a massive slab of concrete fell from a Canberra construction site, crushing a toilet block and a parked car. Key points:Nobody was injured when a concrete slab fell from the Yamaroshi buildingA smash repairer says he's not sure how long his business will be closedWorksafeACT is investigating the accident The owner of the Braddon smash repairers, Jeff Badcoe, was working in his office when he felt the ground shake outside his business late this morning. He went out to discover a large concrete panel, like those adorning the facade of the building, had fallen several metres onto the toilet block used by his employees. "There was quite a large bang out the back and, when we went out to have a look, a concrete slab had fallen off the building and gone through the toilet block and the back of a ute that was out there as well," he said. Photo: A gap on the top left of the building's facade showed where the block fell from. (ABC News: Niki Burnside) "It sounded like a car accident to be honest. "It shook the ground and made the building shake a bit. "The toilet block that the boys use, probably 20 times a day, that's destroyed. [It] would have taken the pan out completely, so it's pretty severe." Worksafe ACT halted construction at the Yamaroshi building site on 32 Mort Street, and emergency services closed the road between Cooyong and Eloura Streets. Photo: Parts of Mort Street were closed after the accident. (ABC News: Niki Burnside) Work Safety Commissioner Greg Jones said it was "very, very fortunate" no-one was injured. "A pre-cast concrete panel, which was installed temporarily on the building has fallen," he said. "The panel, weighing nearly four tonnes obviously could have had catastrophic consequences if it had have impacted anyone. "It's very early days, Worksafe is just commencing its investigation." Mr Badcoe said he did not know for how long his business would be affected. "How long we are going to be off the air now, through no fault of our own, is a bit of a problem," he said. "Everyone's going home this afternoon, it's just whether we've got a job to come back to tomorrow, who knows." The builder, Chase, declined to comment. Topics:accidents---other,disasters-and-accidents,accidents,canberra-2600,act,australia First posted January 30, 2019 15:27:21 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-30/canberra-construction-accident-concrete-falls/10763246 Updated January 25, 2019 15:34:14
Photo: There can be consequences for a species if there's a disconnect between the pollinator and flowering time. (Supplied: Tapio Linderhaus) In the wake of Adelaide's hottest day on record, which came soon after the end of Australia's third hottest year on record, arguments will continue about climate change and its impacts. But according to Professor Ary Hoffmann from the University of Melbourne, definitive signs climate change has landed can now be observed in some backyards. His team of academics and ecologists have released a paper detailing the land-based effects of climate change over several decades, uncovering flora diebacks and extinctions, insect booms and out-of-whack orchids and butterflies. "Everyone knows about coral reef bleaching, but very few people, I think, are aware that we are also seeing forests suffering from heat stress along with other terrestrial ecosystems," the professor said. Photo: The mountain buttercup is among those with fluctuating flowering times. (Supplied: Ary Hoffmann) "There's certainly some evidence some orchids are coming up much earlier as it gets warmer, and there are also changes happening in arrival times of some insects. "But if a flower pops up at the wrong time, particularly an orchid, their pollinators are not around and they're not going to be successfully pollinated. "You get that sort of disconnect between the pollinator and the flowering time and that can lead to severe consequences for those species." Fluctuating weather conditions a 'challenge' The ABC reported last month that erratic plant flowering in South Australia had led to reduced bee numbers and a forecast 80 per cent drop in honey yield. Photo: Erratic flowering affects pollination rates and bee hives. (ABC Open contributor Jo Knobel) "That reinforces something that's really important," Professor Hoffmann said. "It's the fluctuation in conditions, not so much the fact they're getting warmer, that makes everything become more variable, which is a challenge for species." Some common brown butterflies were also appearing earlier, while in Canberra annual swarms of bogong moths had more than halved, "which some people think is related to climate change and the dry conditions that are happening". "But in that particular case, there might be other explanations," Professor Hoffmann said. Less-reported issues emerging Beyond backyards, there have been extensive signs that climate change is having a negative effect on forest ecosystems. This includes Jarrah forests in Western Australia which are dying due to a lack of rainfall and poor water retention in the soil, while eucalyptus forests on the Cumberland Plain west of Sydney are suffering dieback. Professor Hoffmann said a common psyllid species favourable to warmer weather had repeatedly "blown up" in the forests, which had led to defoliated canopies, dieback and tree mortalities. "They [psyllids] can effectively defoliate trees quite quickly once it happens," he said. Photo: Plots used by the team for investigating experimental warming effects on flora. (Photo: James Camac ) "In the Northern Hemisphere there are massive examples of forest deaths resulting from insect attacks, particularly bark beetles. "We haven't seen that yet, but we are starting to see the first evidence of insect outbreaks occurring in response to climate change and I think that's quite worrying." Cushion plants dying back His team also reported cushion plants on Macquarie Island were dying off due to drying conditions in what was usually a wet and misty environment, leaving them vulnerable to pathogens. It also reported significant changes in vegetation composition across areas of the Victorian alps along with increased insect invasions and a higher frequency of bushfires that had affected seed production and re-sprouting ability. Other case studies reported in his team's paper, published in the peer-reviewed Austral Ecology journal during October, included: local plant extinctionssize changes in birdsshifting biotic interactions that threaten communities and endangered species Photo: An alpine landscape made bare through bushfires. (Photo: Henrik Wahren) Climate effects becoming more definitive Professor Hoffmann said it had historically been hard to directly attribute events to climate change, but with multiple decades having now passed since studies began, the volume of information had increased and predictions made under climate modelling were ringing true. "The argument has always been, 'We've had extreme conditions in Australia, drought and hot conditions, so how can you attribute a particular condition to climate change'," he said. "But we've been tracking these changes for 10, 20, 30 years now, so it's not just one event but a repeated pattern. "Where you see eucalyptus forests in the alpines burning again and again due to heat events, or psyllid attacks occurring again and again as seasonable conditions change, then you become confident about the validity of the cases." Photo: Professor Ary Hoffmann chasing insects for monitoring. (Supplied: Ary Hoffmann) He said it was time to do something more dramatic to conserve threatened species, such as protecting "refuges" where a species might be thriving due to a location's unique topography. "We also need to think about the bigger landscape and how we make sure that we keep canopy cover. "There are many species, for instance, where we have different genotypes that have adapted to different climates, and maybe there's a case to move those genotypes around the country." He pointed out that Adelaide's climate in a few decades would likely resemble today's climate about 300 kilometres north of the city where endemic plants have adapted to hotter and drier conditions. "The extremes are going to build up, so when you're doing revegetation, rather than sourcing plants locally, perhaps you should be sourcing genotypes and even your species from the north," Professor Hoffmann said. "It's about vegetating now for the future." Topics:climate-change,environment,pollution-disasters-and-safety,climate-change---disasters,plants,research,science-and-technology,human-interest,sydney-2000,adelaide-5000,perth-6000,australia,melbourne-3000,brisbane-4000,canberra-2600 First posted January 25, 2019 12:40:56 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-25/climate-change-effects-emerging-in-flora-fauna-research-says/10747318 Updated January 25, 2019 15:34:14
Photo: There can be consequences for a species if there's a disconnect between the pollinator and flowering time. (Supplied: Tapio Linderhaus) In the wake of Adelaide's hottest day on record, which came soon after the end of Australia's third hottest year on record, arguments will continue about climate change and its impacts. But according to Professor Ary Hoffmann from the University of Melbourne, definitive signs climate change has landed can now be observed in some backyards. His team of academics and ecologists have released a paper detailing the land-based effects of climate change over several decades, uncovering flora diebacks and extinctions, insect booms and out-of-whack orchids and butterflies. "Everyone knows about coral reef bleaching, but very few people, I think, are aware that we are also seeing forests suffering from heat stress along with other terrestrial ecosystems," the professor said. Photo: The mountain buttercup is among those with fluctuating flowering times. (Supplied: Ary Hoffmann) "There's certainly some evidence some orchids are coming up much earlier as it gets warmer, and there are also changes happening in arrival times of some insects. "But if a flower pops up at the wrong time, particularly an orchid, their pollinators are not around and they're not going to be successfully pollinated. "You get that sort of disconnect between the pollinator and the flowering time and that can lead to severe consequences for those species." Fluctuating weather conditions a 'challenge' The ABC reported last month that erratic plant flowering in South Australia had led to reduced bee numbers and a forecast 80 per cent drop in honey yield. Photo: Erratic flowering affects pollination rates and bee hives. (ABC Open contributor Jo Knobel) "That reinforces something that's really important," Professor Hoffmann said. "It's the fluctuation in conditions, not so much the fact they're getting warmer, that makes everything become more variable, which is a challenge for species." Some common brown butterflies were also appearing earlier, while in Canberra annual swarms of bogong moths had more than halved, "which some people think is related to climate change and the dry conditions that are happening". "But in that particular case, there might be other explanations," Professor Hoffmann said. Less-reported issues emerging Beyond backyards, there have been extensive signs that climate change is having a negative effect on forest ecosystems. This includes Jarrah forests in Western Australia which are dying due to a lack of rainfall and poor water retention in the soil, while eucalyptus forests on the Cumberland Plain west of Sydney are suffering dieback. Professor Hoffmann said a common psyllid species favourable to warmer weather had repeatedly "blown up" in the forests, which had led to defoliated canopies, dieback and tree mortalities. "They [psyllids] can effectively defoliate trees quite quickly once it happens," he said. Photo: Plots used by the team for investigating experimental warming effects on flora. (Photo: James Camac ) "In the Northern Hemisphere there are massive examples of forest deaths resulting from insect attacks, particularly bark beetles. "We haven't seen that yet, but we are starting to see the first evidence of insect outbreaks occurring in response to climate change and I think that's quite worrying." Cushion plants dying back His team also reported cushion plants on Macquarie Island were dying off due to drying conditions in what was usually a wet and misty environment, leaving them vulnerable to pathogens. It also reported significant changes in vegetation composition across areas of the Victorian alps along with increased insect invasions and a higher frequency of bushfires that had affected seed production and re-sprouting ability. Other case studies reported in his team's paper, published in the peer-reviewed Austral Ecology journal during October, included: local plant extinctionssize changes in birdsshifting biotic interactions that threaten communities and endangered species Photo: An alpine landscape made bare through bushfires. (Photo: Henrik Wahren) Climate effects becoming more definitive Professor Hoffmann said it had historically been hard to directly attribute events to climate change, but with multiple decades having now passed since studies began, the volume of information had increased and predictions made under climate modelling were ringing true. "The argument has always been, 'We've had extreme conditions in Australia, drought and hot conditions, so how can you attribute a particular condition to climate change'," he said. "But we've been tracking these changes for 10, 20, 30 years now, so it's not just one event but a repeated pattern. "Where you see eucalyptus forests in the alpines burning again and again due to heat events, or psyllid attacks occurring again and again as seasonable conditions change, then you become confident about the validity of the cases." Photo: Professor Ary Hoffmann chasing insects for monitoring. (Supplied: Ary Hoffmann) He said it was time to do something more dramatic to conserve threatened species, such as protecting "refuges" where a species might be thriving due to a location's unique topography. "We also need to think about the bigger landscape and how we make sure that we keep canopy cover. "There are many species, for instance, where we have different genotypes that have adapted to different climates, and maybe there's a case to move those genotypes around the country." He pointed out that Adelaide's climate in a few decades would likely resemble today's climate about 300 kilometres north of the city where endemic plants have adapted to hotter and drier conditions. "The extremes are going to build up, so when you're doing revegetation, rather than sourcing plants locally, perhaps you should be sourcing genotypes and even your species from the north," Professor Hoffmann said. "It's about vegetating now for the future." Topics:climate-change,environment,pollution-disasters-and-safety,climate-change---disasters,plants,research,science-and-technology,human-interest,sydney-2000,adelaide-5000,perth-6000,australia,melbourne-3000,brisbane-4000,canberra-2600 First posted January 25, 2019 12:40:56 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-25/climate-change-effects-emerging-in-flora-fauna-research-says/10747318 1/24/2019 0 Comments Rainbow roundabout could be a 'casualty' of redevelopment focused on 'strategic grittiness'Updated January 23, 2019 17:21:49
Photo: Canberra's rainbow roundabout was installed to mark the result of the same-sex marriage survey. (ABC News: Greg Nelson) Canberra's rainbow roundabout is well known, but according to urban planners it no longer fits with Braddon's future as a pedestrian-friendly suburb littered with cafes, yoga studios and "parklets". Key Points:The Braddon Place Plan aims to make the suburb more pedestrian friendly, green and "strategically gritty"Roundabouts may be removed in favour of other infrastructure to slow down carsChief Minister Andrew Barr opposes removing the "cherished" rainbow roundabout While the "Braddon Place Plan" leaves the reader guessing as to what a "parklet" might be, it does outline a clear proposal for a "people-powered", sustainable and "strategically gritty" suburb. But its vibrant roundabout introduced as a result of Australia's campaign for same-sex marriage and dubbed a "cherished landmark" by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has been identified as a potential hindrance to the plan. Few Canberra suburbs have changed as much as Braddon over the last few years, now a collection of stylish shops and all-diets-inclusive eateries where automotive retailers were once king. Its proximity to the city has forced an evolution. And the new plan appears set to continue along the same lines with its strategy for grittiness, where grittiness was once effortless. The "proudly urban" proposal includes a list of ideas based, in part, on community engagement more than 300 retailers, residents and visitors responded to the survey. Among its aims is the intention for developers to contribute spaces for artists within new developments, with subsidised rent. Braddon plan glossary (or our best guess):Parklet: A small park, hopefully with pikeletsPocket garden: Smaller than a parklet, but bigger than a flower potStreet/urban greening: See parklet and pocket gardenVehicle calming: Designed to slow traffic and likely to make motorists anything but calmTemporary footpath activations: It's anyone's guess The report also lists the intention to incorporate a trial of "temporary footpath activations, including street greening, pocket gardens, parklets and new places to sit". "There is no such thing as too green," the report states. "More should be made of local flora: parks can be given new purpose and street planting enhanced, but a new type of urban greening is required even in the most difficult reaches." As part of the proposal, a street music and busker program would be developed, a monthly market trialled (with a focus on fresh produce, arts and crafts), and new laneways would be encouraged to break up Braddon's city blocks, complete with "ambient lighting". And Braddon's history has not been forgotten, with the noted intention to "recognise the post-industrial history of the area through urban art". Photo: Service stations have made way for modern apartment blocks in the inner-city suburb. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore) Barr opposes removal of 'cherished landmark' But in embracing foot-traffic, while discouraging cars via the use of lower speed limits, the City Renewal Authority's chief executive Malcolm Snow admitted roundabouts could be lost, even the rainbow one. "The rainbow roundabout has become a much-loved part of Braddon and I'm sure we could find ways through our public space improvements to take that recognition of the importance of equality to another level, so it might be a casualty," Mr Snow said. "I can't say that with certainty, but there are great opportunities for the types of improvements that we're speaking about to make sure that Braddon remains a really inclusive place." Mr Snow said much of Braddon's urban design was a throw-back to a different time, one not in tune with its contemporary needs. The transformation process would be partly inspired by the pedestrian-friendly zone in the city, located on Bunda Street, where "vehicle calming" measures are in place. "Traffic engineering practice suggests that in these types of environments roundabouts are not appropriate they are literally designed to get cars through intersections as fast as possible," Mr Snow said. "Now that's not something that's conducive to encouraging pedestrian use." Photo: Braddon is far from "polished" and "suburban", instead identified as somewhere between "urban" and "gritty". (Supplied) But Chief Minister Barr was quick to throw cold water on any plan to remove the colourful centrepiece. "Given the significance of marriage equality, the very strong community support for, and connection to, the iconic rainbow roundabout in Braddon, the ACT Government supports its retention as an important part of Canberra's and Australia's social history," a statement from his office read. "The Braddon Place Plan offers a lot of great ideas for improving the area that will build on the strong LGBTIQ identity and attachment to the precinct. "The plan does not require removing this cherished community landmark." Topics:urban-development-and-planning,government-and-politics,braddon-2612,australia,act First posted January 23, 2019 16:26:53 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-23/canberra-rainbow-roundabout-could-be-a-casualty-of-redevelopment/10742840 Updated January 23, 2019 06:34:30
Photo: Canberrans are paying between 20-30 cents more per litre than people just across the NSW border. (ABC News: Mark Moore) Canberra petrol stations are ripping-off customers according to both the ACT Government and the Opposition, but exactly how to bring prices down is up for debate. Key Points:The Canberra Liberals plan to introduce a real-time petrol price watch scheme if electedData shows ACT petrol prices are consistently higher than in nearby locationsChief Minister Andrew Barr has asked the ACCC to investigate Canberra petrol retailers The Canberra Liberals have pledged to introduce real-time petrol pricing if they are elected in 2020, in a bid to bring service stations in the ACT into line with other areas like Queanbeyan and Bowral. Opposition leader Alistair Coe said on Tuesday that it was unfair Canberrans were paying 20-30 cents more per litre than others in comparable locations. "That may mean Canberrans are paying about $20 more than the rest of the country to fill up the tank. We need to make petrol more affordable for all Canberrans," Mr Coe said. According to Liberal party figures, the average price for unleaded petrol in Canberra is about 145.9 cents per litre compared to 125.2 cents per litre in New South Wales. "I think the Canberra community is absolutely fed up with the petrol prices that we're forced to pay," Mr Coe said. "It simply doesn't stack up that prices in Canberra should be 30 cents more per litre than places just up the highway. "What is clear is that the Government's do-nothing approach is failing." Can real-time pricing reverse a market failure? Under the Liberal party's proposed scheme, petrol retailers would be required to report changes to fuel prices by 6:00am every day, and those prices would be fixed for 24 hours. Photo: Opposition leader Alistair Coe said consistently high fuel prices indicated possible "collusion" between retailers. (ABC News: Mark Moore) But Chief Minister Andrew Barr said real-time pricing data was already available through Petrol Spy, directing buyers to the cheaper outlets in places such as Pialligo, Fyshwick and Canberra Airport. "Canberrans are being gouged elsewhere and this is clearly a market failure," Mr Barr said. "It's why I wrote to the ACCC some time ago, I went up to Sydney and met with the Commissioner and have asked for the ACCC to do one of their deep-dives into this petrol market." Mr Barr said he was sceptical of the Liberals' plan for fixed prices over a 24-hour period. "You want to be careful in designing something like that, that you would allow people or retailers to lower their price you don't want them fixed at a higher price and not be able to change it for 24 hours," he said. "The advice from the ACCC is that these schemes don't necessarily lower prices." Mr Barr claimed there were not enough independent retailers in the ACT market to drive prices down. And he said there was no excuse for big businesses who kept their prices high. "It is possible to sell fuel at that low a price and stay in business in Canberra," he said. But Mr Coe said more need to be done to investigate why Canberrans were being gouged at the bowser and accused the ACT Government of failing to take action on the matter. "It's all very well for Mr Barr to say we need more independents, but there are certainly a lot of players in this market," he said. "He is, in effect, saying that there is some collusion taking place in this market." The ACCC was approached for comment. Topics:states-and-territories,canberra-2600,act First posted January 22, 2019 17:18:45 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-22/canberra-petrol-price-gouging-government-opposition-want-answers/10736928 1/22/2019 0 Comments 'We have the right to be safe': Women's marches focus on Aiia Maasarwe's alleged murderUpdated January 20, 2019 15:46:34
Thousands of women and men have marched through Australia's capital cities calling for women's equality and an end to gendered violence. Key pointsProtests were held in Sydney, Canberra and AdelaideMarchers were concerned about women's equality and safety against violenceCrowd members spoke out against the alleged murders of Aiia Maasarwe and Eurydice Dixon In Sydney, around 3,000 people gathered at Hyde Park where Indigenous leaders, survivors of domestic violence and women's rights activists addressed the crowds before marching to Belmore Park. Organisers said domestic violence was a key focus of this year's women's march, but many in the crowd carried signs referencing the alleged murder of Palestinian citizen of Israel Aiia Maasarwe in Melbourne's north earlier this week. Representatives from domestic violence groups and women's organisations across the state addressed crowds at Hyde Park. Host Yumi Stynes said there was a crisis of violence against women in Australia. "We have the right to be safe, to claim our space, to be respected and have our voices heard so I want to hear your voice right now!" she said, prompting cheers from the crowd. Photo: Ali Kitinas and Alexe Colvin, both 17, attended the march in Sydney. (ABC News: Lily Mayers) Author Bri Lee said the death of exchange student Ms Maasarwe had hit home with its chilling similarities to the murder of Melbourne comedian Eurydice Dixon. "[Aiia] was on the phone when she was taken, and it reminds me of when Eurydice was taken and she had texted her mate saying she was almost home safe and my inbox and my outbox are full of those messages," she said. Ms Lee revealed her personal experience of being abused in the backyard of her home. "The statistics overwhelmingly demonstrate that perpetrators do not need a weapon, they do not need the cover of nightfall the patriarchy gives them everything they need to perpetrate sexual and physical violence against us," she said. Photo: Many protesters in Sydney carried placards referencing the alleged murder of Aiia Maasarwe. (ABC News: Lily Mayers) 'I just want friends to walk home safely' In Canberra, several hundred protesters chanted "women power" and held placards revealing why they chose to march. Samantha Nolan-Smith became emotional when revealing her reasons for attending. "I'm marching for the women who can't," she said. "I'm thinking particularly of the death that happened this week and so many other women who have suffered from violence and who are dead. "I don't want my daughter to grow up in a world where she's unsafe or she can't pursue the opportunities she wants and I march for my son because I don't want him to grow up in a world where toxic masculinity is acceptable." Photo: Several hundred protesters gathered at Canberra's Garema Place. (ABC News: Tahlia Roy) Megan Daley, a youth and family worker, said she wanted to see a brighter future for Indigenous women and children. "I'm marching because I'm a young Aboriginal woman," she said. "I know how poor our outcomes are, how unequal we are treated in Australia." Lola Bustamante-Gonzalez said she was a "proud feminist" marching to help protect women. "I work with men who just joke around about women and it makes us feel little, and I want to stand-up for all women and tell them they're valid," she said. "I just want my friends to walk home safe. I want them to be strong." In Adelaide, about 150 people attended an event outside Parliament House to remember the 69 women murdered across Australia last year. Sixty-nine women stood on the building's steps holding placards representing the lives lost as each victim's name was read out. Photo: Sixty-nine women stand on the steps of Adelaide's Parliament House, representing the number of women murdered across Australia in 2018. (ABC News: Rebecca Opie) Topics:community-and-society,feminism,sydney-2000,canberra-2600,adelaide-5000 First posted January 20, 2019 14:24:53 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-20/womens-marches-across-australia-focus-on-aiia-masarwe-killing/10730088 1/21/2019 0 Comments 'We have the right to be safe': Women's marches focus on Aiia Maasarwe's alleged murderUpdated January 20, 2019 15:46:34
Thousands of women and men have marched through Australia's capital cities calling for women's equality and an end to gendered violence. Key pointsProtests were held in Sydney, Canberra and AdelaideMarchers were concerned about women's equality and safety against violenceCrowd members spoke out against the alleged murders of Aiia Maasarwe and Eurydice Dixon In Sydney, around 3,000 people gathered at Hyde Park where Indigenous leaders, survivors of domestic violence and women's rights activists addressed the crowds before marching to Belmore Park. Organisers said domestic violence was a key focus of this year's women's march, but many in the crowd carried signs referencing the alleged murder of Palestinian citizen of Israel Aiia Maasarwe in Melbourne's north earlier this week. Representatives from domestic violence groups and women's organisations across the state addressed crowds at Hyde Park. Host Yumi Stynes said there was a crisis of violence against women in Australia. "We have the right to be safe, to claim our space, to be respected and have our voices heard so I want to hear your voice right now!" she said, prompting cheers from the crowd. Photo: Ali Kitinas and Alexe Colvin, both 17, attended the march in Sydney. (ABC News: Lily Mayers) Author Bri Lee said the death of exchange student Ms Maasarwe had hit home with its chilling similarities to the murder of Melbourne comedian Eurydice Dixon. "[Aiia] was on the phone when she was taken, and it reminds me of when Eurydice was taken and she had texted her mate saying she was almost home safe and my inbox and my outbox are full of those messages," she said. Ms Lee revealed her personal experience of being abused in the backyard of her home. "The statistics overwhelmingly demonstrate that perpetrators do not need a weapon, they do not need the cover of nightfall the patriarchy gives them everything they need to perpetrate sexual and physical violence against us," she said. Photo: Many protesters in Sydney carried placards referencing the alleged murder of Aiia Maasarwe. (ABC News: Lily Mayers) 'I just want friends to walk home safely' In Canberra, several hundred protesters chanted "women power" and held placards revealing why they chose to march. Samantha Nolan-Smith became emotional when revealing her reasons for attending. "I'm marching for the women who can't," she said. "I'm thinking particularly of the death that happened this week and so many other women who have suffered from violence and who are dead. "I don't want my daughter to grow up in a world where she's unsafe or she can't pursue the opportunities she wants and I march for my son because I don't want him to grow up in a world where toxic masculinity is acceptable." Photo: Several hundred protesters gathered at Canberra's Garema Place. (ABC News: Tahlia Roy) Megan Daley, a youth and family worker, said she wanted to see a brighter future for Indigenous women and children. "I'm marching because I'm a young Aboriginal woman," she said. "I know how poor our outcomes are, how unequal we are treated in Australia." Lola Bustamante-Gonzalez said she was a "proud feminist" marching to help protect women. "I work with men who just joke around about women and it makes us feel little, and I want to stand-up for all women and tell them they're valid," she said. "I just want my friends to walk home safe. I want them to be strong." In Adelaide, about 150 people attended an event outside Parliament House to remember the 69 women murdered across Australia last year. Sixty-nine women stood on the building's steps holding placards representing the lives lost as each victim's name was read out. Photo: Sixty-nine women stand on the steps of Adelaide's Parliament House, representing the number of women murdered across Australia in 2018. (ABC News: Rebecca Opie) Topics:community-and-society,feminism,sydney-2000,canberra-2600,adelaide-5000 First posted January 20, 2019 14:24:53 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-20/womens-marches-across-australia-focus-on-aiia-masarwe-killing/10730088 Updated January 19, 2019 09:48:42
Photo: The magnitude 3.1 tremor was felt by residents across Canberra and into New South Wales. (Supplied: Geoscience Australia) With a shake and a rattle, Canberrans were startled by a rare magnitude 3.1 tremor shortly after 10:00am on Friday. Key Points:Quakes of this magnitude are rare in urban CanberraSeismologists say aftershocks could be expectedThe epicentre of the tremor was in NSW, just north of the ACT's border According to Geoscience Australia, the epicentre of the tremor was just north of the ACT's border with New South Wales, radiating outwards to affect suburbs as far away as Uriarra, Queanbeyan and Gundaroo. The quake even rippled out to the often-dry Lake George, but while some aftershocks are expected, a tsunami is highly unlikely. Seismologist Hugh Glanville said, at a magnitude of 3.1, the tremor posed no threat to structures or people, but was a relatively rare event in urban Canberra. "It's normally a bang and a bit of rattling and a few seconds of shaking that might pass you like a truck or a train coming very close past you," Mr Glanville told ABC Radio. "Within 50km of it we've had about 100 earthquakes in the past 20 years we're averaging about five per year, but in the ACT itself we only rarely feel earthquakes." Aftershocks expected Australia boasts the fastest-moving continent in the world, travelling at a rate of 7 centimetres per year, but Mr Glanville said most of the stress created by the friction was released across "plate boundaries" in Indonesia and and the South Pacific. External Link:The tremors were felt across most of northern ACT. But occasionally, Australia bore the brunt of the force too. Mr Glanville said the tremor ranked "reasonably highly" on the scale of those typically felt in the Canberra region. "There has been bigger earthquakes, north of Canberra and south down near the Snowy Mountains, but for a magnitude 3 around Canberra it's reasonably uncommon for this to occur," he said. And it may not be over yet. "From the magnitude 3 we've just located a magnitude 1.5 aftershock in the same area, so we may get a few aftershocks from this earthquake as well," he sa 'Set the dogs barking': Canberrans puzzled by sudden shock Canberrans were quick to speculate about the sudden vibration that sounded to some like "something had fallen on the roof" and to others like a truck driving past. In northern Canberra, Karen Butler said the "whole house shook". "Then another smaller one about [10 minutes] later. Set the dogs barking madly," she said. Queanbeyan resident Helen said the tremor sounded and felt "like a thunderclap". "It was momentary, but the shake was a little bit long a couple of seconds," she said. "I knew what it was, but the only thing that concerns me is previously I've been on the ground [during earthquakes], but this time I was in an eight-storey building." After a magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Newcastle in 1989, laws were changed in Australia ensuring buildings were built to resist movement from tremors. But anything higher than a magnitude 3.6 is unlikely in Canberra, Mr Glanville said. "We regularly get these small to medium sized earthquakes in the southern region of Australia, in eastern Australia," he said. Topics:science-and-technology,geology,earthquake,canberra-2600,australia,act,nsw First posted January 18, 2019 12:09:30 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-18/canberra-rattled-by-magnitude-3-earthquake/10725982 |
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