NewsMatch Alert: Press Release Summary | 20 February 2025
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Today's highlights
eSafety report shows widespread underage use of social media and minimal measures to prevent kids signing up
Australian children are easily circumventing inadequate and poorly enforced minimum age rules employed by well-known social media services with most only asking kids to self-declare their age at sign-up, according to a new report released by Australia’s online safety regulator. The report combines the results of a national survey looking at the social media use of Australian children aged 8-15, and information provided directly to eSafety by social media platforms about how they enforce their own age restrictions. ??
Scientists discover how to “switch off” a known driver of prostate and other cancers
Melbourne-based scientists have, for the first time, discovered how to “switch off” a molecule which is one of the top culprits behind prostate cancer, and is also linked to lung and kidney cancers. The “dark molecule” – meaning it’s understudied – is known as ‘Protein Serine Kinase H1’ (PSKH1) and is associated with tumour progression and metastasis. However, until now, how it does this has been unknown.
Latest snapshot of rural Australia paints grim picture of higher death rates and dismal healthcare access
Rural, regional and remote Australians are dying at higher rates than their urban counterparts, with avoidable deaths in the regions nearly four times higher, according to new data released today by the National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA). The Rural Health in Australia Snapshot 2025 paints a grim picture of health inequities between rural and metropolitan areas. The life expectancy gap is stark, with men in Very Remote areas dying up to 13.6 years earlier and women up to 12.7 years earlier than those in Metropolitan areas.
Exclusive Salvation Army Social Justice Stocktake is live - Access the concerns of Australians, by nation, state/territories and individual electorate reports
Today, the second Salvation Army National Social Justice Stocktake (NSJS) website goes live, allowing citizens, policy makers and politicians to gauge which social justice issues are of prominent concern to individuals and communities right now and what can ultimately be done to address them. “The Stocktake was born from hearing the challenges the community were experiencing and felt were being ignored. These reports focus on practical information and practical actions that can be taken to address the most pressing issues in our communities,” says The Salvation Army’s General Manager of Policy and Advocacy, Jennifer Kirkaldy .?
Worrying new data the tip of telco complaints iceberg
Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, has expressed deep concern over new Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) data, which reveals a sharp increase in consumer complaints and a troubling rise in unresolved cases late in late 2024.?Between October and December 2024, complaints to the TIO surged by 13% compared to the previous quarter, with mobile services complaints alone jumping by 23.2%. The data also highlights that complaints about no phone or internet service increased by 44.1%, and complaints about intermittent service or dropouts rose by 21.1%. ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said the findings amount to a disappointing failure of consumer expectations.
Peak accounting body issues warning on oversight body merger
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) has warned the Federal Government that not including practicing accountants on its new financial standards body is akin to having a medical standards board without a practicing doctor. The Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB), the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB), and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which currently oversee and set reporting, audit and assurance, and sustainability standards, will be merged into one entity by July 2026.
AWU announces further industrial action at Tomago Aluminium as management refuses fair wage deal
The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) today announced its members will recommence industrial action at Tomago Aluminium following management's refusal to continue negotiations in good faith over a fair wage agreement. AWU NSW Secretary Tony Callinan confirmed that AWU members will recommence regular, systematic protected industrial action in the early hours of Sunday morning.?
Whyalla steelworks: joint union statement
AWU, AMWU, ETU, MUA
The Australian Workers' Union , Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union , Electrical Trades Union of Australia and Maritime Union of Australia welcome the South Australian and Federal Government’s $2 billion support plan for the Whyalla steelworks.?Today’s announcement provides long overdue certainty to workers and a community that have dealt with disruption and doubt for far too long. This historic investment into a critical manufacturing facility will secure Whyalla’s future after years of reckless mismanagement.
Before we decide where to dump nuclear waste, let’s answer the bigger questions
Australians for Affordable Energy is urging caution following calls for South Australia to become a nuclear power hub and waste storage site, warning fundamental questions about nuclear remain unanswered. Alexander Downer’s comments advocating for nuclear power plants in South Australia and positioning the state as a nuclear waste storage site are deeply concerning given there has been no comprehensive discussion around nuclear power.
Mayor Tanya Taylor urges State Government action on tree vandalism after no charges in Castle Cove
Willoughby City Council Mayor Tanya Taylor has called on the NSW State Government to address inadequate enforcement tools and barriers to effective action on tree vandalism, following the conclusion of its investigation into one of the largest tree vandalism events in the Local Government Area’s history. Despite extensive efforts by Council, the investigation into the deliberate destruction of 256 trees in H.D. Robb Reserve, Castle Cove, has resulted in insufficient information to prosecute those responsible.
DV and housing issues drive demand for legal aid in Port Macquarie
Legal issues relating to domestic violence, drugs and housing have dominated demand for free legal help in the Port Macquarie region over the past decade, according to new data.? The data comes as the Port Macquarie office of Legal Aid NSW marks its tenth anniversary. The Solicitor in Charge at that office, Cody Baxter, said high rates of socio-economic disadvantage in the region meant demand for free legal help was high.?
New blueprint for Victorian government to end homelessness crisis
Council to Homeless Persons has warned critical programs for rough sleepers are under threat unless the state government provides a funding lifeline in the upcoming state budget. Victoria’s peak body for homelessness has today revealed its new plan to end homelessness through targeted state government investment in solutions with a proven track record.
Cuts to fisheries officers could spell disaster for Victoria’s marine life
Conservation group the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) has warned proposed cuts to the Victorian Fisheries Authority will leave the state's marine parks and wildlife virtually unprotected and vulnerable to widespread illegal fishing.?The restructure would see 73 fisheries officers replaced with just 36 engagement officers across the state, severely compromising Victoria's ability to protect its marine life and enforce fishing regulations.
Monash expert: New changes in vehicle safety regulations
Starting on 1 March 2025, a crucial shift in vehicle safety regulations will come into effect in Australia, and will require popular car brands to discontinue several models. The change stems from the implementation of Australian Design Rule (ADR) 98/00, which mandates that all new vehicles sold in the country must be equipped with standard car-to-car autonomous emergency braking (AEB).
First Nations and Charles Darwin University (CDU) research project dives deeper into plight of Northern Australia’s turtles, whales and dolphins
A comparison of aerial surveys of green turtle nests between the 1990s and 2024 shows a decline in turtle nesting sites on Croker Island - a new research project with First Nations Rangers and Charles Darwin University (CDU) is now looking a little deeper. Marine scientists from CDU are conducting pioneering research on turtles and cetaceans in Australia’s northernmost marine park, advancing conservation and sustainability efforts in the Northern Territory.
Prosthetic leg donation program changes lives in Southeast Asia
A pioneering rehabilitation program led by RMIT University has fitted more than 200 prosthetics legs and delivered more than 4,600 biomechanical therapy treatments and counselling sessions in partnership with local programs across Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Cambodia.
AI-powered fetal monitoring to prevent brain injury and reduce C-sections
An AI-driven revolutionary approach in fetal brain health monitoring will enable early detection of fetal distress, allowing for timely interventions to prevent brain damage and reducing unnecessary medical interventions.?
Mother's Day Classic aims for another record breaker to boost women's health and save lives
Australia’s most loved national fun run and walk, the Mother’s Day Classic (MDC), is primed for another record-breaking year, with organisers announcing a renewed commitment to funding research to reduce deaths and improve survival for breast and ovarian cancer. Launching the 2025 Classic, Mother’s Day Classic Foundation (MDCF) CEO Zara Lawless welcomed new principal partner, AIA Australia, and an upswing in early event registrations, particularly in regional areas, which points to more than 90 locations hosting runs/walks nationally on Sunday, 11 May.
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