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MP John Sidoti suspended from NSW parliament after ICAC corruption findings

NSW MP John Sidoti has been suspended from parliament after he was found to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct.

The NSW government moved a motion to suspend the former Liberal MP, after the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) made a serious corrupt finding against him last month.

Labor and the crossbench supported the motion, which will see Mr Sidoti suspended until at least the end of the parliament sitting year in November.

Mr Sidoti, the member for Drummoyne, strongly denies any wrongdoing and addressed parliament before the vote.

“I am glad to finally address matters that have impacted my life, my family’s lives and the community I serve,” he said.

“Not one shred of evidence existed to support these allegations.

“The gutter elements of the media created a story of misconduct.

John Sidoti addresses parliament
John Sidoti addressed parliament, saying “not one shred of evidence existed” to prove the allegations.(AAP: David Swift)

“They alleged that any errors of disclosure indicated attempts to hide wealth acquired through illegal means.

“A complete fantasy, there is no extraordinary wealth.

“Our disclosure guidelines are confusing and I found them complex.”

Mr Sidoti was once the sports minister but has been sitting on the crossbench while the corruption watchdog investigated.

The matter has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)

Mr Sidoti is also planning legal action.

“To clear your name is a long, expensive process,” he said.

“I’m lodging an appeal in the Supreme Court this week, I’ll be making a submission to have the matter expedited.”

The ICAC found Mr Sidoti improperly used his position to influence the redevelopment of the Five Dock town centre.

The ICAC report said Mr Sidoti wanted planning controls relaxed so that three properties his family owned could benefit from development potential.

Premier Dominic Perrottet phoned Mr Sidoti after the findings, asking him to resign from parliament.

Mr Sidoti said he gave the Premier a two-word answer.

He is the second government MP to be suspended in a motion brought by the government.

Gareth Ward was suspended in March, while he faces indecent and sexual assault charges, he denies the allegations.

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Australia

Missing woman Colleen South’s family pay tribute after body found near crashed car

The family of missing Adelaide woman Colleen South have paid tribute to their “beautiful angel” after a body was found at Bunguluke, in Victoria’s north-west.

A farmer made the discovery in a paddock on Swan Hill-Charlton Road, south of Mackies Road, just before 4pm on Monday.

The body is yet to be formally identified. However, Mildura Superintendent John O’Connor said it was “highly probable” the body was Ms South’s.

“It’s highly likely that the body that was found last night east of Wycheproof is that of Colleen South but it’s yet to be formally identified and we are waiting for DNA analysis to confirm that,” he said.

Superintendent O’Connor said the body was discovered under a large tree in high grass only about 2 kilometers from where Ms South’s abandoned car was discovered crashed in a ditch on July 3.

He said police were preparing a report for the coroner, which would include a review into the search process.

Emergency services and Ms South’s family conducted an extensive search of the area in the hope of finding her.

In a tribute posted online, her family said they were “heartbroken and in shock.”

“We want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for your endless support, calls & messages for the past 5 weeks. We are so grateful,” they wrote.

“Fly high our beautiful angel.”

A purse and other items on grass near a car and a police car
Colleen South’s belongings were found earlier near her abandoned car.(Supplied: Veronica South)

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Australia

Locum doctor fee rises lead charity to withdraw financial support in five NSW towns

A year or two ago it used to cost just over $1,000 a day for a locum GP to cover while a town’s permanent doctor was on leave. That has now tripled to close to $4,000.

It is this “eye watering” increase that is being blamed on a medical charity withdrawing its financial support to pay for fly-in fly-out doctors in five New South Wales towns.

“It’s a dramatic change, we’re moving from GP locum rates of $1,200 a day up to anywhere between $2,500, $3,500, $3,750 a day,” Rural and Remote Medical Services (RARMS) CEO Mark Burdack said.

“We’re looking in some instances, in some towns, locum rates more than tripling in the last year.”

RARMS has announced that since September 30 it will no longer help pay for locums in Gilgandra, Warren, Bingara, Tenterfield and Braidwood.

The practices in these towns will remain open, but the charity’s decision means they will be saddled with the locum bills.

“We can’t afford to pay locum costs moving forward.

“That means each of the towns, if they lose a general practitioner, if they decide to go, they will potentially be up for anywhere between $2,500 and $3,500 a day to get a locum in.”

The main street of a small town
Bingara in north-west NSW is one of five towns affected by RARMS’s withdrawal.(Supplied: Lisa Herbert)

‘Not in a position to subsidise’

Mr Burdack said the organization had managed to weather the costs for the past few years because of the federal government’s JobKeeper payments.

He said a request for this to be extended was knocked back.

“Unfortunately that’s not something that has been taken up and as a result without that JobKeeper money we’re simply not in a position to subsidize locum coverage in those communities when there’s not a permanent doctor,” he said.

a man looking ahead
RARMS CEO Mark Burdack says negotiations are taking place to help fill the gap left by the charity.(Supplied)

RARMS said permanent doctors in Tenterfield and Braidwood have agreed to take over the full management of those practices.

Mr Burdack said at Bingara, north-west of Tamworth, the local council had stepped in.

decision no surprise

But Gwydir Shire Council Mayor John Coulton said the council was not taking over the Bingara health service and the decision of RARMS came as no surprise.

“We were very suspicious of this happening,” he said.

“We spoke to Mark Burdack in May, he couldn’t give any guarantees they could stay open under the present set-up.

“This is not a function of local government, we are going to do everything we can to facilitate another arrangement.

“We’ve been speaking to different sources that we may be able to use at this stage we have nothing.”

“We had a hook-up yesterday with Gilgandra and Warren, two other councils in the same position, and we’ve been bouncing off each other.”

RARMS says it is negotiating with the Western NSW Local Health District and Western Primary Health Network on future arrangements at Gilgandra and Warren.

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Australia

Roof security concerns flagged years before weekend escape from Malmsbury Youth Justice Center

Victorian youth justice management rejected internal recommendations to upgrade the security of the unit two young men escaped from at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Center over the weekend, the ABC has learned.

Two young men smashed through the plaster ceiling of their cells in the admissions unit and escaped through the roof cavity of the youth prison north-west of Melbourne on Saturday night.

They were caught by police on Monday.

The 22-year-old escapee will face court on Tuesday after he was arrested in Corio, near Geelong, while the 19-year-old was sent to adult prison and will face court again in September.

The unit is not surrounded by a secure fence.

The ABC understands concerns were raised in 2019 about poor security of the admissions unit, which is an older building in the precinct.

Sign outside the Malmsbury Youth Justice Center in central Victoria.
There have been multiple reported attacks on staff at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Center in the past few weeks.(abcnews)

Internal recommendations were made to upgrade security and infrastructure of the unit, including the ceiling and roof due to risk of escape.

The ABC understands the recommendations were ultimately rejected by management.

The ABC has reported extensively on serious assaults of staff and young people at Malmsbury.

In the past six weeks, staff have reported being assaulted, threatened, spat on, and having suspected urine thrown at them. One young man threw hot water and honey at another inmate which landed on the side of a staff member’s face.

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Australia

Industrial action to stop train services on Illawarra South Coast line

The rail union says it has been advised Transport for New South Wales will shut down the Illawarra rail line on Wednesday, amid planned industrial action.

Workers at dozens of stations including Wollongong are set to walk off the job for six hours on Wednesday, as the union’s ongoing dispute with the state government about the safety of new trains continues.

But the union says Transport management yesterday advised it of plans escalate planned action by deciding to stop running trains on the Illawarra South Coast line.

Alex Claassens from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union says it’s disappointing as the industrial action was designed to ensure services could continue to run.

“Senior management and the transport bureaucrats have made a decision they are going to stop all trains on the Illawarra line from 6am to 8pm Wednesday which we believe is a drastic escalation of our industrial action,” he said.

“Yet again it’s another example the transport bureaucrats have deliberately used our industrial action to escalate it and make it seem like we’re doing this horrible thing.”

In a statement, Transport for NSW said that while the industrial action officially runs from 10am – 4pm, customers will likely be impacted for longer.

“Our customers will start to feel the effects from around 6am,” a spokesperson said.

“To ensure the safety of our customers, staff, and the network overall, trains will need to be taken back to stabling yards and depots before the industrial action starts.”

Customers are being advised to plan their journeys in advance, consider alternative transport options and allow extra travel time.

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Australia

Victorians to get free N95 masks to try to relieve pressure on the health system

the victorian government is set to distribute three million free N95 and KN95 masks over the coming weeks to try to ease the pressure on the state’s health system.
Speaking outside Victorian parliament, Premier Daniel Andrews announced the free masks would be given out at COVID-19 testing sites, community health sites and across public transport.

Every person who attends COVID-19 testing sites over the next four to six weeks for a COVID-19 test will be given a box of 10 masks.

N95 masks are widely seen as more effectively than cloth masks.
N95 masks are widely seen as more effectively than cloth masks. (AP)

“We would encourage you to wear those, when you are inside, when you are on public transport,” Andrews said.

He said winter had been “one of the most difficult periods ever” for the state’s health system, and that mask wearing would help reduce pressure on the system.

Andrews said offering free masks was “the common sense thing to do” at this point.

“We’ve got the stock,” he said.

The government is “strongly recommending” masks be worn indoors in Victoria.

Premier Daniel Andrews
Premier Daniel Andrews has announced free masks will be distributed in Victoria. (Nine)

Victorians have been advised that while surgical masks provide protection against airborne viruses such as COVID-19 and influenza, N95 masks offer much better protection because they fit more closely to the wearer’s face.

Andrews confirmed that Victoria is coming towards the end of the current wave of COVID-19.

There are 40,001 known active cases in the state at the moment, including 673 in hospital and 32 in intensive care.

A further 44 deaths in people with the virus have been recorded today.

The subvariants and mutations of COVID-19

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Australia

Canberra’s light rail to become wireless through Parliamentary Triangle with joint federal and ACT government funded contract

Canberra’s light rail network will become wireless through the Parliamentary Triangle as construction continues into the city’s south, following a joint investment from the federal and ACT governments.

It was announced this morning that a contract had been awarded for early works on stage 2 of the network, with five new wire-free light rail vehicles to be introduced from 2024, while the existing vehicles would be retrofitted with onboard batteries.

In a statement, the ACT government said this would enable the vehicles to operate wirelessly along the route’s extension throughout the parliamentary zone, stage 2A to Commonwealth Park and stage 2B towards Woden respectively.

The government said it would also be expanding its light rail depot at Mitchell to facilitate the ongoing maintenance of the fleet, with construction expected to be completed in mid-2024.

Contract for wireless network a ‘critical milestone’

A light rail vehicle sits at an intersection in Canberra.
Work will be done to expand the light rail depot at Mitchell, before five new vehicles are introduced to the network.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

The government said work to raise London Circuit as part of the construction of light rail stage 2A was expected to commence “soon”.

“This will be followed by the submission of an environmental assessment and works approval application for the stage 2A project, so construction of the light rail line can commence soon after raising London Circuit is complete,” the statement said.

“Canberrans will be able to have their say on the final light rail design early next year, when it goes on public display as part of the works approval application.”

ACT Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel said the joint contract with the federal government was a “critical milestone” for the delivery of the light rail extension.

“We need to order new LRVs now, and upgrade our existing fleet and depot, to ensure we have enough vehicles manufactured, delivered, tested and ready to start services to Commonwealth Park when construction of the track is completed,” Mr Steel said.

“Moving to retrofit all existing LRVs with onboard energy systems for wire-free running shows our commitment to delivering light rail, not only to Commonwealth Park, but right through the Parliamentary Triangle to Woden.

“The five new vehicles will be built for Canberra’s future light rail system and will support the same high frequency services on the next stage that have been embraced by Canberrans on the first stage.”

Federal Member for Canberra Alicia Payne said the project would boost local employment.

“The LRV modifications and depot expansion will increase the network’s capability to improve connectivity for people needing to travel for work or to access services and events in the southern part of the city,” she said.

“This project and associated works are expected to support up to 1,000 jobs over its life, which is a significant amount of local employment.”

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Australia

Adelaide woman spotted by PolAir driving on wrong side of North-South Motorway

A woman has been fined after traveling on the wrong side of the North-South Motorway for at least 10 kilometers.

The 75-year-old was pulled over about 12.30am on the right-hand side of the motorway at Dry Creek.

Senior Constable Peta Squire said that a member of the public informed police.

“They called police to let them know a white pulsar was traveling on the wrong side of the road,” Senior Constable Squire said.

“PolAir was in the area and were quickly overhead to track the car on Regency Road and Grange Road to stop the vehicle.

“She was a little confused why she was pulled over and officers explained she had driven more than 10km on the wrong side of the road.”

The Athol Park woman was issued a fine for driving on the wrong side of the road.

Her license will be reviewed.

Knife-wielding skateboarder spotted hours later

In a separate incident, a camera near the Regency Road exit spotted a skateboarder on the same motorway.

SA Police said the footage showed the rider was carrying a knife.

Patrols then located the 18-year-old man and arrested him nearby.

A truck on the North South Freeway
The North-South Motorway is a major road connecting Gawler to Old Noarlunga. (Supplied: Wikipedia )

The Brompton man was charged with carrying a knife in a public place and was fined for riding a skateboard on the North-South Motorway.

He will appear in court in September.

The North-South Motorway will soon have major upgrades.

Construction will start on the northern section of the road in 2026, with the southern section beginning in 2023.

The 78-kilometre North-South Corridor will create a direct route from Gawler to Old Noarlunga.

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Australia

Stretton, Brisbane deaths: Inside home where man and woman found ‘sliced ​​to death’

An affluent community is in shock after the horrific deaths of a mother and son who were ‘sliced ​​to death’ at their ‘President’s Estate’ home.

Police descended on the cul-de-sac crime scene at Coolidge Court in Stretton, Brisbane, at about 9:30am on Monday – where the streets are named after famous American presidents.

Responding officers were confronted with a ‘large amount of blood’ streaming down the stairs as they discovered the bodies of Jifeng Liu, known as Eileen, 47, and her son Sam, in his early 20s.

A 49-year-old man has been arrested over the ‘frenzied attack’ and two ‘bladed weapons’ have been seized.

Police described the blood-soaked scene as ‘confronting and traumatic’.

Jifeng Liu (pictured), known as Eileen, 47, and her son Sam, in his early 20s were found dead inside their home in Brisbane's south

Jifeng Liu (pictured), known as Eileen, 47, and her son Sam, in his early 20s were found dead inside their home in Brisbane’s south

Pictured: The affluent 'President's Estate' home where Jifeng Liu and her son Sam reportedly resided

Pictured: The affluent ‘President’s Estate’ home where Jifeng Liu and her son Sam reportedly resided

Police and forensics rushed to the Coolidge Court residence in Stretton on Monday morning and found the bodies of the mother and son upstairs

Police and forensics rushed to the Coolidge Court residence in Stretton on Monday morning and found the bodies of the mother and son upstairs

Images of the property where the grisly scene played out reveal an affluent house with an interior hallway, upstairs bedroom and backyard with a swimming pool.

The photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia also shows an open plan living area with a spacious modern kitchen, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a double garage for up to six vehicles.

A stylish brick archway sits in-between a large living room and the main hallway.

A 47-year-old man who reportedly called triple-0 and let officers inside the home is currently in custody assisting detectives with their inquiries.

No charges have been laid yet.

Police said a Cantonese interpreter was needed for the man and that he was taken to hospital for treatment to serious cuts to his arms and lower legs.

A stylish brick archway at the home sits in-between a large living room and the main hallway

A stylish brick archway at the home sits in-between a large living room and the main hallway

Pictured: An upstairs bedroom at the house where the man and woman where killed

Pictured: An upstairs bedroom at the house where the man and woman where killed

The in the affluent suburb property features a pristine swimming pool in the backyard

The in the affluent suburb property features a pristine swimming pool in the backyard

Forensic officers spent much of Monday at the home scouring for clues and photographing evidence outside the front of the double garage

Forensic officers spent much of Monday at the home scouring for clues and photographing evidence outside the front of the double garage

The victims are yet to be formally identified.

‘The scene was confronting and has been described as an (alleged) frenzied attack on the two deceased persons,’ Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham told reporters.

A major crime scene was set up as officers cordoned off the quiet cul-de-sac and knocked on the doors of neighbours, with the street remaining under a heavy police presence on Monday afternoon.

‘So our forensic officers have been in on a couple of occasions now. The scene is quite traumatic in terms of a large amount of blood that is present,’ Det Supt Massingham said.

Police were confronted with traumatic scenes when they arrived at the Coolidge Court home

Police were confronted with traumatic scenes when they arrived at the Coolidge Court home

The bodies of a woman and a man were found upstairs inside the two storey home

The bodies of a woman and a man were found upstairs inside the two storey home

Det Supt Massingham said the man in custody is believed to have had a ‘link to the address’ but his relationship with the two found dead was yet to be fully established.

‘There were some language difficulties with the interpretation of what he was saying, an interpreter was used by the triple zero service,’ he said.

‘He has exercised his right to silence and has requested the presence of a solicitor.

‘It’s still very early days in the investigation and it’s important that we keep an open mind.

‘There’s been no information from neighbors to indicate that anything has been heard at this stage.’

Det Supt Massingham said there were CCTV cameras at the front of the home, which are yet to be reviewed.

Coolidge Court remained cordoned off with a heavy police presence on Monday afternoon

Coolidge Court remained cordoned off with a heavy police presence on Monday afternoon

Police described the scene inside the home as confronting and traumatic with 'large amounts of blood present' (pictured, forensic officers at the home)

Police described the scene inside the home as confronting and traumatic with ‘large amounts of blood present’ (pictured, forensic officers at the home)

The bodies are expected to be removed from the scene by Monday night with an autopsy to be completed by Tuesday.

Shocked neighbors told the Courier Mail a man, woman and boy lived at the house. They were described as ‘lovely people who mainly kept to themselves’.

‘Recently I haven’t seen them too much but normally they are out in the yard,’ one man said.

‘I think the boy just got his license not that long ago.

‘You don’t think this kind of thing will happen around you but obviously it has.’

Another told the ABC: ‘They kept to themselves, if they were going up the street you’d just wave, say hi and that was about it.’

Police hope to remove the bodies of a man and a woman from the home by Monday night

Police hope to remove the bodies of a man and a woman from the home by Monday night

Shocked neighbors say Coolidge Court is a quiet and peaceful street and that the occupants who lived at the home kept to themselves (pictured, police in the cordoned off street)

Shocked neighbors say Coolidge Court is a quiet and peaceful street and that the occupants who lived at the home kept to themselves (pictured, police in the cordoned off street)

Another local said said he heard a dog constantly barking on Sunday night.

‘In the morning it was very quiet until the police got here, the only thing we could recall was a dog barking and going crazy last night before the other dogs on the street started barking too,’ he said.

‘I have never heard any real noise or anything from that end of the street, it’s usually very quiet so it’s very scary and shocking.’

The property last sold for $760,000 four years ago, according to online data.

The median price for homes in Stretton is more than $900,000 and is home to a population of 4,334, according to the 2016 Census.

The average weekly household income for the suburb is $1,843, well above the national median of $1,234.

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Australia

Lidia Thorpe lays out list of demands for Greens support

“Let’s tell some truth… We are the fabric of this country and we’re not treated like that. We’re treated with contempt, really, we’ve got to always prove our existence in this country. So truth will help heal, truth will help unite. Treaty is a mechanism for a negotiation of settlement,” Senator Thorpe said.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has previously indicated the government’s willingness to work on implementing all elements of the Uluru Statement, saying in May “everything is on the table”.

Thorpe said the Greens were ready to negotiate in good faith, as they had done on the climate change bill, and that she hoped the prime minister came to negotiations with an “open heart, ready to listen and work together to deliver justice to First Nations people”.

“The PM said that Treaty is ‘ambitious’. After 230 years of colonization, we need ambition. I challenge the PM to do the work. Any process that could be rushed through the parliament in six months is unlikely to involve any meaningful transfer of power. Self-determination is a human right.”

The Greens will ask for the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the 1997 Bringing Them Home report on the separation of Aboriginal children from their families.

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A 2018 review found 64 per cent of Deaths in Custody recommendations had been fully implemented and 14 per cent had been mostly implemented.

Thorpe also wants the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples enshrined in Commonwealth law.

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.