Australian News

In short:

A Queensland girl sustained significant burns when wind blew sparks onto a jumper purchased from Temu, which ignited "in a split second".

Temu recalled the jumper for failing to meet mandatory safety standards.

What's next?

CHOICE is calling for more proactive protections for Australian consumers, in line with international legislation.

"She can't even watch a candle be lit now on her birthday cake; she screams. Fire scares her."

The young girl spent eight weeks in hospital in Brisbane undergoing skin graft operations.

She faces another decade of skin grafts as her body grows.

The ACCC said Australian consumer legislation did not contain a "direct prohibition on the supply of unsafe products".

Since 2005 CHOICE has been calling for the introduction of a general safety provision (GSP), which would legislate a requirement for suppliers to ensure their products were safe before they could be sold to consumers.

"Unfortunately, Australia's product safety regime is reactive and it can take someone being seriously injured or killed for a product to be recalled," Mr Kelly said.

"The current reactive, largely voluntary, approach to product safety is clearly not working."

A 2017 review of Australian consumer law also recommended the introduction of a GSP, saying it would match other OECD countries, including the UK and Canada, which had responded to the proliferation of online shopping platforms.

In short:

An antipsychotic medication often prescribed to people with schizophrenia or bipolar is in short supply.

Pharmacists and doctors have told the ABC they were not made aware of supply issues until the issue was raised by patients who could not find refills.

What's next?

The TGA says shortages are expected to be resolved in a few months and in the meantime, people can try and source other generic versions instead.

In short:

Defending champion LawConnect is first across the finish line in the 2024 Sydney to Hobart yacht race, followed by Celestial V70 and Wild Thing 100.

This year's race was marred by the deaths of two competitors — Roy Quaden and Nick Smith — in separate accidents on day one.

What's next?

While the line honours victory goes to LawConnect for a second straight year, it may be days before the overall race winner is announced, after times are adjusted for handicap.

In short:

Sydney will be missing from the national ice hockey league due to renovations at the rink shared by its two teams.

The 2025 AIHL season will be consolidated and players are expected to chase deals with other teams.

What's next?

The Sydney Ice Dogs and Sydney Bears are expected to be back in the league in 2026.

NSW’s public hospital bosses have been flooded with 150 resignation letters after half the staff specialists workforce followed through with their desperate attempt to save the state’s failing mental health system.

The move is an astonishing escalation in an industrial dispute between public psychiatrists and the Minns government after negotiations collapsed this week.

A total of 150 of the state’s 295 staff specialist psychiatrists had formally resigned by Thursday night.

archive.org.

Wot? Why?

In short:

• Federal government funding for the ABC will lift by more than $40 million a year from 2026-27.

• Funding for the ABC and SBS will be decided for five years at a time, rather than three, to help prevent 'political interference' within the broadcasters.

What's next?

• Laws to cement the new five-year funding deal still need to be drafted and consulted on, making it unlikely they could be acted on before the next federal election.

In short:

ASIC has lodged a claim against HSBC's Australian arm in the federal court.

The action relates to 950 reports alleging scammers netted $23 million over nearly five years.

What's next?

HSBC says it will "continue to make significant investments in our fraud and scam prevention, detection, and response, with specific efforts on preventing impersonation scams and 'spoofing' of phone numbers".

KEY POINTS

• Australia backs UN motion calling for immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
• Israel, the US, and seven other countries voted against the resolution.
• Australia also backed a resolution defending the work of the UN relief agency UNRWA.

In short:

The death of 32-year-old Kate Sylvia after she was diagnosed with a migraine is being investigated at a coronial inquest.

Ms Sylvia sought treatment for slurred speech and head pain before a "hospital avoidance clinic" in Adelaide advised she should be sent home to sleep.

What's next?

The inquest is continuing.