Massive uptick in functions to make use of tremendous to fund medical therapies, ATO information reveals
Melissa Davey
ATO information revealed on Thursday reveals a major progress in functions for compassionate launch of tremendous to fund medical therapies. For dental providers, the variety of requests has greater than doubled in two years.
It has prompted the ATO and the Australian Well being Practitioner Regulation Company to collectively name out “… inappropriate practices that search to make use of superannuation to pay for overly costly or pointless medical therapies”.
Regulators are involved Australians are being pushed to raid their superannuation nest eggs for pointless medical therapy. {Photograph}: Better of Melbourne Life/Getty Pictures
To be accredited, the medical providers must be licensed by two practitioners as essential to alleviate acute or persistent ache, to deal with a life-threatening sickness or harm or alleviate acute or persistent psychological sickness.
Guardian Australia beforehand reported that some companies are providing sufferers “easy” entry to their superannuation to pay for pointless medical therapies, with the advertisements described by the height shopper well being physique as a “worrying development” amid the cost-of-living disaster.
Ahpra and the Dental and Medical Boards of Australia as we speak launched new steerage for medical doctors and dentists in response to ongoing issues of inappropriate conduct.
“I’m surprised to listen to that some companies and practitioners are making the most of this course of to push overly costly or pointless therapies,” Ahpra’s CEO, Justin Untersteiner, mentioned.
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Up to date at 20.29 EDT
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Unemployment jumps to four-year excessive of 4.5%
Patrick Commins
The unemployment fee has unexpectedly jumped to 4.5% in September, from 4.3% in August, doubtless reigniting prospects for an RBA fee lower.
The big rise in the important thing jobless measure to its highest fee in almost 4 years was regardless of the variety of employed Australians climbing by 14,900 within the month, in keeping with the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
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Major faculty college students to get 90-minute display restrict in Victoria
Major faculty college students shall be restricted to 90 minutes of display time in lecture rooms in a Victorian authorities try to cut back overexposure and maintain youngsters centered, AAP experiences.
From 2027, Victorian public main faculties shall be required to restrict digital machine use within the classroom to a most of 90 minutes for college students in years 3 to six, and minimal machine time for these in prep to yr 2.
The directive means mother and father will not be required to purchase digital units for his or her youngsters, with faculties to supply entry to tablets and laptops within the lecture rooms, saving households greater than $500 per baby.
Any extra units shall be funded by every faculty’s budgets, with the state training minister, Ben Carroll, noting there may be constantly a financial institution of laptops in faculties. He instructed reporters earlier this morning:
This can be a actually essential circuit breaker by focusing within the classroom on the trainer and fewer time on screens.
This can really give younger individuals extra focus within the classroom, higher focus ranges, higher regulation within the classroom. However greater than that, it’ll assist present and provides them their childhoods again.
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Up to date at 20.40 EDT
Massive uptick in functions to make use of tremendous to fund medical therapies, ATO information reveals
Melissa Davey
ATO information revealed on Thursday reveals a major progress in functions for compassionate launch of tremendous to fund medical therapies. For dental providers, the variety of requests has greater than doubled in two years.
It has prompted the ATO and the Australian Well being Practitioner Regulation Company to collectively name out “… inappropriate practices that search to make use of superannuation to pay for overly costly or pointless medical therapies”.
Regulators are involved Australians are being pushed to raid their superannuation nest eggs for pointless medical therapy. {Photograph}: Better of Melbourne Life/Getty Pictures
To be accredited, the medical providers must be licensed by two practitioners as essential to alleviate acute or persistent ache, to deal with a life-threatening sickness or harm or alleviate acute or persistent psychological sickness.
Guardian Australia beforehand reported that some companies are providing sufferers “easy” entry to their superannuation to pay for pointless medical therapies, with the advertisements described by the height shopper well being physique as a “worrying development” amid the cost-of-living disaster.
Ahpra and the Dental and Medical Boards of Australia as we speak launched new steerage for medical doctors and dentists in response to ongoing issues of inappropriate conduct.
“I’m surprised to listen to that some companies and practitioners are making the most of this course of to push overly costly or pointless therapies,” Ahpra’s CEO, Justin Untersteiner, mentioned.
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Up to date at 20.29 EDT
NSW will increase sentences for intimate associate murder
Anne Davies
Home violence murderers will face longer non-parole sentences after the NSW authorities introduced it could enhance the usual non-parole interval which applies to homicide to 25 years from 20 years.
The brand new measures comply with the sentencing of Tyrone Thompson, 25, in Might 2025 to 22 years and 6 months jail for murdering Mackenzie Anderson in 2022, with a non-parole interval of 15 years and 6 months.
Thompson stabbed Anderson 78 occasions whereas he was launched on parole for a earlier home violence assault in opposition to her. Her baby witnessed the assault.
The courtroom of legal attraction upheld the sentence, saying it was not “manifestly insufficient.”
The premier, Chris Minns, mentioned the federal government had determined to behave to ship a transparent message to home abusers that home violence could be handled harshly.
“This is without doubt one of the hardest sentences within the nation,” he mentioned in an announcement.
The state lawyer basic, Michael Daley, mentioned the usual parole interval was not a compulsory sentence, however judges had been obliged to clarify why they had been straying from it in the event that they gave lighter sentences.
McKenzies’ mom, Tabitha Acret, mentioned she welcomed the brand new legal guidelines, however urged the federal government to take additional steps to curb intimate associate violence, together with specializing in males’s behaviour and engagement with the neighborhood. She singled out the rise of rightwing teams as a specific downside.
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Up to date at 20.18 EDT
Nick Visser
Natasha Might goes to choose up the weblog from right here.
ShareAndrew Messenger
CCC report into Troy Thompson can’t be expedited
The Crime and Corruption Fee (CCC) mentioned yesterday that prior to creating any determination as as to if or to not publish a report, it should adjust to related authorized necessities. It’s taking steps to take action.
Bruce Barbour, chairperson of the fee, mentioned there aren’t any levers out there to the federal government to expedite launch of the CCC report into Thompson with the intention to make it public earlier than the Townsville mayoral byelection on 15 November.
“The very earliest date that we may envisage a report being tabled is early November, [on the] seventh of November,” he mentioned.
Thompson can be entitled to ask for a 60-day extension to answer the report, he mentioned.
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Up to date at 20.02 EDT
Andrew Messenger
Corruption fee interviewed 29 witnesses and reviewed tens of millions of paperwork in Townsville mayor investigation
Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Fee (CCC) has revealed it interviewed 29 witnesses and reviewed tens of millions of paperwork in its investigation of former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson.
Thompson stood down final month after being issued a present trigger discover by the minister for native authorities, Ann Leahy. The CCC began an investigation into allegations he misled the general public about his navy report ultimately yr’s native council elections, amongst different claims.
{Photograph}: Dean Lewins/AAP
The CCC yesterday mentioned it had completed its investigation into the previous mayor. The CCC’s chairperson, Bruce Barbour, instructed a parliamentary committee on Wednesday he was not conscious of any restriction on him standing on the upcoming election.
“The investigation was thorough and included the gathering and overview of 29 related witness statements, 21 digital units and 9 cloud information downloads, over 6,800 digital paperwork, over 8,700 WhatsApp messages, over 2,480 pages of medical data, and over 300 media and social media movies,” Barbour mentioned.
Barbour mentioned the CCC had reviewed over 6,800,000 digital paperwork.
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Up to date at 19.50 EDT
What shall be Australia’s fowl of the yr? We’re about to seek out out
The wait is over. The votes – all 313,000 of them – are in. Will or not it’s the tawny frogmouth? The willie wagtail? The little penguin?
Illustration: Victoria Hart
Hen lovers can tune right into a stay stream to listen to the winner of the biennial ballot on Thursday afternoon between 12.30pm and 1.30pm AEDT. The ceremony crowning the winner shall be out there on Guardian Australia’s web site, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Guardian Australia’s fowl of the yr stay weblog may even kick off protection at 11.30am. Tune in!
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Police dealing with troublesome circumstances, together with waist-deep snow, in seek for lacking bushwalker in Tasmania
Tasmania police are nonetheless looking for a bushwalker, Daryl Fong, who was reported lacking within the Mt Discipline nationwide park space on Monday.
Officers mentioned search groups are centered on the Tarn Shelf space of the park, however have been confronted with gale-force winds, rain and waist-deep snow in some areas.
Inspector Luke Horne mentioned in an announcement:
We’re dedicated to discovering Daryl however given it has been a number of days since his final contact, and the circumstances within the space, we maintain severe issues for his welfare.
Police ask anybody who has been within the Mt Discipline nationwide park space since Saturday to contact police if they’ve seen any signal of Daryl.
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Up to date at 19.28 EDT
Henry Belot
Spirit of Tasmania IV hit with one other snag
The Spirit of Tasmania IV has suffered one other setback, with the 212-metre ship unable to securely dock at a berth in Geelong.
The ferry, which has confronted quite a few pricey delays and brought on political complications for the Tasmania authorities, will quickly be moved from Hobart to Geelong to make means for visiting cruise liners over summer season.
The ABC has reported the ship was meant to be quickly stationed at Level Henry on the port of Geelong, however a security evaluation has dominated that possibility out. It is going to as an alternative be primarily based on the Spirit’s present terminal, one other berth, and at anchor.
The Tasmanian authorities had anticipated a brand new port in Devonport to be accomplished in August 2024, shortly earlier than Spirit IV was delivered by Rauma Marine Constuctions in Finland. However the port confronted main funds blowouts and isn’t anticipated to be completed till late 2026 or early 2027.
Spirit IV was moved from Finland to Scotland firstly of the northern hemisphere’s winter, resulting from issues it might be broken by pack ice within the Baltic Sea. It was primarily based at Edinburgh’s port of Leith for greater than six months, initially costing Tasmanian taxpayers about $47,000 per week.
The ship has been primarily based at Hobart’s Macquarie Level in current months because it prepares to enter service in late 2026.
The Spirit of Tasmania IV on the port of Leith dock in Edinburgh, Scotland. {Photograph}: Elaine DickShare
Up to date at 19.17 EDT
NSW anti-protest legislation dominated unconstitutional after Palestine Motion Group courtroom problem
Jordyn Beazley
The NSW supreme courtroom struck down a legislation that had given police expanded powers to stop protests close to locations of worship.
Josh Lees, on behalf of Palestine Motion Group, had challenged the legislation on the idea that it was unconstitutional.
Justice Anna Mitchelmore dominated on Thursday that the police powers impermissibly burdened the liberty of political communication implied in Australia’s structure.
The problem got here after the NSW authorities handed in February a set of reforms geared toward curbing antisemitism. This included a legislation which gave police the ability to maneuver on protesters who’re “in or close to” a spot of worship.
Learn extra right here:
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Up to date at 18.46 EDT
Extra from Ariarne Titmus’ determination to step away from the pool
The swimming celebrity mentioned she had taken a while away over the past yr and realised “some issues in my life which have at all times been essential to me are just a bit bit extra essential to me now than swimming”.
She went on:
I at all times meant to return. I by no means thought that Paris could be my final Olympic Video games, and realizing now what I do know, I want I had of possibly loved that final race slightly bit extra …
Past swimming, I’ve at all times had objectives in my private life. Swimming has at all times been most essential up till this level, and I’ve simply realised that these objectives and what I need in my future is now extra essential to me.
Katie Ledecky and Ariarne Titmus in Paris. {Photograph}: John Walton/PA
Titmus mentioned her rivalry with US swimmer Katie Ledecky was some of the satisfying touchstones of her profession.
I can say indubitably, racing Katie, I wouldn’t have been the athlete that I’m. She set this unimaginable customary and I used to be simply so prepared to chase it.
And I simply really feel so grateful that I’ve been part of such an unimaginable rivalry. I really feel like we each have a lot respect for one another, and that may actually sit with me for the remainder of my life.
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Up to date at 18.36 EDT
Ariarne Titmus retires from aggressive swimming
Ariarne Titmus is retiring from aggressive swimming after 18 years within the pool.
The 25-year-old, who at the moment holds world data within the 200m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay, has 4 Olympic gold medals, three silver and 1 bronze. She mentioned in a video asserting the choice:
I’m right here to announce that I’ve made the choice to retire from aggressive swimming. A troublesome one, a extremely robust one, however one which I’m actually pleased with.
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ShareJordyn Beazley
Judgment on expanded police powers to come back as we speak from NSW supreme courtroom
Immediately the NSW supreme courtroom will hand down its discovering on whether or not police powers that had been expanded this yr as a part of a controversial legislation designed to curb antisemitism are unconstitutional.
Joshua Lees on behalf of the Palestine Motion Group launched a constitutional problem in opposition to the state of NSW over police powers in March.
The problem got here after the NSW authorities handed – amongst a set of reforms in February geared toward curbing antisemitism – the locations of worship invoice, which gave police the ability to maneuver on protesters who’re “in or close to” a spot of worship.
In the course of the listening to in June, legal professionals for the Palestine Motion Group had argued the “vagueness” of the laws’s wording created the “chilling impact” of getting neither protesters nor cops in a position to decide the attain of the police’s move-on powers.
The state of NSW had argued that the powers had an “apparent and bonafide objective” of defending spiritual communities attempting to entry a spot of worship from bodily obstruction, bodily or verbal harassment, intimidation or incitement to concern.
Justice Anna Mitchelmore is predicted handy down her determination at 9.30am.
New South Wales police. {Photograph}: AAPShare
Up to date at 18.12 EDT
Adeshola Ore
Victorian parliament debates renaming of lake in honour of Sikh religion founder
The Victorian Liberals have voted in opposition to a movement by considered one of their very own backbenchers a few petition in opposition to the renaming of a lake within the state’s south-east to honour the founding father of the Sikh religion.
On Wednesday night, Victorian parliament’s higher home debated a movement by Ann-Marie Hermans to pay attention to a petition signed by 1,600 individuals calling for the renaming of Berwick Springs Lake to Guru Nanak Lake to be revoked. The petition argued the renaming didn’t contain correct session and created division inside the multi-faith neighborhood.
Hermans mentioned the petition was not about “faith” or “race” however the lack of neighborhood session.
The multicultural affairs minister, Ingrid Stitt, instructed parliament the renaming of the lake – a 2018 election dedication underneath former premier Daniel Andrews – mirrored values that “unite us”:
It’s essential that our place names mirror the multiculturalism and variety of our state.
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Up to date at 17.53 EDT
Adeshola Ore
Bluey-themed Christmas cash on sale as we speak
Bluey-themed Christmas $1 cash from the Royal Australian Mint are on sale from 8.30am this morning.
The poll for the 2 “greenback bucks”, that includes the Australian cartoon character Bluey and her little sister, Bingo, opened on Monday. The cash are additionally out there from Royal Australian Mint outlets and chosen distributors. Each are offered in Christmas ornaments and baubles.
Final yr, Australia Publish’s web site quickly crashed as collectors scrambled to grab a Bluey coin.
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Royal Australian Mint appearing’s chief government, Emily Martin, says she was delighted to launch extra Bluey cash:
Bluey is cherished by followers the world over. We all know that final yr’s Bluey cash introduced pleasure to many households.
The Royal Australian Mint has a protracted and proud historical past of celebrating iconic youngsters’s tv reveals like Play Faculty, The Wiggles and Bananas in Pyjamas. Persevering with the custom of honouring studying by leisure is one thing we maintain very
near our hearts.
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Up to date at 17.32 EDT
