Belonging to a wider friendship group may help teenagers build resilience more strongly than support from a single close friend, according to Adelaide University research. The study involved more than 21,000 South Australian students aged 15 to 18. Researchers found peer belonging was a stronger predictor of resilience than friendship intimacy across all age groups studied. Lead researcher Dr Sarah Halliday said schools could encourage inclusive peer networks while still allowing close friendships to develop. The study shows an association rather than proof that larger friendship groups directly cause greater resilience.
Adelaide University is offering staff over 55 with five or more years of service the chance to apply for an early retirement scheme. The university says the scheme is voluntary and is not a redundancy process, though redundancies may be considered in future. It faces a projected revenue shortfall of around $90 million, which it links to falling international student enrolments and federal government policy changes. The university says it is not considering compulsory redundancies before the employment guarantee expires in mid-2027. Expressions of interest close on October 27.
A study by Adelaide University has found that fewer than 13 per cent of nutrition claims patients are likely to see online are backed by reliable evidence. Researchers searched eight platforms, including Facebook, TikTok and ChatGPT, and assessed 151 distinct claims against cancer nutrition guidelines. TikTok and X performed worst, while Google and ChatGPT performed best, though overall quality was judged poor. Health professionals, personal accounts and organisations all posted claims without evidence. Senior author Associate Professor Tania Crotti said telling reliable sources from unreliable ones is critical. The team directs patients to Cancer Council guidance.
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Adelaide University nutrition students are trying to recreate Twisties using everyday ingredients and household equipment. The practical task is part of the university's Future Foods course. Dr Nina Wilson said the exercise shows how formulated these snacks are and how hard they are to copy at home. Research published in the journal Nutrients estimated that 81 per cent of new food products launched in the Australian market over the past decade were ultra-processed. Associate Professor Evangeline Mantzioris said people should make healthier choices without cutting out every such product.
Australians are eating less fibre than recommended, with men averaging about 21 grams a day and women about 18 grams, against daily targets of 30 and 25 grams. Adelaide University nutrition expert Evangeline Mantzioris says the social media fibre-maxxing trend is mostly positive, but warns that very high intakes offer little extra benefit and can cause wind. She advises getting fibre from a range of whole foods rather than supplements, and increasing intake slowly while drinking enough fluids.
Nutritionist Susie Burrell says eggs are not the cholesterol problem they were once thought to be, and healthy Australians no longer face a set limit on consumption. She cites a randomised controlled trial led by University of South Australia researchers, in which 61 adults with already low LDL cholesterol ate two eggs a day. Their LDL levels did not rise from the eggs; instead, saturated fat in other foods was the influence. The Heart Foundation has dropped its set egg limit for healthy people, though guidance remains for those at risk of cardiovascular disease.
The Australian Federal Police say more than a third of sexually abused children never tell a human. Commissioner Krissy Barrett says AI is increasingly used in sexual exploitation cases, with chatbots often the first point of contact for victims. The AFP is working with industry to ensure AI provides appropriate advice and will integrate bots into its reporting systems to flag at-risk individuals.
More than one in three Australian children who are sexually victimised online either tell no-one or turn to an AI chatbot, according to a study by Adelaide University. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett warned that law enforcement cannot be the only safety net for vulnerable young people. Barrett called the trend heartbreaking and said automated software cannot provide the human support children need. She said parents and communities are best placed to notice when a child begins to withdraw.
Australian leftists are calling for Adelaide University law professor Dr Joanna Howe to be sacked, alleging she is a victim of rape by her husband. The controversy stems from comments made by her husband, James, on a podcast where he said he does not believe in consent, only marriage. The couple opposes the federal government's Digital Duty of Care bill and the Teach Us Consent program, which they view as indoctrination. Dr Howe is also a prominent anti-abortion activist and has aligned herself with Pauline Hanson, further drawing criticism from the left.
A three-bedroom property at 20 East Ave, Northfield, failed to sell at auction last week despite earlier valuations above its $900,000 price guide. Selling agent Andrew Simpson of OC Real Estate said few inquiries came in and developers now think the Northfield market has become too hot. He said the number of people attending open homes has dropped sharply and buyers are cautious about whether prices have bottomed. The house was extensively damaged by vandals and squatters, whom police had to evict. The property is now back on the market via private treaty at $900,000.
Farmers and residents in the Adelaide Hills are fiercely opposing a proposed multibillion-dollar data centre at Tungkillo, east of Adelaide. Developer Quantum DC plans a 1200-megawatt facility across a 220-hectare site, with infrastructure on about 120 hectares and the rest kept for grazing. Locals fear harm to livestock, pollinators and the natural environment. They object to the proposed 15-day public submission period under the state's Essential Infrastructure assessment process and have started a petition. Quantum DC says environmental and heritage studies are underway to minimise impacts.
Adelaide businessman Rob Cammarano says organised crime figures are trying to force him out of Career Boss, a labour-hire firm recruiting workers for the $15.4 billion Torrens to Darlington project. He says his home was shot at and his businesses were targeted in arson attacks. Police taskforce Operation Endurance is investigating, with detectives believing those responsible took direction from senior underworld figures. The allegations were referred to the project team, which found no evidence of criminal involvement. The state's anti-corruption commission will evaluate the Infrastructure and Transport Department.
Long-held Australian properties are reaching the market for the first time in decades as senior owners sell or pass homes to family. Raine & Horne Group executive chairman Angus Raine said intergenerational wealth transfer is creating rare buying opportunities. In Adelaide, a 92-year-old woman's Devon Park home sold at auction this month. A Parafield Gardens property on a 2313sqm block was listed for the first time in more than 60 years. Two country estates in NSW, owned by one family for over 30 years, have also been listed for sale.
The South Australian government has referred its $15 billion Torrens to Darlington road project to the state's corruption watchdog. Premier Peter Malinauskas said the move follows reports that an outlaw gang member tried to take an interest in a suspended company contracted to work on the project. He said he has seen no evidence that organised crime has gained access to the project. The Independent Commission Against Corruption will decide whether to investigate. The government said the step is a precaution to protect taxpayer funds.
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Strong winds of almost 100 kilometres per hour have battered South Australia since Saturday, with Port Augusta among the worst-hit areas. The State Emergency Service was called to about 60 jobs in 24 hours, mostly involving fallen trees and damaged roofs and fences. In Hyde Park, a tree limb crushed the back of a parked car at a cafe. SA Power Networks said about 12,000 customers lost power, with around 500 still without electricity on Sunday morning. Wild weather is expected to ease as the system moves east.
Music students from 14 schools across the Mid North and Southern Flinders Ranges performed together at the Peterborough Town Hall with members of the Adelaide Youth Orchestra. The concert has grown from 50 students in 2023 to 100 this year. Music teacher Kate Mawson, who started the event, previously taught instruments online to students at nine regional schools. Students at Orroroo Area School have regained in-person instrumental lessons this year. The Department for Education's Instrumental Music program brings teachers to schools weekly, with the concert giving students a rare chance to play together.
Owners of the $2,000 iPhone Duo say their screens are failing, with unusual resistance and a clicking sound when the device closes. Teardown work using CT scans by iFixit points to a narrowed section of the hinge below the ribbon cable. The support bar there may stop the hinge dropping far enough, stressing the OLED panel. Apple has not yet commented. Samsung faced similar early display damage with its original Galaxy Fold in 2019, which it addressed by redesigning the hinge.
A jury has been told that an alleged murder victim may have died from a broken heart after learning she would move to a nursing home. Raelene Polymiadis, 66, is on trial in South Australia's Supreme Court, pleading not guilty to murdering her parents by injecting them with her own insulin in 2022 and 2023. Prosecutor Michael Foundas said she poisoned them to death. In her final address, defence barrister Marie Shaw KC argued the prosecution had not excluded that the couple chose to end their lives, and that Brenda Anderson may have died from heart failure.
Marcelle Cooper says she had six miscarriages in six years before falling pregnant unexpectedly. Her first 20 weeks of pregnancy were filled with fear, and after her daughter was born she struggled with insomnia, anxiety and numbness. She eventually asked her GP for help and was referred to Gidget Foundation Australia, which supports expectant and new parents with mental health care. Ms Cooper now wants parents to know that support is available at every stage and that their losses matter.
A versatile property at 26 and 26a James Road in Belair, offering two homes on two titles, is going on the market for the first time in 84 years. The block has been owned by one family since the 1930s and has been used as a multi-generational base. The owners say they are letting it go because maintaining the large property has become too much. The mid-century home at 26 has four bedrooms and the separate home at 26a could be demolished for a new build.
HMAS Eyre has been welcomed to Port Lincoln in South Australia with a freedom of entry parade. The ship's navigator, Lieutenant Katie Webb, led the procession, having grown up in the city and spent time at sea on her father's fishing boat. Mayor Diana Mislov presented the scroll granting the honour to commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Amy Brauns. Hundreds of people watched the parade along Tasman Terrace. The ship is expected to depart on Sunday afternoon and deploy to the north-west shelf in six to eight weeks.
Singapore Airlines has increased its direct services to Adelaide to 12 flights a week, adding 1,328 seats. The expanded schedule began on 25 October, making the airline the international carrier with the most weekly year-round flights to Adelaide, according to the South Australian Government. The extra flights will also expand air freight capacity for exporters shipping seafood, meat and other premium produce. Minister for Tourism Chris Picton said the service would give visitors more seats and local businesses greater freight capacity. The actual benefits will depend on demand and how the added capacity is used.
Motorcyclists are warning that worsening potholes on South Australian roads are creating serious safety risks. Hundreds of riders are expected at an Adelaide rally on October 31. Adelaide rider Dylan Thorp counted at least 80 potholes in 500 metres on Ridley Rd between Sedan and Mannum. Riders say the holes can upset bike stability and force them to watch the road surface instead of looking ahead.
