A survey of 1,662 Queensland adults found most would not find a mother guilty of assault for physically punishing an 11-year-old. The level of force mattered, with 57 per cent saying a slap across the face should be treated as assault. Overall, about 65 per cent said the mother should be found not guilty across all examples. Attitudes towards smacking have softened, with a 2023 study finding three in four Australians do not believe physical punishment is necessary. Physical punishment remains legal in all states and territories through a defence of reasonable discipline.
Ecologist and writer Greg Taylor has been named winner of the City of Fremantle 35th Hungerford Award. He won for his unpublished manuscript, Wildlife in the Open Eucalyptus Forests. The prize includes $15,000, a publishing contract with Fremantle Press and a Centre for Stories fellowship. The collection of narrative non-fiction essays is written from the viewpoints of 24 species, none of them human. Fremantle Shipping News editor Michael Barker interviewed Taylor in a podcast.
Melbourne's large retail car parks, including Bunnings sites and shopping centre edges, are being examined as possible housing locations. The state wants 60,000 new homes near public transport, jobs and services. Monash University's Liz Taylor says parking spaces directly trade off against housing. Urbis's Hamish McKnight says market conditions, construction costs and borrowing costs are the biggest constraints. Building apartments above operating shopping centres is possible but among the most expensive options.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
There is no fixed date for putting up a Christmas tree, according to a lifestyle feature. In Australia, many households choose 1 December, the first Sunday in December or the second Saturday in December. Monash University professor Gary Bouma says most people follow the customs they grew up with, along with when they have time. In a reader poll, 1 December was the most popular single answer, while others put up their trees in November or said the timing depends on how long they want to enjoy it.
Greens leader David Shoebridge has faced a run of challenges in his first weeks in the role. WA Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has taken leave from the party while an inquiry examines allegations about his comments about women. The party has also faced internal disagreement over its policy on military aid to Ukraine, which Shoebridge said it does not support. Political scientist Zareh Ghazarian said the start had been very tough for the new leader. The party faces a significant test at the upcoming Victorian state election in November.
A magnitude 3.0 earthquake aftershock has been recorded in south-eastern Victoria, three weeks after an initial late-night quake woke thousands. Geoscience Australia said it struck at a shallow depth of 5 kilometres just after 2pm, with its epicentre at Kardella South, near Korumburra. More than 200 felt reports were lodged in the hour afterwards. No injuries or damage have been reported. Monash University earthquake geologist Dee Ninis said aftershocks are often felt hours, days or even weeks after a main quake, and the Gippsland Basin has a history of seismic activity.
More than 200 people attended a Greek tavern night at Oakleigh's Apollo Room, marking 20 years of Monash University's Hellenic Students' Society. Organisers had expected 160 to 180 guests. Co-President Andrew Nicolettou called it the society's largest tavern night yet. The evening featured Greek food, music, traditional dancing and a raffle. The society has also introduced subsidised Greek language classes for members. Its annual general meeting in late October will elect a new committee for 2027.
Victoria's Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel says young people are good at judging media and are not the biggest worry over online disinformation ahead of the state election on November 28. He told a Monash University forum that most voters aged 18 to 24 get their news from social media, with about half citing TikTok. About 75,000 people will vote for the first time in an election with 4.7 million registered voters.
An evaluation of Victoria's 2023 decriminalisation of public intoxication has found no related deaths in custody and no people held solely for being drunk in public. The Monash University report, released on Friday, praised police for maintaining a health-led approach. Arrests for secondary offences during intoxication-related events occurred in five per cent of matters, but Aboriginal people remained twice as likely to be arrested as the general population. Report lead author Kyllie Cripps said First Nations people, young people, migrants and people with disabilities have historically been hardest hit by such laws.
Academic metallurgist Chris Davies has died aged 61 of cancer. His research at Monash University in Melbourne helped explain how metals behave and how to control their properties in manufacturing. His work on light metals and alloys contributed to stronger, more reliable materials for aircraft, vehicles and medical devices. He held several leadership roles at Monash, including president of the Academic Board from 2016 to 2019. In 2025 he was named to the Monash Honour Roll. He is survived by his wife Sam, his son Calum, and his siblings Graham and his sister-in-law's family.
Three Wonthaggi pharmacists have completed a Monash University course that lets them treat a wider range of health conditions. They are waiting for Victorian Government approval before they can offer the full range of services. The course covered 22 medical conditions, and the pharmacists can only begin treating them once the government recognises each one. Louise O’Keeffe said the changes would allow patients to get care sooner, without waiting weeks for a doctor’s appointment. Some services, including antibiotic treatment for children with impetigo, are already available.
A re-elected Victorian Labor government would fully subsidise medicine-induced and surgical abortions, Health Minister Ingrid Stitt and the Premier announced. The government says the move would save people between $700 and $1000. Currently, some costs are covered by Medicare, and about two-thirds of Victorian women pay some out-of-pocket costs. The package also extends the medical abortion window from nine to 10 weeks. The Royal Australian College of GPs and Monash University welcomed the plan but called for national consistency.
Victorian Labor has promised $30m over four years to remove out-of-pocket costs for abortion care if re-elected. Opposition leader Jess Wilson largely matched the pledge within hours. Under the plan, private providers would be paid to deliver abortions up to 16 weeks' gestation, and regional women would be eligible for travel subsidies. Critics have questioned the timing, noting Labor's long period in government and polling that points to a defeat. Health minister Ingrid Stitt said only Labor would protect a woman's right to choose.
Cannabis-related hospital admissions across Victoria rose by 49 per cent between 2013 and 2023, according to new Monash University research. Psychotic disorders were the most common primary diagnosis, accounting for 40 per cent of admissions. Admissions among women and girls of all ages rose 75 per cent over the decade, compared with 35 per cent for men. Lead author Myfanwy Graham said the findings point to a growing strain on the healthcare system. The study analysed almost 40,000 admissions and found admission rates peaked during 2020 and 2021.
Benton's Square Shopping Centre has reopened, with Woolworths and Dan Murphy's trading again. A fire gutted Harcourts Family Butchers, formerly Lindens Meat. Neighbouring businesses Top Pho and The Pantry House also suffered significant damage.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Federal MP Clare O’Neil has visited the Sri Venkata Krishna Brundavana Temple in Murrumbeena. She met His Holiness Sri Radha Manohar Das Swamiji and members of the local Hindu community. O’Neil described the temple on social media as a place of warmth, welcome and faith, and thanked the temple community for its welcome. Her post did not mention any formal announcements or policy discussions during the visit.
Knox City Council has secured $312,500 in state funding for two park projects after community votes in the Victorian Government's Pick My Park program. Marie Wallace Reserve in Bayswater will receive $250,000 for a new eel-themed playspace with water play, an accessible net swing, carousel and bank slide, plus tree planting and seating. David Cooper Park in Wantirna South will receive $62,500 for solar-powered lighting to improve safety after dark. Construction at both sites is expected to start in early 2027.
It is a company profile of Mornington Peninsula News Group, a locally owned and independent media business established in 2006. According to that text, the group publishes five weekly community newspapers, including the Western Port News, Mornington News and Frankston Times, along with two glossy magazines, Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids. Because the material provides no details about the shopping centre, the fire, its closure or any response by authorities, no summary of those events can be reliably written from it.
Consumer spending across Stonnington grew 8.1 per cent on the previous year, reaching $3.78 billion in 2025/26, according to new council data. Malvern East, including Chadstone, remained the largest spending destination at $1.8 billion, up 13 per cent. South Yarra and Glenferrie Road, Malvern also recorded gains, while night-time spending made up 22 per cent of the total. Council says it will fund precinct activations, business grants and night-time safety work in 2026/27.
Typical home prices in 18 Melbourne suburbs have moved above the $950,000 cap for the federal first-home buyer scheme, according to new REA Group figures. The cap was lifted by $150,000 last October, but rising prices have pushed these suburbs beyond it again. Templestowe's median unit price now sits $31,500 above the limit. Industry figures say the scheme makes larger mortgages easier to access but does not necessarily make housing more affordable, while one builder reports packages starting at about $450,000.
Hay fever sufferers could face a harder spring, with pollen levels expected to rise through November. Deakin University researcher Professor Cenk Suphioglu said a wet winter and warm spring weather have created ideal conditions for grass growth. He advised sufferers to stay indoors where possible and keep windows closed on windy days. People with both hay fever and asthma face the highest risk during thunderstorms with high pollen counts, and Victoria's chief health officer urged them to take precautions.
The Class of 2026 at Chairo Christian School in Leongatha has marked the end of its school years with a series of celebrations. A carnival morning used a toy-themed design, with graduates dressed as characters and running stalls for younger students. The next day, the final assembly featured a devotional message from school captain Meg Stokes and flowers presented by Prep students. That evening, a Valedictory Dinner recognised the graduates and their families. Principal Amy Stork said the school was proud to celebrate with the students.
WorkSafe inspectors will be able to issue on-the-spot fines from 31 March to reduce fatal falls at work. Employers can be fined for failing to control fall risks, keeping safety records unavailable, or starting high-risk construction work without a Safe Work Method Statement. Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC Steve Dimopoulos said falls remain a leading cause of workplace deaths and serious injuries. WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said employers face no new obligations, but those breaking the law will face consequences sooner.
Year 12 students at Mirboo North Secondary College began their final school day with an egg and bacon roll breakfast, many dressed in costume. An assembly followed, where students presented awards to each other and shared a video of photos from their years at the school. Senior School Coordinator Rose Hill said the event was about the students. Students entered in themed groups, and the day ended with a slip 'n slide and lunch at the park. Students in the VCE Vocational Major have finished, while VCE students are sitting exams, including English today.
