Tasmania's Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026 is due to be debated in parliament from Wednesday. The Greens bill would ban conduct aimed at changing, suppressing or eradicating a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Consent would not be a defence under the bill. Labor has said it will support the bill, and the Tasmanian Liberals will allow a conscience vote. The bill needs 18 votes to pass. Equality Tasmania's petition closes on Monday, October 26.
The New York City Council has voted to ban horse-drawn carriages from city streets and Central Park. Forty of the 51 council members backed the bill, which Mayor Zohran Mamdani supports. If he signs it, the ban will take effect in June 2028. Support grew after the death of an 18-year-old Indian tourist, Romanch Mahajan, who was thrown from a carriage in June. The Transport Workers Union opposes the ban and has said it will seek a court order to block it.
Australian women's fast bowler Megan Schutt has been banned for two matches after breaching guidelines on prescription medication. Cricket Australia confirmed the suspension on Thursday. The governing body said the breach was a single incident outside competition and was not for performance-enhancing purposes. The ban covers all international and domestic cricket. Schutt has accepted the penalty and apologised for failing to meet the standards expected of her.
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The ACT Government may ban smart glasses with built-in cameras from its workplaces and sensitive facilities, including public schools and pools. The government has requested urgent advice and says it will act soon. Canberra Liberals plan a motion in the Legislative Assembly calling for the ban, with exemptions for disability, medical and educational use. Several councils, including Queanbeyan and Palerang and Yass Valley, have already moved to restrict the devices. The government says existing laws may need review as wearable technology spreads.
More than fifty Tasmanian doctors and healthcare workers have written an open letter supporting the Greens Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026. The bill would ban attempts to change or suppress a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Doctor Miranda Hann said conversion practices cause deep harm and that health professionals often treat the damage afterwards. The Tasmanian Liberals have announced a conscience vote on the bill, which is before parliament. Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome urged Tasmanians to support the bill.
A South Australian tribunal has upheld an indefinite ban on health care worker Adrian Fabio Mangini, who failed to overturn the decision. The Community Services Complaints Commissioner banned him in 2024. The tribunal found he claimed he could cure cancer and made a woman with a non-ambulatory disability walk, and that he engaged in sexual or close personal behaviour with a client. Senior member Jacqueline Rugless said he had shown no remorse and continued to pose a risk to the public. Mr Mangini has filed an appeal in the state's Supreme Court.
Disability advocates say negative labels such as pervert glasses are unfair to people who rely on smart glasses. Chris Edwards, who is blind, says the technology gives him new independence in daily tasks. Matt Henderson, who is deaf, uses the devices for live captions in meetings. Meanwhile, governments and councils are debating restrictions after the glasses were used to film people secretly. Greens senator David Shoebridge plans a bill for a 12-month import ban, with an exemption for disability aids.
Australia's 2018 cricket tour of South Africa was marred by poor behaviour and the infamous sandpaper scandal. The series, which Australia lost, saw aggressive incidents involving players like David Warner and Nathan Lyon. Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to alter the ball, leading to bans for him, Warner, and Steve Smith. The tour marked South Africa's first Test series win over Australia since 1970, ending a 22-year cricket absence due to apartheid. This return series is Australia's first Test tour of South Africa in eight years, with both teams now aiming for a more competitive, less controversial contest.
