A family lawyer in Wollongong receives pornographic Christmas cards from a client’s ex-partner. Another is told in court: “I know where you live.” These are symptoms of a critical gap in Australia’s response to coercive control that extends beyond victims, to those who support them. As Queensland criminalises coercive control and NSW reviews its pioneering laws after just six months, new data reveals the challenges of turning legislation into protection. Between July and December 2024, NSW police recorded 157 coercive control incidents but commenced only three legal actions: a stark illustration of the enforcement difficulties plaguing Australia’s newest domestic violence…
Author: Scarlett Lewis
As both major parties pitch big mental health investments ahead of the federal election, frontline professionals have said they are still waiting for policies that target young children, where the need is most urgent. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Labor’s $1 billion mental health plan whilst campaigning in Western Sydney. The package includes 58 new or expanded Headspace centres, 31 new or upgraded Medicare Mental Health Centres, and 20 youth specialist clinics. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has also pledged a $400 million boost to mental health services. But despite these high-dollar announcements, early childhood mental health remains a “missing…
Voting for a minor party isn’t a dead-end, according to young Australians who are planning on using their first preference to be heard, not just counted. When university student 23-year-old Alex Ashton heads to the ballot box on May 3, she’s not thinking about party partisanship, she says she is thinking about survival. “It’s so expensive for young people to even dream about buying a house, paying off HECS, or feeling financially stable,” she said. “No politician I’ve seen is really committing to fixing that.” For young voters in Australia faith in the two major parties has all but collapsed,…
The federal government has committed more than $1 million to referendum education for the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament on Wednesday night. This comes after voter support for the voice appears to be waning. The Australian Government, in tandem with the Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) and the Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA), announced that the grassroots education and funding proposal would improve information accessibility about the constitution and referendum procedures. In a statement on Wednesday, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said that increasing avenues to trusted, neutral and easily comprehendible information would be essential for voters…
With just 140 votes lifting the Liberal Party’s last remaining hope Andrew Constance ahead of Labor’s Fiona Phillips, the race for the seat of Gilmore on NSW’s South Coast has shown the Coalition that overriding local branch favourites can lose them an election. The Liberals’ last chance at a seat has landed in the lap of former NSW Transport Minister and Member for Bega Andrew Constance, as he continues to lead the Labor incumbent 52,323 votes to 52,184. These figures equate to a slim two-party preferred margin of 50.07% to 49.3%, as Constance resists the odds, and a 3.60% nationwide…
Illawarra residents gathered at the University of Wollongong on Tuesday to celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), drawing attention to the violence and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, and to stand in solidarity with gender diverse and queer individuals. Pulse, the student experience organisation at the University of Wollongong, joined local educational and advocacy organisations to host a mini-festival on campus featuring DJs, drag performances, food, art, and resources. However, on the eve of the federal election, the celebration of IDAHOBIT prompted many voters to ponder the impact of their ballot on LGBTQIA+ issues. RadioU UOW ·…
Thirroul hurdler and firefighter Brodee Mate has set her sights on success at the Oceania Championships next month after placing second to Tokyo Olympian and teammate Sarah Carli at the Australian titles. As part of an 1100-strong NSW team, friends Carli and Mate came first and second, respectively, at the Australian championships in April. The pair became the two fastest women in the 400-metre hurdles in the country, and qualified for the Oceania event in Mackay. Mate said it was the dream result and that it was Carli who kept her motivated. “That moment was indescribable, I got to hurdle…
Do you care about urgent climate change action and policy but don’t know which candidate to vote for in the upcoming federal election? Is it your first time voting and you don’t know the candidates views on major climate policies and issues, or their funding promises? Well, here’s what we know so far about the climate action investments and commitments of our major political parties. LABOR, Anthony Albanese Anthony Albanese is the leader of the Australian Labor Party, and Member for Grayndler. Labor has said it will “commit to a suite of environmental policies,” approaching the election, and…
Over 1500 Wollongong protestors gathered in solidarity with those in Minneapolis on Sunday to demand an end to black deaths in custody and institutionalised racism for Indigenous Australians. Despite the COVID-19 health warnings, hundreds of Wollongong demonstrators congregated at Crown Street Mall with their masks and placards ready to protest. Several protesters shared stories, and spoke on behalf of families who had lost loved ones, before marching east to Lang Park where the protest concluded. Protest organiser and National Union of Students Ethnocultural officer Vinil Kumar, said that he hoped the protest would be an opportunity for people to find…