Doctor's appeal rejected - now accepted

A tribunal has rejected an appeal by a Wimmera doctor against a decision denying his family permanent residency because of his son's disability.

Dr Bernhard Moeller and his family have had their application for residency refused because of the costs associated with the care of their son, who has Down Syndrome.

The Member for Mallee, John Forrest says the Migration Review Tribunal decided yesterday to support the Department's decision.

He says the Minister for Citizenship, Chris Evans, will now be asked to intervene.

"The Minister's indicated on a number of occasions his willingness to consider the use of his powers," he said.

"He's recently done it in regard to a professional nurse in Australia and we are hopeful he will come good for the Moellers."

Updated 4:12pm (AEST)

Doctor with Down syndrome son granted residency

A German doctor who was refused permanent residency because of his disabled son has been given a reprieve by the Federal Government.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans has granted a permanent visa to Dr Bernhard Moeller and his family.

Dr Moeller asked Senator Evans this morning to intervene in the case.

He had been denied a visa by the Immigration Department because his 13-year old son has Down syndrome.

Today Senator Evans told the Upper House that Dr Moeller would be able to stay.

"As Minister I can take into account all the circumstances and it was clear to me that Dr Moeller and his family are making a very valuable contribution to their local community," he said.

"Dr Moeller is providing a much-needed service in the area the family have integrated very well and they have substantial community support."

Dr Moeller says it has been very stressful waiting for the news,

"I was very tired yesterday when I got this news about the refusal from the tribunal and I was thinking is it really worthwhile? But now I am really happy. We've been jumping for joy," he said.

He said the system needs to be changed.

"I think something has to be done about it. It has to be set up more flexible. because I don't want more people to have such an experience like I had."

"It was a lot of stress and I think it was unnecessary," he said.

Dr Moeller is the only internal medicine specialist servicing 20,000 people in Horsham in western Victoria.

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Disability group: review migration laws
The Down Syndrome Association of Western Australia says the Commonwealth must review legislation which makes it hard for people with children with disabilities to migrate to Australia.

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Victorian lower house passes abortion law

A law to decriminalise abortion in Victoria has been passed by the lower house of Parliament.

The debate continued into the early hours of this morning before the bill was passed 49 to 32.

The proposed legislation, which legalises abortion up to 24 weeks, will now be sent to the upper house.

Women's Affairs Minister Maxine Morand says she is optimistic the bill will be passed by the Legislative Council.

"A lot of women have been waiting for this for a very long time, I met somebody today who told me she's been waiting for this for 40 years," she said.

"So for a lot of women who remember backyard abortions and abortions being prosecuted this a very, very important day for them."

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Australia 'second last' on education spending

The report found Australia spends less than the OECD average in areas such as pre-primary and upper high school education.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report, which looked at government funding of public education, ranked Australia second last.

The report also singles out Australia for putting more costs onto university students.

Australia is among a handful of countries where less than half the cost of tertiary education now comes from the public purse.

The OECD report shows public spending on all levels of education in Australia totalled 4.3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005.

The OECD average is 5 per cent.

Apart from Australia's total education budget lagging behind, the The Australian Education Union (AEU) is concerned by the proportion of government spending that goes to the public sector.

The OECD average is 85 per cent, the report shows that figure is 75 per cent in Australia.

"Well, it is a damning report and it's a blight on Australia," AEU president Angelo Gavrielatos said.

"The report shows that Australia is now ranked second last when compared to other OECD countries when it comes to public expenditure, direct public expenditure on our public institutions, our schools and TAFE colleges."

The report finds Australian students are still performing well, compared to their counterparts in 30 OECD countries.

But Mr Gavrielatos says the report is still more evidence that public education funding should be increased by billions of dollars.

"The Government is on record as saying it will act on evidence-based policy.

"Well, there's no clearer evidence than this OECD report, that shows Australia is ranked second last when it comes to public expenditure on public institutions," he said.

However, the Government could also point to the education outcomes as evidence.

"They certainly could but I would have thought we would continually strive to improve as a nation," Mr Gavrielatos added.

The OECD uses figures from recent years, but not recent enough to reflect on the current Federal Government.

It shows Australia contributed just 68 per cent of spending on early education, well below the OECD average of 80 per cent.

Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard says the findings show just how much the education system was neglected by the Howard government.

"In early childhood education, Australia comes pretty close to the bottom of the class and this report also confirms that we've been under investing in higher education and vocational education and training," she said.

"It's no wonder with a record like this that the Howard government left us with a skills crisis, and left us with a big job to do to get early childhood education up to world standards."

The OECD report also shows that the highest wage for Australian teachers is significantly lower than in most other developed nations, despite teachers here working longer hours and having bigger classes.

Quote: Rudd foreshadows Pacific defence [military] build-up. Mr Rudd says the Government has committed to extending the real growth of the Defence budget by 3 per cent a year until 2018. What about less military and more social services? What is the OECD on military spending rate Australia? Australia ranks at 14th out of 170 OECD countries. Wikipedia

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University-style loans for Vic TAFE
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Doctor urges mandatory detention inquiry

Doctor urges mandatory detention inquiry...

A psychiatrist who has treated immigration detainees says former government ministers should be called to account for the policy of mandatory detention.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans says mandatory detention will stay but with new rules.

Dr Jon Jureidini, of Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital, treated detainees over many years from the now-closed Baxter detention centre in South Australia.

He says former prime minister John Howard and former immigration minister Philip Ruddock should face a public inquiry about mandatory detention and the psychological harm it caused.

"The Howard government under Ruddock immigration administration knowingly locked up children for extended periods," he said.

"And they were quite clearly told by many people that this was very seriously damaging the people that were being locked up.

"What needs to happen is that the people who've done the damage need to take responsibility for what they've done."

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Mandatory detention changes

The majority of asylum seekers will no longer be detained under major immigration reforms announced by Immigration Minister Chris Evans.

The Government will not completely scrap mandatory detention but Senator Evans says the Department of Immigration will have to justify why a person should be detained.

"A person who poses no danger to the community will be able to remain in the community while their visa status is resolved," Senator Evans said.

Mandatory detention will now apply to three groups that the Minister says pose a risk to the wider community, such as those who have repeatedly breached their visa conditions.

"Once in detention a detainee's case will be reviewed every three months to ensure that the further detention of the individual is justified," Senator Evans said.

Children will also no longer be detained.

Asylum seekers who arrive at Christmas Island will still also be detained for health and security checks and will also continue to be processed at Christmas Island. However, they will now have access to legal assistance.

At present, 385 people are held in immigration detention. Of those, 64 are seeking asylum or waiting for a result from an application for a protection visa.

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Mandatory detention changes

Minister for Immigration Chris Evans is today expected to announce several reforms including a new emphasis on only detaining those posing a risk to the community.

Under the changes asylum seekers denied a visa will be offered legal assistance and efforts will be made to shorten detention periods.

The announcement will include the temporary closure of the $400 million detention centre built on Christmas Island by the Howard government.

Dr Graham Thom from Amnesty International said this will bring Australia into line with other western democracies.

"We are certainly hoping that most of the people in detention will be released," he said.

"The vast majority are either asylum seekers or visa over-stayers.

"This is a very fundamental change because really for the last 15 years Australia has reserved the right to mandatorily detain somebody simply based on their lack of a visa and wanting to keep them in detention for as long as possible."

Dr Thom expects the new refugee policy will mirror those of other western democracies.

"Hopefully these changes will bring Australia in line with other western democracies and into line with our international obligations," he said.

Updated: 9:30am (AEST)

Govt to release most asylum seekers

The majority of asylum seekers will no longer be detained under major immigration reforms announced by Immigration Minister Chris Evans.

The Government will not completely scrap mandatory detention but Senator Evans says the Department of Immigration will have to justify why a person should be detained.

"A person who poses no danger to the community will be able to remain in the community while their visa status is resolved," Senator Evans said.

Mandatory detention will now apply to three groups that the Minister says pose a risk to the wider community, such as those who have repeatedly breached their visa conditions.

"Once in detention a detainee's case will be reviewed every three months to ensure that the further detention of the individual is justified," Senator Evans said.

Children will also no longer be detained.

Asylum seekers who arrive at Christmas Island will still also be detained for health and security checks and will also continue to be processed at Christmas Island.

However, they will now have access to legal assistance.

Refugee Advocate Marion Le says she hopes this means most detainees will eventually be able to be released into the community.

"My understanding would be that he's actually looking at releasing all people who are now detained except those who pose a verifiable, I hope, risk to the Australian public or to security," refugee advocate Marion Le said.

"A lot of people are there for what we would all think are pretty minor breaches of immigration law that are very complex and that most people can't get across.

"I welcome any move by this government to overcome the years of callous misdirection and abuse, absolute abuse of human beings by the Howard government during the years of the mandatory detention regime," she said.

Federal Liberal politician Judi Moylan also welcomes the changes, as one of a group of Liberal MPs who opposed their own party's immigration policies while in government.

"Clearly my view is well known on this and I don't believe we should be keeping people in detention centres any more than we absolutely have to. There may be occasions when its necessary but on the face of it I would welcome such a move.

At present, 385 people are held in immigration detention. Of those, 64 are seeking asylum or waiting for a result from an application for a protection visa.

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Indigenous boarding schools 'tragedy'

An Indigenous research fellow at Sydney University says the Federal Government's commitment of almost $12 million to upgrade Indigenous boarding schools is a tragedy.

Vicki Grieves from the Department of Anthropology says governments keep looking for a quick fix when it comes to Aboriginal affairs and tend to adopt a one size fits all approach to Indigenous people.

Ms Grieves says boarding school is not a viable option for remote Indigenous education in central Australia.

She says a more culturally appropriate curriculum is needed.

"How is it that you can shift this Western curriculum into Aboriginal communities and expect it to work?" she said.

"Children need to be able to build on what they already know.

"If you've got an assumption that children are going to know the same kinds of things as kids in suburban Sydney or Melbourne then you're not going to be successful as a teacher."

She says there needs to be a lot more research into remote Indigenous education to develop a more culturally appropriate curriculum.

"If you go there and you find out where they're actually coming from, [if you] actually incorporate their language and Aboriginal English into the classroom, incorporate what they think is important," she said.

"People are now using, for example, the very complicated kinship systems in communities to teach mathematics. How come people haven't thought of this before?"

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Aboriginal inmates '22pc and rising' of prison population
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Tas lags in support youth leaving state care

A new report has revealed Tasmania could be doing more to provide resources and support for young people leaving state care.

The Create Foundation report shows Tasmania has few transition services and the lowest budget for people leaving care.

It focuses on young people who have reached the age of 18 and left care , or those younger who have already made independent living arrangements.

It found when people leave the state care system without support, they are more likely to enter the Juvenile Justice System.

Jacqui Reed from Create, says young people moving from state care are vulnerable and the government is responsible for ensuring they are supported.

The Tasmanian Government allocates just over $1,500 to help each young person move from state care, when on average, all other states pay more than $5,000 per person.

In most states, assistance is provided until the person turns 25, but in Tasmania it stops at age 21.

Unsafe corporations, unsafe sex, drugs, binge drinking 'normal' for teens: study

Researchers say the tax on alcopops will do little to curb binge drinking which is seen as 'normal' (Get Images)

A university study has found binge drinking is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to teenage risk-taking behaviour.

Education researchers at the University of Tasmania surveyed 1,000 parents and 1,000 high school students over five years about their perception of risky behaviours.

Thirteen per cent of students surveyed said they got "blind drunk" regularly while 43 per cent said they did so occasionally.

Education researcher, Professor Joan Abbott-Chapman, says she was surprised to find that many young people do not regard binge drinking as high-risk.

"Teenagers seem to think that normal teenage behaviour includes drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and to a certain degree smoking marijuana and also to a lesser extent unsafe sex," she said.

Professor Abbott-Chapman says parental involvement in setting standards can reduce teenage risk-taking behaviour.

"And it's the teenagers who rely only on peer groups for support or feel isolated and have no one to turn to these are the ones that tend to drink more and we also found that school engagement was also involved," she said.

Alcopop tax little use [to corporations]


The Federal Government's tax on so called 'alcopops' is likely to have only a minimal impact on teenage binge drinking according the researchers [from the business association?]

Taxes on pre-mixed alcoholic drinks have increased by around 70 per cent, making them to $1.30 more expensive, in a bid to curb binge drinking.

Professor Abbott-Chapman says more needs to be done to address the problem.

"The effects are likely to be marginal unless they are linked to a widespread range of community and family programs which tackle some of the problems of social and educational engagement or disengagement rather," she said.

Updaedt 350:pm (AEST)

Greens want alco-pops tax revenue spent on alcohol education

Greens leader Bob Brown says his party will not be inclined to support the Government's increased tax on pre-mixed drinks unless the money is put aside to combat alcohol abuse.

The Coalition says it will block the legislation to approve the 70 per cent tax increase, which is expected to give the government $3 billion in revenue.

Senator Brown says the Greens do support the tax and believe it will reduce consumption of so-called alco-pops.

But he says the revenue raised must be spent on education and health programs.

"We're not inclined to support this legislation unless there's a program for re-mediating the impact of alcohol abuse goes with it, in other words unless a sizeable part of this money goes to tackling the big problem of alcohol abuse in our communities" he said.

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Alcopop tax an ineffective 'quick fix': Tas AHA

The Tasmanian Hotels Association has described the Commonwealth's move to increase the tax on ready-to-drink spirits as a quick fix for a complex problem.

The Federal Government has raised the tax on pre-mixed spirits by 70 per cent, saying it will help curb binge drinking by teenagers.

But the association's state manager, Steve Old, has said the plan probably will not work.

"We don't want to see young kids getting into trouble with alcohol, and we want to sit down with the government, but at this stage we've been put at arms length and the government has said 'we'll solve the problem, we know how to fix it'," he said.

"Well I'd argue that they don't, and they'd probably be best to sit down with us and work through it."

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Premier outlines a caring state

The Premier, Paul Lennon has committed to halving the number of homeless people in Tasmania by the end of 2010, as well as tackling child abuse and social disadvantage.

Mr Lennon told Parliament the Government will fight poverty, mental illness and family breakdown with a Social Inclusion Unit.

A former director of the Catholic Social Welfare Commission will work with the unit, which will be in the department of Premier and Cabinet.

The Tasmanian Council of Social Service has welcomed the move, with the chief executive, Tom Muller saying the unit needs a clear focus.

"From our perspective a social inclusion unit has got to be driving a government agenda to tackle poverty and disadvantage," he said.

The Premier also appointed a housing expert to advise the Government on how to reduce homelessness.

Roseanne Haggerty founded the not for profit housing organisation Common Ground Community in New York, and has also worked to combat homelessness in Adelaide.

Mr Lennon says his first objective will target emergency housing and people who have no home.

The Government recently added $60 million to its public housing fund.

Anglicare's chief executive, Chris Jones, wants an urgent start on halving the number of homeless Tasmanians.

"We need that to happen quickly," he said.

"We need initiatives that will lead to keys to people's homes soon."

Mr Lennon also announced a commitment to reducing the number of children on care and protection orders, as well as increasing literacy and numeracy levels.