The Wire

Australia has the highest methylamphetamine consumption per capita compared with 24 other countries, according to a report by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.The report released today displayed an increase in methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and MDA consumption nationwide.The results come from the wastewater monitoring of 56 per cent of Australia's population across every state and territory.

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This week's Census results have given us a picture of a Modern Australia .The census revealed we are more multicultural than the United States or Canada. Fifty one percent of Australians have one or both parents born overseas whilst twenty seven percent were born overseas. How can this information help to policy makers about future plans for Australia?

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The new Minister for the Republic has met with representatives of both republican and monarchist campaign groups . Should the ALP win a second term of office we can expect a renewed push for a referendum on the constitutional change required to establish a Republic.

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Despite abortion being decriminalized in states and territories across Australia except in Western Australia, access to reproductive services varies across the country. Expenses make it inaccessible especially for rural women. Differing laws on reproductive rights across the states and territories further hamper accessibility. The overturning of Roe V. Wade by the US Supreme Court has brought renewed focus to the barriers women face accessing reproductive healthcare in Australia. 

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Ghislaine Maxwell was handed down a 20 year sentence for her involvement in the sex trafficking along with her partner – millionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein . Maxwell was charged with recruiting and grooming four girls for Epstein between 1994 and 2004. We speak to Legal Journalist Lucia Osborne-Crowley who, has been covering the trial in New York.

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65,000 aged care employees have left the Aged Care industry after the stresses of the pandemic. The Aged Care sector is in crisis today according to a new report by the Committee for Economic Development Australia.  Aged care workers are behind nurses and retail workers when it comes to pay rates. A review underway will recommend wage rises.

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On Friday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that there would be a staff reduction to crossbenchers and Senators .Outrage was sparked from small parties and newly elected independents, accusing Albanese of “political play” and an "attack on democracy" Malcolm Roberts, Senator for Queensland, talked about what these cuts will mean for smaller parties and independents.

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Afghanistan was rocked by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake yesterday, killing 1000 people.Rescue efforts are currently underway with the Taliban pleading for international humanitarian aid to recover from the disaster.World Vision has asked people look past politics and step up to help those in need.Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong offered her condolences to the people of Afghanistan and said "Australia will work with partners to respond to this crisis."The death toll is expected to rise over the coming days.

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Julian Assange has been evading criminal charges against him by the U.S. government for hacking and espionage since 2011. Assange has been jailed in the United Kingdom since April 2019 for leaking classified documents.He has been approved to be extradited to the United States to face charges on Friday .There has been support both in Australia and globally to free Assange with calls for the Australian government to intervene and bring him home.

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A new portal called MiAccess is closing the gap for Australians . The website hopes to help Australians overcome the lack of support and discrimination they experience by bringing translated information about the NDIS and other services. Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will benefit from this portal.