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Nov 20, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Charlotte King |Emma Machan |Andy Burns
When she heard about the "birthkeeper", Alice was at a dead end. The mother of three, whose name we have changed to protect her identity, had already delivered two young children through the public hospital system. Both births had ended in a caesarean — and the second affected her in ways she still struggles to articulate. Warning: This story includes details about stillbirth and birth trauma. "I couldn't talk about it for about a year and a half," she says.
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Oct 27, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Andy Burns
Dozens of neurologists are calling on the Australian chemicals regulator to ban paraquat which is a controversial chemical that's been linked to the development of Parkinson's disease - a progressive brain condition that affects the nervous system. Grain growers argue say the chemical's vital for crop production, but the widely used weed killer has been under review for 27 years, and a regulatory decision is looming.
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Sep 27, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Andy Burns |Nathan Morris
The Bonus Eventus social network doesn't come up in a regular internet search because its creators have blocked Google from accessing it. The website, which was launched in 2014, is the brainchild of former Monsanto director of corporate communications Jay Byrne, and provides a media-monitoring service for chemical company executives and chemical lobby groups. But there is a darker side to its operation.
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Sep 22, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Victoria Pengilley |Charlotte King |Andy Burns
An Indigenous student hostel at the centre of fraud, neglect and assault allegations has closed and several more hostels are being audited, following a federal government funding change. An ABC investigation into the Alice River Student Hostel in Barcaldine in outback Queensland uncovered troubling allegations of children as young as 13 being abused and assaulted, poorly fed, left in the care of other children and forced to work for free in the operator's tourism business.
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Sep 10, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Andy Burns
A leaked email from the peak body representing farmers has urged its members to stay silent on the potential links between a common farm chemical and Parkinson's disease. The directive to 'avoid prolonging the story' after an ABC Landline investigation aired last week has caused a split within the National Farmers Federation. It's Victorian president is breaking ranks to discuss the issue.
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Sep 10, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Andy Burns |Nathan Morris
Australia's peak farm lobby has called on its members to avoid discussion of an ABC Landline program that investigated the link between the herbicide paraquat, and Parkinson's disease. In a leaked email seen by the ABC, the National Farmers Federation (NFF) head office encourages its members to "avoid prolonging the story". "Essentially as we expected the story has had very little traction beyond the ABC online and Landline story and that’s how we’d like to keep it," the email reads.
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Aug 30, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Andy Burns |Charlotte King |Jess Davis |Lucy Sweeney
Loading... In this small rural community, Parkinson's disease is all too common. Many fear that farm chemicals could be behind it. It's a chilly night in Dean, just outside Ballarat in the heart of Victoria's potato country. The local town hall has seen generations of farming families through its doors for celebrations, concerts, weddings and school speech nights. But tonight the mood is sombre.
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Jun 18, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Nathan Morris |Andy Burns
People across regional Australia are selling a curious Japanese machine that "electrolyses" tap water and promises "triple health" for the drinker. Proponents of the multi-level marketing scheme promise six-figure salaries but most recruits never make a profit. Many more are ending up in serious debt. It’s late at night when Kate*, a single mum from outback Queensland, sees a post pop up in her social feed. Loading...
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Apr 4, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Isabella Carbone |Charlotte King |Andy Burns
In short: An 11-year-old Aboriginal girl and her siblings have been disenrolled from a private Christian school after she refused to stand for the national anthem. Their mother has described the school's approach as "assimilation", and SA's Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People says First Nations children have a right to express their beliefs. What's next? The parents have submitted a formal complaint to the Human Rights Commission.
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Apr 2, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Andy Burns |Charlotte King |Rochelle Kirkham
In short: Internal emails seen by the ABC show an engineer asked management in May last year not to proceed with a handheld drilling trial without "minimum" ground supports. The documents also reveal mine management was concerned supports were contributing to the "cost of production". What's next? Victoria’s WorkSafe authority is investigating the accident, which also critically injured a 21-year-old trainee.
