Shalailah Medhora

Canberra

Political Reporter, Triple J Hack at ABC News (Australia)

Political Reporter @triplejhack. Come for political analysis, stay for food / reality TV chat. Views are mine, not ABC's

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Articles

Greens internal investigation into Dorinda Cox over now she's left the party

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Evelyn Manfield |Isobel Roe |Shalailah Medhora |Stephanie Boltje

The Greens have ditched their internal investigation into West Australian senator Dorinda Cox, saying they have no jurisdiction over her and cannot apply any sanctions now she has left the party. Senator Cox spectacularly quit the minor party on Monday to join Labor, announcing the move alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Perth. Following her defection, state director of the WA Greens Dean Smith told ABC News the investigation had not been concluded on Tuesday.
The government promised to cut my HECS debt. When will I get it?

4 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

Before the federal election, Labor made a promise to cut student loan debts like HECS and HELP debts by 20 per cent if it was re-elected. Well, Labor won and the new session of parliament is due to start again in July. So what does that mean for you if you have an outstanding student loan? We answer some of your biggest questions. Nothing. If you still have an outstanding HECS or HELP loan as of June 1 this year, then the cut will automatically be applied by the Australian Tax Office, or ATO.
Senator Fatima Payman discloses 'inappropriate' behaviour by senior parliamentary colleague

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

Independent senator Fatima Payman has disclosed that she was subjected to sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments by an older male parliamentary colleague, leading to a formal complaint through the Parliamentary Workplace Support System (PWSS). Senator Payman told triple j hack that the comments were made by a senior colleague who she alleges "had had too many drinks" at a social function she attended through the course of official parliamentary business.
The Coalition has a young person problem

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

Sometimes in election campaigns, politicians say things that make you go "eek". For Peter Dutton, one of those moments came days out from the federal election and related to the crucial issue of housing. "People are renters for longer, and generally that means that they're more inclined to support the Labor Party. And then, as their views mature politically, they come across the Liberal Party," Mr Dutton told news.com.au.
Gabby Petito died after experiencing domestic violence. Young Aussies are identifying with her story

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora |Angel Parsons

Dozens of young Australians reached out to Gabby Petito's family for help after a documentary series on her death launched in Australia, according to Gabby's father Joe Petito and her stepfather Jim Schmidt. The three-part Netflix series American Murder: Gabby Petito became available on the streaming service in February and spent weeks on the platform's most-watched list. It outlined the coercive control Gabby Petito experienced from her fiance Brian Laundrie in the lead-up to her death.
Advocates call for urgent youth homelessness reform

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

Every four days a young homeless person aged 15-24 dies, and the majority of those deaths are due to suicide. Experts say young vulnerable people are bearing the brunt of dual crises: the skyrocketing costs of housing and pressure on the mental health system. A new report out today by Melbourne City Mission and Orygen Youth Mental Health is calling for an investigation into these deaths, and an overhaul of the way homeless young people are treated.
Every four days a young homeless person dies. Advocates are calling for urgent reform

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

Every four days, a young homeless person aged between 15 and 24 dies. Most of the time the cause of death is suicide, according to new figures released by community support organisation, Melbourne City Mission. The organisation cross-checked Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data with coronial records and homelessness services to try to estimate the prevalence of suicide in young people without a fixed address.
Spoilt, entitled, selfish: Why myths about only children persist

Mar 3, 2025 | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

Ariane Szmajda had a pretty unusual childhood. Her parents had her when they were just 17, and she grew up being raised mainly by her mother and her mother's parents. As the first grandchild on either side, she didn't have any cousins or young kids on either side. "As a child, I was a little bit lonely," Ms Szmajda told triple j's hack. "I didn't really have many people to play with, especially after school, on weekends [or] during holidays," she said.
Vanessa was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 28. She wants you to know it's not just an old person disease

Feb 17, 2025 | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

Vanessa Mendico thought bowel cancer was an old person's disease. That is, until she got it herself. "The only thing I knew about bowel cancer was the kits that my parents got in the mail," Vanessa told triple j hack, referring to free testing kits sent out by the government to people aged 50 and over.
Doctors pitch plan to lift bulk-billing rate to 85 per cent

Feb 10, 2025 | abc.net.au | Shalailah Medhora

RACGP is calling on the major parties to implement a range of initiatives, including expanding the bulk-billing incentive to include everyone under 34. Young people aged 25 to 34 are the most likely to delay seeing a GP due to cost. Health Minister Mark Butler says bulk-billing rates have increased nationally but says "we know we need to do more to strengthen Medicare".