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Could the Senate inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and children prevent future deaths?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names of deceased people and mentions domestic violence and murder. <hr /> <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/FirstNationswomenchildren/Public_Hearings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Public hearings</a> have officially commenced into the Senate Committee <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/Missingmurderedwomen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inquiry</a> into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children. The inquiry has <a href="https://www.aapnews.com.au/news/indigenous-legal-service-funds-fall-short" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> “Murder rates for Indigenous women are eight times higher than for their non-Indigenous counterparts”. This came as no surprise to many of us who have worked in this field for a long time. In fact, these numbers are likely to be higher when they include manslaughter rates. The rate at which women are murdered in Australia over time (<a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/FirstNationswomenchildren/Public_Hearings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2005-06 to 2019-20</a>) have been declining. But according to the <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-03/sr39_homicide_in_australia_2019-20.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Homocide Report Australia 2019 -20</a>, report, this sadly is not the case for Indigenous women. When women are murdered in Australia, there is understandable <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-44491670" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outrage</a>, displays of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-09/hannah-clarke-children-funeral-service/12024138" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grief</a> and moments of reflection in our parliament. However, there is often silence in the media and in public discussion about the violence Indigenous women experience, as Indigenous studies Professor Bronwyn Carlson has <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-public-outrage-no-vigils-australias-silence-at-violence-against-indigenous-women-158875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discussed</a>. This inquiry has the potential to provide voice to the Indigenous women and children we have lost and continue to lose to violence, as well as ending the silence that follows. <h2>What is this senate inquiry?</h2> In November 2021, First Nations Greens senators Dorinda Cox and Lidia Thorpe called for a Senate inquiry into the high rates of missing and murdered Indigenous women and children in Australia. Through measures including hearing testimony from survivors of violence and examining police responses, this will be an opportunity to investigate what can be changed to better address violence against Indigenous women and children in Australia. Available data tell us Indigenous women represent up to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-09/linda-burney-wants-senate-inquiry-into-missing-indigenous-women/11773992" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10%</a> of unsolved missing persons cases in Australia, many of whom are presumed dead. Indigenous women are also <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/indigenous-community-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30 times</a> more likely to be hospitalised for assault-related injuries. As part of its public hearings, the inquiry is examining these damning statistics. However, the inquiry is also delving deeper, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/FirstNationswomenchildren/Public_Hearings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asking more</a> about the women’s stories, with the intention to go beyond statistics and hear how people are affected by their experiences with family violence. <h2>Police and domestic violence services are not helping</h2> My research has found violence against Indigenous women is significantly <a href="https://www.telethonkids.org.au/globalassets/media/documents/aboriginal-health/working-together-second-edition/wt-part-5-chapt-23-final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under-reported</a> and perpetrators regularly go unpunished. This is not to say Indigenous women are not crying out for support: they are and have been. However, they are often confronted with a dilemma of who is safe to turn to, and what the consequences of reporting might be. For First Nations women, there are significant risks to consider when reporting violence to police or seeking assistance from domestic violence services. These risks include their children being <a href="https://theconversation.com/another-stolen-generation-looms-unless-indigenous-women-fleeing-violence-can-find-safe-housing-123526" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taken from them</a> by child protection services, the women themselves being arrested for unrelated criminal matters, and the risk of being misidentified as the perpetrator. Criminology and law researcher <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bjc/advance-article/doi/10.1093/bjc/azab103/6430028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emma Buxton-Namisnyk’s</a> study of domestic violence policing of First Nations women in Australia found “there were very few examples of police interventions that did not produce some identifiable harm”. Buxton-Namisnyk found this harm was through police inaction and non-enforcement of domestic violence laws. Some instances involved police action resulting in “eroding victim’s agency” through criminalising victims and increasing police surveillance over their families. In June 2022, Acting Coroner Elisabeth Armitage handed down <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-10/coronial-inquest-roberta-findings-darwin-local-court/101141340" target="_blank" rel="noopener">damning findings</a> against the Northern Territory Police in the death of Roberta, an Aboriginal woman from the Katherine region. Armitage said the police “did nothing to help her”. In fact, the fatal assault was the seventh time Roberta’s partner had abused her in less than two weeks. It was five days after Roberta had been told by police to “<a href="https://justice.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/1113600/D01052019-Roberta-Curry.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stop calling us</a>”. Armitage summed up this case as one in which police failed to follow any of their procedures concerning domestic violence complaints. She also found their manner towards Roberta was rude and dismissive. These actions and failures were not confined to the actions of police. The triple-zero call operator incorrectly classified Roberta’s calls for help, and the parole officer tasked with supervising Roberta’s partner was oblivious to his breaches of parole conditions. The breakdown in communication across these services and the lack of support available to Roberta created the conditions that led to her death. This case also speaks to a broader issue of bystanders who fail to act on our women’s cries for help. The Northern Territory is a unique jurisdiction in that it is <a href="https://nt.gov.au/law/crime/domestic-family-and-sexual-violence/report-domestic-family-and-sexual-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandatory</a> for all adults to <a href="https://legislation.nt.gov.au/en/LegislationPortal/~/link.aspx?_id=2AB69753FCA64C5281F9E2ED1FF089E7&_z=z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report domestic violence</a> “when the life or safety of another person is under serious or imminent threat” or be liable for a fine up to $20,000. Despite this, Armitage explained there were witnesses to the violence Roberta endured, who did not report. To my knowledge, no one has been held accountable for failing to report. <h2>There are stories behind the numbers</h2> During this Senate inquiry, politicians need to consider the stories behind the statistics, such as Roberta’s. It is these stories that demonstrate the need for domestic and family violence death reviews in all of our states and territories. They provide the opportunity to understand the victim’s story and how it is affected by services and systems currently in place. But it’s also critical Indigenous people are included in the process of reviews and the analysis of what keeps going wrong with services that are meant to save lives. In addition to this, there needs to be an extensive review of cases over time to understand trends in missing and murdered Indigenous women and children. We need to find out whether systemic problems or issues in practice are responsible for failing these women. As the United Nations’ violence against Indigenous women and girls <a href="https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G22/323/90/PDF/G2232390.pdf?OpenElement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> states, Indigenous women already have to navigate violence in the form of racial discrimination and system inequities. Our calls for help need to be met with a culturally safe person who can hear our stories and respond with care and respect to help us navigate our way to safety. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-the-senate-inquiry-into-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-children-prevent-future-deaths-192020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty

Legal

Tricycle rider slammed into by car on busy road – but who’s at fault?

Dashcam footage has captured the moment a car hit a tricycle rider, knocking him off his bike as he attempted to cross a busy road. The video, posted to the Facebook page Dashcam Owners Australia, shows the car travelling down Pinjara Road in Western Australia on Tuesday. As the vehicle with the dashcam drives in the left lane, two vehicles in the right lane can be seen slowing down to a halt. Moments later, a man on a tricycle moves out in the middle of the left lane and is hit by the car. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDashCamOwnersAustralia%2Fvideos%2F1822832147776417%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> The vehicle slams on its breaks as the cyclist is knocked off his bike and onto the road. The stunned cyclist then climbs back onto his feet and drags his bike onto the footpath. The video has been viewed over 135,000 times and many users have weighed in on who is at fault in this incident. Many are blaming the cyclist, with one saying that he “should have used the pedestrian crossing or waited for a decent break in the traffic to make it across the road". Others believe that the vehicles in the right lane are at fault for stopping and allowing the cyclist to cross the busy road. “That's why cars shouldn't stop for people wanting to cross the road when not at a crossing or intersection and especially not on a multiple lane road,” wrote one Facebook user. “Even though the driver who stopped thought he was being courteous, he could've been the reason old mate ends up dead. Lucky man.” Some also believe the driver with the dashcam should have responded to his surroundings and slowed down when he saw the cars in the right lane adjusting their speed. The cyclist luckily walked away from the collision without any injuries. Who do you think is at fault in this road incident? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Legal

Seniors now less likely to fall into poverty

Guyonne Kalb is a Professorial Research Fellow and Director of the Labour Economics and Social Policy Program at the University of Melbourne. The risk of people past retirement age falling into poverty is now decreasing. There has been a substantial improvement compared to 15 years ago, when the incidence of poverty among the elderly was 32.4 per cent. People past retirement age are much more at risk of poverty compared to people of other ages. In 2014, 23 per cent of people over 65 were identified as experiencing poverty, while among the general population this was 10.1 per cent. If we look at poverty in older age using three alternative, well-established, definitions: the Henderson Poverty Line, the OECD 50 per cent poverty line and the OECD 60% poverty line, they all lead to very similar conclusions. The OECD 50 per cent poverty line is defined as 50 per cent of median household equivalent disposable income. Equivalised household income allows for differences in household composition, like the number of adults and children who live in the household. It therefore makes income comparable between households of different sizes. Someone is counted as poor if their equivalised disposable household income falls below this poverty line. Applying this to data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Australia (HILDA) survey shows clear differences between ages. There’s a much larger incidence of poverty among people over 65, as well as a larger decrease in the poverty rate among those over 65. Between 2000 and 2014, the prevalence of income poverty among older people declined by more than 9 percentage points, well above the decline of other age groups. There are a number of reasons for this decrease in the poverty rate. One is the increase in labour force participation from 6.9 per cent to 12.5 per cent for this older group, whereas for other age groups labour force participation has remained quite stable. Another reason is the larger increase in pension rates (which is the typical social security payment for people over 65) compared to allowance rates (which is the typical social security payment for working-age people). From an already high base, the payment rates for the oldest age group clearly increased by the most. These two reasons combined account for over 75 per cent of the decrease in poverty incidence. Increased private pensions account for a further large part of the decrease (nearly 41%), while changes in investment income would have increased the poverty rate. Why pensions are so important This shows just how important public and private pensions are for the standard of living of older people. Given that more and more people will be covered by superannuation, we expect that poverty rates will further decline in the future. However, maintaining the value of public pensions is equally important as a substantial proportion of people over 65 will remain dependent on these payments. Those dependent on the age pension include people with a disability during their working life, and many women, as they remain the ones who are more frequently out of the labour force and working part time to raise children. As a result, these groups have less opportunity to build up sufficient superannuation. However, the age pension may perhaps be better targeted. Although the largest increases in income support are for those classified as poor (with the largest average increase observed for those over 65), the non-poor population over 65 also receives a substantial increase in income support. The increase in payments for people who aren’t poor and over 65 is nearly as large as the increase for those classified as poor who are aged 15 to 64. Payments for working-age people have only been increased with inflation, while pensions increased at the same rate as average earnings which has generally been higher than inflation. To better alleviate poverty for our whole population, government payments for working-age people need to keep up with average earnings like the pensions do. If the government is not prepared to direct more resources to income support payments, they need to treat different age groups more equally. This means better targeting payments among our older population and using any savings to increase payments for the working-age population at a similar rate as pensions. Written by Guyonne Kalb. First appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/older-people-now-less-likely-to-fall-into-poverty-88634" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.<img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88634/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/>

Retirement Income

“My smartphone is turning me into a zombie”

I recently had a terrifying revelation. I realised I was already a zombie, and I didn't even know it. None of us do, because we're too busy being held captive by the technology that was meant to set us free. When Alexander Graham Bell patented the blower back in 1876, naysayers predicted it would destroy civilised society. They were about 150 years and 20,000 generations of device off, but now the telephone's bastard cousin, the smartphone, is turning us all into red-eyed dullards. Zombies are everywhere. They're at the park with their kids, glancing up occasionally to offer a weak grunt of encouragement (after they've Instagrammed and Facebook-lived "Saturday's super-fun park trip! #allthelols #lovethislittleguy"). They're at the bus stop, lurching angrily behind the bus after it drove past because no-one looked up to wave it down. Some of them were probably at the table with you at lunch, staring vacantly at the object in their palms, replying stupidly to your half-heard conversation. The other day I stopped to answer a text on the steps at Auckland Art Gallery. I usually would not think twice before stopping on the street to check my phone. But this time I got an eerie feeling. I glanced up to see two people to either side of me, and one a couple of metres in front, standing stock-still. We were heads-down, mid-step, frozen. We had hit pause on real life. Sometimes, I'm at my computer on my email and I will click on the Gmail icon on my smartphone to check the mail I'm already reading. I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket when it's not ringing. I check it then I want to check it again almost immediately. I try not to use it in front of my toddler, but it is hard. And compared to my friends, my smartphone usage is not abnormal. It's probably bordering on low. Studies <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5076301/" target="_blank">on smartphone usage</a> have found addiction is linked to depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and stress. Some signs of addictive behaviour are: "uncontrollable use, in addition to feelings of intense desire or irresistible need, loss of control, inattention to usual activities, the focalisation of interests on the behaviour or activity of interest, the persistence of the behaviour despite its negative effects, and the irritability and malaise associated with abstinence." There's no real data on how common addiction is, because the field of study is so new. But it's pretty obvious, right? Just look around. This week I deleted the Facebook and Twitter apps from my smartphone. I've started bringing a book on the bus. I'm considering making a <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/01ba2970-9e70-11e5-8ce1-f6219b685d74" target="_blank">deliberate switch</a> back to a regular cell phone. I want my kid to know me, not some diluted version. And if some zombies come at me, I'll need my hands free to save him. Written by Michelle Duff. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Technology

5 signs you've stepped into a dodgy restaurant

Here are five signs you’ve stepped into a dodgy restaurant. 1. It’s completely empty It is a brave diner who walks into a completely empty restaurant… This doesn’t necessarily apply if you are in a remote town or a really quiet suburb, but if there’s one restaurant in the middle of a busy strip that has no customers, it’s probably for a good reason. 2. It’s obviously a tourist trap This follows on from point one – it’s much easier to fob a bad restaurant off on tourists. Locals will be burned once and not go back again, but you can draw in a lot of one-time visitors who won’t have to come back. It’s quite easy to spot a restaurant that’s geared just to tourists. Look out for tacky decorations, local ‘themes’, garish drinks specials or the absence of any local diners. 3. Everything looks dirty It’s a pretty simple equation – we like to eat in places that are clean. And if the dining room or bathrooms are obviously dirty, then you don’t even want to imagine what the kitchen looks like. A restaurant should look and smell clean and fresh all throughout. Look for dirty marks on the walls, questionable cutlery or a floor that looks like it’s never seen a broom. 4. There are no prices on the menu Recently, a number of tourists have complained about being ripped off in decent restaurants because there are no prices. This usually happens in countries where they don’t speak the language, and the waiters will rattle off a list of dishes, assure them everything will be reasonably priced and then bring out tonnes of food. At the end, the unhappy customer is presented with a very large bill that they may not even be able to decipher. Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into. 5. The staff seem disinterested in you When you walk into a restaurant, it’s nice to be greeted with a friendly ‘hello’ (or ‘bonjour’ or ‘ciao’ or ‘ni hau’) and shown to a table. If the staff barely look up when you walk in the door, there’s a good chance you’re in for a substandard experience. The staff should be attentive and helpful (though not over the top), and give you the impression that they actually like working there. Good service can elevate an average restaurant to a great one. Have you ever been to a dodgy restaurant?

Travel Tips

Photo of ghost-like figure spotted during full moon

Residents from Mexico have sent many into confusion after posting a video of a strange light formation they spotted over the Gulf of California. Yasmin Duarte Valenzuela posted a video and photos of the eerie sight on Facebook and has already amassed over 63,000 views. <div id="fb-root"></div> <div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/100006467960955/posts/2353439044881671/" data-width="500" data-show-text="true"> <blockquote class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"> Alguien me puede decir que es eso?🤔😱♥️ y después se quito 😳 Los barriles bcs. Haydee Duartte Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dulceyasmin.duartevalenzuela">Yasmin Duarte Valenzuela</a> on <a href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/dulceyasmin.duartevalenzuela/posts/2353439044881671">Sunday, 6 August 2017</a></blockquote> </div> Yasmin said the light hovered next to the moon for a while until it went away. What do you think of this video? Do you think it's a ghost? Let us know in the comments below.

News

Accessing the wealth locked in your home

Life doesn’t always go to plan. Medical emergencies, legal difficulties and other unexpected costs can throw off your grand retirement plans and leave you struggling to pay the bills, let alone maintaining your lifestyle as you age. And when this happens, what can you do? Downsizing isn’t always a solution and going back to work may not be an option. Thankfully, there’s a way to access the wealth locked in your home when you need it most – with a home equity release solution. There are two types of equity release products – reverse mortgages, which involve borrowing money using the equity in your home, and home reversion schemes, which involve selling a portion of the equity in your home. It may sound like a daunting prospect, but a home equity release product shouldn’t be seen as the last resort. Here are four reasons why: 1. Your home is your best asset More and more Aussies consider themselves as asset-rich but cash-poor, although this doesn’t need to be the case. A home equity release can provide you with the funds to supplement your current retirement income, cover home maintenance or renovations, pay for medical treatments or secure an aged care accommodation loan. 2. Downsizing isn’t always an option The solution for some retirees’ financial woes may be downsizing, but for others, this simply isn’t an option. Whether it’s the mere thought of selling the family home, the inconvenience of moving to an unfamiliar area (potentially away from loved ones, transport links and medical facilities) or difficulty finding alternative accommodation, sometimes it’s best to stay home. A home equity release solution can provide you with the necessary funds to do just that. 3. You want to age in your home It’s generally a lot cheaper – and a lot more comfortable – to remain in your own home as you age. With the money gained from a home equity release product, you can make all the necessary alterations (e.g. safety handles, ramps, stair climbers) to your home to make it suitable and safe as you become older, or perhaps even hire a carer to make life a little easier. 4. You want to remain independent As we age, the dream is to be self-reliant and completely financially independent. Borrowing money from friends or family might seem like a good short-term solution, but further down the road, it can cause serious tension in your relationships and may leave you in even more debt than you had to begin with. A home equity release solution takes away any financial burden from your loved ones and simply gives you access to the wealth you already have. Homesafe Wealth Release is the only debt-free solution to allow older Australian homeowners access to the wealth they already have, by selling a share of the future sales proceeds of their home while still remaining as the owner on the Title and retaining full use of their home. “The Homesafe equity release product was designed to enable senior homeowners to access the wealth tied up in their homes by selling a share of the future sale proceeds of their home,” explains Homesafe General Manager Dianne Shepherd. “In essence, rather than down-sizing and selling their home today as a whole asset, with Homesafe the homeowner can sell a part of their home today, and stay living in the family home until they choose to sell and move.” To find out how Homesafe Wealth Release can help you, <a href="http://oversixtyedm.homesafe.com.au/fourreasonsforequityrelease/" target="_blank">click here. </a> THIS IS SPONSORED CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH <a href="http://oversixtyedm.homesafe.com.au/fourreasonsforequityrelease/" target="_blank">HOMESAFE.</a>

Money & Banking

Save money by knowing which airport to fly into

Chances are when booking a flight, you already use some sort of online comparison tool to find the best price. But you might be surprised to know, depending on which city you’re headed to, you can save a little extra by flying into the right airport. <a href="http://www.cheapflights.com.au" target="_blank">Cheapflights.com.au</a> has provided a rundown of the destinations where you can save by choosing the right airport. To see the results, scroll through the gallery above. A few extra hundred dollars here or there is nothing to sneeze at! And, as anyone who’s stepped onto the tarmac at Avalon Airport would agree, the right airport choice can make a big difference to the start or end of your trip. Have you ever been to any of the airports listed?

Travel Tips

6 stunning ports of call to cruise into

There is no better feeling than entering a port and having your breath be taken away by the views that surround you. Here are six ports of call that have left us speechless. 1. Santorini, Greece The Greek island of Santorini is so picture perfect that it will leave you rubbing your eyes in disbelief. And the best way to see it in its full glory is to arrive by ship. Shiny white sugar-cube houses topped with bold blue domes tumble down the side of the island, surrounded by the dramatic peaks of the volcanic caldera. All of that is circled by the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea. You’ll fall in love. 2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Sailing into port under the watchful eye of Christ the Redeemer is an experience you will never forget. Rio is one of the world’s most fascinating cities, but the drive from the airport is singularly unimpressive. The cruise port, however, is just outside the city centre and you’ll sail into Guanabara Bay past by golden beaches, glamorous yachts bobbing in marinas and the curved peak of Sugarloaf Mountain. 3. Hjorundfjord, Norway Sailing through the fjords of Norway is a bucket list experience for every cruiser and they are dotted with towns and villages each more charming than the last. The Hjorundfjord is one of the longest in the country, running for 35 kilometres from the sea through steep rock walls and green mountains, past isolated farms and tiny fishing villages. Ships stop in the harbour of Urke for passengers to explore this remarkable destination. 4. St Thomas, US Virgin Islands The Caribbean is the most popular cruise destination in the world and is home to an endless series of beautiful island ports. St Thomas is something special, with a huge natural harbour surrounded by soaring mountains. At night, the town lights up with thousands of sparkling lights, looking like a glittering string of diamonds. Look out for the well-preserved Danish colonial architecture of the capital, Charlotte Amelie. 5. Hong Kong Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour is a fascinating mix of old and new, with futuristic skyscrapers towering over traditional red-sailed junks floating on the water. The city is backed by the lush green slopes of The Peak and the water hums with passenger ferries, cruise ships and zipping water taxis. You won’t be able to take your eyes away from your window. 6. New York, USA The New York City skyline is instantly recognisable – you’ve seen it in just about every movie and TV show ever made. So you’ll feel an eerie sense of homecoming when you pull into the harbour, right beside the feet of Lade Liberty, even if you’ve never been before. It’s especially stunning at night, when the skyscrapers are lit up in a rainbow of colours. Have you ever visited any of these ports? Let us know in the comments below.

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