Free abortion pledge if Labor re-elected in Victoria next month

Victoria would provide free abortion care if Premier Ben Carroll is re-elected, with a politically charged plan to provide better care for women in regional and rural communities.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-15/free-abortion-pledge-ben-carroll-state-election/107267554

#Health #StateandTerritoryElections #Abortion

The latest tactic in Australia's illegal tobacco trade is hiding in plain sight
By Clare Armstrong

As Labor seeks support for tougher tobacco laws, new intelligence reveals how offshore factories are making illegal cigarettes look like genuine Australian products.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-15/criminal-gangs-making-fake-plain-packaging-cigarettes/107267606

#FederalGovernment #GovernmentandPolitics #FederalParliament #ClareArmstrong

Investing bonanza as younger Australians lean on AI advice
By David Taylor

The ASX said a record 11.5 million Australian adults now hold investments outside traditional superannuation and their main home. Emerging trends include taking AI advice, investing in crypto and the doubling of ETF ownership.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-15/asx-investing-bonanza-young-australians-lean-on-free-ai-advice/107266282

#PersonalInvesting #StockMarket #Cryptocurrency #BusinessandIndustryRegulation #DavidTaylor

Chalmers and Frydenberg have more in common than they like to admit
By David Speers

Delivering reform is proving more difficult by the day. Labor has to go back to the drawing board on its plan to remove the more generous private health insurance rebate for over-65s. That's a $3 billion savings measure up in the air.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-15/david-speers-reform-in-toxic-political-climate-tax-gst/107264086

#FederalParliament #FederalGovernment #GovernmentandPolitics #DavidSpeers

This strange sea animal is on menus, but it is disappearing from our reefs
By Peter de Kruijff

A new study shows one species of sea cucumber lives much longer than previously thought, putting it at even more risk of being eaten to death by humans.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2026-10-15/sea-cucumber-100-years-disappearing-reefs/107196076

#FishingandAquacultureIndustry #MarineBiology #EndangeredandProtectedSpecies #IllegalFishing #Fish #PeterdeKruijff

Russell Brand a 'ruthless, calculated sexual predator', court hears
By Mazoe Ford

A prosecutor describes Russell Brand as a "ruthless calculated and manipulative sexual predator" in her opening address at the British entertainer's rape trial.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-15/russell-brand-a-ruthless-sexual-predator-court-hears/107267856

#Courts #SexualOffences #MazoeFord

Zelenskyy says partners not warning Ukraine of incoming ballistic missiles

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine received no early warning from partners about incoming Russian ballistic missile strikes on civilian infrastructure in Kyiv.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/ukraine-partners-not-warning-of-incoming-missiles/107267628

#WorldPolitics #UnrestConflictandWar

Cracking firetrucks, $1b funding shortfall identified in Victorian audit
By Kate Ashton

Victoria's auditor has found $1.5 billion dollars is needed to provide critical upgrades to the state's fleet of aging fire trucks, with more than 1,600 CFA trucks needing replacement by 2034.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/victoria-audit-fire-trucks-cfa-frv-funding-shortfall/107265314

#EmergencyServices #StateandTerritoryGovernment #KateAshton

Breaking: Michelin Guide dishes out first Australian stars to array of SA restaurants

A spread of South Australian restaurants has achieved distinguished culinary honours by becoming the first in the nation to receive stars from world-renowned guide Michelin.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/michelin-star-ceremony-sa-restaurants/107266846

#FoodandDrink #AwardsandPrizes

India's 'cockroach' movement leaders detained for five days

Two leaders of India's "cockroach" youth movement will serve five days in jail after being detained during a protest.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/-cockroach-movement-leaders-jail-5-days-after-scaling-barricade/107267584

#WorldPolitics

The boldness Australia needs has no political home right now

When the Cold War ended, the US became Asia's uncontested leader. The hope, at the time, was that China would simply go along with that arrangement. Clearly, that's not how things are turning out.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/boyer-lecture-keynote-sam-roggeveen-asia-australia/107260512

#WorldPolitics #History #ForeignAffairs #Immigration

Woman charged over crash that claimed life of 11yo girl

A woman whose young passenger was killed in a two-car crash in Adelaide's south last month has been arrested and charged with aggravated causing death by dangerous driving.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/driver-charged-over-moana-crash-that-killed-11yo-girl/107267050

#RoadAccidentsandIncidents #Crime #Police #TrafficOffences