#1 — Victoria Sounds Health Alert As Flesh-Eating Ulcer Spreads

A severe tissue-destroying ulcer that was restricted to certain parts of Victoria and Queensland has now spread, prompting Victoria to issue a health alert to doctors. The Buruli ulcer, which was earlier confined to a few endemic areas, has now spread to a new part of Victoria. Its symptoms can take time to show up, which means that patients may not know whether they have it. Victoria’s chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton urged doctors to keep a lookout for the symptoms and stated that lab testing for the ulcer is now free.

#2 — Australia’s Aged Care System A Shocking Tale of Neglect: Report

The interim report from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has found that industry has service shortfalls, serious substandard and unsafe care and an underpaid, undervalued and insufficiently trained staff. The report of the 10-month inquiry which started in February described the aged care system as a “shocking tale of neglect,” unkind and uncaring towards elderly people. It was carried out in aged-care housing, in-home care and care for young people with disabilities living in a residential environment.

#3 — China Warns Australia Over Human Rights Criticism From Marise Payne

Replying to Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne’s criticism of China’s human rights record, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said — “we hope that the Australian side can reflect on and learn the lessons of the recent disturbances in Sino-Australian relations, and meet China halfway.” The souring relation between Australia and China has impacted the $180 billion trade between the two countries. China’s record was condemned by the United States and 22 other countries at the UN this week.

#4 — AFP Seizes $17.3 Mn Property In Money Laundering By Chinese Nationals

An AFP investigation into alleged money laundering by two Chinese nationals led to the seizure of property worth $17.3 million in Victoria and Tasmania. Seized property in Melbourne’s east includes a new mansion, three units, a townhouse and a commercial property. In Tasmania, 3,000 acres of farmland was seized at Musselroe Bay. The investigation started in 2017 after a request from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security to identify 2 Chinese nationals suspected of moving $23 million of crime money from China to Australia.

#5 — Federal Court Deems Controversial Backpacker Tax ‘Unlawful’

The Federal Court has ruled that a controversial tax on working holiday visa holders is illegal, which could potentially force the government to repay travellers millions of dollars. The ‘backpacker tax’ was deemed illegal on account of the anti-discrimination clauses in the tax treaties Australia has with countries like Britain, Chile and the US. Justice Logan called the tax “a disguised form of discrimination based on nationality” as he passed the ruling. The Australian Tax Office said that it would consider an appeal.

#6 — Mental Health Problems Cost Australia $180 Billion Annually: Report

A draft report by the Productivity Commission estimated that mental health and suicide are costing Australia $180 billion annually or $500 million every day. Productivity commissioner Stephen King said one in two Australians are affected by mental health conditions and 75% of people who develop a condition experience the first symptoms before turning 25. The Commission recommended 5 key areas for reform across the health, education, community and justice systems. It also recommended tailored services for First Nations people.

#7 — WA Government To Reduce Business Payroll Tax From January 2020

The West Australian businesses will get a mild relief starting Jan 2020 as WA state decided to cut payroll tax marginally. The state government will increase the threshold at which the tax kicks in from current $850,000 to $950,000 in Jan 2020 and to $1 million in 2021. The tax cut will cost the state budget bottom line $52 million a year. Premier Mark McGowan said the tax cut reflected his government’s commitment to job creation. A business pays payroll tax when the total amount they spend on employees crosses the threshold.

#8 — Australian War On Wage Theft, ATO Received 15,000 Complaints In 3 Months

Australians are waging a war on wage theft and dodgy business practices as ATO confirmed it has received 15,000 complaints in the last three months at its Tax Integrity Centre. The complaints include businesses not declaring income and sales, demanding cash payments from customers and paying workers in cash. The majority of complaints came from café and restaurant industry which employs more than 800k people. The ‘black economy’ costs the country some $50 billion a year. The ATO plans to visit 10k businesses this year for investigations.

#9 — Latest Report Shows Number Of Women On Australian Boards Has Fallen

The Australian Institute of Company Directors’ latest report on gender diversity shows that the number of women appointed to company boards has fallen. The report shows that women hold 29.5% of director positions on ASX 200 boards in September 2019, down from 29.7% in July 2019. The rate of women appointed to boards has also fallen from 45% in 2018 to 31.7% in 2019. AICD managing director Angus Armour said that the figures should be a wake-up call to the ASX 200 to identify and hire from a “diverse pool of candidates”.

#10 — Parking Fines Rise In Canberra After Increase In Patrol Vans

Canberra shelled out an extra $3.3 million in parking fines last year, with more than a quarter of the fines issued by the new parking patrol vans. The vans come with infrared cameras to scan license plates and can check how long cars have been in parking zones. They can also track unregistered or stolen vehicles as well as dangerous drivers. The new technology has increased revenue from the patrol vans by over $2.4 million in 12 months. Overall, Canberra’s revenue from parking fines has gone up by 26%.

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Top 10 Stories You Need To Know In Australia Today (1 Nov 2019)