ABC NewsMail - Morning Edition

NewsMail Morning Edition Mon 16 Dec, 2013 Top Stories More Top Stories » Abbott sacks asylum seeker health advisers By Lucy Carter, staff The Federal Government has formally disbanded the group that provides independent advice on the health needs of asylum seekers. The Immigration Health Advisory Group (IHAG) was established in 2006 but all of the group's members except the current chair, Dr Paul Alexander, have now been sacked. The ABC understands the Government is now planning to set up its own advisory panel headed by Dr Alexander, an Australian Defence Force medical expert, who IHAG members say has little mental health experience. Professor Louise Newman, a current member and former chair of IHAG, says she was blindsided by the news. "The group was informed on Friday that it has actually been disbanded, which is of course an issue of grave concern to the medical and health professionals involved," she said. More » Peter O'Toole, star of Lawrence of Arabia, dies aged 81 South Africa buries 'greatest son' Mandela Government budget update to reveal deficit of almost $50b Liam Jurrah charged over high-speed police chase in NT Troubled regional carrier Brindabella put in receivership The Ashes: Broad injured, Warner brilliant as Australia seizes control More Analysis » A weak-Tea Party, anyone? Never before have so many analysts transparently taken positions, publicly attacking those they disagree with. None of this is good for democracy. There is no equivalent in Australia of the Tea Party that has wreaked havoc upon the Republicans in the United States. Not yet anyway. But there is at the margins signs of a "weak-tea party", made up essentially of far right commentators and a small minority in the parliamentary party who want to use high office to settle scores. More » Is the Queen really the unifying symbol of Australia? The only way is Pup The inconvenient truth for the Coalition's NBN The problem with defining disease Holden and the spread of Australian disease Holden first in era of tough decisions The fast food worker's revolution The industrialisation of the Great Barrier Reef Proof still required that shark culling works Just In More Just In » Police officer leaves hospital after being stabbed in neck A police officer stabbed in the neck while patrolling a nightclub strip in Townsville has been released from hospital after undergoing surgery. The 33-year-old senior constable was allegedly stabbed in the neck with a pocket knife in the early hours of Saturday morning while patrolling on Flinders Street as part of Operation Unite, a crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence. He lost a lot of blood and suffered a collapsed lung, as well as injuries to his hand from a second knife. A 28-year-old Townsville man has been charged with attempted murder, serious assault of police while armed, entering a premises with intent to commit an offence, possession of a knife in a public place and creating a disturbance. He is due to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court today. More » King defies Richmond's orders over ex-Bandidos boss: reports Liam Jurrah charged over high-speed police chase in NT Government budget update to reveal deficit of almost $50b Troubled regional carrier Brindabella put in receivership Abbott sacks asylum seeker health advisers Peter O'Toole, star of Lawrence of Arabia, dies aged 81 North Korea execution 'ominous sign' of instability: Kerry Kerry returns to Vietnam's Mekong Delta to address climate change issues Abbott comments risk further damaging Indonesia relationship: Opposition World More World » Peter O'Toole, star of Lawrence of Arabia, dies aged 81 By Europe correspondent Mary Gearin, wires Irish actor Peter O'Toole, the star of the 1962 Oscar-winning epic Lawrence of Arabia, has died aged 81, his agent Steve Kenis said. More » North Korea execution 'ominous sign' of instability: Kerry Kerry returns to Vietnam's Mekong Delta to address climate change issues South Africa buries 'greatest son' Mandela Yemen says air strike that killed civilians 'targeted Al Qaeda' Syrian rebel commander freezes to death in Mideast cold snap Business More Business » Qantas pilot writes to PM over potential employee bid A Qantas pilot has written to Prime Minister Tony Abbott over a potential employee bid for a share of the airline, but says talks are in very early stages. More » Troubled regional carrier Brindabella put in receivership Foreign workers may fill oil and gas skills shortage, report warns Government to abandon Labor's tax and superannuation measures No more money for Toyota: Abbott Politics More Politics » Government budget update to reveal deficit of almost $50b The Federal Government is expected to confirm a deficit of just under $50 billion in its budget update. Labor forecast a $30 billion deficit in its last economic statement before the election, but the new figure will be revealed when the Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) is released tomorrow. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has already blamed the previous Labor government for the deficit. "What I think we will see in MYEFO is the full extent of Labor's profligacy," he said. But Opposition treasury spokesman Chris Bowen says the state of the budget is the Coalition's responsibility. More » South Africa buries 'greatest son' Mandela Abbott says 'high time' Indonesia resumes asylum seeker cooperation Federal Government gets 'fizzer' award for nation's worst alcohol policy Morrison 'monitoring' resettlement program after reports Afghan interpreter killed Sport More Sport » Broad injured and Warner brilliant as Australia seize control By Dean Bilton An injury to Stuart Broad and a century to David Warner highlight the third day at the WACA. More » King defies Richmond's orders over ex-Bandidos boss: reports United get much-needed win, Liverpool destroys Spurs Wildcard Thompson relishing top Aus Open match-ups Ashes embarrassment for England at the WACA Fanning wins third world title Science and Technology More Science and Technology » China lands rover on moon China has landed a space module carrying a lunar rover on the moon, marking a major step for the country's ambitious space program. More » White House says no plans to split NSA, Cyber Command Australian Nobel Prize winner John Cornforth dies Water vapour plumes found on Jupiter's icy moon TPG to pay $2m fine over advertising Environment More Environment » Kerry returns to Vietnam's Mekong Delta to address climate change issues United States secretary of state John Kerry has returned to Vietnam's Mekong Delta, which he navigated as a wartime gunboat skipper, to highlight its vulnerability to climate change. More » Bailed Greenpeace activists not able to leave Russia Environment approval 'one-stop shops' given go-ahead by COAG Forestry industry urges Abbott Government to honour peace deal Japanese whaling fleet preparing to leave Japan: Sea Shepherd About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. This message was sent to you at starnewsposting@gmail.com Please add newslists@your.abc.net.au to your email address book to see images by default and stop the email being treated as spam. This email address is not monitored - Please don't reply to this email. Manage your preferences | Unsubscribe | Contact Us   This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 700 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 © 2013 ABC | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Discover other ABC Email newsletters