ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

NewsMail Afternoon Edition Mon 06 Jan, 2014 Top Stories More Top Stories » Stepdad Shorten offended by Bernardi's family comments Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says as a stepfather he is offended by Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi's comments about "non-traditional families". Senator Bernardi has written a book that says families with a single parent are more likely to have higher criminality among boys and promiscuity among girls. Mr Shorten is a stepfather and says so-called "non-traditional" families work hard to provide a loving environment for their children. "There are hundreds of thousands of Australian children who thrive in loving stepfamilies, blended families or in families with a single parent," Mr Shorten said. "On what basis is Senator Bernardi suggesting these children are more likely to be criminal - or is it just his own out-of-date prejudices?" More » Australia urged to act as Japan begins Southern Ocean whale hunt Family waits on test results after mysterious Bali deaths Court told bikies bashed man over leather jacket Former England players slam 'spineless' Ashes team NRL player Russell Packer jailed for two years over assault Adelaide shaken by earth tremor which sounded like 'jet taking off' More Analysis » The end of Medicare as we know it A $6 co-payment for visiting a GP might look a token - the price, advocates joke, of a cup of coffee or a glass of beer. But in practice it would be the thin edge of the wedge; the decisive step in the demise of the ideal of universal, tax-payer funded, health care. Over time the co-payment could unobtrusively grow bigger, and bigger, until Medicare as we know and love it would cease to exist. More » The triumph of Michael Clarke's Improbables The legacy of war: Iraq tears itself apart Confessions of a Facebook addict A surfer's defence of the great white shark A Bailey blast would be the perfect Ashes full stop What Australia needs is a genuine house of review Morrison's cynical Catch-22 ploy on asylum seekers Why the Sochi Games should be safe The ACCC's 2014 resolution to end fuel discounts Just In More Just In » Stepdad Shorten offended by Bernardi's family comments Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says as a stepfather he is offended by Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi's comments about "non-traditional families". Senator Bernardi has written a book that says families with a single parent are more likely to have higher criminality among boys and promiscuity among girls. Mr Shorten is a stepfather and says so-called "non-traditional" families work hard to provide a loving environment for their children. "There are hundreds of thousands of Australian children who thrive in loving stepfamilies, blended families or in families with a single parent," Mr Shorten said. "On what basis is Senator Bernardi suggesting these children are more likely to be criminal - or is it just his own out-of-date prejudices?" More » Ashes report card: how good can Australia get? Your pics: Brisbane blanketed in bushfire smoke US woman protests against WA's shark kill policy Man refused bail over stand-off outside NSW Parliament Toyota tops sales list as doubts grow about its future Bail granted over fight that led to Bondi bashing Court told bikies bashed man over leather jacket Flower remains England coach, Pietersen's future uncertain King tides could have terrible impact on turtle numbers World More World » ADF flies supplies into South Sudan as ceasefire talks delayed An Australian transport plane carrying humanitarian supplies lands in South Sudan as peace talks between the government and rebels are delayed. More » Leading US senator says Snowden shouldn't get death penalty Human body parts 'fall from sky' in Saudi Arabia US sends envoy to Sri Lanka to discuss war crimes claims Bangladesh opposition calls new strike after deadly vote Rough seas scuttle Aussie kayak bid around Sri Lanka Business More Business » ACCC chairman Sims argues the benefits of privatisation By business reporters Michael Janda and Justine Parker The competition watchdog is urging governments to sell assets to boost national productivity. ACCC chairman Rod Sims says state governments that still own electricity assets should sell them off to help reduce power prices. However, Mr Sims has rejected newspaper reports that he is backing the sale of Medibank Private and Australia Post, saying his comments about privatisation outside the energy sector were general. More » Toyota tops sales list as doubts grow about its future Services sector shrinks for the 22nd straight month Growing global interest in Victorian dairy processor Hot action planned over Alice Springs Politics More Politics » Stepdad Shorten offended by Bernardi's family comments Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says as a stepfather he is offended by Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi's comments about "non-traditional families". Senator Bernardi has written a book that says families with a single parent are more likely to have higher criminality among boys and promiscuity among girls. Mr Shorten is a stepfather and says so-called "non-traditional" families work hard to provide a loving environment for their children. "There are hundreds of thousands of Australian children who thrive in loving stepfamilies, blended families or in families with a single parent," Mr Shorten said. "On what basis is Senator Bernardi suggesting these children are more likely to be criminal - or is it just his own out-of-date prejudices?" More » Cory Bernardi hits out at abortion 'death industry' Former Israel PM Ariel Sharon remains in critical condition Putin lifts blanket ban on protests at Sochi Games Cambodian security forces disperse opposition rally in Phnom Penh Sport More Sport » Ashes report card: how good can Australia get? After the Ashes whitewash, Grandstand analyses the best and worst of Australia's side ahead of the tour of South Africa. More » Flower remains England coach, Pietersen's future uncertain NRL player Russell Packer jailed for two years over assault in Sydney CBD Cash disappointed Hewitt still Australia's best Australia completes Ashes clean sweep Leapai set for heavyweight title shot in April Science and Technology More Science and Technology » US Air Force works with Vic scientists to bend light for camouflage The US Air Force works with Victorian scientists to develop light-bending technology to camouflage military hardware in war zones. More » Leader of ill-fated Antarctic expedition defends voyage Pharaonic beer-maker's tomb found in Egypt Passengers on stranded Antarctic ship rescued Digital poet urges authors to turn over new leaf Environment More Environment » Australia urged to act as Japan begins Southern Ocean whale hunt The Government is facing fresh calls to monitor whaling in the Southern Ocean after footage released by activists shows Japanese whalers have made a successful start to this season's hunt. Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says its three boats found all five ships from the Japanese whaling fleet, one with four dead minke whales onboard. Environment Minister Greg Hunt last month said the Government would send a plane to monitor the fleet, despite promises before the election to send a ship. But Sea Shepherd Australia chairman Bob Brown says there is no sign of surveillance from the Federal Government. "There's three carcasses on the ship; a fourth carcass has been cut up ... That's just a gruesome, bloody, medieval scene which has no place in this modern world," he said. More » WA Government standing by shark cull despite protest Your say: BoM says 2013 was Australia's hottest year on record Tasmanian Greenpeace activist stands by Arctic oil protest Passengers on stranded Antarctic ship rescued 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 © 2014 ABC | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Discover other ABC Email newsletters