TRANSCRIPT:
- Forensic testing underway as the search for a missing mother and baby continues;
- A groundbreaking new role in the Victorian government to combat gender violence;
- Australia unveils its men's water polo team for the Paris Olympics.
Police are running more tests to determine when a newborn might have been delivered after the discovery of a potential birth site in Sydney.
Investigators say forensic testing on the placenta and umbilical cord found by a dog walker, near the Cooks River in the southwest suburb of Earlwood on Monday night, may help them to figure out who they belong to, and the circumstances of the birth.
Authorities say they don't currently know who the woman is, and if she had the baby at the river or went there afterwards.
But Detective Chief Superintendent Christine McDonald says they just want to make sure the woman is all right.
"Time is very important in this scenario... The mother would be in some form of discomfort I would imagine. And therefore her mental health and her general health is really important to us. We want to make sure that she is at least safe and okay and supported."
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Thousands of residents have been ordered by the Papua New Guinea government to evacuate from the path of a landslide that's already claimed hundreds of lives.
Enga province disaster committee chairperson Sandis Tsaka says the landslide is still active, and that crews are regularly hearing explosions where the mountain is, and seeing rocks and debris coming down.
Military personnel have set up checkpoints and are helping residents move to evacuation centres, even as rescue efforts continue to find any possible survivors.
Residents say they have been using shovels and their bare hands to search for anyone who might still be alive.
Australia's Prime Minister has already offered humanitarian support to P-N-G as those search and rescue efforts continue, telling Parliament Australian Defence Force personnel will also be made available for whatever is needed.
"Papua New Guinea is our nearest of neighbours and our closest friends. We stand with each other through the good times and the bad."
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Police in Victoria say they're conducting regular patrols of the area surrounding a Jewish school in Melbourne that was vandalised with anti-Semitic graffiti at the weekend.
No arrests have yet been made over the offensive message.
But investigators have released the image of a man they believe can help with their inquiries.
They believe the message was written in black paint on the wall of Mount Scopus college some time between Friday night and midday on Saturday.
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A doctors' aid group has called on Australia to sanction Israel for its military assault in Gaza.
Dr Christos Christou is the international president of Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders.
He's told the National Press Club in Canberra that there need to be repercussions for what he's described as Israel's "blatant disregard" for an order from the U-N's top court to end its assault on the southern city of Rafah.
"I wish I could find the words to express the smell of infected wounds, the cries of mothers who have lost their children, the constant sound of drones, the level of desperation of my colleagues. I think Australia has an important role to play. Australia must take immediate concrete actions to hold Israel to account. Australia must apply appropriate sanctions on Israel as it would to any other global state that refuses to comply with U-N Security Council resolutions."
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Victoria has established a groundbreaking new ministerial role to combat gender-based violence.
In what is the first role of its kind in Australia, a parliamentary secretary for male behaviour change will be appointed, with a focus on the influence of the internet and social media on male attitudes to women and relationships.
Mordialloc M-P Tim Richardson will take up the position.
Premier Jacinta Allan says it's an issue that should not be left up to women and girls to solve.
"I've taken the decision to appoint Australia's first parliamentary secretary for men's behaviour change, because we need to have the conversation with men and boys. In addition to the huge amount of work we're doing, system reform, the work that the attorney (general) is leading on justice system reform. There's also a really strong community conversation we need to have. We need to have it with women and girls. We also need to have it with men and boys and understand what respectful relationships look like."
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Selectors have announced who is heading to the Paris Olympics with Australia's men's water polo side, with high hopes of improving their last result.
The Sharks have never stood on the podium at the Olympics and their best result has been fifth place more than three decades ago at the Barcelona Games in 1992.
But Sharks co-captain Nathan Power says the team intends to turn their fortunes around in Paris.
"That's front of mind for us right now. To be there and to go try to set some history for our sport, for our team. But we're looking at not just beating our past result. For us, it's just thinking - single-minded - going there to win. How can we do it."
