Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

SBS News in Easy English 17 September 2024

BS Easy English bulletin image square.png

A daily 5-minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability. 


Published

Presented by Deborah Groarke

Source: SBS News


Share this with family and friends


A daily 5-minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability. 


Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.

TRANSCRIPT:

Authorities say they have foiled a plan to import $400 million worth of methamphetamine into Australia.

Three men have already faced court over allegations they tried to smuggle the drugs in by concealing the meth in fruit juice bottles.

The court has been told Canadian authorities notified the Australian Federal Police that a consignment of juice bottles allegedly containing 1280 litres of liquid methamphetamine had arrived in Vancouver from Brazil in May.

The illicit drugs were removed from the bottles and replaced with an inert substance before Canadian authorities sent it on to Australia.

AFP Acting Commander Adrian Telfer says if the drugs had been converted into crystal methamphetamine, it could have equated to four million individual street deals - with devastating consequences.

.

The Business Council of Australia says Federal Government policies are hindering development.

In a speech to be delivered tonight, B-C-A chief Bran Black will say Australia is becoming a less attractive place to invest.

Mr Black says taxation and new rules about industrial relations - such as the right to disconnect laws - are not helping businesses.

Scott Phillips of investment advice group Motley Fool has told Sky News the government's plans are worthy - but could be seen as risky.

"I think the risk is that the government overstretch; you've got a 700 page bit of legislation about same work, same pay, for example. You've got to wonder how workable that is. The same with the right to disconnect. They're worthy goals, they're worthy aims. The approach is probably in the right direction, but conceptually, if you don't deliver growth to the economy and productivity, that perhaps will go backwards while trying to go forward."

.

Traditional owners in the Northern Territory will continue their fight against the Jabiluka uranium mine.

A judge has allowed them to join a legal challenge to the lease.

Justice Geoffrey Kennett has granted the access on the basis of arguments by Yvonne Margarula, representing the Mirarr Traditional Owners of the Jabiluka site.

She says her interests and that of the Mirarr would be affected if the lease was extended.

Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) is currently challenging a decision by former mining minister, Mark Monaghan, to refuse an extension.

The lease renewal was rejected partially due to federal government plans to extend Kakadu National Park into the area.

.

A new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [[AIHW]] says dementia now affects almost half a million ((411,000)) Australians.

The A-I-H-W data shows the number of dementia medication prescriptions has jumped by almost 50 per cent in the past decade.

Melanie Dunford is the Acting Head of the Population Health Group at A-I-H-W.

She says while the data speaks to a better understanding of the disease more broadly, it doesn't capture the full picture.

"In terms of prescriptions being dispensed, at the moment under the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) they are only eligible for people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It is only a smaller proportion of people who are diagnosed with dementia. The prescriptions are there to manage symptoms, there's no cure for dementia. There are a cohort of people who are diagnosed with dementia who are not prescribed the medications because they are unable to."

.

Major Australian universities are pushing back against a proposal to investigate antisemitism.

The Group of Eight, which represents the largest universities in Australia, has said the proposed inquiry is too narrow.

It wants any probe to include all forms of religious intolerance.

A parliamentary inquiry will today examine setting up a commission of inquiry.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson pushed the bill in July, suggesting university authorities have "consistently failed" to deal with antisemitism.

.

A new parliamentary report is urging the federal government to increase support for Ukraine.

The opposition led committee has made 22 recommendations, including the re-establishment of Australia's embassy in Kyiv and for future Ukrainian requests for coal shipments to be prioritised.

The report has also called for the appointment of a coordinator-general to lead aid efforts.

Australia has so far donated over $1 billion in military support to Ukraine including Bushmaster infantry vehicles, ammunition and artillery.


Latest podcast episodes

Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world