No punishment for hotel quarantine deaths as trial axed
No one will be held criminally accountable for Victoria's fatal COVID-19 hotel quarantine system after charges against the health department were dropped.
health
Mother’s dying wish inspires woman’s award-winning work
Jodi Hamilton says granting her mum's wish to die at home in remote Queensland was "everything". It has inspired her award-winning work in palliative care.
Fake patients in waiting room, ambulance for ruse
Patient safety could have been compromised when hospital workers posed as patients in a waiting room and ambulance during a ministerial visit, a probe found.
Push back on call for older drivers to have check-ups
Doctors are leading a fresh push for all drivers aged 75 and older to have yearly health checks but say driving tests should be up to regulators.
After 25 years, birthing suite available for rural mums
Expectant mums in Queensland's far north have been forced to travel more than 800km to the nearest birthing suite for more than two decades.
Can a drug like Ozempic help treat addictions to alcohol, opioids or other substances?
Anecdotal reports from patients taking semaglutide for weight loss suggest it reduces their appetite and craving for food, but surprisingly, it also may reduce their desire to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or take other drugs. But does the research evidence back this up?
Bite victims urged to stop bringing snakes to hospital
Health officials are pleading with locals to stop bringing deadly snakes to hospital after several bite victims arrived with the reptile responsible.
Dumping of second city injection room ‘will cost lives’
A second supervised injecting room will not be built in Melbourne, after the state government rejected a report recommending one for the CBD.
Troubled forensic lab’s DNA backlog blows out to 41,000
A backlog of cases at a Queensland DNA lab has increased as the state opposition calls on the government to release a full strategy to address its issues.
‘Unacceptable’: Surgery wait list hits record high
Patients are now waiting almost twice as long as they were 20 years ago for elective surgery, a damning report card on public hospitals has revealed.
Survey shows culture of bullying in trainee doctors
People who identify as non-binary experienced the highest rate of bullying among medical trainees, a national survey has found.
Push for tough vaping laws amid ‘prohibition’ concerns
The Greens have raised "prohibition" concerns about tough new vaping laws but health ministers from around the country want the legislation to be fast-tracked.
Vaccines saved ‘thousands’ of people during COVID-19
The lives of almost 18,000 people aged over 50 were saved by COVID-19 vaccines in one state alone as the Omicron strain hit, a study has found.
Fears history repeating amid vaping uptake among kids
Australia's health ministers are calling on strict vaping laws to pass as soon as possible amid fears history is repeating with unknown impacts of the products.
Elective surgery wait times longest on record
Patients are now waiting almost twice as long as they were 20 years ago for elective surgery, a damning report card on public hospitals has revealed.
Flak flies over flight noise, fixes at second runway
A simple solution to aircraft noise plaguing suburbs is introducing a night curfew and capping the number of flights, community advocates say.
Voters dream of better future for the Solomons
Under the strain of the nation's population tripling in the past 45 years, government services in the Solomon Islands are stretched.
Curfew, flight caps proposed to counter aircraft noise
The simple solution to aircraft noise plaguing suburbs is introducing a night curfew and capping the number of flights, community advocates say.
New drug to reduce brain cell death in stroke patients
A new drug is undergoing trials in hospitals across Australia with hopes it will be used by first responders to slow brain injury during the onset of a stroke.
Illegal dumpers blamed as parks asbestos confirmed
Victoria's environmental regulator says it has confirmed asbestos fragments in six Melbourne parks and think illegal dumpers are to blame.
Street drugs to be tested for purity, harmful additives
Illicit drugs will be tested for their purity and mix of substances in an inner-city program that will provide detailed analysis to users.
Mulch producers ‘unlikely’ source of Vic parks asbestos
Victoria's environmental regulator has confirmed asbestos fragments in six Melbourne parks but doesn't believe mulch producers are to blame.
Dumping and dirty sites could be asbestos mulch cause
Victoria's environmental regulator confirms asbestos fragments have been found at six Melbourne parks, but does not believe mulch producers are to blame.
Australian drinking water safe from ‘forever chemicals’
Drinking water in Australia remains safe but there are concerns chemicals commonly found in household appliances are rising in source water around the world.
ADF members and veterans need help every four hours
Australian Defence Force members and veterans have a higher chance of contact with emergency services due to their increased suicide risk.
‘Forever chemicals’ exceed guidelines in water sources
A study looking at 'forever chemicals' reveals concerns the chemicals commonly found in household appliances are rising in source water around the world.
Hundreds test drugs at Easter weekend music festival
A voluntary drug testing facility has detected high-risk synthetic substances passed off as other drugs at an Easter weekend music festival.
Want to quit vaping? There’s an app for that
But because vapes have only been widespread in recent years, there is limited evidence on how to go about quitting. With the addictive nature of nicotine-containing vapes, it can also be hard to stop vaping on your own.
Crowds shell out for seafood as Easter egg prices crack
Australians have flocked to fish markets for the traditional Good Friday shopping spree but cheaper species are expected to be high on the menu this year.
One dead, another in ICU after drug overdose
One woman has died and a second is in a critical condition after overdosing in Queensland's southeast.
Deadly Heart Trek works with community to eliminate RHD
Rheumatic Heart Disease is a preventable condition that disproportionately affects First Nations people. The Deadly Heart Trek wants to help eliminate it.