TRANSCRIPT
- A father pays tribute to his 11-year-old son, tragically killed in a Melbourne crash
- One person killed as a powerful typhoon hits the island of Taiwan
- Canterbury tears up the contract of Josh Addo-Carr, effective immediately
The father of a Melbourne student killed when a car crashed into his primary school has paid tribute to his son.
The boy, identified as 11-year-old Jack Davey, died after a car drove into Auburn South Primary School earlier this week striking a table where five children were seated.
Jack's father, Michael, has offered the family's thanks to the school receptionist and former emergency department nurse, Millie, who stayed with Jack and provided him comfort after he was injured.
Michael has also described his son as both their inspiration and motivation.
"Words can't adequately describe the utter devastation we feel as we come to terms with the sudden overwhelming loss of our Jack, son, brother and friend to many. We find comfort in reading the many messages and memories of Jack and how his life and energy was a positive influence on so many in the community at just 11 years old."
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A manhunt is underway in Brisbane after the shooting of a 26 year old who was defending himself in a home invasion.
The man sustained a gunshot wound to his thigh in the course of the break-and-enter at a property in Nundah, an inner suburb of Brisbane.
He is currently in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Gateway Crime Group Detective Inspector John Mison says they are now looking for a group of unknown offenders, who left the scene prior to the arrival of police.
"I've got a team of detectives out in the field actively looking for leads as we speak in relation to that. That includes conducting doorknocks (and) analysing CCTV in the nearby surrounds of where the incident occurred."
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One person has been killed as a typhoon strikes the east coast of Taiwan, the largest to hit the island in nearly 30 years.
It is understood the person died when their truck hit a fallen tree in the centre of the country.
Typhone Kong-Rey is currently hitting the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast county of Taitung, bringing gusts of more than 250 kilometres per hour, the equivalent of a category-four hurricane.
The storm has already forced the cancellation of financial markets and hundreds of flights and rail services.
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A drugs summit gets underway today with hearings in regional New South Wales.
The first hearing will be in Griffith, in the south-west of the state, before further hearings in Lismore and Sydney.
Advocates have described the talks as a golden opportunity for the state to "get with the times" on dealing with drug addiction.
Premier Chris Minns meanwhile has tried to answer concerns the summit is merely for show, but he has already ruled out decriminalisation of cannabis.
"We didn't go to the election promising it. It would be a big change in New South Wales. And as we didn't seek a mandate for it - I don't want to put the cart before the horse when it comes to the drug summit because we want to get experts in the room and have them have their say. But I can't introduce a policy of that magnitude without asking for voter support, and a result of that I've got to manage expectations."
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A now-defunct services company is being sued for using restraints on children with intellectual disabilities.
The Federal Court has approved civil action against the Melbourne-based provider Iribina Autism Services, run by mother and daughter executive team Debra and Rebecca Goldfinch.
The two have already been barred from working with children with disabilities and are facing individual court action.
But they could now be forced to pay hefty fines as part of the suit being pursued against the now wound-up company by the Commissioner for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
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The zoo in Prague has hosted a pumpkin feast in celebration of Halloween, delighting their adult and child visitors.
Animals have each been presented with different styles of pumpkin, with smaller breeds given pre-cut portions to enjoy.
Halloween is not traditional in Czech culture, and the Zoo accordingly does not include any traditional carved pumpkins with candles.
But Zoo director Miroslav Bobek says there is currently a surplus of pumpkins across the Czech Republic - and the event brought a festive seasonal touch to this time of year.
"Friends are offering it to each other, so all the more reason to give pumpkins to our animals. It's perhaps a little bit of a form of Halloween, although the carved pumpkins with lights or candles inside are not quite traditional here. So here we've changed it to that pumpkin feast."
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Josh Addo-Carr has been sacked by Canterbury with immediate effect.
The winger had come under scrutiny following his failing of both a roadside drugs test in the leadup to the club's biggest game in eight years, and a secondary follow-up test.
Addo-Carr has maintained he did not knowingly ingest recreational drugs.
But Canterbury's board says they had no choice but to terminate his contract, citing the NRL Integrity Unit's investigation and the club's concerns around transparency and his contractual obligations.
