Australia’s Most Mentioned Issues in the News (October 8 – 14, 2016)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to this weekly recap of Australia’s news, powered by iSentia
Australian media stepped up their fascination with the US Presidential campaign, with Republican candidate Donald Trump criticized after a 2005 video showed him verbally condoning sexual assault, which leaked on Friday. Trump apologized and described it as “locker room talk”, however many senior Republicans have spoken out against him. The second Presidential debate was held earlier in the week, with a focus not just on Trump’s sexists comments and tax history, but also Clinton’s ongoing problems relating to her private email server when she was Secretary of State, and Wikileaks of her private banks speeches. Labor voted against a plebiscite for same-sex marriage this week, and has called for a free Parliament vote. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten claimed he was concerned the plebiscite would be expensive and create an opportunity for hate speech, and had consulted with the gay community and mental health experts. The legislation did not pass the Senate. NSW Premier Mike Baird held a media conference on Tuesday and said he was wrong to ban greyhound racing in the face of a revolt from the National Party and sustained media criticism, despite polls showing a majority of people in the state support the ban. Baird announced a policy that will reverse the ban and result in fewer races, fewer tracks and a suite of tougher animal welfare measures. The inquest into the 2014 death of cricketer Phillip Hughes enters its fourth day on Friday as more witnesses take the stand. Hughes was fatally struck on the neck by a short ball during a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney. President of the Australian Medical Association Brian Owler told the court that blood supply to the brain was compromised from the moment the ball struck Hughes’ neck, and that no medical intervention, no matter how early, could have avoided Hughes’ death. The 2016 Bathurst 1000 marked the tenth competition after champion driver Peter Brock’s death, with the Peter Brock Trophy handed to race winner Will Davison last weekend. Jamie Whincup’s Holden team has launched an appeal following Davison’s win, after a 15 second penalty relegated Whincup from first place to 11th, following his collision with Volvo’s Scott McLaughlin early in the race. Quote of the week: “If Dylan’s a poet, I’m a basketball player.” – Novelist Norman Mailer, after musician Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature this morning.
