Family Tributes and Live Updates from Australian News
Scolyer’s Family Honours His Legacy
Australia news live – While the broader Australian public knows Richard Scolyer primarily for his pioneering work in melanoma research and his courageous public struggle with brain cancer, those closest to him are sharing intimate glimpses into their daily life together. His wife, Katie Nicoll, has reflected on his playful nature and unwavering determination in recent tributes.
Rich heard that it was recommended young children be read three books a night. So, he decided he’d read four or five, and he didn’t double up. Each child got their own four or five books.
Emily Scolyer, his eldest daughter, remembered how her father consistently placed his family above his numerous professional accomplishments. She noted that his poor singing became a regular feature during car journeys to school and extracurricular activities, prompting laughter from everyone in the vehicle. He would even participate in minor roles within their iMovie productions, patiently allowing his children to direct him repeatedly until they achieved their desired result.
Dad’s terrible singing voice became a staple on car rides, ferrying us to and from school and activities, and we couldn’t help but laugh and join in too. He would even accept small roles in our iMovie films, allowing us to direct him over and over again until we got our perfect shot. I like to think we prepared him well for all of his media appearances over the last three years.
UNSW Tutor Reports Nazi Salutes in Class
A PhD candidate and tutor at the University of New South Wales has provided testimony to the antisemitism royal commission regarding an incident involving Nazi salutes. Under the pseudonym ACJ, the academic described how four students stood and performed the gesture during a business class in 2024. The session was specifically designed for international students at UNSW College and had no connection to Nazi Germany or its history.
ACJ expressed profound shock and offense at the demonstration, noting that his grandparents survived the Holocaust and that Nazis murdered a substantial portion of his extended family. He described the experience as feeling as though the students intended to kill him. While uncertain whether the students knew he was Jewish, he believed the gesture was clearly aimed at him personally.
The academic immediately contacted his supervisors, pointing out that performing a Nazi salute constitutes a criminal offence in New South Wales. He announced his intention to report the matter to police. Following this, NSW Police conducted an investigation, resulting in the students receiving suspensions and being required to visit the Sydney Jewish Museum. Although ACJ requested the students be removed from his class, the request was denied due to scheduling constraints. The students had initially been issued a formal warning.
NSW Premier Defends DPP Against Removal Recommendation
NSW Premier Chris Minns has formally rejected a parliamentary committee’s recommendation to launch a formal inquiry into whether grounds exist for removing the state’s director of public prosecutions. The upper house inquiry previously voted 4-3 to conclude that Sally Dowling had authorised pitching a story to 2GB radio regarding a sentencing hearing involving a young Indigenous person, while subsequently denying this under oath to the committee.
Dowling has acknowledged that her office pitched the story but maintained that she did not personally authorise it. Both she and another DPP witness rejected characterising the incident as a leak. Minns stated that a DPP leaking information would be entirely unacceptable.
I think that [the committee] have come in very hard denouncing an independent judicial officer who serves an important role on evidence that at best is very different. The two people who gave sworn evidence to the committee said that the DPP didn’t leak the information. So I do stand by that view, but I’m not sure, I don’t believe the evidence supports the recommendations.
Since the committee’s findings, numerous organisations have expressed support for Dowling. These include 120 crown prosecutors, the Police Association of NSW, and the Public Service Association. Defence Lawyers NSW, representing over 700 criminal barristers and solicitors, has written to Attorney General Michael Daley stating that the report raises questions requiring further examination. Daley, who has criticised the report, has instructed crown solicitors to brief senior counsel for an independent review led by Noel Hutley SC, a former Bar Association president.
Home Affairs Minister Addresses IS-Linked Woman
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has indicated that government agencies are well prepared should a woman linked to the Islamic State return to Australia. Burke clarified that he is not acting as the agent for the individual, who has been temporarily banned from re-entering the country.
