Lyrics nothing new but comforting coming from someone else.

“There is a vast area in which Tom and the children could potentially be.”

The number of sexual assaults reported to police has risen for the 12th straight year, pushing the rate of victim-survivors up to a level never recorded in Australia before.

New data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that the number of sexual assaults increased by 11 per cent last year.

That took the number of victim-survivors up to 36,318 – 3547 higher than in 2022 – and the victimisation rate up from 126 to 136 people per 100,000.

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"There were 36,318 victim-survivors of sexual assault recorded by police in 2023, with increases across almost all states and territories," ABS head of crime and justice statistics Samantha McNally said.

"Accounting for population growth, the rate of recorded sexual assault victim-survivors has gone up from 126 per 100,000 people last year, to 136 victim-survivors per 100,000 people.

"This is the highest rate of sexual assault victim-survivors recorded in our 31-year dataset."

According to the data, 84 per cent of victim-survivors are women, while the age group that makes up the highest proportion of victims is 10 to 17-year-olds, at 41 per cent.

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The vast majority of sexual assaults (94 per cent) didn't involve a weapon, while just under 70 per cent took place in a home.

Two of every five sexual assaults were linked to family and domestic violence, the ABS said.

The ABS data also included trends in other forms of crime, including homicide-related offences, which rose five per cent last year – although the victimisation rate remained stable.

Homicide-related offences include murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, and driving causing death. 

Of those homicides, 38 per cent were domestic violence-related.

This time last year, Waikato’s road death toll was one. Today, the toll reached six.

A man who kidnapped and buried his ex-girlfriend alive in South Australia's Flinders Ranges has had his minimum sentence increased to 28 years and six months.

Tarikjot Singh pleaded guilty in February 2023 to murdering Jasmeen Kuar and was given a non-parole period of 22 years and 10 months.

Today, after an appeal by prosecutors, the South Australian Court of Appeal extended that sentence for the killing which the judge described as "particularly callous, born of anger and revenge."

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Jasmeen Kuar was stalked, abducted and killed by Tarikjot Singh in March 2021.

She was buried alive in a shallow grave more than 400 kilometres from where she was last seen leaving work in Adelaide.

Kuar had been studying nursing, and living in Adelaide with her aunt and uncle.

It is understood that before her death, Kuar had begged police for help on two separate occasions.

Kuar's aunt recently told 9News how she believed the system failed to protect her niece.

"It makes us sad, angry and makes us question the system that something is not working, something is wrong," Raman Kharoud said.

"They don't need to wait until something happens, they need to protect, they are here to protect."

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After today's appeal hearing, Kharoud said the loss of her niece could never be repaired.

"Nothing is ever going to be good enough, our loss can never be replaced or repaired," she said.

"We wish there was a death penalty for him."

Singh will be eligible for parole in 2049, when he will be 49 years old.

He will likely be deported to India upon his release.

A man has been arrested after a woman he lived with was found stabbed to death inside a home in Sydney's Inner West.

Superintendent Christine McDonald said police received reports of a woman screaming in a "domestic incident" at a home on Clements Street in Russell Lea at 11.07am.

She said officers arrived to find a woman, aged in her 50s, dead with multiple serious stab wounds to her upper body.

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A 42-year-old man who is believed to be her housemate was also found at the scene and arrested.

McDonald said the pair were housemates living in the home with three others, who were inside the property at the time.

The man had moved into the home about two to three weeks ago.

"(The other housemates) are obviously upset," she said.

"If you are known to a victim, and you are a housemate of hers, you would be very distressed."

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While police investigate the nature of the man and woman's relationship, it is not believed it was romantic. 

The 42-year-old is being questioned by police at Burwood Police Station.

McDonald said the man had a non-violent traffic and drug-related history with police.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

Marketing guru Russel Howcroft has slammed the Federal Government's new anti-vaping campaign in his latest podcast episode. 

Speaking on the 'AdMission' podcast, the radio host and advertising expert criticised the Federal Government's approach in its new national campaign targeting young people who vape.

https://omny.fm/shows/admission1/brand-ballads-why-the-new-anti-vaping-campaign-mak/embed?style=cover

The campaign uses the threat of social harm, not cancer, to get its message across, ditching the distressing, graphic images of people dying in hospital beds seen in previous anti-smoking campaigns. 

Asked by co-host Freddie Young what he thought about the campaign's endline 'Why Are We Still Doing This?' Howcroft replied: "Honestly, it makes no sense."

READ MORE: Vaping substantially increases heart failure risk, massive new US study finds

"It's also like the Government is complaining that it's doing advertising. Like they're going, why are we still in a position that we've got to advertise a health message?"

"You've got to scare people. In a changing how people behave campaign, you have to scare people.

"Vaping is a nicotine delivery system. Nicotine is as addictive as heroin. That is not me being over the top, that is true" he said. 

The Federal Government's $63.4 million 'Give Up For Good' campaign includes four separate approaches which hope to raise awareness of the health harms of smoking and vaping, and encourage Australians to take advantage of quit support services.

The campaigns will run across tv, social media, gaming, radio and out-of-home channels like billboards, shopping centres and bus shelters.

The advertising will run until December 2024 and is part of a multi-year investment, with future phases of advertising planned.

Russel Howcroft is the co-host of 3AW's Breakfast program and the 'AdMission'
Podcast. New episodes of 'AdMission' are available every Tuesday on Spotify and
Apple Podcasts.

Staff at a major Victorian hospital have been urged to undertake simple measures like "turning off lights" in response to crippling budget cuts plaguing the state's health system.

The Alfred Hospital chief executive Andrew Way admitted to staff today that the hospital's budget was "significantly less" than what they planned for, in a leaked email obtained by former 3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell AO.

The email states the health service was doing everything in its power to minimise the impact on patients and staff, saying they would have "to stop things (they) have been able to do" previously.

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The email also emphasises the importance of exercising financial discipline.

An example included only recruiting for critical roles, reducing transport costs and simple things "like turning off the lights when (you) leave the room".

The email comes as Victoria's health system navigates a difficult state budget handed down by the government in May.

Northern Health and Western Health, two of the state's largest health services have also implemented cost-saving initiatives, according to The Age.

Both services, which each manage several hospitals and health centres, announced a hiring freeze.

The Alfred and Department of Health have been approached for comment.

More to come.

Former Green MP has given her first in-depth interview after her arrest for shoplifting.

Brown has released the Government’s final roads and transport plan.