Tag Archives: oceania

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Trailblazing doctor and accessibility pioneer dies at the age of 32

Former NSW Young Australian of the Year Nikhil Autar has died at the age of 32.

The doctor, cancer survivor and writer achieved numerous feats in his life despite a number of significant challenges.

Autar was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 17 during his HSC year.

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Former NSW Young Australian of the Year Nikhil Autar has died at the age of 32.

He also underwent chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and open heart surgery.

Despite this, he went on to graduate from medicine at Western Sydney University and was named the NSW Young Australian of the Year for 2024.

Autar also created the phone app Knia (Know In Advance) Maps to improve accessibility for people living with disabilities.

The app plotted accessibility at major Sydney hospitals, universities, public venues and transport as well as hundreds of small businesses.

He also founded the social enterprise Bheem Health, which provides low-cost medical devices to sick and vulnerable people.

His first device, called BheemUP, allowed any bed to convert into a hospital bed.

Another project was a world-first sensor mat that tracked sleep phases and minimised pressure sores for patients.

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Former NSW Young Australian of the Year Nikhil Autar pictured with fellow 2024 recipients Angus Olsen, Professor Richard Scolyer AO, Professor Georgina Long AO and John Ward.

Autar also raised almost $500,000 for pressure sore and medical device research.

Former Australian of the Year Professor Richard Scolyer and his wife Dr Katie Nicoll are among hundreds of people paying tribute to Autar.

"We are deeply saddened following the passing of Nikhil Autar, a remarkable Australian who showed us all the importance of living with compassion, kindness, and a never-ending commitment to helping others," the couple said on social media.

"Richard and I had the pleasure of meeting Nikhil and his family at the 2024 NSW Australian of the Year Awards, and then spent a wonderful few days with them in Canberra at the national awards.

"Nikhil's determination and courage, coupled with his humility and wonderful sense of humour, shone brightly."

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PM admits governments ‘need to do much better’ after Kumanjayi Little Baby’s death

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains the image of a person who is deceased.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has admitted governments need to do better to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians, after he met with the family of Kumanjayi Little Baby.

It has been almost three weeks since the five-year-old girl was found dead in Alice Springs days after she was allegedly abducted from a town camp.

Speaking this afternoon after meeting with her family, Albanese said the "wonderful, young soul" should have had her whole life ahead of her.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with the heartbroken family of Kumanjayi Little Baby in Alice Springs

"This is a young person lost far too early under circumstances that are unbearable," he said after meeting her mother and grandparents.

"(The family) are trying to bear their way through this with dignity, with respect and it will remain something that is with them forever.

"They're proud of their much-loved daughter and granddaughter, of who she was, but also that sense of regret that she won't get to be the young woman and woman that she should have become."

Albanese said his government will work with the Northern Territory government to tackle issues facing local communities, but admitted they all "need to do much better".

"This is a time where what I want to see is different levels of government coming together with the community in the same way that the community has come together itself."

The territory government has been criticised for its response to Kumanjayi Little Baby's death, which included proposed child protection changes and an inquiry.

North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Services, Central Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service and Legal Aid NT were some of the organisations that issued a joint statement raising concerns about the proposed response.

The group said it would increase government intervention but fail to address underlying issues.

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Albanese called on the territory government to involve First Nations communities in its decision-making to create better outcomes.

"We'll work constructively with the Northern Territory government, but they also need to work respectfully with the local community, with the family, and need to make sure they involve First Nations people as well in this local community to work through these issues in the most constructive way possible," he said.

"I would say to the Northern Territory government that you'll get better outcomes if you have an inclusive approach and you have buy-in to these issues, and that's why that consultation and engagement is so important."

Albanese also criticised the territory government over the state of town camps.

"Clearly, the Northern Territory government have had responsibilities since 2012 for the town camps," he said.

"Clearly, there's a need to do more to make sure that the living conditions are improved."

The family of Kumanjayi Little Baby have called for Australians not to politicise her death as they conduct sorry business. 

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Fraud charges against ex-Olympic champion and wife abandoned

Former Olympic swimming champion Neil Brooks and his wife Linda were "ecstatic" at learning their long-running fraud charges were about to be formally abandoned in a Brisbane court.

The pair had been accused of making dishonest representations to induce investor Glenn Melcheck and his wife to pay $1.95 million for a 50 per cent stake in their sports merchandise company in 2008.

After being introduced in late 2007 by a third party, the Brooks and the Melchecks held a series of meetings before signing an agreement in January 2008.

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Days later, the Melchecks paid a $50,000 deposit only for the now-defunct company to collapse within months.

In Brisbane District Court today, prosecutors told Judge Anthony Rafter they would not proceed with the case, effectively ending the prosecution.

The Brooks' lawyer, Daniel Hannay, said they were finally vindicated after almost a decade.

"We had a FaceTime discussion last night – where I gave them the good news, they were both overseas," he said in a statement.

"There were lots of tears – but not many words. They are both ecstatic that the matter is finally over, and they can move on with their lives."

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The Brooks were charged in 2017, and during the proceedings, the court heard about alleged relationships with major European football clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Prosecutors alleged the couple, as directors of the company, made misleading claims about the business's success and prospects to induce the investment.

Brooks won gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and was part of Australia's famed "Mean Machine" relay team before going on to work as a television presenter.

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Aussie tourists hit with new restrictions for holiday hotspot

Australia is one of nearly 100 countries set to be impacted by new visa rules when travelling to Thailand after the Asian nation said it would remove a key visa exemption.

Thailand's government announced it would be removing a policy that allowed tourists from 93 different countries to travel throughout Thailand for up to 60 days without needing to apply for a visa.

The policy was first implemented in 2024, designed to help a recovery in the tourism industry after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Things to do in Thailand - Bangkok, Wat Arun

However, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said his cabinet had reviewed the rule and decided it was in the country's interest to make a change.

"The Cabinet has decided to cancel the 60-day visa-free policy for over 90 countries, and is now awaiting the new policy criteria for each country," he said in a statement.

"The government recently found that the policy needs to be revised to be more suitable for the current situation, both in terms of the economy and national security."

It is understood that the visa-free period of travel for Australian tourists will now be reduced to 30 days, which is what it used to be before the 60-day exemption was introduced.

The changes have not yet taken effect and the timeline of when they will be introduced is unclear.

According to Australian government data, around 750-800,000 Aussies visit Thailand each year.

It is one of the most popular tourist destinations with Aussies, with people flocking to cultural centres in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, or to beach resorts in Phuket.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not updated its travel advice for Thailand yet.

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