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Sunday's news in less than two minutes.

Allison Baden-Clay’s daughters are “very proud of their mother”

The three daughters of Allison Baden-Clay are “very proud of their mother”, Alison’s sister Vanessa Fowler has told the Courier-Mail.

“I think the seeds that Allison planted when they were young and the guidance she gave them as they were growing up, she has directed them in the right way and I think that will be with them for the rest of their life,” she said.

“The girls are very proud of their mother and they know their mother would be very proud of them.”

Allison was killed in April 2012. Her husband Gerard Baden-Clay was convicted of her murder this year.

The Baden-Clay girls, now aged 7, 10 and 13, live with Alison’s parents.

“They brought all three of us up and now they are doing it again. Their lives have changed. But they wouldn’t have it any other way given the circumstances that have been thrust upon them,” Fowler said.

“The girls come first. They will do anything and everything for the three girls. That’s their life now and that is their focus.”

They still have contact with their other grandparents.

The girls are also seeing a counsellor, and the family allows for those meetings to be kept confidential between the counsellor and the girls.

Sydney hospital allowed cocaine-addicted neurosurgeon to operate

A Sydney private hospital allowed a cocaine-addicted neurosurgeon to operate on patients, despite him being banned from practicing at a nearby public hospital.

According to a Fairfax/Four Corners investigation, Suresh Nair remained a practising neurosurgeon at Sydney’s Nepean Private Hospital, despite The Nepean public hospital warning staff in writing that his appointment was potentially dangerous, and Nepean Private receiving a visit from police who were investigating the death of a sex worker from a drug overdose at Nair’s home. Nair was arrested nine months later, following the death of a second sex worker at his apartment.

During his time at Nepean Private, Nair performed several botched operations.

Nair has just finished serving a four year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter and supplying cocaine. It is expected that he will now be deported to Malaysia.

The Hand That Holds the Scalpel screens on Monday at 8:30pm on ABC1.

Sex abuse victim of Gammy’s father speaks out

A victim of the man who left baby Gammy behind in Thailand has spoken to the media.

The woman, using the pseudonym Sarah, told the West Australian that David Farnell has caused irreparable damage to her life and should not be allowed children of his own.

“The damage is done and it can take years to repair,” she said. “It’s my belief that he should not have children – not just him, all pedophiles.”

The woman was one of three girls Farnell was convicted of indecently dealing with in 1997.

Victorian branch of the Labor Party would legalise medical marijuana

If elected in November, the Victorian branch of the Labor Party would legalise marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Leader of the Opposition Daniel Andrews has said that his party stands behind allowing Victorians with life-threatening and chronic conditions access to the drug, the Guardian reports.

“In some cases parents are forced to choose between breaking the law and watching their child suffer,” Andrews said.

“Children are in pain, families are suffering, people are living in fear and outdated laws are getting in the way.”

Cliff Richard investigated over child sex abuse allegations

Cliff Richard has been questioned by police over the alleged child sex abuse of a young boy. The Living Doll singer’s representative confirmed that Richard had voluntarily met with officers on Saturday, but that no arrest was made.

Richard’s apartment was searched by authorities last week following allegations that he sexually abused a young boy at a religious festival in 1985.

Iceland volcano threatens aviation chaos

The threat of a major volcanic eruption has put Iceland on red alert, with meteorologists feating that the Bárðarbunga volcano, Iceland’s largest, could be about to blow. All flights into the region have been cancelled in preparation for an ash cloud that would potentially cause aviation chaos.

Ash from the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010 stopped flights over Iceland and much of Europe’s airpsace for six days. The disruption affected more than 10 million people and cost $1.7bn.

Scary data collected about women who read Fifty Shades of Grey

A US study has found that women who read the Fifty Shades of Grey series are more likely to be in dangerous relationships.

The study, conducted from a sample of 650 women at Michigan State University, found that women who had read the series were 25% more likely to have a partner who yelled or swore at them, and 34% more likely to have a partner with stalking tendencies. Those who has read the book were also 75% more likely to have fasted for 24 hours, or used a dieting aid.

The nature of the study means that it is unclear whether these behaviours started after they read the books, or were pre-existing.

There’s an Ice Bucket Challenge Halloween costume

Don’t know what you’re wearing for Halloween this year? Why not go as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?

Buy one at BrandsonSale.com

(Just make sure you donate to MND Australia, too.)

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Top Comments

Sam 10 years ago

Please use the term cannabis.

Marijuana is a term for cannabis when used as a herbaceous drug. Marijuana was a Mexican term popularised by prohibitionists in the US around the end of the 19th century. It was intended to associate cannabis with foreigners and use racism as a tool to further the prohibitionist cause.

It is non scientific, vague, and has racist undertones.

Alice 10 years ago

Pretty safe to say that the word marijuana has been re-appropriated from the prohibitionists by now.


Bridget 10 years ago

I don't believe David Farnell should be allowed to have a child in his care regardless of if it is biologically his. From my experience pedophiles can't be rehabilitated because they don't believe they have done anything wrong, they convince themselves it is for the benefit of the child.
I also don't think you can ever recover from being sexually abused as a child, it's something you try to heal from, but it will change the course of your life and change who you are as a person forever.