news

News in 5: Aussie dad regrets attacking teen bully; comedian roasts Donald Trump; new domestic violence campaign.

With AAP.

1. An Aussie dad who was caught on film attacking teen bully regrets his actions.

A 53-year-old Australian father who was caught on film choking his daughter’s bully said while he thought “job done” in the immediate wake of the brawl, he admits he would no go to these “stupid” measures again to protect his daughter.

On March 3, Mark Bladen was filmed at a skate park in Brisbane assaulting a young boy he believed had been bullying his 14-year-old daughter.

Bladen told 60 Minutes he is a not a bully himself as his wife believes he ‘did what any parent would do’.

“She was crying, she was upset. She said he was at the skate park, and I said ‘that’s it, I’m going to talk to him’. I walked with purpose, had an aggressive demeanour,” Bladen said in the interview on Sunday night.

“I wanted to belittle him in front of his friends the same as he did [my daughter].”

Image: 60 Minutes.
ADVERTISEMENT

Bladen told the program he only ever had the intention of talking to the boy, however, as he was "very very close to leaving", the teen "smiled at him".

"I snapped, and the next thing I knew my hands were around his neck," he said.

When asked  what was going through his head immediately after the brawl, Bladen said "job done", adding while his daughter is no longer bullied, he regretted his actions and wouldn't do it again.

"If I could go back in time I wouldn't have been in that situation to start with. It was a stupid thing to do, stupid."

Bladen pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in a Brisbane court on March 20, and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $500 in compensation.

No conviction was recorded.

2. Push for tighter laws punishing people for keeping dogs in locked cars.

can dogs lie to you
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: Getty

Queensland's opposition leader is calling on the government to introduce new animal cruelty laws that punish people who keep their dogs locked in hot cars.

Deb Frecklington says 1000 of the more than 22,000 calls the RSPCA receives across the state each year were about canines trapped in vehicles.

"It is simply not good enough to treat our pets in this manner," she said on Sunday.

Ms Frecklington urged the government to introduce a new law that made it a specific offence to keep a dog in a hot car.

"Tragically, it can take just six minutes for a dog to die in a hot vehicle," she said.

"We don't have the numbers in parliament so we would happily work with the government, back the RSPCA and make these important changes a reality."

The LNP also called for new animal cruelty laws to put an end to dog and cockfighting, and give inspectors more power to protect at-risk animals.

ADVERTISEMENT

3. Comedian royally roasts President Donald Trump at annual White House Correspondent's dinner.

Image: Getty

If US President Donald Trump is not comfortable being the target of jokes, comedian Michelle Wolf gave him and others plenty of reasons to squirm on Saturday night.

"It's 2018 and I'm a woman, so you cannot shut me up," Wolf cracked, "unless you have Michael Cohen wire me $US130,000."

President Trump's personal lawyer was not there. And, for the second year, the president himself skipped the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association, preferring to criticise journalists and others during a campaign-style rally near Detroit.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wolf, the after-dinner entertainment for the White House press corps and their guests, was surprisingly racy for the venue. After one crass joke drew groans in the Washington Hilton ballroom, she laughed and said: "Yeah, shoulda done more research before you got me to do this."

As he did last year, Trump flew to a Republican-friendly district to rally supporters on the same night as the dinner. In Washington Township, Michigan, the president assured his audience he would rather be there than in that other city by that name.

"Is this better than that phony Washington White House Correspondents' Dinner? Is this more fun?" he asked, sparking cheers.

"I could be up there tonight, smiling, like I love where they're hitting you, shot after shot. These people, they hate your guts ... and you've got to smile. If you don't smile, they say, 'He was terrible, he couldn't take it.' And if you do smile, they'll say, "What was he smiling about?'"

Wolf's act had some in the audience laughing and left others in stony silence. A blistering critique of press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was seated just feet away, mocked everything from her truthfulness to her appearance and Southern roots.

Among Wolf's less off-colour one-liners:

- "Just a reminder to everyone, I'm here to make jokes, I have no agenda, I'm not trying to get anything accomplished, so everyone that's here from Congress you should feel right at home."

ADVERTISEMENT

-"It is kinda crazy that the Trump campaign was in contact with Russia when the Hillary campaign wasn't even in contact with Michigan."

-"He wants to give teachers guns, and I support that because then they can sell them for things they need like supplies."

4. #DoSomething: Queenslanders urged to stand up and stop domestic violence in new campaign.

Queenslanders are being urged to stand up to stop the scourge of domestic and family violence.

ADVERTISEMENT

The state government and partner media companies launched the Do Something campaign on Sunday ahead of its start on Tuesday.

Advertisements with the hashtag #dosomething will appear on television, online, in cinemas and public spaces throughout May in a bid to encourage more bystanders to take action.

TV presenter Kay McGrath and rugby league legend Darren Lockyer helped launch the initiative.

Mr Lockyer said the phrase he learned during his sporting career, the standard you walk past is the standard you set, also applied to domestic violence.

"If we want to change domestic violence in our society then we all have a part to play," he said.

One in six Australian women over the age of 15 have been subjected to physical or sexual violence at the hands of a partner, compared to one in 16 men.

Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Di Farmer said often victims didn't even know that what was happening to them was not okay.

Ms Farmer said she did not want to see an increase in reporting as a result of the campaign, but if she did it would mean more victims knew there was support available.

"Domestic violence is everywhere. It knows no boundaries, it doesn't take notice of income, race, gender, age, level of education," she said.

"It is often happening to the person you least expect."

Griffith University's Mate Program looks at the importance of the bystander in helping to change attitudes and behaviours.

ADVERTISEMENT

Director Shaan Ross-Smith urged everyone to "be someone that does something".

"It's not your fault but it is your responsibility to do your bit," she said.

Ms Ross-Smith said it could be as simple as asking a neighbour if they were okay, to defusing an argument between a couple on public transport by asking the time.

"As a bystander you don't get to choose what people do in response so that," she said.

"You get to choose how you're going to be a good human that day."

5."I greatly regret having reached that age": Australia's oldest scientist reinvigorates euthanasia debate.

Australia's oldest scientist plans to fly to Switzerland next week to end his life through voluntary euthanasia.

Edith Cowan University honorary research associate David Goodall doesn't have a terminal illness but at age 104, his quality of life has deteriorated.

"I greatly regret having reached that age," the ecologist told the ABC on his birthday earlier this month.

"I'm not happy. I want to die. It's not sad particularly. What is sad is if one is prevented.

"If one choose to kills oneself, then that should be fair enough. I don't think anyone else should interfere."

His daughter Karen Goodall-Smith told the broadcaster the choice was up to him.

Controversial euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke then told a WA parliamentary inquiry into end-of-life choices his organisation Exit International was assisting Professor Goodall to travel to Switzerland.

ADVERTISEMENT

Prof Goodall has been a member of the organisation for almost 20 years and will fly out of Perth on Wednesday, accompanied by an Exit International nurse to an assisted suicide organisation in Basel.

Exit International has started a GoFundMe campaign to upgrade his ticket from economy to business class.

Dr Nitschke, who burnt his practising certificate in 2015 to protest against Medical Board conditions on his registration, said it was a shame Prof Goodall had to undertake an arduous trip to have a peaceful death at the time of his choosing.

Marshall Perron, who introduced the world's first euthanasia legislation in the Northern Territory before stepping down as chief minister, said it was disgraceful Prof Goodall did not have the option of dying in his own home with loved ones by his side.

"A compassionate society would accommodate the wishes of a competent citizen who believed their life has run its course and was devoid of any joy," Mr Perron said on Sunday.

The inquiry resumes this week, but Premier Mark McGowan has already said any voluntary euthanasia laws proposed by his government would be restricted to people with a terminal illness.

Prof Goodall made international headlines in 2016 when the university reversed a decision to kick him out of his office on campus amid concerns his long public transport commute was a health risk.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.