ACL compiles a daily media monitoring service of stories of interest to the Christian constituency relating to children, family, drugs and alcohol, marriage, human rights, religious freedom etc.



Visit the ACL’s website each day to see what’s of interest in the news. Please note that selection of the articles does not represent ACL endorsement of the content.



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Children & Family

Same-sex adoption push backed by SA online petition

James Hancock - ABC 

Amid continuing debate on the issue of gay marriage, a fresh push is being made in South Australia to let same-sex couples adopt. A bipartisan parliamentary committee backed change almost three years ago but politicians are yet to act.

Classification

Alcohol companies use Facebook to avoid advertising restrictions

News Ltd

Alcohol companies are using social media to get around advertising regulations and consumers to mount their marketing pitch for them, a new study shows. With more than 2.5 million followers on Facebook the top 20 alcohol brands in Australia posted more than 4500 items of content on Facebook in 2012, according to a new University of Queensland study.

Drugs & Alcohol

Sting nets drugs, chemicals and cash

The West Australian

Federal police claim to have stopped tens of millions of dollars worth of amphetamines flooding into WA by smashing an alleged drug syndicate that was manufacturing and smuggling big amounts of the drug across the country.

Education

Life worth living: Christian faith and the crisis of the universities

Miroslav Volf - ABC

It appears that universities - at least, the world's top tier universities - are flourishing. They contribute to our understanding of the world more than other institutions and, often in collaboration with businesses, they help improve the human condition, particularly in the fields of medicine and communications.

Homelessness & Poverty

Building funds cut even as older women swell ranks of homeless

Eileen Webb - The Conversation

Social services minister Kevin Andrews recently announced an extension of funding for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) until June 30, 2015. This agreement funds 180 homelessness services around Australia. The government will provide A$115 million – $44 million less than its predecessor – to extend the Commonwealth-state arrangement.

Human Rights

Uniting church says racism a sin as it joins fight against RDA changes

Gabrielle Chan - The Guardian 

The Uniting church says racism is a “sin” and has joined ethnic communities and the New South Wales Bar Association in calling on the Abbott government to drop its proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.

Indigenous

Cut land councils, says Warren Mundine 

Patricia Karvelas - The Australian

Tony Abbott’s top adviser on indigenous affairs has called for the reform of land rights and the slashing of the number of land councils with gatekeeper powers over development.

Politics

Experts put axe in Tony Abbott’s hands

David Crowe - The Australian

Radical reforms to health and education will be outlined today in a searing assessment of federal finances that also calls for the family home to be included in the asset test for the age pension.

Mike Baird cows corruption crackdown as Liberals wash dirty linen at Icac

Michael Safi - The Guardian 

NSW premier Mike Baird has vowed to crack down on the state's politics as the Liberal party continued to wash its dirty linen at the public inquiry into corruption.

Refugees

Development body's concern for refugees resettled in Cambodia 

Sarah Whyte - The Age

Refugees who are resettled in Cambodia by the Australian government will be unlikely to gain employment rights, get an education or be given permanent residency, according to a peak international development body.