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Church's astonishing defence ignores royal commission's findings on notorious paedophile priest

It felt as if the winds of change were blowing through the Catholic Church after the royal commission. But a new defence has rejected some of its key findings in relation to one of its most notorious paedophile priests, writes Louise Milligan.




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George Pell's lawyer tells appeal court judges child sex abuse offences 'realistically impossible'

George Pell's lawyer tells an appeals court there are "questions of probability" over whether the child sex abuse offences the Cardinal is convicted of occurred, and a jury should have found him not guilty even if they believed his victim.




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George Pell's 'unimpeachable' child sex abuse convictions should remain, prosecution tells appeal court

Prosecutors argue George Pell's victim was a "witness of truth" as they contend the disgraced Cardinal's child sex abuse convictions are "unimpeachable" and should be upheld.




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George Pell faces new legal fight over allegations he failed to protect abuse victim from paedophile

The disgraced Cardinal faces claims he knew of child sex abuse by notorious paedophile Edward "Ted" Dowlan and was involved in moving him from school to school, allowing the abuse to continue.






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Truffle industry digs in as chefs continue to pay high prices for 'diamonds of gastronomy'

Trading at around $2,500 per kilogram, more growers are entering the truffle industry as demand for the unique fungi remains high.




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George Pell's appeal against child sexual abuse convictions to be heard in Supreme Court today

Jailed Cardinal George Pell will front Victoria's highest court today to appeal against his child sex abuse convictions, arguing proper process wasn't followed at trial and a reasonable jury could not have found him guilty of the crimes.




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Child abuse survivors 'ripped off' by agreements given chance to sue under law change

Hundreds of abuse survivors could benefit from reforms that will allow them to sue their abusers, even if they signed "unfair" agreements not to take legal action.







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Catholic Church allowed Brother John Laidlaw to keep teaching after abuse, court hears

A teenager molested by Christian Brother John Laidlaw in the 1980s tells a Melbourne court he thought he was being "punished by God" when he was sexually assaulted at his family home, as the former teacher pleads guilty to abusing six boys over two decades.




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Paedophile priest Robert Claffey to spend at least one more year in jail for abusing children

A judge says Victorian paedophile priest Robert Claffey "mocked" his priestly authority to access and abuse children, while sentencing him to more jail time.




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Chronic pain sufferers left untreated for years as Ballarat specialists cope with high demand

Every night Allanah Morel packs her daughter's school bag ahead of time because she knows that by the next morning she could be in too much pain to get out of bed.




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Former Victorian Catholic priest Paul David Ryan jailed for historical child sex offences

A former Catholic priest who showed pornographic images to children and assaulted a teenager while he slept is jailed for two years and two months.




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Murdered Carisbrook police officer honoured 161 years after his death

Senior Constable Edward Barnett was shot and killed attempting to stop an armed robber in 1858. Now he has finally been honoured with one of Victoria Police's most prestigious medals.




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George Pell's appeal against his child sex abuse convictions will be decided by a court next week

Cardinal George Pell could be released from custody, ordered to face a new trial or sent back to prison when the Court of Appeal hands down its ruling next Wednesday. We explain the possible outcomes and what will happen next.




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Western Highway overhead pic




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George Pell's appeal against his child sex abuse convictions will be decided today

George Pell could walk from court today or be sent back to prison to serve the rest of his six-year term, depending on the outcome of his appeal against his child sex abuse convictions.




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George Pell likely to be jailed with former friend, notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale

The ABC understands the Victorian Department of Corrections considers the Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat, 200 kilometres west of Melbourne, to be the most appropriate place to send the high-profile cleric.




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George Pell loses appeal against child sex abuse convictions, may lose Order of Australia honour

The Prime Minister suggests Cardinal George Pell will be stripped of his Order of Australia honour, as Pell plans to take his rejected appeal against his child sex abuse convictions to the High Court.




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As a witness at George Pell's trial, I saw first-hand the strength of his victim

In the end, just as in the beginning, this was a case about two little boys and their battle with the world's third most-senior Catholic. And today, child protection won, writes Louise Milligan.




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George Pell's appeal judges had differing opinions on his convictions. Here's why

When the Victorian Court of Appeal upheld George Pell's convictions for abusing two choirboys, the decision was not unanimous. While two of the judges said Pell's victim was a "witness of truth", a third wanted to acquit the cardinal of his charges. Here's why.




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Documents expose land deal behind Victoria's Western Highway sacred trees dispute

A contentious highway upgrade again comes under scrutiny after revelations a land deal was struck between Victoria's roads department and the former Aboriginal cultural heritage authority which approved the development.




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Western Highway sacred trees protest comes to steps of Victorian Parliament

More than 500 protesters stop traffic outside the Victorian Parliament to rail against the planned destruction of trees sacred to Aboriginal people in Victoria's west.




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George Pell seeks leave to appeal child sex abuse convictions in High Court

George Pell's lawyers lodge an application seeking leave to appeal the jailed 78-year-old's child sexual abuse convictions in the High Court of Australia.




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Paedophile priest committed abuse in the 'safety' of another clergyman's home, survivor says

A child abuse survivor says the priest who assaulted him did so in the 'welcoming' home of another clergyman. His claim comes amid new allegations that paedophiles acted in concert within the Catholic Church.










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Ghost Child

Reading the blurb on the back of this novel, it's a little bit unclear as to whether it is a true story or fiction.





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Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

774 Listener Reviewer Goran Stolevski looks at this year's Palme d'or winner




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The Quantum Thief

Hannu Rajaniemi




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The SS: A New History

Rob Minshull produces Weekends with Warren and is an avid reader.




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The Book of Lists: The Original Compendium of Curious Information by David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace.

Rob Minshull produces Weekends with Warren and is an avid reader




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Review: Kimberley Freeman's 'Wildflower Hill'

Award winning children's writer Kim Wilkins assumes a pseudonym as she turns her hand to 'chick literature' with Wildflower Hill.



  • ABC Local
  • goldcoast
  • Arts and Entertainment:Books (Literature):All
  • Australia:QLD:Mermaid Beach 4218

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Desert Fishing Lessons - Adventures in Australia's Rivers

At sometime in our lives we grab a rod and head to the beach for a spot of fishing.






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Review: 'The Mind of a Thief' by Patti Miller

Patti Miller



  • ABC Local
  • goldcoast
  • Arts and Entertainment:Books (Literature):All
  • Australia:QLD:Mermaid Beach 4218

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Balgan otherwise known as Pigeon House Mountain lies behind Meroo National Park on the south coast of NSW





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Dharawal language push for all Illawarra children as PhD student pursues 15-year plan

An educator on the New South Wales south coast hopes to have all the region's school children fluently speaking their local Dharawal language in the next 10 years.



  • ABC Illawarra
  • sydney
  • illawarra
  • Community and Society:All:All
  • Community and Society:Family and Children:Children - Preschoolers
  • Community and Society:Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander):Aboriginal
  • Community and Society:Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander):Aboriginal Language
  • Education:All:All
  • Australia:NSW:La Perouse 2036
  • Australia:NSW:Shoalhaven Heads 2535
  • Australia:NSW:Wollongong 2500

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Staffordshire terriers have killed four people in Australia in the past six months

Purebred or mixed-breed Staffordshire terriers have killed at least four people in Australia in the past six months but the RSPCA says a dog's breed alone is not a reliable predictor of aggressive behaviour.