Victorian Shadow Police Minister Brad Battin has hit out at suggestions the state should legalise pill testing because “it’s ok to say no”. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan will open debate about pill testing with cabinet ministers and seek expert advice on the harm-minimisation approach. She signalled a shift in tone on possible drug reform following the overdose of nine people at a music festival earlier this month. “I’ve personally been against it for a long period of time because I’m of the view it’s ok to say no,” Mr Battin told Sky News Australia. “We need to say to kids and young people it’s not ok to take drugs. “We’ve seen multiple people either dying or in severe injuries due to taking those drugs, and even the testing may not have picked up on that. “We need to improve the amount of counselling we’ve got available for these kids for addiction; we need to make sure that kids can get referrals and referred in the right direction, rather than going in and saying it’s ok to have the drugs at these festivals.”

Taxis are being used to transport those in need of medical attention in South Australia to tackle ambulance response times. An average of 36 patients a week were taken to care by taxi between January 2021 and April 2023. A statement provided to The Advertiser from the SA Ambulance Service claims taxis are not used as substitutes for callers. “Ambulance dispatch is based on the urgency and severity of the medical situation, prioritised to ensure those with the most urgent needs receive an emergency response first,” they said. “Our contracted taxi providers adhere to strict patient safety requirements, and SAAS has established procedures guiding staff on the safe use of taxis for patient transport.” South Australia’s ramping reached a record 4,285 hours in November, while a month later, a man died after waiting more than 10 hours for an ambulance.

Seven sailors have been rescued from Sydney Harbour after colliding with another boat this afternoon. The 12-metre private charter boat collided with a yacht from the Sydney flying squadron just after 4pm. The squadron’s rescue crew towed the vessel back to shore. Some sailors stayed in the water to help steady the yacht. There were no serious injuries, and the boat’s damage is yet to be assessed.

Bondi Partners Senior Advisor Peter McGauran has criticised Anthony Albanese for being “detached” as he believes he “addressed the cost-of-living issue”. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called an emergency caucus meeting for next Wednesday as the government looks to fast-track measures to ease the burden of the cost of living. “During the year, and this is where the prime minister gets exasperated, he believes they have addressed the cost-of-living issue,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “They’ve increased wages in the aged care sector; they’ve increased the minimum wage; they’ve provided electricity relief … but there’s no narrative – he’s not seen as the champion of ordinary Australians, tackling the cost-of-living crisis. “Somehow, because of the Voice referendum and his overseas trips, he seems detached.”

Entertainment commentator Shane Bassett has discussed his favourite Australia Day movies, with the original Mad Max being a movie that “never gets old”. “I’m a real advocate for Australian film,” Mr Bassett told Sky News Australia. “I love our local projects and actors and cinematography and everything that comes with an Australian project. “Two Hands is one of my favourites, from 1999. “Mad Max – the original Mad Max from 1979; I love all the Mad Maxes, but the original never gets old … I really love Mel Gibson in this.”

Entertainment commentator Shane Bassett has praised Netflix’s ‘Society of the Snow’ for its “amazing” cinematography. It is centred on the 1972 Andes flight disaster, where 16 passengers survived over 70 days in the Andes mountains. “This new version is a lot more graphic, a lot more harrowing,” Mr Bassett told Sky News Australia. “They resort to some very extreme survival tactics to stay alive. “The surroundings and the cinematography are just amazing.” “It’s very good.”

A blend of office and home working is the most beneficial set-up, according to Edith Cowan University Centre Adjunct Professor Dr Ben Hamer. “A lot of the conversation at the moment is very much around is home better or is the office better,” he told Sky News. “The research overwhelmingly shows us that it’s a combination of the both of them.” Mr Hamer’s comments come as a top executive at Australian software giant Atlassian says companies mandating a return to office for its workers will regret it. An increasing number of companies are ditching the work-from-home option popularised during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Israel is pushing forward with its offensive in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Biden administration are debating what will happen post-war. Netanyahu is rejecting US calls to scale back military operations in the Gaza Strip. He has said the offensive will not stop until Israel has a “decisive victory over Hamas.” On Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister also dismissed the idea of a Palestinian state post-war, claiming it would impact Israel’s security.

Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations Chair Stefan Romaniw has called out the Albanese government’s retired Taipan helicopter decision, which “doesn’t stack up” because Ukraine “needs support now”. Ukraine is pleading with the Australian government to donate its fleet of retired Taipan helicopters instead of dismantling and burying them. It was revealed on Thursday morning that Defence Minister Richard Marles was yet to respond to a request from the Ukrainians which came more than a month ago. Acting Defence Minister Pat Conroy formally rejected the request on Thursday afternoon. “On the Taipans, again, we want to see the best result – we want to see the best result for Australia; we want to see the best result for Ukraine,” Mr Romaniw told Sky News Australia. “We think there should be a bit of an inquiry into this and how all this came about because something really doesn’t stack up on this. “Our call out for the government now is this - it’s the same as it has been for the last two years … Ukraine needs support now; it needs military support now.”

Two teenagers in North Korea have been sentenced to 12 years of hard labour for watching South Korean films and dramas. Footage shows two 16-year-old boys handcuffed in front of hundreds of students at an outdoor stadium. Experts say the heavy sentence acts as a warning to North Korean residents about the risks of consuming South Korean content. North Korea has imposed tough sentences on anyone caught watching South Korean entertainment or copying the way South Koreans speak. This new "anti-reactionary thought" law was imposed in 2020.

At least 58 people across 10 US states have died in extreme cold weather in the last week. Another round of brutal storms and cold air is forecast to sweep the country this weekend. Major cities in the northeast are expecting heavy snow in the coming days, with Philadelphia preparing for its first major snowstorm in two years. On the West Coast, Oregon is under a state of emergency due to the ongoing severe ice storm. Wind chill alerts are stretching from the US-Canada border to Florida.

The Dutch Royal family may soon have to pay income tax. Lawmakers in the Netherlands are expected to put the motion to a vote next week. Support for the proposal is mixed and it would need a two thirds majority in both houses of Dutch parliament to pass. If it does pass, it would require amending the country's constitution. The Dutch Royal Family receives tax free money on top of its private income.

Curtin University Global Futures Dean Joe Siracusa says Foreign Minister Penny Wong is “in a tight spot” after donating an extra $21.5 million to UNRWA despite well-documented allegations their funds are siphoned by Hamas. “When you give money in that part of the world, you just kind of have to hold your breath and maybe hold your nose at the same time,” Mr Siracusa told Sky News Australia host Ortenzia Borre. "If you want to give money, you can give money but you have no idea where it is going." The Global Futures Dean used the billions of dollars Obama and Biden “turned over to Iran” as an example of how money could be handled. “You know where all that money is – that money has been given to Hamas and Hezbollah. “Palestinian authorities have their own reputation for embezzlement so it is not a safe investment.”

Founder of The Banyans Healthcare Ruth Limkin has revealed the trick to sticking to your 2024 New Year’s resolutions. “At the Banyans one of our mottos is a slip up doesn’t mean you give up,” she told Sky News. “Progress isn’t always linear - we have this perfect idea about what 2024 might hold. “It’s this idea of taking one step forward, and if its half a step back it’s ok - you can get up tomorrow and have another go.” According to research by nutrition and food tracking app MyFitnessPal most Australians - 51 per cent to be exact, believe they will give up on their New Year’s resolutions by mid-January.

NSW Police hunt an attacker who stabbed two people in Sydney's inner south on Friday, Victoria Police are investigating a suspected firebombing in Melbourne, Queensland buses could soon use Chinese security cameras, Ukraine appeals to France for more helicopters, North Korea sentences teenagers for watching South Korean films, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confronted by a heckler over the NHS. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Buses in Queensland will soon use Chinese-made security cameras which were previously blacklisted from public buildings. Chinese company Hik-vision will provide CCTV for 200 rail replacement buses. The company's products have been removed from Australian government buildings over national security concerns. Security analysts say the move could give the Chinese government direct access to the cameras. Government infrastructure in Europe as well as the UK and the US have also taken down Hik-vision cameras over security concerns.

A national campaign is aiming to get Australians moving after new research has revealed almost half of the population is at risk of chronic illness. A national survey of 3,000 Australians commissioned for the campaign has shown six in ten participants consider themselves overweight. 80 per cent conceded they need to become more active. The free program is designed to change Australia’s couch potato reputation and offers exercises and recipes to suit all different ages and abilities. Early access to Health of the Nation resources is now open as the official launch is set for February 5.

A grand jury in the US has indicted Alec Baldwin as a 2021 manslaughter case against the actor is renewed. The charges relate to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust in 2021. The charges against the Hollywood star were dismissed in 2023 after being informed the gun may have been modified and malfunctioned. However, new analysis now suggests the trigger was pulled. Mr Baldwin’s story has been he pulled back the hammer but never pressed the trigger.

A U.S. grand jury has voted to indict actor Alex Baldwin for a second time, the prime minister has called an emergency caucus meeting to fast track cost of living measures, The IMF warns Australia interest rates may go higher, disgraced ex-detective Roger Rogerson has life support switched off, a teenager who murdered Dr. Ash Gordon was on bail during the time of his death, Tuvalu could follow Nauru's stance on Taiwan, and hundreds of German truckers have descended on Berlin to protest the road tax. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Former Howard advisor Peter McGauran has branded Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s trip to Israel as a “failure” after her actions meant the Israelis “weren’t going to take her very seriously”. “She dismissed the potential for her trip … by refusing to go to the site of the initial invasion – a massacre of 1,200 Israelis in the most barbarous of circumstances,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “The Israelis weren’t going to take her very seriously after that. “She had to show the raw emotion – the unqualified condemnation of Hamas. “It was a failure I’m afraid but the chances of it moving the dial in any way or being a success were pretty remote anyway.”