Rachel Riga
ABC.net.au
Mackay, QLD, Australia
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Past articles by Rachel:
Girls will be locked up for longer if Queensland passes new youth justice laws, advocates warn
Queensland parliament is set to debate new youth justice laws which advocates warn will put more girls behind bars. → Read More
Youth justice overhaul 'directly at odds' with Path to Treaty and Closing the Gap, Queensland government warned
Advocates warn proposed law changes will disproportionately affect First Nations children. → Read More
Queensland hoping to attract 500 foreign police officers a year to boost recruitment
The Queensland Police Service has approval for 500 international recruits to join the service each year for five years. → Read More
Path to Treaty bill introduced to Queensland parliament. What does it mean?
The long-sought-after laws pave the way for the Queensland government to sign a treaty or treaties with First Nations people. → Read More
Queensland to relax drug laws, implement three-strike rule for people carrying small amounts of drugs for personal use
Anyone caught carrying small quantities of illicit substances like heroin, cocaine or ice, will be given three chances before facing a criminal charge. → Read More
Queensland premier says breach of bail will be reintroduced as offence for young offenders
The Queensland premier says breach of bail will be reintroduced as an offence for young offenders despite her government removing it in 2015 and heavily criticising the LNP for adopting it as a policy. → Read More
Children held in Queensland watch houses for almost 40 days, review ordered into escalating crisis
The mother of a 17-year-old describes the impact on her son of the 31 days he spent detained in a watch house cell intended for stays of up to two days. → Read More
Queensland government considers giving affected GP clinics more time to make arrangements for payroll tax
The Queensland Treasurer is in discussions with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk about a plan to pause the implementation of payroll tax assessments on some GP clinics in a bid to curb increasing doctor fees. → Read More
Queensland medical bodies warn of escalating costs to visit GPs due to payroll tax clash
Queensland's peak medical bodies warn the cost of going to the doctor could skyrocket as general practice comes under more strain due to a clash over tax law. → Read More
How the Broadway Hotel helped strengthen heritage law in Queensland
Two fires and more than a decade of dry taps at the hotel raised strong debate in Brisbane, and it's became a catalyst for the state to review 30-year-old heritage protection laws. → Read More
Memorial service for constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold to tell the life stories of slain officers
Bus loads of police officers begin arriving at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre ahead of the memorial service, with authorities saying it will be a "harrowing" day. → Read More
Queensland government accepts recommendations from the DNA lab inquiry, foreshadows changes to double jeopardy laws
A proposal to amend double jeopardy laws in Queensland will be brought forward following the fallout from the inquiry into the state's failed DNA testing lab with managers Cathie Allen and Justin Howes served with show cause notices. → Read More
A scathing report revealed major issues at Queensland's 'troubled' DNA forensics lab. What happens now?
Major issues at the Forensic and Scientific Services lab are found to have led to a significant cut in the number of crime scene samples being tested for DNA and a risk of "miscarriages of justice". → Read More
Queensland's forensic DNA lab inquiry finds 'serious' failures reduced prospect of conviction in some cases
A report into forensic DNA testing in Queensland finds serious failures at a state-run lab, including "mismanagement" and "dishonesty by senior managers". → Read More
Security bolstered after alleged assault of teenage girl at housing for dangerous sex offenders at Wacol, in Brisbane's west
Two reviews are ordered after the incident which is alleged to have happened last month at supervised accommodation in Brisbane's west. The accused has been returned to prison. → Read More
Queensland government housing crisis intiatives criticised for lack of 'long-term plan' for those needing social housing
The government has announced $56 million will be spent on new housing supply and financial support for renters, but the state's peak social services group says the announcement lacks "a long-term plan". → Read More
Queensland to change laws to allow United Nations physical access to mental health in-patient wards
More than a month after the UN's torture prevention body was denied access to sites where people were detained, new laws will be introduced in Queensland to give inspectors greater access. → Read More
Stealthing to be criminalised as rape and affirmative consent adopted in Queensland's sexual violence law overhaul
Major changes to laws around stealthing, consent and coercive control are set to be introduced into Queensland Parliament and passed next year in a move advocates say has been needed for decades. → Read More
How will Queensland Police Service improve its response to domestic and family violence after inquiry condemns 'failure of leadership'?
The report highlights problems of misogyny and racism, and points the finger at the most senior ranks of the Queensland Police Service for failing to act when concerns were raised in the past. Here's some of the most damning findings. → Read More
Commission of inquiry into Queensland police culture and responses to domestic violence report handed down
A report into Queensland police responses to domestic violence finds a "failure of leadership" within the service that went unchecked for years and recommends the state government establish a police integrity unit to handle police complaints. → Read More