PM

A wilderness program aimed at reforming wayward youth in Central Australia will soon close its doors. The announcement by BushMob has shocked the Northern Territory Government, who have pumped $2.5 million into the program since 2016.

A new report has found Indigenous children are at a greater risk of institutional sexual abuse than non-Indigenous children. And they're disproportionately placed in out-of-home care and juvenile detention, according to the report commissioned by the royal commission into institutional child sex abuse.

The Daily Telegraph has defended an item in today's newspaper, which has been interpreted by many as listing homosexuality as a health problem. The story on the health of young people includes a graphic, listing same sex attraction alongside issues such as drug use and obesity. Critics say the piece sends a dangerous message to young people who might be gay, lesbian, or bisexual. But the paper denies there's any suggestion that same-sex relationships are unhealthy.

Australian researchers are hoping to put an end to any speculation over the health of children conceived by sperm donors. Scientists in Melbourne have studied the well-being of Australian sperm donor kids and found they're just as healthy as their peers. But some advocates say that's just not true.

On Business PM: A new report from Australia's Financial Crimes Agency shows fraud and money laundering are high risks for Australian investors. But anti-money laundering laws do not cover real estate agents, lawyers or accountants.

About 450 residents of the region are seeking up to $200 million in damages from the Department of Defence over soil and water contamination by toxic firefighting foam. A similar situation has been playing out in multiple locations around the country. In this case, the foam was used at the Oakey Army Aviation Centre with lawyers alleging thousands of residents have been exposed after the chemicals leeched into groundwater. In a statement, Defence says any claim will be handled in accordance with the Attorney General's legal service directions 2017 and that it is inappropriate for Defence to make further comment at this stage.

The battle over assisted dying laws has entered a new phase in Victoria, with a major Catholic healthcare service announcing it'll ban staff from taking part in the procedure. Victoria's Parliament will this year hold a conscience vote on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill and experts are currently working on its design. But St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne says even if the law is passed, it still won't be offering medically assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. The decision has infuriated euthanasia advocates.

The suffering of civilians caught up in the fighting to liberate Iraq's second city, Mosul, from Islamic State control has been detailed in a new study by Amnesty International, which says residents died needlessly at the hands of both sides. And it says Iraqi and coalition forces, including the RAAF, used unnecessarily powerful weapons in densely populated areas.

Official figures show owner-occupiers might be gaining the upper hand over investors. Bureau of Statistics data show home loans to investors - as a proportion of all loans - dropped to 46 per cent. That's down from over half of all loans in January. There's also evidence more first home buyers are gaining access to the property market.

The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has used his predecessor Tony Abbott's own words to call time on the brawling between the left and right of his party. In a speech in London the PM referenced Mr Abbott's use of the phrase 'the sensible centre' saying it's where the Liberal party needs to be. The speech has won praise from his frontbench but drawn strong criticism from former Victorian Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett.