PM

The Federal Opposition says it will make school funding a key issue for the next election, if the Government doesn't increase the amount of money on offer for public and low-fee Catholic schools. The Government has got its plan through the Senate, although it will cost $5 billion more than originally planned. The Prime Minister says the Government will now focus on achieving better school results.

Catholic school principals are worried about a rise in school fees, and a lack of choice for parents under the latest education funding plan. While the Catholic Education office in Canberra is less concerned about fee pressure in the short-term, other states have a different view. One parent group in Victoria says Catholic families just want their voices heard in the political debate.

Contempt of court proceedings against three Federal Ministers have been put to rest after the men apologised in the Victorian Court of Appeal. Greg Hunt, Alan Tudge and Michael Sukkar made the unconditional apology for their criticisms of the Victorian judiciary in relation to terror sentencing. It was an about-face for the men, who had last week refused to apologise.

Members of the US Navy have been given the legal go ahead to pursue their case against Tokyo Electric Power over the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The Sailors claim they were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation while assisting in humanitarian relief efforts in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. A court in San Francisco ruled today that the sailors can pursue the case on American soil.

There's been renewed criticism of Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission and its ability to deal with a string of local government scandals. Independent MP Rob Pyne wants it replaced, and says the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption is the best alternative. But a former ICAC commissioner defends the CCC's role.

Technology that can read the human mind sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but researchers in New Zealand say a technique they're testing gets pretty close. Trials in the United States and Christchurch, New Zealand of Forensic Brain Wave Analysis or 'brain finger-printing' have so far proved promising. The technique's already been admitted by courts in Ohio and India

The outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa from 2013 to 2016 devastated the nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The disease, which killed more than 11,000 people, is spread by human to human contact. One of the biggest problems was convincing people not to touch the corpses of their loved ones through traditional burial rituals. Teams from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies attempted to change those practises and now a new study from the group has found the Safe and Dignified burial teams had a significant effect in limiting the spread of Ebola.

The One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she won't apologise for suggesting children with autism should be taught in separate classes, because too many of them can distract teachers. Senator Hanson says she's been taken out of context, and has received support for her views. Her comments have dominated the debate on the final parliamentary sitting day of the autumn term, as the Government inches closer to passing its $23 billion education bill.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie is the chair of the senate education and employment committee. She joins PM to discuss the education bill.

Domestic violence in Australia is a serious problem that has been underreported for years. And now, new figures obtained by PM show that the number of female perpetrators of domestic assaults in New South Wales has been steadily increasing over the past ten years - and it's not only against partners. Are Australian women becoming more violent or are the figures only part of the story?