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The Northern Territory's Royal Commission has moved into looking at the child protection system - a system that often leads to children entering the youth justice system. The inquiry heard harrowing evidence from a woman who spent six years in the care of the Northern Territory's Department of Children and Families. The woman, whose identity is protected, said she didn't go to school for four years, and nobody noticed.

The families of the two people killed in 2014's Lindt Cafe siege have gone further than the New South Wales Coroner Michael Barnes' criticisms of police actions by calling for adverse findings to be made against individual police commanders and the psychiatrist who was advising them that fatal day. They say police should have been more aware of what Man Haron Monis was capable of, and allowed direct action by police to be authorised sooner than it was. The families speak to Four Corners' Sarah Ferguson.

Accusations of another 'Mediscare' campaign and secret plans to introduce an American-style hospital system dominated a rowdy Question Time today, all in the presence of US Senator John McCain. The Government's accusing Labor of mounting a 'conspiracy theory', after evidence of a taskforce designed to look at hospital funding is continuing to meet, despite the Health Minister ordering COAG to ignore its proposals.

Australia is sending an additional 30 troops to Afghanistan. Former chief of army Peter Leahy has described the figure as 'a little small', but stresses the additional assistance could make a significant impact. The US says it has a strategy for victory in Afghanistan, however defence experts say stability in the country is still years away.

An inquiry into the deadly Black Lung disease has found catastrophic failure on multiple levels, led to the re-emergence of the disease in Queensland. The State Government will take 90 days to consider more than 400 pages of findings by a Queensland Parliamentary Committee. The 'Black Lung White Lies' report makes 68 recommendations and calls for the establishment of an independent body to monitor, assess and enforce measures to prevent coal miner contracting the disease. Members of the committee say the disease was never eradicated as previously thought, but rather ignored.

Methamphetamine users are more likely to be unemployed, homeless and mentally ill compared to those using other illicit drugs. They're the findings of a new Australian Institute of Criminology report that looked at trends across four major drug surveys. Crystal methamphetamine - or ice - was often linked to the greatest health and social problems. Experts say they're frustrated the data isn't leading to more effective drug policy.

Business PM catches you up on the most important news in business and finance.

Fifty years after Australia voted overwhelmingly in support of a referendum recognising Aboriginal people, an historic summit of Aboriginal leaders at Uluru has categorically rejected further constitutional recognition, demanding instead a process leading to a treaty between the Commonwealth and the nation's first people. The three days of talks have produced what's been called the Uluru Statement of the Heart, which also calls for the creation of a new representative body reporting to federal parliament.

The Federal Government says it's already acting to set up a new national body, which will deal with safety concerns for disabled people in care. The Government's rejected Labor's call today for a royal commission into violence and abuse perpetrated against disabled Australians. The Greens have long called for a royal commission and have welcomed Labor's announcement. But the Social Services Minister, Christian Porter, says a Safety and Quality Commission will be operating from next year as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and another inquiry was not necessary.

Australia's Catholic bishops are facing criticism for failing to swiftly clarify a crucial issue raised on the child sex abuse Royal Commission - can a priest report a child is being sexually abused when the child has revealed the abuse at confession?