The World Today

The World Today's Emily Bourke speaks with refugee lawyer and research associate Madeline Gleeson on the Federal Government's proposed changes to prevent asylum seekers coming by boat to obtain an Australian visa. She says that the changes sound similar to existing provisions and speculates that they could amount to a 'gross breach' of Australia's international law commitments - or could simply result in the same system, with 'nasty excess routine and procedure and bureaucratic process'.

ANZ is selling its retail banking operations in five Asian nations to Singapore's DBS Bank and will book a $265 million net loss on the deal. The Australian bank has been looking to back away from the Asian strategy instituted by former chief executive Mike Smith since new boss Shayne Elliott took over at the end of last year. Both banks say the sale price is around $110 million above the book value of ANZ's retail banking and wealth management businesses in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Indonesia.

In the past few years, Australia has significantly expanded preschool to include almost all four-year-olds. Child development researchers are calling for it to be broadened to include three-year-olds as well.

As speculation over the closure of the Hazelwood Power Station builds, new measures have been announced to help the Latrobe Valley transition. But there's division over what the shutdown will mean for the rest of the country, including power supply and energy prices

Medicos, experts and former gambling addicts say they have grave concerns about the closure of the Statewide Gambling Therapy Service in South Australia. The free service, successfully run from the Flinders Medical Centre for two decades, will shut at the end of the year, with Government redirecting its funding to a private company. The current operators say it will set the state back years in treating, training and researching gambling addiction, but the Government argues it's the right move.

Researchers at Flinders University have found a significant increase in the use of crystal methamphetamine - or ice, as it's also known - in rural and regional areas. The use of ice more than doubled over a six-year period, with young males being the main users.

Queensland Labor has become the first major party in Australia to support an affirmative action target for LGBTI candidates. The state Labor Party's weekend conference endorsed a push for 5 per cent LGBTI representation. Queensland Labor has lagged behind other states in pre-selecting LGBTI candidates. Now, the Party will have to deal with the complexities of quotas for women as well as targets for Indigenous and gay representation.

The chairman of an advisory panel to the Federal Government's marine park review says claims that it is pandering to industry are 'absolute rubbish'. A group of scientists known as the Ocean Science Council of Australia says marine life would be devastated if the Government were to accept recommendations of the advisory body on marine parks.

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison says the Turnbull Government wants to overhaul Australia's system of welfare benefits to encourage more people to work. He says it's a 'crying shame' that some recipients of family payments would have to 'take a pay cut' to get a job. Government figures published in The Australian today indicate that 43,000 people received at least $45,000 in government payments in 2014-15. Social Service advocates say the Government should make childcare more affordable and encourage more flexibility in the workforce if it wants more parents in paid employment.

The chairman of Australia's largest dairy processor, Murray Goulburn, has announced that he is stepping down from the position. At the company's AGM, Philip Tracy has announced a review of the complex method that the farmer-owned co-op uses to set milk prices. The company rocked the dairy industry when it suddenly and retrospectively cut prices earlier this year.