Headlines: States & territories agree to childcare reforms

Today's headlines:

The top legal officers in Australia have agreed to share information about whether a person has lost their working with children check, in response to safety concerns in the childcare sector. 

Australia’s drug use has hit record highs, according to new wastewater analysis by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for the first time since he was re-elected.

And today’s good news: A gardener in the U.S. has grown the world’s tallest sunflower. 

Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Sam Koslowski 
Producer: Emma Gillespie

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
From The Daily Os. I'm Emma Gillespie, I'm Sam Keselowski.
It's Friday, the fifteenth of August. Here's what's making headlines
this evening.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
The top legal officers in Australia have agreed to share
information about whether a person has lost their Working with
Children's check in response to safety concerns in the childcare sector.
Under the current rules, if a worker loses their Working
with Children Check qualification, it's not picked up across state
and territory borders. In a joint statement, the attorney's general

(00:35):
from each state and territory said they've agreed to overhaul
Working with Children's Check processes by the end of the year.
The change will alert all jurisdictions if a person has
had their Children's check revoked or declined. Federal Attorney General
Michelle Rowlands described it as a band in one band
in all system. The childcare sector has faced increased scrutiny

(00:57):
after dozens of charges were laid against a twenty six
year old Victorian childcare worker last month. It prompted the
state government to advise more than two thousand children to
undergo testing for infectious diseases as a precautionary measure.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Australia's drug use has hit record highs, according to new
wastewater analysis by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. For its
latest report, the Commission collected sewage samples in August and
October last year. It found Australians consumed twenty two point
two tons of methylamphetamine, cocaine MDMA and heroine, the highest

(01:34):
amount recorded since the study began in twenty sixteen. ACIIC
noted a sixty nine percent increase in cocaine consumption nationally,
while MDMA consumption increased by forty nine percent. Cannabis remains
the most consumed illicit drug in Australia. ACIC noted the
report estimates Australians spent eleven point five billion dollars on

(01:56):
illicit drugs in twenty twenty four.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
US President Donald Trump is preparing to meet with his
Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin for the first time since he
was re elected. The leaders will come face to face
in the US state of Alaska for discussions on ending
the war in Ukraine. Talks are scheduled for Friday local time,
that's five point thirty am Saturday morning here in Australia.

(02:21):
Trump said he will know at the end of that meeting,
probably in the first two minutes, if a peace plan
is possible. During a press conference, Trump said there could
be land swapping between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine was not
invited to the meeting and has repeatedly ruled out giving
up its territory to Russia.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
And today's good news, a gardener in the US has
grown the world's tallest sunflower. The flower is currently standing
at over ten meters high, officially surpassing nine point one
seven meters, which is the Guinness World Record for the
tallest sunflower that was set in Germany in twenty fourteen.
The sunflower, nicknamed Clover, was grown by Alex Babych. Babych

(03:04):
is well known amongst the local gardening community for growing
giant flowers with his two young children in northeastern Indiana.
Sharing the news to Facebook about Clover's heights, Babache said quote,
I am a first generation immigrant from Ukraine, where the
sunflower is the national flower. Words cannot explain how I
feel right now. Emotions are running very high.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
And that brings to an end another huge week of news.
Here from the Daily os newsroom. If you're looking for
something else to listen to on your way home this evening,
have a listen to today's deep Dive. We cover off the
new ban in Tasmania on Greyhound racing.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
We'll be back on Monday with another deep dive, but
until then, have an absolutely amazing weekend.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda
Bunjelung Kalkotin woman from Gadighl Country. The Daily oz acknowledges
that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the
Gadighl people and respect to all Aboriginal and torrest Rate
island and nations. We pay our respects to the first
peoples of these countries, both past and present,