Source : the age
A speaking event at a Victorian pub featuring former West Coast Eagle Ben Cousins has been cancelled at the last minute following outcry over Cousins’ history of domestic violence charges.
Cousins was due to speak at the George Hotel in the regional town of Ballarat on Wednesday night, however a statement released by the venue that day said it had heard the “anger, disappointment, and hurt expressed” over the former footballer’s planned appearance.
A further statement confirmed the event had been cancelled “in response to concerns raised by members of our community, and in response to information that was previously not known”.
“Cancelling the event reflects our responsibility to listen to our community, and to act on what we have now learned,” the post said.
Here’s what’s making headlines elsewhere today:
Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Thursday, September 17.
Making headlines today is news that Western Australia will cut the number of inpatient mental health beds available for children in crisis, despite years of warnings that the system is struggling to keep up.
This masthead can reveal Perth Children’s Hospital’s mental health inpatient ward for children under 16 will be reduced from 20 beds to 16, once an ongoing refurbishment is complete.
The ward is the state’s only inpatient emergency mental health facility for children younger than 16.
