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AMA president says no studies show paracetamol use in pregnancy causes autism
Danielle McMullen, the president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), said this morning there are no studies showing paracetamol use in pregnancy causes autism.
McMullen spoke to RN Breakfast following US president Donald Trump’s assertion that the popular painkiller was linked to autism – even though it is widely considered a safe option to treat pain and fever during pregnancy.
McMullen said:
There are no studies showing that paracetamol use in pregnancy causes autism. There have been some studies showing what we call an association between paracetamol use and autism in children, but there’s also been really large studies showing that there’s no association. And it’s important to remember that association doesn’t mean cause.
It could be that there’s a whole range of things that happened during pregnancies, and one of those was that the pregnant mother took paracetamol, but it also could be that she had a fever or there were genetic factors.
In fact, in autism, it’s most likely that autism is linked with genetic factors as its primary driver, but we really don’t know the full cause of autism.
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Amanda Meade
Justice to hand down judgment on scale of Lattouf penalty tomorrow
Justice Darryl Rangiah will hand down his judgment at 10.15am tomorrow on what the scale of a separate penalty should be for the ABC’s breaches of employment law in the Antoinette Lattouf case.
In June the federal court found the ABC contravened section 772 of the Fair Work Act by terminating Lattouf for reasons of political opinion and breached five clauses of the ABC’s enterprise agreement by removing her from air three days into a five-day contract.
The court ordered that the ABC pay Lattouf compensation of $70,000.
Now the federal court has considered a second payment, which is a penalty for breaching the Fair Work Act.
The ABC, which admits it acted unlawfully, submitted the total penalty imposed should be between $37,560 and $56,340 and Lattouf has submitted it should be $350,000.
Her lawyers argued for the maximum penalty because of “significant pressure” put on senior management by Ita Buttrose, the broadcaster’s former chair, to sack Lattouf.
Overhead wire that caused Sydney trains incident identified as a risk in 2020
Penry Buckley
A high-voltage wire that fell on the top of a train in Sydney in May, trapping 300 passengers and causing massive commuter disruption, was identified as a risk in 2020, but never entered into defect management systems and was not repaired, a rail safety review has found.
The Minns government released the findings of its heavy rail safety review today, commissioned after the incident near Homebush. The government committed to implementing all 12 recommendations in the review.
The review found the recovery of services after the incident, including a three-hour operation to detrain trapped passengers, was too slow, and communication with the rail operations centre was inadequate, contributing to delays.
The recommendations, which include an overhaul of the heavy rail network’s maintenance systems, will be supported by an investment of $458.4m over four years.
The NSW transport minister, John Graham, says Sydney’s rail system is “not up to scratch”:
Incidents are inevitable from time to time on a rail network the size and age of Sydney’s, but the missteps and mishandling of the response ensured two days of chaos on our city’s public transport system when a well-managed response could – and should – have limited disruption to one day.
Andrew Bragg says Australia being ‘treated like dirt’ by Trump administration under Labor
Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said Australia has been “treated like dirt” by the Trump administration after Anthony Albanese was left off the official meeting schedule with the US president during his visit to the UN general assembly.
Bragg spoke to Channel Nine’s Today this morning, casting doubt on Kevin Rudd’s work as ambassador to the US:
I think it’s very embarrassing. Australia has been treated like a piece of dirt by this administration.
Perhaps sending [Kevin] Rudd was actually not in Australia’s interests, and also the way that Mr Albanese has conducted his diplomacy, he’s also been a disaster.
I mean, we’re being punished, frankly, and it’s now very embarrassing.
Albanese invites Macron to visit Australia
Tom McIlroy
Anthony Albanese has invited French president Emmanuel Macron to visit Australia after the pair met on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York.
The pair, who have a strong personal rapport, met for about 40 minutes after Macron hosted a special conference on the two-state solution in the Middle East.
A readout of the meeting said the two leaders welcomed Australia and France’s close ties and effective cooperation on several global issues, including support for Ukraine, the energy transition and regional matters in the Indo-Pacific.
They agreed to work closely together on the proposed Australia-EU free trade agreement, as well as a new security and defence partnership between Canberra and Brussels.
Albanese praised Macron for his leadership on European security, including in his role as co-chair of the Coalition of the Willing group working on peace arrangements for Ukraine.
TGA maintains paracetamol still considered safe for use during pregnancy
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said while it does not provide clinical advice, paracetamol remained a pregnancy Category A medicine in Australia, meaning it is considered safe for use during pregnancy.
The TGA encouraged Australians to speak with their healthcare professionals for clinical advice tailored to their specific circumstances. The body said it monitors medicines after they are on the market for any adverse event reports, including paracetamol:
The use of medications in pregnancy is subject to clinical, scientific and toxicological evaluation at the time of registration of a medicine in Australia.
The TGA maintains robust post-market safety surveillance and pharmacovigilance processes for all medicines registered in Australia, including paracetamol. This includes detailed analysis of adverse event reports made by medicine consumers, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies, review of published medical literature, and close liaison with international medicines regulators.
The TGA currently has no active safety investigations for paracetamol and autism, or paracetamol and neurodevelopmental disorders more broadly.
Petra Stock
Everything you need to know about the electric vehicle revolution in Australia
Electric vehicles are increasingly common on Australian roads. But are we about to see the promised boom in new EV models? What about a thriving secondhand market? And are there enough charging stations to make “range anxiety” a thing of the past?
Last week, the Climate Change Authority (CCA) suggested half of all the light vehicles sold in Australia over the next decade would have to be EVs to meet emissions reduction targets. By 2035, it is expected that electric cars will make up 85% of sales.
Here’s everything you need to know about the journey ahead.
Wong says the opposition is ‘running a rogue foreign policy’ after Ley’s letter
Wong was not happy with Ley’s letter to US Republicans, telling RN Breakfast “the opposition of Australia running a rogue foreign policy is not in the nation’s interests”.
She went on:
Australia is strongest when our country speaks with one voice, and I think Australians know that, and it is a pity that Sussan Ley does not.
It is possible to back Australia and still be an effective opposition. And really, it’s time that Ms. Ley and the Liberals understood that. We know we’re strongest when we speak with one voice. We all understand that as Australians and the opposition should understand that too.
Sharma says Ley’s letter to US Republicans ‘perfectly appropriate’
Liberal senator Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, said it was “perfectly appropriate” for opposition leader Sussan Ley to tell the United States her government would reverse Australia’s recognition of Palestine. Ley sent the letter to US Republicans ahead of Albanese’s addresss to the UN.
Sharma told RN Breakfast he was not bothered by the unusual step:
Firstly, it’s the Labor government that has overturned decades of bipartisan foreign policy consensus on how a Palestinian state should come about. It’s not the Liberals, it’s Labor that’s done that.
And secondly, it’s perfectly appropriate and normal for opposition politicians to have relationships with parliamentary counterparts in other parliaments around the world.
Sharma said he didn’t believe the recognition of a Palestinian state was helpful:
All it’s doing, unfortunately, is hardening opinion on both sides of the conflict, strengthening Hamas, but also, sadly, strengthening hardline voices in Israel’s government as well.
Penny Wong maintains Australia only sanctions politicians ‘with others’
Foreign minister Penny Wong was questioned on RN Breakfast about Australia’s lack of sanctions on Israeli politicians over the ongoing war in Gaza. Wong said the country had imposed sanctions on two Israeli ministers alongside other nations in June for inciting violence against Palestinians, but RN host Sally Sara asked why those sanctions hadn’t been extended to others as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened.
Wong said:
You may think that that is insufficient. We do this with other parties, and we have worked very closely with the United Kingdom and Canada and others to impose these sanctions.
Sara again noted Australia had not sanctioned any Israeli politicians in connection with Gaza.
“And to be clear, neither has any other country”, Wong said. “My point about that is: we sanction with others. That is how we have an effect”. She went on:
I understand that people are distressed by what is happening in Gaza. I am distressed by it. We all are. But you do what you can, and that is what we are doing: being here now with others, working with other countries, all of whom want to see peace.
Australians urged to take health advice from doctors, researchers and the medical community
Danielle McMullen, the president of the Australian Medical Association, stressed that paracetamol has been deemed by the TGA to be safe to use in pregnancy, although “of course like all medications we try to use it as little as possible when pregnant”.
The advice here in Australia sill is that paracetamol is a reasonable option and [a] safe option for pregnant women to use.
McMullen went on to stress that Australians should continue to take medical advice from experts. She told ABC News this morning:
Like we did as Australia during the pandemic, we really took strong health advice from doctors, from researchers, and from that medical community and our regulator. So I’d encourage Australians to still do the same.
Our chief health officers and medical officers are medical practitioners, and trained in analysing these studies and weighing up the pros and cons and translating that into information that’s understandable by the general public. So, really encourage people to talk to their doctors in terms of listening to health advice for our health officers and health ministers here to be listening to that health advice.
Qantas flight rapidly descends, returns to Darwin in ‘unsettling experience’ for passengers
A Qantas flight from Darwin to Cairns rapidly descended yesterday after a pressurisation warning light went off shortly after take off, causing an “unsettling experience” for passengers, the airline said.
The flight, QF1889, was operated by Alliance Aviation and departed Darwin airport shortly after 6.30am on Monday. After about 20 minutes, the plane rapidly descended more than 6,000m in about six minutes, according to flight data.
The plane was then diverted back to Darwin. Qantas said in a statement:
The pilots received a pressurisation warning light shortly after take off on Monday morning and followed standard operating procedures.
We understand this might have been an unsettling experience for our customers and want to thank them for their patience and understanding.
The aircraft will be inspected by engineers before returning to service.
AMA president says no studies show paracetamol use in pregnancy causes autism
Danielle McMullen, the president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), said this morning there are no studies showing paracetamol use in pregnancy causes autism.
McMullen spoke to RN Breakfast following US president Donald Trump’s assertion that the popular painkiller was linked to autism – even though it is widely considered a safe option to treat pain and fever during pregnancy.
McMullen said:
There are no studies showing that paracetamol use in pregnancy causes autism. There have been some studies showing what we call an association between paracetamol use and autism in children, but there’s also been really large studies showing that there’s no association. And it’s important to remember that association doesn’t mean cause.
It could be that there’s a whole range of things that happened during pregnancies, and one of those was that the pregnant mother took paracetamol, but it also could be that she had a fever or there were genetic factors.
In fact, in autism, it’s most likely that autism is linked with genetic factors as its primary driver, but we really don’t know the full cause of autism.
Good morning, Nick Visser here to take over for Martin Farrer. Let’s dive in.
Tom McIlroy
PM says recognition of Palestinian state means ‘real hope for a place they can call home’
Anthony Albanese says Gaza “is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe”. He said:
For this, the Israeli government must accept its share of responsibility.
Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. Desperate people, including children, have been denied vital aid.
Aid workers have been killed trying to deliver humanitarian assistance, including Australian Zomi Frankcom. And journalists have been killed trying to bring the truth to light.
The prime minister has called on the world to choose a different path in the Middle East conflict, and received applause when he said Australia had recognised Palestine this week. Albanese went on:
In recognising Palestine, Australia recognises the legitimate and long held aspirations of the Palestinian people.
That means more than a seat, a voice and a vote in the councils of the world. It means real hope for a place they can call home.
Anthony Albanese addresses UN conference on two-state solution
Anthony Albanese is speaking at a special conference on the two-state solution for the Middle East, his first address to the United Nations in New York.
The prime minister has joined the event hosted by French president Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia.
The international community’s vision for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, always encompassed two states.
A state of Israel and a state of Palestine. Living side by side, within internationally recognised borders. And recognising each other’s right to live in peace and security.
Eight decades ago, those hopes for peace were consumed by conflict.
That has been the grim pattern of the years.
Opportunities not taken. Compromises rejected.
Good faith, betrayed. A cycle of violence and terror that has crushed generations.
Albanese says Australia joins with countries calling for the hostages to be returned immediately.
Tom McIlroy
Indonesia’s president implores all countries to recognise Palestinian statehood
Indonesia’s president, Prabowo Subianto, says countries recognising Palestinian statehood “have taken a step on the right side of history.”
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Subianto called on countries yet to recognise statehood to do so.
“History does not stand still,” he told a special conference on the two-state solution hosted by Saudi Arabia and France.
We must recognise Palestine now. We must stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Ending the war must be our utmost priority.
We must overcome hatred and fear. We must overcome suspicion. We must achieve the peace that is necessary for the human family.
Prabowo says Indonesia is ready to play its part in the journey towards peace, including providing peace keeping forces.
The president’s speech ran overtime and the microphone was cut but he implored countries to act.
“Peace now, peace immediately. We need peace.”
Henry Belot
Monique Ryan quits parliament’s sports club over gambling lobby links, describing it as ‘influence by stealth’
Crossbench MP Monique Ryan has quit federal parliament’s sports club hours after it was listed as an official lobbyist group with clients in the gambling, alcohol and fossil fuel industries.
The Australian Parliament Sports Club was registered on the government’s lobbyist register on Monday, days after Guardian Australia reported concerns about its sponsorship from groups lobbying the government on policy.
The club allows companies to pay an annual membership fee in return for access to multiple social and formal events, which are regularly attended by federal politicians. Previously the company run by the club’s chief executive, Sports Hydrant, was listed on the lobbyist register.
The club has rejected claims its games are anything other than a chance for politicians and staff to relax and exercise and insist all rules have been followed. But Ryan said it provided its corporate members a chance to build “influence by stealth”:
To paraphrase Groucho Marx, I’m not signing up for any parliamentary sports club which serves up gambling industry lobbying with its early morning basketball games. I’m resigning from the club today.
The club’s registration has also drawn criticism from crossbench MPs Sophie Scamps, Allegra Spender, Kate Chaney, David Pocock and Helen Haines, who pointed out the prime minister’s position as the club’s chair.
While Australians wait for the government to take serious action on gambling harm, the Australian Parliamentary Sports Club – chaired by the prime minister himself – is acting on behalf of clients that include the gambling industry.
Last week, the club said it does not lobby on behalf of any of its corporate members. The prime minister’s office has previously been contacted for comment.
Butler seeks urgent advice on paracetamol safety after Trump makes claim
Kelly Burke
Health minister Mark Butler has called on the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to provide urgent advice on the safety of taking paracetamol during pregnancy, following suggestions – without evidence – by US president Donald Trump that the popular painkiller is linked to autism.
Butler urged pregnant women to seek medical advice before discontinuing taking the drug which is also used to treat fever, which can lead to serious complications during pregnancy, until the TGA had a chance to look at the report Trump had alluded to.
Paracetamol is considered a safe option to treat pain or fever during pregnancy, and is widely recommended by doctors for short-term use.
This is a very widely used drug as everyone knows, and we want to make sure that we look very closely at any announcement from the US, particularly if it comes through the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA.
We’ll look at it very closely, our TGA works very closely with the FDA obviously and I want to make sure that we have advice for pregnant women in particular, very quickly.
During a speech at a Charlie Kirk memorial service on Sunday US time, Trump suggested he and his health secretary Robert F Kennedy would make an important announcement in the Oval Office on Monday, local time, about a link between Tylenol, a paracetamol brand popular in the US, and autism.
The report is expected to recommend taking leucovorin, a form of vitamin B.
“I think you’re going to find it to be amazing,” Trump said. “I think we found an answer to autism.”
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Nick Visser will be in charge.
We’ll be bringing you all the news from New York, where the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is to address a UN meeting on Palestine.
Plus, health minister Mark Butler has called on the medical watchdog to provide urgent advice on the safety of taking paracetamol during pregnancy following suggestions by US president Donald Trump that the popular painkiller is linked to autism. More coming up.
