Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Archive for September, 2020
Whale in croc-infested NT river confused
Scientists will look for a way to get a humpback whale back to the ocean after it took a wrong turn into a crocodile-infested Northern Territory river. September 17, 2020 Scientists monitoring a whale that took a wrong turn into a crocodile-infested Northern Territory river will search for a path out of the shallow waterway. […]
Qld child care worker charged with rape
A 39-year-old former Townsville child care worker has been charged with multiple counts of rape, indecent treatment of children and bestiality. September 17, 2020 A former Queensland child care worker who allegedly indecently assaulted children and recorded the attacks has been charged with more than 100 offences. The 39-year-old man is accused of multiple counts of rape, […]
Dreamworld reopens after COVID closure
Dreamworld has reopened to visitors a fortnight before the theme park’s parent company is sentenced for safety offences following the deaths of four visitors. September 16, 2020 Dreamworld has reopened to visitors as its parent company prepares to return to court over safety offences following the deaths of four tourists on the Thunder River Rapids […]
Murder charges over deadly Qld brawl
Police are expected to charge 10 people with murder over a violent Brisbane brawl that left one teenager dead and a number of others seriously injured. September 16, 2020 Police are set to charge 10 people with murder over a Brisbane brawl that left a teenager dead and several others critically injured. Girum Mekonnen, 19, […]
Qld man charged over cold case murder
A 59-year-old man has been charged over the cold-case murder of Gregory Thurlow, who disappeared from north Brisbane more than two decades ago. September 16, 2020 A man has been charged over the cold case murder of an unemployed Brisbane construction worker reported missing by his family more than two decades ago. Homicide detectives allege […]
Drugs found in NT quarantine delivery
People in Alice Springs mandatory COVID-19 hotel quarantine can longer receive packages from family and friends after police uncovered a drug smuggling attempt. September 15, 2020 Care package deliveries to people in Alice Springs COVID-19 quarantine have been banned after police uncovered a drug smuggling attempt. Northern Territory police say a small quantity of cannabis was […]
Whale in croc-infested NT river safe
Kakadu National Park staff are monitoring a humpback whale in the crocodile-infested East Alligator River as they explore plans to herd it out to sea. September 15, 2020 Wildlife officers at Kakadu National Park continue to monitor the health of a humpback whale in the crocodile-infested East Alligator River. Park staff have also met with […]
NSW man hikes in desert to dodge NT COVID check point
Northern Territory police have charged a NSW man after he hiked across the outback to avoid mandatory COVID-19 quarantining. September 15, 2020 A NSW man has dumped his car in outback South Australia and hiked across the Northern Territory border in a bid to dodge COVID-19 quarantining. NT police found the 23-year-old in a remote town […]
Qld premier backs tough COVID-19 policies
The Queensland premier has staked her future on the state’s border closure measures as the chief health officer is placed under police guard after threats. September 15, 2020 Queensland’s chief health officer remains under police guard following death threats as the premier stakes her political future on the state’s tough COVID-19 border closure. Premier Annastacia […]
Spike in grog-running to NT communities
The Northern Territory government has enacted emergency powers to stop the illegal transportation of alcohol to “dry” remote indigenous communities. September 14, 2020 Takeaway alcohol buyers in the Darwin area will be forced to show identification as the Northern Territory attempts to stamp out “grog-running”. The NT government on Monday enacted emergency powers after a spike […]
NT may quarantine Australian travellers
The Northern Territory health minister says the Top End is open to quarantining Australians travellers if a cap on international arrivals is lifted. September 14, 2020 The Northern Territory says it’s open to quarantining some of the more than 25,000 Australians stuck overseas if a cap on international arrivals is lifted. States are under pressure […]
Qld police fear more attacks after brawl
Police are concerned there will be retribution attacks after a man died during a fight between two groups of about 20 people in northern Brisbane. September 14, 2020 Queensland police fear there will be revenge attacks following a deadly brawl between members of Brisbane’s African community. A man in his 20s died after the fight […]
Qld doctors say ‘back off’ to COVID trolls
The Australian Medical Association in Queensland has told critics of the state’s chief health officer to “back off” over her coronavirus border decisions. September 14, 2020 Queensland’s top doctors have come to the defence of the state’s chief health officer, calling on critics of her coronavirus border closure advice to ‘back off’. The Australian Medical […]
COVID lockdown ends at Queensland prison
Inmates at Brisbane’s Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre have been released from their cells after more than two weeks in coronavirus lockdown. September 13, 2020 A Queensland prison locked down for more than two weeks after coronavirus outbreaks at nearby corrective service’s facilities has lifted some restrictions. Inmates at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, southwest of Brisbane, […]
Top doctors say ‘back off’ over Qld border
Australian Medical Association Queensland has called for the state’s chief health officer’s critics to “back off” over border closures. September 13, 2020 Queensland’s top doctors have told critics of the state’s chief health officer to “back off” over coronavirus border closures. Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young has been repeatedly targeted for advising that the state […]
Qld public holiday for AFL final floated
Queenslanders may get a public holiday when the AFL grand final is played at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on October 24 in front of 30,000 fans. September 13, 2020 Queenslanders may get a public holiday when the AFL grand final is played at the Gabba next month. The game will be played at Brisbane Cricket […]
Melbourne anti-lockdown protests reignite
Police have arrested 74 people after anti-lockdown protesters at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market started throwing fruit at officers. September 13, 2020 Victorian police have arrested dozens of anti-coronavirus lockdown protesters in Melbourne after they gathered for a second day. About 250 protesters chanting “Freedom” massed on Sunday at Queen Victoria Market, where some threw fruit at […]
Superyacht skipper fined over COVID lies
Superyacht skipper Greg Numa has been fined after admitting false and misleading statements to authorities after sailing from Victoria to Queensland. September 11, 2020 The skipper of a luxury yacht repeatedly lied to authorities as he sailed from coronavirus-ravaged Victoria to Queensland with a boatload of wealthy passengers. Greg Charles Numa, 64, pleaded guilty in […]
Dying man hopes for Qld border reprieve
A dying Brisbane man hopes all four of his children will be allowed to cross into Queensland to visit him after authorities denied all but one an exemption. September 11, 2020 The NSW family of a dying man separated from his children by Queensland’s border closure is waiting to learn if they’ll be able to visit […]
Two people charged over central Qld siege
Two people have been charged after a Rockhampton siege involving a man who refused to hand himself in to police over the alleged theft of a car. September 10, 2020 Two people have been charged over a central Queensland siege sparked by a knock at the door following a car accident involving a stolen car. […]
New clue in Brisbane cold case murder
Queensland detectives investigating the suspected cold case murder of a man 23 years ago have started searching a vacant block of land north of Brisbane. September 10, 2020 Homicide detectives investigating the suspected cold case murder of a Queensland man more than two decades ago have a fresh lead. Gregory Thurlow was last seen leaving […]
Two sharks caught after fatal Qld attack
Investigations into a fatal Gold Coast shark attack are continuing after two tiger sharks were caught at nearby beaches. September 10, 2020 Two tiger sharks have been caught near a Gold Coast beach where a surfer was fatally mauled, as investigations into the attack continue. Local man Nick Slater was dragged by lifeguards and surfers […]
Heroic rescuers swam to mauled surfer
Nick Slater “pretty much passed away” in the water after being mauled by a shark on the Gold Coast, an attack that closed beaches for 20km along the coast. September 9, 2020 A Gold Coast surfer mauled by a suspected white pointer shark may have died before heroic rescuers dragged him to the shore, a […]
Surfer killed by ‘obvious white pointer’
Nick Slater “pretty much passed away” in the water after the first shark attack on the Gold Coast since the 1950s, causing half the area’s beaches to close. September 9, 2020 A Gold Coast surfer was in a “bad way” and looked like he had died before he had left the water after an attack […]