1 00:00:10,614 --> 00:00:15,294 Speaker 1: You're listening to a Muma Mea podcast. Mumma Mea acknowledges 2 00:00:15,334 --> 00:00:18,134 Speaker 1: the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast 3 00:00:18,214 --> 00:00:24,454 Speaker 1: is recorded on. Hi. I'm Melisabezaz from Mummamea's daily news podcast, 4 00:00:24,494 --> 00:00:28,734 Speaker 1: The Quickie with Your Headlines. For Tuesday, October eighth, a 5 00:00:28,814 --> 00:00:32,734 Speaker 1: new highly transmissible COVID variant has been detected in Australia 6 00:00:32,774 --> 00:00:36,494 Speaker 1: for the first time. The XEC variant is a mix 7 00:00:36,574 --> 00:00:39,814 Speaker 1: of two previous omicron strains that have been reported in 8 00:00:39,894 --> 00:00:44,174 Speaker 1: twenty nine countries so far, including Brazil, Canada, China, France, 9 00:00:44,254 --> 00:00:48,854 Speaker 1: Spain and Japan. The University of Queensland's Infectious Diseases physician 10 00:00:48,974 --> 00:00:53,054 Speaker 1: Paul Griffin has told the ABC that the XEC variant 11 00:00:53,094 --> 00:00:56,334 Speaker 1: could become the dominant strain by the end of this month. 12 00:00:56,574 --> 00:00:58,974 Speaker 1: It's raising questions about whether it will lead to a 13 00:00:59,014 --> 00:01:02,054 Speaker 1: wave of COVID cases in time for summer and the 14 00:01:02,094 --> 00:01:06,534 Speaker 1: holiday period. Anthony Albanezi has marked the anniversary of her 15 00:01:06,534 --> 00:01:10,774 Speaker 1: mass's attack on Israel while also acknowledging Estinians being killed 16 00:01:10,814 --> 00:01:14,294 Speaker 1: in Gaza. Speaking in Parliament this morning, the Prime Minister 17 00:01:14,374 --> 00:01:17,094 Speaker 1: said Australia's position on the war in the Middle East 18 00:01:17,414 --> 00:01:21,454 Speaker 1: remained consistent with other nations that only through diplomatic efforts 19 00:01:21,494 --> 00:01:25,254 Speaker 1: with the cycle of conflict and bloodshed be broken. Mister 20 00:01:25,294 --> 00:01:28,694 Speaker 1: Albanesi said the government backed a ceasefire in Gaza as 21 00:01:28,734 --> 00:01:31,814 Speaker 1: well as the release of the Israeli hostages. More than 22 00:01:31,894 --> 00:01:36,094 Speaker 1: one thousand, two hundred Australians, permanent residents and immediate family 23 00:01:36,094 --> 00:01:39,654 Speaker 1: members have been evacuated from Lebanon as the federal government 24 00:01:39,734 --> 00:01:44,014 Speaker 1: continues urging people to leave. Six Australian government flights have 25 00:01:44,134 --> 00:01:47,494 Speaker 1: ferried people to safety, while a further three thousand, eight 26 00:01:47,574 --> 00:01:50,974 Speaker 1: hundred and ninety two Australians and their families are registered 27 00:01:50,974 --> 00:01:57,014 Speaker 1: to depart, with vulnerable and displaced passengers prioritized back home. 28 00:01:57,054 --> 00:02:00,134 Speaker 1: And new research shows gen Z have the highest daily 29 00:02:00,254 --> 00:02:05,214 Speaker 1: smoking rates undoing decades of anti smoking campaigning. The group 30 00:02:05,294 --> 00:02:08,174 Speaker 1: aiged from sixteen to twenty four smoke more than any 31 00:02:08,294 --> 00:02:12,774 Speaker 1: other age range, with thirteen percent the greater population smoking daily. 32 00:02:13,174 --> 00:02:15,814 Speaker 1: The research, conducted by West Farmers as part of the 33 00:02:15,814 --> 00:02:19,974 Speaker 1: West Health's inaugural Health Index, is the largest of its kind, 34 00:02:20,094 --> 00:02:23,414 Speaker 1: analyzing three million data points looking at the prevalence of 35 00:02:23,454 --> 00:02:26,854 Speaker 1: health risk factors in Australians. The index is designed to 36 00:02:26,854 --> 00:02:30,614 Speaker 1: help policy makers, health care providers and communities better understand 37 00:02:30,614 --> 00:02:34,654 Speaker 1: and address the key health challenges facing our nation. It 38 00:02:34,694 --> 00:02:38,734 Speaker 1: found twenty six percent of Australians have obesity, only thirty 39 00:02:38,774 --> 00:02:43,134 Speaker 1: percent have high blood pressure. Meantime, Australians paying more for 40 00:02:43,174 --> 00:02:45,854 Speaker 1: a trip to the doctor despite the tripling of bulk 41 00:02:45,894 --> 00:02:49,454 Speaker 1: billing incentive payments. An annual survey of more than three 42 00:02:49,454 --> 00:02:52,774 Speaker 1: thousand GPS and GPS in training by the Royal Australian 43 00:02:52,774 --> 00:02:55,974 Speaker 1: College of GPS shows the average fee for a twenty 44 00:02:56,014 --> 00:02:59,934 Speaker 1: minute consultation rose around three dollars sixty from seventy four 45 00:02:59,934 --> 00:03:02,894 Speaker 1: dollars and sixty six cents in twenty twenty three to 46 00:03:03,094 --> 00:03:06,454 Speaker 1: seventy eight dollars twenty six this year. The twenty twenty 47 00:03:06,534 --> 00:03:09,174 Speaker 1: four Health of the Nation report also revealed the number 48 00:03:09,174 --> 00:03:11,814 Speaker 1: of GPS charging more than eighty five dollars for a 49 00:03:11,854 --> 00:03:15,534 Speaker 1: consultation lifted to forty three percent, while the number of 50 00:03:15,534 --> 00:03:18,494 Speaker 1: GPS slugging patients more than ninety dollars on average for 51 00:03:18,534 --> 00:03:21,814 Speaker 1: a consultation has spied from twenty three percent to thirty 52 00:03:21,974 --> 00:03:25,494 Speaker 1: seven percent. On average, patients were out of pocket more 53 00:03:25,534 --> 00:03:29,134 Speaker 1: than forty five dollars after seeing a GP. In November, 54 00:03:29,174 --> 00:03:31,934 Speaker 1: the incentives of doctors to bok bill were tripled for children, 55 00:03:32,014 --> 00:03:36,614 Speaker 1: pensioners and healthcare card holders. Australian College GP's president Nicole 56 00:03:36,694 --> 00:03:39,774 Speaker 1: Higgins said Medicare rebates had not kept up with inflation, 57 00:03:40,334 --> 00:03:44,694 Speaker 1: causing out of pocket costs to increase and brit pop 58 00:03:44,734 --> 00:03:48,174 Speaker 1: sensation Oasis will play concerts in Australia for the first 59 00:03:48,174 --> 00:03:51,094 Speaker 1: time in two decades as part of the band's reunion tour. 60 00:03:51,574 --> 00:03:54,814 Speaker 1: Liam and Noel Gallagher will play at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium 61 00:03:54,854 --> 00:03:58,294 Speaker 1: on October thirty one, twenty twenty five, followed by Sydney's 62 00:03:58,294 --> 00:04:01,854 Speaker 1: a Course Stadium on November seven, backed by touring Giant 63 00:04:02,014 --> 00:04:05,454 Speaker 1: Live Nation. Registration to buy the tickets has opened online, 64 00:04:05,494 --> 00:04:09,054 Speaker 1: with pre sales open on Monday and general sales starting 65 00:04:09,054 --> 00:04:12,654 Speaker 1: on Shoes Day. That's your latest news headlines. On tomorrow's 66 00:04:12,694 --> 00:04:14,654 Speaker 1: episode of The Quikie, we're looking at the rise of 67 00:04:14,694 --> 00:04:17,694 Speaker 1: the podcast Guru. Should you be taking everything they say 68 00:04:17,734 --> 00:04:20,214 Speaker 1: about life, health and happiness with a grain of salt? 69 00:04:20,574 --> 00:04:23,214 Speaker 1: Listen to the Quickie wherever you get your podcasts.