Morning all,

Have you wondered why some people keep catching COVID while others seem to be immune?

Our daily news podcast, The Quicky, spoke to an expert epidemiologist this week to find out what is going on and what factors determine whether you are more or less vulnerable to catching the virus.

My colleague Isabella Ross takes you through the biggest takeaways from the chat right here.

But first, let's get you up to speed with the biggest news stories you need to know today, Thursday April 6.

1. PM says he intervened in NSW pre-selection to protect women in parliament.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he intervened in NSW pre-selections to protect female candidates in parliament whose positions were being threatened by faction groups in the state branch.

"I'm asked all the time, 'Why won't the Prime Minister do more about getting good women in parliament and stand up for the women in parliament?' So I stood up for the women in my team," he told ABC's 7.30 Report, saying he's "very serious about having great women" in his ranks.

PM @ScottMorrisonMP claims he made the decision to intervene in some pre-selections in New South Wales because he is "very serious about having great women" in his ranks. #abc730 pic.twitter.com/aKxA8VOGGS
— abc730 (@abc730) April 5, 2022

On Tuesday, the NSW Court of Appeal ruled the move was valid and upheld the federal intervention which enabled the re-endorsement of ministers Alex Hawke and Sussan Ley, along with backbencher Trent Zimmerman.

The judgment has cleared one of the final hurdles for the prime minister, who is set to call the federal election in a matter of days.

But an application for the High Court to hear an appeal on the decision could throw a spanner in the works.

The Sydney Morning Heraldhas reported an application for special leave to appeal the decision was being prepared and would be lodged on Wednesday.

The prime minister says he will always stand up for people in his party and particularly people in his government when factions try to "take them out".

2. Ukraine tells UN to make Russia accountable for war crimes.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy has told the UN Security Council that "accountability must be inevitable" for Russia as he accused invading Russian troops of committing "the most terrible war crimes" since World War Two.

Zelenskiy questioned the value of the 15-member Security Council, which has been unable to take any action over Russia's February 24 invasion because permanent member Moscow has a veto power, along with the United States, France, Britain and China.

"We are dealing with a state that turns its veto at the UN Security Council into the right to (cause) death," Zelenskiy said in a live video address from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, calling for action to reform the world body. "Russia wants to turn Ukraine into silent slaves," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian troops of gruesome atrocities in Ukraine, describing it as the worst since World War II. #9News https://t.co/lu2buJnfWy
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) April 5, 2022

Responding to Zelenskiy, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Council that Russian troops were not targeting civilians, dismissing accusations of abuse as lies.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said responsible world powers and global leaders need to "show backbone - and stand up to Russia's dangerous and unprovoked threat against Ukraine and the world".

The United States and its allies are expected to announce a sweeping new round of sanctions today including a ban on all new investment in Russia, according to a source familiar with the move.

The European Union's executive has proposed extending sanctions to include a ban on coal imports from Russia as part of the West's response to the discovery of bodies of civilian in the northern Ukrainian town of Bucha.

3. Movie World ride closed after 12-year-old boy injured.

A 12-year-old boy has been hospitalised after falling from a ride and suffering head injuries at Warner Brothers Movie World in Queensland.

Emergency services were called to the theme park just after 1pm yesterday and took the boy to the Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition after he fell from the Looney Tunes Carousel.

In a statement, Village Roadshow Theme Parks confirmed the boy "received a laceration to his head" and the ride had since been closed while "we understand how the incident occurred".

An investigation is underway into a horrific accident at Movie World on the Gold Coast, after a 12-year-old boy was injured on a ride. #9Today pic.twitter.com/nQNbAfmnQy
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) April 5, 2022

Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor William Houghton told reporters the boy was "tended to by one of the (registered nurses) on scene, so he had good first aid given before we arrived".

"The scene was very calm... everyone seemed really helpful."

"People can die from head injuries but he’s extremely lucky," he said, adding "he’s in the best care at the moment".

4. Vaccine mandates to be scrapped in Queensland.

Vaccine mandates preventing unvaccinated people from visiting most venues in Queensland will be relaxed from next week.

Queenslanders will no longer need to show their vaccination status before entering venues such as cafes and clubs from 1:00am on Thursday April 14.

"The venues include: Pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants, theme parks, casinos and cinemas, weddings, showgrounds, galleries, libraries, museums and stadiums," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wrote on Twitter.

However, vaccine requirements will still apply for vulnerable settings including schools, aged care facilities, hospitals, and correctional facilities.

BREAKING: Queensland COVID-19 restrictions are easing further from 1am Thursday 14 April.

From then, most venues that have been open only to vaccinated staff and patrons will be open to everyone, regardless of vaccination status. pic.twitter.com/NrQblxOep6
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) April 5, 2022

The announcement comes after the state recorded 9946 new cases and eight deaths on Tuesday.

5. Case of "serious misconduct" flagged between NSW Police and an Indigenous teenager.

If you missed it yesterday, a NSW Police officer has been found to have engaged in "serious misconduct" when he repeatedly touched a restrained, sedated Aboriginal teenager on the nipple.

An inquiry into the misconduct recommended administrative punishments, including coaching or restricted duties, but the Aboriginal Legal Service wants the officer to face criminal charges.

The findings were part of the NSW Law Enforcement Conduct Commission's investigation that was released yesterday, following an investigation during which the officers involved were shown footage of the incident.

In the footage, the officer is seen repeatedly touching the 15-year-old boy on the nipple and making "turkey gobbler" noises as fellow officers laughed along.

"The officer alleged to have inappropriately touched the young person's nipple conceded that the footage clearly depicted him doing so whilst laughing along with other officers," the LECC said.

"A NSW Police officer engaged in serious misconduct when he touched the nipple of a restrained Aboriginal boy, made a turkey gobble noise and laughed with other officers, the law enforcement watchdog has found." @gmitch_news https://t.co/67QfOZ3SVi
— Cameron Gooley (@CameronGooley) April 5, 2022

He was restrained, sedated, and his face covered with a towel on an ambulance stretcher when the officer repeatedly touched his exposed nipple, the LECC reported. Police later accused the teen of assaulting police, a charge that was dismissed by a magistrate.

The LECC noted the incident amounted to serious misconduct, and recommended the police commissioner consider taking "non-reviewable action", which can range from coaching and mentoring, through to warnings, reprimands and restricted duties for the officer.

And that's it, you're all up to speed. We'll keep you updated with more of the top news stories throughout the day.

- With AAP.

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