1. Fears over public fountains and splash parks after children fall ill from contaminated water.
There are fears over the health and safety of “splash parks” after it became apparent that many of them hold contaminated water.
Fairfax Media reports that the NSW Baird government plans to change the Public Health Act to make splash parks and interactive water fountains included in the definition of a public swimming pool and thus subject to the same health and safety rules.
In Western Australia, a toddler developed an eye infection that left her partially blind after playing in a water park at Elizabeth Quay.
But similar parks, such as the one in Sydney’s Darling Harbour are not grouped under the same rules that apply to swimming pools.
Fairfax Media reports that the state government agency Property NSW has refused to confirm if three new interactive water fountains that will open to the public at Darling Harbour in the next fortnight a meet the swimming pool safety standard.
On social media, parents have reported children becoming ill with diarrhea and eye infections after playing in local splash parks.
2. Two monkeys found alive after being stolen from Wildlife Park.
Two monkeys have been found after being stolen from a wildlife park south of Sydney.
The monkeys were two of three rare pygmy marmosets taken from Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh on Saturday morning.
The ABC reports that police arrested two men and recovered the baby monkey and a second monkey.
One other stolen monkey is still missing.