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Erin Parke
Broome, WA
Erin Parke is a national regional affairs reporter based in Broome in Western Australia. Originally from Perth, she did stints in newsrooms in New Zealand before settling in the remote Kimberley region. She dabbles in documentary making and has won awards for her reporting with programs 7.30 and Background Briefing.
Latest by Erin Parke
'I heard this terrible screaming': Five years on, has anything changed since 13 children and young people died by suicide?
By national regional affairs reporter Erin Parke
It's been five years since an inquest laid bare the chaotic lives of children, including a 10-year-old girl, who took their own lives in outback Australia. Are kids any safer now?
Updated
Former home of Broome Catholic Bishop Christopher Saunders raided by police
By national regional affairs reporter Erin Parke and Hannah Murphy
Police say detectives are in Broome as part of an ongoing investigation into historic child sex offences.
Updated
Raquel lives 'off the grid'. She's part of a growing trend finding meaning in new age spiritual practices
Regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
New age spiritualism is not new, but it morphed during the COVID pandemic and appears more popular than ever. The first detailed Australian study examines what happens when spirituality and wellness intersect with conspiracy theories.
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'The category of domestic animals': Aboriginal people named Hitler, Stalin and Bing Crosby
Across northern Australia, some Aboriginal people have grown up bearing the names of Hollywood stars and fascist dictators. It's a link back to a dark chapter in history.
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Businessman quits WA town after daughter, staff menaced during 'extremely violent' break-in
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch rejects claims that Broome is in the midst of a crime crisis, but residents disagree and some are voting with their feet.
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'It was super eerie': Suspected human graves on WA island spark offshore mystery
By national regional reporter Erin Parke
Police will travel to a remote West Australian island where shocked boat skippers found what they believe are recent burial sites, raising questions about the number of people who are dying unrecorded in Australian waters.
Getting a restraining order can be hard for regional women. FIFO lawyers hope to change that
By Alicia Bridges, Erin Parke, and Rosanne Maloney
Fly-in fly-out lawyer visits and "virtual offices" are helping women in regional WA access domestic violence support, but concerns remain about funding for services on the ground.
Indigenous Australians look to the future with hope despite Voice referendum defeat
By Carly Williams, Erin Parke, Marian Faa, and Andrea Mayes
While many say they are devastated by the No result in Saturday's referendum, First Nations leaders around the country are also hopeful that positive change can result.
The Vatican has lost control of Australian Bishop Christopher Saunders. Here's how it happened
By national regional affairs reporter Erin Parke
He still has a beer named after him at a local pub but few people are toasting the career of Bishop Christopher Saunders. It's been a rapid fall from grace for the senior cleric who's accused of sexual assault and appears to be disobeying Vatican orders.
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Catholic Bishop facing allegations of sexually abusing four young males, potentially grooming dozens more, in Vatican report
'Deeply distressing' allegations have been levelled against long-serving Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders, including sexually assaulting young males.
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'Being lonely is like being hungry or thirsty': Why aren't Australians socialising like they used to?
By regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
Australians have a reputation for being a sociable bunch, but we're spending more time alone than ever before. Experts say social media, living alone and a fashion for being busy is driving the trend.
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Why are Australians turning to private security guards in record numbers?
By regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
More private security guards are patrolling public places like schools, shopping strips and libraries. Some find the trend reassuring, while others say it's alarming.
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Jimmy Taylor was 12 when he vanished. Now there's a new suspect and a $1 million reward
By regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
It's been almost 50 years since Jimmy Taylor vanished from outside a shop in his home town. Now a new suspect and a $1 million reward have sparked hopes the mystery may be solved.
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A $1 million reward sparks hopes the mystery of Jimmy Taylor's disappearance may be solved
Across the country there are hundreds of 'cold cases' - believed to involve foul play - that remain unsolved. The WA Government has launched a campaign to generate fresh leads by announcing $1-million rewards in relation to dozens of them.
One of those cases involves the disappearance of a 12 year-old boy in 1947. Erin Parke travelled to the northern town of Derby to meet his family.
Duration: 10 minutes 13 seconds
Outback travellers put on notice after increase in car fires
By the National Regional Reporting Team's Erin Parke and Nathan Morris
Thought snakes and crocodiles were the main hazard in the outback? Think again. Motoring experts say after the big wet season cars are catching alight due to vegetation growth.
'Nan can you take me to hospital?': Suicide rates rising across Australia as pandemic effects take toll
Regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
Glenys's son died by suicide, and now her grandson is threatening self-harm. With suicide rates rising after the pandemic, what are we doing to prevent this tragic loss of life?
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Fishermen deaths off WA coast spark calls for Indonesian government to do more to regulate and educate
As Indonesian's island community of Rote again mourns the loss of fishermen in Australian waters, there are renewed calls for government and non-government organisations to find a solution.
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Fears for two more Indonesian fishing boats missing off north-west WA after Tropical Cyclone Ilsa
By Greig Johnston, Grace Burmas, Anne Barker, and Erin Parke
Indonesian villagers say two more fishing boats remain unaccounted for after hitting trouble during Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, following the dramatic rescue of 11 fishermen off the WA coast.
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Eleven Indonesian fishers stranded by Cyclone Ilsa rescued, nine feared dead
The group was stranded on the Rowley Shoals for close to a week after the record-breaking storm. Nine fishers remain unaccounted for.
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Tip-offs narrow search for descendants of Australia's mysterious overseas colony
By regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
Don Wininba Ganambarr's grandmother vanished from a remote beach, only to reappear in mysterious circumstances decades later. She could be key to solving the mystery of Australia's little-known overseas settlement.
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Family history could hold key to solving mystery
By regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
Don Wininba Ganambarr's grandmother vanished from a remote beach, only to reappear in mysterious circumstances decades later. She could be key to solving the mystery of Australia's little-known overseas settlement.
Duration: 2 minutes 8 seconds
Around 30,000 people could have lost up to $300m in funeral funds. Vennessa's trying to get some back
By regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
Vennessa Poelina is flying 3,000 kilometres to try to convince the government to fulfil its "moral obligation" to compensate for her $20,000 in lost pre-paid funeral plans.
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Centrelink payments increase from Monday, but some Australians are already relocating for a cheaper lifestyle
By national regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
More than 4 million Australians will see their government welfare payments increase next week, but many are already taking drastic measures to reduce their cost of living.
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Proof of mystery settlement of Aboriginal Australians and Indonesians found in an Italian library
By national regional social affairs reporter Erin Parke
There's growing evidence Aboriginal people moved to Indonesia at least 150 years ago and started families. These images are the first photographic proof of this community.
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'It's been tough': Relief as flood-impacted highway reopens in WA's north
A key transport route in West Australia's north west has reopened after recent, record-breaking floods completely washed away a 3-kilometre stretch of highway.
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