NSW opens its first mental illness unit for new mums and what women are talking about tonight.

This post deals with postnatal depression and might be triggering for some readers. 

New mothers struggling with a mental illness from around NSW will be able to keep their newborns with them while they get the care they need.

The first public mother and baby mental health unit in NSW opened today at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

The Naamuru (‘leading the way’) unit is able to provide care for up to 120 mothers and their babies every year. The eight bedrooms are large enough for a mother, two babies and another family member. A second unit will open at Westmead later this year.

Mothers with acute mental illness will be referred to the Naamuru unit from all around the state. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said mental health was a challenging area of the healthcare sector, particularly for new mothers.

“Dealing with issues of depression at the time they’ve just given birth to their child, and to be separated at birth, that would be incredibly difficult to be going through,” he said.

Jen Whitlam stayed at a private hospital for six weeks with postnatal psychosis following the birth of her son Arlo.

“I had never experienced a mental health issue in my life before,” Jen said. “For a large part of that hospitalisation I was separated from Arlo because there was no such public facility that was able to provide a space that was safe for Arlo to be with me.”

The new public unit will help expand the private care she was able to receive for new mothers facing similar challenges.

“I hope that this unit is able to create the space, the support and the confidence (for women) to be able to move forward as a healthy and happy family,” she said.

Women, Mental Health and Regional Health Minister Bronnie Taylor said the unit would provide the right care at the right time.

“It’s been designed with people with lived experience, people that have been through these issues themselves and come through the other side. I want to see that access [to mental health] right across the state,” she said.

If you think you may be experiencing depression or another mental health problem, please contact your general practitioner. If you're based in Australia, 24-hour support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636. 

If you think you or someone you know may be suffering, contact PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia. You can find their website here or call their helpline – 1300 726 306. 

Car washed away in flood waters north of Mackay overnight. Two passengers got out. Sadly the driver couldn’t and was found deceased in the vehicle @TheTodayShow @9NewsQueensland pic.twitter.com/IcvsLy324Y

— Jess Millward (@JessMillward9) May 11, 2022

- With AAP.

Do you find the news cycle overwhelming? Depressing? Confusing? Boring? Endless? Then you need The Quicky. Mamamia’s daily podcast that gets you up to speed on the top stories. Listen to tonight’s episode now.

A woman has died after the car she was in became submerged in floodwaters in Queensland. 

The woman’s body was found with her seat belt still on about 8am today after a search and rescue by Mackay police and SES crews, police said. She was trapped in the vehicle around 5am with two others on Surprise Creek Rd at Mount Ossa, north of Mackay, with those occupants able to escape. They were transported in a stable condition to Mackay Base Hospital.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services received 110 calls for help across the state as six-hour rainfalls reached 240mm in some areas.

The weather bureau said severe weather warnings across the state had been cancelled but there remains a flood warning for the Haughton River, moderate flood warnings for Western Queensland, and southern parts can expect warnings late on Wednesday.

Near Innisfail, 244mm of rainfall was recorded at Mourilyan Mill, the highest in Queensland, with Paluma registering 180mm. Flood risks remain. Townsville experienced flash flooding overnight with police officers temporarily stranded in Kirwan as waters rose around the station. The city had totals between 150-190mm as overnight rain caused flash flooding and peaks at catchments.

A flood watch is current for dozens of river and creek catchments across Queensland and almost 300 roads have been cut by floodwaters. In the southeast, heavy rain hit the Sunshine Coast and northern Brisbane. 

A woman has died and emergency services have received more than 90 calls for help after intense, unseasonal May rainfall hit large parts of Queensland.

Details via @MartySilkHack and @FraserBartonAAP: https://t.co/s7kET1jRKQ#QldFloods

— Australian Associated Press (AAP) (@AAPNewswire) May 11, 2022

Car washed away in flood waters north of Mackay overnight. Two passengers got out. Sadly the driver couldn’t and was found deceased in the vehicle @TheTodayShow @9NewsQueensland pic.twitter.com/IcvsLy324Y

— Jess Millward (@JessMillward9) May 11, 2022

- With AAP.

In a very rare interview about her personal life, Michelle Williams has confirmed she is pregnant with her third child and finally revealed her second child’s name, but there’s a reason why she’s kept her personal life out of the spotlight for so long.

Plus, Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams has gone viral after a video of his full-frontal nudity in his new Broadway show Take Me Out started circulating on Twitter. But before you start searching for the images, you need to know the full story behind how they were released.

And Hilary Duff is on the cover of the latest issue of Women’s Health, naked on both the cover and in the accompanying photo spread. In the magazine profile, the actress explains why she chose to do the cover, how she prepared for it, her past struggles with eating disorders, and the pressure of her new TV role. The photos have been promoted as a stance on empowerment, but the harsh reality is that this magazine cover is not here to help us.

Listen to The Spill here!

Morning everyone, 

It's Wednesday May 11 which means we're officially 10 days out from the federal election (yep, we've almost made it).

Before you head to the polls on May 21, we've rounded up every single question about the election you're too afraid to ask. You can find our quick voting 101 guide right here.

But first let's get you across the biggest news stories you need to know this morning.  

1. Labor promises to support women getting back into the workforce.

With less than two weeks until the election, Anthony Albanese is spruiking his plan to increase wages and boost women's workplace participation.

Speaking to ABC's 7.30 program last night, the opposition leader said Labor's increased childcare support would encourage more women back into the workforce.

"It is not welfare. It is not about (child care) going on the government tab. What it is about is growing the economy," he said.

"We need to encourage the full economic participation of women. Women workers are underutilised, undervalued at the moment." 

"We need to encourage the full economic participation of women ... we need to do so much more across the board and child care is a great example whereby it is not welfare ... what it is about is growing the economy." – @AlboMP #abc730 pic.twitter.com/EKqAiCqbYc

— abc730 (@abc730) May 10, 2022

Albanese also backed a rise in the minimum wage to keep up with increasing inflation levels, which is sitting at 5.1 per cent, the highest level in two decades.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce a $50 million election commitment today to develop new technology for the energy sector.

The investment would create a new business and research partnership between the University of NSW and the University of Newcastle.

Albanese and Morrison will face off for the third and final debate on the Channel Seven tonight. 

2. Queensland to criminalise coercive control.

The Queensland government says it will criminalise coercive control and hold an inquiry into police responses to domestic and family violence.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the four-month inquiry follows recommendations from the Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce led by former Court of Appeal president Margaret McMurdo.

"Let me make this very clear: our police service does an exemplary job, countless lives have been saved because of the men and women in our police service," the premier told parliament yesterday. 

"But many survivors report that they did not receive an adequate response at their particular point in time."

The state government will also tighten stalking laws and criminalise coercive control, which includes isolating a partner from family and friends, monitoring their movements, controlling their access to money and psychological and emotional manipulation. 

Another $375 million in funding will be made available to expand domestic violence courts, upgrade support services, roll out a First Nations strategy and fund perpetrator programs "to change men's behaviour".

Families of Hannah Clarke, who was murdered alongside her three children, and Allison Baden-Clay, who was murdered by her husband, were among those who have been pushing for reform.

"A very emotional day for us. This is why we fought, especially for Hannah to give our poor angel a voice and make change," Clarke's father, Lloyd, told 9News.

"Now we just need to work on the other state," said Clarke's mother, Sue.

It is time to HALT the cycle of domestic and family violence in Queensland 💕💕

H for Hannah, A for Aaliyah, L for Laianah and T for Trey. pic.twitter.com/Au8IjDrF3R

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 10, 2022

3. Nicole Manison in line to be new NT leader.

Nicole Manison is the frontrunner to be the Northern Territory's next chief minister after the sudden resignation of Michael Gunner.

Manison, who has been Gunner's deputy since 2016, will be acting chief ahead of a Labor caucus meeting on Friday.

Other contenders for the top job include Health Minister Natasha Fyles.

Gunner announced his decision to quit yesterday, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family after the birth of his second son, Nash, in April. 

The 46-year-old said a heart attack in January 2020, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic had also taken a toll.

"It has caused me to reflect a lot over the past few weeks. I've always given 100 per cent to this job and anything less is short-changing the people that sent me here," he told reporters.

"I can no longer keep looking Territorians in the eye and say 'I can keep giving 100 per cent every day', and if I can't do that I shouldn't be in the chair."

Michael Gunner thanks his deputy Nicole Manison as he steps down as Chief Minister of the NT #ntpols pic.twitter.com/Bn9TEzQ9cE

— Amy Sinclair (@amy_sinclair9) May 10, 2022

While Manison is strongly favoured to be the next chief, she batted away questions about the job, saying it would be determined by the caucus.

4. Ukraine 'pushing Russian troops back'.

Ukraine says its forces have recaptured villages from Russian troops, pressing a major counter-offensive in the northeast of the country that could signal a shift in the war's momentum.

Tetiana Apatchenko, press officer for the 92nd Separate Mechanised Brigade, the main Ukrainian force near Kharkiv, confirmed that Ukrainian troops had recaptured the settlements of Cherkaski Tyshky, Ruski Tyshki, Borshchova and Slobozhanske, in a pocket north of Kharkiv in recent days.

"The military operations of the Ukrainian armed forces around Kharkiv, especially north and northeast of Kharkiv, are sort of a success story," Yuriy Saks, an adviser to Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, told Reuters.

Ukraine pushes back Russian troops in counteroffensive near Kharkiv.

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/E0E3gMIph1 pic.twitter.com/JzO4RmjjfC

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 10, 2022

The counterattack could signal a new phase in the war, with Ukraine now going on the offensive after weeks in which Russia mounted a massive assault that Ukrainian troops mostly held off.

By pushing back Russian forces who had occupied the outskirts of Kharkiv since the early days of the war, the Ukrainians are moving into striking distance of the rear supply lines sustaining the main Russian attack force further south.

US President Joe Biden said on Monday he was worried Putin "doesn't have a way out right now and I'm trying to figure out what we do about that."

5. Elon Musk says he will reverse Twitter's ban on Donald Trump.

Billionaire Elon Musk says he will reverse Twitter's ban on former US president Donald Trump, calling the move "morally wrong and flat-out stupid". 

Musk, who has called himself a "free speech absolutist," recently agreed to a $US44 billion ($A64 billion) deal to acquire Twitter. 

Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter shortly after the January 6 riots at the US Capitol, with the social media platform citing "the risk of further incitement of violence" in its decision.

"I do think that it was not correct to ban Donald Trump. I think that was a mistake because it alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice," said Musk. "I think this could end up being frankly worse than having a single forum where everyone can debate." 

"So I guess the answer is that I would reverse the permanent ban, obviously, I don't own Twitter yet, so this is not a thing that will definitely happen because what if I don't own Twitter?"

Elon Musk says he would restore former President Donald Trump's banned account on Twitter if his deal to acquire the company is completed.

"I do think it was not correct to ban Donald Trump, I think that was a mistake," Musk said.https://t.co/ZvkEmOpj0F

— CNN (@CNN) May 10, 2022

Trump previously told Fox News that he would not return to Twitter even if Musk purchases the platform and reinstates his account, and said he would use his own social media app called Truth Social.

And that's it, you're all up to speed. We'll be back with more of the biggest stories throughout the day. 

- With AAP. 

Last week, a leaked document revealed the US Supreme Court is considering overturning the ruling that gives women the legal right to abortion, putting all American women's reproductive rights at risk. 

The Quicky speaks to an international law expert and four women who have had abortions for different reasons, to find out just how dangerous this ruling could be to the health and wellbeing of all women, including in Australia.

READ:

• What women were talking about on Tuesday
• What women were talking about on Monday

Feature Image: Canva.