Melissa Sweet
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melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet
@melissasweetdr.bsky.social
5.1K followers 1.7K following 4.4K posts

Journalist sharing news on health in all policies, First Nations health, health equity, social determinants of health and climate justice. Based in Australia, and providing local, national and global coverage. Editor in Chief, Croakey Health Media (NFP) .. more

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Melissa Sweet is an Australian journalist and nonfiction writer. Formerly employed by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin magazine, and Australian Associated Press, she specialises in writing about human health and medicine. .. more

Public Health 31%
Medicine 20%
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melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 8d
And that's a wrap on this week's @CroakeyNews bulletin. It's been a bit huge...
www.croakey.org

Subscribers and donors are always welcome, always appreciated!
www.croakey.org/subscribe-to-croakey/
www.croakey.org/support-croa...

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Australia social media ban: Why isn't gaming included?
Parents and experts say gaming poses many of the same risks for kids as social media, and want them included.
www.bbc.com

Reposted by Melissa Sweet

vmontori.bsky.social
Víctor M Montori MD @vmontori.bsky.social · 1d
Read it here: www.bmj.com/content/391/... We hope you will share it broadly and if you find our points compelling enough that you will engage with it and discuss. @patientrevolution.org
Reclaiming human care from surveillance capitalism
We must end the commodification of health data by big tech companies, centre healthcare on care, and put people back in control, argue Victor, J P, and Victor M Montori Big tech companies are drivin...
www.bmj.com

Reposted by Melissa Sweet

vmontori.bsky.social
Víctor M Montori MD @vmontori.bsky.social · 1d
Our article argues that this trend risks undermining care by prioritizing profit and data mining over meaningful clinical relationships. It is a call to resist and dismantle surveillance capitalism.

Reposted by Melissa Sweet

vmontori.bsky.social
Víctor M Montori MD @vmontori.bsky.social · 1d
We must end the commodification of health data by big tech companies, center healthcare on care, and put people back in control of their health information.

Excited to share a new article by Juan Montori, Victor Montori, and I published in @bmj.com about the encroachment of Big Tech in healthcare.

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
‘Not normal’: Climate crisis supercharged deadly monsoon floods in Asia

www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Not normal’: Climate crisis supercharged deadly monsoon floods in Asia
Cyclones like those in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia that killed 1,750 are ‘alarming new reality’
www.theguardian.com

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
#WeekendReading! www.croakey.org
Croakey Homepage
www.croakey.org

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Cost-cutting, safety fears for prestigious Sydney private hospital
Dozens of doctors at one of Sydney’s most well-known private hospitals have shared concerns about its potential sale to another group of private equity investors.
www.smh.com.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
Thanks Mike for your contribution :)

Reposted by Mike Daube

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
And that's a wrap on this week's @croakeynews.bsky.social bulletin. IT IS MASSIVE.

Subscribe here if you'd like to support independent media and receive a stack of health-promoting reading each week:

www.croakey.org/subscribe-to...

'From celebration to consternation'

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
This article has been updated for a final time.
Victorian Government faces avalanche of opposition over its move against VicHealth – Croakey Health Media www.croakey.org/victorian-go...
Victorian Government faces avalanche of opposition over its move against VicHealth
*** This post has been updated multiple times *** The outpouring of support for VicHealth continues following last week’s shock
www.croakey.org

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
This article has been updated for a final time.
Victorian Government faces avalanche of opposition over its move against VicHealth – Croakey Health Media www.croakey.org/victorian-go...
Victorian Government faces avalanche of opposition over its move against VicHealth
*** This post has been updated multiple times *** The outpouring of support for VicHealth continues following last week’s shock
www.croakey.org

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
As Victoria enters Treaty era, there are renewed calls for national leadership on Indigenous rights – Croakey Health Media

www.croakey.org/as-victoria-...

By @mariemcinerney.bsky.social - with some stunning pix
As Victoria enters Treaty era, there are renewed calls for national leadership on Indigenous rights
As a large crowd turned out in Naarm/Melbourne tonight to celebrate the State's historic Treaty, the Victorian Government has been
www.croakey.org

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
For public health, 2025 brought some wins, as well as losses – Croakey Health Media www.croakey.org/for-public-h...
For public health, 2025 brought some wins, as well as losses
All of a sudden, or so it seems to us at Croakey, it's that time of the year again –
www.croakey.org

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 1d
Hot off the presses - latest #ICYMI: causes for celebration, and also consternation, plus yet more Ministerial karaoke – Croakey Health Media
www.croakey.org/icymi-causes...

Health news you might have missed, from local to national and global
ICYMI: causes for celebration, and also consternation, plus yet more Ministerial karaoke
In the column this week are several causes for celebration: a growing nation of Torres Strait Islander doctors, Aboriginal Community
www.croakey.org

Reposted by Mike Daube

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
cpsuvic.org/article/view...
"ill-conceived" Public servants and community vow to fight VicHealth merger, urge rethink
cpsuvic.org

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/about-us/sil...
www.vichealth.vic.gov.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.smh.com.au/world/north-...
How a manosphere star accused of rape and trafficking was freed
Facing serious charges, Andrew Tate was barred from leaving Romania. Then weeks after Donald Trump took office, an extraordinary order came down from the highest levels of the Romanian government.
www.smh.com.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.smh.com.au/world/europe...
‘We are Russia’s next target’: NATO chief warns Europe to be prepared for war
Mark Rutte urged allies to step up defence efforts to prevent a war that could be “on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured”.
www.smh.com.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
A significant alert issued by Ahpra today

@croakeynews.bsky.social

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
Launching a special investigation: how is primary healthcare tackling the planetary health crisis? – Croakey Health Media www.croakey.org/launching-a-...
By @mariemcinerney.bsky.social
With thanks to LINA & #PHCmatters supporters

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
Israeli reporters unite against government moves to curb press freedom johnmenadue.com/post/2025/12...
Israeli reporters unite against government moves to curb press freedom
Hundreds of Israeli journalists gathered on Tuesday morning in Tel Aviv for an emergency conference, sounding the alarm as the government continues to advance initiatives that threaten the country's f...
johnmenadue.com

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Woman denied period products in hospital says it's 'dehumanising'
When Samantha Bruce got her period in hospital she wasn't able to get a pad or tampon. She says the response left her feeling "small and dehumanised".
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
How a Bathurst mother stood up to world leaders on social media ban
Bathurst mother and lawyer Emma Mason's advocacy for Australia's social media ban has always been in honour of her late daughter, Tilly.
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
NDIS 'robo-plans': What we know — and what we don't
The finer details of a new NDIS planning system are yet to be finalised, but it's already drawing comparisons to failed Coalition-era reforms, write Nas Campanella and Evan Young.
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
NSW hospital execs could be barred from blocking abortions on religious grounds
Hospital managers and executives in NSW will be barred from blocking abortions because of moral and religious views, according to a document obtained by the ABC.
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
'Deeply furious': More than 3,000 aged care patients stranded in hospitals
State health ministers will today enter their final meeting of the year with their federal counterpart armed with figures showing a 25 per cent increase in just three months of aged care patients stra...
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
US State Department to revert to Times New Roman font over 'wasteful' Calibri
In a leaked internal cable, Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls the department's decision to adopt Calibri in 2023 a "wasteful" diversity move.
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Climate crisis threatens disabled Australians' access to nature
From bushfires and decreasing air quality to flooding and erosion, climate change is threatening our relationship with nature, and people with disability are being disproportionately impacted.
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Two remote outback stations in NSW to be converted into national parks
Two outback stations 800 kilometres west of Sydney are purchased by the state government in an effort to protect the environment.
www.abc.net.au

melissasweetdr.bsky.social
Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 2d
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Tiwi Islands become 700,000-hectare Indigenous Protected Area
The agreement with the federal government sees the Tiwi Islands included in Australia's national parks and reserves system.
www.abc.net.au