Alison Branley
Alison Branley is a member of the ABC's Specialist Reporting Team. Her roles include researching, producing and reporting. Alison's work appears online, on TV and on radio. She has worked for News Ltd and Fairfax as an award-winning newspaper and online reporter. She specialises in education, disability, health and social affairs journalism.
Follow Alison on Twitter: @Ally_bee
Latest by Alison Branley
Doctor requested 21,000 COVID tests in a single day: How some pathology companies 'rorted' Medicare during the pandemic
Exclusive by the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Some Australian pathology companies engaged in widespread and "systematic rorting" at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with new documents revealing accusations of fraud, cost-shifting and "opportunistic" claiming.
Updated
Jet's mother was a sixties model who married rock royalty but her life met a tragic end
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Jet James was eight when his mother died tragically. His journey back from childhood trauma led him in an unexpected direction.
Parents failing to submit tax returns are skewing child support payments
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley and national education and parenting reporter Conor Duffy
Legal experts want the federal government to foot the bill for child support if an ex-partner doesn't pay, with new data revealing last financial year 168,000 parents had overdue tax returns.
Updated
Can you future-proof your kids against bullying? Experts say there's lots you can do
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Matt Purcell was just six years old when a group of older boys stuffed him in a council bin and left him to stew in the juices. He's now a youth worker helping kids deal with bullies.
Updated
'There's a radicalisation happening online': Fears hardcore porn could be behind rising rates of teen sexual assaults
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
By the time she was 19, Rikki Hoyland had already been sexually assaulted twice. The Queensland youth worker represents a new generation of adolescents experiencing sexual assault at rates never seen before.
Updated
Finlay was screaming as he arrived at hospital — but staff 'rolled their eyes' and didn't see him for hours
By national disability affairs reporter Nas Campanella, with the Specialist Reporting Team's Mary Lloyd and Alison Branley
Remembering their son Finlay brings smiles to his parents' faces — but the pain of losing him to what they believe was a preventable death is undeniable.
Four Corners profiled Ange's mum in 1996. Now she's a mum trying to do things differently
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Childhood maltreatment is responsible for up to 41 per cent of common mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self-harm and suicide attempts, according to a new study.
Updated
How to talk to children about the trauma of the Bondi Junction stabbings
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
How do you talk to children about the horror of the stabbings when you struggle to process it yourself.
When Mim's mortgage went up by $1,200 a month she asked her bank for help and never heard back
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Mim was denied credit from her bank because of her single status, but before that, she was ignored and "cut loose" when she asked for financial hardship help. She's not alone, with complaints about banks and lenders on the rise.
'I felt violated': Samantha asked for an epidural three times during labour and was dismissed each time
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Women say they are being routinely delayed or denied epidurals when giving birth because of mistaken beliefs about their impact on labour.
Updated
'Child support is an archaic system': Debts continue to rise as critics call for overhaul
By national education and parenting reporter Conor Duffy and the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Australia's child support system is outdated and not keeping pace with inflation, according to critics, who say it disproportionately disadvantages women.
Toddlers losing up to 1,100 words a day due to screen time and risking language delay, according to study
By national education and parenting reporter Conor Duffy and the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Toddlers who get more screen time could be learning fewer new words, an Australian study finds, warning parents of the opportunity cost of distracting children with devices.
GP bulk-billing rates are falling but there are other doctors who charge much larger out-of-pockets
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley and Leonie Thorne
New data suggests that adults without concession cards might be finding it harder to find a GP that bulk-bills — but that's only one part of the picture.
After years of extreme weather, this couple would 'prefer to deal with Satan' than their insurer
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley, Leonie Thorne and Shannon Schubert
After two years of floods inundating the east coast of Australia, thousands of customers are still waiting for their claims to be finalised.
Updated
Wood heater smoke estimated to kill up to 63 in Australian city each year, prompting calls for national ban
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Researchers call for new wood heaters to be banned from urban areas and for existing ones to be phased out after their study shows their smoke may be killing up to 63 people a year in the ACT alone.
Updated
Dutton wants people to 'boycott Woolworths', but it's not the only company backing away from Australia Day
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Leonie Thorne and Alison Branley
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is calling on Australians to "boycott Woolworths" after the retailer announced it is not going to stock Australia Day merchandise this year. But experts say the company's decision is the result of a movement that's been occurring for years.
Updated
'Health crisis' looming as series of pain relief opioid medications discontinued
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Doctors hold growing concerns about a significant shortage of opioid pain medicines given to some of the sickest Australians.
Updated
Having cancer has cost Karen more than $10,000 and the monthly pharmacy bills keep adding up
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Prescriptions may be subsidised but the cost of over-the-counter pharmacy products is adding up for the chronically ill.
'They should definitely ban it': Ministers contemplate future of deadly kitchen material
By national consumer affairs reporter Michael Atkin and the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Australia could make a world-first decision to ban engineered stone due to the "unacceptable risk to workers", but it's too late for hundreds of people living with silicosis.
Latest COVID wave will increase risk and severity of long COVID but clinics rapidly closing
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Internationally, countries such as the US are scaling up efforts to address long COVID but Australia continues to close its specialist clinics. Medical professionals in Australia and overseas say it is a move that needs an urgent rethink.
'It's not a choice': Families who have had terminations for medical reasons say they are misunderstood
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Alison Branley
Families and advocates say the stigma around terminations for medical reasons means many people don't reach out for crucial support.
NDIS access would change Peter's life, but he's locked out and says the reason is 'cruel and unfair'
By the Specialist Reporting Team's Celina Edmonds and Alison Branley
A Victorian man is taking his fight to become an NDIS participant to the UN, accusing the Australian government of age discrimination and breaching his human rights.
Frances was told she'd be dead within months if she didn't stop drinking
By national health reporter Alison Branley and the Specialist Reporting Team's Rhiannon Hobbins
Alcohol cost Frances her friends, family, and career. And on more than one occasion, it almost took her life.
Mental health disorders in young Australians surge by 47 per cent over 15 years, new data shows
By national health reporter Alison Branley and the Specialist Reporting Team's Jenya Goloubeva
Mental health disorders among young people have soared by nearly 50 per cent in 15 years, new data shows, as experts warn the health system is struggling to cope with the growing complexity and demand.
Updated
After waiting six hours in an emergency department, Kasey is wondering where her city's Urgent Care Clinic is
By national health reporter Alison Branley and the Specialist Reporting Team's Mary Lloyd
Less than half of the federal government's promised urgent care clinics have opened, months after the policy was supposed to be delivered.
Updated