'In the bed'; inside WA's mouse plague, calls for a DV royal commission + how swear words change

Australia is grappling with a national crisis on two fronts: a surge in domestic and family violence deaths and an unprecedented mouse plague ravaging rural communities. In the wake of at least six women and children murdered in domestic violence incidents over just four days, calls are intensifying for a National Royal Commission into Violence Against Women—despite Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's skepticism, arguing such commissions merely fund lawyers. Eleanor Rosenman of Women's Legal Services Australia argues the real issue isn't lack of knowledge, but a systemic failure to fund frontline services, with 1,000 women turned away from legal aid weekly. Meanwhile, in Western Australia and South Australia, farmers and towns are overwhelmed by a rodent invasion fueled by record harvests, wet years, and ideal breeding conditions—leading to mice in beds, cars, and rotting in streets. While emergency double-strength baits have been approved, farmers criticize the slow regulatory response. On a cultural front, Australian slang and swearing are evolving rapidly, driven by generational shifts, social media, and irony—words like 'slay' and '6-7' cycle in and out of use. Linguists note that regional swearing variation is less pronounced in Australia than in the UK, but the evolution of insults reflects deeper social dynamics, including rebellion and identity.