http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/cassie-byrnes/ Cassie is currently studying for her Masters of Journalism at University of Technology Sydney. Prior to that she completed a BA in political science at University of Sydney. She hopes to be a political journalist one day and loves travelling, literature, writing and cooking. en Copyright 2013 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-if-conception-happened-after-your-dad-died/ All children inevitably ask where they come from. One potential mother is going to have a harder job than most. “Well darling, your father committed suicide and I had to get a court order to retrieve his sperm within twenty four hours of his death. Then I had to get another court order to use the sperm. And that’s how you were born.” Last week one woman’s bid to access her dead husband’s sperm was granted by Supreme Court Justice James Edelman, paving the way to allow West Australian women to access their dead husbands’ sperm without a court order. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Cassie Byrnes) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-if-conception-happened-after-your-dad-died/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-if-conception-happened-after-your-dad-died/#item10399 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:40:30 +0000 Cassie Byrnes | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/If-only-the-pokie-venues-were-as-committed-as-wilkie/ It’s all well and good to have debated the pre-commitment poker machine legislation back and forth for the last two years, but none of it matters unless gambling venues commit to upholding the responsible conduct of gambling code. And clubs aren’t doing that. Or not in my experience anyway. Drug dealers make money from selling drugs. Prostitutes make their money from sex. For three years I earned a living serving people who destroyed their lives and their families with gambling addictions. The only difference with my trade was, it’s socially acceptable. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Cassie Byrnes) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/If-only-the-pokie-venues-were-as-committed-as-wilkie/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/If-only-the-pokie-venues-were-as-committed-as-wilkie/#item10175 Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:45:08 +0000 Cassie Byrnes | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/time-for-wayne-to-stop-singing-to-clives-tune/ Australian political commentary seems to have taken a musical detour in the past few months. From Craig Emerson’s ‘Whyalla wipe out’ Skyhooks rendition to Wayne Swan using the lyricism of Bruce Springsteen in his war with Clive Palmer, Australian politicians are rocking musical metaphors.  Wayne Swan has used Springsteen’s Badlands ballad in his recent tit for tat warfare with Clive Palmer. Swan spoke at the 2012 Button Lecture telling his audience how ‘The Boss” inspires him. “‘Poor man want to be rich, rich man want to be king, and a king ain’t satisfied till he rules everything’.  Now when I listened to that song again recently it struck me that Springsteen was talking expressly about a few people I’ve written about lately.” said Swan. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Cassie Byrnes) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/time-for-wayne-to-stop-singing-to-clives-tune/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/time-for-wayne-to-stop-singing-to-clives-tune/#item9134 Thu, 02 Aug 2012 05:30:06 +0000 Cassie Byrnes | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Why-e-readers-could-lead-to-the-death-of-literature/ That private moment between you and your ebook whether it is in bed, at the beach, on the train or even on the toilet is no longer solitary. It has become quite public. It is being shared with authors, publishers, advertisers and multinational companies. They know what you’re reading, when you’re reading it and what quotes you happen to highlight. Even the battery life is accessible information. Previously publishers and authors were not privy to our intimate reading habits. Books were the last frontier left to conquer by advertisers. Now they know everything. They know your reading habits better than you do. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Cassie Byrnes) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Why-e-readers-could-lead-to-the-death-of-literature/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Why-e-readers-could-lead-to-the-death-of-literature/#item8961 Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:35:55 +0000 Cassie Byrnes | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punching-cones-as-easy-as-abc-for-aussie-teens/ The United Nations World Drug Report 2012 has found that Australian and New Zealanders consume more marijuana per capita than any other country. The findings of this report are unsurprising.The proliferation of cannabis among underage Australians is shocking. Marijuana is easier for a 16 year old to acquire than any other illegal substance.  In Australia it is illegal for a person under 18 years to buy alcohol and tobacco. Marijuana unlike alcohol and cigarettes is not regulated, making it more accessible for underage persons. It’s not uncommon to hear of people as young as 14 smoking marijuana. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Cassie Byrnes) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punching-cones-as-easy-as-abc-for-aussie-teens/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punching-cones-as-easy-as-abc-for-aussie-teens/#item8848 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:44:26 +0000 Cassie Byrnes | Author bios | The Punch