Niddal Mustafa

Kawther Salih recalls knowing nothing about being married, other than that you wore a white dress, when she became the teen bride of a man who later pleaded guilty to helping fuel Australia's illegal nicotine trade. From that arranged marriage, Ms Salih says, the situation spiralled into an abusive relationship that saw her subjugated into working in the underground tobacco industry. "It was like forced labour on women … it was a nasty situation," she tells the ABC.

A review into Queensland's Veterinary Surgeons Act has raised questions about how veterinary technologists and nurses are regulated. Experts say the highly skilled jobs are under-utilised due to a lack of formal recognition. The Department of Primary Industries is in the early stages of the review and is currently hearing from a range of targeted stakeholders.