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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Charlotte Graham-McLay

Morning Mail: why NSW is our renewables laggard; Australia’s 10 million extra cows; ‘school shopping’ reveals biases

NSW has committed to barely a third of the renewables it needs to meet its 2030 targets.
NSW has committed to barely a third of the renewables it needs to meet its 2030 targets. Photograph: Washington Imaging/Alamy

Good morning. A new report reveals that New South Wales has the largest gap of any of the states between its 2030 emissions reduction goals and the present pace of renewables rollout.

NSW is less than halfway to its goal, the Green Energy Markers report suggests, a performance that will make it harder for Australia to meet the federal government’s 82% renewable energy target for the national grid by the end of the decade.

We also report the climate implications of a huge new figure for the number of Australia’s cows, and overseas US senator Katie Britt is under fire over claims she made in her widely mocked State of the Union reply. Plus – it’s Oscars day! Keep your eye on Guardian Australia for all the news, frocks and surprises.

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In the witness box: former police officer Zachary Rolfe testifies

After months of delays and disruptions, the former Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe testified at the inquest into Warlpiri teenager Kumanjayi Walker’s death. In 2022, Rolfe was found not guilty of murdering the 19-year-old, who he shot three times during a violent arrest. Courts and justice reporter Nino Bucci attended the inquest and explains how racist language and a mock award raised questions about the culture within the NT police.

In-depth

In the south Italian coastal city of Taranto, a steel factory has been spewing toxic iron ore dust since 1965. It once again presents a dilemma: its noxious fumes have caused thousands of cancer deaths over the past six decades. But it’s a major employer in the country’s underdeveloped south.

The long beleaguered plant is back in the news after the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, appointed a special commissioner to temporarily take it over. Some locals told the Guardian it shouldn’t be saved.

Not the news

Former sheep farmer Derek Gow is on a mission to rewild Britain, one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet. Having switched sides from team sheep, he wants to reintroduce its mortal enemy: the wolf.

It’s not without precedent; the much-traduced carnivore has loped back into western Europe and is thriving in densely populated countries including the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Gow knows it’s not such a simple matter in Britain, but he’s persisting.

The world of sport

Media roundup

The Australian covers a study that reveals the $19bn private-hospital sector is in financial crisis, with sky­rocketing costs fuelling concerns that more hospitals, health clinics and dental surgeries will close. The embattled private boys’ school Cranbrook will announce an independent review into the scandal that forced out its high-profile headmaster, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. SBS visits the Adelaide cafe that’s become a haven for displaced Ukrainians.

What’s happening today

  • Oscars | The award ceremony starts at 1oam AEDT. Follow along on the Guardian’s website.

  • Public holidays | Tasmania, SA, ACT and Victoria are all enjoying a day off.

  • State politics | Tasmanian Labor is due to launch its state election campaign in Launceston.

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Brain teaser

And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.

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