Good morning. It’s one year on from the collapse of the predatory funeral insurer ACBF-Youpla and the loss of millions of dollars in policies paid by mostly low-income Aboriginal families – some of whom had to resort to crowdfunding or were forced to leave their loved ones’ bodies in morgues while they fundraised for funerals. Now, consumer advocates are calling for the government to offer them a refund, with estimates the compensation bill could run to more than $300m.
Elsewhere, the BBC scales back a second day of sports coverage after its suspension of Gary Lineker, and a gift of Australian land in Oscars goodie bags prompts questions.
Australia
Funeral fund | Families are still waiting for news of a compensation scheme a year after the collapse of a funeral fund that targeted low-income Aboriginal families.
Welfare warning | The mutual obligation system for welfare risks “subjecting disadvantaged participants to unreasonably onerous and punitive conditions”, the commonwealth ombudsman has warned.
NSW election | The Coalition’s cornerstone election policy, which aims to help the next generation pay for housing and education, has been criticised by social advocates who claim the scheme will further entrench inequality.
Oscars swag | The company offering Academy Award nominees “a symbolic souvenir” of land in outback Australia says it has removed material, including the name of an Indigenous organisation, from its marketing after being accused of using it without consent.
Public housing | NSW tenants who were issued relocation notices under the Coalition’s plan to privatise public housing say they are cautiously hopeful that Labor would offer a clearer future with its promise of a moratorium.
World
Banking tremors | The US treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, says there will be no bailout for Silicon Valley Bank, which collapsed this week, raising fears of a banking crisis
Gary Lineker | The BBC was forced to scale back a second day of sports programming amid a deepening row over the suspension of the presenter for a tweet criticising the British government’s immigration policy.
Oil profits | Amnesty International decried a “shocking” record profit of $245bn for Saudi Aramco – the largest annual profit recorded by an oil and gas company – fuelled by soaring energy prices and rising global demand.
PM’s pool | Rishi Sunak’s new private heated swimming pool uses so much energy that the local electricity network had to be upgraded to meet its power demands, the Guardian has been told.
Capitol attack | Mike Pence offered a rebuke of his one-time boss Donald Trump, saying history will hold the former president accountable for his role in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
Full Story
The teals, farmers and traditional owners fighting Santos
The rich farmlands of NSW’s Liverpool Plains have long been coveted by fossil fuel companies; now locals are preparing to fight the Australian gas giant Santos, which holds the licences for what lies beneath. The rural and regional editor, Gabrielle Chan, tells Jane Lee about the new generation of farmers taking on Santos, alongside traditional owners and teal independent MPs.
In-depth
Seven thousand British children were sent to Australia last century, told they were orphans or unwanted. It wasn’t true. Now facing old age, 1,400 are still searching for their families, with time for reunions running out. Guardian Australia speaks to Michael Lachmann, 80 and raised as a lifelong Catholic, who discovered that his mother had neither died nor abandoned him before he was shipped to Australia, aged five, and that he was Jewish.
Not the news
We should be thinking of brain health like a pension plan – it’s best to start as early as possible so that you have more to draw from when you need it, writes Kimberley Wilson, psychologist and MSc in nutrition. It’s never too late to invest in your brain health, she says – with tips including sardines in pregnancy and sauerkraut later in life.
The world of sport
Fourth Test | Virat Kohli scored his first Test century since 2019 as India posted 571 on day four of the match against Australia.
Premier League | Arsenal romped home against Fulham 3-0; Newcastle beat Wolves 2-1; West Ham and Aston Villa were 1-1; 0-0 for Manchested United and Southampton.
Boxing | Tim Tszyu is a world champion after knocking out flashy American Tony Harrison in their super-welterweight showdown in Sydney.
Media roundup
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Australia will need 20,000 more workers to build its new submarine fleet. The most senior Ngunnawal elder, Aunty Agnes Shea, has died aged 91, says the Canberra Times. The superstar jockey Jamie Kah is in a critical condition after a Flemington track disaster according to the Advertiser.
What’s happening today
Oscars | Red carpet coverage gets under way about 9am AEDT. While you wait for our live blog to kick off, here’s how to watch the ceremony, along with the Guardian’s final predictions – and a peek at what else is in those goodie bags for nominees. If you’re interested, here’s who George Santos – the Republican congressman whose CV is mostly made up – thinks will win.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
