Good afternoon. Pressure is mounting on Scott Morrison to quit parliament after last week’s scathing royal commission report into the robodebt scheme.
The report accused Morrison of misleading cabinet over the unlawful scheme – a charge he denies – leading to calls from within Coalition ranks for the former prime minister to resign.
And hopes of Meta’s new Threads platform being a hate-free space are already fading, with rightwing figures opening accounts and reportedly posting hate speech and misinformation.
Top news
Australia’s $1bn defence deal with Germany | The prime minister has touched down in Europe, confirming a deal to sell Australian-made armoured vehicles to Germany before talks at a Nato summit. The Boxer heavy weapon carriers are made in Brisbane by German manufacturer Rheinmetall.
Tasmanian police suspend search for Belgian tourist | A major search for 31-year-old Celine Cremer began on 27 June in the Philosophers Falls area in the state’s north-west, but was today called off after failing to locate the tourist. “Expert medical advice has been received that given consideration to poor weather conditions and cool temperatures, Celine could not have survived the conditions she has been exposed to since she was reported missing,” Tasmanian police commander Stuart Wilkinson said.
Six additions to Australia’s threatened species list | Three birds and three plants have been added to the growing list. Listed as critically endangered are the Mukarrthippi grasswren, typically found in New South Wales, and the New England gentian – a small herb. Two other wrens – the Murray Mallee striated grasswren and the Eyre peninsula population of the southern emu-wren – have been listed as endangered. And the shrub styphelia perileuca and the herb veronica lithophila, both found in NSW, have also been listed as endangered.
Two charged over alleged Canberra airport carousel ride | The Australian federal police have charged two Queenslanders after an adult allegedly encouraged a 14-year-old child to enter a restricted area by riding on a baggage carousel. The AFP will allege CCTV footage showed two men filming the child as he entered a secure area.
Victorian health department job cuts | More than 300 layoffs have been flagged by the department’s secretary, Prof Euan Wallace, as top bureaucrats prepare to swing the axe in a bid to balance the state budget. The Community and Public Sector Union has criticised the proposed cuts as “out of touch with the demands in health”.
India floods | At least 15 people have been killed in floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains that have battered northern India, with New Delhi receiving the most rainfall in decades, reports and officials have said.
Sudan on brink of ‘full-scale civil war’ | The UN has warned the escalating conflict could destabilise the region, after an airstrike on a residential area killed at least 22 people.
Full Story
Crude, cruel and costly: robodebt revealed
Reporters Chris Knaus (pictured) and Luke Henriques-Gomes have followed robodebt over the years, posing questions of policymakers when few dared ask and publishing the harrowing stories of those most affected. Listen to their thoughts on last week’s royal commission findings in this 27-minute episode.
What they said …
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“I think it’s a matter for Mr Morrison to determine if he still has the heart to continue on. And, if he hasn’t, he should get out of the road because the people of Cook deserve someone who has the fire in the belly to stand up and to represent them in Canberra.” – David Littleproud, Nationals leader
In numbers
A Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office report reveals that Victoria and NSW generate more revenue per person through stamp duty and land tax than other Australian jurisdictions.
Before bed read
“Mate” can be a wonderful term of endearment, but too often Australians use it as as a testosterone-charged pejorative, as Paul Daley witnessed in a road-rage incident.
‘And, so, to a dog walk on a still, clear morning. Rush-hour traffic clogged the streets. A small green sedan was U-turning to get away from it. A bloke in a dark purple twin-cab ute was momentarily delayed. He leaned on the horn, probably with undue impatience. Green sedan man, halfway through his turn, wound down his window and gave ute bloke the finger, along with a very loud, clear memo that he ought to disappear (and by another word) self-sex “yourself MAYTE”.’
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: CALL. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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