Good afternoon. From comparisons to Richard the Lionheart to signs calling on him to “burn in hell”, these sharply conflicting views on Cardinal George Pell were on full display at his funeral in Sydney today.
The former prime minister, and staunch Catholic, Tony Abbott led the praise inside St Mary’s Cathedral, calling Pell “one of our country’s greatest sons”.
Outside the cathedral, protesters faced off with funeral attenders in sometimes heated exchanges, with police standing in between.
“We stamped our mark today. We need to be heard. It is how we are going to heal,” said Vivienne Moore, a child sexual abuse survivor who took part in the protest today.
Top news
AFP smash crime ring, seize $150m in assets | Land “essentially the size of a suburb”, including Sydney mansions worth a combined $19m, was confiscated during a raid on an organised crime syndicate. The gang allegedly operated as an “underground bank” moving proceeds of crime between overseas accounts from 2018-2022, bypassing international financial systems. Nine people were arrested and the alleged leader faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted.
NT alcohol ban recommended | A highly anticipated snap report into the rising unrest in central Australia has recommended immediate alcohol bans in parts of the Northern Territory until communities develop their own plans. The NT chief minister, Natasha Fyles, was in Canberra today to discuss the report with the prime minister.
No Charles on $5 note | The new king will not replace Queen Elizabeth II on Australia’s $5 note – instead, the space will be dedicated to a design “that honours the culture and history of the First Australians”, according to the Reserve Bank. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, was quick to criticise the decision, calling it “another attack on our systems, on our society and our institutions”.
ACT’s new EV incentive | Motorists in Canberra will soon pay their registration fees based on their vehicle’s emissions output rather than its weight, in the latest policy tweak to further incentivise electric cars. The ACT government expects about 96% of passenger vehicle owners to pay the same or lower costs under the new pricing model, with the 4% facing higher costs to be owners of more-polluting vehicles.
Israel strikes Gaza | Israeli warplanes struck the blockaded Gaza Strip early Thursday local time, prompting a fresh round of rockets from Palestinian fighters. It’s the latest escalation after unrest in the occupied West Bank.
Myanmar junta delays elections | The military regime announced an extension to its state of emergency, effectively delaying elections the junta had pledged to hold by August, as it battles anti-coup fighters across the country.
Saudi executions almost double | The rate of executions carried out by Saudi Arabia has shot up 82% under de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, making it one of the bloodiest periods in the kingdom’s modern history.
Killing of Costa Rican Indigenous activist | A Costa Rican court has sentenced farmer Juan Varela to 22 years behind bars for the 2020 murder of Yehry Rivera, an Indigenous land rights defender. The case has stoked decades-old tensions between native communities and farmers over disputed territory.
Full Story
The deep roots of the crisis in Alice Springs
The central Australian town is experiencing a spike in social unrest and violence. We look at why 20 years of government interventions failed to prevent this crisis in this 23-minute episode.
What they said …
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“Our policy has not changed on the stage-three tax cuts.” - Jim Chalmers
The treasurer remained defiant in the wake of an IMF report that argued the tax cuts would “reduce the personal income tax burden” if it were structured in a way that “appropriately balance[s] costs on the budget and benefits to the economy”. The Labor government has faced calls to scrap the tax cuts, which would mostly benefit top earners and cost the economy $300bn.
In numbers
This week, a Four Corners episode aired claims that the Opus Dei-affiliated Tangara School for Girls discouraged students from getting the vaccination, claiming it would promote promiscuity. Opus Dei is a small, controversial group within the Catholic church.
Before bed read
Our monthly fruit and veggie guide is out. Things that are in and cheap(ish): pumpkin, eggplant, lettuce, stone fruits (and watermelon). Things to avoid/out of season/expensive: avocados, navel oranges and lemons (they were horribly hard at my local market).
See the full list here.
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