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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Guardian Staff

Afternoon Update: Bruce Highway’s $7.2bn boost; The Brutalist wins big at Golden Globes; and rare Barbie dolls stolen

Anthony Albanese holding a presser by a highway
Anthony Albanese says a funding boost for the Bruce Highway in Queensland should reduce the number of fatalities on the road. Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

In the first major promise of the election year, Anthony Albanese has announced $7.2bn in funding for Queensland’s Bruce Highway.

The federal government will fund 80% of the upgrades needed to make the 1,600km stretch safer, with the state funding 20%. Speaking to media today, Albanese said last year there were 41 fatalities on the highway which services 62% of Queenslanders – and already, there have been two this year.

The announcement comes as Albanese travels to electorates across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, signalling the unofficial start of the election campaign.

Top news

In pictures

Dramatic fashion and adventurous suits dominated on the red carpet at the 82nd Golden Globe awards, while Brutalist, Emilia Pérez and Shōgun won big. Check out the full list of winners and the best of the red carpet fashion.

In numbers

England’s former chief medical officer is warning that a growing antibiotic emergency could have devastating impacts around the world. Estimates suggest that by 2050, death rates from antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will have doubled, with elderly people especially at risk.

Before bed read

As a 17-year-old on a family holiday to France, Susan McDonald summoned up her high-school French and ordered poulain, assuming it was some kind of chicken (poulet). The snooty garçon was quick to put her in her place: “Does mademoiselle know she has ordered horsemeat?”

Decades later, McDonald is still making mistakes. But, as she explains, there are a number of reasons why she’s persisting.

Daily word game

Today’s starter word is: LAW. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.

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