ISRAEL AND LEBANON
The Israeli military overnight launched small ground raids inside southern Lebanon, which US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said were “limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure”, according to AP. Residents of Jdeidet Marjayoun, a Lebanese village less than 10km from the border, had received calls from the Israeli army telling them to evacuate the area as soon as possible, Reuters reports.
“The next phase in the war against Hezbollah will begin soon,” was the grim warning from Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who spoke to local council heads in his country’s north. Various sources are reporting that a broader Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon could be imminent, with Al Jazeera saying Gallant told troops Israel would “use all the means that may be required … from the air, from the sea, and on land”.
The ABC’s Jerusalem correspondent says this “all but confirms” Israel plans to launch a ground offensive.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy has met with his US counterpart Antony Blinken, with the two apparently agreeing that “the best way forward is an immediate ceasefire” — though it seems unlikely, with reports coming from The Guardian that the Biden administration is losing influence over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
“The plan to attack comes at a unique moment — with war hawks dominating domestic Israeli politics at the same time as a lame duck Biden administration appears increasingly unable or unwilling to intervene in the conflict,” the paper says.
As of writing, Israel has killed another 136 people in Lebanon in the last 24 hours, according to Lebanese authorities.
COLES, WOOLWORTHS ‘LAND BANKING’
Coles and Woolworths can’t seem to escape the news cycle, with a report from The Age suggesting the government is looking at changing zoning laws to force the supermarket giants to release the land of more than 150 undeveloped supermarket sites.
The supermarkets have been accused of “land banking” — that is, hoarding land to prevent competition. Nationals Senator Ross Cadell told a Senate inquiry earlier this year that there had to be “better mechanisms” to prevent land banking by the major outlets. It seems like the Albanese government has taken notice, choosing to start work on zoning laws before the release of the ACCC report into the sector, due in February.
It comes as Labor has announced it will give the watchdog an extra $30 million to investigate and crack down on supermarkets and pricing, Guardian Australia reports, in the wake of allegations that Coles and Woolworths deliberately misled customers about price changes.
“This will enhance the regulator’s ability to proactively monitor behaviour and investigate pricing practices where there are concerns about supermarkets and retailers falsely justifying higher prices,” according to Anthony Albanese’s office.
In the meantime, it could be worth your while shopping at Aldi (Aldi does not sponsor this correspondent, as much as he does love browsing the off-brand tents and tiny chainsaws), with news.com.au reminding shoppers that a government-commissioned report found the German chain beat Coles, Woolworths and IGA by up to $28.16 per basket of groceries.
But as the ABC points out, this could be a luxury for many rural Australians, for whom limited shopping options mean that calls from regulators to “shop around” are pointless in the face of a lack of competition.
“It’s really a bit offensive when you see these reports where it’s like ‘competition, competition, that’s what you need’, but you don’t have it, and it’s not going to come either,” said independent Tasmanian Senator Tammy Tyrrell, who called on the government to do more for shoppers in regional areas.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE…
Did you know that up until Sunday, France held the Guinness World Record for the largest haka ever performed?
Yep, in 2014, 4,028 people performed the traditional Māori ceremonial dance after a rugby match in Brive-la-Gaillarde, south-western France. It seems as though many of the participants attempted to draw Tā Moko (tattoos) on their faces in a confused display of cultural appropriation.
On Sunday, New Zealand rightfully reclaimed the record, with 6,531 participants performing the Ka Mate haka at Aukland’s Eden Park — including director Taika Waititi and US TV host Conan O’Brien.
May it remain there forever.
Say What?
The reality is if you can’t get over the negativity of grand final day … you have to leave. You have to get rid of those players.
Paul Roos
The former premiership-winning coach of the Sydney Swans was brutal in his appraisal of his former team’s grand final performance on the ABC’s AFL Daily podcast.
CRIKEY RECAP
These headlines would be far worse without the surplus, of course; much of this is about Labor heading off Coalition attacks, while twisting the knife over the fact its “predecessors” failed to achieve such a surplus. But what is the point of appeasing the deficit hawks, buying into their game, when they will simply ignore your “win”? It remains to be seen whether the Reserve Bank, the harshest of critics, will be impressed enough to offer a rate cut ahead of the next election, with the first surplus failing to secure its favour.
Do regular punters give a stuff about this back-to-back surplus? Are they reassured by what Finance Minister Katy Gallagher calls “a key part of our plan to take pressure off inflation while providing relief to families”, when many are struggling to keep their own budgets balanced?
Starmer’s decline followed his controversial decision to means-test the winter fuel allowance, a payment for older Brits to help with the increased cost of heating homes in the colder months. The government was then rocked by revelations of controversial gifts to Starmer from wealthy Labour peer Waheed Alli. The optics of receiving free suits from a multimillionaire while forcing some pensioners to go cold was diabolical tabloid fodder, even if some of the outrage over the declared donations was disproportionate.
These factors might seem parochial, but the two parties’ similar trajectories are not entirely coincidental. British Labour borrowed directly from the ALP in its campaign, including through direct meetings. This exchange affirmed Starmer’s existing inclinations — tack ruthlessly to the centre, and assure swing voters you’re a “safe pair of hands”.
“The $950 is a misnomer because you can steal whatever you want, you can go wherever. But you’d see originally, you saw kids walk in with calculators. They would calculate, they didn’t want to go over the $950, they’re standing with calculators adding it up, you know, these are smart… smart people. They’re not so stupid. But they have to be taught. Now, if you had one really violent day, like a guy like Mike Kelly, put him in charge, Congressman Kelly, put him in charge for one day. Mike, would you say, right here, he’s a great congressman, would you say, Mike, that if you were in charge, you would say, ‘Oh, please don’t touch them, don’t touch them, let them rob your store, let…’ all these stores go out of business, right? They don’t pay rent, the city doesn’t h—, the whole, it’s a chain of events, it’s so bad. One rough hour. And I mean real rough. The word will get out and it will end immediately. It would end immediately.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Facing a big test, Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance’ flails (The New York Times) ($)
What Austria’s electoral results mean for EU affairs (Euronews)
Has Russia’s military improved enough to take on NATO? (Al Jazeera)
THE COMMENTARIAT
With the Queensland election campaign underway, Steven Miles will waste no time heading north — but David Crisafulli’s already there — Leonie Mellor (ABC): As Steven Miles heads to Government House this morning to call the election, it’s people like Ashleigh he’ll be trying to sway. But the opinion polls are suggesting he’s got a lot of convincing to do — especially in the regions.
Queensland is unusual in that more people live outside of the capital than in Brisbane. And these voters, while also concerned about the skyrocketing cost of the weekly grocery shop, have other issues on their minds.
Why Iran’s impotence has been exposed, and Netanyahu’s the big winner — Peter Hartcher (the SMH): The Hezbollah leaders wanted Iran to free them to unleash greater violence, deeper into Israel. In the presence of their storied leader, Hassan Nasrallah, they would put their case directly to Iran’s General Abbas Nilforushan, the deputy commander for operations of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps. But the “party of God” leadership was prematurely called to higher consultation, taking the Iranian general with them. Israel had tried and failed to kill Nasrallah many times in his three decades as Hezbollah leader, including at least two occasions when its bombs failed to penetrate his protective bunkers.
But now Israeli jets dropped a tightly timed chain of massive 2000-pound missiles to tear deep into his shelter, each explosive smashing a hole through concrete for the next bomb to penetrate further.
