Morning, everyone. Our exclusive story today reveals how the Coalition government minister Angus Taylor was behind the decision to delay telling voters about energy prices rises until after last May’s election. There are also more car-crash revelations from the robodebt inquiry. And, in sad news away from politics, the songwriter Burt Bacharach has died.
Australia
Exclusive | Lidia Thorpe has not ruled out establishing a new political party three days after the senator quit the Greens, describing the Blak sovereignty movement as her “new party room” and promising to be guided by activists and elders.
‘I didn’t see it’ | The former energy minister Angus Taylor asked his department to consider delaying telling voters about electricity price rises before the May election, then made the decision to do so. He later claimed he didn’t know about the rises.
Robodebt reveal | The former head of the Department of Human Services Renee Leon pressured the commonwealth ombudsman to delete language questioning the legality of the robodebt scheme from a key report, according to emails published by the royal commission.
Share price | As Netflix prepares to crack down on account sharing, one in four Australians have told a government survey that they share their streaming accounts with others. And 11% paid a small fee to access a shared account.
‘Spamouflage’ | A social media campaign linked to the Chinese government is trying to undermine confidence in Australia’s democratic system, according to a defence thinktank, especially with posts about parliamentary scandals.
World
‘Maximum escalation’ | Russia forces have launched a major offensive in eastern Ukraine and are trying to break through defences with “maximum escalation”, according to the governor for the Luhansk region. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged European leaders to speed Ukraine’s path to EU membership at a summit in Brussels.
‘Clearly spying’ | The Chinese balloon that flew over North America for more than a week before being shot down over the Atlantic was equipped to intercept communications, a US official says.
Earthquake aid | The first convoy of humanitarian assistance for victims of Monday’s earthquake has crossed into north-west Syria, as the death toll in Turkey and Syria climbed to more than 20,000 and hopes were fading of finding survivors under rubble in freezing weather.
Split vote | The former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley could pave the way for Donald Trump to run for the White House if she runs for the Republican nomination and splits the vote, a poll has found.
King of easy listening | Burt Bacharach, the songwriter behind such easy-listening hits as I Say a Little Prayer and Make it Easy on Yourself, has died aged 94 at home in Los Angeles.
Full Story
Can Labor set a new standard inside Parliament House? – with Lenore Taylor
As both parties endorse a code of conduct for politicians and their staff, Guardian Australia’s editor, Lenore Taylor, and live news editor, Patrick Keneally, discuss changing the culture of parliament.
In-depth
Researchers at the University of Sydney believe they might have found the key to Covid immunity with the discovery of a receptor protein in lungs which “acts a bit like molecular velcro” and sticks to the spike of the virus. This means the virus is immobilised in people with lots of the protein, possibly explaining how some people don’t become infected and others become very ill.
Not the news
In his musings about mortality, Jack Vening’s fate worse than death is that the job is not done properly and he wakes up in his coffin like Ryan Reynolds in Buried. Instead he suggests being fired out of a cannon. “Extract any vital organs that are still serviceable … But after that it’s your duty to get out the cannon. Get creative! Have fun!”
The world of sport
Cricket | Australia’s hopes of a breakthrough triumph have been dealt a serious blow after they collapsed to India’s spinners for 177 on day one of the first Test in Nagpur and the hosts finished well placed on 77-1.
Rugby union | The Wales coach, Warren Gatland, has made a huge call by dropping three British and Irish Lions from the starting lineup for Saturday’s Six Nations game with Scotland.
Women’s World Cup | Alex Morgan, the USA superstar forward, has questioned the possible sponsorship deal between Fifa and Saudi Arabia’s tourism authority for the upcoming Women’s World Cup.
Media roundup
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that one in five mortgage holders might be unable to refinance when their existing loans come up for renewal, while the Gold Coast Bulletin looks at the suburbs that will be worst hit by so-called “mortgage prison”. The Age examines the resignation of Alan Tudge in some detail, writing that the byelection he has triggered in Victoria will be a big test for Peter Dutton. In Illawarra, “all hell” has broken loose after the region was hit by a band of storms, according to the Mercury, with landslides, floods and a car washed out to sea.
What’s happening today
Caddick inquest | An inquest into the death of Melissa Caddick begins in Sydney.
Canberra | Government officials will appear at a committee hearing on Australia’s transition to becoming a “green energy superpower”.
Queensland | A supreme court judgment is due in a civil case involving Clive Palmer’s Queensland Nickel and the liquidator Vannin Capital.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords and free Wordiply game to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
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