Good morning. Paul Keating supported a yes vote in the voice referendum but our exclusive interview with the former prime minister reveals that he thinks it was the “wrong fight” and that Indigenous Australians should have a political settlement in the form of a treaty. In classic Keating style, he also launches a broadside at former Liberal adversaries John Howard and Tony Abbott.
In another exclusive, Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has weighed in on the “deplorable” cartoon depiction of her fellow Labor premier Jacinta Allan. Plus, we look at how TV interviews undermined Bruce Lehrmann, the Matildas win and England’s cricketers are thrashed again.
Australia
Exclusive | Australia’s longest-serving current premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, says female leaders continue to be scrutinised differently from their male counterparts as she criticised a “deplorable” newspaper cartoon of the new Victorian premier Jacinta Allan.
Exclusive | The former prime minister Paul Keating has lamented that the failed voice referendum “ruined the game” for a treaty for Indigenous Australians. He also accused John Howard and Tony Abbott, and the historian Geoffrey Blainey, of “outrageously and wilfully misinterpreting” the referendum result in an attempt to return to “the great assimilation project”.
‘Let’s light some fires’ | After being revealed as the “high-profile man” accused of rape in Toowoomba, we report on how Bruce Lehrmann’s media interviews undermined his case that he needed anonymity because he was psychologically damaged by publicity.
Tax shortfall | Australia’s taxes are inadequate to finance government responsibilities including for aged care and defence, a former head of the finance department has warned.
Gas check | The West Australian newspaper gave up four pages last week to claims by Woodside Energy boss Meg O’Neill that red tape was strangling the gas industry. Our Temperature Check column asks if she’s right.
World
Maine manhunt | Robert Card, the man suspected of killing at least 18 people in a mass shooting, is still at large despite a huge manhunt across the north-eastern US. Amid despair among politicians and activists at yet another attack, Americans are wondering how they keep happening.
Gaza push | Israeli soldiers backed by tanks and bulldozers entered the Gaza Strip in an hour-long operation to target Hamas fighters. The EU is to call for “humanitarian corridors and pauses” of the shelling to allow food, water and medical supplies to reach Palestinians. Amid Islamist strikes on US bases in Syria and Iraq, there are questions whether Joe Biden can avoid “mission creep” as US military support for Israel mounts. Our latest Gaza diary is from 35-year-old Ziad who talks about surviving, making plans, and singing Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off to keep spirits up.
MP arrested | A senior UK Conservative MP, Crispin Blunt, who was once a justice minister, has been arrested on suspicion of rape and possession of drugs.
Electric shock | Mercedes-Benz has said the electric car market is “brutal” for carmakers as heavy competition from China forces them to cut prices.
Mamma mia | Italian men are known for loving their mothers. But a 75-year-old became so fed up with her two bamboccioni – aged 40 and 42, still living at home and not paying for their keep – that she has had them evicted.
Full Story
Australia’s response to the Israel-Hamas war – Full Story podcast
After Anthony Albanese’s talks in Washington, Guardian Australia’s political editor, Katharine Murphy, and national news editor, Patrick Keneally, discuss what Australians need to know about the government’s position on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In-depth
One of the last wishes of Donna Truscott’s dad was to continue the search for clues about what happened to his father, who had walked out on the family in Sydney in 1954, never to be seen again. One of her tactics was to share her DNA with a police database and that unexpectedly helped identify a woman whose dead body was found buried in a wall in Brisbane. Jordyn Beazley unravels a compelling mystery.
Not the news
A trip to the Royal Melbourne Show as a chaperone for young children sparked a nostalgia in Nova Weetman for “those days, the dreamy lost time of young children, where if you managed to dress in clean clothes and leave the house before two in the afternoon it was considered a success”. Time felt “endless … and it didn’t matter much what we did”.
The world of sport
Women’s football | Goals from Ellie Carpenter and Sam Kerr saw off a stubborn Iran side in Perth as the Matildas began their Olympic campaign with a 2-0 win to set them up for a blockbuster clash against the Philippines on Sunday.
AFLW | The Sydney Swans have targeted local communities with a localised offering of craft beer and cheese boxes to make them the best supported team in the league this season, Jack Snape writes.
Cricket | England are headed for an ignominious exit from the World Cup after suffering another thrashing, this time at the hands of Sri Lanka by eight wickets.
Media roundup
The number of city suburbs with median house prices of more than $3m has tripled in the past five years, the Australian reports. Friends of Lilie James, the sports coach found dead at a school in Sydney, have told the Daily Telegraph about a “beautiful girl” and “exceptional woman”. In Geelong, a new planning tool has been revealed to help residents see what their fast-growing region will look like as the population heads towards 1 million, the Advertiser reports.
What’s happening today
Middle East | A vigil for people trapped in Gaza will be held in Melbourne.
Economy | The latest national accounts will be released by the ABS, along with mortality statistics.
Media | Leigh Sales will deliver the 2023 Andrew Olle media lecture.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
