Good morning. Today marks the opening the first parliamentary sittings for the new government. It will be largely ceremonial, but once the formalities are complete there’s plenty on the agenda – including new climate policies and paid leave for people facing domestic violence.
Australian hospital are struggling with the highest number of Covid-19 patients of the entire pandemic. On Monday, there were 5,429 Covid patients in hospital, surpassing the previous record of 5,390 set in late January. The number of patients in intensive care is down from 420 patients in January to 161 on Monday. But epidemiologist Prof Mike Toole said this was driven by the virus hitting older Australians in aged care. “A lot of the deaths are in aged care homes and a lot more people are dying in aged care compared with ICU,” he said.
The Albanese government has strengthened its signature climate legislation before of the introduction of the bill tomorrow to win support from the crossbench and the Greens. The changes ensure future emissions reduction targets can only increase and come as the latest Guardian Essential poll shows 50% of respondents want a bill reflecting Labor’s specific election commitments passed by the new parliament to address the climate crisis.
A West Australian ring-road approved by the Albanese government will sacrifice ancient giant trees and threatened birds, mammals and ecosystems, leading conservationists say. Habitat for the critically endangered western ringtail possum and endangered black cockatoos will be allowed to be cleared for a section of the $1.25bn Bunbury outer ring road. Tanya Plibersek’s department gave the green light, despite the recent state of environment report finding Australia’s natural heritage is in poor and deteriorating health, with land clearing playing a significant role.
Russia’s Gazprom is set to cut gas supplies to Europe, crushing hopes a deal over grain supplies would lessen the economic impact of the Ukraine war. The European Union has accused Russia of resorting to energy blackmail, while the Kremlin says the gas disruption is the result of maintenance issues and western sanctions. Meanwhile, Ukraine has said it hopes to start exporting grain from its ports this week, despite an attack on Odesa 12 hours after Russia agreed to allow safe passage for the commodity.
Australia
Conservationists have declared a win in a long-running fight over Tasmania’s takyana/Tarkine rainforest after a judge found the Morrison government had erred in approving preliminary work on a mining waste dam.
Just one-quarter of voters think Labor is doing a good job of handling surging cost of living pressures, the latest Guardian Essential poll suggests, while a majority of respondents believe the Albanese government can influence the direction of inflation and interest rates.
Australia’s real estate market continued to cool in the June quarter as rising interest rates sapped buyers’ appetite. Almost one in five homes to be auctioned in Sydney was removed from the market, CoreLogic reports.
A bill to overturn a federal ban on the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory passing voluntary assisted dying laws will be introduced to parliament next week, setting up the first conscience vote of the new government.
The aged care sector has warned that a pledge of additional military assistance will not be enough to solve the “stark” staff shortages linked to the current Covid-19 wave, which has seen the number of active outbreaks and the weekly death toll nearly double in a single month.
The spread of monkeypox has been declared a global health emergency and Australia has just one available vaccine that protects against the virus, but not everyone needs to get it. Here’s what we know about the vaccine and who should get vaccinated.
The world
Police in the Czech Republic have turned a high-powered Ferrari they seized from criminals into a patrol car capable of chasing down joyriders at speeds of up to 200mph.
The former intelligence contractor Reality Winner said she leaked a document about Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election out of love for a nation that was “being lied to”.
Two people have been killed in an early morning gun attack in a Vancouver suburb that left two others injured and appeared to target homeless residents. The suspect was shot dead by officers.
Myanmar’s junta has executed four prisoners, drawing shock and revulsion at the country’s first use of capital punishment in decades. They were accused of conspiring to commit terror acts and were sentenced to death in January in closed trials.
Pope Francis has expressed “my sorrow” for the legacy of abuse at Canada’s residential schools, asking survivors of the church-run system for forgiveness as he tours the country on a “pilgrimage of penance”.
Recommended reads
If you’ve ever stood at an airport luggage terminal watching other people’s suitcases clunk on to the carousel before finally realising that yours is not among them, you may be toying with the idea of the hand-luggage-only holiday. But is it practical, or even possible, to holiday for a reasonable length of time with only carry-on baggage? Absolutely. Here are the hot tips from the hand-luggage travel experts.
Over the course of our lives, our bodies change and we can slip in and out of varying degrees of ableness as our situation changes. All these things naturally have an impact on the clothes we wear and how we get dressed every day. Retired singer Itojo Hardie is one of four people with different needs to share their process of picking an outfit each morning. “Preparation is very important, no matter [if it’s] fashion or whatever,” she says. “I’m 80 and I have to look good.”
Afghanistan is facing a climate calamity and it’s time the world took notice, writes Shadi Khan Saif. “Many towns and villages in the war-ravaged country remain submerged by flash floods triggered weeks ago by a relentless spate of untimely rains and melting glaciers … The climate crisis is so real in the country that it will likely trigger another food crisis in the months to follow. It’s time the world, and neighbouring and regional polluters, take responsibility.”
Listen
A police whistleblower alleged that racism is pervasive inside the Queensland police service and some domestic violence victims had been mocked by officers and sent away without help in testimony at an independent inquiry into the handling of domestic and family violence matters. Queensland state reporter Eden Gillespie details the key moments of the inquiry so far, and the push to reform the Queensland police, in today’s episode of Full Story.
Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.
Sport
In an ordinary year, two remarkable stage wins at the Tour de France would be considered a successful campaign from Peloton’s Australian contingent. But given the buzz that surrounded general classification prospects, the absence of an Australian in the Top 20 as the Tour concluded on Sunday left lingering disappointment.
Gold Coast have made the stunning call to sack former captain Kevin Proctor after he posted to social media a video of himself vaping during his team’s NRL loss to Canterbury.
Media roundup
Casual employees facing domestic violence will have the same access to paid leave as full-time and permanent workers under new laws set to be introduced to parliament, reports the Australian Financial Review. The NT News reports the Coalition opposition is proposing legislation this week aiming to drive down the cost of fuel, which has been sitting above $2.30 a litre in Darwin.
Coming up
Dr Joseph Torigian, a scholar on Chinese leader Xi Jinping, will speak at a Lowy Institute event on the leader’s rise to power and what it means in the current political climate.
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