Good morning. The federal government is gearing up for Tuesday’s budget, with new spending announced. In-person talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams are set to resume on Monday amid concerns that Russia is trying to split Ukraine in two to create a Moscow-controlled region.
The Morrison government will use Tuesday’s budget to unveil a multibillion-dollar national infrastructure spend that includes projects in key marginal seats, with $17.9bn in new money to be spent over the next decade. The largest new spending commitment is $3.1bn for the Melbourne Intermodal Terminal in Victoria. In New South Wales, the government has committed $8m towards planning the duplication of the New England Highway between Muswellbrook and Singleton. In Queensland, $1.6bn will be announced for the Brisbane to Sunshine Coast rail extension. Scott Morrison also says the government will deliver a cost of living package that will offer relief “right across the Australian community”, amid growing expectations that the fuel excise will be cut.
The US has been forced to clarify that it is not seeking regime change in Russia after president Joe Biden’s suggestion that Vladimir Putin is a “butcher” who “cannot remain in power”. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, distanced himself from Biden’s comments, while the UK cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi also distanced the UK government amid criticism that the comment could bolster the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Ukraine is prepared to discuss adopting a neutral status as part of a peace deal with Russia, president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview.
The Hillsong church is facing a catastrophe, but its leaders, the Houstons, will be loath to give up control, writes Elle Hardy. Following a damning week for Hillsong, including the resignation of global senior pastor, Brian Houston, the church has little choice but to launch an independent inquiry. “In a transcript of a leaked private video conference last week, church leaders acknowledged the obvious: Hillsong is in crisis. I would go further: it is facing catastrophe. Scandals it largely tried to blame on individual shortcomings show a widespread culture that is rotten to its core.”
Australia
Kathleen and John Every died in distressing circumstances during the pandemic – one after a short stint in a locked-down nursing home, the other in a busy hospital. Thousands of people went through “Covid-adjacent deaths” – the experience of losing a loved one not from Covid, but wrapped up in the pandemic and its associated pains.
Property developers in NSW are fighting against the introduction of a wide-ranging planning policy aimed at ensuring houses are more energy-efficient and climate-resilient. Environmentalists say the changes are “everything you could ever dream about” but industry leaders say they “undermine the economics of delivering housing”.
Women in Victoria’s gig economy earn up to 37% less than men, according to a new report, which found men earn $2.67 per hour more than women on average, but 40% of workers didn’t know their hourly rate.
The world
An Oxford botanist has become the third botanist in the world to to see the Rafflesia banaoana – a rare spotted flower located in the deep rainforests of Luzon in the Philippines.
Women and girls have protested near the Taliban’s ministry of education, calling on the group to reopen girls’ secondary schools in Afghanistan.
A former Catholic bishop in New York has acknowledged covering up allegations of sexual abuse against children by priests in part to avoid scandal and protect the reputation of the diocese.
The Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins had at least 10 substances in his body when he died suddenly in Bogotá, according to a preliminary toxicology test.
Recommended reads
“Suicide is a topic that gets a lot of media airtime; however, not many people are able to talk about it in their personal lives with friends or family,” writes Dr Xavier Mulenga. “The public often raise the question of who is the most qualified to ask questions around suicide. Anecdotally, many people would prefer if the “professionals” (GPs, psychologist, psychiatrists, nurses, etc) did this, which we are more than happy to. The question I ask is: If we all asked about suicide, wouldn’t that be better for everyone?”
Melbourne band Camp Cope are forever analysing their place in the world and their duty within it. Upon the release of their third album, their priorities have entirely shifted. The result is an album that shakes off the tough facade. “We all three had the idea that we don’t want this to be the yelly, angry album, we want this to be a beautiful album,” Thompson says. “But I’m still hitting the drums very hard.” Maq adds: “I just don’t write that way any more. I’m done. I’m like, you can’t yell at shit forever. It’ll kill you.”
“House cleaning is an intimate encounter that demands respect from the cleaner. I felt that my position was privileged – I probably knew more about my clients than some of their closest friends – and along with the privilege came a responsibility to be discreet,” writes Paddy O’Reilly. “The collection of latex animal masks under the bed? Look away. The piles of unpaid bills and red notices, the blood on the bed, the cupboard full of empty whisky bottles, the bitter note from the ex-spouse – not my business.”
The Oscars are on tonight. So, who is up for the gongs? And who is likely to win, and who deserves to win? Our critic Peter Bradshaw weighs up who will leave the Dolby theatre with an award.
Listen
The Great Barrier Reef has been hit with another mass coral bleaching event, with aerial surveys showing almost no reefs across a 1,200km stretch escaping the heat. In today’s Full Story, Guardian Australia environment reporter Graham Readfearn breaks down what you need to know, and explains what it means for the push to list the reef as “in danger”.
Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.
Sport
Melbourne Victory have claimed a gutsy 2-1 win over Sydney FC to seal a second straight A-League Women championship. Like last year, Sydney finished top of the table this season and had home advantage but were pipped by Victory in the game which mattered most.
Three months ago, England’s cricket team was thrashed by a good Australian side and as a consequence the managing director and coach were sacked. Now England have lost humiliatingly to West Indies ... Someone else has to go and the only one left in the firing line is captain Joe Root, writes Vic Marks.
Media roundup
The ABC reports that the Solomon Islands opposition leader claims he warned Australian officials last year that China was negotiating a military pact which could see a base established on the Pacific nation.
A six-year-old has been found in a critical condition in a backyard after going missing in the Perth suburb of Booragoon at about on Sunday afternoon, reports WA today.
Coming up
The Senate will pay tribute to late Labor senator Kimberley Kitching.
And if you’ve read this far …
A few months after the pandemic, museum curators around the world started posting their collections on social media in a #curatorbattle, but it was really #creepiestobject that got the internet talking. So, we set out to find and rank the strangest objects in Australia’s museum collections, including a hangman’s journal, “The Poo Machine” and some sad taxidermy.
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