Morning everyone. The Reserve Bank governor’s ominous warning that the cash rate will keep rising as long as inflation continues its own upward trajectory is the sobering backdrop this morning to research showing that hundreds of thousands of people are missing out on energy bill concessions worth up to $372 a year. Even so, we’ve got analysis showing that the real damage to household finances will be done by rising mortgage costs, not power prices. But it’s not all gloom – some Australian staff at multinational Unilever are joining a trial of a four-day work week. With no pay cut.
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Australia
Power failure | Hundreds of thousands of Australians eligible for concessions on their energy bills may not be receiving them, with more than 35% of potential recipients missing out on critical cost-of-living relief in some states, according to new research.
Rate warning | The Reserve Bank will not hesitate to keep hiking interest rates beyond forecast levels if inflation does not begin to settle, the governor, Philip Lowe, has warned. It comes as analysis shows that mortgage costs are a much bigger factor in our rising cost of living than energy bills.
Four-day week | The consumer goods conglomerate Unilever will expand its trial of a four-day work week to staff in Australia after a successful 18-month pilot in New Zealand.
Queensland | Counter-terror police have visited the home of an environmental activist after a request from New South Wales ahead of planned protests at a mining conference in Sydney tomorrow.
Why BMI? | Australian experts have called for a rethink about using the body mass index as a gauge of good health, arguing it has become stigmatising.
World
Border woes | Child asylum seekers who have recently arrived in the UK on small boats say officials have put pressure on them to say they are adults in order to move them on more quickly from the troubled processing site at Manston.
Pelosi mocked | The Republican candidate for governor of Arizona, Kari Lake, has drawn laughter at a campaign event with a remark about the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of the Democratic US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
Winter war | Ukraine faces a humanitarian crisis after Russian attacks have disabled “virtually all” of its non-nuclear capacity, an energy chief says.
Brazil protest | Brazil’s supreme court has ordered police to remove roadblocks set up by supporters of Jair Bolsonaro protesting at his defeat in the presidential election. The outgoing president had remained silent on the result, though he was expected to speak some time this morning.
Italy Nazi shame | A Brothers of Italy politician who was once photographed wearing a Nazi swastika armband is among the junior ministers appointed in Giorgia Meloni’s government.
Full Story
Why Peter Dutton’s nuclear power plan doesn’t stack up
Peter Dutton’s enthusiasm for nuclear energy looks like an excuse for delay on renewables, argues our climate and environment editor Adam Morton.
In-depth
Six places in Sydney are in the top 10 of the wettest locations in Australia this year, BoM figures on average rainfall show. One site, Marrickville golf club, has recorded 2,154mm of rain – 213.1% of its annual mean of 1,010.8mm. In all, New South Wales takes nine places in the chart with Maree in South Australia the outlier.
Not the news
Social media and the wellness industry are the satirical targets of Sissy, a “diabolically entertaining” new Australian horror movie. Starring Aisha Dee in the eponymous role, our reviewer Luke Buckmaster says you’ll need a strong stomach, but it’s nevertheless a “deranged pleasure”.
The world of sport
Cricket | England piled the pressure on Australia by beating New Zealand by 20 runs in a crunch T20 World Cup group game in Brisbane.
Football | Spurs players endured a sleepless night in their Marseille hotel after rival fans set off fireworks at 1.30am and 4.30am ahead of their crunch Champions League clash today.
NBA | Fans protested at the Brooklyn-Indiana game against Nets guard Kyrie Irving after he tweeted out a link to a film that includes anti-Jewish tropes.
Media roundup
Anthony Albanese believes the country can reform its way out of the coming economic downturn rather than rely on cash handouts, the Australian reports, while a columnist in the Sydney Morning Herald warns that house prices have much further to fall. Cold air is blowing up the east coast, bringing temperatures usually seen in the depths of winter, the ABC says. The Age says that after the flood, the roar returned to Flemington yesterday for the Melbourne Cup.
What’s happening today
LGBTQ+ deaths inquiry | Honourable Justice John Sackar will open a special commission of inquiry in Sydney into unsolved deaths of LGBTQ+ people between 1970 and 2010.
Cassius vigils | Vigils are being staged around the country for Cassius Turvey, the 15-year-old who was allegedly murdered in Perth.
Mining protests | Environmental activists are expected to protest as the International Mining and Resources conference starts in Sydney.
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Bored?
And finally, 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.
