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Expert daily insight into the stories that drive the nation.
NSW minister tests positive to COVID, another in isolation
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard learnt from a late-night SMS that he’s a possible close contact of a likely positive COVID-19 case and his colleague Adam Marshall today confirmed he has the virus.
Breaking
Coronavirus pandemic
Victoria records one new local COVID case, three in quarantine as restrictions set to ease
Under the revised rules, which will remain in place for the next fortnight, public gatherings of up to 50 people outdoors will be permitted and offices can be staffed at 75% capacity. But masks must still be worn indoors.
Damp winter and spring likely to lift flood risk for country’s east
Eastern Australia, already soaked by big rain events and storms this year, could be in for more flooding as conditions in the Indian Ocean and Pacific tilt to favour increased rainfall.
Exclusive
Climate policy
Fossil fuels’ free ride: Lib MPs escalate calls for net zero target
Liberal MPs are calling for stronger action on climate change to counter Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, insisting he stand up for farmers rather than fossil fuels.
Opinion
Renewables
The National Party’s allergy to net zero - by a worried Liberal
A veteran Liberal asks who Nationals think they’re supporting with their aversion to a strong emissions target: their farming constituencies or mining and gas executives?
Warren Entsch
CBD
City life
Chris Hemsworth, the low-profile charity superhero
It’s not every day a real-life superhero lends a hand to a worthy but struggling regional health service and yet actor Chris Hemsworth is a man of many surprises.
★★★★
Review
New film explores weirdest, most prolific band you’ve never heard of
For 50 years Sparks have followed their own, uncompromising musical path.
‘I deserve to have a life’: Britney Spears asks to be freed from conservatorship
The singer gave a long, emotional and even profane speech, in which she condemned the legal arrangement and her father, who has long controlled it.
Exclusive
Heritage
Ex-premier Ted Baillieu to steer Heritage Council through assessment backlog
The federal government has appointed the former Victorian Liberal premier to chair the Australian Heritage Council.
Analysis
Roberts-Smith case
Ben Roberts-Smith asked if stamps could be traced, trial hears
Former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith offered explanations over several agreed facts put to him during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Exclusive
Emergency services
Triple-zero call system failures pose deadly risk
An audit found a worst-case-scenario outage could result in at least 18 deaths a day, as the beleaguered emergency triple-zero call system continues to be hit by IT glitches.
Exclusive
Political leadership
Senator ‘maggoted’ in late-night sitting draws criticism
Several senators said the apparent intoxication of a Northern Territory senator during an evening session of Federal Parliament was “totally inappropriate”.
‘Outsourcing parenting’ comments draw criticism that Nats lag behind voters
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has backed childcare after his close allies questioned why so much more support was given to the sector compared with stay-at-home parents.
‘Pretty happy with himself’: How Cats legend helped Stewart become potential captain
For all Matthew Scarlett has achieved in football, his role in the ascension of Tom Stewart makes him as proud as anything else.
AFL expert tips and teams, round 15
All the ins and outs for round 15, plus how the experts tipped.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
Analysis
Why we should all be barracking for Sydney
That NSW is allowing businesses to stay open and people to leave their homes should give hope to lockdown-weary Victorians that there may be another way.
Australia probably won’t use AstraZeneca after October, except by request
The national rollout will instead rely on the Pfizer dose.
Local
‘Massive financial hit’: Dandenongs businesses smashed by storms
Businesses in the Dandenong Ranges are hurting after Victoria’s fourth lockdown and prolonged closures due to the recent storms.
‘Enemy’ of Ben Roberts-Smith had home raided by police, court told
The former special forces soldier denied that a private investigator he hired helped to “set up” a police raid on the home of one of his enemies.
Channel 31 free-to-air broadcast saved after community push
The community broadcaster has had its licence extended for three more years after a campaign by volunteers, staff and councillors.
Police flag ‘grab and drag’ gap as review mulls new offence
Police believe there are gaps in the law when it comes to “grab and drag” offending, following public outrage about the sentence for man who pulled a nurse into an alleyway.
Nurse who helped rebels in Syria could go free after six-year wait for guilty plea
A Melbourne man who provided medical support to Chechen militants fighting the Assad regime is eligible to apply for parole after almost six years in a Victorian prison.
Politics
‘Siege mentality’: Australia’s top diplomat warns China is insecure and brittle
Australia’s outgoing top diplomat Frances Adamson has warned China’s “siege mentality” and resistance to scrutiny is in no one’s interests.
Business
Westpac stays in NZ as it scraps potential demerger
Banking giant Westpac has decided it will not offload its New Zealand unit, after a review found it made sense for shareholders to hold onto the Kiwi business.
World
Cybersecurity software pioneer John McAfee found dead in jail
McAfee had been in jail in Spain since October 6 when he was accused of tax evasion and failure to disclose income charges at Barcelona airport.
Opinion
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Property bydomain
Stamp duty discount deadline ticking: Buyers could be caught short
Victorian home buyers could be left short when stamp duty discounts end on June 30, and faced with having to borrow more from the banks or from their family.
East coast Aussies spend a massive $381 billion on property
Our love for bricks and mortar has led the country's economic recovery but on the eastern seaboard particularly, there's been a staggering amount of sales.
Life & Culture
Opinion
Archibald Prize
John Howard in beachwear offers both shock value and affectionate humour
Josonia Palaitis’ 1979 portrait of the politician should have won the Archibald Prize.
John McDonald
Art critic
Sport
‘Pretty happy with himself’: How Cats legend helped Stewart become potential captain
For all Matthew Scarlett has achieved in football, his role in the ascension of Tom Stewart makes him as proud as anything else.
Carlton’s New-man? Former Tiger skipper a Blues target
Former Richmond captain and highly regarded Hawthorn assistant Chris Newman has emerged as a target for Carlton.
NZ shed bridesmaid’s tag with maiden WTC title
Beaten in the last two World Cup finals, the Kiwis became Test cricket’s first official world champions after prevailing in a match plagued by bad weather.
Rainbow flag protester hauled off, Ronaldo record
Euro 2020’s group of death lived up to its name on a dramatic morning that ultimately had all but Hungary progress at the tournament.
Out-of-contract Cat dropped again as Lions regain skipper
Out-of-contract midfielder Quinton Narkle has been dropped for the second time this month as Geelong regained key defender Lachie Henderson for Thursday night’s clash with Brisbane.
Hunter claims Tokyo spot with second quickest Australian time ever
Two weeks ago, Australia didn’t have a runner qualified to race the 800 metres at the Tokyo Olympics. Now, they have three.
AFL expert tips and teams, round 15
All the ins and outs for round 15, plus how the experts tipped.
Have Your Say
Can the Sixers, or the Olympics, fix Ben Simmons?
Sixers president tiptoed around most Simmons questions, though he said he still believed he could be part of a championship nucleus. The door, though, is always open for a deal.
