Environment newsletter
A guide to what’s happening to the environment and what it means for the future.
Bondi Badlands podcast
We shed new light on a series of brutal murders along Sydney’s clifftops.
Daily Crosswords
Challenge yourself with today's quick and cryptic puzzles.
NSW records 34 deaths and 20,324 new COVID-19 cases
Since Wednesday, hospitalisations have decreased by 5.3 per cent and ICU cases have reduced by 13 per cent.
NSW schools to hand out millions of RATs under twice-a-week testing regime
A huge operation is under way to get rapid antigen tests to schools before the school year begins, with 6 million testing swabs set to be on school campuses by Australia Day.
Analysis
Consumer spending
‘Damn lot of money’: How households plan to spend their pandemic savings
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is hoping the $260 billion in cash saved by households during the pandemic will fuel the economic recovery, but many Australians have other ideas.
Exclusive
Spending
Cost of living pressures a major election issue
The price of groceries is the top concern of voters when it comes to hip-pocket expenses, followed by utility bills, an exclusive survey has found.
Analysis
Shopping
Are groceries really getting more expensive?
From wrestling in the aisles over toilet paper to fears of shortages, the pandemic has inflamed anxiety among Australians about the cost of filling a trolley.
Renovators turn exclusive Whale Beach Road into a ‘battleground’
Trucks, vehicles and building materials have been scattered across one of Sydney’s most exclusive enclaves amid years of construction noise and traffic chaos for long-term locals.
Exclusive
Coronavirus pandemic
What the suburbs that suffer most in a pandemic have in common
New analysis shows the proportion of blue-collar workers in a local government area was the biggest determinant of the spread and impact of COVID-19.
Exclusive
Sydney councils
Sydney suburbs bearing the brunt of the Omicron wave
Two local health districts account for about a third of the state’s 650,000 cases since the beginning of December.
‘They smashed it’: The top schools for HSC maths revealed
Alpha Omega Senior College has only existed for a decade, but it has a success rate in maths to rival some of the state’s top selective schools.
Opinion
UK politics
Booze-busted Boris Johnson still rules the party room, for now
The British PM’s self-immolation would be harder to come by in NSW, where our leaders ingeniously insulated themselves from breaking their own rules by not having many.
Dom Knight
Writer, broadcaster and podcast host
‘Novak is like Christ’: Belgrade’s poster boy still adored back home
Those who know the Djokovics say there are two Novaks: the globalist and philanthropist; and the uneducated product of his “chauvinistic” father.
Explainer
Healthcare
CBD oil is having a moment. What’s it for and what’s behind all the hype?
If you believe the hype, CBD oil can fix just about anything. It stimulates the same response as social contact, chocolate and exercise. But what does the science say and is it even legal?
Analysis
Pop culture
Has our appetite for TV reboots been exhausted?
A string of cancellations and lukewarm relaunches has thrown a wrench into the accepted industry wisdom about trading in nostalgia.
Mattress floors and the smell of disinfectant: Inside the Playboy Mansion
I discovered there was a lot of smoke and mirrors around Hugh Hefner when I met him in 2013 at the Playboy Mansion. By this point in his life, the scene was more Weekend At Bernie’s than American Gigolo.
Australian Open
Updated
‘I’m living the dream’: De Minaur sails through to fourth round at home slam
The 22-year-old Sydneysider will face another young gun, Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner, in the fourth round.
Barty primed to end Australian Open drought, says Laver
Tennis great Rod Laver believes that victory for Ashleigh Barty at this year’s Australian Open would drive the world No.1 “to another level”.
Sydney
Exclusive
Public transport
A-G signs off on NSW accounts after concerns over $40b rail entity
The NSW Auditor-General’s opinion resolves a stand-off with Treasury over the corporation, which controlled $40 billion worth of rail assets.
Exclusive
Coronavirus pandemic
$1.12 billion in NSW COVID-19 relief funding yet to be spent
Some of the more than $1 billion set aside for COVID relief will never be spent to that end, including more than $400 million in Dine and Discover vouchers that expire in June.
Exclusive
Courts
Lawyer from firm behind drink-driving memes convicted of drink-driving
The law firm gained notoriety in 2017 for posting drink-driving memes that were slammed by the office of the Attorney-General.
Opening schools on time a ‘key priority’
Premier Dominic Perrottet says NSW’s healthcare system is adequately resourced to withstand a potential spike in COVID cases when school goes back.
Boaters urged to wear life jackets in safety blitz after boat capsizes
NSW Maritime are conducting a safety blitz on boaters, jet ski riders and kayakers this weekend as police continued to search for a fisherman whose boat capsized.
Weekend reads
Shannon beat her deadly condition – and she says other people can too
Shannon spent decades struggling with life-threatening anorexia and bulimia before finding the right help, something that will be more available after a funding injection.
Fit for purpose: Anthony Albanese says it’s his time
The leaner Labor leader has hit the ground running visiting 20 towns in 10 days with a message that he is serious about winning the top job.
Politics
Analysis
Australia votes
The issues hurting the Coalition’s vote in horror polling week
Politics can change quickly in the heat of a campaign and horror polls, like the Coalition has seen this week, need to be handled with care.
Opinion
Political leadership
Leadership is a sober business, it takes more than a bloke with a beer
Malcolm Knox
Journalist, author and columnist
Business
Opinion
Electricity
How I saved $537 on my electricity bill
If you haven’t shopped around for a better energy plan in a year or more, this is your annual reminder to jump on to your relevant government price comparison website today.
Jessica Irvine
Senior economics writer
World
US halts dozens of flights by Chinese airlines
Beijing and Washington have sparred over air services since the start of the pandemic.
Opinion
Would a modern Australia choose January 26 to celebrate our nation?
Linda Burney
Member of Parliament
Booze-busted Boris still rules the party room, for now
Dom Knight
Writer, broadcaster and podcast host
Australia must jump on board the e-bus express
Karl Kruszelnicki and Bridie Schmidt
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Property
‘Liveable’ timber beach house listed for $30 million
This charming cottage’s most luxurious feature is hydronic heating, and it’s already had an offer from buyers keen on the location, location, location.
‘Missed the boat’: Is the dream of a holiday home over?
The idea of a humble summer house in sleepy coastal retreats has all but sailed into distance for many average families. So, who is buying them now?
Lifestyle
Opinion
Style
Philippine Beaulieu-Leroy’s naked dress was daring – and that’s exactly the point
The Emily in Paris star turned heads in a sheer dress this week, but would it be quite so topical if the nipples on display belonged to a 26-year-old rather than a 58-year-old?
Melissa Twigg
Culture
‘She was born to play that part’: Cate Blanchett in Nightmare Alley
Del Toro’s new film sees Bradley Cooper play a man whose ambition and fear set him on a path of self-destruction.
Sport
Updated
Australian Open
‘I’m living the dream’: De Minaur sails through to fourth round at home slam
The 22-year-old Sydneysider will face another young gun, Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner, in the fourth round.
The tennis ace who put Barty through her paces: World No.1 prepares for Anisimova
The transformational moment in Ashleigh Barty’s career stemmed from a crisis on court against Amanda Anisimova on a bitter, blustery day in 2019, which both clearly recall ahead of their Australian Open clash.
‘Thought it was UFC’: Australia’s ‘Special Ks’ allude to locker room stoush after big doubles win
Nick Kyrgios has claimed there were threats of a locker room stoush after he partnered with close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis to upset the men’s doubles top seeds.
‘I don’t know if it’s a fairytale, but it’s as close as it gets’: Khawaja having time of his life
Usman Khawaja still can’t quite believe his sudden rise from Test squad reserve to Australian hero.
‘Are you kidding me’: Border furious at Steve Smith BBL snub
Allan Border has led a chorus of condemnation over the Big Bash’s refusal to let Steve Smith play for the Sydney Sixers.
Opinion
Australian Open
No easy task: Barty can’t afford to slip up in Australian Open quest
Ashleigh Barty has breezed through the opening rounds of the Australian Open so far, but the assignment is about to become harder as she prepares to face Amanda Anisimova.
Paul McNamee
‘Fans and teammates loved him’: The young Souths No.7 dealing with the pressure of replacing Reynolds
One of the biggest storylines of the 2022 NRL season will be how Lachlan Ilias copes with the pressure of replacing club favourite Adam Reynolds.
Have Your Say
England were woeful, but Pakistan tour will tell us a lot more about Australia
England’s Ashes capitulation was the meekest performance from the oldest enemy in my recollection. So, just how good is Australia’s Test team then?
Geoff Lawson
Cricket columnist
