Good afternoon. Daniel Andrews is stepping down as premier of Victoria, effective 5pm tomorrow.
It ends a nearly nine-year reign – the longest serving term of a Labor premier in the state. “When it is time, it is time,” he said. “You never want to get to a place where you resent this job.” The prime minster, Anthony Albanese, praised Andrews, noting the premier’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Dan never shirked the hard decisions,” he said.
When asked why he chose to resign after telling Victorians he would see out a full term before the state election in November 2022, Andrews said “I changed my mind”.
Top news
Mundine says Indigenous Australians should forgive | The prominent no campaigner Warren Mundine has criticised the Uluru statement and claimed “most Indigenous Australians are doing fine” at a speech at the National Press Club, despite First Nations people having a lower life expectancy than non-Indigenous Australians. He said the theme of his speech came from his Catholic faith, adding that “Indigenous people also need to forgive Australia as a nation”.
Qatar tried to meet Australian government over airline decision | Qatar requested urgent consultation sessions with the Australian government over its decision to block its national airline from almost doubling flights, but the Albanese government is yet to schedule the meetings, a Senate inquiry has heard. The Qatari government also hit out at Qantas and its partner Emirates for lobbying against the Qatar Airways move.
Rooftop solar nearing record capacity | Australian households are on track to add three gigawatts of rooftop solar capacity to the electricity grid this year but investment in large-scale wind and solar remains all but stalled, according to the Clean Energy Regulator. Three gigawatts would bring the amount of rooftop solar capacity added to the grid close to the 2021 record of 3.2GW. The regulator said 1.4GW of rooftop solar capacity, from almost 160,000 systems, was added to the grid in the first half of 2023.
NT crocodile expert pleads guilty to animal sexual abuse | Adam Robert Corden Britton, 51, tortured and sexually exploited more than 42 dogs and also transmitted child abuse material before his arrest in April 2022. The former academic, who once hosted the legendary broadcaster and biologist David Attenborough, would share videos and images of himself sexually exploiting the dogs on online forums under pseudonyms.
NSW approves Byron Bay short-stay rental cap | The Byron shire council has been given the green light by the New South Wales government to cap short-stay rentals at 60 days in line with advice from the state’s independent planning tribunal. The cap will come into force on 26 September next year.
Armenian exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh | More than 200 people have been injured in a powerful explosion in the Nagorno-Karabakh region as thousands of ethnic Armenians streamed out of the breakaway territory after the Azerbaijani military reclaimed full control of it in a lightning offensive last week.
Shrinking Antarctic sea ice | Antarctica has likely broken a new record for the lowest annual maximum amount of sea ice around the continent. The new mark is the latest in a string of records for the continent’s sea ice, as scientists fear global heating could have shifted the region into a new era of disappearing ice with far-reaching consequences for the world’s climate and sea levels.
Biden pledges more aid to Pacific islands | The US president offered $200m (A$312m) more in funding for the region at a White House meeting with Pacific leaders aimed at bolstering US engagement in the face of a growing Chinese presence.
Irish ministry condemns treatment of black gymnast | Ireland’s sports ministry has said that a young gymnast at the centre of a racism row was “badly let down”, as it emerged that the head of the country’s sporting authority told the family last year that the girl’s treatment wasn’t racist. Video of the event in March 2022 shows a judge handing out medals for participation to a line of young gymnasts, but ignoring the only black girl.
Full Story
Hoot hoot for the powerful owl
It is Australia’s largest owl and can be found in urban forests in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, where it’s at risk from cars, power lines and common household pesticides. As the Australian bird of the year poll kicks off, Jane Lee goes in search of a powerful owl with the nature writer Harry Saddler and Birdlife Australia’s Sean Dooley. Listen to the 21-minute episode.
What they said …
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“The morale of Qantas pilots has never been lower, we have totally lost confidence in [Qantas chairman Richard] Goyder and his board.” – Tony Lucas, president of the Australian and International Pilots Association
For the first time in its history, the pilots union has called for the Qantas chairman to resign, citing “one of the most damaging periods in Qantas’ history”.
In numbers
The most common behaviours detected were property damage and theft, followed by intimidation and threats and verbal abuse. Of recorded domestic violence offences, 10% included a reference to threats of harm and 6% included a threat to kill.
Before bed read
Why are the coolest, edgiest TV shows and books set in Naples? From The Hand of God to Mixed by Erry, the novels of Elena Ferrante to the gangster smash Gomorrah, the Italian city is everywhere. What’s the appeal? The journalist Tobias Jones visits Naples to find out.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: REF. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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