Morning, everyone. After so much discussion of super reforms, we’re launching our coverage of International Women’s Day with a report flagging the huge difference in lifetime pay and retirement balances between women and men. Elsewhere, Lidia Thorpe says lawyers acting for her former party the Greens made her say she was dating a former bikie boss.
Overseas the UK government has announced a rather familiar-sounding “stop the boats” policy preventing people arriving from across the Channel by boat from claiming asylum. And, on the lighter side of things: we investigate why desserts are turning purple.
Australia
‘I felt embarrassed’ | Lidia Thorpe has denied she ever dated the former Rebels bikie boss Dean Martin and instead alleged she was told by lawyers for the Greens to claim the pair had had a relationship.
Gender gap | Women in Australia earn $1m less on average over their lifetimes than men and retire with $136,000 less in superannuation, according to research by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work. It found that women earning the median wage would accumulate about $393,676 in super, $151,000 below the level defined as a “comfortable retirement”. Greg Jericho analyses the gender gap.
Exclusive | The majority of working women suffer period pain so great it affects their performance – but three in four feel they can’t talk to their manager about it, according to the preliminary findings of a survey of Australia’s biggest unions.
Rates reading | The RBA governor, Philip Lowe, may give more clues about any future increases in the cash rate when he addresses a business summit in Sydney today as a number of different scenarios emerge for the economy.
‘Gift City’ | Deakin University will be the first foreign tertiary education institution in the world to establish a campus in India as the Albanese government ramps up prospects in the rapidly developing sector.
World
‘You die and I live’ | The US and China are heading towards inevitable conflict if Washington does not change its approach, China’s new foreign minister, Qin Gang, has said in a fiery press conference in which he defended his country’s strengthening relationship with Russia.
Boat ban | The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is to announce new laws stopping people who enter the country on small boats from claiming asylum. Critics say it is open to legal challenge and unworkable.
MH370 plea | The families of those lost on board the Malaysia Airlines flight 370 are calling on the Malaysian government to give the green light to another search for the aircraft, which disappeared nine years ago.
Fox complaint | A US media watchdog complaint has filed a federal complaint over the revelation that Rupert Murdoch gave Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, confidential information about a Biden campaign ad.
‘Amazing’ find | Archaeologists working on the Roman ruins beneath Leicester Cathedral have uncovered what is believed to be an altar stone they say is probably the remains of a private shrine or cult room.
Full Story
Ryan, Rugg and the right to work ‘reasonable hours’
Paul Karp looks at how the dispute between Monique Ryan and her staffer Sally Rugg ended up in court, what it could mean for other workers and how it could change who gets to work in federal politics.
In-depth
Online learning began nearly two decades ago with the development of Open Universities Australia but it exploded during the Covid pandemic. Now concern is mounting about quality and value for money as universities outsource the teaching to commercial companies, including the revelation some courses have no actual teaching at all. Anne Davies investigates.
Not the news
Filipinos have long had a love affair with ube – pronounced “oo-beh” – but the rest of the world is catching on to the allure of the purple-coloured yam and, in Australia, Filipino chefs, bakers and bartenders are remixing it into classic local sweets, including hot cross buns and doughnuts, writes Maida Pineda.
The world of sport
Athletics | The former US 5000m champion Lauren Fleshman says elite sports are guilty of erasing women’s bodies, leading to unnecessary problems for competitors.
Football | Racist behaviour by some Sydney United 58 fans won’t prevent the club from entering the proposed second-tier competition, Football Australia says.
Champions League | Law firms representing almost 3,000 Liverpool supporters caught up in the chaos at last May’s Champions League final have said Uefa’s offer of a ticket refund does not go far enough and that they will press ahead with legal claims.
Media roundup
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the long-awaited Aukus submarine deal will be announced in San Diego on Monday. Borrowing costs have to go higher to tame inflation, according to business leaders at the AFR’s summit gathering. The chief executive of Perth Mint has apologised for the “gold doping” scandal that has engulfed the organisation, the West Australian says.
What’s happening today
Northern Territory | Outback Wrangler Matt Wright is in court in Darwin.
Canberra | The British high commissioner to Australia, Vicki Treadell, addresses the Press Club.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are 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.
