Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.
The federal education minister, Jason Clare, is calling for a national database of childcare workers and their employment histories – accessible at the press of a button – after revelations that the childcare worker accused of sexual abuse, Joshua Dale Brown, worked at more centres than initially thought.
Clare, who will introduce legislation to parliament when it next sits to cut funding to childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards, backed more CCTV but dismissed calls to bar men from working in the childcare industry altogether.
The news comes as Brown has been linked to another daycare centre not previously listed by authorities, bringing his total known workplaces to 24. Childcare operator G8 wrote to parents on Tuesday to tell them that the 26-year-old worked at World of Learning in Point Cook, in Melbourne’s west, on 24 August 2023.
Top news
US House speaker Mike Johnson calls for release of Epstein files amid backlash
Labor to wait for university discrimination review before antisemitism response
Don’t bomb Moscow, Trump says, after reportedly giving Zelenskyy the idea
‘An insult’: Malaysians condemn nomination of ‘alpha-male’ Nick Adams as US ambassador
As Optus Sport closes, subscription refunds are on their way – by cheque
Tara Moore, former British No 1 in doubles, handed four-year doping ban
In video
Humpback whale brings ferries to a halt in Sydney Harbour
Ferry services were suspended after a humpback whale was spotted by commuters in Sydney Harbour near Fort Denison about 8am on Wednesday. It swam to Circular Quay – the city’s central ferry terminal – before moving east towards the defence base of Garden Island then to Watsons Bay and north to Balmoral Bay. Maritime authorities were called on to escort the whale out to sea and safety.
What they said …
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“They did the full kit and caboodle and so it was a splendid occasion.” – Anthony Albanese
Chinese and Australian business leaders were regaled with a performance of Australian rock classics in China’s Great Hall of the People. The prime minister called the renditions of Aussie anthems from Powderfinger, Paul Kelly and Midnight Oil “a very warm gesture indeed, and they did it very well, I must say”.
In numbers
An investigation has found strong winds caused hundreds of drones to fall from the sky into Melbourne’s Yarra River less than two minutes into a light show celebrating the Matildas before the Women’s World Cup. Divers were sent in to recover them, but were only able to retrieve some of the downed drones, with 191 remaining unrecovered.
Before bed read
In Seoul, home to nearly 10 million people, single-person households have surged from 16% to nearly 40% of all homes in just over two decades. Late last year, the mayor, Oh Se-hoon launched his “Seoul without loneliness” initiative, a five-year programme investing 451.3bn won (£242m) to tackle the issue with instant noodles, foot spas and counsellors.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: SHIN. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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