Morning everyone. The education minister, Jason Clare, has told Guardian Australia exclusively how he plans to use new powers as soon as possible to shake up the childcare sector after the shocking reports of abuse in Victoria and New South Wales.
In other news, pro-Palestine protesters are digging in over plans to stage a rally on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, while our Full Story podcast asks if the outcry over pictures of starving children in Gaza is a tipping point. Plus, we ask why Adani doesn’t pay corporate tax in Australia despite billions in revenue from its huge Queensland coalmine.
Australia
Discrimination claim | Mary Kostakidis has asked the federal court in Adelaide to strike out an “embarrassing” Zionist Federation of Australia racial discrimination claim on the grounds it fails to identify which race, ethnicity or nationality was offended by the former SBS journalist’s social media posts about Israel. Meanwhile the Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, has said a pro-Palestine protest involving a march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge would be a “powerful symbol”.
Childcare crisis | The use of CCTV in childcare centres, a national register of teachers and mandatory child safety training are top of the agenda for a meeting of state and federal ministers, as governments race to respond to abuse in the early childhood sector.
‘Missing’ $22bn | Consumer price figures released tomorrow may determine whether a cautious Reserve Bank of Australia will give millions of mortgaged Australians a rate cut next month.
Union anger | The NSW government is facing strong pushback against workers compensation changes designed to curb claims for psychological injury, with educators and the peak union group criticising the bill’s failure to address underlying issues.
Gaming backlash | Payment companies such as Visa, Mastercard and Stripe are facing public backlash for pressuring online gaming platforms to remove hundreds of games in response to a campaign from an Australian anti-porn lobby group.
World
‘Dark day’ | The French prime minister, François Bayrou, said the EU had capitulated to Donald Trump’s threats of ever-increasing tariffs, as he labelled the framework deal struck in Scotland on Sunday as a “dark day” for the EU. Here’s an explainer about what the EU has agreed to and analysis on why they chose a deal over a trade war.
‘Real starvation’ | Two leading human rights organisations based in Israel, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, say Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the country’s western allies have a legal and moral duty to stop it. For the first time, Donald Trump acknowledged that there is “real starvation” in the region and told Benjamin Netanyahu to allow “every ounce of food” into Gaza.
Aeroflot hack | The Russian airline Aeroflot was forced to cancel dozens of flights after a pro-Ukraine hacking group with a track record of claiming responsibility for hacking targets in Russia said it had carried out a cyber-attack. Meanwhile Donald Trump has given Vladimir Putin a 12-day deadline to cut a peace deal with Ukraine.
Gallagher charged | The older brother of Oasis’s Noel and Liam Gallagher has been charged with rape and other sexual offences, Scotland Yard has said.
Spidey senses | David Attenborough’s new series, Parenthood – to be shown on Channel Ten – will feature footage of a 1,000-strong pack of young African social spiders hunting prey in a game of “grandmother’s footsteps” during which they freeze in unison then eat all their mothers and elderly relatives alive.
Full Story
Is this the tipping point in Gaza?
Guardian Middle East correspondent William Christou speaks to Reged Ahmad from Jerusalem about whether this moment is a tipping point in the Israel-Gaza war.
In-depth
More than three years after Adani started extracting coal from its Queensland mine, the Indian conglomerate has paid zero corporate tax from its Australian project – and tax experts say it may “never pay a cent”. Our business correspondent, Jonathan Barrett, investigates how it has happened.
Not the news
A new Australian biography of the mythologiser of the American west, Zane Grey, has uncovered the unlikely tale of how the ageing writer and keen fisher spent his final years chasing his dream of catching a great white – and explains why a caravan park in southern NSW bears his name.
Sport
Swimming | Alexandria Perkins (pictured on right) has taken a bronze medal for Australia on day two of the swimming world championships in Singapore, while Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh continued her winning ways.
Football | As the world of women’s football moves on after England’s dramatic Euro win, the Matildas prepare for tonight’s draw for the Asian Cup which will be held in Australia in March.
Cricket | Kevin Pietersen has defended Ben Stokes after the England captain was criticised for his reaction to India’s decision to bat on in the closing stages of the drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford.
Rugby union | Our correspondent on the Lions tour, Gerard Meagher, explains why the 12-hour train journey between Melbourne and Sydney is an essential part of the experience.
Media roundup
Victorian farmers are “furious” about plans to hand VicGrid the power to access farmland to build transmission towers, according to the Australian Financial Review. In an editorial, the Courier Mail says sneering from Sydney and Melbourne won’t stop Brisbane from having its moment. A couple whose baby was stillborn at Cowra hospital have thanked nurses for managing to make the experience “deeply meaningful”, the Central Western Daily reports.
What’s happening today
Energy | Australian Clean Energy Summit in Sydney.
Courts | Interlocutory hearing at 10.15am for the racial discrimination case brought by the Zionist Federation of Australia against Mary Kostakidis.
Perth | Case management hearing at 11.15am for Linda Reynolds v Commonwealth.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
