Good morning. France is furious over the growing scandal of a leaked text message from the French president to Scott Morrison, and world leaders continue to make pledges to fight the climate crisis at Cop26.
French officials have vented their fury at the leaking of a text message from Emmanuel Macron to Morrison, as the prime minister faces accusations he has put his personal political interests ahead of healing the rift. “Confidence has been completely shattered,” a close adviser to Macron said, calling the release of the text “a pretty crude and unconventional tactic”. “It is not the kind of thing that is likely to improve relations between France and Australia,” the adviser said. The message, in which the French president asked Morrison whether to expect good or bad news on the submarine project, was shared to reinforce Australia’s position that France wasn’t blindsided about the cancellation of the $90bn submarine deal, but France argued it showed that Macron “did not know what stage the discussions had got to”.
At the Cop26 summit today, US president Joe Biden has announced a pledge to cut global methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Reducing these emissions was touted as one of the most immediate opportunities to slow global heating ahead of the summit. World leaders agreed to coordinate the introduction of clean technologies in order to rapidly drive down their cost. African countries are preparing to spend at least US$6bn a year from their tax revenues adapting to the impacts of the climate crisis and are calling on the rich world to provide US$2.5bn a year for the next five years to enable them to meet their goals. And Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, has defended his trip to space, telling delegates that it made him realise how “finite and fragile” the Earth is.
Australia has more than 100 fossil fuel developments in the pipeline that could result in the equivalent of about 5% of global industrial emissions if all were to go ahead, an analysis says. The Australian government lists 116 major coal and gas projects under development, and while not all will be built, a new report says it is an indication of the fossil fuel development that continues in Australia despite the Morrison government committing to net zero emissions by 2050.
Australia
Coalition MPs are split over the government’s revised religious discrimination bill, which is facing resistance over three issues, including the “Folau clause” that would give legal protection to someone expressing a statement of belief.
The Royal Melbourne hospital is down 51 staff who are refusing to be vaccinated against Covid. These staff represented just 0.45% of the hospital’s workforce and included nurses, ward clerks and clinical positions – though none were doctors.
Australia’s federal budget is set for a post-lockdown bounce before settling into deficits of $60bn a year, an independent analysis has warned. The analysis says the “ongoing shortfall” in future budgets could only be wiped out by raising GST to 17% or increasing marginal income tax by 5.5%.
The world
The international community’s chief representative in Bosnia has warned that the country is in imminent danger of breaking apart, and there is a “very real” prospect of a return to conflict.
Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency after forces from the northern region of Tigray said they were gaining territory and considering marching on the capital Addis Ababa.
A Canadian academic specialising in Indigenous health issues has been placed on administrative leave after an investigation challenged her claims of Indigenous ancestry.
A Polish woman died from septic shock in her 22nd week of pregnancy, in what activists say is a result of a recent restriction of the country’s abortion law. According to a lawyer for the family, doctors did not perform an abortion, even though her foetus was lacking amniotic fluid.
Recommended reads
On Becoming a God in Central Florida hit the small screen in 2019, and sees Kirsten Dunst play the kitsch pyramid scheme queen in a show that upends the fantasy of the American dream. “There are few greater joys than watching a performer as skilled as Kirsten Dunst really go for it, whatever ‘it’ may be,” writes Tiia Kelly.
Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, a Sydney-based sculptor and ceramicist, is known for his vivid Technicolor creations. Nithiyendran has found keeping visual diaries essential to his practice. He rates those spiral bound diaries – which he fills in with texta sketches of potential sculptural works – as his most useful object. He tells us why those pages are so hard to part with, as well as the stories of a few other important personal belongings.
Listen
The Park hotel in Melbourne, which is being used as a place of detention for refugees and asylum seekers, is currently the site of a Covid outbreak. It follows months of warnings about the “high-risk environment” for transmission and calls for all people held there to be released. In today’s Full Story, Laura Murphy-Oates speaks to detained refugee Mustafa Salah and reporter Ben Doherty about life inside the hotel as this outbreak spreads.
Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.
When Gadia Zrihan’s family were forced to leave their dog behind, they left a part of themselves too – a part they feared they could never get back. Lifestyle editor Alyx Gorman recommends this story about a heartwarming in during uncertain times for today’s Australia Reads.
Listen to the best of Guardian Australia’s journalism on Australia Reads podcast on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.
Sport
Crowds at the Melbourne Cup are dwindling in size and fewer Australians are gambling on horse races – but those still having a punt are spending more. A study found more people “bloody hate gambling”, yet turnover keeps increasing, from $22.9bn in 2010-11 to $26.9bn in 2018-19.
The modern pentathlon’s governing body has secretly voted to ditch horse riding and replace it with cycling, a decision hastened when a horse was punched at the Tokyo Olympics by a German coach.
Media roundup
NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has ordered a review of his government’s processes for awarding taxpayer-funded grants, after Gladys Berejiklian’s appearance at a corruption inquiry reignited controversy over pork-barrelling in marginal seats, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Embattled Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith is refusing to quit state parliament after crashing his car while driving more than 2½ times over the legal alcohol limit, reports the Age. Emails from the Royal Adelaide hospital concerning organ transplants are being rejected as spam by a Melbourne hospital, reports the Advertiser.
Coming up
French ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault will address the National Press Club.
Olivia Newton-John is receiving an honour from the Japanese government.
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