Morning, everyone. After Labor ministers confirmed they were taking the nuclear-powered option for defence, the erstwhile party leader Mark Latham is planning to challenge the country’s longstanding nuclear power ban – if he and One Nation end up with the balance of power after next week’s New South Wales election. In Queensland the government wants to ban swastika tattoos, and there’s a powerful warning about the “price of easy money” in the financial system, as market watchers speculate on the risk of more collapses in the wake of the Silicon Valley Bank. Plus, energy regulator modelling suggests we might not have enough gas for our power needs over the next four years.
Australia
Exclusive | The Queensland government is planning to make it illegal to display Nazi swastika tattoos as part of its ban on hate symbols that it says will be among the strongest in the country.
Kingmaker Latham? | Mark Latham will seek to overturn a longstanding ban on nuclear power technologies, strengthen “parental rights” and protect Christians from vilification if One Nation picks up enough seats to make him a kingmaker after the NSW election. The state’s treasurer, Matt Kean, is said to be considering a move to Canberra if the Coalition is defeated next Saturday, while a flat campaign reached a new nadir in yesterday’s leaders’ debate when Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns were asked to name their children.
Secret ministries | Scott Morrison’s former assistant minister, Ben Morton, was appointed to administer the home affairs department in March 2021, documents obtained under FOI laws reveal, in a move not disclosed at the time in official ministry lists or at a swearing-in ceremony.
Power shortfall | South-eastern Australia faces possible gas supply gaps for at least the next four years during bouts of extreme weather, potentially requiring exports to be diverted south, according to the energy market operator.
Magic mushrooms | Up to 1.2m cigarette butts could be consumed by oyster mushrooms that break down toxins and microplastics and turn them into polystyrene as part of a trial in Victoria.
World
‘Price of easy money’ | The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank could be the start of “a “slow rolling crisis” in the US financial system with “more seizures and shutdowns coming”, the chief executive of the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, has warned. Bank shares in Europe were battered again overnight after Credit Suisse slumped 26% to record lows when its largest shareholder, Saudi National Bank, pulled the plug on funding.
‘Time will tell’ | The Harry Potter author JK Rowling has said she knew that when she spoke out about her views on transgender issues “many folks would be deeply unhappy with me”.
City of love and trash | Paris is reeking under more than 7,000 tonnes of foul-smelling rubbish and waste, blocking doorways and pavements, as refuse collectors extended their nine-day strike for at least another five days in protest at a plan to increase the retirement age.
Korea backlash | South Korea has been forced to rethink a planned rise in working hours after a backlash from younger people who said the move would destroy their work-life balance.
Mind my French | An ad that read “Dawn French is a Huge Twat” – the title of her live show – has been cleared by the UK advertising watchdog, which said any offence was mitigated because readers would know it was meant to be “tongue in cheek”.
Full Story
How did robodebt collect debts unlawfully for five years?
As the robodebt royal commission wraps up, Guardian Australia’s social affairs and inequality editor, Luke Henriques-Gomes, looks back at the key moments in the hearings and why the scheme was allowed to go on for so long, despite warnings about its legality.
In-depth
House prices may be falling but that doesn’t mean millennials can expect to get on the housing ladder any time soon because, as Greg Jericho explains, they still have a long way to fall before they level off with wage growth of the past 20 years. The issue of weak earnings will also be explored by the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, today when he warns that Australians will have to work longer for less pay without major boosts to productivity.
Not the news
How do you feel your life has worked out for you so far? That was the rather existential question asked of a graphic designer in a job interview in the US. It’s a tough one but there could be even worse ones, couldn’t there? How about, “If you were a piece of fruit, what would you be?” and, “Why have you never managed to stick at anything?”
The world of sport
AFL | A deluge of gambling ads is expected to continue on TV and radio coverage of the AFL season, which starts tonight, despite it being the most common fan concern.
Fottball | Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, a Qatari banker, is emerging as the favourite to buy Manchester United as bidders hold their first face-to-face meeting with the club executive this week.
World Cup | Spain’s La Liga has accused Fifa of showing “complete disregard” for national competitions after world football’s governing body approved a 32-team Club World Cup as well as an expanded World Cup with 104 matches.
Media roundup
Paul Keating’s outburst about the Aukus plan makes a lot of headlines and there is some sympathy in the AFR analysis which says China wants economic stability, not war. The Age says authorities are trying to trace the source of an outbreak of gastro at Yarra Valley grammar which is spreading like “wildfire”. The Cairns Post reports that a “rogue python” has struck for a third time after it “bitch-slapped” a hiker at a far north waterfall.
What’s happening today
Constitution | The voice referendum working group meets in Adelaide to finalise its advice to the government.
Economy | The latest jobs figures will be released in the ABS monthly labour force survey.
AFL | The season gets under way with the traditional opening game between Richmond and Carlton at the MCG.
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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.
