Morning everyone. The vexed issue of how to regulate lobbying in Canberra’s corridors of power raises its head again today with our exclusive story revealing that Richard Marles’s chief of staff is in a long-term relationship with a lobbyist who works for defence companies. Australia could reduce power bills by 90% through greater efficiency and Donald Trump says he is “looking at” imposing more sanctions on Russia.
Australia
Pies and prejudice | The commissioner of taxation sent an AI-generated action figurine meme depicting supporters of the Collingwood AFL football club as overweight, slovenly and with missing teeth to all 20,000 staff at the Australian Taxation Office, describing it as “not a bad likeness”.
Exclusive | The defence minister’s chief of staff has disclosed and managed a long-term de facto relationship with a lobbyist who works for a small firm representing several defence clients, including a subsidiary of an Israeli government-owned weapons manufacturer.
‘Distracting’ debate | Senior Liberal party figures reject claims support is growing for US-style primaries for preselections and say the issue is “distracting” from discussion on quotas. However, Berenice Walker, the NSW Liberal Women’s Council president, says the idea merits further investigation.
‘Death battle’ | The role of energy efficiency is crucial for helping Australian get their bills down but debate has been overshadowed by the “comic-book death battle” about whether power should come from coal or renewables”, the head of the Energy Efficiency Council claims today.
‘Lasting reform’ | The woman in charge of eliminating racism within the Northern Territory police says the findings of an inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker will mark the beginning of “lasting reform” towards “a police force that all Territorians can trust”.
World
Patriot game | Donald Trump has told his cabinet he is “not happy” with Vladimir Putin for “throwing bullshit at us” and failing to make progress on peace in Ukraine. He is also reportedly about to U-turn on sending Patriot missiles to Kyiv. Follow news live from Washington where the US president has threatened again to escalate his trade war with tariffs of up to 200% on foreign drugs and 50% on copper.
Gaza doubt | Officials in Qatar have dashed hopes of a rapid end to hostilities in Gaza after announcing that progress on ceasefire talks had been slow.
France fires | A fast-moving wildfire fanned by gale-force winds has forced Marseille airport to cancel all flights as firefighters around the Mediterranean battled blazes sparked by an intense heatwave.
Texas toll | The death toll in the Texas floods has reached at least 107 in what some experts have warned could be harbinger of future disasters thanks to the Trump administration’s gutting of federal agencies such as weather forecasting.
‘Unsanitary activities’ | A judge in Madrid has ordered the closure of 10 tourist flats after ruling that “illicit and unsanitary activities” had inflicted psychological damage on a neighbouring family.
Full Story
What can be done to make childcare safer?
After the outrage over the Melbourne childcare scandal, Kate Lyons tells Reged Ahmad what more can be done to make the sector safer for children.
In-depth
A millisecond might not seem very long but to physicists charged with making sure that our clocks keep the right time, it’s quite a big deal. So when scientists discovered the Earth was rotating slightly more quickly on certain days – including today, 22 July and 5 August – they had a problem.
Not the news
As Brisbane’s Rocking Horse Records gears up to turn 50 this year, Andrew Stafford talks to founder Warwick Vere (pictured) about the farcical and hilarious attempts in 1989 by proto-culture war warriors to prosecute the store for selling records using the F-word such as the Dead Kennedys’ Too Drunk to Fuck.
Sport
Tennis | Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling malfunctioned again on a serve by Taylor Fritz when it was clearly in play, prompting booing by the genteel crowd. The American still won his match against Russia’s Karen Khachanov and will play Carlos Alcaraz in the semis after the Spaniard crushed Britain’s last hope, Cameron Norrie, in straight sets. The women’s No 1 seed, Aryna Sabalenka, came back from a set down against the German Laura Siegemund to reach the semi-final where she will play Amanda Anisimova.
Rugby league | Queensland Maroons will be inspired by the emotions around the death of the father of key man Cameron Munster as they seek to clinch the Origin title in Sydney tonight.
Football | Charli Grant saved the Matildas from a second embarrassment at the hands of Panama after the defender bundled in a stoppage-time goal to lift Australia to a 3-2 victory in Perth.
Media roundup
The Herald Sun reports residents of Korumburra hope it won’t become known as the “mushroom murder town”. The man who uncovered alleged abuse in the military tells the Sydney Morning Herald that not much has changed in the intervening 10 years. Despite the disappointment at yesterday’s hold on rates, the Australian Financial Review says householders should be grateful for the cuts already delivered.
What’s happening today
Economy | RBA deputy governor Andrew Hauser speaks in Sydney at 10am.
Canberra | John Grimes, chief executive of the Smart Energy Council, will address the National Press Club about renewable energy.
Perth | Climate activists start a program of weekly rallies outside Woodside’s headquarters.
Sign up
If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here, or finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter. You can follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland.
Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
