Good morning. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is riding high amid Coalition turmoil, with the party garnering record support in the latest Guardian Essential poll.
We weigh up the future of the Liberals’ leadership and whether Sussan Ley can remain in the hot seat – as Malcolm Turnbull offers his insights into how and why the Coalition tore itself apart.
We look back at the battle to uncover the truth about the poo balls washing up on Sydney’s beaches. And: Alex de Minaur has fallen against Carlos Alcaraz in their Australian Open quarter-final.
Australia
Soaring heat | Ouyen may have hit the highest recorded temperature in Victoria’s history – and some fear it could get even hotter. Through the heatwave haze, the hypocrisy of Australia’s fossil fuel policy shines bright, Adam Morton writes.
Essential poll | One Nation’s polling surge has continued with a record-high primary vote of 22% in the latest Guardian Essential poll which also reveals a dip in personal approval for both the prime minister and opposition leader.
Analysis | With rumours of a Liberal leadership mutiny, there are factors working in Sussan Ley’s favour – which could at least buy her some time, if not avert what many view as the inevitable outcome.
Explainer | The Australian dollar is the strongest it has been against the yen in 35 years, and experts say it will continue to strengthen against the euro. So, is it time to book that overseas trip?
Exclusive | Anthony Albanese must acknowledge the world order has fundamentally shifted under “bully” Donald Trump instead of pretending nothing has changed globally, Malcolm Turnbull says.
World
ICE shootings | Donald Trump backs Kristi Noem as Democrats lead calls for him to “immediately fire” the homeland security chief. A Minnesota judge summoned the acting ICE director amid contempt of court warnings. Gregory Bovino, the border patrol commander who became the face of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, is leaving the city.
Boat strikes | The families of two men from a small fishing village in Trinidad who were killed in a US military airstrike on a small boat in the Caribbean Sea have sued the US government.
Iran’s protest dead | Testimony from medics, morgue and graveyard staff reveals huge effort by the Iranian regime to conceal the systematic killing of protesters during its crackdown.
‘Wake up to the risks’ | Humanity is entering a phase of artificial intelligence development that will “test who we are as a species”, the boss of the AI startup Anthropic has warned.
Perilous perch | The mayor of a hilltop town on Sicily said “the situation is dire” after a powerful storm brought down a long section of hillside, leaving houses perilously on a cliff edge.
Full Story
‘The opposition is in La-La land’: Malcolm Turnbull on the Coalition split
The Coalition has collapsed for the second time in eight months and Sussan Ley’s leadership could follow at any moment. So who should lead the opposition through this tumultuous time? Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks with Nour Haydar about what went wrong between the Liberals and Nationals – and what it will take to resuscitate his party.
In-depth
After debris balls closed Sydney beaches in October 2024, Guardian Australia reported they could be linked to sewage outfalls. Authorities were less than keen to talk. Sydney Water pushed back hard, and its media team attempted to have any reference to the corporation removed from the story. Anne Davies lays out the 16-month battle to reveal the truth about Sydney Water’s poo balls.
Not the news
It’s for good reason the Rainbow Serpent by Dick Roughsey has continued to be an Australian children’s classic for 50 years. The beloved work is competing in our reader poll to find the best Australian children’s picture book of all time. Acclaimed author Alexis Wright says the stories of the Rainbow Serpent remain foremost at the heart of Aboriginal people – and should be for all people who live in Australia.
Sport
Tennis | Carlos Alcaraz survived an early Alex de Minaur onslaught and surged into the Australian Open semis; Alcaraz flicked the genius switch to put himself two matches from a career grand slam, Tumaini Carayol writes. Elina Svitolina humbled Coco Gauff to set up an Aryna Sabalenka semi; Gauff left unhappy as a racket-smashing video went viral.
Football | Removing the US as Football World Cup host would be eminently sad – and entirely justified, Alexander Abnos writes.
Cricket | Harry Brook’s brutal century set up England for an ODI series win in Sri Lanka.
Cycling | Jonas Vingegaard has crashed on a training ride in Spain after being tailed by an amateur cyclist.
Media roundup
A “surgery factory” performing up to 5,000 additional surgeries every year aims to help ease pressure on Sydney’s hospitals, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Under age Snapchat users are verifying their accounts by scanning the faces of people who are decades older, the Age reports. Plans for a plastics factory in Adelaide’s south have been abandoned after “aggressive” protests, the Advertiser reports. A British rich lister has set up the world’s largest sheep operation in WA, the West Australian reports.
What’s happening today
Sport | The action continues at the Australian Open tennis grand slam in Melbourne.
Diplomacy | Anthony Albanese is making an official trip to Timor-Leste.
ABS | The Australian Bureau of Statistics is set to release its consumer price index data for December.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
