Morning everyone. The lack of a decent rail service between Sydney and Melbourne is one of the great Australian mysteries, with seemingly enough feasibility studies into high-speed links to fill the MCG. But a rail expert has told us that one answer lies in upgrading the existing steam-age line so it can take faster, tilting trains, which would reduce the journey from a daunting 11 hours to just six. That’s much faster than by car – and much greener too.
We also have more about the background of the Train brothers and the Wieambilla shootings, and the first interview with climate activist Violet Coco since her release from prison.
Australia
Wieambilla shootings | Details about the strict religious upbringing of Gareth and Nathaniel Train, their tangled personal lives and their father Ronald’s evangelical church are continuing to emerge. The latter, pictured, told A Current Affair last night: “I’ll stand before God for what they’ve done” but said he did not bear responsibility for their acts as adults.
Exclusive | The Sydney to Melbourne train journey could be transformed into a viable passenger and freight alternative to road and air – at a fraction of the cost of high-speed rail plans – if 200km of the track were straightened and made usable for medium-speed rail, according to University of Wollongong expert Philip Laird.
‘It really scared me’ | Violet Coco has spoken about how bushfires three years ago sparked her epiphany in the fight against climate change. “It really scared me … Before that I had never considered doing anything like this.”
Animal rights | Australia’s independent live export monitoring program has weakened significantly since resuming from a Covid-related pause, with animal rights observers sent on just five ships.
Cyber counterattack | The government is considering using new sanctions powers against cyber-attackers for the first time, sparking calls for the Russian criminals suspected of being behind the Medibank hack to be the initial targets.
World
Trump ‘in trouble’ | Donald Trump’s hopes of regaining the White House are “in trouble”, according to a campaign insider, after Florida governor Ron DeSantis took a huge 23-point lead in polls for the Republican nomination.
‘Runaway train’ | The spread of Covid-19 in China is now “impossible” to track and the authorities have stopped recording asymptomatic cases in their daily tallies. One resident said: “This thing came on like a runaway freight train.”
Bali death | An Australian university student, Niamh Finneran Loader, has died suddenly in Bali, where she had travelled to receive dental treatment.
Channel tragedy | Four people have died after a migrant small boat got into difficulties in the English Channel, prompting UK home secretary Suella Braverman to vow to end the crossings.
Full Story
Building for end times: the boom in bunkers
Tom Cruise has one. So does Donald Trump. But the threat of nuclear war and a global pandemic have spurred a boom in survival bunkers that is not limited to the super-rich. Bradley Garrett explains.
In-depth
Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, millions of dollars worth of equipment – from medical-grade thermals to X-ray machines – has been packed on to Qantas flights and taken to Ukraine (pictured). Volunteers risk their lives to get it to the frontlines. Liz Paslawsky, the Australian daughter of Ukrainian migrants, and an organiser for the Ukraine Crisis Appeal, says what is now needed is cash so that Ukraine can buy generators to survive the harsh winter. “How can Australians help?” she asks rhetorically. “By giving whatever they can.”
Not the news
What better way to celebrate Christmas than with some delicious Australian sparkling wine? Thomas Carr has taken one for the team by tasting some bubbles and recommending a range of bottles from some budget buys for under $20, mid-price sparklings of the red and pink kind, plus one bougie brut.
The world of sport
Swimming | Lani Pallister’s gold rush has continued, anchoring Australia to a relay world record to win her third gold medal of the world short course championships in Melbourne.
World Cup | You can follow France v Morocco in our live blog here.
Football | A-League football club bosses are meeting in Melbourne to discuss the controversial plan to move the grand finals to NSW permanently.
Cricket | Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff’s son has said his father is “lucky to be alive” following a car crash during the filming of the BBC’s Top Gear show.
Media roundup
The Age says the Queensland shootings have sparked calls for a renewed police focus on the threat from the conspiracy theorist fringe, while the Courier Mail reports on the killers’ “elaborate plan” to ambush the police officers. The NT News says tourism has recovered more quickly from the pandemic than in any other jurisdiction and that visitors are spending 30% more than they did pre-Covid.
What’s happening today
Parliament returns | The federal parliament returns to consider the government’s energy cap legislation.
Labour stats | Australian Bureau of Statistics to release the latest unemployment numbers, along with population figures.
Education | Thousands of year 12 students in NSW will end a tense wait when Atar exams scores are released this morning.
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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.
