Good morning, this is Richard Parkin bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Thursday 7 June.
Top stories
The Turnbull government’s income tax cuts will benefit the wealthiest electorates in Sydney and Melbourne the most, with the prime minister’s seat of Wentworth the biggest winner, according to a new analysis. Echoing similar findings from the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling, a fresh cut of the data by the Australia Institute suggests households in Wentworth will receive almost double the national average benefit of the seven-year tax package.
As well as blue-ribbon Liberal seats such as Wentworth, North Sydney and Warringah, three Labor-held electorates also make the top-10 list: Sydney, Melbourne Ports and Grayndler. But electorates held by Coalition partners the Nationals don’t fare as well. “By political party, it is clear the least benefit flows to National party seats,” says Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute. “One quarter of Nationals’ seats are in the bottom 10 electorates, and all but one of their seats are ranked in the bottom half of electorates”.
The budget savings promised by the creation of the Australian Border Force have failed to materialise, with the department beset by poor record keeping and high turnover, according to The Australian National Audit Office. A merger of the departments of immigration and border protection, the ABF was created in 2014 by Scott Morrison and now overseen by Peter Dutton. The merger decision was in response to a previous recommendation by the ANAO to cut duplication and make “significant” savings, but the review concluded it was “not in a position to provide the government with assurance that the claimed benefits of integration have been achieved”.
A rapid rise in the use of pills to prevent HIV infection in some parts of Australia has been accompanied by a steep drop in the number of men using condoms during sex with other men, whether or not they are on the protective drugs, a major study has shown. Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, has been hailed as a game-changer in the Aids epidemic, but the Australian experience suggests the availability of pills that reliably prevent transmission may play a part in complacency about infection.
Canada appears set to become the first G20 nation to legalise marijuana, with a bill before its parliament expected to pass on Thursday. The goverment has cited public health benefits, crime reduction, and even business and tourism advantages as justifications for the radical experiment but public health officials such as Dr Larry Wolk remain unsure of what nationwide ramifications could follow. “What’s the impact of marijuana legalization on the opioid crisis?” asks Wolk. “Does it actually act as a substitute so that people can get off opiates for chronic pain? Is there a positive impact? We don’t really have an answer.”
The rural Australian town of Yass in NSW has won an unexpected makeover courtesy of the cast of TV show Queer Eye, who spent Wednesday making over a local farmer and a local pub on a top-secret 12-hour shoot for a mini-episode to be released later this month, ahead of the second season. The bistro of a local pub, which got a full renovation and rebrand, and a 54-year-old farmer named George, who was nominated by his son Levi were the subjects. “I hope they’ll make him look a bit more suave, fix him up, make his tooth look better,” Levi said. George ended the day in tears (the good kind), and the fab five ended it in tiaras – crowned honorary “Yass queens” by the mayor.
Sport
Brad Fittler is a unique character, one not bound by the constraints of convention or hampered by the heavy burden of history. He rocked up for his State of Origin coaching debut in a T-shirt and wool coat. His pre-match camp included salsa dancing and he raises pet llamas. And that, says Nick Tedeschi, is exactly why he was the right man to usher in a new generation of Blues who made their mark in Game I with a 22-12 win over Queensland last night.
Tim Cahill’s inclusion in the Socceroos’ squad for the upcoming World Cup has not been met with universal acclaim, writes Johnathan Howcroft, but despite his waning popularity and ageing limbs, the 38-year-old remains an influential team member and could join a very select group of football greats if he scores at the upcoming tournament.
Thinking time
When former Australia Test batsman Greg Chappell recovered a caricature of his grandfather and legendary sportsman Vic Richardson, it brought back memories of the man who inspired the Chappell brothers to pursue their own cricketing ambitions. In Guardian Australia’s new series, Chappell reflects on his “unsentimental” grandfather, competing with Ian and playing for England.
Described by Rupert Everett as “Joan of Arc – the suicide-bomber version”, Béatrice Dalle has never feared controversy, and she opens up to the Guardian on her love affairs, her passion for punk – and why Jesus is sexy. Her liaisons have often been “dangerous”. She once ate the ear of a cadaver while on acid working in a morgue. She was banned from entering America for seven years, denying her a Hollywood career. “I am a woman of extremes. I’m a punk to death – Sid Vicious is in my soul, but at the same time I love the dandy.”
Through her design Kate Spade brought such happiness to so many women, which is why her death has deeply affected so many, writes Hadley Freeman. Having built a fashion empire on a brand that was described as an extension of her cheerful personality, the revelation of profound unhappiness in her life has been heartbreaking. “She was a deeply creative woman who devised an entire aesthetic. She seemed to live like her brand: you never saw pictures of Spade looking sour-faced at black-tie celebrity parties. We thought we knew her.”
What’s he done now?
Donald Trump has fired back at speculation surrounding the recent month-long absence of his wife, Melania, slamming what he called “unfair and vicious” rumours. As Jamiles Lartey writes, this hasn’t entirely dispelled the uncertainty.
Media roundup
The Australian economy has defied world trends to record its fastest growth since 2011, report Fairfax papers, to the jubilation of treasurer Scott Morrison: “Every time an Australian sees a ute driving around a suburb … with a phone number on the side, that’s the sign of a stronger economy.”
Several of the papers carry big pictures of the Blues’ win over Queensland last night. “Blue Power” is the Herald Sun’s headline, with the paper noting 87,000 fans packed the ’G to see NSW draw first blood.
And, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg faces a parliamentary grilling, writes the Australian, to answer questions about the technology titan’s “backdoor deal” with Huawei, the Chinese technology giant with links to the Communist Party.
Coming up
Malcolm Turnbull will be in Brisbane while Bill Shorten is heading to the Barunga festival, south of Katherine in the NT.
A parliamentary inquiry in Canberra will look into the naval shipbuilding industry.
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