Albanese committed to referendum regardless of bipartisan support Albanese’s voice pledge, Turnbull raises Aukus sovereignty risk, Shell profits double | The Guardian
| 03/02/2023 Albanese’s voice pledge, Turnbull raises Aukus sovereignty risk, Shell profits double |
| | |
|
| | Morning everyone. Abandoning the voice to parliament referendum would be like “worrying about winning a grand final” then not bothering to take the field, Anthony Albanese has told us, as he reached for a sporting metaphor to underline his commitment to the process amid opposition from the Coalition. Meanwhile, Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t think Labor are kicking goals over the Aukus pact either. So let’s kick off. |
| |
|
| Australia | | Aukus moment | Malcolm Turnbull says the government must answer questions about whether it will have control over the planned new nuclear submarines or whether the Aukus defence pact with the UK and US compromises Australian sovereign capability, echoing criticism from others including Paul Keating. Australian ministers Penny Wong and Richard Marles discussed Aukus in Portsmouth overnight (pictured), and Wong was also taken to task by the UK foreign secretary over her comments on his country’s colonial past. | Voice battle | Anthony Albanese has revealed in an exclusive interview with Guardian Australia that he will proceed with the referendum to enshrine an Indigenous voice to parliament even if he suspects the proposal will fail from a lack of political consensus. | My Health Record | A broader range of health professionals will be able to access the My Health Record digital data platform in a push to modernise primary healthcare, with national cabinet to discuss the reforms and consider tighter privacy controls to protect patient information. | Super breaks | Tax breaks for superannuation will cost the federal budget $52.5bn this financial year, according to analysis by the Australia Institute, which argues that since super tax concessions cost almost as much as the $55.3bn spent on the pension, Australia has “two classes of state-funded retirees”. | Books | Cold Enough for Snow, a novella by Jessica Au, has won the $100,000 Victorian prize for literature and the fiction category at the Victorian premier’s literary awards, taking her total winnings to $125,000. |
|
| |
|
| World | | Ukraine struggle | Some experts think Russia could regain the initiative in the year-long war as Ukraine expects the invaders to mount an offensive to mark the anniversary this month. | ‘Gut’ instinct | A leaked memo from a US four-star general saying his “gut” told him the US would be at war with China in 2025 has prompted warnings about the danger of “undisciplined” predictions of a Taiwan strait conflict. | Shell surge | The oil giantShell has prompted anger in the UK after annual profits more than doubled to a record of nearly US$40bn (A$56bn), boosted by a surge in wholesale gas prices even as households struggle to pay huge energy bills. | Economics | The Bank of England has raised its base rate by 0.5% to 4%, blaming the inflationary impact of higher than expected wage rises for the hike which suggests more increases to come for other countries such as Australia. |
|
| |
|
| Full Story | | Is Chalmers’ essay capitalist or communist? In defence of nuance In the wake of the furious reaction to Jim Chalmers’ speech about capitalism, editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and live news editor Patrick Keneally discuss the need for nuance. | |
| |
|
| In-depth | | The search for a tiny capsule of radioactive material that fell off a truck in Western Australia made international headlines. But hundreds of radioactive sources go missing each year around the world and Australia usually sees several. “It’s relatively common,” one expert says. “It seems terrible, but a source is just a piece of industrial equipment.” |
| |
|
| Not the news | | The shadow of mortality hangs over The Candle and the Flame, Robert Forster’s eighth solo album, writes Andrew Stadfford in his four-star review of the former Go-Between’s new record. Made in the wake of his wife’s diagnosis with ovarian cancer, “it is startling in its intimacy and quiet power. But it is ultimately life-affirming”. |
| |
|
| The world of sport | | Women’s World Cup | Australia’s professional footballers union and LGBTQ+ advocates have come out strongly against Fifa for accepting sponsorship from the Saudi Arabian tourism authority for the Women’s World Cup later this year. | Athletics | The reigning women’s Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion, Sifan Hassan, will make her marathon debut in London this year in what could be the strongest lineup ever assembled. | Six Nations | England’s new coach Steve Borthwick has made sweeping changes to the starting lineup for his first match in charge against Scotland on Saturday by omitting Manu Tuilagi from the squad. |
|
| |
|
|
| What’s happening today | Canberra | AnthonyAlbanese will meet state and territory leaders for national cabinet to discuss healthcare. | Tennis | Nick Kyrgios is due to make an application in the ACT to have a common assault charge against him dismissed. | Courts | An interlocutory hearing is due in the workplace case made by staffer Sally Rugg against teal MP Monique Ryan. |
|
| |
|
|
| Brain teaser | And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords and free Wordiply game to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow. | |
| |
|
| Contact us | If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email [email protected] |
| |
|
Get the Afternoon Update | Finish your day with a three-minute roundup of the stories that matter. | Sign up today |
| |
As 2023 unfolds, will you support us? | Now we've entered February, it feels like 2023 is well underway. At the Guardian, we’ve been busy reporting on the most urgent stories of the year so far, with our trademark rigour and tenacity. You probably know that, we’re proud to call ourselves a reader-funded global news organisation, with more than one million supporters in 180 countries. This generous support powers everything we do. It protects our editorial independence, so we can always report with freedom and truth on the events shaping our world. It sustains our model for open journalism, so everyone can access trustworthy news without a paywall. Supporting us doesn’t need to be expensive – you can give just once from £1, or better yet, set up a monthly amount from £2. You can adjust your support at any time, which we hope makes it simple and flexible to fund us long term. Whether you give a little or a lot, your support is vital for our future, and we are so appreciative. Thank you. |
| |
| You are receiving this email because you are a subscriber to Morning Mail. Guardian News & Media Limited - a member of Guardian Media Group PLC. Registered Office: Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU. Registered in England No. 908396 |
| | | |