Well, folks, another Monday in Australia has come and gone, and what a whirlwind it was. Let's dive into the day's developments, shall we?
First up, Jim Chalmers is blaming an "unhinged scare campaign" for the backlash to the government's proposed crackdown on negative gearing, capital gains tax, and trusts. Because nothing says 'unhinged' like people getting upset about tax changes, right?
Meanwhile, federal environment minister Murray Watt says Australian health officials will be working with other countries to respond to the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. That's the one with 246 suspected cases and 88 deaths so far, declared a 'public health emergency of international concern' by the WHO. No biggie.
In legal news, a pianist's case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for alleged unlawful discrimination over his views on Israeli forces killing Palestinian journalists won't be a "roving inquiry" into the Middle East conflict. Because nothing says 'focused legal proceeding' like a judge preemptively narrowing the scope.
The federal government announced a $2bn state-federal deal with Queensland to build 50,000 homes. That's a lot of houses, folks. Meanwhile, NSW police charged nearly 1,000 people in a four-day domestic violence operation. Because apparently, that's what it takes.
Sydney's getting a new trial electric ferry, because why not? And a New Zealand man was detained in Tahiti after allegedly biting a Qantas flight attendant on an international flight. Some people just can't behave on planes.
The Australian share market fell to its lowest point since March, thanks to a resurgence in oil prices. And a former US fighter pilot is appealing his extradition over claims he illegally trained Chinese military personnel. Daniel Duggan, who's been in custody for three and a half years, nearly half in solitary confinement, denies the allegations. His case is a real cliffhanger.
Northern Territory police are urging families of missing men to come forward after more details emerged about the remains of an Aboriginal man, believed to have died in the 1970s or 1980s, found near Charlotte River in 2012. Advanced forensic testing revealed his diet was largely marine, suggesting he may have lived in the Northern Top End or surrounding islands. Detective Acting Sergeant Glen Chatto says NT Police currently have 64 unidentified human remains. Yikes.
Andrew Hastie, shadow minister for industry and sovereign capability, called the federal budget "a war on aspiration" because of tax reform that will help first home buyers. He said, "What the Labor government has revealed is that their budget this year is a war on aspiration, and that's why we oppose it." He also noted that Jim Chalmers never mentioned immigration in his speech, because apparently that's the real issue.
In cultural news, musicians are disappearing from Australia's biggest stage shows. The Lion King returned to Sydney with a smaller orchestra after Disney cut all four string parts, replaced by KeyComp, a German-developed program that lets one keyboard player replicate an entire string section. James Steendam, president of federal musicians for the MEAA, told a NSW parliamentary inquiry that "The Lion King is the highest grossing musical of all time, and despite that, they're still deciding to cut jobs." He also noted musicians are earning about 25% less now, adjusted for inflation, than when Disney first brought the show in 2003. The WA Ballet's Dracula used a recording instead of live musicians. The MEAA is urging the NSW government to establish minimum orchestra requirements for funded performances. Because nothing says 'live performance' like a synthesiser and a recording.
NSW MP Roy Butler says councils affected by the scaling back of the inland rail project should be compensated. He said, "Local councils stepped up and did the work to prepare for Inland Rail - only to be left with nothing to show for it." He's seeking details on costs incurred by Narrabri Shire, Warrumbungle Shire, Gilgandra Shire, and Lachlan Shire.
Melbourne's sobering-up centre at Collingwood will close in mid-2027, replaced by local outreach services. The 20-bed facility was criticised as a "white elephant". Premier Jacinta Allan said the outreach model has supported about 110,000 people in the past two-and-a-half years. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said the Coalition had warned for years the site was a waste of money. The centre was part of Victoria's decriminalisation of public drunkenness in November 2023, which came after the 2017 death of Yorta Yorta woman Tanya Day, who died after hitting her head in a concrete cell at Castlemaine Police Station.
South Australia's plan to allow fracking on the Limestone Coast two years early has been called "disastrous" and a "broken promise" by locals. The 10-year moratorium was introduced in 2018, and a survey found 95% of people wanted the region to remain gasfield-free. But Labor premier Peter Malinauskas is overturning the ban. Because who needs social licence when you have gas?
Cate Blanchett says #MeToo "got killed very quickly" in Hollywood. Speaking at Cannes, she lamented, "There are a lot of people with platforms who are able to speak up with relative safety and say this has happened to me. And the so-called average woman on the street, person on the street, is saying me too. Why does that get shut down?" Indeed, Cate.
And that's your day in Australia. Tune in tomorrow for more 'fun'.