Guardian Australia

Guardian Australia

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✍️ Contact and complaints: https://www.theguardian.com/info/2013/may/26/contact-guardian-australia?CMP=aus_bsky 📨 Newsletters: http://theguardian.com/emails?CMP=aus_bsky 📰 Contribute: http://bit.ly/gdnausupport

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Australia fightback in rollercoaster start to deciding Test against South Africa

theguardian.comAustralia fightback in rollercoaster start to deciding Test against South Africa* Decision to bowl first looked like backfiring * But hosts all out for 329 after being 140-0 at lunch For a time, it was heading up there with the worst. David Gower at Leeds in 1989, when Australia topped 600 and declared. Nasser Hussain in Brisbane, 2002, when Australia were 364 for 2 by the end of the day. Edgbaston 2005, where England lamped 407 from 80 overs. Those were the looming comparisons for captains deciding to bowl at the toss, after Pat Cummins did the same in the third Test at Cape Town, only for South Africa’s openers to smash 140 by lunch. Yet, by day’s end, Australia had taken 10 for a further 189, Mitchell Starc destroying the tail with four wickets in six balls, all out 329 constituting a serious Australian comeback. What a rollercoaster. The Australian setup has looked frazzled this tour: confused player selections for the squad, then for the XIs, confused shot selection in the middle, players bouncing around the order with nightwatch duties and injury absences. Here they chose to leave out their best player from the second Test, Scott Boland, for Nathan Lyon, and were forced to leave out their best player of the last decade, Steve Smith, for Josh Inglis, as well as dropping Nic Maddinson and Beau Webster for Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly. The last time a touring Australian side made four non-disciplinary changes was in the West Indies in 1984. Continue reading...
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Are seed oils unhealthy? Why are so many influencers speaking out against them? | Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz

theguardian.comAre seed oils unhealthy? Why are so many influencers speaking out against them? | Gideon Meyerowitz-KatzRandomised trials of omega-6s do not show an increase in inflammation caused by the fatty acid * Read more in the Antiviral series If you’ve been online lately, you’ve probably been bombarded with the discourse about seed oils. Once a completely innocuous food that no one really talked about, they have become the enemy of the moment. Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of health and human services in the US, has called them “toxic” and vowed to act against them. There are countless activewear-clad influencers online saying that nothing harms your health more than these products. Which is odd, because the Australian dietary guidelines say seed oils are basically fine. You should limit them because they’re high in calories but otherwise there’s no major reason – according to the guidelines and most experts – why you should avoid them. As Prof Lauren Ball, director of the University of Queensland’s Centre for Community Health and Wellbeing, says: “There’s no convincing evidence that eating seed oils like canola or sunflower oil in normal dietary amounts harms our health. In fact, these oils contain unsaturated fats, which are generally beneficial for cardiovascular health.” Dr Jason Wu, a professor at the University of New South Wales, agrees: “The evidence base consistently points to health benefits of eating seed oils.” Continue reading...
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If the Albanese government wants to cheat the populist death spiral, it needs to go to the barricades with the rest of us | Peter Lewis

theguardian.comIf the Albanese government wants to cheat the populist death spiral, it needs to go to the barricades with the rest of us | Peter LewisThis is a difficult time to govern. Chaos reigns. The government needs to recast itself as the champion of change rather than the defenders of a status quo so many are rejecting Midway through its second term, the Albanese government is teetering on the verge of a populist death spiral that is sweeping the globe. To avoid being sucked in will take all its political nerve and skill. One Nation’s rapid rise has focused attention on the risks to the rapidly fracturing Coalition, but Labor is not immune from the chaos torpedoing the binary two-party contest that has underpinned Australian politics since the resolution of “the split”, which kept Labor from power until the mid-1970s. Continue reading...
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Greens push for human override in aged care assessment after ombudsman’s scathing report into algorithm tool

theguardian.comGreens push for human override in aged care assessment after ombudsman’s scathing report into algorithm toolInvestigation recommends government changes legislation so staff assessing people for home support packages can correct the outcome * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Greens leader, David Shoebridge, has used a scathing report from the commonwealth ombudsman to press the government to use the last two sitting weeks of parliament to restore human override to its “unfair” aged care assessment tool. The 104-page ombudsman report, published on Monday, recommends the government change legislation so that aged care workers assessing older Australians for home support packages can amend the outcome when the algorithm-driven assessment tool makes an incorrect decision on funding. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...
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Fresh isn’t always best: six easy ways to make better pasta, according to Julia Busuttil Nishimura

theguardian.comFresh isn’t always best: six easy ways to make better pasta, according to Julia Busuttil NishimuraThe Australian cookbook author shares her simple but effective techniques to improve your midweek pasta – and why you should be generous with olive oil and salt Pasta is a well-loved staple in the kitchen. It’s something that many of us fall back on when we don’t know what to cook or don’t feel like anything too fussy. But if your pasta sauce is a little too watery, or lacks that oomph of restaurant dishes, there are a few simple tricks and techniques that can take your simple midweek dinner to new and delicious heights. Continue reading...
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The Twilight Zone: this Halloween, try the spooky supernatural series that changed pop culture forever

theguardian.comThe Twilight Zone: this Halloween, try the spooky supernatural series that changed pop culture foreverThere are ghouls, gremlins and the grotesque but through its five seasons the anthology show really focuses on the human condition A man with a stern expression and a shock of slick black hair, wearing a crisp black suit, cigarette in hand, approaches the camera. In his clipped, precise patter, he’s about to welcome you … to The Twilight Zone. This is how each episode of The Twilight Zone typically began, with its creator, Rod Serling, delivering a brief, cryptic opening monologue before throwing to a stand-alone story. Continue reading...
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South Africa v Australia: third men’s cricket Test, day one – live

theguardian.comSouth Africa v Australia: third men’s cricket Test, day one – live* Updates from the final match of the series at Newlands * First ball in Cape Town is 10.30am local/7.30pm AEDT/8.30am GMT * Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email One, two, three. That’s as many Tests as we’re going to get in this series, and today begins the third and final. It’s the one that we’ve all been waiting for: the return to Cape Town, the scene of all that went wrong for Australia in 2018, and thus the location with so much riding on it should they put on a performance that would create some fresher and better memories. That, though, would require a serious turnaround in form and fortune, given the way South Africa slowly stomped them last week in Gqeberha. Australia’s batting is the weak point, given their win in Durban was largely carried on the capacious shell of The Turtle, Matthew Renshaw, while their loss the following week was down to their insipid 99 all out in their first attempt with the bat. Continue reading...
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Asthma deaths reach decade-high levels and number of Australians dying of dementia grows

theguardian.comAsthma deaths reach decade-high levels and number of Australians dying of dementia growsDementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, accounted for more than 10% of all deaths for the first time, new data reveals * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Dementia has accounted for more than 10% of all deaths for the first time, while the number of people dying from asthma is at decade-high levels, new data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals. There were 188,421 deaths registered in 2025. Of these, 19,019 deaths were caused by dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, the ABS deaths data released on Tuesday shows. It has been the leading cause of death in Australia since 2024. Continue reading...
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Kylian Mbappé dropped by Chinese brands for ‘offending national sentiments’

theguardian.comKylian Mbappé dropped by Chinese brands for ‘offending national sentiments’* Video appears to show football star refer to Mao Zedong as a ‘dictator’ * Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu end deals with France captain Kylian Mbappé was dropped Tuesday by two major brands in China after a video circulated online in which the French football superstar apparently joked about former leader Mao Zedong. In China jokes about Mao, the country’s founding leader who died in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo. Continue reading...
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Albanese concedes $6m golf club grant in his electorate was not to contain ‘raw sewage’

theguardian.comAlbanese concedes $6m golf club grant in his electorate was not to contain ‘raw sewage’Grant part of $560m invitation-only scheme transparency advocates say largely funded projects in Labor-held seats Anthony Albanese has admitted he got it wrong after telling parliament a $6m grant to a golf club in his electorate was to stop “raw sewage” going into the nearby river. The grant given to Marrickville golf club in Sydney’s inner west is under scrutiny as part of a larger $560m invitation-only grants scheme, which transparency advocates say largely funded projects promised at the 2025 election in Labor-held seats. Continue reading...
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Would you want to be composted when you pass? Well residents in New South Wales will soon have that opportunity, with the state passing Australian-first laws providing human composting, also known as "terramation", as a third legal option other than burial and cremation for the treatment of bodies.

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G Flip and Chrishell Stause have broken up and like many in the queer community, I’m in mourning | Rebecca Shaw

theguardian.comG Flip and Chrishell Stause have broken up and like many in the queer community, I’m in mourning | Rebecca ShawLove may not be dead, but it’s had a difficult morning. As much as I’d like a full investigative report, I will instead be getting on with life, as they will In this current bummer of a world, we often wake up to bad news. This morning, it was devastating. I picked up my phone and saw multiple texts asking me how I felt about the fact that … Chrishell Stause and G Flip have broken up. If those names seem like some sort of gibberish to you, I won’t expect you to understand the seismic shift. While I was sleeping soundly in Australia in the knowledge that love exists, Strause, from the LA “real estate” show Selling Sunset, posted a vulnerable and deeply sad video where she revealed that she and Australian drummer G Flip have parted ways, after being married for several years. Continue reading...
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Jay-Z to headline 2027 Super Bowl half-time show

theguardian.comJay-Z to headline 2027 Super Bowl half-time showThe man who has helped produce the Super Bowl halftime show for years is stepping up to perform himself, at SoFi Stadium in California After years of producing the Super Bowl half-time show, Jay-Z announced that the 2027 headline act will none other than himself. After days of speculation, the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced on Monday night that the rapper will be the featured performer for the half-time festivities at the Super Bowl LXI on 14 February at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Continue reading...
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In a rush to lure AI companies, the Australian government risks undoing a creative ecosystem that has taken decades to build

theguardian.comIn a rush to lure AI companies, the Australian government risks undoing a creative ecosystem that has taken decades to buildIf proposed copyright reforms proceed, Australia will become a global IP-laundering paradise. Why would a UK business license its TV shows here if they can be scraped at will? Australia and the UK have always had a shared love of creativity. We consume each other’s TV, news, music and books. Our chefs appear on each other’s TV channels and quite frankly I was bereft when the ABC’s The Newsreader ended its run in the UK. That shared love though, appears not to be reciprocated by the Australian government. Its rush to attract AI investment from big US tech, and the extreme copyright reforms that it believes need to go along with it, threatens a creative ecosystem that has taken decades to build. Dan Guthrie is the director general of the Alliance for Intellectual Property in the UK Continue reading...
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Australia give Steve Smith chance to prove fitness ahead of South Africa series decider

theguardian.comAustralia give Steve Smith chance to prove fitness ahead of South Africa series decider* Batter aiming for Newlands return after injuring neck in second Test * Marnus Labuschagne set to keep place; Nic Maddinson dropped Australia will give key batter Steve Smith as much time as possible to ⁠prove his fitness ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands, captain Pat Cummins said. Smith ⁠injured his neck in ⁠South Africa’s ​innings and 31-run victory in the second Test in Gqeberha which levelled the series at 1-1 going into the decider in ⁠Cape Town starting on Tuesday. Continue reading...
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I used to think I had impeccable taste in music. My kids taught me to stop being a snob | Myke Bartlett

theguardian.comI used to think I had impeccable taste in music. My kids taught me to stop being a snob | Myke BartlettMusic may not define them in the way it defined many of my generation, but my children still know a good tune when they hear one There was a moment, some years ago in a St Kilda summer, when our family was driving along a busy street, the car windows down, belting out Eric Carmen’s Make Me Lose Control. I had one of those out-of-body experiences parents sometimes get, where you get a clear view of your younger, cooler self looking on in a state of acute embarrassment and despair. How the hell had this happened? Continue reading...
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‘Cocaine is the Gollum of drugs’ – and other things we learned from Anthony LaPaglia’s surprisingly juicy memoir

theguardian.com‘Cocaine is the Gollum of drugs’ – and other things we learned from Anthony LaPaglia’s surprisingly juicy memoirThe actor opens up about almost playing Tony Soprano, why Quentin Tarantino ‘flipped out’ at him and how he’s ‘pretty much broke’ now Maybe once a year we get a celebrity memoir that is as good on the juicy stuff – the Hollywood gossip – as the interior excavation; and boy does Anthony LaPaglia deliver both in his new memoir, The Life We Choose. “They say acting is the cheapest form of therapy,” writes the actor, best known for his roles in Without a Trace, Empire Records, Lantana and Frasier. “And that was lucky for me, because, coming up in the way I did, Christ knows I needed it.” The memoir reveals a lot about his abusive childhood in Adelaide, at the hands of his father, Egidio; and how he went from working as a shoe salesman to moving to the US, to work on Broadway and in Hollywood. Continue reading...
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Endangered turtles and ‘exceptional’ coral at risk from Woodside’s gas drilling in WA, watchdog says

theguardian.comEndangered turtles and ‘exceptional’ coral at risk from Woodside’s gas drilling in WA, watchdog saysExclusive: EPA flags oil spill risk from proposed gasfield and threat to pygmy blue whales * Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Woodside Energy’s plan to drill for gas off Western Australia’s north-west coast could significantly damage “exceptional” coral reefs and it may be impossible to reduce the risk of an oil spill to an acceptable level, according to advice from the state’s independent environmental watchdog. A draft letter from WA’s Environmental Protection Authority written in 2023, seen by the Guardian, sharply criticised Woodside’s proposal to develop the Browse gasfield, saying its plans to protect endangered turtles and blue whales near Scott Reef would be ineffective. Continue reading...
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Children’s legal centre that criticised Queensland government has funding slashed

theguardian.comChildren’s legal centre that criticised Queensland government has funding slashedYouth Advocacy Centre loses 19 staff in move Labor and the Greens say is designed to silence government critics The Queensland government has been accused of using public money in a “vindictive” attack on one of its chief critics after it stripped funding from a 45-year-old community legal centre for children. The Youth Advocacy Centre (YAC) was founded in 1981 to provide support for children in legal trouble at a time when two thirds of children facing court did not have a lawyer. It also supported social workers to help divert children away from jail. Continue reading...
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The chaos in France is a ‘warning signal’ for Australia’s public spending and rising costs

theguardian.comThe chaos in France is a ‘warning signal’ for Australia’s public spending and rising costsAustralia’s public debt may be well below that of France but there are lessons to be taken from its economic woes * Get our daily political email, free app or daily news podcast The explosion of discontent that led to major protests and violence in France and across Europe is a “warning signal” that Australia could follow the same path without an “honest conversation” about the budget, economists say. Hundreds of thousands marched in cities across France on Saturday to protest underfunded schools, as complaints of insufficient teacher numbers and dilapidated infrastructure mingled with broader discontent about cost-of-living pressures. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...
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A job that changed me: I was a rookie tour guide for art lovers – no one goes harder than active seniors in search of cultural enrichment

theguardian.comA job that changed me: I was a rookie tour guide for art lovers – no one goes harder than active seniors in search of cultural enrichmentI spent time in some of the greatest art institutions with groups of self-funded retirees. But a vacation it was not * Read more in the a job that changed me series In 2012 I was living in Sydney, halfway through the shelf life of our annual theatric political satire The Wharf Revue, although I didn’t know that at the time. I was also doing some work for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, hosting panel discussions and interviews, when a colleague asked if I would be interested in co-leading a guided tour to New York, focusing on art and theatre. Of course I said yes. Handling the art side of things was my gallery colleague Brian Ladd and together we landed in a wintery Manhattan in January with about 25 guests largely, shall we say, a certain demographic who were keen to sample the cultural delights of the great metropolis. Continue reading...
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Jacinda Ardern joins University of Sydney as lecturer and mentor

theguardian.comJacinda Ardern joins University of Sydney as lecturer and mentorFormer New Zealand prime minister will focus on leadership, social cohesion and public health in new role The former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern will lecture and mentor at the University of Sydney after moving to Australia earlier this year. Ardern begins this month and her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. The University of Sydney said Ardern would be based in its school of public health, exploring ways to address global health challenges and focusing on equity, inclusion and wellbeing. Continue reading...
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Australians should prepare for online services to go down unexpectedly as threats rise, cyber agency warns

theguardian.comAustralians should prepare for online services to go down unexpectedly as threats rise, cyber agency warnsAustralian Signals Directorate chief says advanced AI tools are needed to defend against ‘AI-enabled attackers’ * Get our daily political email, free app or daily news podcast Australians should prepare for more basic and important online services to go offline unexpectedly, the nation’s signals intelligence agency has warned, urging that “system security must be prioritised over system availability”. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) also says businesses and critical infrastructure must use cutting-edge AI models to defend against digital threats, raising alarm that artificial intelligence is enabling more dangerous threats than ever. Continue reading...
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Man found dead in Queensland floodwaters as state hit by days-long deluge

theguardian.comMan found dead in Queensland floodwaters as state hit by days-long delugeMany rivers and roads left flooded after torrential downpours across Queensland A man’s body has been found in floodwaters following an unusual weather system that delivered multiple storms and a days-long deluge to parts of Australia. Emergency services were called to a creek at Boompa on Queensland’s Fraser Coast shortly after 11am on Monday after reports a man had been found unresponsive. Continue reading...
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Eric Bauza, award-winning Looney Tunes voice actor, dies aged 46

theguardian.comEric Bauza, award-winning Looney Tunes voice actor, dies aged 46Bauza voiced Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, along with hundreds of other characters. He died at home from hypertensive cardiovascular disease Emmy-award winning voice actor Eric Bauza, who was the modern voice of iconic Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, has died at home from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, aged 46. The voice actor’s death was announced by his family, who shared a statement to the actor’s Instagram account. The cause of death was released by the Los Angeles county medical examiner. Continue reading...
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Britain's Be Ready campaign aims to encourage (frighten?) citizens into preparing for disaster | First Dog on the Moon

theguardian.comBritain's Be Ready campaign aims to encourage (frighten?) citizens into preparing for disaster | First Dog on the MoonYou’ll need food, water, plastic bags, spare stiff upper lips and a shovel * Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published * Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints Continue reading...
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‘Even my best friend didn’t know’: Usman Khawaja reveals why he kept his rheumatoid arthritis a secret

theguardian.com‘Even my best friend didn’t know’: Usman Khawaja reveals why he kept his rheumatoid arthritis a secret* Opener played through pain to establish himself as a Test cricketer * ‘I didn’t want anyone to use it against me,’ he says Usman Khawaja has opened up on why he kept the rheumatoid arthritis that threatened his playing future a secret for his entire Test career. The former Test star releases his autobiography, Sabr, on 10 November, which he said he wrote “for people who do love cricket and for those who don’t”. Continue reading...
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Twelve-year-old wins Australian slam competition prize with poem about ChatGPT: ‘It’s totally unnecessary’

theguardian.comTwelve-year-old wins Australian slam competition prize with poem about ChatGPT: ‘It’s totally unnecessary’Written the day before Sunday’s grand final, Blake Mackenzie’s poem covers brain rot, loneliness and environmental degradation in the age of AI * Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Loneliness, brain rot and early exposure to porn. Twelve-year-old Blake Mackenzie has summed up many of the horrors of growing up in the age of AI in a 90-second poem called Dear ChatGPT, making him the standout winner of this year’s youth prize at the 2026 Australian Poetry Slam competition. The year six student from Newcastle won over the 10 judges at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday night with smart and succinct lines, such as “You’re designed to addict us and never contradict us” and “Your friendship is endless so why do I feel friendless?”. Continue reading...
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Unreasonable and unfair: damning investigation criticises Labor’s algorithm-based tool for aged care

theguardian.comUnreasonable and unfair: damning investigation criticises Labor’s algorithm-based tool for aged careReport from commonwealth ombudsman finds ‘technological black box’ ignores transparency recommendations from robodebt royal commission * Follow our Australian politics live blog for latest updates * Get our daily political email, free app or daily news podcast An algorithm used by the federal government to assess the level of care older Australians are entitled to is unreasonable, unfair and lacks human oversight, according to a damning investigation by the commonwealth ombudsman. The investigation also found transparency recommendations from the robodebt royal commission have been ignored. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...
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Neighbours is being recut into a microdrama focused on Margot Robbie – and her co-stars aren’t happy

theguardian.comNeighbours is being recut into a microdrama focused on Margot Robbie – and her co-stars aren’t happyRobbie’s storylines in the famous soap will be recut into vertical micro-episodes to be watched on phones – but her fellow cast members say they haven’t been consulted The long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours is being recut with AI into a microdrama designed to be watched on phones, sparking a debate among the show’s actors and the industry over the wider implications of television archives being mined for new content. RoseBerry Media, which specialises in making “vertical television” for phones, has repurposed original episodes of Neighbours for distribution on its Epis platform, using an AI-assisted production tool called RedSnapper. Continue reading...
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Almost two-thirds of Australians bulk-billed for all GP care amid extra incentives for doctors

theguardian.comAlmost two-thirds of Australians bulk-billed for all GP care amid extra incentives for doctorsExclusive: RACGP survey reflects Medicare investments, but experts caution quality of care and outcomes also matter * Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcast The proportion of general practitioners bulk-billing all of their patients has more than doubled in a year, a report has found, after the government introduced financial incentives for doctors and practices. And almost two-thirds (63%) of Australians are now bulk-billed for all their GP care, up from 56% in both 2024 and 2025, which the report says is “likely a reflection of the federal government’s recent investment in Medicare bulk billing incentives”. Continue reading...
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The kindness of strangers: After a tearful breakup dinner, another patron paid our bill

theguardian.comThe kindness of strangers: After a tearful breakup dinner, another patron paid our billWhen I was in an emotionally vulnerable state, that unexpected gesture took the edge off a very sad evening * Read more in the kindness of strangers series The breakup came out of the blue. My then girlfriend and I had shared an intense and fast-moving relationship for two years, then one day she ended things over the phone. I’d thought we would spend the rest of our lives together and have children. I was wrong. I was quite upset to have been dumped over the phone, and managed to get her to agree to meet me for dinner a couple of weeks later. At a restaurant, we shared a very tearful and intimate conversation about what we meant to each other. She didn’t reconsider her decision, though – that was it. Continue reading...
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The trouble with ‘kids these days’: are we giving young workers a fair go? | Gaynor Parkin and Dave Winsborough

theguardian.comThe trouble with ‘kids these days’: are we giving young workers a fair go? | Gaynor Parkin and Dave WinsboroughGeorge had spent decades building his firm and was looking for someone with ‘common sense’. Over time, he learned the importance of being explicit about his expectations * The modern mind is a column where experts discuss mental health issues they are seeing in their work “I want to be able to retire and leave it in good hands, it’s a great little business for someone.” George* was almost wringing his hands as he spoke, exasperation evident on his face, recalling a recent attempt to hire someone for his window cleaning business. Continue reading...
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‘Extremely disappointed’: WA government seeks reimbursement from Deloitte over flawed university report

theguardian.com‘Extremely disappointed’: WA government seeks reimbursement from Deloitte over flawed university reportWA paid Deloitte $166,000 for flawed feasibility study on merging the University of Western Australia, Curtin university and Murdoch university * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Western Australian government has said it is “extremely disappointed” and is seeking an “expedited” cost recovery from Deloitte after errors were discovered in a report on a potential university merger, including AI-hallucinated references and hundreds of millions of dollars in cost discrepancies. The WA government paid Deloitte $166,000 for a feasibility study on merging the University of Western Australia, Curtin university and Murdoch university. Continue reading...
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Australia survive almighty Fiji scare to stay unbeaten at Rugby League World Cup

theguardian.comAustralia survive almighty Fiji scare to stay unbeaten at Rugby League World Cup* Tom Trbojevic scores hat-trick as Kangaroos win 36-22 * Semi Valemei also scores three as Fiji run in four tries in Brisbane The naysayers have questioned this increasingly provincial sport and its sometimes laughable and often one-sided, so-called World Cup. But against the favourites and hosts Australia, the Fiji Bati showed – from the tears on the players cheeks during their anthem, their wondrous pre-match hymn, right through 80 minutes of fearless effort in attack and defence – why this tournament is worth persisting with. The inspiring Fijians appeared to have answers to every criticism, a response to every question, except three. The quality on the Australian bench, the class of James Tedesco and the finishing of triple try-scorer Tom Trbojevic finally took down the likeable underdogs, in front of a healthy Sunday night crowd in Brisbane and no doubt millions watching on prime time television. Continue reading...
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Australia crumble under pressure to seal Constellation Cup capitulation to New Zealand

theguardian.comAustralia crumble under pressure to seal Constellation Cup capitulation to New Zealand* Silver Ferns defeat Diamonds 49-52 in Game 3 in Sydney * Australia lose series for fourth time since inception in 2010 Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich was left to lament Australia’s capitulation on home soil after New Zealand claimed the Constellation Cup series with a game to spare. With a two-goal lead at three-quarter time, the Diamonds crumbled under pressure and lost 52-49 to the Silver Ferns at Sydney’s Afterpay Arena on Sunday. Continue reading...
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Australia v Fiji: men’s Rugby League World Cup – live

theguardian.comAustralia v Fiji: men’s Rugby League World Cup – live* Updates as the Kangaroos and Fiji Bati meet at Suncorp Stadium * Kick-off time in Brisbane is 7.05pm local/8.05pm AEDT/9.05am GMT * Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Fiji in the 2026 men’s Rugby League World Cup. Kick-off at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane is from 7.05pm local time (8.05pm AEDT/9.05am GMT). I won’t patronise the Guardian’s esteemed readership by setting up this blog with any hint of jeopardy. Australia should win this match comfortably, perhaps even with a total that nudges the 99 the men’s cricket team cobbled together in Gqeberha the other day. In seven previous encounters between these sides the cumulative scoreline reads 378-24. Continue reading...
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‘Unusually large’ multi-state storm causing flood warnings and severe weather for Australia’s east

theguardian.com‘Unusually large’ multi-state storm causing flood warnings and severe weather for Australia’s eastBoM predicts hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and power outages across southern Queensland, western NSW, the ACT and eastern Victoria on Sunday afternoon * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Large parts of eastern Australia were put on alert for severe thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon with more potential storms and flood risk in store for Monday. The Bureau of Meteorology said a broad line of storms had already swept through western New South Wales, while eight flood warnings were in place across southern Queensland after days of torrential rain. Continue reading...
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Anthony LaPaglia: ‘There is not a role I didn’t get that I ever gave more than four hours of grievance to – even Tony Soprano’

theguardian.comAnthony LaPaglia: ‘There is not a role I didn’t get that I ever gave more than four hours of grievance to – even Tony Soprano’The actor on surviving 2000s network television in Without a Trace, the role that made him take Brad Pitt seriously, and leaving the US to ‘ride out Trump’ * Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email I didn’t know before reading your new memoir that you were almost Tony Soprano. Is there a role that you really wanted that you didn’t end up getting? It’s not Tony Soprano. There is not a role that I didn’t get that I ever gave more than four hours of grievance to. When I don’t get something, I move on. Because there’s no point. I’m very pragmatic that way. It’s for your own mental health. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Continue reading...
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Winds of change are coming for Australia as selection storm brews in South Africa

theguardian.comWinds of change are coming for Australia as selection storm brews in South AfricaCrushing defeat in second Test raises fresh questions about fragile batting lineup before Cape Town decider The old adage that it is harder to get out of the Australia cricket team than into it is about to be put to the test. The horror show against South Africa in the second Test that ended in defeat for Australia by an innings and 31 runs exposed familiar fractures in the lineup that have less than a week between matches to be repaired. The Australian selectors have shown in South Africa they are prepared to change a winning formula with the ball, while they have long been reluctant to cut ties with proven performers with the bat. But the first innings capitulation as Australia were all out for 99 in Gqeberha could force their hand to make a tough call or two – or perhaps more – as a selection storm brews before the series decider in Cape Town. Continue reading...
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The moment I knew: I admitted I had a crush on her. She replied, ‘Well, that’s good. Isn’t it?’

theguardian.comThe moment I knew: I admitted I had a crush on her. She replied, ‘Well, that’s good. Isn’t it?’Actors Peter Houghton and Anne Browning played lovers onstage, but a shared sense of humour and a magazine horoscope flipped the script on their real-life relationship * Find more stories from the moment I knew series Anne and I met in Melbourne in 1997 when we were cast in a production of Hamlet. We were both single and playing onstage lovers. The first time I saw her in the Melbourne Theatre Company cafeteria, she had a sleepy, grumpy face. I still recall those intense, slightly scary green eyes looking at me. I thought to myself: she is very attractive, but also quite formidable. At first it was a little awkward, but humour was the key. We’d sit on the dusty rehearsal room floor in our tracksuits while the director was working with another actor. Instead of practising our lines, we’d flip through the faded 70s magazines left in the corner and make jokes about what the models in flares or with chopped beards might be saying as they shot the images. Continue reading...
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What the changing face of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs could mean for Victoria’s state election

theguardian.comWhat the changing face of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs could mean for Victoria’s state electionA Coalition win could come down to promises about law and order, infrastructure and economic management * Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcast Racks of duck and golden roast pork hang outside Tom Zheng’s restaurant in Melbourne’s Box Hill Central shopping centre, flanked by hot custard pastry on one side and mounds of stuffed tofu on the other. But after almost 20 years operating Grain Asian BBQ, he’s not sure he can continue. Continue reading...
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‘The worst thing we could do is pick one over the other’: an Australian economist on why US-China competition is ‘a gift’

theguardian.com‘The worst thing we could do is pick one over the other’: an Australian economist on why US-China competition is ‘a gift’John Edwards reflects on a changing world, economic statecraft and an AI-led manufacturing revival * Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcast John Edwards wants us to chill out about China. A former top economic adviser to Paul Keating in the early 1990s, Edwards has been a major figure in the private and public sectors over the past three decades. Continue reading...
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The BoM’s temperature record keeping is under attack – again. What’s going on? | Temperature Check

theguardian.comThe BoM’s temperature record keeping is under attack – again. What’s going on? | Temperature CheckAn ‘audit’ of the Bureau of Meteorology main dataset for measuring climate change claims it contains ‘widespread errors’. It doesn’t stack up * Want to get this in your inbox when it publishes? Sign up for the Clear Air Australia newsletter here Australia’s climate has warmed by more than 1.5C since 1910, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s main long-term temperature data. If you were so motivated, you might think if you could discredit this data, then you would undermine the whole climate change story and even – perhaps – the rationale for cutting Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading...
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Western Sydney airport has been 40 years in the making. Why is it needed and how do you get there?

theguardian.comWestern Sydney airport has been 40 years in the making. Why is it needed and how do you get there?Some 60km from the CBD and in operation for 24 hours a day, Sydney’s second airport, opening to passengers on Sunday, cost $5.3bn * Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcast When the new Western Sydney International (WSI) airport opens on Sunday, it will be the realisation of a project that has been 40 years in the making. Who will be using the city’s second airport – and which airlines will be flying in and out? Continue reading...
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‘Synthetic twin’: Why Socceroo Cristian Volpato is the latest footballer to license his AI clone

theguardian.com‘Synthetic twin’: Why Socceroo Cristian Volpato is the latest footballer to license his AI cloneAthletes’ scramble to control – and monetise – their digital identities at the cutting edge of AI rights deals * Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcast The Socceroos star stares at the camera as he strides through an enormous atrium, the sound of his football boots on polished concrete echoing around him. Suddenly, he spawns four digital clones that peel off out of view to re-emerge in different settings around the world. This scene from a social media video is fake and generated by artificial intelligence. But it has been authorised by the very real 22-year-old footballer, Cristian Volpato, the latest professional athlete to licence and monetise his AI likeness. Continue reading...
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Australia crush England in women’s Rugby League World Cup statement win

theguardian.comAustralia crush England in women’s Rugby League World Cup statement win* Pool A: Jillaroos 78-0 England * Australia run in 15-tries-to-none in one-sided contest at HBF Park The Jillaroos sent a reminder to English rugby league that it is losing touch with the best in the world with a 78-0 hammering in Perth. The 15-tries-to-none victory confirmed the gulf in athleticism and skill between the two hemispheres, and reminded fans the rugby league universe now orbits the Pacific. The one-sided result showed last year’s 90-4 embarrassment in Las Vegas was no outlier, and England’s women’s team must urgently refocus in time for next week’s showdown with Samoa if they hope to reach the semi-finals. Continue reading...
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Australia v England: women’s Rugby League World Cup – live

theguardian.comAustralia v England: women’s Rugby League World Cup – live* Updates as the Jillaroos and England meet at HBF Park * Kick-off time in Perth is 5.05pm local/8.05pm AEDT/10.05am BST * Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email Hello and welcome back to the Rugby League World Cup! It has been a lot of fun so far, with plenty of fans getting behind the teams and lots of colour and excitement across the venues. Tonight we have the Australian Jillaroos taking on England for the first time since that very memorable match in Las Vegas in 2025 when the Jillaroos won 90-4. I was in the live blog hotspot for that one and it was a real challenge to keep up with that many tries being scored. I don’t think we’ll see a scoreline like that tonight – both the English team and my typing fingers will be grateful if we don’t. Both teams had extremely dominant wins in round 1. Australia shook off an error-ridden start to defeat Samoa 40-0, while England piled on the tries against Wales to win 70-6. Isabel Rowe was the standout for England in that win, with two tries and nine conversions to her name. The 19-year-old halfback plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Women’s Super League and will be instrumental to England’s chances against the reigning World Cup champions tonight. Continue reading...
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Daniel Stewart, former Port Adelaide AFL player, dies aged 37

theguardian.comDaniel Stewart, former Port Adelaide AFL player, dies aged 37* Key forward played 36 games and kicked 31 goals between 2010 and 2013 * Power will wear black armbands at first home game of 2027 season Former Port Adelaide player Daniel Stewart has died suddenly at the age of 37. The Power confirmed Stewart’s death on Saturday as the club said it was “deeply saddened” by the news that had come as a “shock”. Continue reading...
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Red Roses suffer back-to-back defeats for first time in a decade as Canada make statement

theguardian.comRed Roses suffer back-to-back defeats for first time in a decade as Canada make statement* WXV: Canada 31-22 England * England beaten in Ottawa for third loss in past 74 matches History-makers, era-enders, giant-slayers. Last Friday’s breaking of England’s unbeaten run was a statement 31-22 win for Canada but backing it up to deal the Red Roses their first consecutive loss in a decade sends a formidable message to the rest of world rugby. Some may view it as too early to call but Canada are serious contenders for the World Cup trophy in 2029, especially if they progress at the same rate that their performances have improved in just a year from that World Cup final loss to England in 2025. On a cold Ottawa night, the Canadians played with freedom and pace to down England once again. The captain Sophie de Goede laid bare why she is the reigning world player of the year with a hat-trick and some excellent defensive work and Julie Omokhuale also stood out among a good team performance. Continue reading...