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Good morning!
Well, that didn’t take long. Second day back doing the newsletter and I already messed it up.
Thank you to the literally thousands of people who told me yesterday’s riddle was wrong, because it was American. (Which, thank you for asking, I did just get back from New York, and yes, have been bringing it up any chance I get.)
The answer indeed should have been ‘if all cars turn left’. At least I know you’re all paying attention!
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
“I’m going away for a while. It pains me to say I have to cancel everything for the foreseeable future.”
Singer Lola Young in a post to Instagram announcing she will be taking an extended break, after collapsing on stage at her concert in New York over the weekend. The singer rose to fame after her song ‘Messy’ went viral on TikTok last year.
Stat of the day
21
The number of sunscreen products that have now been pulled from shelves after testing revealed they had failed to meet the SPF levels promised on their labels, according to a new statement from the national medical regulator, the TGA. It said the base formulation consistent across the products was unlikely to have an SPF greater than 21.
TDA reader comment
"It makes for a very awkward Uber drive."
A comment left on our post about the media regulator finding The Kyle and Jackie O Show has breached decency rules with vulgar and offensive content. Anyone who has been in a car with strangers while this show is playing understands this comment.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall has died aged 91. In a statement on Instagram, the Jane Goodall Institute said she died of natural causes while in the U.S. state of California for a speaking tour. Dr. Goodall is considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees after she lived among them in Africa. She made several significant discoveries about chimpanzees during this time, which reshaped the world’s knowledge of the species.
The U.S. Government has shut down after the Senate rejected a short-term spending measure that would have funded the continuation of federal operations until November 21. The shutdown affects US$1.7 trillion in agency operations, forcing government departments to immediately cease operations and terminate all non-essential employees. Negotiations broke down after President Donald Trump and his Republican colleagues refused to compromise on the inclusion of increased budget for healthcare benefits demanded by Democrats. It’s the 15th government shutdown since 1981, and the first shutdown since 2019, with analysts forecasting it could last longer than past shutdowns, which can be resolved in a matter of hours or days, due to permanent cuts to federal programs included in the new budget by the Trump administration.
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I’ve got 1 minute
Mental health is the most common reason for GP visits in Australia, a new report has found
Mental health has been revealed as a top reason for GP visits in Australia, according to the Royal Australian College of GPs’ (RACGP) annual Health of the Nation report.
More than 70% of GPs listed mental health concerns as the primary reason for appointments. This is a 10% increase since 2017.
The RACGP said the results highlight the need for increased investment in GP services, including higher rebates for longer consultations.
Mental health
According to the RACGP, almost half of Australians (43%) have experienced a mental illness at some point in their lives, with anxiety and depression the most common.
The report noted that for most people, GPs are the first point of contact when seeking mental health support, especially in rural and remote areas.
The RACGP identified healthcare costs as a major barrier to access, with one in five Australians aged over 15 delaying or avoiding mental health care due to cost.
Appointments
This year’s report found that 71% of GPs listed “psychological issues” among the top three reasons patients booked an appointment.
The findings highlighted a discrepancy between female and male GPs. Female doctors reported that 75% of their consultations concerned mental health, compared to 66% for male GPs.
Gendered differences among patients were also identified. Women were more likely than men to see a GP for mental health concerns, and were also more likely to delay further treatment due to cost.
Reporting by Achol Arok.
Good finds
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Transparency: This is a sponsored section of the newsletter. It's the best way we can keep this newsletter free for you
I’ve got 2 minutes
From this month, all first-home buyers can purchase a house with a 5% deposit
First-home buyers can now purchase a property with a 5% deposit, as the Government’s home ownership scheme comes into effect this week.
The initiative, which lowers the standard 20% deposit requirement to buy a home, will also remove previous income caps.
Property price caps will remain in place and vary by city or region, though the limits have been raised.
The Government will also cover the cost of lenders’ mortgage insurance.
The Coalition has criticised the policy, warning it risks “opening it up to the children of billionaires”.
The scheme
A 20% deposit is usually required to buy a property. This is an upfront down payment, which goes towards the total purchase price.
An initiative allowing first-home owners to buy with a 5% deposit was established in 2020. However, this scheme was capped at a certain number of places annually.
In 2024/25, it was limited to 50,000 new entrants to the property market.
The previous scheme also had income caps, $125,000 for individuals and $200,000 for couples.
Changes
Labor promised to introduce changes to the scheme if it won the May election.
Last month, the Government confirmed plans to bring forward these reforms to October — three months earlier than expected.
This includes removing income tests or limited places for first-home buyers.
There will continue to be limits on the value of properties first-home buyers can purchase with a 5% deposit.
However, the new limits will be higher than existing caps.
For example, a Sydney home is capped at $1.5 million under the scheme, up from $900,000.
Regional WA homes are to be capped at $600,000, up from a limit of $400,000.
Previously, buyers who purchased homes with less than a 20% deposit paid a Lender’s Mortgage Insurance.
It’s considered a financial safety net for the loan providers in case the buyer struggles to pay off their home loan in the future or sells their property at a lower value than when it was purchased.
Under the new changes, the Government will also cover this fee.
Opposition
The Opposition has called the scheme “a dark day for the Australian dream”.
Shadow Housing Minister Andrew Bragg claims the Government is ignoring economic experts who say the policy will drive up property prices.
“Australia needs to build its way out,” of the housing crisis, Bragg said in a statement to TDA.
“Yet under Labor, we are seeing record-low development per capita. For first-home buyers, things will only get worse.”
Greens housing spokesperson Senator Barbara Pocock also criticised the reforms.
“It's reckless for the Government to encourage first-home buyers to spend more than they can realistically afford,” she said.
However, Housing Minister Clare O’Neil insists it’s about levelling the playing field for “a new generation of first-home buyers.”
“5% deposits for all first-home buyers will mean people can get into their own home sooner,” she said.
Reporting by Achol Arok.
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Give me some good news
Researchers have developed a human egg using skin cells, in what’s been described as a landmark fertility breakthrough.
The team behind the discovery at Oregon Health & Science University said they’ve “achieved something that was thought to be impossible”.
According to findings published in the journal Nature, the technique mimics cloning technology pioneered in the 1990s, which led to the world-renowned birth of Dolly the sheep.
This process involves transplanting a skin cell nucleus into a donor egg stripped of its nucleus.
While several more years of research will be required to perfect the process, the study’s co-author Paula Amat said it offers hope to millions of people with infertility due to lack of eggs or sperm, and allows “for the possibility of same-sex couples to have a child genetically related to both partners.”
Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!
Reporting by Emma Gillespie.
TDA titbit
Hello. It’s Billi. I’m taking over the titbit section today to ask an important question: Have you seen Robert Irwin in the U.S. version of Dancing With The Stars?
If you haven’t, rest assured the young people of America have.
Magazine The Cut wrote about the 21-year-old Australian: “Is this the hottest DWTS has ever been? Until now, I knew DWTS as a show watched by moms nationwide. (Per The New York Times, the show’s audience had a median age of 63.5 in 2022.) But thanks to Irwin’s allure, hordes of vocal young women with TikTok accounts seem to be watching the new season.”
But most importantly I would like your help settling an office debate: Should Dancing With The Stars be covered in TDA’s sport newsletter?
You see, when you think about it, it is: 1) a team effort, 2) involves a lot of physical exertion, and 3) highly competitive, with a winner at the end.
I say yes. TDA’s sport journalist George says no. We must know what you say. Reply to this email!
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
This week, a woman was awarded $93,000 by a NSW court over an unlawful police strip search at a 2018 music festival.
Strip searches are supposed to be conducted under exceptional circumstances only, but recent figures suggest they’re being conducted more frequently.
In today’s podcast we’re going to talk you through the landmark class action against NSW Police, and what it means for the future of strip searches at music festivals.
TDA asks
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