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And just like that, inflation has taken its next victim: Frequent Flyer points.
For the second time since 2004, Qantas has today increased the number of points needed to book a rewards flight or upgrade your seat.
To give you an idea of the increase: a Sydney to London economy seat will go from 55,200 points and $263 to 63,500 points and $263.
All eight Harry Potter movies will remain on the in-flight entertainment, though.
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
“The sheer number of meetings and reports is pushing the system – and all of us – to the breaking point.”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on a UN-commissioned report looking into the organisation’s efficiency. It found that last year the UN held 27,000 meetings and produced 1,100 reports, many of which were “not widely read”.
Stat of the day
1 in 10
The number of Aussies who are millionaires (counted in USD), according to a report by Swiss bank UBS. The wealth is largely held in property. Australia also has the second-highest median per-person wealth globally, at $US268,000 ($AU411,000).
Random fact of the day
The Chupa Chups logo was designed by surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. He created the logo in 1969, and suggested that it be placed on top of the lolly instead of the side so that it could always be seen.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
An investigation into Queensland’s forensic services lab has identified widespread issues, finding the state’s DNA testing is at a "point of critical failure." The review found Forensic Science Queensland (FSQ) has provided “unreliable DNA results to police and the courts since early 2023.” It comes after several FSQ failures led to two commissions in 2022 and 2023. Then-Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said restoring “Queenslander’s faith in the state’s forensic and scientific services,” was “imperative”. However, the latest report into FSQ shows testing delays have worsened. The current median DNA testing time for major crimes is around 412 days, well outside the required 14 day turn-around. The report also found sexual assault victims are waiting up to a year for rape kit test results. Premier David Crisafulli called the findings “nothing short of a betrayal of victims,” but said the Government is “determined” to “restore integrity in the justice system.”
More than 140 migrants are believed to have died after a boat capsized near Yemen. According to the United Nations’ migration agency, 154 Ethiopian migrants were onboard the vessel when it sank off the coast of southern Yemen on Sunday, local time. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed 12 survivors were located near the wreck, but 68 bodies have been recovered so far. The UN agency told the Associated Press a further 74 missing passengers are likely deceased. The IOM said many Ethiopian migrants “set off on perilous journeys to Yemen, driven by the hope of reaching other countries in search of a better life.” It follows several recent migrant shipwrecks in the region.
Recommendation of the day
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I’ve got 1 minute
The Govt has announced the first female AFP Commissioner
The Australian Government has announced Krissy Barrett will be the next Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). She is the first woman to hold the position.
It was also announced on Monday that current AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw will retire a year earlier than expected. In a press conference, Kershaw said he was stepping down because the role “takes its toll on the family life”.
The AFP Commissioner is essentially the country’s highest-ranked police officer. They are accountable to the federal Parliament.
Barrett was previously the Deputy Commissioner under Kershaw.
She said: “I will ensure the AFP continues to keep Australians safe, protects the vulnerable, and identifies and disrupts an emerging cohort of criminals who have mixed motivations and threaten our national security.”
Barrett will start in October for a five-year term.
Reporting by Billi FitzSimons.
I’ve got 2 minutes
The Australian Govt has announced an extra $20 million in aid support for Gaza
The Federal Government has announced $20 million in funding for more aid to be delivered to Gaza.
The funding will go towards United Nations and humanitarian groups delivering food.
Israel’s restriction of aid into Gaza has caused mass starvation and drawn international condemnation. The UN has warned that Gaza is “on the brink of famine”.
Yesterday’s announcement comes a day after a major protest against Israel’s actions was held in Sydney.
Australia’s aid
Australia provides funding and resources to International aid agencies working to support people in Gaza. The Federal Government says it has given more than $100 million to support Gaza since October 2023.
In the latest round of funding announced on Monday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said $20 million will be divided among UN agencies including the World Food Program ($6 million) and the children’s agency UNICEF ($5 million).
The UN recently requested $4 billion from across the globe to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Australian funding will also be delivered to a Jordanian charity organisation sending medical supplies to field hospitals in Gaza.
“The suffering and starvation of civilians in Gaza must end,” Wong said.
Last week, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said she was “distressed” by images and footage from Gaza, but didn’t explicitly say there was starvation.
However, on Monday, Ley said: “There is hunger and starvation in Gaza and it needs to be addressed”.
Sydney protest
The Federal Government’s funding announcement comes after protesters marched over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday.
Thousands participated in the march, in protest of Israel’s ongoing actions against Palestinians in Gaza.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Sydney mayor Clover Moore, and former Labor Premier Bob Carr were among those in attendance.
NSW Police launched a legal bid to stop the protest from going ahead.
However, the request was rejected by the NSW Supreme Court on Saturday morning.
Police estimate 90,000 people attended, while organisers estimate there were up to 300,000 attendees.
Similar protest action was also held in Melbourne and Adelaide on Sunday.
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Give me some good news
Meg Harris has won gold in the women’s 50m freestyle at the swimming world championships in Singapore.
It’s the first time an Aussie has won the event in ten years, and is the 23-year-old’s first individual gold medal on the world stage. Harris won silver in the 50m free at the Paris Olympics last year, where she also won gold with the women's 4 x 100m relay team (her second gold after relay glory in Tokyo). Australia also picked up two silvers on the final night of competition, thanks to Jenna Forrester in the 400m IM, and the women’s medley relay team. It comes after Mollie O’Callaghan claimed her 11th career world championship gold to equal Ian Thorpe’s record on Friday. Australia finished second overall behind the U.S. with eight gold, six silver and six bronze medals.
Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!
Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.
TDA titbit
In a scene straight out of your worst nightmares, four radioactive wasp nests have been discovered in the U.S. state of South Carolina.
The first nest was found at a former nuclear site in early July. Three more nests were discovered on the site at a later date, according to The New York Times.
A report from the U.S. Department of Energy said the nest “was sprayed to kill [the] wasps, then bagged as radiological waste. The ground and surrounding area did not have any contamination.”
Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
Working from home at least two days a week could become a legal right in Victoria.
The state government has laid out plans to make it an entitlement for public and private sector workers.
Premier Jacinta Allan said it could boost business productivity and help workers with caring responsibilities, but some critics have questioned how it would work, including whether it would even be lawful in Australia.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll take you through Victoria’s working from home push, the reasons behind it, and why the debate is here to stay.
TDA asks
