☕️ Govt confirms new census questions

The Paralympics have concluded with a colourful closing ceremony overnight.

Cycling gold medallist Lauren Parker and athletics gold medallist James Turner proudly carried Australia’s flag during the ceremony.

Australia wrapped up the Games in ninth place on the medal tally.

All eyes are now on LA 2028… and then Brisbane!

“Her laugh is so expressive and infectious. That means she’s doing well.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on U.S. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, at an event in eastern Russia. Putin said he would respect whoever the American people vote for at the November election.

1.9 million
The number of people globally facing a catastrophic lack of food, according to the United Nations. This includes 1.1 million people in the Gaza Strip, and another 750,000 in Sudan.

1948
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, aka North Korea, was founded.

A new Māori queen has been crowned in New Zealand.

Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō Paki will succeed her late father as the monarch of many Māori iwi (communities).

The 27-year-old is the second woman to take the throne. The first was her grandmother, Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

Her coronation marked the end of a week of mourning for Kīngi Tuheitia, who died last week aged 69.

She enters power at a time of political tension between the New Zealand Government and the Māori people.

Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō Paki is the youngest child and only daughter of the late King, who reigned for 18 years.

On Thursday, the Kīngitanaga (Māori monarchy) officially announced that Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō Paki had been chosen as the new leader.

The role is not automatically inherited — she was chosen by Māori elders above both of her older brothers.

The monarchy is recognised by many, though not all, Māori groups.

A traditional ceremony marked the end of six days of mourning for the late King.

Thousands of people gathered to welcome the new monarch, who was appointed using the same Bible used to appoint the first Māori King in 1858.

Sacred oils were used to bestow her with “prestige, sacredness, power and spiritual essence.”

Following the ceremony, the late King’s coffin was taken to a sacred burial place.

The monarch’s role is largely ceremonial and has no judicial or legal authority in New Zealand.

Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō has come to power in a period of significant political tension between the Māori people and the New Zealand Government.

This follows the election of a new right-wing coalition Government last November, which has eliminated the Māori Health Authority, and moved away from te reo Māori (language) names for Government departments.

Reporting by Chloe Christie.

On Friday, state, territory, and federal leaders announced a $4.7 billion package “to respond to the national crisis of family, domestic and sexual violence”.

The funding is mostly focused on improving frontline legal services.

The package also includes prevention initiatives like men’s behaviour programs and services for children impacted by family violence.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the National Cabinet “came together” to move forward on “our shared commitment to end violence against women and children.”

Federal, state and territory leaders usually meet four times a year for what’s known as ‘National Cabinet’.

Governments put together a plan to combat gender-based violence after an urgent National Cabinet meeting in May.

This included measures such as an age verification trial online, banning non-consensual deepfake porn, and support payments for anyone fleeing violent relationships.

Friday’s National Cabinet meeting laid out a new $4.7 billion joint-funding agreement between governments. The funding will be rolled out over five years, starting from July next year

The Prime Minister said the plan is focussed on four action areas:

Albanese said community legal centres offer support services “to help victims safely leave and recover from violent relationships, through access to finances, secure housing and safe arrangements for children.”

The PM said the funding will provide certainty for some services, whose current funding agreements were due to expire next year.

The announcement also includes funding for First Nations legal services, as well as young people who have experienced violence.

Men’s behaviour change programs and prevention strategies will also be funded under the new plan.

Programs will be focused on changing the behaviour of “perpetrators of gendered violence.”

Earlier this year, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan told TDA men and boys, “want to be part of the change. They want to be part of the conversation. They need the tools to be able to work with other men and boys in their communities.”

In 2022, the Federal Government provided states and territories with funding to hire 500 frontline domestic violence workers.

The states and territories missed a 30 June 2024 deadline to hire at least 350 workers.

The latest government figures show roughly 200 of these roles have been filled around the country.

Domestic violence prevention organisation, Full Stop, welcomed the funding announcement.

However, CEO Karen Bevan said: “It is unclear whether sexual violence frontline services will receive a much-needed funding boost.”

Bevan said failing to fund sexual violence services would create a barrier to “accessing fair and timely justice or specialist support”.

Shadow Minister for Women Sussan Ley urged the Government to make the funding available sooner.

“I don't know why we didn't see an undertaking for money to flow sooner rather than later,” Ley said.

“Not one dollar of this funding will start to flow until the middle of 2025. That is 10 months away.”

“We all must do everything we can to stop this tide of violence.”

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

Introducing Skipper - cleaning products that double as decor. Chic.

Skipper specialises in concentrated tablet alternatives for everyday products to help reduce waste. They’ve got you covered for all your daily essentials, including hand wash, body wash, laundry detergent, and even household cleaners!

Here’s how it works: Simply fill one of their chic reusable dispensers with water, drop in a tablet, and let it dissolve. In minutes, you’re good to go!

Switch to Skipper today and build your own bundle to get up to $120 off!

A team at Stanford University tested a blend of chemicals, including “common food dye”, on mice, which allowed scientists to see the animal’s organs and blood flow. The mixture washed off with water, leaving the mice unharmed. If this process works on humans, researchers said it could replace X-rays and other scans, and even make laser tattoo removal easier.

Lead scientist Guosong Hong said: “If we could just look at what’s going on under the skin instead of cutting into it, or using radiation to get a less than clear look, we could change the way we see the human body.”

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Lucy Tassell.

Cities around the world have been grappling with over-tourism this northern hemisphere summer, as travel has bounced back to pre-COVID levels.

Rome, ‘the Eternal City’, is no exception. Its city council is considering a new policy to tackle overtourism — charging for entry to see the Trevi Fountain.

Next year is set to be a huge one for Italy’s capital, as it’ll be the centre of a year-long Roman Catholic celebration set to attract over 30 million visitors.

The Fountain is notorious for being full of coins, due to a legend that tourists who throw in a chunk of change will return to Rome and have their dreams come true.

Reporting by Lucy Tassell.

Last week, a 14-year-old killed four people - two students and two teachers - at his school in the US state of Georgia. He also injured another nine, in what was the country’s 385th mass shooting this year.

The shooters’ father has been arrested for multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, in relation to his son’s killings.

So should parents be held legally liable for the actions of their child? In today’s deep dive, we’ll explore the precedent that has been set in the U.S.