If you were forwarded this email (hi! welcome!), you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Happy hump day!
Today’s riddle: The day before yesterday I was 21, and next year I will be 24. When is my birthday?
Answer is in the tidbit!
P.S. Happy birthday to Emma who emailed us yesterday asking for a birthday-specific riddle because today is her birthday.
I've got 10 seconds
The quote
"They turned the lights on, we turned around and there she was." – Matildas player Aivi Luik on Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman surprising the women's team before their first match on Thursday. Luik said the main takeaway from the talk was "we know who we are [and] we know why we do this".
The stat
13
The number of sudden horse deaths being investigated by Agriculture Victoria. It's not yet known what is behind a mystery illness that has spread to five Victorian properties this month.
Today in history
1954: Elvis Presley released his first single, “That’s All Right.”
I've got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
The Federal Government has announced it is allowing university students who fail more than 50% of their subjects to still access a student loan. It comes as a report released today on Australian universities found the rule "disproportionately disadvantages" students from the regions and from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Read more on this story here.
A dome that washed up on a West Australian beach is yet to be identified. The metres-long metal object was found at a beach 250 kilometres north of Perth. An investigation is ongoing.
I've got 1 minute
The 2026 Commonwealth Games won't go ahead in Victoria due to funding issues.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Tuesday morning, saying the cost of the Games was expected to blow out to triple the amount of the allocated budget.
Andrews said revised forecasts of $6-7 billion were "too much" to fund the event. The Victorian Government initially allocated $2.6 billion to fund the Games, which were to be held in regional centres across the state.
Budget redirect:
Instead of spending those funds hosting the Games, the Government will now redirect the money to the regions.
It has committed to a $2 billion package to support regional sporting venues and tourism and funding to boost regional social and affordable housing.
The announcement comes amid significant financial strain for the Victorian Government, which has over $100 billion in debt.
Do you need a new laptop?
You could win a Surface Laptop 5 (RRP $1999+) just by getting one friend to sign-up to this newsletter.
One referral will be one entry. You can refer more people to increase your chances of winning!
Or copy & paste this link to a friend to get them to sign-up: {{rp_refer_url}}
I've got 2 minutes
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has published the official Yes and No cases for the Voice referendum.
The cases for and against an Indigenous Voice to Parliament were prepared by federal politicians on both sides of the debate.
The AEC will now compile a pamphlet outlining the Yes and No cases, which will be mailed to voters ahead of the referendum.
The Voice to Parliament:
Later this year, Australians will be asked to vote on whether to add an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to the Constitution.
The proposed Voice would be a representative body for First Nations people to advise on policies that affect them. The Constitution would give Parliament the power to decide its structure and functions.
A change to the Constitution must be approved by the majority of voters in the majority of states. This is called a referendum.
The Yes and No cases:
The following pages summarise the key points made in the Yes and No cases.
They use the language chosen by the politicians who wrote the respective cases.
The claims made in the arguments have not been fact-checked by the AEC.
The eight arguments made by the Yes case:
The idea came from First Nations people, proposed by 250 leaders in the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Voting yes would recognise First Nations people in the Constitution in a practical way.
Listening to the advice of First Nations people delivers better health, education, and economic outcomes.
A yes vote would unify the country by acknowledging the past and celebrating First Nations people.
The Voice would save money by avoiding billions invested in policies that don't work.
Voting no would be an acceptance that we can't do better to address First Nations’ disadvantage.
Putting the Voice in the Constitution would create a stable source of advice that doesn't get caught up in short-term politics.
Legal experts say the Voice would enhance our system of government.
The 10 arguments made by the No case:
It is legally risky and is a big change to how our democracy functions.
The Government has not revealed details about how it would work.
It will divide Australians by race and undermine equality.
It won't work because it will be too centralised and will overlook regional and remote communities.
There are no limits on the potential scope of the Voice.
The Voice could lead to complex legal disputes, delaying government decisions.
The Voice is a gateway for activists to abolish Australia Day and change other Australian symbols.
The Voice will be expensive.
The Voice will be permanent and cannot be reversed.
It would be better to recognise First Nations people in the Constitution without the risk of a Voice.
The cases can be read in full on the AEC website:
Give me some good news
A small plant species believed to be extinct for over 60 years has been found.
The Bearded Flat Sedge was rediscovered in recently flooded river land in northwest Victoria. Plans are being made to ensure the plants' survival for years to come.
A message from our sponsor
Women and girls* are not just the future of sport - they're leading the way right now. And nowhere is that truer than here in the Pacific. On the eve of one of the biggest moments in sport on home shores, we look at athletes like Chloe Covell - who had two X-Games medals around her neck before she even turned 13.
Then there's Jess Hull's record-breaking 1500m feat. We marvel at powerhouse choreographer and New Zealand native, Parris Goebel's transformative approach which has challenged outdated perceptions of dance athletes, and the advocacy work of AFLW athlete and boxer Tayla Harris to prevent violence against women and gender-based online abuse.
Our athletes aren’t just breaking boundaries on the pitch, but using their platforms to change the game for all.
That's the inspiration behind Nike's mission to support athletes* and be her biggest champion. Together, we can join the brand’s mission to look back on the 2020s as the decade of women's sport, celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments already achieved, and those that are just around the corner.
*We acknowledge gender is a spectrum therefore when we reference her we are inviting everyone into the space
**If you have a body, you are an athlete
A TDA tidbit
Everyone check your drawers. If you have an old and unopened iPhone sitting around, can I suggest you check its worth?
A first-generation Apple iPhone has just been sold at an auction in the U.S. for $US190,373 ($AUD278,315). That is more than 300 times the original sale price, which was $US599.
The phone was still in its original packaging, with no damage whatsoever done to it.
“Our offering is an exceedingly rare, factory sealed, first-release 4GB model in exceptional condition,” LCG Auctions said in its product description.
*
*
*
*
Answer: 31 December; today is 1 January.
The Daily Aus acknowledges the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.