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Good morning!
NSW. It’s about to get wet. And wild. Some areas can expect up to 200mm of rain over the next few days.
That’s... a lot.
Stay dry. Stay safe. And stay home if you can!
For those not on the east-coast, go outside, umbrella-free, and celebrate a very happy SOFY (that’s start of financial year)!
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
“We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way… It’s a group of very wealthy people.”
U.S. President Donald Trump in an interview on Fox News, disclosing that he has found a buyer for the popular video app TikTok. Trump did not reveal their identities. The U.S. has said TikTok, currently owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, must be sold to an American buyer in order to remain active in the country.
Stat of the day
474,000
The number of monthly listeners to a seemingly AI-generated band, The Velvet Sundown, on Spotify.
Random fact of the day
Australia is wider than the moon. The moon has a diameter of 3,400km, while Australia’s diameter is almost 4,000km.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Australia’s corruption watchdog has found a senior Home Affairs official engaged in “serious” corrupt conduct when she helped her sister’s fiancé secure a job in the department. The National Anti-Corruption Commission, also known as the NACC, found the official had leaked the job panel interview questions, forged a signature to fast-track the candidate’s application, and didn’t disclose their relationship. The executive has since stepped down from her role. The NACC said it would have recommended that Home Affairs dismiss her, saying the public service needs to shield itself from “nepotism… and undeclared conflicts of interest”. It’s the first investigation completed by the NACC since it was set up in June 2023.
Two firefighters have been shot dead in the U.S. state of Idaho, after what police suspect was a planned ambush. A fire crew was responding to an emergency call in Canfield Mountain near the Washington-Idaho border, when they were shot at by a lone sniper. Authorities said two firefighters were killed and another was seriously injured in a shoot out lasting several hours. Police located the body of a man, believed to be the shooter, on the mountain on Sunday night (local time). Local sheriff Bob Norris told reporters that investigators “believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional”. State Governor Brad Little called those killed in the incident “heroic,” adding, “this is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters.”
Recommendation of the day
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I’ve got 1 minute
The jury in the mushroom murder trial has begun deliberations
The jury in the murder trial of Erin Patterson has begun deliberations after 10 weeks of court proceedings.
Patterson is accused of deliberately poisoning four members of her estranged husband’s family, killing three. She is also facing one manslaughter charge. Patterson pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Justice Christopher Beale has explained to the jury that Patterson must be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“You and you alone are the ones who must decide whether the prosecution has proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said.
Background
In July 2023, Erin Patterson invited five people to lunch: her estranged husband Simon Patterson, his parents Don and Gail, his aunt Heather Wilkinson, and her husband Ian.
Simon declined the invitation the night before the lunch.
Erin hosted the other guests at her Leongatha home (in regional Victoria), where she served individual beef Wellingtons.
Don, Gail and Heather died from mushroom poisoning days later. After two months in hospital, Ian survived.
Trial
Erin was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Her trial began in April in the town of Morwell, 45 minutes from Leongatha in Victoria.
The prosecution presented its case for five weeks, calling a range of expert witnesses to give evidence, as well as Ian Wilkinson and Simon Patterson.
Erin Patterson then took to the stand in her own defence, where she told the court her version of the events of the lunch.
Next steps
Patterson has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder.
The jury had 15 members throughout most of the trial. However, one person was dismissed for allegedly talking about the case with friends and family.
Two more jurors have now been dismissed, leaving 12 to decide whether Erin Patterson is guilty or innocent.
The final makeup of the jury was determined by random ballot.
It is unclear how long deliberations will take.
Jurors will be sequestered at the end of each day of deliberations. This means they will be isolated from the public, likely in a hotel.
When sequestered, jurors are banned from any communications with the outside world.
The jury must reach a unanimous verdict on all charges before they can be dismissed.
If the jury cannot agree, the judge may declare a mistrial and order another one to be held with a new jury.
If the jury finds Patterson guilty, it will be up to the judge to determine her sentencing at a later date.
Reporting by Emma Gillespie and Lucy Tassell.
I’ve got 2 minutes
A former Greens candidate may lose sight in one eye after she was arrested by NSW Police at a protest
Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has been injured following what police described as a “scuffle” at a pro-Palestine protest in south-west Sydney last week.
Thomas was taken to hospital for surgery after the incident. She has said could permanently lose sight in her right eye.
Police arrested five people linked to the demonstration, including Thomas. They are now investigating their conduct at the scene.
NSW Greens upper house MP Sue Higginson described the police’s actions as “brutal and excessive”.
Protest
Early on Friday morning, around 60 protesters gathered at SEC Plating in Belmore, in Sydney’s south-west.
SEC is a business that adds layers of plating to metal-based products, such as planes.
Activists say the company is linked to a global supply chain leading to F-35 jets, a type of aircraft used by the Israeli military.
The Australian Government has repeatedly denied exporting military equipment to Israel.
The Greens said: “Israel’s fleet of around 40 F-35 rely on the global supply chain and supplement supply from countries like Australia to continue the genocide against the Palestinian people.”
Israel has denied it is carrying out a genocide in Gaza.
Police said they arrived around 5.30am on Friday, alleging the protesters were trying to block access to SEC Plating.
A “scuffle” broke out between officers and the group of protesters, according to a NSW Police statement.
Footage from the scene appears to show shouting, pushing, and at least one person getting thrown to the ground.
Police said a 35-year-old woman was taken to hospital for surgery after she “sustained facial injuries”.
Hannah Thomas
Hannah Thomas ran as the Greens candidate in the seat of Grayndler, held by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, at the 2025 election.
Over the weekend, the ABC published an image of Thomas with a bloodied and weeping eye at the scene of the protest.
In a video posted on her social media, she described the events as “traumatic”.
“My interactions with NSW Police have left me potentially without vision in my right eye permanently,” Thomas said in the video, filmed from a hospital bed. In the video, her eye is bandaged.
Thomas said her arrest was the result of the NSW Government’s “draconian laws”. Earlier this year, the State Government outlawed protests near “places of worship” and language to incite “racial hatred”.
The Greens and activist group Legal Observers NSW say at least one of the protesters was informed that part of her offence involved being near a place of worship. A mosque is across the road from SEC Plating.
NSW Police have since denied on ABC radio that any of the protesters have been charged for protesting near a place of worship.
Arrests
Police have arrested five people linked to the protests, three of whom they alleged didn’t follow a “move on” order — a directive used to disperse protesters obstructing traffic, intimidating others, or threatening public safety.
Another was charged with stealing an officer’s body worn camera, and another for using offensive language in public.
Four of the protesters are due to appear in court later this week, while Hannah Thomas’ court hearing has been scheduled for 12 August.
Response
The NSW Greens have criticised the Government over the arrests.
In a statement, upper house Greens MP Sue Higginson accused the police of acting with “impunity”, calling Thomas’ injuries “distressing”.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was “concerned” for Thomas’ welfare, but rejected claims the Government’s laws had “emboldened” police.
Police have now confirmed they will investigate the incident in light of Thomas’ injuries.
The investigation will be overseen by the independent Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC).
Reporting by Harry Sekulich.
A message from Billabong
Billabong’s celebrating 40 years of stoke with an epic giveaway
Billabong celebrates four decades of The Raging Bull – Mark Occhilupo – with a bold new collection inspired by the legend’s fearless style, iconic backhand, and deep connection to the sea.
To mark the moment, they’re giving away an epic experience: flights to the Gold Coast, a $500 Kirra Surf spree, an Occy Raging Bull board, and the chance to paddle out for a surf with Occ himself.
This is more than merch – it’s history, heritage, and a whole lot of heart. Two legendary breaks. One unforgettable story. And the stoke? That’s forever.
🍊 The most Aussies in Wimbledon in 30 years. Read more here.
🍊 Molly Picklum won the Rio Pro. She’s now the world’s top-ranked surfer.
🍊 Piastri comes in second in Austria. More details here.
🗞️ Also in today’s Sport Newsletter: rugby union, soccer, and more…
Give me some good news
Wimbledon is underway, with the highest number of Aussies in the draw since 1995.
Wimbledon is the third of four tennis grand slams for the year. On the men’s side, there are 10 Australians in action, with Alex de Minaur as the 11th seed and Alexei Popyrin as the 22nd. In the women’s singles, there are seven Australians competing. It is the first year that Daria Kasatkina, the 16th seed in the women’s singles, will be representing Australia at Wimbledon after becoming a permanent resident in April.
Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!
Reporting by George Finlayson.
TDA titbit
A man in NSW has been charged with allegedly stealing wagyu cattle semen and embryos from his employer.
According to police, the 34-year-old man was meant to sell 200 cattle on behalf of his boss, but instead used a third-party buyer to purchase all the cattle for himself at a significantly reduced price.
Police also found almost $100,000 worth of stolen cattle semen on the property.
Reporting by Rosa Bowden.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
Over the weekend, Britain’s biggest music festival Glastonbury was held on a farm in south-west England. This year’s edition made more headlines than usual due to a pair of acts: Irish rap group Kneecap, and English punk pair Bob Vylan.
Kneecap’s inclusion on the lineup was already newsworthy due one of its members facing a terrorism-related charge, while Bob Vylan sparked discussion by calling for “death to the IDF,” the Israeli Defense Forces, mid-set.
In today’s show, we’ll break down the conversation around the two performances, the Government’s reaction, and a woman named Helen from Wales.
TDA asks
