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Good morning!
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Today is Valentine’s Day,
So thanks for waking up with TDA. ❤️
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
“Consumer Affairs Victoria is continuing to pursue this, particularly in the context of the orders that have been made by the court. There are fines outstanding and Consumer Affairs Victoria is pursuing this constantly and consistently and won’t let up."
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan on the outstanding $410,000 fine that wellness influencer Belle Gibson was ordered to pay in 2017 by the Federal Court for breaching Australian consumer law. The fine has still not been paid. Gibson’s story is back in the news cycle as a result of a new Netflix series inspired by her life, called ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’.
Stat of the day
320km/h
The maximum speed of wind gusts expected to hit some parts of northern WA today in a Category 5 cyclone – the strongest intensity on the Australian tropical cyclone scale – according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Viral moment of the week
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance of ‘Not Like Us’
In case you missed it, this week Kendrick Lamar became the first rapper to headline the Super Bowl as a solo act. In the lead up, nobody was sure whether he would perform his song ‘Not Like Us’, which is a diss track aimed at Drake (who is currently suing Universal Music Group over the song). Lamar did perform the song, and smiled at the camera as he rapped the lyric “Say, Drake”. It’s that moment that has been taking over our feeds this week! For more context on the feud between Lamar and Drake, listen to our podcast here.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
The inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities has handed down its report, making 10 recommendations. These recommendations include university Vice Chancellors holding a formal meeting with Jewish staff and students, a review of university complaints mechanisms and increased investment in research into antisemitism. The inquiry was chaired by Jewish Labor MP Josh Burns, who said the report was released early because “Jewish students and staff should go back to campus for 2025 knowing their safety is taken seriously, and that their university is acting with urgency.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has spoken to Vladimir Putin in a push to end the war in Ukraine, three years after Russia invaded. According to Trump, the two leaders agreed to “start negotiations” to end the war. There was also confirmation from both sides that the two leaders intend to visit each other’s countries. Trump also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky, who he said “wants to make peace”.
Recommendation of the day
Transparency: This is a sponsored section of the newsletter. It's the best way we can keep this newsletter free for you
The show: Invisible Boys
The review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story: An emotional tale of individuality and belonging. Based on the best-selling novel, the Stan Original Series Invisible Boys is a coming-of-age drama that follows a group of queer teens in remote Australia as they try to figure out who they are.
Stream it: Every episode is now streaming, only on Stan.
I’ve got 1 minute
The Federal Govt has told banks to disregard student debts in mortgage applications
The Federal Government has asked banks to disregard HECS and other student loan debts when considering a person’s application for a mortgage.
For those with a student loan, this means they will be able to borrow more for a home loan.
The Opposition has cast doubt over whether it will improve young people’s chances to enter home ownership.
Borrowing
Banks assess prospective borrowers based on their financial income and history, which includes debts.
Borrowing rules are set by the financial services industry regulator, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).
Its current rules state HECS debts should be treated the same as other debts, such as credit cards.
As a result, a student loan could reduce someone’s maximum borrowing capacity. However, the recent announcement will change this.
Announcement
Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced on Wednesday that he has asked banks and financial regulators to relax rules around HECS debt considerations for mortgages.
“These are commonsense changes that will help more Australians into a home,” he said.
“By unlocking more finance from the banks we’ll see more housing projects get off the ground more quickly.“
The financial regulator, APRA, will update its advice on borrowing to reflect Chalmers’ request.
Banks’ responses
While the rules apply to all lenders, three of Australia's big banks – Commonwealth, ANZ, and NAB – have actively supported the move.
A Commonwealth Bank spokesperson said it will “support first home buyers enter the market”. ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott said the new rules would help “more people get into a home.“
Last year, NAB made a submission to a Senate inquiry urging a review of how HECS is treated as a borrowing liability.
Westpac did not respond to a request for comment.
Opposition
In a joint statement, senior Coalition Shadow Ministers Michael Sukkar (Housing), Angus Taylor (Treasurer), and Andrew Bragg (Home Ownership) described the Government’s plan as “underwhelming”.
“This announcement provides no new money, no new ideas and no new homes,” the statement read.
If elected, the Coalition has vowed to allow first home buyers to access $50,000 of their superannuation to put towards a mortgage.
Reporting by Harry Sekulich.
I’ve got 2 minutes
A three-day childcare subsidy will begin in 2026
The Government has passed a bill to subsidise three days per week of childcare for families earning less than $530,000.
The announcement was initially floated as an election promise, but the Government chose to pass it ahead of the campaign instead. A federal election must be held by 17 May.
The subsidy means the Government will mostly scrap the “activity test”, which calculates support based on how much a parent works or studies.
The three-day subsidy will take effect from 1 January 2026.
Activity test
The activity test was rolled out in 2018 to calculate how much government funding a family would receive to send preschool-aged children to early childcare.
The assessment considered working hours, volunteering, or studying commitments. The number of hours dedicated to these areas dictated how much funding families were given.
The scheme was set up to encourage more workforce participation.
A Productivity Commission report published in 2024 found the test did not directly help more people get into work.
“Changes in employment and other activities were small and not necessarily attributable to the activity test,” the Commission said.
It recommended abolishing the activity test.
“Children’s participation in [childcare] should not depend on their parents’ activity.”
Announcement
In December, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Government planned to subsidise three days a week of childcare for many preschool-aged children.
Families earning a combined annual income of $530,000 or less will be eligible for the three-day subsidy.
The Government estimates this will impact around 100,000 families.
The activity test will still be used for families who apply to have more than three days of care subsidised.
Parliament
The childcare subsidy has now passed Parliament, with the Greens and some crossbenchers voting in favour of it.
Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly said the subsidy “is about making sure that every child no matter their background and no matter where they live, has access to the transformative benefits of early childhood education and care.”
The Coalition voted against the measure. Opposition early childhood spokesperson Angie Bell said the move failed to address the “supply” of childcare centres and educators.
Reporting by Harry Sekulich.
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🍊 KD becomes the eighth member of an exclusive club. Details here.
🍊 Super Rugby Pacific kicks off tonight. Here's your preview.
🍊 The man who won the Ashes and an Olympic gold in boxing.
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: athletics, tennis, and more…
Give me some good news
Venus, which is known as the planet of love, will shine extra bright on Valentine’s Day!
The planet is expected to reach its greatest brilliance today, and won’t shine this bright again until September 2026. The brightness of Venus is both a product of its orbit around the sun and proximity to earth. The planet is named after the Roman Goddess of love, beauty and desire.
Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!
TDA tidbit
The Duolingo owl is dead.
If you’ve ever tried to learn a language, you’ve probably heard of Duolingo and its mascot, Duo the Owl.
Now, the language app has announced it’s killed off the green bird, saying: “Tbh, he probably died waiting for you to do your lesson.”
The death has sent shockwaves across the globe, with many users taking to social media to express their sadness.
One sad user is pop star Dua Lipa, whose name has often been compared to, or confused with, the app.
“Til’ death duo part,” Lipa said.
Reporting by Rosa Bowden.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
An Aussie Netflix series has become one of the most watched shows on the platform. Since 'Apple Cider Vinegar' was released just over a week ago, it’s been streamed nearly four million times and made it into the top five of the streaming service’s global charts.
The miniseries follows the rise of Australian wellness blogger Belle Gibson, who claimed she’d been diagnosed with a malignant brain cancer. Gibson told her followers she was treating her cancer with a strict health routine of organic foods, coffee enemas and juices. She amassed hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers, secured a lucrative book deal and landed an Apple partnership.
But… she never actually had cancer. Today, we’re exploring the true story behind Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar and the rise and fall of Belle Gibson.
TDA asks
