☕️ OJ Simpson has died

Good morning.

If you find yourself with some spare time this weekend, you should try write down the order of a keyboard on paper without looking.

I was at a dinner last week that did this (yes, it was a rowdy bunch) and it was more fun than you would think.

And if that’s not fun enough for you, you can play ‘Picture This’.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Quote of the day

“I’m certainly not anti-vax, but in the end, at least for adults, that old slogan, ‘my body my choice’, I know that was deployed in a different context but nevertheless, there’s a lot of merit in that slogan.”
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaking in an interview on a podcast with Graham Hood, a former spokesperson for the anti-vaccine mandate movement.

Stat of the day

5%
How much rents increased in the first three months of 2024, according to the Domain Rental Report released yesterday. It is the steepest quarterly gain in 17 years and the second-highest on record.

Today in history

1961
Yuri Gagarin, from the Soviet Union, became the first person in space. His vehicle travelled at the speed of 27,400km/h in a flight lasting 108 minutes.

I’ve got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

• The Australian Electoral Commission has raised concern over an anticipated low turnout of voters at tomorrow’s by-election in the Sydney seat of Cook. The seat had been held by former PM Scott Morrison since 2007, before he quit politics in February. Early votes are down 11% from the 2022 federal election. It prompted the AEC to remind voters in the seat to cast their ballot, or risk being fined. Liberal Party candidate Simon Kennedy is expected to win Morrison’s old seat.

• U.S. President Joe Biden has promised to back Israel if Iran launches an attack against the country. Biden said U.S. commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran “and its proxies is ironclad” and that his country would do all it can “to protect Israel’s security.” It comes after Iran accused Israel of striking its embassy in Damascus, the capital of Syria, earlier this month. This week, Iran’s leader Ali Khamenei said: "When [Israel] attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory,” and added that Israel “will be punished”.

I’ve got 1 minute

OJ Simpson has died

OJ Simpson has died at the age of 76 from cancer.

In a statement posted to social media, his family said: “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.”

“He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”

Context:

Simpson was an American footballer who was accused of murdering his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in a murder trial in 1995 that gripped the world. News media outlets at the time called it “The Trial of the Century”.

Simpson was found not guilty in the criminal trial. However, he was later found liable for the deaths in a civil trial and was ordered to pay $US33.5 million in damages.

In 2007, he was arrested with other men in a Las Vegas hotel room for armed robbery and kidnapping, which he served nine years in jail for.

I’ve got 2 minutes

NSW has cut public school funding by $148 million

Up to $148 million will be cut from NSW public schools, according to an announcement from the Department of Education.

The NSW Education Secretary Murat Dizdar blamed the “reduced funding” on declining public school enrolments.

The Opposition said principals were “blindsided” by a decision “that will leave students across NSW worse off”.

The changes are expected to impact schools within the coming weeks.

Funding cuts

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Prue Car and Secretary Dizdar met with school principals this week before a message was sent to all public school staff in the state.

Car confirmed funding would be reduced by 1.25% ($148 million) for the rest of the year.

Dizdar said student numbers have dropped by nearly 25,000 across NSW public schools over the last four years.

He said declining enrolments coincided with increased spending on non-teaching staff.

Under the changes, Deputy Principals and senior teachers will also be required to teach extra lessons to ensure schools have enough “qualified teachers” to lead classes.

Dizdar told principals: “I understand that the change will mean some adjustments in schools. Please know that it is a change that comes from necessity, and we are focusing our efforts on teaching and learning.”

Department cuts

The NSW Government will also cut $1.4 billion over the next four years from the Department of Education’s head office.

Spending will be reduced across areas like advertising and contractors (self-employed or independent workers, typically hired on an as-needed basis to perform specialised tasks or services).

The Education Department said it has “removed more than 600 contractors” already, and that the cuts were aimed at ensuring the department “is focused on supporting schools”.

The fallout

Car defended the funding cuts, saying they would help to put more teachers in the classroom.

Car also dismissed claims that the cuts were tied to a recent teacher pay rise. It’s after NSW teachers became the highest-paid teachers in the country after the government and the Teachers Federation reached a deal last year.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the government has “lost control” of the state’s finances. He said the cuts would lead to declining outcomes for students.

Speakman said the cuts could lead to wellbeing programs and school upgrades being scrapped, as well as fewer “crucial learning support staff”.

The Liberal MP called the timing of the announcement “concerning”.

“The school year is well underway, meaning key decisions have already been made and people have already been employed for specific roles. This is not good enough and our kids deserve better.”

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In the age of fast fashion and on-demand expectations of clothing, a new trend is emerging: renting. More and more people are looking to borrow clothes or rent their own clothes out, both for sustainability and financial reasons.

Today on the podcast, we speak to Dr Lisa Lake, Director of UTS’ Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion & Textiles, about the way her team is working to track the environmental impact of borrowing and renting clothes.

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Give me some good news

Researchers in Europe are a step closer to developing a successful urinary tract infection vaccine.

A near decade long study at the UK’s Royal Berkshire Hospital found a new spray-based vaccine was able to successfully prevent UTIs in more than half of patients for up to nine years.

Scientists hope the vaccine could be used as a more long-lasting alternative to antibiotic UTI treatments. The study is still in its initial phases and will present its final findings at the end of the year.

TDA tidbit

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has had to apologise for his choice of shoes. Basically, he was too fashionable. And that meant he ruined fashion.

In case you missed it, Sunak wore a pair of Adidas Sambas, which are quite popular at the moment, during an interview. It sparked international media attention.

British GQ magazine was among his critics, saying: “In a bid to present himself as young and hip… Sunak took an eternally cool sneaker, and ruined it for everyone.”

Fast forward a couple days and the Prime Minister addressed the controversy.

In an interview with the London Broadcasting Company, Sunak said: “I issue a fulsome apology to the Samba community.”

“In my defence I would say I have been wearing Adidas trainers and Sambas and others for many, many years.”

TDA asks