☕️ Bird flu strain continues to spread

First, I apologise for a mistake I made in yesterday’s newsletter. I wrote that Australian sprinter Torrie Lewis broke the national women’s 100m record in a time of 10.59 seconds, when it was actually 10.99 seconds (unbelievably impressive). My 6:54am brain got confused.

Second, as the proud pre-sale partner for this year’s Beyond The Valley music festival, we have many, many new subscribers reading this newsletter today. Welcome!

Making your first impression of me a mistake is probably not ideal. But hey, maybe you like transparency too!

The quote: “I assume office with the firmness needed to govern, but also with the sensitivity required to listen to and heal the wounds of our people.” Peru's newly sworn-in President, Keiko Fujimori, during her first address as leader. The 51-year-old conservative daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori is Peru's first-ever elected female head of state, and the country's ninth leader in a decade.

The stat: 2.2. The number of divorces per 1,000 people according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It marks the first increase since 2021.

The big question:

Yesterday’s results: 63% of you said you don’t watch more than one hour of live TV, excluding sport, in an average week. Thanks for voting - your responses inform TDA's journalism and research. [2522 votes]

Together with AAP.

Could your Sunday scroll use more good news and less doom TDA Good News is a weekly wrap-up of stories that leave you feeling better than when you found them. It's the reset your Sunday inbox has been missing. 

Two stories this week have put political transparency in the spotlight, but they involve different rules.

Pauline Hanson’s updated parliamentary interests register revealed Gina Rinehart paid for her flights to Italy and fashion show tickets.

Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese faced questions over attending a Labor fundraiser hosted by Felix Lee, whose father, Chinese billionaire Phillip Dong Fang Lee, has faced ATO legal disputes.

So what’s the difference between a gift and a donation?

Gifts and political donations are treated differently under Australian parliamentary rules. Gifts can include travel, hospitality, event tickets, accommodation and personal items. They must be declared on a politician’s Register of Interests to ensure potential conflicts of interest are transparent.

Political donations are financial contributions made to parties or candidates, including from companies, individuals or unions.
They are governed by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

Politicians must disclose a range of information in their Registers of Interests, including:

The register must be updated within 28 days for MPs and 35 days for Senators when a new interest arises.

Example: Hanson’s register includes flights to Europe, return flights to the U.S, and four separate return journeys within Australia covered by Rinehart and her company Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd since December 2025.

Political donations are typically made to parties, rather than individual politicians. The AEC disclosure threshold is currently $17,300 until 1 January 2027, meaning donations above this amount must be declared.

Information is reported after the end of the financial year and published the following February.

Anthony Albanese faced questions over attending a Labor fundraiser at a $40 million Sydney mansion hosted by Felix Lee, whose father, Phillip Dong Fang Lee, has faced allegations from the Australian Taxation Office.

The ATO alleged Phillip Lee used dishonest means to move large sums of money from China into Australia to fund business, property and gambling activities. The allegations have not been proven.

Albanese said he was unaware of the allegations when questioned on the ABC’s Insiders.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the dinner raised about $100,000, although the figure has not been publicly disclosed.

Reporting by Emily Donohoe.

🎧 On today’s TDA podcast, co-founder Zara and editor-in-chief Billi explain why the Idaho college killer claiming he's innocent. Listen or watch on Apple here, Spotify here, or YouTube here.

🍿 We sat down with one of Australia's biggest music acts this week. Read TDA Culture at 5pm today to find out who 👀

On Tuesday, Ben Carroll announced his first major decision as Victorian Premier: calling a Royal Commission into the construction sector.

It comes after widespread calls for former Premier Jacinta Allan to hold a Royal Commission, amid allegations of corruption in Victoria’s Big Build initiative.

Carroll said the announcement is part of a “new direction” for the state.

So, why is the construction industry under such intense scrutiny?

The CFMEU is one of Australia’s largest unions, representing more than 115,000 members across construction, manufacturing, and shipping.

In 2015, the Victorian Government launched its $100 billion ‘Big Build’ road and rail infrastructure program.

It includes projects such as the Metro Tunnel train line and major road upgrades.

The projects require a large number of tradies, which is where the CFMEU comes in.

The Victorian CFMEU was a registered member of the state branch of the Labor Party. It donated more than $3 million to the party during the 2022 election.

In 2024, the CFMEU in Victoria was placed under administration after a Nine Network investigation uncovered alleged links between criminal figures and the CFMEU’s construction division.

The CFMEU administrator asked barrister Geoffrey Watson to investigate possible corruption in the union.

Allan asked Labor leadership to remove the CFMEU’s construction wing from the party that year.

After the Nine reporting, the Queensland Government launched an inquiry into the CFMEU.

Watson gave evidence to the inquiry about his investigation, and submitted his reports.

He said the Big Build meant the CFMEU in Victoria was able to negotiate high salaries for its workers, and that “the flood of government money... made the Big Build ripe for corruption.”

Watson alleged the conditions of the Big Build allowed for CFMEU “collaborations... with outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs)”.

He told the inquiry “building sites [were] converted by OMCGs into drug distribution centres”.

Watson cited evidence that “potential workers had to ‘donate’ $100 in cash” to CFMEU officials to be put on “lucrative” weekend night shifts.

The same week, Nine newspapers reported the CFMEU administrator had redacted parts of Watson’s report on the Victorian wing of the union.

One redacted section alleged $15 billion of Government money had “been poured directly into the hands of criminals and organised crime gangs”. Watson’s allegation has not been tested in court.

The Victorian Opposition had previously called for a Royal Commission, renewing its calls following Watson’s allegations.

They asked for it to be able to investigate:

the cost of alleged misconduct and funding to OMCGs; and

the Government’s culpability and knowledge.

In response, Allan said Labor does “not support the calls,” while fellow Labor MP Tim Richardson called the $15 billion claim “unfounded and untested.”

Allan also said previous Royal Commissions on other topics “didn’t deal with the issues, quite clearly, because it remained an issue after that Royal Commission had concluded.”

Last week, Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said the “only way to clean up corruption” is “with a Royal Commission” that “only a Liberals and Nationals Government will deliver”.

Last Monday, Allan stood by her position, saying: “I am focused on taking strong action now... Anyone calling for a Royal Commission is calling for action delayed, not immediate action.”

On Tuesday, Carroll’s “first action as Premier” was to call a Royal Commission into the construction sector.

He also announced the establishment of a Special Prosecutor, to work alongside the Royal Commission.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Carroll said he wants “no stone unturned. Whether it is top-tier contractors, subcontractors, labour hire, government, unions.”

Carroll said in his first speech on Tuesday that more details will be released “in the coming days.”

This will include appointing a person to run the Royal Commission (the Commissioner), and instructions, known as terms of reference.

Previous Victorian Royal Commissions have taken upwards of a year, meaning this one will still be in its early stages at the state’s November election.

Carroll also made a point in his speech to differentiate himself from previous Premiers, saying: “I am not Daniel Andrews; I am not Jacinta Allan.”

Reporting by Emily Donohoe.

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Kennedy took home silver in the men's sprint event before Lewis claimed bronze in the women's event. Lewis broke her own 100m national record in the semi-finals before breaking it again in the final, with a time of 10.99 seconds. Kennedy ran a personal best of 9.85 seconds, becoming Australia’s fastest man. The previous 100m record (9.93 seconds) was set by Patrick Johnson in May 2003, months before Kennedy was born.

Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

How much would you pay to learn KFC’s 11 secret herbs and spices?

KFC founder Colonel Sanders’ former home, restaurant and personal items are about to go up for auction. The star item is a 1964 leather day planner that lists what might be the exact quantities of his 11 herbs and spices.

The sale also includes his knife kit, the pressure cookers he used to perfect his fast frying method, and even his bible.

Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.