☕ Sally Rooney stops selling her books in UK

Yesterday was a big (huge, ginormous, unprecedented) day in the TDA office.

For the first time ever, TDA was nominated for a Walkley Award (basically the Oscars of Australian journalism).

We were nominated in the sport category for our interview last year with former AFL player Mitch Brown.

And a little fun fact: TDA is one of just three independent outlets among the nearly 30 publications nominated this year.

The quote: “If adults listen to manosphere podcasts or people post their views about the government or make memes or want to say the moon landing was fake, they can continue to do so without restriction.”
Communications Minister Anika Wells speaking to the National Press Club about the planned digital duty of care law.

The stat: $285 million. The amount Victoria’s anti-corruption commission (IBAC) suspects the state government lost through ineligible or fraudulent COVID-era grants. IBAC found that government department workers failed to report suspected losses to their ministers.

The big question:

Yesterday’s results: 75% of you have signed a petition in the last year, while 25% haven’t. Thanks for voting - your responses inform TDA's journalism and research. [2,040 votes].

Together with AAP.

Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation. Why this matters.

Wage growth across Australia eased in September, with annual growth down to 3.3% from 3.5% in August.

This matters because it suggests higher inflation and the Fair Work Commission's increase to the minimum wage haven't led to a broader jump in pay. For the RBA, that's one less source of pressure to worry about as it tries to get inflation down.

^{Transparency: This is a sponsored part of the newsletter - the best way to keep the newsletter free for you.}

Best-selling Irish author Sally Rooney has stopped selling her books in the UK.

The Normal People author said the sale of her books could be considered a criminal offence due to her financial support of Palestine Action.

Last year, the UK Government designated the group as a terrorist organisation.

Rooney is an Irish author, known for the novels Normal People, Intermezzo, Conversations with Friends, and Beautiful World, Where Are You.

In July 2025, the UK Government designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. This means it is a criminal offence to support them.

The following month, Rooney wrote in The Irish Times that she would use proceeds from her work to “go on supporting Palestine Action”.

The UK Government reported more than 3,600 arrests were linked to supporting the group, to June 2026.

In a statement to The Guardian UK this week, Rooney said “after a process of consultation and deliberation”, her publisher, Faber, would no longer sell her works in the UK.

Faber said “current legislation in the UK” means they “cannot pass on UK earnings” to Rooney, which is “an unconscionable situation for a publisher”.

“We remain the proud publisher of her remarkable body of work,” Faber said.

Faber clarified that Rooney’s works will continue to be sold in other markets.

The UK’s Palestine Action is a separate entity to Palestine Action Group (PAG) in Australia.

In November 2025, a petition was filed to the Federal Government to list PAG as a terrorist organisation. Responding to the petition in May, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke noted that the Government does not comment on “whether or not an organisation is being, or has been, considered for listing.”

Reporting by Emily Donohoe.

🎧 On today’s TDA podcast, co-founder Sam explains how Australia became a nation of investors. Listen or watch on Apple here, Spotify here, or YouTube here.

🌞 Sign up to TDA Good News here for a wrap of all the good news from this week in your inbox on Sunday morning.

🧘 Young Aussies are cutting back on physios and dentists, according to research – but health insurance spending among 18–24-year-olds rose 12% in 2025, while Pilates is booming. See what's being kept, cut, and prioritised.

^{Transparency: This is a sponsored part of the newsletter - the best way to keep the newsletter free for you.}

Australian restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars for the first time ever.

All 11 restaurants to be honoured are in South Australia. It comes after the South Australian Government paid an undisclosed amount of money to bring the Michelin Guide to the state.

So, what actually is a Michelin star? And what’s it got to do with tyres? Let us explain.

In 1900, French tyre company Michelin wanted to encourage people to drive, to increase the market for tyres.

To get drivers on the road, they came up with the Michelin Guide: a free brochure including maps, tyre repair tips, and lists of mechanics, hotels and petrol stations.

Restaurant stars came in 1926, with the hope that people would travel further for special culinary experiences.

Anonymous inspectors judge against five universal criteria: ingredient quality, harmony of flavours, the mastery of culinary techniques, how the chef’s personality shines through, and consistency across the menu.

Michelin itself says: “One of the biggest misconceptions about The Michelin Guide is that we have a preference for more formal restaurants. This is not true.”

For example, a small restaurant in Mexico City that sells tacos for around $AU5 each received a star in 2024.

There are now 3,896 Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. Only 161 of those have achieved three stars.

While restaurants can’t pay for a star, governments can pay to bring the guide to their region.

Michelin has been trying to set up an Australian guide for about a decade now.

In July, New Zealand became the first place in Oceania to get a Michelin Guide, following an agreement worth about $AU5.1 million over three years.

South Australia also struck its own deal. Premier Peter Malinauskas told the ABC the amount was “lower” than what New Zealand paid.

The first Australian stars were handed out at a ceremony in Adelaide on Wednesday night.

Magill Estate won two, the only restaurant in the country with that many.

Ten more won one star each: Anvers, Aptos, arkhé, Aurora at ILA, Botanic, Esmay, Hentley Farm, LVN Restaurant at Bird in Hand, Maxwell, and Skillogalee Barrel House.

No other states have announced plans to have their restaurants assessed.

Reporting by Elliot Lawry.

The festival that kick-started the careers of Rebel Wilson, Nash Edgerton and Sam Worthington could do the same for yours.

Tropfest started in 1993 as a screening for mates at a Darlinghurst cafe, and has grown into the world's largest short film festival. Now it's back for 2027: shoot a brand-new short film, seven minutes or less, that includes this year's Tropfest Signature Item, a necklace. The 16 finalists premiere at the Domain this summer.

Entries open Tuesday 1 December. If you’re keen to enter, start working on your breakout film now.

Volunteers rescued Luna, who is 10 years old, by luring her with scraps of a t-shirt and a pillowcase from her human family. It’s believed Luna accidentally got out of the cabin her owners were staying in after a staff member mistakenly opened the door. Luna has now been reunited with her family and is believed to be healthy, just a little skinnier than a month ago.

Reporting by Lucy Tassell.

Kelly Clarkson is feuding with a Brooklyn magic shop.

The American Idol season 1 winner and former talk show host says she tried to buy an item, but staff seemed to think she couldn’t afford it.

The management of the store itself, Art of Play, disputes this account. They say Clarkson wanted a $15,000 singing bird puppet named Molly, which they say wasn’t for sale. Art of Play has since clarified that a version of Molly is for sale, just not right there in store, which they say staff tried to explain to Clarkson.

Molly couldn’t be reached for caw-ment.

Reporting by Lucy Tassell.