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Happy hump day!

As we’ve been reporting over the last couple of months, all eligible Aussies have to vote in a referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament on 14 October.

We know there’s a lot of information out there, and that it can be hard to navigate at times. That’s why we have organised a free event next week that is all about answering your questions on the Voice.

If you’re in Sydney next week, we would love you to come along. It will be an in-conversation with First Nations ABC journalists Carly Williams and Isabella Higgins.

The details:
When: Next Monday at 6:30pm.
Where: The Imperial Hotel in Paddington.
You can RSVP here. We hope to see you there! We promise there’ll be snacks!

P.S. Here is today’s riddle: How many bricks does it take to complete a building made of brick?

I've got 10 seconds

The quote
"I'd make the decision [to allow pill testing] yesterday if it was the single decision the government could take to save lives, but at the end of the day [it's] risky if you take ecstasy at a festival, particularly on a summer day." – NSW Premier Chris Minns responding to calls to introduce pill testing in the state after two men in their 20s died at a festival over the weekend.

The stat
7%
The increase in new housing approved for development in Australia in August, compared to July, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It comes as state and federal governments move to increase the number of new homes to ease the housing crisis.

Today in history
2006: Wikileaks was founded by Julian Assange.

I've got 30 seconds

Some headlines from this morning:

  • The Australian Reserve Bank has kept the cash rate at 4.1% for the fourth consecutive month. The decision followed the Board’s first meeting under the leadership of new RBA Governor, Michele Bullock, who said while inflation was still too high, future rises would depend on new data and risks in the economy.

  • Work has begun to convert Adolf Hitler’s former Austrian home into a police station. It’s hoped the new purpose for the home where Hitler was born in 1889 will deter gatherings of neo-Nazis at the site. The property has been under the control of the Austrian Government for several decades.

I've got 1 minute

A Nobel prize has been awarded to two scientists whose discovery led to the first COVID-19 vaccines.

Dr. Katalin Karikó and Dr. Drew Weissman won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, which is considered one of the scientific community's most prestigious accolades.

The Nobel Prize selection body said this year's winners "contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times".

Details:
University of Pennsylvania researchers Karikó and Weissman proved for the first time that genetic material known as mRNA could be used successfully in vaccinations.

mRNA vaccines can be produced faster than traditional vaccines. They work by giving the immune system information about a virus and teaching it how to respond to that virus in the future.

Their findings were published in 2005, but received little attention until the pandemic.

COVID-19:
Nobel officials noted the discovery "laid the foundation for critically important developments that have served humanity during the COVID-19 pandemic".

Moderna and Pfizer developed mRNA vaccines that could be manufactured and distributed at a faster rate than 'vector' vaccines like AstraZeneca.

According to researchers, mRNA technology may also be useful in future cancer treatments, as well as seasonal flu and HIV vaccines.

No Silly Questions in the wild!

Thanks to Elizabeth - who posts book recommendations and reviews - for giving No Silly Questions 5 stars!

We were so excited to see your post on Instagram, and so appreciate your kind feedback!

I've got 2 minutes

Tasmania, the only Australian jurisdiction governed by the Liberal Party, could face an early election following the resignation of its Attorney-General.

Elise Archer stood down from the role on Friday amidst accusations of inappropriate conduct.

What she does next will have a major impact on the current minority Government.

What happened?
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff asked Attorney-General Elise Archer to resign from Cabinet following bullying allegations against her.

The Premier described text messages from Archer, some of which were leaked by The Australian newspaper, as "unacceptable". However, Archer said at least one of the messages had been taken out of context.

Archer became a Liberal MP in 2010, before being appointed Attorney-General in 2018.

After resigning last week, Archer said in a statement: "It is clear to me that the leadership of the Liberal Party continues to fail to support ambitious women."

Tasmanian Parliament:
With Archer, the Tasmanian Liberals hold 11 of the 25 seats in the State's Lower House of Parliament. This means they're in a minority Government.

Archer initially announced plans to quit Parliament entirely, but said she's now reconsidering — meaning she will either serve as a Liberal backbencher or become an independent.

Rockliff said an early state election could be called if Archer quits the Liberal Party and doesn't guarantee the government her support as an independent.

An early election?
Tasmania's next election is set for 2025, when the state's Parliament is due to expand its Lower House from 25 to 35 seats.

An election would come amid an uneasy period for the State Government, which lost its majority in May when two Liberal MPs resigned over a planned AFL stadium build in Hobart.

The Tasmanian Liberals have been in Government since 2014.

Next steps:
An independent investigation into Archer's alleged misconduct has been opened.

Archer has welcomed the investigation, and said she has always worked to support a healthy workplace.

I’ve got 10 minutes

Get all the news you need to know today in your ears on The Daily Aus podcast!

Give me some good news

Is it a bird? A plane? Oh, no, it’s just a 104 year old skydiving.

Dorothy Hoffner performed the skydive near Chicago this week, which she hopes will be certified as a record-breaking dive. She wants to become the oldest person to ever skydive.

Hoffner told the onlooking crowd that her age was “just a number”.

The Guinness World Record for oldest skydiver is currently held by Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson from Sweden, who at 103 years old set the record in May 2022.

A message from our sponsor

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A TDA tidbit

In very confusing news, well-known cereal brand Kellogg’s has changed its name in Australia to Kellanova.

“But why?” we hear you asking over your bowl of Coco Pops. The company has split into two businesses — one covering American cereals, and the other for snacks and other international cereals.

According to Kellanova’s Australian managing director Anthony Holme, “it means very little to Australian consumers in terms of change right now” because the logo won’t be changing on the cereals we know and love. But, he added, “it means much more choice for Australian consumers in the future as we bring the global snacking opportunities…into Australia.”

So far, Kellanova’s announcement has gone about as well as a bowl of Special K with no Forest Berries. Share prices of both newly split-off companies dipped on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday (local time).

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Answer: One - the last one!

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The Daily Aus acknowledges the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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