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Good morning!
Quick question for everyone: If you were offered $1 million to sing a song perfectly (we’re talking lyrics, not pitch, obviously) what would you sing?
This is the question Sam posed to me yesterday, thanks to a Reddit thread.
His answer is ‘Hello’ by The Cat Empire and my answer is ‘The Car Song’ by The Cat Empire.
The Cat Empire, please consider sponsoring us!
I’ve got 10 seconds
The quote: “The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.” A statement from the family of New Zealand actor Sam Neill announcing his death on Monday, months after he shared he was in remission from blood cancer.
The stat: 53,449. The number of people who have been processed for deportation and repatriation from South Africa in the last five weeks, under a new campaign from the country’s government.
The big question:
Do you use buy now pay later schemes?
Yesterday’s results: 59% of you would feel comfortable telling friends how much you earn, while 32% wouldn’t, and 9% aren’t sure. Thanks for voting - your responses inform TDA's journalism and research. [2,200 votes]
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
The Government’s strengthened anti-racism standards for Australian universities are now in effect. The framework, announced in December, was officially rolled out on Monday. The principles set expectations across eight key themes, including accountability, diversity of perspectives, independence, transparency, and trust. Under the requirements, tertiary institutions must adopt definitions of racism, including antisemitism, Islamophobia and prejudice against First Nations people. Public universities will also need to publish the outcomes of governing body meetings and decisions.
New polling data shows a slump in support for One Nation, after Pauline Hanson outlined her party’s policy aims during a recent address. The One Nation leader and Queensland Senator appeared at the National Press Club in Canberra last month, off the back of record-high support for the conservative populist party. However, One Nation’s popularity dropped by 3% in July, according to a Resolve Political Monitor survey released on Sunday night. Support for One Nation is now at around 26%, while the Coalition has bounced back from 20 to 23%. Labor's backing was steady for July at 28%. The poll was conducted after Hanson’s Press Club address – during which she criticised Muslim immigration and called for an Australian “monoculture”.
Together with AAP.
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I’ve got 1 minute
Passengers coming to Australia will soon complete a digital arrival card, following a successful trial to replace the physical form.
The digital arrival card was trialled on Qantas routes to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, and will first expand to Qantas flights to Perth and Adelaide, then every international airport and seaport.
Tourism Minister Don Farrell said the change will help “make Australia an even easier and more welcoming place to visit.”
Background
In 2024, the Federal Government worked with Qantas to launch a trial to digitise the paper card that all passengers arriving in Australia must complete.
The card asks people to fill out their travel information and to declare items such as food, plants and animal products.
Under the trial, passengers can fill out the form digitally on the airline’s app before they board.
More than 450,000 passengers have used the new method under the trial.
Change
On Monday, the Federal Government announced the digital system will roll out on Qantas flights to more capital cities, including Perth and Adelaide, by the end of the year.
Over the next 12 to 18 months, it will then expand to all international airports and seaports.
Tourism Minister Don Farrell said: “Making the arrival process easier is a priority for our tourism industry.”
The digitisation brings Australia in line with countries including Thailand, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore.
Reporting by Emily Donohoe.
Quick hits
🎧 On today’s TDA podcast, we remember Professor Richard Scolyer. Listen or watch on Apple here, Spotify here, or YouTube here.
💶 There are major allegations about Bill Gates’ daughter’s shopping app. Sign up to TDA Finance here to make sure the explainer is in your inbox on Wednesday morning.
I’ve got 2 minutes
In less than a week, four Australian women and girls have allegedly been killed by men and boys known to them.
From 4 to 7 July, 13-year-old Layla Jeffrey, an unnamed 17-year-old girl, 39-year-old Lavanya Chappa, and 30-year-old Jana Armstrong were allegedly murdered.
The deaths bring Australian Femicide Watch’s toll of women and children lost to violence in 2026 to 54.
TDA is using the word “allegedly” because there are pending court cases in all four instances.
Background
Over the course of last week, four families and communities have been impacted by fatal violence in Victoria, Queensland, and the Northern Territory.
In each case, police allege the victim knew the person accused of killing her. Three men and one boy have each been charged with murder.
The circumstances differ, but the four deaths form part of a broader pattern of violence against women and girls in Australia.
Victims
Lavanya Chappa, 39
Lavanya was a software quality assurance analyst, described by her cousin as a “loving mother” of a 13-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son, and a “dear friend to so many.”
Police allege on 7 July, a 39-year-old man fatally stabbed Chappa at her home in Vermont, a suburb in Melbourne’s east. Police say the man, who was known to her, has been charged with murder. He is yet to enter a plea. The charge has not been tested in court.
Unnamed girl, 17
The Yolŋu teenager lived in Galiwin’ku, a remote community on Elcho Island in the Northern Territory.
Police declared the 17-year-old girl deceased on 6 July after reports she was unconscious at a residence.
A 34-year-old man, who police described as being “in a domestic relationship” with the girl at the time of her death, was charged with murder. He is yet to enter a plea. The charge has not been tested in court.
Layla Jeffery, 13
Layla was from Donald, a small town in western Victoria. A family friend and local councillor described her as a “gentle, quiet little girl who just loved life.”
The 13-year-old was last seen on 4 July, and reported missing on 5 July. Her body was found on 9 July.
A 16-year-old boy, who police say was known to Layla, was charged with murder. He is yet to enter a plea. The charge has not been tested in court.
Jana Armstrong, 30
Jana lived in Toowoomba, Queensland, and was described by her cousin as “glue for the family.” She was the mother of a four-month-old boy.
Armstrong was reported missing after last being seen on 7 July. Her body was found on 11 July.
Police charged a 48-year-old man, believed to be known to her, with murder. He is yet to enter a plea. The charge has not been tested in court.
National toll
Australian Femicide Watch, created by researcher and journalist Sherele Moody, reports 37 Australian women and 17 children have been killed so far in 2026.
Moody tracks reported deaths of women and children from murder, manslaughter and neglect.
According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, in 2024-25 women were almost six times more likely than men to be killed by an intimate partner than a stranger. Men were more than twice as likely as women to kill partners of the opposite sex.
Reporting by Emily Donohoe.
In partnership with nbn
Want to get more out of your internet connection? Your in-home set-up might just need a quick check.
Before you assume it’s your connection, it helps to know that a lot of everyday frustration can come down to your in-home setup - from your Wi-Fi router’s age to where it’s placed.
A few simple changes could help things run more smoothly. nbn is here to help you get more from your internet, with practical tips to improve your set-up.
Give me some good news
Photo: UCSD
For the first time, humanoid robots have completed live surgeries.
Engineers and surgeons at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) led the world-first trial, which saw remotely operated and autonomous robots perform gallbladder removal surgery on a pig. The experiment has been described as a “proof-of-concept” first step towards operations on humans. UCSD Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Michael Yip explained that “humanoid robots have real potential for amplifying access to critical surgeries to which patients would otherwise not have access,” addressing healthcare shortages around the world.
Reporting by Emma Gillespie.
TDA titbit
Over the weekend, 22,141 Pitbull fans set a new world record: the most people wearing a bald cap in one place.
For years now, a bald cap, black suit and sunglasses have been the unofficial dress code for Pitbull shows, mimicking Mr Worldwide’s signature look. At his London concert on Friday, a Guinness World Records adjudicator was on stage to survey the sea of shiny fake scalps and commit the moment to the history books.
To top it all off, the show took place on a balmy 32°C day. Fans described feeling “sweaty and bald” but “amazing”.
Anyone who's ridden the London Tube in summer knows you need all the scalp ventilation you can get. I tip my bald cap to those brave souls.
While accepting the plaque for the official world record, Pitbull had this to say: “Dale!”
Reporting by Elliot Lawry.
TDA asks
