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Good morning!
As you prepare for another work week, please spare a thought for whoever signed off on this year’s Sydney Marathon medals.
The medal that will be handed to finishers this Sunday features Allianz Stadium – except not Sydney’s Allianz Stadium. It’s Munich’s Allianz Arena.
The marathon has acknowledged the “unfortunate error”, but said it cannot be changed with the event now less than a week away.
Nothing says Sydney quite like… Munich.
I’ve got 10 seconds
The quote: “Once the H5 bird flu is spreading in the natural environment, it is not possible to avoid significant losses.”
Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, speaking after Australia recorded its first case of bird flu in a mammal. Authorities confirmed on Sunday that a long-nosed fur seal found dead at Beachport had tested positive for H5 bird flu.
The stat: 9.39 seconds. The time it took a humanoid robot to run the 100m sprint at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, China, on Saturday. The robot beat Usain Bolt’s record of 9.58 seconds, which has remained the (human) record since 2009.
The big question:
Friday’s results: 76% of you call a sandwich a sanger, 14% say sambo, and 10% say sando. Thanks for voting - your responses inform TDA's journalism and research. [2,888 votes].
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Sydney’s AFLW side have beaten Essendon by 24 points at the SCG in front of a record crowd of 16,672 - more than doubling the previous record of the largest AFLW crowd in Sydney. It was the club’s first match since an alleged sexual assault at a Melbourne hotel last week, with five of the club’s male players linked to the police investigation. No charges have been laid. Following the AFLW match, the Swans men’s side beat North Melbourne by 53 points, doing so without the five players who have all been suspended for the rest of the season for “breaching club standards” – a sanction separate from an ongoing police investigation. If this story has raised concerns for you, contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028.
Australia’s spy chief will allow a former agent to give evidence on the perpetrators of the Bondi terror attack at the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. The man - who goes by the name of Marcus - was formally hired by ASIO to infiltrate possible IS networks in Sydney. During his time as an undercover agent, the man claims he warned ASIO about a father-son duo six years before they opened fire at a Chanukah event at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people. Marcus has lived in hiding overseas since 2023 after ASIO withdrew its support for his permanent residence. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the evidence “could be given over the phone, on (Microsoft) Teams ... [or] in any way.”
Together with AAP.
Recommendation of the day
Two heritage brands just dropped a collab we didn't see coming - Ford x Brixton.
The limited-edition collection brings Ford's Built Tough legacy into Brixton's signature streetwear - think tees, caps and jackets in that unmistakable Ford Blue, plus bold racing stripes straight from decades of American automotive heritage. Workshop-grade quality with weekend-ready style.
Transparency: This is a sponsored part of the newsletter - the best way to keep the newsletter free for you.
I’ve got 1 minute
The Victorian Government has announced it will create free dental clinics if it wins the next state election. Victorians go to the polls on 28 November.
Dental care is not covered by Medicare in most cases.
In a statement, the Government said: “Tens of thousands of Victorians can’t afford to go to a dentist – and so many of them are in pain, every single day.”
Context
An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study released last year showed close to 90,000 hospitalisations for dental conditions in 2022-23 could have potentially “been prevented with earlier treatment”.
It also showed half of Australians aged 15 and over didn’t visit the dentist in 2022-23.
Currently, only children who receive certain Government payments, or whose parents or carers do, can have some dental treatments covered by Medicare.
Election promise
If re-elected, the Victorian Labor Government says it will set up 10 free dental clinics in the state.
Melbourne would have seven and the rest of the state would have three, in regional areas where services are limited.
“They’ll deal with the most urgent cases first, including dental pain, swelling, or people who have had an accident,” the Government said.
Reporting by Lucy Tassell.
Quick hits
🎧 On today’s TDA podcast, we talk about how the search for missing hiker Lily Hooper unfolded. Listen or watch on Apple here, Spotify here, or YouTube here.
🎾 AFL Finals are here, the NRL season is getting to the pointy end, and the AFLW and NRLW are in full flight. Want more to read? Sign up to TDA Sport here, dropping in your inbox at 4.30pm today.
Good Finds
🐾 Turns out dogs need protein too. The NEW ADVANCE™ High Protein range uses quality Australian chicken or lamb to help support your dog's muscles, energy and recovery.
🏠 Airbnb's throwing the ultimate tailgate in Melbourne next month - hosted by Alexander Volkanovski, completely free for you and four mates. Hot dogs, cornhole, beer pong, a slo-mo throw cam - but only 20 spots available to book from Wednesday August 26 at 9am, find out more at airbnb.com/tailgate
Transparency: This is a sponsored part of the newsletter - the best way to keep the newsletter free for you.
I’ve got 2 minutes
The Government has introduced a bill that would criminalise match-fixing in Australian sport at the federal level.
If passed, athletes and other sports professionals could face up to ten years in prison for intentionally impacting the outcome of a sporting event.
It follows a Government-commissioned review that found the risk of organised crime infiltrating sport through match-fixing is growing in Australia.
Match-fixing
Match-fixing means manipulating the outcome, or part of the outcome, of a sporting event for personal gain.
It’s already illegal in most of Australia at the state/territory level.
It can look like:
A player or team deliberately underperforming, or losing the match
An official favouring one side
Someone leaking inside information, like a secret injury or tactic, so others can bet on it
Fixing results for sporting reasons, like landing lower on the ladder to secure a better draft pick next season
Recent case
It’s possible to bet on which players will receive yellow cards in Australia’s professional soccer code, the A-League.
In December 2023, Macarthur FC captain Ulises Dávila paid teammates Kearyn Baccus and Clayton Lewis $10,000 each to deliberately collect yellow cards as part of a betting scheme.
Football Australia banned Lewis and Baccus from all football activity for five years, reducible to four with community service, while Dávila was convicted for match-fixing and fined $11,000 in February 2026.
Review
A 2018 review of Australia’s sports integrity arrangements found gaps in how match-fixing is handled.
It found state and territory laws are inconsistent – e.g. Tasmania and WA use fraud laws rather than specific match-fixing rules.
The review recommended a national approach, and that Australia join the Macolin Convention, an international treaty against match-fixing. Australia signed the treaty back in 2019, but still hasn’t ratified it, which would make it legally binding.
The bill
This week, the Government introduced a bill to Parliament that would create seven new criminal offences for match-fixing.
Individuals who “corrupt” a sporting event could face up to 10 years in prison. Inducing or soliciting someone else to fix an event carries up to five years. Companies face fines instead of jail.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the offences “will ensure law enforcement agencies are well equipped to keep sport free from match-fixing conduct”.
The bill has been referred to a Senate inquiry for review. Some of the new offences won’t fully take legal effect until Australia formally ratifies the Macolin Convention.
Reporting by Elliot Lawry.
A message from TDA Finance
Do you know the average HECS debt in your suburb?
Almost half of Australia’s total $67.7 billion Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS-HELP) debt is held within the country’s two largest cities, while the national average HECS balance sits at $28,500.
Whether that's news to you or it hits close to home, it's a sign to check out TDA Finance, our newsletter that breaks down all the topics affecting your wallet.
Sign up below and get clear, credible and engaging finance updates, delivered directly to your inbox every Wednesday morning.
Give me some good news
Scientists have found a way to spot Parkinson’s disease in the brain before any damage is done – a breakthrough that could lead to earlier and more effective treatment.
Researchers at Northwestern University in the U.S. state of Illinois discovered that a gene linked to Parkinson’s quietly disrupts the brain’s dopamine-producing cells long before those cells are actually lost. Dopamine is a chemical the brain uses to control movement, and its loss is what causes the tremors and stiffness associated with Parkinson’s. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, could help researchers test new treatments on the exact brain cells most at risk before it’s too late to save them.
Reporting by Emma Gillespie.
TDA titbit
You’ve heard of ‘The Princess Diaries’, but what about The Prince Diaries?
A former car salesman in Belgium named Clément Vandenkerckhove has become a Prince after his father, the country’s Prince Laurent, legally recognised him as his son, making him a member of the Belgian royal family.
Will he ever have the Anne Hathaway-esque experience of royal duties? Probably not. The BBC reports he only has the title and will not be part of the royal line of succession, take part in any public royal activities or receive a royal allowance.
Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.
TDA asks
