If you were forwarded this email (Hi! Welcome!), you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Good morning!
May you have short meetings today, unlike Parliament yesterday, which set a 125-year record with a three-hour question time.
Talk about a cruel trick for Halloween.
I’ve got 10 seconds
Quote of the day
“For too long, monsters have been able to hide in plain sight, living next door, having interaction with kids. This gives parents another tool to try and keep their kids safe.”
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, speaking to state Parliament about a new law that will introduce a public register of child sexual abusers. The new legislation was named in memory of Daniel Morcombe, who was killed in 2003 by paedophile Brett Peter Cowan. Daniel's parents, who are now child safety advocates, have called for the register to become national.
Stat of the day
$US5 trillion ($AU7.5 trillion)
The value of tech company Nvidia, making it the first public company to reach the milestone. The company’s rapid growth has been driven by demand for its chips, which power AI systems.
Viral moment of the week
Pop star Lily Allen and her actor ex-husband David Harbour have put their Brooklyn home on the market, days after Allen released her latest album ‘West End Girl’. The album appears to suggest Harbour cheated on Allen and pushed her into an open relationship, and references the Brooklyn house, as well as his downtown NYC apartment. Both properties featured in their own individual (that’s two links) Architectural Digest tours.
I’ve got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
The NSW Government is seeking urgent action to stop thousands of prison guards across the state from walking off the job. The strikes are in response to the sentencing of an inmate who assaulted four prison officers in the state’s Hunter region in February. According to the Public Service Association (PSA), two of the officers involved in the incident at Cessnock Prison “will never work again.” Cameron Welsh was handed a three year community corrections order, but no additional time was added to his sentence. PSA President Nicole Jess called it a “slap on the wrist” and a “slap in the face to every prison officer in this state”. Officers at Cessnock and Bathurst prisons have already commenced strike action. The union said guards “at all of the state’s 36 prisons” were expected to follow in the coming hours. An update from the State’s Corrections Minister confirmed: “Corrective Services NSW has an urgent hearing before the Industrial Relations Commission… to resolve this.” Government officials said “centres remain secure and are being operated by a reduced number of staff.”
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have struck a deal to reduce tariffs, after meeting for the first time since 2019. The leaders agreed to bilateral talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea after months of escalating trade tensions. Trump called Xi “a very tough negotiator,” as he shook hands with his Chinese counterpart, promising the pair were “going to have a very successful meeting.” After a nearly two-hour closed door discussion, both leaders have now left the city of Busan. Trump said the U.S. and China are “in agreement on many things,” confirming “there’s no [rare earths] roadblock from China anymore.” Trump also announced he and Xi are “going to work together,” on Ukraine. While the pair have spoken over the phone in recent months, it marked their first face-to-face talks since Trump was re-elected last year.
Recommendation of the day
Transparency: This is a sponsored section of the newsletter. It's the best way we can keep this newsletter free for you
Friday nights out are overrated
Two in three young Aussies would rather stay in, unwind and treat themselves – and Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy gets it.
Their new Murray River Salted Caramel and Chocolate Flakes yoghurts are rich, nostalgic, and made for cozy nights in. Because comfort food should really comfort you.
I’ve got 1 minute
Labor and the Coalition have voted against a bill to create a climate duty of care for the Government
Labor and the Coalition voted against a bill on Wednesday that would have created a federal climate duty of care.
The bill would have required the Government consider young people’s health and wellbeing when making climate-related decisions.
It was proposed by independent Senator David Pocock with the backing of activist group Duty of Care, led by Anjali Sharma.
Duty of Care said the bill’s failure sent a “clear message... that [young people’s] futures in the face of the climate crisis matter less than the profits of fossil fuel companies.”
Duty of care
In 2023, Independent Senator David Pocock introduced the duty of care bill, calling it a legislative tool that “plugs the gap exposed” by a previous, unsuccessful court case led by Sharma against the Environment Minister.
It required the Government to:
Consider how their decisions on projects of more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon emissions will impact the health and wellbeing of younger and future generations.
Reject coal, oil, or gas projects where greenhouse emissions are likely to pose health risks to young people.
Senate
The bill was referred to a Senate committee in 2023. The committee examined the bill in detail and consulted the public and stakeholders.
Last year, the committee recommended the duty of care legislation not pass Parliament.
The Labor-led committee said it recognised the significant health harms caused by climate change. However, it said some of the bill was too broad.
For example, an approval on a project would need to consider the impact on “emotional, spiritual and cultural” health.
The committee said it would be too difficult “to quantify these abstract elements”. Labor Senator Karen Grogan, who led the inquiry, said the Government had already undertaken environmental reforms, citing the legislated 43% emissions reduction target by 2030.
Vote
When the bill came before the Senate on Wednesday, Labor and the Coalition voted against it.
However, Liberal Senator Andrew McLachlan went against his party and voted in favour of the bill.
In a post to X, McLachlan wrote: “For those of us who hold conservative values – respect for tradition, personal responsibility, and freedom – providing for future generations is a moral imperative.”
In a statement, Sharma said: “While the Labor Government and Coalition continue to play politics, point fingers across the chamber and take donations from fossil fuel companies, my future and the future of generations to come is left in the lurch.”
Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.
I’ve got 2 minutes
France is changing its sexual assault laws to include consent
The French Parliament has voted to add the definition of consent to its rape and sexual assault laws.
It comes after a French man was found guilty of drugging his now ex-wife into unconsciousness, raping her, and allowing 50 other men to rape her.
The amendment states “consent is free and informed, specific, prior and revocable”.
Some advocates have suggested the amendment puts an unfair obligation on victims.
Background
In 2020, Dominique Pelicot was investigated by police after he was caught filming up women’s skirts at a supermarket in southeastern France.
Police found a folder on Dominique’s computer labelled “abuses,” containing over 20,000 images of men raping his then-wife Gisèle while unconscious.
Pelicot pleaded guilty to charges of drugging and raping Gisèle and received the maximum sentence.
All 50 other men were also found guilty of charges including rape.
Gisèle Pelicot
Under French law, complainants have the right to remain private during a trial. Instead, Gisèle insisted on “complete, total publicity”.
She sat in court while videos of her assaults were played, and the men accused of raping her gave testimony.
This month, one of the convicted men – Husamettin Dogan – appealed, denying that what he did was rape, telling the court it was a “sexual act” instead.
In response, Pelicot told the man in court: “When did I ever give you consent? Never.”
New definition
A French parliamentary committee produced a report earlier this month proposing a new definition of rape and sexual assault.
The definition states: “Consent is free and informed, specific, prior and revocable”.
A person’s “silence” or “absence of reaction” cannot be taken as consent.
It also states a person cannot have consented to sex if they were subject to “violence, coercion, threat or surprise”.
Lower house minor party MP Marie-Charlotte Garin presented the report.
Garin explained people must be free and “fully capable of being able to consent.”
The vote to change the definition passed with a majority in France’s lower and upper houses.
President Emmanuel Macron now needs to sign off on the changes.
Since the #MeToo movement’s 2017 rise, consent-based sexual assault laws have increased in Europe, including in Sweden, Greece and Spain.
Discussion
During discussions in Parliament, Equality Minister Aurore Bergé said: “Consent is at the heart of our fight against sexual violence.”
Fellow government MP Guillaume Gouffier Valente labelled the bill “essential... for the protection of rape victims”.
In opposition, far-right National Rally member Sophie Vaginay-Ricourt said the definition is “legally unsustainable and morally dangerous.”
The topic of consent reform was brought up during Dominique Pelicot’s trial.
At the time, Fondation des Femmes President Anne Cecile Mailfert told The Guardian “consent is the wrong issue,” as “it places the emphasis... on the victim, not the rapist.”
Gisèle’s lawyer made similar comments, warning it could “backfire” on victims.
He told media: “Our definition of rape is not perfect today, but it has the merit of not falling into this trap.”
1800 RESPECT
Call: 1800 737 732
Text: 0458 737 732
Video: 1800RESPECT.org.au
Reporting by Emily Donohoe.
A message from Bell Shakespeare
Need plans that aren’t just dinner and drinks?
Bell Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet is back – and this isn’t the version you half-remember from high school.
It’s raw, emotional, and totally gripping. Two young lovers caught in the chaos of family drama and bad timing.
From just $45, you can be swept up in the passion, heartbreak and raw emotion of Shakespeare’s greatest love story – live on stage. Peter Evans’ production has been praised as “a joy from start to tear-stained finish” (Time Out Melbourne).
Playing at Sydney Opera House from 19 November – 7 December.
🍊 Melbourne Storm star ends contract early amid R360 rumours. Details here.
🍊 17-year-old dies in cricket accident. More details here.
🍊 The final round of the AFLW season is here. Who will make finals?
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: cricket, climbing, and more…
Give me some good news
Researchers have discovered an antibiotic that’s 100 times stronger than existing ones, and is effective against deadly superbugs.
Chemists from Melbourne’s Monash University teamed up with scientists based at England’s University of Warwick to study “one of the world’s most urgent health challenges,” antibiotic resistance. According to findings published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a promising new antibiotic discovered “hiding in plain sight” was shown to be over 100 times more active against bacteria than other popular antibiotics. A statement from the University of Warwick said the molecule had been overlooked for decades, and, “importantly, the researchers could not detect any emergence of resistance,” to it. The discovery could offer new hope in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!
Reporting by Emma Gillespie.
TDA titbit
Happy Halloween!
Last weekend, people in California donned their best witch hats and capes for the 13th annual Witches and Warlocks Paddle.
During the event, witches traded in their broomsticks for paddles, kayaking and paddleboarding in Morro Bay on California’s central coast.
Participants were encouraged to wear spooky costumes and bring along “Halloween spirit!”
The day of paddling is designed as a spell-abration for all in the lead up to Halloween!
Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.
Want more from The Daily Aus? Listen to our podcast!
Earlier this week, the Bureau of Meteorology launched a brand new website. It cost more than $4m and was the first major update since 2013. Within days, the backlash was so intense that the federal government had to step in.
On today’s podcast, we're unpacking what went wrong with the BoM redesign, why people reacted so strongly, and what the science tells us about why we hate it when familiar things get redesigned.
TDA asks
