Good morning. Guardian Australia can reveal that a significant number of alleged victims linked to a police investigation into the alleged grooming and exploitation of children are also among the targets of a punitive Queensland government crackdown on youth crime. Half of the alleged victims known to one community organisation have been involved in the youth justice system; the number rises to three-quarters when those in the custody of the state child safety department are also included.

Meanwhile, Australia has crashed out of the Rugby World Cup in the first round – for the first time – after losing to Wales, a sample taken from an asteroid has returned to Earth and it’s time to vote for your bird of the year.

“Three weeks before my 29th birthday, and four days before my honeymoon, I got my driver’s licence,” writes Brittney Rigby. “It feels bigger and more celebratory than anything else I’ve achieved.”

Rigby – who was deterred from getting her licence because of fear prompted by a traffic accident – was not alone in coming late to driving due to anxiety about what might happen. Noor Sheerazi, a driving instructor at the NRMA, estimates 40% of her students are over 25. “They do think about consequences more,” Sheerazi says. “They’re tougher on themselves.”

It’s time to get behind your favourite in the always hotly contested and vitally important Australian bird of the year poll. From little penguins to (very big) cassowaries, every bird has its fans. Vote early and vote often (within the rules).

The fourth edition of the Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll takes flight today with a lineup of 50 Australian native birds. The bottom five birds are eliminated at the end of each weekday, with everyone able to vote again in the next round each day. You have one vote each day.

The Australian says a Newspoll survey shows support for the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum has hit a new low. The Age has published a report into how it says the Home Affairs secretary, Michael Pezzullo, wielded his influence. People with disabilities are being “trafficked” for their NDIS funding, according to an ABC Four Corners investigation.

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And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.

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