Morning Mail: election call expected, Dutton promises more gas, US senators demand Signal inquiry

Exclusive | Australian households will spend $1.03bn every year to suppress fire ants and cover related medical and veterinary costs, with about 570,800 people needing medical attention and 30 likely deaths from the invasive pest’s stings, new modelling shows.

Sliding doors | Peter Dutton has vowed to establish a gas reservation scheme that will lower prices, and to sack all 41,000 federal public servants hired under Anthony Albanese, if he wins an election he billed as a “sliding doors moment” for the nation. Labor says Dutton’s plans to slash the public service will mean longer wait times for social service payments: read this explainer on what it all means. And economists say Dutton’s pledge to cut petrol duty won’t save drivers as much as he’s saying.

Fish fury | Labor’s grassroots environment action network described as “frustrating and disappointing” the new law that the government rushed through parliament this week to protect salmon farming in Tasmania.

Islamophobia row | A coalition of Muslim and Palestinian organisations have rejected a push by universities to adopt a new definition of Islamophobia, arguing it would “shield” the institutions from criticism of their contentious new antisemitism definition.

Exclusive | Metro Trains staff in Melbourne have appealed to the owners of a fare-dodging ginger cat to come forward after it hitched a ride to the CBD on the 6.05 from St Albans yesterday.

Senator demand | American senators from across the aisle have joined forces to demand that the Pentagon investigate the scandal over how a senior American journalist was added to a Signal app group chat in which top government figures shared details of US airstrikes in Yemen at the weekend.However, it is still seen asunlikely that Donald Trump will fire Mike Waltz, or anyone else involved in the now-infamous group chat. Follow developments in the story here. We also profile Jeffrey Goldberg, the journalist at the heart of the story, and look at how the Signal fiasco raises questions about cabinet accountability.

Egypt sinking | Six Russian tourists have died and 39 people have been rescued after a 44-seater tourist submarine sank off the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Flight ‘collapse’ | Airline travel between Canada and the US is “collapsing” amid Donald Trump’s tariff war, with flight bookings between the two countries down by more than 70%. Shares in global carmakers have fallen after Trump announced a 25% tariff on all car imports. More disruption comes from the health department, where Robert F Kennedy Jr plans to cut 10,000 staff.

Tax test | Rachel Reeves, the UK chancellor, might have to tax pensions and other wealth assets if the economy continues to struggle this year, a watchdog has warned.

Monster moment | A babysitter in Kansas who was asked by a child to check for monsters under their bed was stunned to discover a man hiding there, police have said.

Football | Our brilliant cartoonist David Squires has surpassed himself today by telling the story of Jackson Irvine’s career through the medium of the Socceroo’s tattoo sleeve.

Formula One | Red Bull have dropped Liam Lawson after just two races and replaced him with Yuki Tsunoda from their sister team, RB, for next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Cricket | Peter Lever, the English pace bowler who played five out of seven Tests as England won the Ashes in Australia in 1970-71, has died aged 84.

Media | The findings of two historic ACMA investigations into the Kyle & Jackie O show expected to be released.

Courts | Sentencing for Kristian White over Taser death of an elderly woman at a nursing home.

Victoria | Protests expected as Avalon air show opens to the public.

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