| | | 12/02/2024 Greens threaten to stall housing bill, Nato pushes back at Trump, ‘Bring back Boris’ call in UK |
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| | | Good morning. The Greens say they will stall passage of the government’s “help-to-buy” housing scheme in an effort to force Labor to reduce tax breaks on investment properties. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, yesterday said the government had no plans to change negative gearing. But the Greens say they will use their balance of power in the Senate to compel Labor into action on negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts, in exchange for their support in the Senate on help-to-buy. “Pressure works,” the party’s spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Australia’s private job agencies have been forced to hand back $8.5m in government payments, Nato has decried Trump’s inciting of Russia to attack member nations, and UK politics may be about to see the return of Boris. |
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| Sign up for The Crunch newsletter | | Get the most important charts and dataviz direct to your inbox every fortnight. | | Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties | | |
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 | Full Story | | How supermarkets make you pay more A scathing report on price gouging last week, produced by competition expert Prof Alan Fels, said that supermarkets are hiking costs higher than they need to during the cost-of-living crisis. The investigation was the first in a number of inquiries to be held this year to examine how supermarkets set their prices and the tactics they use to increase profits. Senior business reporter Jonathan Barrett talks to Jane Lee about what can be done to reduce the costs of everyday items. | |
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| In-depth | | In less than three years, between 1919 and 1921, the founding fathers of the Irish state killed and disappeared 94 people, five times more than the Provisional IRA would later do over 30 years, according to new research. “It’s well known that people in the north disappeared during the Troubles,” said Pádraig Ó Ruairc, a historian and archaeologist who investigated the phenomenon. “What people don’t know and in some cases don’t want to admit is that the same thing happened in the fight for freedom in southern Ireland on a much wider scale over a much shorter period.” |
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| Not the news | | “Saving animals pretty much saved my life,” says Iain Jenkins, a raccoon rescuer who has become the go-to person if an exotic animal is on the loose in the UK. At present he is helping to lead the hunt for a fugitive raccoon, Meeko, in Sunderland. Jenkins shares his semi-detached home with raccoons, a parrot and a friendly skunk named Stinky Pete – and previously, a crocodile. |
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| What’s happening today | Sitting week | The federal House of Representatives is sitting in Canberra. | Plestia Alaqad | The Palestinian journalist will be a featured guest at the Bankstown Poetry Slam. | Protester hearing | A hearing is scheduled for a teenage climate protester who glued herself to a railing in Newcastle. |
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| Brain teaser | 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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| Contact us | If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email customer.help@guardian.co.uk |
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| | | Lenore Taylor | | Editor, Guardian Australia |
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| | I hope you appreciated this newsletter. Before you move on, I wonder if you would consider supporting Guardian Australia. As we look ahead to the challenges of 2024, we’re aiming to power more rigorous, independent reporting.
In 2023, our journalism held the powerful to account and gave a voice to the marginalised. It cut through misinformation to arm Australians with facts about the referendum and exposed corporate greed amid the cost-of-living crunch. It sparked government inquiries and investigations, and continued to treat the climate crisis with the urgency it deserves.
This vital work is made possible because of our unique reader-supported model. With no billionaire owner or shareholders to consider, we are empowered to produce truly independent journalism that serves the public interest, not profit motives.
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If you can, please support us on a monthly basis from just $2. It takes less than a minute to set up, and you can rest assured that you’re making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you. | | |
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