| | 02/12/2024 Predatory Centrepay operators to be barred, sex workers face discrimination, Syria hits back at rebel advance |
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| | | Good morning. Predatory rent-to-buy lenders will be banned from the Centrepay debit service as part of extensive reforms being revealed by the government today after an urgent review sparked by Guardian Australia’s investigations into shocking failures within the system. Sex work in Victoria is legally treated like any other business – including working from home provisions. So why are those in the industry still facing discrimination? Meanwhile, Russian airstrikes have struck Aleppo and Idlib as Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad looks to his allies for support while opposition forces continue to make gains. |
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| Australia | | ‘I have done nothing wrong’ | Sex work has been fully decriminalised in Victoria, meaning it is legally treated like any other business – but advocates say the changes aren’t widely known or understood in the community. | Centrepay | The government is to boot predatory rent-to-buy operators off its Centrepay debit system as part of sweeping reforms designed to stop the financial abuse of vulnerable Australians. | Exclusive | Fake celebrity investment scams may soon be harder to push on Facebook and Instagram in Australia, with Meta introducing a requirement that financial advertisers are verified. | Running out of puff? | Housing prices have increased for the 22nd month in a row but the market appears to be losing steam after its weakest result since the run of consecutive monthly growth began. | Cruise ships | Environmentalists and tourism operators on the Great Barrier Reef say authorities must enforce stricter pollution standards on cruise liners visiting the world heritage area. |
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 | Full Story | | What’s going on with fluoride? The conversation about fluoride’s health benefits has exploded after a US federal toxicology report, court ruling and independent scientific review all called for updated risk-benefit analysis. Ian Sample hears from Catherine Carstairs, professor of history at the University of Guelph in Canada, about how attitudes to fluoridation have evolved, and Oliver Jones, professor of chemistry at RMIT University, Melbourne, about where the science stands today. | |
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| | | | | | | | | The most important news from Australia and the globe, as it breaks |
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| | Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties |
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| In-depth | | More than a million kilometres of cables snake along the world’s ocean floor, ferrying data between distant lands. Fibre-optic filaments whisk emails, Netflix and military secrets through deep water, where the cord – about as thick as a garden hose – gathers barnacles and seaweed. They’re vulnerable to sabotage and accidents, and (very occasionally) sharks. Experts say Australia’s cables are not immune from these threats – but how worried should we be? |
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| Not the news | | In the latest instalment of our series about spirituality and how it can be used to navigate everyday life, Ali Hammoud looks to the profound poetry of Rumi and explores how the 13th-century poet’s resolution to articulate his grief is a reminder to us of the power of literature – particularly in our most trying times. |
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| What’s happening today | Cyber Monday | The online extension of Black Friday sales is expected to drive a surge in retail activity. | ACT | A public hearing in the inquiry into the provisions of the criminal code amendment (hate crimes) bill 2024 is being held in Canberra. | NSW | Budget estimates hearings on education and health are scheduled at the NSW parliament. | ABS | The latest building approvals and retail trade figures are due to be released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. |
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| Brain teaser | And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. 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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A message from Lenore Taylor editor of Guardian AustraliaI hope you appreciated this newsletter. Before you move on, I wonder if you would consider contributing to our end-of-year fundraiser as we prepare for a pivotal, uncertain year ahead.
The course of world history has taken a sharp and disturbing turn in 2024. Liberalism is under threat from populist authoritarianism. Americans have voted to install a president with no respect for democratic norms, nor the facts that once formed the guardrails of public debate.
That decision means an alliance critical to Australia’s national and economic security is now a series of unpredictable transactions, with a partner no longer committed to multilateralism, nor efforts to curb global heating, the greatest threat we face. We just don’t know where this will lead.
In this uncertain time, fair, fact-based journalism is more important than ever – to record and understand events, to scrutinise the powerful, to give context, and to counter rampant misinformation and falsehoods.
As we enter an Australian election year, we are deeply conscious of the responsibility to accurately and impartially report on what is really at stake.
The Guardian is in a unique position to do this. We are not subject to the influence of a billionaire owner, nor do we exist to enrich shareholders. We are here to serve and listen to you, our readers, and we rely on your support to power our work.
Your support keeps us independent, beholden to no outside influence and accessible to everyone – whether they can afford to pay for news, or not.
If you can, please consider supporting us with just $1, or better yet, support us every month with a little more. Thank you. | | |
| Lenore Taylor
Editor, Guardian Australia |
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