| | 20/08/2024 Data ‘fabricated’ in voice campaign, tech boss missing in superyacht sinking, Democrats gather |
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| | | Good morning. Today we reveal allegations from an insider at a market research firm who claims he was asked to fabricate data for the Australian Electoral Commission during the voice referendum. Meanwhile, documents obtained under freedom of information laws show the former NSW Coalition government was alerted in 2021 to the risk to the public from soil fill products made from construction and demolition waste. And: fresh from winning a clutch of medals for Australia at the Paris Olympics, track cyclist Matt Richardson is taking off the green and gold and will now race for Great Britain. |
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 | Full Story | | Wieambilla inquest: what motivated the Trains? A Queensland coroner is investigating the motivations of Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train, who killed constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow and a neighbour, Alan Dare, at their remote property in Wieambilla. So far, the testimonies have included a forensic psychiatrist and an extremism academic. Andrew Messenger speaks with Tamsin Rose about the recommendations that have been made by police and experts to prevent a repeat of this tragedy. | |
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| In-depth | | During the landmark Indigenous voice to parliament campaign, the AEC relied on multiple consultancy firms to survey Indigenous Australians about the referendum process.
Now, an employee for one of those subcontractors, McNair yellowSquares, says he was instructed to fabricate data on interviews he conducted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in inner-city Sydney to make it appear as though they were from regional areas and suburban Adelaide.
Indigenous leaders have expressed shock at the claims and say they illustrate the risks run by the government agencies when they fail to engage Indigenous communities directly.
McNair says it is taking the claims seriously and an investigation is ongoing. |
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| Not the news | | Emily is dying, so why is she selling off her remaining time to strangers? The 32-year-old Australian has terminal cancer but she is taking part in Time to Live, a daring, moving public art project at Sydney’s Carriageworks to raise money for research – and encourage us to consider how we live. Emily hopes that her remaining time will be seen as “not a clock running out, but a precious gift not to be wasted”. This message hits home, inevitably: are we making the most of it? |
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| Media roundup | Repeated exposure to blasts from their own weapons is putting Australian soldiers at risk of brain injuries and neurological conditions, reports ABC News. Cancer-linked PFAs – “forever chemicals” – have been detected across Sydney’s drinking water catchment area, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Fed-up nurses and midwives in Tasmania’s public health system are set to ramp up industrial action over “dangerous” conditions, reports the Mercury. |
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| What’s happening today | NT | The Northern Territory chief minister, Eva Lawler, and the opposition leader, Lia Finocchiaro, will face off on the Sky News NT Leaders’ Debate. | ABS | The latest innovation and characteristics in Australian business data is set to be released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. | NSW | A public hearing on the impact of the state regulatory framework for cannabis will be held in Goonellabah. |
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Start your delicious journey with a 14-day free trial. Feast is available now on both Android and iOS devices. | | |
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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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