DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS

According to the ABC, the Morrison government will extend Medicare-subsidised telehealth sessions for an extra six months, as part of a $2 billion top up to the scheme originally set to wrap up by the end of September.

As The Sydney Morning Herald reports, the government has also modelled the impacts of bringing forward $158 billion worth of tax cuts — 79%-91% of which The Australia Institute this month found would benefit the richest 20% of Australians — even as it prepares to slash JobSeeker back below poverty rates.

Additionally, The Australian ($) reports that Morrison will restrict JobSeeker eligibility, restart work-for-the-dole programs and reintroduce mutual obligations from September 28.

PS: In another good demonstration of priorities, the ABC notes that the Queensland government will end the eviction moratorium for residential tenants at the end of the month, but extend the measure for commercial leaseholders until December.

CAN WE GET SOME ROOM SERVICE?

The Morrison government will today ask national cabinet members to expand their hotel quarantine capacities to help lift the number of stranded Australians allowed home each week from 4000 to nearly 6000, while The Sydney Morning Herald reports that former health and finance department boss Jane Halton will present a verbal briefing over her review into the state and territory systems.

Dan Andrews is also facing continued pressure at the hotel quarantine inquiry, where The Guardian reports former police commissioner Graham Ashton denied pushing for private security.

PS: Despite Victoria Police already having their pandemic-powers beefed up to cartoonish levels, The Age reports that legislation introduced by the Andrews government earlier this week would allow protective service officers to patrol shopping centres, sporting events and other public gathering with guns after just 12 weeks of training.

UNI JOBS TURMOIL

The AFR ($) reports that it has been another horrific week for the university sector, which, excluded from JobKeeper, has seen RMIT and ANU increase redundancy targets by more that 50%, while others including the University of NSW announced they would have to move to compulsory redundancies after voluntary programs failed to deliver enough savings.

According to The Age, hundreds of the University of Melbourne’s most senior academics have called on the university to pull back its redundancy plans amidst fears of long-term damage; for one sad, new example, Monash University yesterday announced plans to close its Centre for Theatre and Performance.

PS: Strangely, Australia’s official unemployment rate technically fell last month from 7.5% to 6.8%, a shift the ABC explains is down to an increase in “non-employees” i.e. the gig economy.

TRUMP ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

Finally, The Guardian reports that former model Amy Dorris has alleged Donald Trump forced his tongue down her throat and groped her at the 1997 US Open.

Dorris joins a list of over 20 women to have accused the president of sexual assault, according to The Scotsman’s updated list.