Your afternoon Briefing: Labor stands by electric cars after news of high carbon cost

Mark Butler has declared the transition to electric cars “unstoppable” and a “revolution”, and ABC workers vote to reject a pay rise.

Mark Butler has declared the transition to electric cars “unstoppable” and a “revolution”, and ABC workers vote to reject a pay rise.

Shadow Minister For Climate Change and Energy Mark Butler speaks to the media in Sydney, Tuesday, August 6, 2019. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING

Labor stands by ‘unstoppable’ electric car push

Mark Butler has declared the transition to electric cars “unstoppable” and a “revolution”, as the Labor energy spokesman staunchly defended his controversial pre-election pledge to impose a 50 per cent target on the vehicles.

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ANU students have been studying nuking hurricanes.

Trump ‘raised nuking hurricanes’

Donald Trump has called it fake news but students at Australian National University have for years been asked to speculate what would happen if the US President ordered a nuclear strike in a bid to stop an approaching hurricane.

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ABC managing director David Anderson (left) speaks during a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) Freedom of the Press inquiry in Sydney, Tuesday, August, 13, 2019. The heads of Australia's major media organisations are appearing before a parliamentary inquiry into press freedom and national security in Sydney.(AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING

ABC workers reject pay rise offer

ABC staff have rejected a 1.7 per cent pay increase offer, as the public broadcaster weighs up the results, alongside its “financial challenges”.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a shot during her Women's Singles first round match against Serena Williams of the United States during day one of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 26, 2019 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Sorry Sharapova runs out of grunt

It’s all been going south since Maria Sharapova tested positive to banned substance meldonium in 2016. The player we’re seeing now is a faded impostor, writes Wally Mason.