Your morning Briefing
Welcome to your morning roundup of what’s making news and the must-reads for today.
Hello readers. Here is your two-minute digest of what’s making news today.
Heat is on
As temperatures soar this weekend, more than a dozen large-scale energy users may be told to power down or off to avoid blackouts. Temperatures are predicted to soar above 40C in Victoria and parts of South Australia tomorrow in a hot spell spreading to NSW on Sunday. The Victorian Country Fire Authority has issued a total fire ban for the state and is operating more patrols, while other services including the Australian Energy Market Operator are taking precautions to avoid blackouts as the temperature soars and airconditioners are turned on.
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Alleged cop-kicker nabbed again
A teenager who allegedly battered a police officer but was controversially granted bail by a magistrate is back in custody after breaching the conditions of his release just two days ago. The youth, 17, was allegedly caught with a mobile phone, against the magistrate’s orders, less than 48 hours after being freed. The Children’s Court magistrate sparked a political furore after granting bail to the teenager despite conceding police had a “justifiable fear’’ of the youth’s conduct towards them. The magistrate said the youth, who allegedly kicked the officer in the head at a Melbourne shopping centre, had good prospects despite his history of posting anti-police statements on Facebook.
“You’ve got your education and you’ve got the support of your school and your family and that puts you so far ahead of so many people I see.”
Children’s Court magistrate
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Living standards slump
Australians have endured their longest period of falling living standards in more than a quarter of a century as growth in costs outstripped earnings for the fifth consecutive quarter, leaving households worse off than they were six years ago. After allowing for inflation, taxes and interest costs, average household incomes dropped 1.6 per cent in the year to September, capping a sustained fall in living standards that has not been seen since the 1990-91 recession. Economists say more than half the cost increases for households are being driven by electricity, rent, health, new housing and tobacco, while modest wage rises are being partially absorbed by workers being pushed into higher tax brackets.
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Nick Philippoussis catatonic after stroke
Australian tennis coach Nick Philippoussis has suffered a massive stroke in a US jail and will likely never face trial for charges he sexual assaulted two young girls he trained in California. A San Diego judge was told on Thursday 68-year-old Philippoussis, the father of former world top 10 Australian player Mark Philippoussis, is catatonic after the stroke and has been held under guard and handcuffed to a bed in a public hospital. Philippoussis Sr faced a maximum life in prison sentence if convicted of 14 charges relating to sexual assault of children under 10-years-old and lewd acts upon a child.
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Poms under the pump
In the space of seven balls, England lost their captain, their wicketkeeper and an opening-day advantage. Keep up with all the action as it happens at the SCG in our live blog as day two in the fifth and final Test of the Ashes gets underway.
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The long read (Best of 2017): ‘Read this if we’re found dead’
The secret behind Australia’s greatest composer was a violent bedroom habit he feared would one day kill him — and his wife, writes Trent Dalton.
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Comment of the day
“This offender has no possible excuse for his offences, yet the magistrate regards his advantages as a defence! This is just perverse.”
John, in response to ‘Youth who allegedly assaulted police officer arrested again’.
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Clement’s view
China’s great wall of silence
China deliberately concealed information about the coronavirus, and now it is fighting an inquiry. So what is Beijing hiding?
Your noon Briefing
Your 2-minute digest of the day’s top stories.