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.
Power costs double
Average wholesale energy prices in Victoria and South Australia have more than doubled since this time last year, as experts warn that blackouts and supply issues are likely to increase as state governments chase aggressive renewable energy targets. More than 2000 Victorian households remained without power yesterday after two days of heat triggered equipment failures and blackouts, opening up distributors to compensation claims. The mass outages affected more than 60,000 residents, some of whom were cut off for more than 28 hours.
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WAR cry
A radical Aboriginal group has doubled down on its calls to “abolish Australia” as one of its leaders came under further pressure for incendiary comments at an anti-Australia Day rally. Dtarneen Onus-Williams faced growing demands yesterday that she be dumped from the government-funded Koorie Youth Council for calling for Australia to be “burned to the ground” at the 60,000-strong “Invasion Day” march in Melbourne’s CBD last week. Victoria’s state opposition joined former premier Jeff Kennett and indigenous leader Warren Mundine in calling for Ms Onus-Williams to step down from the council.
“WAR will not rest until we burn this entire rotten settler colony called Australia, illegally and violently imposed on stolen Aboriginal land at the expense of the blood of countless thousands, to the f. king ground. F. k your flag, your anthem and your precious national day ... Abolish Australia, not just Australia Day.”
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Vegan Steakout
Customers at a steakhouse in the Melbourne CBD were disrupted on Saturday night as a group of animal rights activists stormed the restaurant. Thirty-five members of the Melbourne Cow Save Animal Liberation Army forced their way into the Rare Steakhouse at around 6.30pm, chanting slogans, standing around tables and holding signs up against windows in an attempt to “speak up for animals where their dead bodies were being consumed.”
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Deputy quits
FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, a frequent target of President Donald Trump’s criticism who led the bureau for months last year following the firing of James Comey, is leaving his position ahead of a previously planned retirement in the coming months, people familiar with the decision said Monday. McCabe had been widely expected to retire upon his eligibility date, but his departure from the FBI’s No. 2 slot is effective Monday, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal personnel move. McCabe alerted FBI staff of his decision Monday. He is expected to retire with his pension benefits.
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Up and Comyn
Matt Comyn only found out yesterday morning he was to be the new chief executive of the $140 billion Commonwealth Bank. Comyn, who was only 36 when he was handed responsibility in 2012 for CBA’s largest division, retail banking services (RBS), will become CEO in April aged 42 — two years younger than a youthful Ian Narev when he took over from predecessor Ralph Norris. Comyn is widely regarded as a talented executive.
“If you’re looking for shock and awe, you won’t find it with Matt. But he’s highly numerate, a solid performer and generally well-liked.”
CBA source
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New Day
Jason Day says he felt his world No 1 form returning during his drought-breaking US PGA Tour victory at Torrey Pines. The 30-year-old Australian finished off Sweden’s Alex Noren on the sixth play-off hole at the Farmers Insurance Open to claim his first win worldwide since the 2016 Players Championship. When darkness suspended the play-off on Sunday, officials scheduled the first Monday finish at the famed San Diego course since Tiger Woods triumphed in an 18-hole play-off at the 2008 US Open. Returning to the par-5 18th, Day hit a sublime wedge and tapped in for birdie to defeat world No.19 Noren, who went for the green in two but rinsed his second shot en route to a bogey.
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Clement’s view