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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tony Harper

Afternoon Update: Dezi Freeman abused dying constable; Nacc head Paul Brereton resigns; and a fierce beard contest

Victoria police Supt Craig Thornton (right) leaves the hearing into the death of Dezi Freeman at the coroner’s court in Melbourne
Victoria police Supt Craig Thornton (right) leaves the hearing into the death of Dezi Freeman at the coroner’s court in Melbourne. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP

Good afternoon.

Dezi Freeman yelled abuse at a dying constable during a shooting that killed two Victoria police officers investigating the alleged sexual assault of a child, a coroner’s court directions hearing was told.

Details surrounding the August deaths of Det Leading Sen Const Neal Thompson, 59, and Sen Const Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, were outlined in a hearing on Monday morning.

Freeman, also known as Desmond Filby, was shot dead by police seven months later, after being discovered at a makeshift campsite about 150km away.

Top news

In pictures

Now in its 10th year, the Ballarat Beard & Stache competition was started by Jake Warren and Brayden Dorney, who had a shared interest in facial hair and building a community that celebrates the differences that make people unique.

What they said …

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“Perhaps he might like to speak to the next leader of the Liberal party, who said this: ‘I feel the anger regularly from young Australians who feel locked out of the housing market … We’ve got to listen to what they say.’ Good advice from the member for Canning. You might like to watch him just behind you.” – Anthony Albanese

The prime minister issued a warning to Angus Taylor in question time, telling the opposition leader to watch his back against leadership rival Andrew Hastie.

Full Story

New Zealand grapples with how to protect its braided rivers

Braided rivers are a stunning and rare global phenomenon – but are now under threat as communities around them have sought to tame and control their flow, leaving Māori tribes to watch the ecological impact with horror.

Before bed read

Family estrangement is more common than people think, psychologists Gaynor Parkin and Dave Winsborough say in today’s modern mind column – but research shows the effects on wellbeing are mixed. Support plays an important role, whether or not people seek to reconcile.

Daily word game

Today’s starter word is: GIB. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.

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