What we learned today, Friday 23 August
This is where we’ll wrap up the blog for today – but first, a quick recap:
In a win for transgender rights, federal court justice Robert Bromwhich found that Roxanne Tickle had been discriminated against when she was barred from using the “women-only” social media app Giggle for Girls.
The peak bodies for doctors and lawyers say they are concerned about the increasing politicisation of youth justice reform, including steps to walk back existing commitments to raise the age of criminal responsibility in some jurisdictions.
The Albanese government has placed the construction and general division of the CFMEU and all of its branches – including the Western Australian and ACT branches – into administration.
South Australia has notched up its hottest winter day on record, with Oodnadatta in the state’s north hitting 37.7C at 2pm ACST.
The outlook for the Great Barrier Reef remains one of “future deterioration” largely due to climate change, despite coral reef habitats improving in some areas.
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake hit New South Wales, causing windows to smash and a chimney to fall over.
Australia will take charge of an international mission to protect shipping routes in the Red Sea for the first time.
Biosecurity New Zealand has temporarily suspended all Australian tomato imports after the detection of the tomato brown rugose fruit virus at two South Australian growing properties earlier this week.
Tabcorp has been fined $4.6m for allegedly breaching its regulatory obligations on several occasions.
Updated
Great Barrier Reef faces climate-fueled ‘deterioration’ – report
The outlook for the Great Barrier Reef remains one of “future deterioration” largely due to climate change, despite coral reef habitats improving in some areas.
The 2024 Great Barrier Reef Outlook report, released today and the fourth in a series of five-yearly reports on the reef’s health, found warming oceans and severe tropical cyclones are compounding other threats such as crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, poor water quality and some fishing practices.
While coral habitats and seagrass meadows have improved, the reef’s capacity to regenerate will be compromised by climate-driven threats. It said management initiatives, such as controlling the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, had helped protect the reef’s biodiversity.
The report also found humpback whale populations had continued to recover, but turtles, seabirds, sharks, rays and sea snakes remained in “poor condition”.
The Reef Authority’s chief executive, Josh Thomas, said:
Ecosystems across the world are facing urgent and present threats from a warming climate. Global, national and local action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is vital.
We will continue to work with traditional owners, partners and communities to build ecosystem resilience to support the reef’s future.
Updated
