Morning everyone. The controversy over the census questions continues today as several major health institutes call for a rethink because the excluded data is “critical” for identifying health needs. A new report shows Australians are losing an average of $1,600 a year on gambling, a lesbian group is trying to discriminate against transgender women, Alex de Minaur falls short of a semi-final spot in New York, and Ridley Scott’s spat with Russell Crowe revealed.
Australia
Eureka moment | A team of researchers at the University of Sydney’s have been awarded this year’s Eureka prize for environmental research for their work on how to protect crops and endangered species by using odours to confuse predators.
‘Information gaps’ | Some of Australia’s major health institutes have called for the government to reverse its position on questions relating to transgender and gender diverse people in the next census, saying the decision could lead to “information gaps” that affect the ability to address the health needs of these populations.
Gambling losses | Australians lose almost twice as much from gambling as people in the US, and poker machines – the biggest single source of losses – are more common in the nation’s suburbs than public toilets, ATMs and post boxes, a report has found.
Exclusive | The Australian government is seeking to create some distance from its new special envoys on antisemitism and Islamophobia, suggesting they do not characterise their comments as official government policy.
No ‘hierarchy’ | A lawyer for a Victorian lesbian group that wants to exclude transgender and bisexual women from its public events has compared its request to a Melbourne gay bar that was granted the right to refuse heterosexual people.
World
Grenfell ‘failure’ | The Grenfell Tower disaster was the result of “decades of failure” by the British government to stop the spread of combustible cladding combined with the “systematic dishonesty” of companies whose products spread the fire that killed 72 people, a seven-year public inquiry has found.
Georgia shooting | At least four people have been killed and nine people injured after a mass shooting incident at a high school north of Atlanta, Georgia.
Russian ‘interference’ | The Biden administration has accused Russia of carrying out a disinformation campaign targeted at American voters and meant to influence the outcome of November’s presidential elections. The latest polling shows Kamala Harris ahead in the national polls but state-level data has the race on a knife-edge.
Kyiv shuffle | Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has resigned as part of a wide-ranging government reshuffle designed to give what Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called “new strength” to the embattled country.
Amazon clash | At least two loggers have been shot dead with arrows, one has been injured and two more are missing after a confrontation with the “uncontacted” Mashco Piro people in the Peruvian Amazon.
Full Story
Australia’s weather mood swings and the climate crisis
After Australia’s hottest August on record, climate and environment reporter Graham Readfearn tells Reged Ahmad about the forces behind the unseasonable weather and the outlook for bushfires.
In-depth
Yesterday’s GDP figures were among the worst for years with only population growth and government spending keeping the economy afloat. Greg Jericho identifies one of the key problems: in the March 2022 quarter, Australians were paying $479 a quarter per person in interest repayments compared with $1,112 now. He argues the Reserve Bank must realise its mistake in hiking rates and start to cut them before the situation gets worse, while Luca Ittimani speaks to the owner of a once-bustling Sydney cafe who has seen his trade fall off a cliff.
Not the news
You’ve got to love a good celebrity spat and Ridley Scott has provided a juicy one by reopening his public disagreement with Russell Crowe about the making of Gladiator II. Speaking to Empire, Scott says: “I think we have a good relationship. I hope we do. As long as he doesn’t start bitching about how he wasn’t consulted. Why would I? He’s dead!” Stuart Heritage unpicks the details with some considerable relish.
The world of sport
Tennis | Alex de Minaur fell in straight sets to Britain’s Jack Draper in the quarter-finals of the US Open in New York. You can see how the action unfolded here.
Cycling | Australian Kaden Groves won the latest stage of the Vuelta and helped his compatriot Ben O’Connor to hold on to the overall lead by five seconds from Primož Roglič.
T20 cricket | Travis Head and Mitch Marsh smashed a world record 113 off the six powerplay overs as Australia launched their white-ball UK tour by thrashing Scotland by seven wickets.
Media roundup
There’s doom and gloom about the economy in many papers. The Sydney Morning Herald has five charts to show how much trouble the economy is in, while the Telegraph reckons the “worst GDP figures since the 1990s” put future prosperity in doubt. The Herald Sun says Victoria police are preparing to “go to war” with the Allan government over pay. The former Northern Territory chief minister Natasha Fyles appears on course to lose her Nightcliff seat to the Greens by 42 votes after a recount in the once rock solid Labor stronghold, NT News reports.
What’s happening today
Economy | RBA governor Michele Bullock speaks at the Anika Foundation in Sydney.
Aged care | Federal minister Anika Wells will make a speech updating the government’s policies at the International Dementia Conference.
Queensland | Parliamentary inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
