Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.
In what has been called the “first nationally representative data of their kind in Australia”, the ABS has revealed that an estimated 4.5% of the Australians aged 16 years and over are lesbian, gay, bi, trans or gender diverse, or intersex (LGBTI+).
Young Australians were more likely to be LGBTI+, with 9.5% of people aged 16 to 24, and 7.5% aged 25 to 34 identifying as LGBTI+.
The jurisdictions with the most LGBTI+ people were the ACT (5.9%) and Victoria (5.3%).
Top news
Sydney commuters face train delays due to ‘immediate’ industrial action across rail network
Heavy rain prompts evacuation alerts in Queensland as fires rage in Victoria
Australian government moves to slow foreign student visas after failure of cap plan
Two-inch long ‘murder hornets’ eradicated from US, agriculture department says
Raygun musical creator announces ‘completely legal’ new show after legal threat from breaker
Melbourne man jailed for murdering wife with axe in front of their children
In pictures
When budgetary issues hit close to home
It’s not looking good, reckons Guardian cartoonist Fiona Katauskas.
What they said …
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“The government has made a decision to live with a contradiction rather than risk someone dying as a result of not having it in place.”
Speaking to press about the introduction of pill testing trials at music festivals, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, acknowledged there was a contradiction in the policy, given drugs are illegal in the state.
In numbers
Australia has offered more aid and revealed an embassy will reopen in the war-torn country for the first time since 2022. The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong said what happens to Ukraine matters to Australia, adding: “Today and every day, Australia stands with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression.”
Before bed read
The hilarious eight: when Australian politicians’ live interviews went spectacularly wrong
Most politicians are accustomed to copping a spray every now and then, but the deputy Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, was still caught by surprise when the sprinklers went off during a live TV cross on Wednesday.
The member for Farrer said she’d been left “soaked” after the irrigation system unexpectedly clicked on during a Sky News spot. But she’s far from the first politician to be the victim of poor advancing work from staffers, or just sheer bad luck, leading to a less-than-ideal public appearance.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: SATE. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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