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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Martin Farrer

Morning Mail: Body image activist Taryn Brumfitt honoured, Albanese fights for voice

2023 Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt with her award.
The 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt, with her award. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Morning everyone. The current news agenda certainly reflects Australia’s struggles with its past. As the Australian of the Year awards kicked off the pageantry, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was battling to shore up the voice to parliament, Indigenous leaders were bemoaning the plight of communities in Alice Springs, and people have begun marking Invasion Day. All that, plus pro-Russian protests at the tennis.

Australia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to media during a press conference in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Tuesday, January 24, 2023. (AAP Image/Pin Rada) NO ARCHIVING
Anthony Albanese in Alice Springs. Photograph: Pin Rada/AAP
  • ‘Door always open’ | Anthony Albanese has told critics of the voice to parliament campaign that his “door is always open” as he attempts to build support for a referendum win. It comes as Indigenous leaders said his suggestion of a total alcohol ban for Alice Springs would not fix the town’s social problems and that more fundamental problems such as the legacy of colonisation needed to addressed.

  • AOTY winner | Taryn Brumfitt, a body image activist who directed a documentary about women’s body loathing and her path to accepting her own skin, has been named the 2023 Australian of the Year. “It is not our life’s purpose to be at war with our body,” she said.

  • Tennis tension | Multiple spectators at the Australian Open are being questioned by Victoria police after they unveiled flags in support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and then threatened security guards following the quarter-final match between Russia’s Andrey Rublev and Novak Djokovic.

  • Health hazard | GPs are concerned serious conditions such as cancer could be missed if general practice is deprioritised under planned changes to Medicare funding.

World

tank
Germany and the US have pledged to send tanks to support the Ukraine war effort.
Photograph: Christof Stache/AFP/Getty Images

Full Story

People participate in an ‘Invasion Day’ rally in Sydney last year.
An Invasion Day rally Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Wesley Enoch on the Day of Mourning

Playwright and Quandamooka man Wesley Enoch on the Day of Mourning that’s as old as Australia Day itself, and why we need to move beyond celebrating the “British colonial project”.

In-depth

Paul Auchettl was among 15 Ballarat clergy sexual abuse survivors who travelled to Rome to confront George Pell during the royal commission inquiry. Years later he says there’s still not enough support for victims in the town
Paul Auchettl, Ballarat clergy sexual abuse survivor. Photograph: Lisa Martin

When Ballarat abuse survivor, Paul Auchettl, flies to Sydney to tie ribbons to the fence outside St Mary’s Cathedral ahead of George Pell’s funeral, he will see it as “unfinished business”. He tells Christopher Knaus that the cardinal did not fulfill a promise to do more for victims and that they are still waiting for help.

Not the news

Harry Shum Jr and Michelle Yeoh in a scene from Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Harry Shum Jr and Michelle Yeoh in a scene from Everything Everywhere All At Once. Photograph: Allyson Riggs/AP

From the blockbusters to the tiny indies to the short documentaries – this is how you can catch up with every Oscar-nominated release before the big day on 13 March. So whether it’s the much-fancied Everything Everywhere All at Once or Brendan Fraser’s controversial comeback as a morbidly obese English teacher in The Whale (due out a week today), we’ve got you covered.

The world of sport

TENNIS-AUS-OPENSerbia’s Novak Djokovic hits a return against Russia’s Andrey Rublev during their men’s singles quarter-final match on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2023.
Novak Djokovic hits a return against Russia’s Andrey Rublev last night. Photograph: Martin Keep/AFP/Getty Images

Media roundup

The Australian says the nation faces a “triple rate rise threat” after yesterday’s jump in inflation, while the Australian Financial Review sees the rate rises behind a big drop in sales of new homes. The NT News says the hospitality industry thinks longer-term solutions are needed to fix the problems in Alice Springs – not just an alcohol ban – and an Age reporter goes on a night-time security patrol in the town.

What’s happening today

  • Invasion Day | Events protesting about the national day are taking place all over the country and we’ll be following them.

  • Sailing | The Festival of Sails Passage race takes place between Melbourne and Geelong.

  • Sport | Multiple top level sporting events take place including Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC in the A-league, and Australia v Pakistan in women’s T20.

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Brain teaser

And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords and free Wordiply game to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.

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