Morning everyone. The importance of Facebook in political campaigning should come as no surprise as we build up to the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum. But our exclusive story this morning about the amount of money being spent by no-supporting Coalition politicians really rams home the point. It’s all change in Andrew Forrest’s mining empire as yet another executive quits and the man last seen trying to destroy the British economy comes in as an adviser. We’re also looking at why humans were lucky to survive a likely climate catastrophe 800,000 years ago, and in Paris it’s the end of the road for e-scooters.
Australia
Geelong debt | Geelong Football Club is seeking thousands of dollars in unpaid corporate membership fees from Recharge Industries, the company that pledged to resurrect the UK’s battery-making ambitions through the purchase of Britishvolt.
Exclusive | Coalition politicians who oppose the Indigenous voice to parliament are vastly outspending other parliamentarians on Facebook and, in some cases, using taxpayer-funded expenses to boost ads that personally target yes campaigners and raise doubt about the reliability of the voting process.
Metal guru | Kwasi Kwarteng, the British chancellor who crashed the pound before being booted from office, is due to start advising Fortescue Metals on its clean energy ambitions from October. It comes as Andrew Forrest’s mining group saw its chief financial officer, Christine Morris, become the latest to quit when her departure was announced last night, days after chief executive Fiona Hicks left.
‘Power mapping’ | The consultancy firm Accenture has admitted to maintaining hundreds of “power maps” that categorise federal officials based on influence, personality type and relationships with competitors.
World
‘Lucky to survive’ | Early humans came close to eradication in a severe evolutionary bottleneck between 800,000 and 900,000 years ago probably caused by an extreme climate event, according to scientists.
Sweden bombs | Bomb squad experts have been called in after Swedish cities were rocked by four explosions in an hour, police said, with the country struggling to rein in a rise of gang-related violence.
Trump plea | Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges that he conspired and engaged in racketeering activity to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. In Washington, a former Proud Boys organiser was sentenced to 17 years for his part in the January 6 attack.
Slavery sledge | A former UK Tory MP has threatened the University of Cambridge with legal action after a historian named her as a descendant of merchants who enslaved his ancestors.
‘Decluttering’ | Paris will become the first European capital to ban rented electric scooters on Friday, as the city hall vowed to “calm down” the streets.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: Is it too late for a respectful debate on the voice?
The stakes are high as Australia heads towards a referendum on the voice to parliament in October. Gabrielle Jackson talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and Indigenous affairs editor Lorena Allam on the moment that could define Australia’s national character.
In-depth
A series of attacks by dingoes on tourists in Queensland has highlighted the systematic baiting and hunting of the species throughout Australia. But scientists are demanding an end to baiting and point to new evidence that shows dingoes are a pure, native species and not hybrid wild dogs. “It’s just not acceptable for a native species to be … killed in the manner that we’re doing in national parks,” said one.
Not the news
When Alisha Aitken-Radburn quit her job as a Labor party staffer to take part in the reality TV show The Bachelor, she didn’t expect to be portrayed as the show’s “mean girl”, trolled on social media, and potentially looking at the end of her career in politics. Five years after her appearance, she has captured the bruising experience in a memoir, The Villain Edit, but insists she has no regrets.
The world of sport
US Open tennis | Rinky Hijikata looks forward to his first appearance in a third round at a grand slam against China’s Zhizen Zhang on Friday, local time, while Andy Murray has been defeated by Grigor Dimitrov. Follow the latest live here.
AFLW | Hopes are high that fresh faces and record trades could end the dominance of Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane as the competition enters its second year with 18 teams.
Football | The draw for the Champions League has produced a group of death for Newcastle United on their return after 20 years as they face PSG, Milan and Dortmund. Holders Man City face Leipzig, Young Boys and Red Star.
Media roundup
Walter Sofronoff has demanded the ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, retract suggestions he acted unethically over his report into the Bruce Lehrmann case, the Australian reports. The Victorian Liberal leader, John Pesutto, has lost a key ally in his fight to assert control after Matt Bach resigned from the shadow ministry last night, the Age says. The West Australian has an “exclusive” claiming that WA’s safety watchdog is investigating a party thrown by Andrew Forrest to celebrate 20 years of Fortescue Metals. The Cairns Post laments that although cancer deaths have reached a 25-year low in Queensland, FNQ still has a higher than average rate.
What’s happening today
Universities | There will be a public hearing in the higher education funding inquiry in Sydney.
Perth | The civil case involving Gina Rinehart and the family of her father’s former business partner resumes.
Queensland | The Birdsville races will help raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctors Service with more than $300,000 in prize money.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
