Good morning. Consultancy firm EY is being taken to task for a lack of disclosure, after not telling officials that it was conducting work for Santos before being paid to assist the New South Wales government’s “future of gas statement” that paved the way for the Narrabri gas development. EY denies any conflict of interest, but NSW’s minister for natural resources says there’s a need to overhaul the use of consultants in the public service.
Meanwhile, we now know who the Matildas will face in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday: France, who cruised past Morocco last night. Plus: aviation industry sources claim Qatar Airways has been “taking the piss” by flying empty or near-empty “ghost flights” in Australia to exploit a legal loophole. And it’s been confirmed that July was the world’s hottest month ever – by a big margin.
Australia
‘Further decline is likely’ | Sydney’s drinking water is unlikely to remain healthy unless the effects of the climate crisis are mitigated, according to a report handed to the NSW government.
Lack of disclosure | EY did not tell the NSW government it was conducting work for Santos before being awarded a contract to inform a policy statement that greenlit the gas giant’s Narrabri development.
‘Terrible outcome’ | ACT’s attorney general says he fears the unprecedented public scrutiny surrounding the Bruce Lehrmann case has had a “chilling effect” on other potential rape complainants.
‘Ghost flights’ | Qatar Airways has been flying empty or near-empty passenger jets every day between Melbourne and Adelaide to exploit a loophole allowing it to run extra flights to Australia.
Great Barrier Reef | Recovery of corals has stalled as reef experts say an El Niño climate pattern could take hold this summer, further raising the risk of another mass bleaching event.
World
Antarctica | There are fears over Antarctic sea ice levels as the hole in the ozone layer begins to form “very early” this year, prompting warnings that it may further warm the Southern Ocean. It comes as July was confirmed as the hottest month on record globally.
‘New Amazon dream’ | Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has vowed to haul the Amazon out of centuries of violence, economic “plundering” and environmental devastation.
‘I have been away for a long time’ | The estranged second son of Thailand’s king has returned for the first time in almost three decades, prompting questions about the succession plan.
‘Just absurd’ | Florida teachers are preparing to use only excerpts from Shakespeare to avoid “raunchiness”, as part of an attempt to conform to rightwing legislation on teaching about sex.
Russia-Ukraine war | Russian “double tap” missile strike in the city of Pokrovsk kills seven near a hotel used by journalists; workers at UK munitions plant that supplies Ukraine to strike over pay.
Full Story
Leaks and a ‘lapse of judgment’ in the Sofronoff scandal
Last year, the then ACT director of public prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, called for an inquiry into Bruce Lehrmann’s criminal trial, which was abandoned due to juror misconduct. Now Drumgold has resigned amid allegations of his own serious misconduct, and the head of the inquiry, Walter Sofronoff, is facing possible legal action over his early release of the findings. Christopher Knaus speaks to Jane Lee about the controversy surrounding the Sofronoff report and its findings.
In-depth
Miscarriage is the most common pregnancy complication, yet there is a lack of healthcare or social support for Australian women going through an early pregnancy loss. Doctors, midwives, researchers and support organisations have teamed up as part of a new collaboration, called the Early Pregnancy Loss Coalition, in their fight to get Australian women proper care after miscarriages and to change the paradigm on the “stigma” around it.
Not the news
Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer may have set off some existential crises and Wikipedia binges, but before that there was Manhattan. When the show launched in 2014, Mad Men was ending and television networks were looking for other historical dramas that would capture that same audience: those with a predilection for character-driven stories with a cerebral bent, an emotional anchor and stylish production. But despite a starry cast and strong writing, this series about the scientists living and working in Los Alamos was criminally underwatched.
The world of sport
Rugby union | The Wallabies are 0-4 this year and alarm bells are ringing. His side’s defeats hurt but Eddie Jones is gambling on a long game.
Women’s World Cup | France storm past Morocco with 4-0 win to set up quarter-final with Australia; Colombia through after 1-0 victory over Jamaica; England’s Lauren James issues red-card apology.
Football | Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku out for “an extended period” with knee injury; Tottenham sign Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg; 10 young players to watch this Premier League season.
Media roundup
The NSW government is considering a shake-up of state-owned corporation Landcom to focus on building homes instead of selling off land to developers, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. In the Australian, voice co-architect Tom Calma says a national Aboriginal advisory body would not fill the heritage law void and lobby states to give sacred sites stronger protections.
What’s happening today
New South Wales | Public hearing scheduled into the government’s use and management of consulting services.
Victoria | The Australian Transport Safety Bureau set to release report on 2020 XPT derailment at Wallan.
ACT | Professor David Lloyd, chair of Universities Australia, scheduled to give address to the National Press Clubb.
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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.
