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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Charlotte Graham-McLay

Morning Mail: Insurance premiums through the roof, compensation for murdered refugee, the Matildas’ mentality

Flooding in Lismore in March 2022. The northern rivers region of NSW is among the highest-risk areas where households with lower incomes are confronted with skyrocketing insurance premiums.
Flooding in Lismore in March 2022. The northern rivers region of NSW is among the highest-risk areas where households with lower incomes are confronted with skyrocketing insurance premiums. Photograph: Dan Peled/Getty Images

Good morning. A new report has found the biggest increase in two decades for home insurance premiums in high-risk parts of Australia, as global heating increases the frequency and cost of climate disasters. The Actuaries Institute’s research found median home insurance premiums rose by 28% in the year to March – with costs in high-risk and flood-prone areas shooting up by as much as 50%. There are concerns among peak bodies that some people may abandon insurance altogether.

Meanwhile, the Australian government settles with the family of refugee Reza Barati, the Hawaii fires death toll is still rising, and we look back at the Matildas’ thrilling victory and ahead to the England semi-final on Wednesday.

Australia

Reza Barati’s family has reached a settlement with the Australian government over his death on Manus Island in 2014.
Reza Barati’s family has reached a settlement with the Australian government over his death on Manus Island in 2014. Photograph: Dan Peled/EPA

World

Burnt-out car in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, on Saturday.
Burnt-out car in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, on Saturday. Photograph: Paula Ramon/AFP/Getty Images

Full Story

Death cap mushrooms. A beef wellington pie is believed to be the lunchtime dish that left three people dead and one fighting for his life from a suspected poisoning.
Death cap mushrooms. A beef wellington pie is believed to be the lunchtime dish that left three people dead and one fighting for his life from a suspected poisoning. Photograph: Frank Hecker/Alamy

The mushroom mystery that has left an Australian town reeling

Three people died and a man remains in hospital after attending a lunch in Leongatha, Victoria, more than two weeks ago, with police investigating mushrooms as the suspected cause of death. Jane Lee speaks to Guardian Australia science reporter Donna Lu about the case.

In-depth

‘The more I read into the science of psychological polarisation, the more often ideas of “neuropolitics” crop up,’ writes Tim Adams about the aftermath of Brexit.
‘The more I read into the science of psychological polarisation, the more often ideas of “neuropolitics” crop up,’ writes Tim Adams about the aftermath of Brexit. Illustration: Paul Reed/Observer Design

Though 2016’s Brexit vote had fundamental real-world consequences for Britain’s economy and politics, it is arguably best understood as a psychological moment rather a political one, Tim Adams writes. Seven years after the vote, Adams speaks to behavioural psychologists about why – if leaving the EU failed to deliver – Britain is still so divided over Brexit.

“Even raising the issue seems provocative,” says Nick Chater, a behavioural scientist. “We can’t talk about [Brexit] any more.”

Not the news

With a garage and storage (and sky-high rents for equivalent space), there’s ‘no real reason’ to leave the family house just yet, Ben says.
With a garage and storage (and sky-high rents for equivalent space), there’s ‘no real reason’ to leave the family house just yet, Ben says. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

Privacy, boundaries and falling into old habits – young Australians are increasingly staying at home longer and more often moving back with parents as adults. Guardian Australia explores what it’s like in the homes where the kids never left.

The world of sport

Lauren Hemp, Filippa Angeldal and Mackenzie Arnold.
Lauren Hemp, Filippa Angeldal and Mackenzie Arnold. Composite: Reuters, Getty

Media roundup

ABC radio host Virginia Trioli pays tribute to epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws, a regular and insightful media presence during the first couple of years of the pandemic. SBS tells the story of the Australian women educating Afghan girls in secret schools that defy the Taliban. And the Sydney Morning Herald says US ambassador Caroline Kennedy has flagged a possible Julian Assange plea deal.

What’s happening today

  • Coronial inquest | A coronial inquest begins into the death of a woman known for cultural reasons as Miss Yunupingu, who was stabbed by her partner in 2018.

  • Politics | The Australia Institute will host MP Bridget Archer in a conversation about integrity and accountability in politics.

  • Protest | Climate activist Emil Davey is due to appear in court over a Woodside protest.

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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.

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