Morning everyone. It’s nice sometimes to lead with what appears to be unequivocally good news, so here goes: Australian patients are expected to save millions of dollars by being allowed to buy two months’ worth of medicine with a single prescription. The change will be in the budget, which, as we also report today, will allocate billions of dollars for improved missile defence.
Plus, new bombshell legal documents filed in Prince Harry’s action against Murdoch’s British newspapers allege they paid a “huge” legal settlement to Prince William. And we look back at the life of Harry Belafonte.
Australia
‘Time truth is told’ | A heritage architect has alleged the former New South Wales government buried his report recommending Sydney’s Powerhouse museum site should be heritage listed. He alleges it was buried because it would have scuppered plans for a commercial redevelopment.
‘Huge boon’ | The health minister, Mark Butler, will today outline budget measures that will allow patients to buy two months’ worth of medicine on a single prescription. Patients can expect savings of up to $180 a year for each medicine.
Rent assistance | The Albanese government should pay the states $16bn more for affordable housing in return for a promise to freeze all residential rents for two years, Greens leader Adam Bandt will tell the National Press Club today.
Pokies pain | NSW residents lost $4.3bn to poker machines in six months last year – $820m more than the total losses recorded in a similar period before the pandemic.
Exclusive | The Queensland energy baron Trevor St Baker has invoked his right against self-incrimination in a court case brought by a former executive at ERM Power, who alleges he uncovered “sham transactions” and insider trading.
World
Royal rumpus | King Charles intervened to prevent the late queen from suing Rupert Murdoch’s media empire so that he could count on the support from the mogul’s newspapers for his ascension to the throne and Camilla’s role as queen consort, Prince Harry has claimed in court documents. The same filings also say that Murdoch’s business secretly paid Prince William a “very large sum of money” to quietly settle a phone-hacking claim.
‘The brightest star’ | Harry Belafonte, the singer, actor and rights activist, has died aged 96. His hits included Day-O (The Banana Boat Song), and he also won a Tony award for acting and appeared in numerous films.
Sudan truce risk | Airstrikes and reports of renewed fighting have threatened a delicate three-day truce in Sudan, as the UK began evacuating its citizens from the war-torn nation.
‘Soul of America’ | US president Joe Biden has formally launched his re-election campaign, asking Americans to give him another four years to finish what he started and to fight again for “the soul of America”.
Waters win | Roger Waters, the former Pink Floyd frontman, has won his legal battle to perform a concert in Frankfurt after attempts to ban the event amid accusations of antisemitism.
Full Story
Australia’s plan to confront the changing face of warfare
The defence strategic review found that the Australian defence force is “not fully fit for purpose” and recommended projecting power further from its shores. Our defence expert Daniel Hurst explains where that leaves the country’s military.
In-depth
The new yearly rate of indexation of Hecs payments is expected to be announced today at about 7%, up from 3.9% last year and 0.6% in 2020. The rise spells trouble for many former students struggling to make any dent in their repayments. Zoe, an arts law graduate who now earns $100,000, explains how it is almost impossible for her to see light at the end of the debt tunnel. “There doesn’t seem to be an end. Wages don’t keep up with indexation, why do our debts?” she says.
Not the news
For many states this week and last, it’s back to school. And for parents and caregivers, the daily question is how to keep up in the lunchbox Olympics. To help out, we’ve asked Yvonne C Lam to suggest some “little lunch” recipes to soften the back-to-school blues, from Anzac biscuits to savoury muffins.
The world of sport
AFL | In front of a huge crowd of 95,179 at the MCG, Collingwood again showed their killer instinct to come from 28 points behind to beat Essendon in the final quarter.
Concussion | Wearing a helmet or soft headgear does not protect against sport concussions, according to experts who are calling for more public awareness ahead of a public hearing of a Senate inquiry in Melbourne today.
Rugby union | La Rochelle’s second-row Will Skelton believes Eddie Jones has “brought some life back” to Australian rugby since rejoining the Wallabies in January as head coach.
Media roundup
Organisers of the Melbourne comedy festival have been described as “gutless cowards” after they backflipped on a tepid acknowledgment of Barry Humphries, the Australian reports. Researchers into long Covid say they no longer view the condition as mysterious, undiagnosable and untreatable, claims the Sydney Morning Herald. The Queensland youth justice system is “setting up children to fail”, according to a new report cited by the Courier Mail. A standalone AFL team for Tasmania is a step closer with federal funding for a stadium expected to be unveiled soon, the Age says.
What’s happening today
Economy | The ABS releases the inflation figures for March at 11.30am.
Sydney | Defamation trial over the ownership of Insta-famous cavoodle resumes.
Arts | The winners of the Stella prize for women’s literature are announced.
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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.
