Good morning. The fallout over Fatima Payman’s resignation from the Labor party continues amid upheaval in its multicultural branch in Western Australia, where the treasurer and vice-president have quit over the way the senator has been treated.
From Queensland, Guardian Australia and SBS The Feed have seen videos that show children screaming, freezing and gasping for air, saying they “can’t breathe”. The footage – from inside the Cairns police watch house – exposes the anguish of children sometimes being kept for weeks in conditions that relatives liken to “torture” and a child psychologist has called “abuse”.
In America, Joe Biden says he’d consider withdrawing from the US election race if a “medical condition” emerges, as a poll suggests that nearly two-thirds of Democrats want him to bow out. And closer to home, NSW have won the State of Origin series in a thriller at Suncorp Stadium.
Australia
‘In the box’ | Video footage obtained by Guardian Australia and SBS The Feed exposes the anguish of children locked in adult watch houses in conditions a psychologist has labelled “abuse”.
‘Spineless’ | Labor’s multicultural branch in WA is in turmoil, with two officeholders quitting the party in protest over its treatment of Senator Fatima Payman, who resigned from Labor two weeks ago.
Centrepay | Advocacy groups claim the debit system has been abused by “unscrupulous” businesses to take welfare money from dead Australians and Indigenous women fleeing domestic violence.
Politics | Anthony Albanese is tightening the purse strings for his ministers as Labor turns its focus to reelection – with election promises the sole priority for any new funding in the budget update.
Let there be night | Large digital billboards could be turned off late at night under a proposal by Melbourne city council to crack down on light pollution.
World
US politics | The Democratic rift over Joe Biden’s candidacy deepens as a poll shows nearly two-thirds of Democrats want him to withdraw. An influential Democrat says Biden should “pass the torch”. Meanwhile, Donald Trump wants to project a unity message after the attempt on his life – but how long will it last?
Benjamin Netanyahu | Israel’s prime minister has rejected calls for an immediate independent inquiry into the security failures around the October 7 attack.
Snakebites | A study involving Australian researchers has found that a widely used blood thinner could be an antidote for cobra venom.
Vote concerns | There are fears Venezuela’s upcoming presidential election will not be fair, after the head of security for opposition figure María Corina Machado was arrested and detained.
Emmys 2024 | Historical drama Shōgun and restaurant comedy The Bear are leading the nominations for this year’s Emmys, with Netflix breakout Baby Reindeer also making a strong impression.
Full Story
Screaming and freezing: the kids put in Queensland isolation cells
The Queensland state government has been proudly promoting what it says is the success of its tough approach to youth crime. But as the number of arrests rise, there are concerns for the welfare of some of the state’s most vulnerable children. Ben Smee discusses his exclusive investigation that reveals how teenagers born with severe intellectual disabilities are being locked up in adult watch houses.
In-depth
Sam* is a 14-year-old First Nations girl from Cairns. She has foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and has been assessed as having the mental capacity of a kindergarten child. At 14, she has been locked up inside adult police watch houses at least 10 times, mostly for petty offending – at first stealing from shops – and sometimes for acting violently. Her grandmother Alice* says: “When she gets arrested and ends up in the watch house she doesn’t fully understand why she is there. And if I go to visit her, she will say, can you take me home?”
*Names have been changed to protect identities.
Not the news
With an exhibition on at the Substation in Victoria and a series of live performances across Australia in the next few weeks, legendary indie rock musician and artist Kim Gordon shares the best advice her mother gave her, the words she hates the most, who she’d like to play chess with – and how, when it comes to pop icons, she would choose Billie Eilish over Taylor Swift.
The world of sport
Rugby league | NSW kept Queensland try-less in a Game 3 classic at Suncorp Stadium to win the State of Origin series. Here’s how the Blues won this battle for the ages.
Cycling | Classy Richard Carapaz has claimed the Tour de France stage 17 win after a fiery return to the Alps.
Olympics | Paris’ mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has swum in the Seine as the river is cleaned up – just in time – for the Olympics.
Media roundup
AustralianSuper, the country’s largest super fund, has been accused of greenwashing after using funds from its “Socially Aware” option to invest in the coal, oil and gas industries, reports ABC News. Three of Australia’s largest mental health organisations are pushing back against bipartisan support for an outright ban on social media for people under 16, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Tasmanian authorities have seized thousands of bird eggs alleged to have been illegally harvested – including some thought to be from threatened species, reports the Mercury.
What’s happening today
Queensland | The trial continues for those accused of the murder and manslaughter of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs.
ABS | The latest labour force data is set to be released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
NSW | The trial of Robert and Anne Geeves, accused of the murder of Amber Haigh, continues at the supreme court.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
