The Loop: Concerns over Boeing's 737 MAX, bleak data on Australia's gender pay gap, and what the ATO is cracking down on at tax time

Hi there. It's Monday, June 27, and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news.

Let's start here: An ABC world exclusive on Boeing's troubled 737 MAX

An ABC investigation has found that Boeing's 737 MAX planes — which have twice crashed, killing 346 people — experienced at least six mid-air emergencies and dozens of groundings in the year after an extensive probe cleared them to fly.

Here are a few other things the investigation found:

• The US air safety investigator has confirmed it didn't investigate Boeing's alleged production problems after the 737 MAX's deadly crashes
• Former employees of both Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration characterised more recent incidents involving the planes as serious and with the potential to end in tragedy
• The US government will announce a new audit examining Boeing's production oversight of the planes

You can read more about the ABC investigation here.

Former Boeing employees have raised concerns about production issues at the Seattle factory where the 737 MAX is assembled. (Flickr: Paul Thompson, file photo)

Today we heard a lot about Australia's gender pay gap

Some bleak new data was released today, painting a "concerning picture" of the gender pay gap in Australia.

Here's a quick look at what the research from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency has found:

• Women earn consistently less than men in every age bracket
• The gender pay gap for women aged 45 to 65 is about $40,000 a year
• Women who win chief executive roles earn an average of $93,000 less than their male counterparts
• Across all generations, less than 50 per cent of women are working full time
• If the trends continue, millennial women will earn just 70 per cent of what males do by the time they turn 45

Here's a look at what the data shows about things shifting through the age groups:

Graphic mapping how much money women earn to men's $10 by different age groups. Source: WGEA data 2021

News you might have missed

• Police in New South Wales will use new anti-protest legislation to prosecute 10 people who were arrested during peak-hour climate-change protests in Sydney this morning. Blockade Australia protesters blocked lanes in the Harbour Tunnel, sparking major traffic jams, and also marched through Sydney's CBD where a car rammed into several people — although no-one appeared to be seriously injured

Car rams protesters to break through Sydney's traffic chaos.

• Hedley Thomas, the creator of the podcast The Teacher's Pet, has told a Sydney court he initially thought it was "likely" Chris Dawson murdered his wife Lynette — an allegation Mr Dawson denies. The defence claims the podcast has contaminated witnesses in the case

Hedley Thomas, who created the Teacher's Pet podcast, gave evidence in court on Monday. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

• The ABC has been told China has invited ministers from all 10 Pacific Island states it has diplomatic relations with to a virtual meeting on July 14. The timing is deeply contentious, however, because it's the same day Pacific leaders are due to hold their final retreat at the end of the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji

Here's what Australia has been searching for online

• Wimbledon. The most famous tennis tournament in the world begins tonight in London. There are nine Australians in this year's men's singles draw and six in the women's singles draw. For everything you need to know about the competition and how to watch it, head here

• Sydney Trains. Commuters across New South Wales are being warned to expect significant train delays this week due to industrial action from the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union over safety concerns. Peak-hour services will be reduced by 50 per cent on Tuesday and up to 75 per cent later in the week. Trains will also be slowing to a maximum speed of 60kph

One more thing: Here's what the ATO is cracking down on this year

With the financial year almost over, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has said it will be cracking down on people over-claiming work-related expenses to offset the rising cost of living.

Here are some of the things the ATO says it will be monitoring closely:

• Work-related expenses (It is expecting travel expenses to fall due to the pandemic)
• COVID-related expenses (Whether you meet the criteria for claiming the cost of rapid-antigen tests, for example)
• People claiming rental property deductions when they shouldn't be
• Cryptocurrency investments, and any failure to reveal or downplay them

Also, don't forget to pay the cat tax.

You're up to date!

We'll be back tomorrow with more.

ABC/wires