Morning everyone. Our exclusive top story reveals how Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce claimed expenses to attend fundraising and donor events on board a luxury cruise ship, hosted by the mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.
With a noisy backlash under way against Labor’s tax changes, we follow the money to see who is behind the campaign against the reforms.
Plus: Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his troops to seize “70% of the Gaza Strip”, world No 1 Jannik Sinner is out of the French Open, and we have another episode of the award-winning Full Story podcast.
Australia
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Rugby league | New South Wales have secured the first whitewash in Women’s State of Origin since the series shifted to three matches in 2024, after grinding out a 12-4 victory over Queensland in game three.
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Exclusive | Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce billed taxpayers more than $3,000 to attend fundraising and donor events on board the luxury cruise ship The World, hosted by the mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.
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Taxing question | Ninety per cent of young Australians will be better off under the Albanese government’s tax proposals, the Treasury claims, as Labor moves to pass its changes into law.
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Ban’s ‘lessons’ | The UK’s online safety minister says he has spent a week in Australia learning the “practical lessons” of the country’s under-16s social media ban amid concern that many teenagers are bypassing the law.
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Abbott switch | Tony Abbott will step down from his role advising the rightwing advocacy group Advance as the conservative prepares for his high-profile role as the Liberal party’s new federal president.
World
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Israel order | Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has given orders to the Israeli army to seize control of 70% of the Gaza Strip in a move that threatens to torpedo an already fragile ceasefire and create catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the already devastated territory. Follow updates live.
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Price pressure | Donald Trump has circulated a draft peace agreement for the war with Iran among allies including Israel as both sides try to prevent fresh breaches of the ceasefire escalating out of control and scuppering any deal. New figures overnight showed another rise in US inflation in April, putting more pressure on the president.
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China concern | EU commissioners will meet later today for talks aimed at imposing new restrictions on imports from China amid growing concern that Beijing is fuelling conditions for US-style rust belt towns in Europe.
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Starmer salvo | Keir Starmer has dismissed Tony Blair’s argument that his government is on the wrong track by saying he is implementing the policies needed for today, not the very different situation faced by the former prime minister in 1997.
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Dressing down | The American pop star Olivia Rodrigo has responded to controversy over a recent babydoll dress she wore while performing on stage in Spain, saying it showed “how we normalise pedophilia in our culture”.
Full Story
Newsroom Edition: Why a ‘teal party’ could backfire
Jo Tovey speaks to Mike Ticher and Dan Jervis-Bardy about the week in politics and if a potential “teal party” would be good news for One Nation.
In-depth
Who are the people campaigning and lobbying against Labor’s capital gains tax reforms? From mortgage brokers to financiers, and from one former Labor adviser to the usual super-rich suspects, Luca Ittimani reports.
Not the news
It had never occurred to me that you could make furniture using discarded eggshells and a Nutribullet. But that is just what Joanne Odisho, a Melbourne designer, has done, winning her the coveted Australian Furniture Design award for her Mod-u lamps.
Sport
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Tennis | World No 1 Jannik Sinner, who was targeting a maiden French Open title and career grand slam in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz, blamed illness and fatigue as he suffered a shock 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 second-round defeat to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo. Serena Williams is considering a return to the elite level on the grass courts of Queen’s Club in London in 10 days’ time.
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Football | Despite a lack of game time due to an Achilles rupture, defender Harry Souttar was one of the first players to join the Socceroos camp in Florida and Tony Popovic expects him to make a big impact at the World Cup.
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Cycling | Paul Magnier of Soudal Quick-Step completed a hat-trick of victories in this Giro d’Italia by winning a bunch sprint on stage 18 in Pieve di Soligo.
Media roundup
The Australian claims that the energy minister, Chris Bowen, “quietly” diverted funds to keep the home battery scheme afloat. Pauline Hanson has blocked Coalition defectors from joining One Nation, the Sydney Morning Herald claims – except for one. The soaring cost of the swimming pool for the Brisbane Olympics has forced engineers back to the drawing board, according to the Courier Mail.
What’s happening today
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Defence | Australia’s biggest war games exercise takes place in Townsville with forces from the US, Japan and South Korea.
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Technology | NSW public hearing into datacentres at Parliament House in Sydney.
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Melbourne | Liberal party federal council meets at 3pm and is expected to appoint Tony Abbott as president.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
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