News update for Fri 7 March 2025
Your trusted guide to the top independent news and views of the day...
Welcome to your TrueNorth news update where every weekday afternoon we share curated articles from Australia’s independent news media sector.
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TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here (inc updates on Cyclone Alfred) - and through 6 News here
Watch The Sunday Shot - LIVE STREAMED - this Sunday morning at 9am here
Cyclone Alfred is slowing – and that could make it more destructive. Here’s how climate change might have influenced it - The Conversation
Cyclone Alfred has now been delayed, as the slow-moving system stalls in warm seas off southeast Queensland. Unfortunately, the expected slow pace of the cyclone will bring even more rain to affected communities.
This is because it will linger for longer over the same location, dumping more rain before it moves on. Alfred’s slowing means the huge waves triggered by the cyclone will last longer too, likely making coastal erosion and flooding worse.
Cyclone Alfred is unusual – the first cyclone in half a century to come this far south and make expected landfall.
Also read >
What we know so far about Tropical Cyclone Alfred: school closures, category now and suburbs at risk - The Guardian
Cyclone Alfred latest: where and when it will hit, and what to expect this weekend - The Conversation
Government’s squibbing on Robodebt “not good enough”: Senator Pocock - The Klaxon
The Federal Government must appoint an outside expert to oversee to the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s investigations into Robodebt, says Independent Senator David Pocock.
It is almost a month since the NACC was found to have acted improperly by refusing to investigate over Robodebt — forcing a humiliating backflip — yet the public has not been told how the investigations will be handled.
Further, the ALP has failed to respond to formal questions from Pocock on the matter for over a week, despite publicly promising to respond “as quickly possible”.
Read more from Anthony Klan for The Klaxon
Surface tension: could the promised Aukus nuclear submarines simply never be handed over to Australia? - The Guardian
Maybe Australia’s boats just never turn up.
To fanfare and flags, the Aukus deal was presented as a sure bet, papering over an uncertainty that such an ambitious deal could ever be delivered.
It was assured, three publics across two oceans were told – signed, sealed and to-be-delivered: Australia would buy from its great ally, the US, its own conventionally armed nuclear-powered attack submarines before it began building its own.
Alex Fein on focus groups - Spin Cycle
Rachel, Jess and Charlie are joined by Alex Fein, Redbridge Senior Insights Adviser, who runs focus groups for the Melbourne-based pollster, to find out more about how the process works — and what the punters are saying. They also discuss the alarming news coming out of America, including attacks on press freedom and THAT Oval Office shakedown.
Two polls predict a thumping victory for Labor in WA election, the first with a reformed upper house - The Conversation
The Western Australian state election will be held on Saturday, with polls closing at 9pm AEDT. A Newspoll, conducted February 27 to March 5 from a sample of 1,061, gave Labor a 57.5–42.5 lead, a 1.5-point gain for Labor since an early February WA Newspoll.
Primary votes were 44% Labor (up two), 29% Liberals (down three), 5% Nationals (up two), 10% Greens (down two), 3% One Nation (down one) and 9% for all Others (up two).
Also read >
WA punches above its weight in a big February for wind and solar generation - Renew Economy
PODCAST: The Legalise Cannabis Party leader talks, AUKUS, psychedelics, and the WA state election - The Last Place on Earth
Ask not for whom the Freo Doctor blows. It blows for thee - Crikey (paywall)
Today’s cartoon by First Dog on the Moon
TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here (inc updates on Cyclone Alfred) - and through 6 News here
Join the new Boiling Point community - where we’re growing a group of politically informed Australians in the lead up to the 2025 federal election. See details and sign up here.
New glasses? The unsightly world of optometry retailing - Michael West Media
With Medicare shaping up as a key election issue, we examine optometry retailing and how your friendly optometrist is incentivised to put glasses on your nose.
Have you ever walked into an outlet like OPSM, Specsavers, Bailey Nelson, or Laubman & Pank for an eye test and left feeling like you’d been gently pressured into spending $500 on a pair of glasses?
Well, firstly – you probably shouldn’t be too surprised. You did, after all, go to a retail outlet. Still, you might be wondering why the places Australians so often go for their eye tests – often paid for through Medicare – are the same places that want to sell you eye-wateringly expensive products.
Read more in Michael West Media
Guardian Essential report: How do the major parties plan to win your vote - Australian Politics Podcast
Has the interest rate cut made any difference to how people intend to vote at the upcoming federal election? Guardian Australia’s political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy and Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis discuss how voters are responding to major political parties’ campaign rhetoric on key issues affecting their lives.
Listen to The Australian Politics Podcast
Senator Katy Gallagher: Peter Dutton's WFH comments prove he doesn’t care about women - Women’s Agenda
I’m going to come out and just say it: Peter Dutton and the Coalition don’t care about working women and families.
Their record is clear. And now on the eve of an election, Peter Dutton is doubling down.
This week on Tuesday – just four days ahead of International Women’s Day – Peter Dutton said women who couldn’t work from home could always just job share instead.
When asked if he thought his plan to force people to work from the office would disproportionately impact women, his response?
“There are plenty of opportunities around job sharing”.
Read more from Senator Katy Gallagher for Women's Agenda
Also read > No Crumbs, No Compromise: Women Refuse to Turn Back the Clock - Sue Barrett
Why are we still waiting for house prices to drop? - The Daily Aus Podcast
The Australian housing market has been making headlines again with property prices continuing to climb despite some interest rate relief from the RBA last month. For young Australians hoping to buy their first home, the situation seems to be getting increasingly challenging. Ahead of a federal election where the cost of living and how (and where) young people get a first home, Sam is joined by Tim Lawless, the Head of Research at CoreLogic, to examine whether the Australian dream of home ownership is becoming more of a fantasy for younger generations.
Listen to The Daily Aus Podcast
King Katter has long wanted a North Queensland state. Now he may get the chance - Crikey
A hung parliament is very much on the cards, meaning independents like Bob Katter will have a lot more say in Australian affairs.
A hung parliament is increasingly likely, which would mean minority government and a powerful crossbench. Veteran independent MP Bob Katter tells Crikey he knows exactly what he’d push for in such a scenario.
“Immediately restore the market gardens to every community, immediately restore the right to take up private freehold title … and get rid of all those public servants in Brisbane and give us separate statehood,” Katter said.
Read more from Charlie Lewis for Crikey (paywall)
Tony Abbott can finally shirtfront Putin - The Politics
It was exactly seven days ago that history happened in the Oval Office and a US president revealed himself a collaborator with a Russian dictator.
The Politics has marked this moment with detailed coverage from yours truly here and here, and analysis from Nicole Chvastek on how Donald Trump is suborning a free media. We also asked our readers how Australia should respond to the security threat posed by Trump. This triggered an enormous response, with close to 200 comments which make fascinating reading. In short, there’s a call for Australia to grasp the new reality of the US; cancel AUKUS; restrict if not abolish access to Pine Gap; build alliances with Europe and Asia. (Amid all this Murray Hogarth looked at the political games surrounding the arrival of Chinese naval ships in our coastal waters.)
Read more from David Hardaker for The Politics
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See a list of the 35 community independents - who have (so far) announced their candidacy in the upcoming federal election. Subscribe, volunteer, donate to support their campaigns.
Join the new Boiling Point community - where we’re growing a group of politically informed Australians in the lead up to the 2025 federal election. See details and sign up here.
Quick Links…
Australian men do same amount of housework as 20 years ago, new data shows - Women’s Agenda
Australian Tesla sales plummet as owners rush to distance themselves from Elon Musk - The Guardian
Huon Aquaculture workers filmed putting live salmon into bins with dead fish after disease outbreak - ABC News
An Economic Whack - The Money Café Podcast with Alan Kohler
If re-elected my next term will be my last, Jacqui Lambie says - Tasmanian Inquirer
Australia's Magnitsky-style sanctions go unused in Asia-Pacific, critics say - ABC News
Teal MP Allegra Spender threatens to sue challenger over ‘disgraceful accusation - The SMH/Age (paywall)
Australia is awash with Chinese EVs like BYD as they surge in popularity - The Washington Post
Chaos Compounded: So much damage, so little time - Dan Rather
Trump casts doubt on willingness to defend Nato allies ‘if they don’t pay’ - The Guardian
Gina Rinehart and Peter Dutton prepare for Trumpian ‘Golden Shower’ down under - Michelle Pini for Independent Australia
Three Aussie ladies, two keffiyehs, and a country gone mad - The Shot
‘A dream experiment’: our Australian icebreaker is on a crucial mission to Antarctica - The Guardian
TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here (inc updates on Cyclone Alfred) - and through 6 News here
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You’re up to date for Friday the 7th of March. See you on Monday!
TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here (inc updates on Cyclone Alfred) - and through 6 News here
Join the new Boiling Point community - where we’re growing a group of politically informed Australians in the lead up to the 2025 federal election. See details and sign up here.
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