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| | | | 21/03/2025 Ex-defence chief questions US alliance, supermarket reform urged, protests in Israel |
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| Martin Farrer |  |
| | | Morning everyone. Questions about Australia’s alliance with the United States seem to emerge by the day, with a former head of the defence force warning that the “vandals in the White House” mean Washington is no longer a reliable ally. Plus: the watchdog finally delivers its supermarket report, thousands of Israelis have protested against the government, a Trump bid to spruik Tesla has backfired, and how country music became cool. |
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Australia | |
| Shop soiled | Coles and Woolworths increased prices during a cost-of-living crisis to boost their bottom line and make them some of the most profitable supermarkets in the world, the ACCC concluded. They also used promotions that made it hard to judge a good shopping deal, according to the major report investigating the sector.. | ‘Vandals’ | A former Australian defence force chief has warned “the vandals in the White House” are no longer reliable allies and urged the Australian government to reassess its strategic partnership with the United States. | Tech attack | Big tech companies Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon and Elon Musk’s X have lodged a formal complaint urging the Trump administration to target “coercive and discriminatory” Australian media laws. | Spyware warning | Australian government agencies could be customers of military-grade spyware from Israeli firm Paragon Solutions, a new report suggests. | Koala alert | Chlamydia has spread to Sydney’s only disease-free koala population, with two animals testing positive after they were rescued late last year. |
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World | |
| Israel protest | Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to call for a new ceasefire in Gaza and to protest against what they say is an attack on the country’s democracy by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. It follows a resumption of Israeli attacks on Gaza with dozens killed in a third night of bombing. | War and peace | Russia has named a secretive former FSB chief who played a key role in planning Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine to lead next week’s peace talks with the US in Saudi Arabia. Russia and Ukraine exchanged aerial assaults amid uncertainty over the timing and terms of a limited US-brokered ceasefire agreed this week. | Tesla tornado | Donald Trump’s commerce secretary went on Fox to tell Americans to buy stock in Elon Musk’s electric car company, only for shares in Tesla to keep falling. Earlier, one of the company’s biggest supporters told Musk he must cut back on his work for Trump and solve the “brand tornado crisis moment” threatening Tesla. | Olympic champion | The Zimbabwean former Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry has become the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee, after a shock first-round win over a seven-strong field that included Sebastian Coe. | Faster forecast | A single researcher with a desktop computer will be able to deliver accurate weather forecasts using an AI approach that is tens of times faster and uses thousands of times less computing power than conventional systems. |
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Full Story | |
| Newsroom edition: can Albanese and Dutton get voters to listen to them? Today Bridie Jabour talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and head of newsroom Mike Ticher about what is dividing voters and how these fractures are shaping our politics. | | |
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In-depth | |
| “I think it’s not fair,” says Charlotte Bailey. “Everyone who does the same job should get the same pay.” She has Down syndrome and is talking about the iniquity – unknown to most Australians – whereby people with an intellectual disability are paid a fraction of what other people are for the same jobs. She talks to Stepanie Convery about why she’s taking a stand for change. |
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Not the news | |
| A love of country music means Rebecca Shaw has long endured “people groaning when my songs come on” and “mocking me for being a country bumpkin”. But now, with Beyoncé, Post Malone and Chappell Roan all making country records, she is celebrating being one of the cool kids. |
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Sport | |
| Football | The Socceroos secured a vital World Cup qualifying win over Indonesia last night but the 5-1 scoreline flattered them a little bit after the visitors missed an early penalty. | Athletics | Lachie Kennedy is one of a crop of exciting Australian sprinting talent and he goes face-to-face with the best in the world indoor world championships in Nanjing, China later today. | NRL | A depleted Penrith Panthers lost 30-24 in a repeat of the grand final against Melbourne Storm last night but showed signs that they won’t give up their crown easily. |
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What’s happening today | Victoria | Avalon airshow media preview and flyover. | Media | Victoria’s Quill journalism awards dinner and winner announcements. |
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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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Contact us | If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email customer.help@guardian.co.uk |
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A message from Lenore Taylor editor of Guardian AustraliaI hope you appreciated this newsletter. Before you move on, I wonder if you would consider supporting our work as we prepare for a pivotal, uncertain year ahead.
The course of world history has taken a sharp and disturbing turn in 2024. Liberalism is under threat from populist authoritarianism. Americans have voted to install a president with no respect for democratic norms, nor the facts that once formed the guardrails of public debate.
That decision means an alliance critical to Australia’s national and economic security is now a series of unpredictable transactions, with a partner no longer committed to multilateralism, nor efforts to curb global heating, the greatest threat we face. We just don’t know where this will lead.
In this uncertain time, fair, fact-based journalism is more important than ever – to record and understand events, to scrutinise the powerful, to give context, and to counter rampant misinformation and falsehoods.
As we enter an Australian election year, we are deeply conscious of the responsibility to accurately and impartially report on what is really at stake.
The Guardian is in a unique position to do this. We are not subject to the influence of a billionaire owner, nor do we exist to enrich shareholders. We are here to serve and listen to you, our readers, and we rely on your support to power our work.
Your support keeps us independent, beholden to no outside influence and accessible to everyone – whether they can afford to pay for news, or not.
If you can, please consider supporting us with just $1, or better yet, support us every month with a little more. Thank you. | | |
| Lenore Taylor
Editor, Guardian Australia |
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