Health News at Your Fingertips

Albanese agrees to DJ at Brisbane music festival

Josh Butler

We didn’t really think the week could get any weirder but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has agreed to DJ on-stage for American rapper Fatman Scoop at a music festival in Brisbane.

Take a second to read that sentence again.

Albanese appeared on B105 FM radio this morning, where he was surprised with a dial-in from the rapper. The radio hosts began the segment by telling Albanese “we’ve got a job for you”, before Fatman Scoop joined the line.

The rapper asked.

I need you to come down and here’s what we’re going to do: you’re going to DJ while I perform. Can you do that, sir?

Albanese responded:

That sounds pretty good.

Albanese added “I don’t know what I’m doing on the 11th of November”. That is, of course, Remembrance Day – so we imagine the Prime Minister may actually have some official duties on that day.

Before you ask, Albanese’s office sent an official transcript on the chat, and we’ve confirmed that it is indeed legit and not an elaborate practical joke.

If Fatman Scoop rings any bells for dedicated Auspol tragics, it may be because of an immortal Scott Morrison moment from his early days as PM. In 2018, the freshly-minted Liberal leader posted a video on his social media from Question Time, where he asked his MPs to raise their hands – with the clip soundtracked by Fatman Scoop’s song “Be Faithful”.

That song featured the lyrics “get your hands up”. It also features some other lyrics which are definitely not appropriate for a PG-rated audience, and the clip was deleted.

Fatman Scoop referenced that moment in the radio chat, saying:

I have a pattern of dealing with Prime Ministers in this country. So you’re now the second Prime Minister that I’m on the phone with.

Scomo, not working out so well. I don’t think it’s gonna answer my phone calls right now. Doesn’t feel like the right time.

Flooding hits New Zealand’s South Island

Hundreds of South Island residents have been evacuated and are waiting to learn the severity of flood damage to their homes as New Zealand’s big winter wet continues, AAP reports.

An “atmospheric river”, as described by forecasters MetService, from the north has brought widespread rains to the country this week.

The worst-hit city so far is Nelson, where rainfall has destroyed roads and a state of emergency has been declared.

Authorities ordered 233 homes in Nelson East to evacuate overnight as the Maitai River swelled.

On Tuesday, MetService issued a rare red warning, saved for the most damaging weather events, for Buller and Westland on the west coast of South Island.

In the often-soaked Westport, which received 70mm on Wednesday, about 160 households were encouraged to “self-evacuate as a precaution” by civil defence.

Another front is due to arrive on Friday.

Inquiry hears Queensland police commissioner threatened with summons to appear

The final public hearing for the commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic violence in Queensland is taking place today, with the state’s police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, appearing.

It had been reported the state’s commission of inquiry backflipped on a previous decision not to call her to give evidence. However, the inquiry has heard the commissioner only agreed to appear after being asked if she’d need a summons.

This information comes from Guardian Australia’s Queensland state reporter Eden Gillespie at the hearing.

Nino Bucci

Former Channel 7 sports reporter Josh Massoud loses court appeal

The former Channel 7 sports reporter Josh Massoud has lost a court appeal in his claim against multiple media outlets he alleges defamed him in stories about his departure from the network.

Massoud sued Sydney radio station 2GB and Nine Digital, Fox Sports Australia, the Daily Telegraph, and radio station KIIS 1065 for defamation in the NSW district court, but was unsuccessful.

He appealed to the NSW court of appeal, but the appeals were dismissed today.

Massoud sued the media outlets after they reported that he had been stood down after threatening to slit the throat of a junior colleague. He had claimed the stories incorrectly attributed a phrase to him and offered no context.

However, the court of appeal held that the primary judge was correct in finding that the defamatory imputations were substantially true.

Dutton says colleagues ‘rightly angry’ over Morrison’s secret portfolios

Josh Butler

Opposition leader, Peter Dutton, says Scott Morrison made “the wrong call” by secretly swearing himself into five ministerial portfolios, but says the member for Cook has no reason to resign.

Dutton also joined calls for Morrison to personally apologise to former home affairs minister Karen Andrews, who says she is yet to hear directly from the man who was covertly sworn into her portfolio.

Speaking on 2GB radio, Dutton said it was “inappropriate for him to be assuming these powers”.

The radio station put the question to Dutton:

Former nationals cabinet minister Bridget McKenzie calling on Mr. Morrison to apologize to Ms Andrews saying it was the right thing to do. She also says Mr. Morrison’s actions were a breach of the standing coalition agreement. Is Ms. McKenzie right?

Dutton replied:

My colleagues are rightly angry and aggrieved and I understand that. Scott has made the wrong call … and if he hasn’t spoken to Karen [Andrews] then I believe he should.

He’s apologised for it, he’s no longer occupying the office and there’s not much more, you can continue to trail over it but it’s all out there now.

Earlier, Andrews had told Sky News she still backed her previous calls for Morrison to resign, and said he hadn’t gotten a call from Morrison.

I understand that he’s made a broad apology to his colleagues and I’m entirely fine with that, so it’s not an issue with me …

He hasn’t spoken to me. The last discussion that I had with Scott Morrison was during the last sitting week in Canberra.

Dutton called for the discussion to “move on”, claiming focus should return to issues like cost of living.

Final hearings taking place for inquiry into Queensland police domestic violence response

The final public hearing for the commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic violence in Queensland is taking place today.

The state’s police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, is due to speak after the state’s commission of inquiry backflipped on a previous decision not to call her to give evidence.

Carroll will discuss the organisation’s capability, capacity and structure to respond to domestic violence, as well as cultural issues within the force.

Guardian Australia’s Queensland state reporter Eden Gillespie is at the hearing.

Peter Hannam

More jobs data to be released

Labour data will feature prominently today again after yesterday’s wage price index posted a softer than expected increase in the June quarter.

The gap between the WPI and consumer price inflation is now wider than it has been since the late 1990s when the ABS started releasing such data.

The past few years have been notably bad for real wages and the tide is going to turn it, as Greg Jericho underscored comprehensively in his weekly column here.

Today’s flurry of figures will include the July jobless rate, with economists expecting it to hover close to its near-half century low of 3.5%.

Sean Langcake, an economist with BIS Oxford Economics, said:

Considering the labour market is running at or likely beyond capacity, we expect to see relatively weak employment growth in July of around 5-15,000.

It would be surprising to see the unemployment rate track lower than 3.5% without a fall in the participation rate – we expect both of these numbers to be reasonably steady in July.

A big gain in jobs, though, particularly if it comes with a further increase in the participation rate will foster talk about a “tight-as-a-drum economy” and whether the RBA might have to continue its recent series of interest rate rises to induce some slack.

Also out today, though, will be the six monthly reading from the ABS on average weekly earnings, bringing the data up to May.

Yesterday’s meagre rise in the WPI of 2.6% for the June quarter was barely above the 2.4% annual pace set in the January-March period. Expect more head-scratching about why the signs of staff shortages everywhere aren’t leading to higher wages if those weekly wage numbers also disappoint.

Queensland defends coal royalties tax

The Queensland state government is defending the changes it made to the coal royalties scheme after BHP paused development of a $1bn coal mine that was due to open in 2029.

The mining giant says the new royalty regime announced in June would discourage investment.

Cameron Dick, Queensland treasurer, appeared on ABC radio this morning and said he would not review the regime, which has received bipartisan support.

Dick highlighted the record profits being recorded and said BHP’s decision is not a concern:

We’re not concerned about that, it’s about Queenslanders getting their fair share of a non-renewable resource.

Wage growth to be a key focus at jobs summit

Tony Burke, the employment minister, is speaking to Sky News following the release of latest wages figures which showing Australians’ real wages are the lowest in 20 years.

Burke says Australians will see real wage growth when there is a “crossover point as inflation starts to fall that wages move forward”.

He says the pay equity gap for women needs to be addressed, which feeds into the government’s case for raising aged care wages.

As for who will be attending the government’s upcoming jobs and skills summit, Burke confirms the Nationals leader David Littleproud will be in attendance in addition to “big representation” from business and union movements.

‘Good’ posture doesn’t prevent back pain

Researchers from Curtin University are turning preconceived ideas about posture and back pain on their head in an article published today in the Conversation.

Peter O’Sullivan, Leon Straker and Nic Saraceni say having ‘good’ posture doesn’t prevent back pain, and ‘bad’ posture doesn’t cause it. They write:

Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

…There is a common belief that “good” posture is important to protect the spine from damage, as well as prevent and treat back pain.

Conversely, “slump” sitting, “slouch” standing and lifting with a “round back” or stooped posture are frequently warned against. This view is widely held by people with and without back pain, as well as clinicians in both occupational health and primary care settings.

Surprisingly, there is a lack of evidence for a strong relationship between “good” posture and back pain. Perceptions of “good” posture originate from a combination of social desirability and unfounded presumptions.