Key events
An immediate test of the government’s popularity will come this weekend in the Dunkley byelection, where Labor’s Jodie Beylea faces Liberal candidate Nathan Conroy. Sarah Basford Canales reports from the outer Melbourne seat – see the story below – and she also joined Benita Kolovos for today’s Full Story podcast to talk about what’s at stake for the major parties
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you the best of the overnight news before my colleague clocks on.
Data released today reveals a stark gender pay gap at many Australian companies, with airlines and banks among the worst offenders. Campaigners hope the information will be the catalyst for change to narrow the gap for the “good of society”. Organisations including Qantas (37%) and the Commonwealth Bank (29.9%) have a high proportion of well-paid men – the national gap is 19%, meaning that that a woman is paid is $18,461 less than a man. Read our story for more details of the best and worst performers.
The Coalition has pulled narrowly ahead of Labor for the first time since the election in the Guardian Essential poll, with a big hit to Anthony Albanese’s trustworthiness a further cause for concern to the government.
Still with politics, Scott Morrison has claimed in a newspaper interview that Julia Gillard is his unlikely model for post-political life. Speaking ahead of his valedictory speech to parliament today, the former prime minister told the Sydney Morning Herald “it is widely respected the way that Julia Gillard has conducted herself, post-prime ministership, whatever view people have on her prime ministership, positive and negative”. More coming up.
Outside politics, the organisers of Sydney’s Mardi Gras have asked police not to join in this Saturday’s parade in light of the charges against New South Wales police constable Beau Lamarre-Condon over the deaths of a gay couple in the city last week. The force said it was “disappointed” with the decision but would “continue to work closely with the LGBTIQA+ community”. And the police are facing calls for an independent review into the use of police weapons.
