Morning Mail: The ex-Liberal driving One Nation’s expansion; house prices fall again; and Jillaroos break World Cup records

Good morning. Today we focus on the former prominent New South Wales Liberal Mark Jones’s key role in overhauling the selection and vetting process for One Nation candidates determined to beat his former colleagues.

Overseas, street protests have boiled over into violent unrest in cities across Europe. And Republicans and Democrats are making a big push in key battleground states as the US midterms reach their final stretch.

Meanwhile, home values are still taking a hammering across Australia. We get on board Sydney’s new south-west metro extension. And there are claims Indigenous art is being stolen by AI and turned into “Temu slop”.

Australia

• Housing market tumbles | Australian home values have dropped for a seventh consecutive month, with prices in capital cities now falling at the fastest pace in 40 years as rate hikes scare off buyers.

• Exclusive | Mark Jones, once on track for one of the Liberal party’s most powerful roles, is now instrumental in One Nation’s expansion by leading the overhaul of its candidate selection process.

• AI art threat | AI is stealing First Nations art and turning it into “Temu slop”, the Pitjantjatjara artist Sally Scales has said – despite Anthony Albanese’s vow to protect creatives from copyright theft.

• I swear! | Lexicographers are exploring how once-taboo profanities have become a significant part of Australian cultural identity, particularly as younger generations blur the lines of acceptability.

• Water stoush | The Northern Territory government has been accused of making a “shameless” attack on nature by planning to delete a legal requirement that water must be allocated to the environment.

• ‘Rebuild trust’ | Former New Zealand PM turned academic Jacinda Ardern has told a Sydney audience that politicians are exacerbating the problem of polarisation within society and need to be better.

World

• Europe protests | Youth-led protests ended with street violence in cities across France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal and Albania – with investigations launched after petrol bombs were thrown at police officers in Paris.

• US midterms | The former US president Barack Obama has given a series of blistering speeches to help Democrat candidates in key races – and his deployment has proved a hit with party’s progressive wing; affordability appears top of mind for voters in the final sprint to the midterms; and Democrat Haley Stevens endorses Abdul El-Sayed’s Republican rival in Michigan.

• Middle East crisis | Officials from the Gulf states are “braced for the worst” as they wait for the US response to an Iranian proposal that could reopen the strait of Hormuz before the US midterm elections.

• India rally | Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Delhi for protests against the Narendra Modi government amid anger over a revision of India’s voter roll that has seen 130 million names erased.

• Russia-Ukraine war | Ukraine has resumed its attacks on Russian oil refineries in defiance of pressure from Donald Trump, with a ceasefire in the occupied town of Oleshky due to end imminently.

• Trade war | The US-China trade war seems to have subsided – but the sense of calm is misleading as neither country has done anything to limit the outbreak of new hostilities, Eduardo Porter writes.

Full Story

The coming legal battle against Albanese’s social media ban

The first major legal challenge against Australia’s under-16s social media ban is set to be heard in the high court on Tuesday, 11 months on from the policy taking effect. As similar bans are adopted across the world, the challenges will argue that the ban prevents young people from political communication. Josh Taylor speaks to host Reged Ahmad about whether this is the beginning of the end for Labor’s world-leading social media ban.

In-depth

Penry Buckley’s relationship with Sydney’s south-west metro extension is complicated. Over two years, he (and everyone else) waited for a line that was only meant to take 12 months to complete. After months of queueing for those pink buses, it seemed that there was no end in sight. But Friday’s opening has provided instant relief for commuters in the south-western suburbs – and unlocked new delights along the line.

Not the news

In mid-2025, within a short space of time, the singer-songwriter Odette – full name Georgia Odette Sallybanks – got two things: sober, and an official autism diagnosis. As she awaits the release of her third album, Blink, this week, she talks about leaving a major record label, how her later-in-life diagnosis has “completely revolutionised” her music and her life, and feeling like she’s finally “shown up” to her own life.

Sport

• Cricket | Australia’s bizarre selection choices backfired – predictably – in South Africa. It’s time for a reality check, Geoff Lemon writes.

• Swimming | Ariarne Titmus: “I was all or nothing – achieve it or fail. And I guess that’s not a great way to be.”

• Football | Arsenal hold on for vital win at Liverpool after Kai Havertz’s close-range finish; Michael Carrick is to stay in charge of Manchester United for Roma game; should Premier League strugglers stick or twist as pressure on managers mounts, Andrew Beasley asks.

• Motorsport | Follow the latest action from the Mexican F1 Grand Prix, where Kimi Antonelli could seal the title victory.

• Rugby league | Merciless Jillaroos destroy Wales at the Rugby League World Cup, piling on all-time record score.

• Running | Andreas Almgren wins on New York City Marathon debut as Sheila Chepkirui reclaims crown.

Hundreds of thousands of workers in Sydney’s inner suburbs are more exposed to AI-driven disruption than anywhere else in Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. More than 300 fire trucks would be added to Victoria’s ageing fleet over the next five years under an election promise from the state opposition, the Age reports. Tasmania’s outgoing teachers union president is sounding the alarm over school violence, the Mercury reports.

What’s happening today

• NSW | The trial of veteran broadcaster Alan Jones continues in Sydney.

• Diplomacy | Anthony Albanese is attending the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in Antigua and Barbuda.

• ACT | A public hearing is scheduled in Canberra in the parliamentary inquiry into cybersecurity for small business.

• ABS | The Australian Bureau of Statistics is due to release its latest building approvals figures this morning.

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Brain teaser

And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.