Morning Mail: Men allege abuse at ACT youth detention centre; renters eye housing drop; Trump cancels US livestream

Morning everyone. Our top story is a harrowing but powerful exclusive about four men alleging they were abused as children at the hands of a guard at a youth detention centre in Canberra.

After outrage at home and abroad – including from the Albanese government – Donald Trump has scrapped plans to livestream the execution of a convicted mass shooter. We also look at how would-be homeowners are watching with a mix of nervousness and excitement as house prices fall, Australia sneak past New Zealand in the Rugby League World Cup opener, and 30 years of Sculpture by the Sea.

Australia

• Greens inquiry | Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has taken leave from the party room after complaints were made, triggering an independent review. Steele-John said he rejected the claims and had referred them to the Western Australian Greens for a “fair, independent process”.

• Duty of care | Indigenous affairs correspondent Sarah Collard has spent five months speaking to former detainees of Australian youth detention centres who allege they were sexually assaulted while under the care and protection of the state. The series, called Duty of care, launches this morning with an investigation into the ACT’s youth justice system, where four young men have launched separate legal actions against the government alleging they were sexually assaulted by the same guard. At least 12 other former detainees have made similar allegations against the now-deceased man, known to the detainees as Chicken.

• Climate claim | The resources minister, Madeleine King, is facing calls to correct a claim that all greenhouse gas emissions from developing a massive fossil fuel basin in the Northern Territory will be offset to limit their impact on the climate. It comes as scientists have released a new tool that shows the possible consequences of those emissions in detail.

• Queensland crunch | The Queensland government’s workplace reforms may make it more difficult for public-sector workers to claim compensation for psychological injuries, legal experts say.

• WA | A woman has been charged after allegedly poisoning a co-worker’s lunch curry with snail pellets.

World

• Trump backs down | Donald Trump has scrapped a widely condemned plan to livestream the execution of the Fort Hood shooter, who is paralysed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair, by firing squad. Pushback came from across the political spectrum and from overseas, including Australia, where the government was seeking to prevent it being shown.

• Exclusive | Voting groups including independents, rural voters and even some Republicans are increasingly disenchanted with Trump’s management of the economy with weeks to go before the midterms, according to a poll for the Guardian.

• Exclusive | Serbia’s ruler, Aleksandar Vučić, made a secret personal intervention to push a plan for a controversial $500m Trump Tower in Belgrade, which sparked protests and a criminal case.

• ‘Ceasefire’ collapse | The White House’s unilateral effort to negotiate an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine has collapsed as Moscow sent a swarm of drones to attack infrastructure and Kyiv appeared to resume strikes on Russian oil refineries – despite warnings from Trump.

• Rinse aid | A neighbourhood in Vienna has introduced guidelines for dog walking, including the use of bottled tap water to rinse away urine and protect vulnerable trees.

Full Story

Alan Jones on trial: Will Alan Jones take the stand? | Week 10

Amanda Meade and host Nour Haydar answer your questions about the Alan Jones trial, and discuss the reasons behind reporting bans and whether Jones himself will take the stand.

In-depth

Property prices have fallen further than many expected as the result of the Albanese government’s tax reforms, offering renters the chance to buy at a discount. Luca Ittimani speaks to people like Mike, a 50-year-old Sydney software developer, who never thought he could afford a home but says “maybe now I will”.

Not the news

As the world’s largest annual, free outdoor sculpture exhibition returns to Bondi for its 30th edition, we look back at some favourite pieces.

Sport

• Rugby league | Australia survived a huge scare against New Zealand in the group A opener in the Rugby League World Cup last night thanks to a late try by Jack Bostock – one of three by the Dolphins winger. An outstanding performance by nation-swapping Kalyn Ponga had threatened to spring an upset but the match showed the tournament is set to entertain.

• Fifa | European football leaders are increasingly confident they will find a candidate to stand against Gianni Infantino in next year’s Fifa presidential election.

• Football | Bournemouth take on Sturm Graz and it’s Celtic v Benfica in the Europa League. Follow it live.

Victoria must confront its growing debt, a venture capitalist tells the Age, after calculating that every child born today will immediately owe $24,000. Singles are ditching dating apps in favour of hook-ups at one-off events such as wine tastings to race days, the Telegraph reckons. Bird flu has been detected in an elephant seal on Macquarie Island, the Hobart Mercury reports. A $3.7bn datacentre planned at Kurri Kurri will create more than 250 full-time jobs, the Newcastle Herald reports, but there is local opposition.

What’s happening today

• Canberra | Exclusive Brethren leaders appear at a public hearing into the 2025 federal election.

• Melbourne | Case management hearing at federal court for watchdog’s case against Amazon over unfair use of contract terms to introduce ads on Prime.

• Sydney | Sculpture by the Sea begins at 9am.

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