Good afternoon.
In an exclusive from NSW state correspondent Anne Davies, a secret report has revealed the likely source of the fatberg balls that closed a raft of Sydney beaches last summer – with most coming from the deepwater ocean outfall at Malabar.
The partly redacted scientific report, obtained under freedom of information laws, points to a combination of heavy rains and a buildup of fats, oils and greases as the likely cause of the “poo balls”.
Authorities are unable to say when balls could wash up again – but are urgently working on solutions.
“What we’re currently doing now is not sustainable,” the chair of the EPA’s advisory panel and independent expert Prof Stuart Khan says of Sydney’s sewage system, “discharging 80% of the sewage produced by 5 million people into the ocean after only primary treatment.”
Top news
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No time for sleep or a shower: endurance runner covers 764km over five gruelling days to win world title
In video
The slow-motion getaway of two thieves from the Louvre clutching €88m ($157m) of France’s crown jewels was captured on video, it has emerged – the latest dramatic twist to the country’s most spectacular heist in decades.
What they said …
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“I don’t think we have the situation in Australia of mass migration … I just don’t think it’s an appropriate use of that term” – Paul Scarr
Opposition leader Sussan Ley continues to struggle with persistent internal tensions in the Coalition over its direction on immigration policy. Political editor Tom McIlroy spoke to the shadow minister for immigration, who argues that those seeking to inflame emotions are hurting the national interest.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: a win for Albanese, but when it rains it pours for Sussan Ley
Bridie Jabour talks to editor Lenore Taylor, national news editor Josephine Tovey and head of newsroom Mike Ticher about what Anthony Albanese’s and Ley’s two very different weeks tells us about the state of Australian politics.
Before bed read
Don’t believe the hype: taxpayers should be wary of the critical minerals deal with Trump, writes Nicki Hutley. Australians are being asked to have blind faith in the critical minerals deal – but who will really benefit?
If, after this, you can’t stop thinking about rare earths (and who among us), try the Guardian’s nerdiest quiz yet: critical mineral or Tolkien invention?
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: MASS. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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