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New analysis into one in every of Australia’s most specialised and weird animals has revealed the marsupial mole’s biology is as uncommon as its look.
Regardless of the animal’s putting resemblance to “true” moles from Africa and components of the northern hemisphere, marsupial moles have been most intently associated to bandicoots and bilbies, the examine in Science Advances mentioned.
College of Melbourne researchers, who led the examine, extracted DNA from a museum specimen then sequenced and analysed its genome to uncover the evolutionary secrets and techniques of the golden-haired species, about which “almost nothing is known”.
You may learn extra right here:
Urge for food for discounting on present in retail figures
After yesterday’s inflation numbers, analysts will flip their consideration to retail gross sales from the Australian Bureau of Statistics right this moment for a learn on client behaviour.
An early begin to discounting helped gasoline a strong 0.6% raise in retail gross sales in October.
Shopper spending has been trending usually weak, reflecting a barely rising economic system and households below strain from increased mortgage repayments and inflation.
The Reserve Financial institution has been holding a detailed eye on shoppers as an excessive amount of spending may complicate the inflation activity and preserve rates of interest increased for longer.
– Australian Related Press
‘Good news for renters’: slower progress recorded
Rental progress throughout the nation is slowing amid the housing disaster, as economists predict a higher “balance” available in the market.
New knowledge launched by REA Group, which owns Australia’s main actual property website, exhibits marketed rents have been unchanged in all capital metropolis markets other than two within the December 2024 quarter.
Brisbane and Canberra have been the one capital cities to document hire will increase over the previous three months, however Adelaide and Perth skilled the strongest will increase over the previous 12 months.
Median marketed weekly rents in Sydney ($730) and Melbourne ($570) flatlined for six months, with rents rising at their slowest tempo since late 2021.
The reduction comes at a time when housing affordability in Australia continues to deteriorate, as households buckle below the pressure of excessive cost-of-living pressures.
In regional areas, marketed rents didn’t transfer from $550 per week within the final three months, however spiked by a large 10% over 2024.
REA Group senior economist Paul Ryan mentioned the figures meant excellent news for renters.
“We’re seeing broadly, the market come back into a bit better balance between renters and landlords in a bit more rental availability,” he informed AAP.
– Australian Related Press
Rafqa Touma
Due to Martin Farrer for kicking off the weblog this morning.
I’ll be rolling your information updates via the day – let’s get into it.
Extra on that seaplane crash from AAP:
The house owners of the seaplane say they’re distraught over the tragedy.
“We are devastated by those injured and the loss of the two passengers involved in the terrible incident yesterday,” Swan River Seaplanes firm director Kristy Bailey mentioned.
“Our deepest and sincere condolences are with their families and friends.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of James [Wong], a talented and dedicated pilot who was an integral and deeply cherished member of our team.”
Investigators to attempt to salvage seaplane wreckage off Rottnest Island
Investigators will right this moment try and salvage the remaining wreckage of a seaplane that crashed throughout take-off, killing three individuals and severely hurting three different passengers, AAP reviews.
It’s believed the plane carrying seven individuals struck a small limestone outcrop close to common vacation spot Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, about 4pm on Tuesday.
The Cessna 208 Caravan 675 plunged nose-first into the water close to Thomson Bay, killing pilot James Wong, 34, a 65-year-old Swiss lady and a 60-year-old Danish man.
Investigators hope the sunken airplane and wreckage already retrieved will present solutions about the reason for the crash, the Australian Transport Security Bureau chief commissioner, Angus Mitchell, mentioned on Wednesday.
“Any of the information that we can gather from on board the plane, that’ll be our focus tomorrow as we recover the plane from the seabed,” he mentioned.
“Any of the recorded information from on board, from mobile phones.”
Mitchell mentioned bureau investigators working with police would proceed interviewing witnesses to the crash.
Kosciuszko hiker Hadi Nazari anticipated to return house right this moment
We shall be listening to extra about Hadi Nazari’s Kosciuszko nationwide park ordeal right this moment after he’s debriefed by police.
He spent the evening at Cooma hospital however is predicted to be despatched house right this moment.
“I have every confidence that he’ll be released very soon,” NSW police Insp John Broadfoot informed reporters yesterday.
“Our specialist paramedics have had a look at him and he’s seemed in great condition so full hopes he’ll be on his way home very shortly.”
In a press release on behalf of the household, sister Zahra Nazari mentioned they have been grateful he was secure and sound.
“We are grateful for everyone involved in helping us find my brother,” the household mentioned.
Within the meantime take a look at this piece by Cait Kelly about how he foraged for berries and drank water from creeks to maintain going.
$50m federal incentive for farmers and truckers to go electrical
Sarah Basford Canales
The Albanese authorities will right this moment announce a $50m initiative to encourage farmers and freight firms to purchase up electrical autos as a part of its plans to decarbonise the economic system.
The power minister, Chris Bowen, mentioned a deal between the Clear Power Finance Company and Metro Finance will provide eligible farmers, freight firms and different small and medium companies the choice to tackle cheaper loans to purchase electrical autos.
A farmer financing a $60,000 electrical automobile, for instance, may save about $1,700 in curiosity over 5 years, the federal government mentioned.
Greater than 4,000 electrical autos have been purchased utilizing the financing subsidies as of December 2024.
Bowen mentioned:
Australian motorists deserve extra decisions of cleaner, cheaper-to-run automobiles and that’s precisely what the Albanese authorities is delivering.
Electrical autos made up 9.5% of sunshine automobile gross sales final 12 months, rising from 8.4% in 2023 and three.8% in 2022.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our stay information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer right here to take you thru a few one of the best in a single day tales earlier than Rafqa Touma takes over as your information information for the day.
Hadi Nazari shall be debriefed by rescue groups right this moment after his exceptional 13-day ordeal misplaced within the Kosciuszko nationwide park wilderness. The 23-year-old was described as “alert” and in a position to stroll after being rescued yesterday however was taken to Cooma hospital final evening for checks. The Riverina district commander, Supt Andrew Spliet, mentioned police needed to listen to from him about how he stayed alive and the way he protected himself from the daytime warmth. Extra developing.
Peter Dutton will maintain his first election campaign-style rally in Melbourne on Sunday, based on a report within the Age this morning. It says that Liberals have been informed an occasion was coming within the japanese suburbs the place the Coalition is aiming to win again the seats of Chisholm and Aston as Dutton responds to Anthony Albanese’s whirlwind tour of Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia this week. Talking of which, his Labor authorities is placing up $50m to incentivise farmers and freight firms to modify to electrical autos. Extra developing.
Police watch homes within the Northern Territory are being repurposed as long-term jail cells because the variety of prisoners reached greater than 1% of the territory’s inhabitants this week. That’s greater than 5 occasions the nationwide common – and if the NT have been a rustic it could have the second-highest incarceration fee on the earth. We’ll have response because it occurs.
