Morning everyone.The Coalition is facing pushback over its pledge to scrap construction rules aimed at improving energy efficiency for homes.Also, police are looking at allegations that a car was deliberately driven towards an anti-racism protester, there are more questions about former professor Jason Arday’s origin story, and Europe has enjoyed a full solar eclipse.AustraliaThe Coalition says regulations make houses too expensive. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Energy ‘timebomb’ | A Coalition plan to abolish compulsory energy standards for new homes that help reduce people’s exposure to heat and cold has been criticised by advocates as a “cost-of-living timebomb” that would deepen inequality. The Liberal senator Andrew Bragg outlined the plan in a wide-ranging speech yesterday.
‘Gayest’ party | Barnaby Joyce has defended One Nation as “one of the gayest parties in Australia” after comments surfaced from one of its failed candidates describing same-sex attraction as a mental illness.
ABC ‘overreach’ | The ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, has promised to change editorial guidelines on satire and violence after the broadcaster aired a program featuring offensive comments about Gina Rinehart, sparking concerns about overreach.
