Morning mail: the future of the track and the Covid trace in doubt, the French row rumbles, gongs for the barges |

gHello. Covid-19 tracking and tracing efforts could be scaled back as vaccination rates rise, an expert has warned, the fury over French submarines continues, and climatologists are calling for a halt to fracking of the Beetaloo basin.

The professor who led the modeling behind Australia’s four-phase reopening plan said it was time to scale back the public health response “from 11”. Citing rising vaccination rates, Professor Jodie McVernon said measures such as forensic tracking and infection tracing could be gradually reduced, even if positive rates continued to rise, as resource management public health issues and better evaluation of the impact of various initiatives were more important. priorities.

Joe Biden vowed not to exclude France from key defense decisions as the fury over Australia’s abandonment of a $ 90 billion French submarine contract continues. Emmanuel Macron and Biden released a joint statement on the matter, ending a five-day standoff between the two triggered by the US, UK and Australia announcing they would work together to produce cash. -nuclear-powered navies. Labor demanded assurances from the Morrison government that Australia would retain its freedom to make military engagements independent of the United States, but Boris Johnson has reopened a war of words with the French, urging them to ‘give me a break’ on the UK’s role in the Aukus Tripartite Defense and Security Agreement.

More than 60 leading climatologists urged Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner not to persist with Beetaloo Basin fracking plans. The project received a $ 50 million grant as part of the Morrison government’s gas recovery, but scientists are wondering if the NT government can keep its promise to fully offset the site’s emissions. Elsewhere, the Former MP Darren Chester calls on the Nationals party to adopt a “credible policy” on reducing emissions, including an ambitious goal of net zero by 2050. Chester was dumped from the ministry after Barnaby Joyce returned as leader of the Nationals.

Australia

Labor candidates could run as independents to challenge ‘captain’s choice’ by national executive after suggestions, Olympic shooter Daniel Repacholi could be parachuted into Hunter’s NSW headquarters.

Australia could face a supply disruption of Pfizer vaccines next month, with states and territories not sure how many doses they will receive beyond the second week of October.

Workers required to wear personal protective equipment could experience disproportionate heat stress, research suggested. Report calls on state and federal governments to review health and safety frameworks in light of the results.

Immigration experts asked if Australian government can issue low-skilled foreign worker visa, pledged to address acute agricultural labor shortages.

The world

Russia has suffered its worst wildfire season in decades, lose 18.16 million hectares of forest, according to Russian forestry data, analyzed by Greenpeace. A spokesperson said that such burn rates have become “the new normal under the conditions of the new climate reality”.

Conservative Party of Canada ordered systematic review after dismal federal election showing – marking a third consecutive defeat against the liberal progressive party of Justin Trudeau.

Taiwanese civilians started attending ‘resilience training’ workshops as part of an ongoing response to Chinese belligerence. Participants learn first aid as well as how to help the armed forces in the event of an invasion.

A woman found in a remote part of a Croatian island, with no memory of her name or how she got there, has been identified. The 57-year-old previously worked in the United States as a jewelry designer for stars like Barbara Streisand, and was recognized by friends after police circulated her photo.

Recommended reading

“The snail is blind. He only knows the rose by its scent and its sweet petals. For the ancient Egyptians, writes Helen Sullivan, the humble snail provided food in the afterlife for Ibis mummies, but in most modern contexts your garden is the food for the snails. “You think you hear the gnashing of little teeth: scratching, scratching your roses. The snail is deaf: it does not hear your complaints.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer offered a relatively reassuring look at the next four decades of spending and debt levels. Which would be heartwarming read, says Greg Jericho, if it weren’t for a climate change-sized elephant that overshadows the fine print. The PBO report only mentions climate change once, noting that it is one of the ‘known trends and sources of risk that will affect Australia and the Commonwealth budget over the decades. “. And yet, this known risk does not affect any forecast for growth, interest rates, debt, or revenue and expenditure. “

Comedian Henry Stone is torn over whether to hijack his own funniest things on the internet list. “Has anyone worked so hard on the ideology behind a selection criteria for a list of funny videos? Probably not. â€So come on for the tiny puppets; stay for short films using French New Wave jump cuts.

Listen

The core of protest began outside the CFMEU office in Melbourne, but, as the violence and the number of arrests escalate, union leaders say subsequent events have been hijacked by right-wing extremists. In this episode of Full Story, reporter Josh Taylor examines the allegations.

Full Story is Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app.

sport

Given their record of success, the Southern Stars aren’t often the subject of criticism. But as veteran bowler Megan Schutt explains, a little bit of heat on the team as they face a rapidly improving India is more than welcome as it shows that the women’s game is maturing.

“The rugby league without Wayne Bennett seems as foreign as a football game without pies or a pub without beer.” But Friday’s preliminary final could see the veteran coaching prodigy not considering a team to coach next season, for the first time in nearly five decades, writes Nick Tedeschi.

Media overview

The Victorian government’s top construction industry adviser has resigned citing a lack of consultation ahead of mandatory vaccination requirements for the sector, reports the Age. Business leaders have been told that NSW could come out of lockdown starting October 11, the Australian claims, but many fear confusion when reopening, as vaccine validation technology is unlikely to be ready by then. And the WA parliament has suffered two major cyberattacks in the past 12 months, writes the Western Australia, but authorities refused to confirm who they said was behind them.

Future

Scott Morrison’s visit to the United States for high-level defense and climate talks continues.

The NSW investigation into the handling of the Covid-19 outbreak will hear about the roadmap to come out of the lockdown.

And if you’ve read this far …

It’s a hell of a trip. But confirmation that thousands of Eastern Barred-tailed Godwits, or kuaka in Maori, made a 10,000 km non-stop journey from the Arctic to New Zealand’s South Island, has been welcomed. by bells: cathedral bells, in fact. In Nelson, church staff read a prayer of thanks to welcome weary travelers, but it wasn’t good news for an unlucky barge that was being tracked down: a detour halfway saw it fly 57 hours, only to land in Alaska, the place he was gone.

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