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SBS News in Easy English bulletin 27 July 2022

A high-angle photo shows a small inflatable boat with people in it, positioned next to a large whale. The whale is partially tangled in a fishing net, and a rescue effort appears to be underway.

Rescuers help a whale caught in a shark net off the coast of Queensland. Source: AAP / Jerome Delay

A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability.


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By Marcus Megalokonomos

Source: SBS News



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A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability.


Welcome to SBS News in Easy English.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released the consumer price index, which measures household inflation, and for the June quarter it was 6.1 per cent.

That is an increase from 5.1 per cent in the March quarter and is the highest inflation figure since 1990.

The data reflects an increase in the cost of living.

Opposition Treasury spokesperson Angus Taylor says the government should have followed the Coalition's plan to address the cost of living.

"We've faced a very tough context over the last three years. What matters is getting a plan in place which addresses the issues you face. Australians deserve that plan, and they're paying the price for not having one."

New Labor Senator Fatima Payman has given her first speech to Parliament.

The 27-year-old from Western Australia is one of the youngest members of the chamber and the first parliamentarian to wear the hijab.

"Know that the hijab is my choice, I want young girls who choose to wear the hijab to do it with pride and to do it with the knowledge that they have the right to wear it. I won't judge someone wearing bordies and flip-flops across the street, I don't expect people to judge me for wearing my scarf."

The Queensland government has confirmed that the state's taxpayers have paid more than $200 million for a quarantine facility that is about to close because it is no longer needed.

The Wellcamp facility near Toowoomba will stop accepting guests from next Monday, but will remain available should the state's pandemic response change.

Deputy premier Steven Miles says there is no longer a public health requirement for dedicated, government-built quarantine facilities.

He also says while there are thousands of COVID cases in Queensland, it is up to individuals to play a part in reducing the spread of coronavirus.

"The modelling is able to project those figures, but of course, as the acting chief health officer said at the weekend, the modelling is just a projection based on what we know right now. We can all change the modelling. We can all change that curve by following the health advice, by using masks, by taking care if we're vulnerable."

Australia's national science agency says the country needs to embrace solutions to climate change.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, known as the C-S-I-R-O, has released a major report on seven trends impacting Australia, with climate change among the most important of those trends.

Speaking to the National Press Club in Canberra, C-S-I-R-O chief Dr Larry Marshall says a significant response is warranted.

"We're living in a world full of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambuigity - and believe it or not there's much more yet to come. Our future depends on our ability to understand the waves of disruption that are coming at us , to face the uncomfortable truths and respond together, at scale."

A new report shows shark nets are harming other threatened species.

New government figures say the majority of animals caught in New South Wales shark nets last season were not target species; and just over a fifth were threatened.

Of the 376 marine animals caught in the eight months to April, 325 were non-target animals, including 14 critically endangered grey nurse sharks, 19 vulnerable green turtles, 16 endangered leatherback turtles, and four endangered loggerhead turtles.

The nets caught 51 of the three targeted species - white sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks.

Former US President Donald Trump has appeared in Washington for the first time since leaving office, repeating his false election claims that sparked the January 6 insurrection on the Capitol building.

Mr Trump addressed an audience of hundreds gathered for a two-day America First Agenda Summit, falling short of announcing plans to re-run for presidency in 2024.

Mr Tump has ignored pressure from allies to spend more time talking about his vision for the future, and less time speaking about the 2020 election result.

"I always say I ran the first time and I won. Then I ran a second time and I did much better. We got millions and millions more votes. And you know what? That's going to be a story for a long time. What a disgrace it was. But we may just have to do it again. We have to straighten out our game. I have to straighten out our country. We had it there. We had it."

And in sport, Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the singles draw at the Atlanta Open but he may still be available to continue in the doubles with Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis.

He says he is very disappointed to have withdrawn from singles contention.

"I've won this tournament once and you know I'm playing probably some of the best tennis of my career. And all I wanted to do was come out here and give you guys a show obviously to see what I was capable of. But I'm unable to give out my best performance today, and I'm just extremely sorry. But I'm going to keep my hopes up and may be able to continue doubles with Thanasi this week."

Kyrgios is believed to be dealing with a knee injury, and also struggled with a shoulder issue through Wimbledon.

Thanks for listening to SBS News in Easy English.


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