The poor priorities and inconsistencies of Anthony Albanese’s government are nearly summed up by the political manoeuvres taking place as we enter the final parliamentary sitting period before the summer break. They are tangible evidence for why Labor is floundering in the polls in just its first term in power. On the one hand, Labor spent months telling us its misinformation bill was a vital reform aimed at stamping out… you guessed it, misinformation in public discourse.

A former MI6 spy chief has accused Labour of putting national security at risk following its ‘deeply’ worrying cuts to defence spending. Sir Richard Dearlove, who was head of MI6 between 1999 and 2004, has claimed the new government is showing no urgency in the face of international crises. In words reported by the Daily Telegraph, Sir Richard said: ‘I’m deeply worried about aspects of this new Government, particularly when it comes to national security – and these are ultimately issues of national security.

A Texas father who tried for years to stop his ex-wife from allowing his pre-teen child, who now identifies as ‘Luna,’ to be chemically castrated has been dealt a blow in California court. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Juhas ruled that Jeff Younger’s ex-wife Anne Georgulas would be granted full custody of his 12-year-old son James and would be able to allow him to transition. It comes as a blow to Younger, 59, who announced on X that he ‘lost all parental rights’ over his twins and wished his children goodbye.

A visiting UK professor of medicine stunned radio host Ben Fordham by delivering a blistering takedown of Covid lockdowns, quarantine, masks, and vaccines. Angus Dalgleish, a professor of oncology at London’s St George’s University who also sits on the European Commission Cancer Board, told Fordham Australia’s Covid response was ‘absolutely appalling’, ‘madness’ and ‘disgraceful’. His unconventional views go against the recent Covid Response Inquiry verdict that ‘Australia fared well relative to other nations that experienced larger losses in human life, health system collapse and more severe economic downturns’.

President elect Donald Trump reportedly plans to issue an executive order on his ‘first day in office’ to ban transgender members of the military. The controversial order would cause as many as 15,000 active service members to be ‘medically discharged’ – deeming them unfit to serve, according to The Times. Trump seeks to issue the executive action on January 20, 2025 or Day 1 of his term, the Times said, preventing any transgender people from enlisting in the military as all branches continue to struggle with recruitment.

A gang of shoplifters dubbed the ‘Morrisons Four’ by police stole £120,000 of goods from British supermarkets on the orders of an international crime gang, an investigation has found. The shoplifters were ordered to steal from more than 50 branches of Morrisons by gangs from Romania, who then resold the goods through a wholesaler and car boot sales. A new Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, Britain’s Shoplifting Gangs Exposed, lays bare how dozens of retailers appear to have been targeted in this way.