7 Monday morning news bites (June 27)

Welcome back! Hope your weekend was all that and more. And filled with lovely things. But it’s Monday and that means, at the very least, we should kick off the working week with what’s making news. It’s been a busy weekend for news and we’ve made it easy for you to catch up. Enjoy!

1. Gillard announces carbon tax compo, Abbott says it’s a con.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says nine out of ten homes in Australia will be handed tax cuts and compensation through family tax benefits as part of her carbon tax compensation plan. Opposition leader Tony Abbott says he would deliver his own cuts without the carbon tax if he is voted in at the next election. While the price on carbon is yet to be set, some are now saying it will be $20 per tonne which would be an average jump in living costs of $500 a year or $10 a week for households. The compo will kick in from July 1 next year.

2. Steve Irwin’s Dad approached to run for seat in Queensland Parliament.

It’s no secret Bob Irwin has been a bit of a crusader on environmental issues lately, including being fined $300 for protesting against the Coal Seam Gas industry. Now he’s been approached to run against the Liberal National leader-in-waiting Campbell Newman and popular Labor Party incumbent Kate Jones. Bob would likely run as a candidate for the Queensland Party or as an Independent. That would make the race for the seat of Ashgrove a really interesting race indeed.

3. Do we need the 5 cent piece any more?

The Aussie Mint reckons the 5 cent piece is passed its use by date. Sounds fair enough, given it now costs more than five cents to print the 5 cent piece. Of course that wouldn’t make everyone happy. Charities are major recipients of 5 cent pieces as donations and, well, if it’s taken away shops and retailers may round up to the 10-cent price mark instead. Insert pun about whether any of this makes sense now.

4. Brazil confirms existence of tribe that has been ‘uncontacted’ by civilisation.

These stories are always fascinating. A whole tribe of people who don’t know what a mobile phone is, who have apparently never seen a car … and probably very happy because of it. The Brazilian Government has a policy of not contacting tribes who live deep within the forests, but had to try and warn this group as they were moving closer to loggers in the area.

5. New York State approves gay marriage in narrow vote.

In what’s been called the ‘tipping point’ for the legalisation of same sex marriage in America, New York has voted to allow it. Republicans and Democrats came together in the Senate to vote 33 to 29. Governor Andrew Cuomo had made same sex marriage approval one of his key priorities and cheered with supporters when signing the bill. This makes New York the largest state to allow gay marriage.

6. Australia’s richest ever person sues for more.

Gina Rinehart, worth some $10 billion, is suing Rio Tinto with the daughter of her father’s former business partner Angela Bennett for some $134 million in royalties they claim they are owed from two mines that have been producing iron ore for almost two decades in the Pilbara. Phew.

7. Yoda is the ugliest dog in the world.

It’s not a very nice competition as such, but the owners do win money. Which might explain how the owners of Yoda the Chinese crested Chihuahua cross won the title of world’s ugliest dog. Theatrical Yoda might have a reputation of being wise, but that title can’t be good for the self esteem. Judge this one for yourself.

Noticed anything in the news that has grabbed your attention?

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