![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/7869.jpg\")
A firefighter walks in front of burning trees as a wildfire rages near Marcheprime, outside Bordeaux. Photograph: Emma Da Silva\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\nUpdated at\u00a018.36 EDT<\/p>\n
Key events<\/p>\n
![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785451824_873_Tom_McIlroy.png\")
Tom McIlroy<\/p>\n
Governor general warns of \u2018growing catastrophe\u2019 that threatens to undermine democracy in Australia<\/p>\n
Australia faces a \u201cgrowing catastrophe\u201d from poor understanding of the country\u2019s constitutional foundation, the governor general, Sam Mostyn, has warned as attacks on institutions and threats against elected officials undermine democratic participation.<\/p>\n
Sam Mostyn. Photograph: Toms Kalni\u0146\u0161\/EPA<\/p>\n
Two years after her appointment as King Charles\u2019s representative in Canberra, and as she brings a modern touch to the role of vice regal, Mostyn said that knowledge of how the country\u2019s system of government operates was in steady decline and better civics education was needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere I see the most woeful lack of understanding \u2026 the basic understanding of the tenets of our democracy, is in the adult population,\u201d Mostyn said.<\/p>\n
Read more here:<\/p>\n
Share<\/a> Icac revelations have left Angus Taylor\u2019s colleagues anxious \u2013 and his factional enemies angry<\/p>\n After the opening days of an inquiry exposing a dark underbelly of the New South Wales Liberals, the prevailing mood among Angus Taylor\u2019s colleagues is one of apprehension.<\/p>\n The federal opposition leader is not a specific target of Operation Rosny, which is investigating allegations of corruption against people associated with the NSW branch. He is not accused of wrongdoing.<\/p>\n But Taylor is the highest-profile person mentioned so far \u2013 and the political figure with the most to lose.<\/p>\n Read more here:<\/p>\n Angus Taylor. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts\/AAPShare<\/a>Australia sends France 24 firefighters and two aircraft to tackle wildfires<\/p>\n Australia is sending firefighting teams to support rescue efforts in France, amid raging wildfires in Europe.<\/p>\n The government said a Chinook helicopter equipped with a 11,300-litre water tank and a support aircraft would be deployed, alongside 24 skilled aerial and ground crew from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.<\/p>\n Officials said in a statement:<\/p>\n double quotation markTogether, they will support around-the-clock firefighting operations, providing much-needed relief to emergency services responding on the ground.<\/p>\n The wildfires in France are among the worst the country has experienced in decades, driven by multiple active fire fronts and a prolonged summer heatwave.<\/p>\n The NSW RFS is internationally recognised as an expert in bushfire management and represents the very best of Australian emergency management capability.<\/p>\n A firefighter walks in front of burning trees as a wildfire rages near Marcheprime, outside Bordeaux. Photograph: Emma Da Silva\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.36 EDT<\/p>\n Leaders gather for Garma festival<\/p>\n A children\u2019s TV megastar, foreign dignitaries and thousands of visitors will converge on remote north-east Arnhem Land for the Garma festival, which carries the Yol\u014bu theme \u201cBukmak\u201d \u2013 all of us, everyone, together.<\/p>\n The four-day celebration of Yol\u014bu life and culture kicks off on Friday at the Gulkula ceremonial site, about 40km from Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula, with organisers expecting between 5,500 and 6,000 people through the gates.<\/p>\n Foreign minister Penny Wong, education minister Jason Clare and Indigenous affairs minister Malarndirri McCarthy will be among those attending the gathering, which has become one of Australia\u2019s most important forums for Indigenous policy and cultural exchange.<\/p>\n An artwork at the 26th annual Garma festival in Gulkula, Northern Territory. Photograph: James Ross\/AAP<\/p>\n The political heavyweights will share the spotlight with Australia\u2019s most famous blue heeler, with Bluey going bush for a special visit to Yol\u014bu country on Friday so families and djamarrkuli (children) can say yukurr (hello) and grab a selfie.<\/p>\n After dark, all five Bluey episodes translated into Yol\u014bu Matha by the ARDS team will roll out on the big screen, with the crew behind the dubs on hand to share the moment.<\/p>\n Garma is Australia\u2019s largest Indigenous gathering, a four-day celebration of Yol\u014bu life and culture in remote north-east Arnhem Land.<\/p>\n Garma runs from Friday to Monday.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.12 EDT<\/p>\n Most Australians say they face barriers accessing dental care, survey finds<\/p>\n Three-quarters of the 25,000 Australians surveyed in the Australian Dental Association\u2019s 2025 consumer survey said they faced barriers to accessing dental care, which could be forcing them to delay or avoid it.<\/p>\n The survey found cost was the biggest obstacle to regular dental care for young adults, but a lack of free time and reduced access to support were also factors.<\/p>\n Cost pressures outlined in the survey support a decades-long push to improve affordability of dental care by adding dental to Medicare.<\/p>\n The average cost of a dental check-up and clean in Australia last year was just below $240, according to Cleanbill\u2019s 2025 National Dental Listings Report.<\/p>\n The association also says social media is driving a surge in cosmetic dental procedures.<\/p>\n Photograph: Medicimage\/UIG\/REXShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.43 EDT<\/p>\n Indigenous community rejects $150m Fortescue payout<\/p>\n A legal battle involving Indigenous land rights is set to return to court after native title holders rejected a court-ordered $150m compensation payout, Australian Associated Press reports.<\/p>\n The federal court ordered in May that Andrew Forrest\u2019s company Fortescue pay the Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation the sum in compensation for mining on its land without an agreement and destroying cultural sites.<\/p>\n Yesterday a meeting of Yindjibarndi native title body members voted unanimously to appeal the decision, in order to seek more from the miner.<\/p>\n Yindjibarndi Group chief executive, Michael Woodley, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt was a long, emotional day, which resulted in a decision by all attendees to put family and Ngurra [Country] first.<\/p>\n The decision represents the strong connection between Yindjibarndi People and our Ngurra, and what we hold as the key value of our community \u2013 that is, a successful future for the next generations.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.30 EDT<\/p>\n Good morning, blog readers. Nick Visser here to take the reins and guide us through Friday. Let\u2019s get to it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Federal, state and territories meet over reform of working with children checks Attorneys general are meeting in Darwin on Friday to work on nationalising the working with children check \u2013 sparked by serious allegations of safety breaches and child abuse in the childcare sector.<\/p>\n But a fully nationalised system will only be in place under current timelines from mid-2028 \u2013 two years from now.<\/p>\n The Coalition<\/a> in recent days has put pressure on the government\u2019s timeline and accused it of delaying the national system.<\/p>\n The federal attorney general, Michelle Rowland, says today the AGs will seek agreement on a baseline of criminal offences which will automatically bar a person from being granted or hold a working with children check (WWCC), and discuss minimum standards for WWCC risk assessment processes.<\/p>\n Rowland says:<\/p>\n double quotation markAll governments have made significant progress towards delivering a national approach to Working with Children Checks … I am confident my state and territory colleagues will take the next big step today and agree on nationally consistent minimum standards and information sharing.<\/p>\n![\"Dan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785451824_688_Dan_Jarvis-Bardy.png\")
Dan Jervis-Bardy<\/p>\n![\"Krishani](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785451825_554_Krishani_Dhanji.png\")
Krishani Dhanji<\/p>\n