Good morning and welcome to the Morning Buzz for Thursday, June 22. It’s set to be another sunny day, with expected highs of about 18 degrees. Enjoy your day!
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Here’s what’s making news this morning:
Johnathan Thurston does it again as Blues botch chance to win the series
Just when it looked like Mitchell Pearce would finally get his day in the sun, Johnathan Thurston does it again.
Thurston played virtually the entire game with one arm dragging behind him, but it wasn't the arm that proved the difference, slotting a sideline conversion just minutes from full time to seal a come-from-behind 18-16 win for Queensland against NSW at ANZ Stadium. Read more.
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Opal card loophole costs NSW Government $1.3m in lost revenue
The NSW government has lost at least $1.3 million due to an Opal card loophole which allows users to tap off with a negative balance and throw away the card, potentially saving $15 or more on a single journey.
Despite the NSW Audit Office flagging the loophole in its annual reports for the past two years, the number of passengers exploiting the system has surged. Read more.
Government secures numbers to pass new funding model into law
The Turnbull government has locked in the numbers for a stunning victory on its Gonski 2.0 school funding package by agreeing to fast-track its spending plan and pump an extra $5 billion into the nation's schools.
The government can pass its changes into law without the support of the Greens after it secured the necessary 10 votes from the Senate crossbench on Tuesday. Read more.
Court – not council – approves Kirrawee child care centre
The Land and Environment Court, rather than Sutherland Shire Council, gave the go-ahead for a new, 174-place childcare centre at Kirrawee.
It is understood the applicant applied to the court on the grounds the development application (DA) was deemed to have been refused because it was not determined within 40 days. Read more.
Blue Mountains misses out on arts funding: Doyle
The state government and Labor opposition have clashed over arts funding for the Blue Mountains.
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle attacked the arts allocation in the June 20 state budget, accusing the Liberal Party of “once again” forgetting the Blue Mountains. Read more.
Former rugby league player Craig Izzard found corrupt by ICAC
Former rugby league player Craig Izzard has been found corrupt by the Independent Commission Against Corruption for agreeing to accept bribes in exchange for not investigating unlawful asbestos dumping during his employment as an anti-dumping investigator.
Mr Izzard, a former investigator with the Western Sydney Regional Illegal Dumping Squad (RIDS), was found to have engaged in "serious corrupt conduct" by the commission on Tuesday. The matter has now been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for the consideration of criminal charges. Read more.
Australia all aflutter over half-mast flag mystery
It was a mystery that had people talking on Wednesday morning: why were so many flags flying at half-mast?
Sydney residents noticed flags on the Harbour Bridge and Anzac Bridge flying low and put the question out to Twitter. Read more.
Andrew Johns labels NSW Blues 'dumbest ever'
An incensed Andrew Johns has delivered a scathing assessment of NSW's performance in blowing a 16-6 lead on Wednesday night, branding it the "dumbest half of football" the Blues have played and blasting them for not targeting the suspect shoulder of matchwinner Johnathan Thurston.
Stunned by yet another Queensland fightback, to send this year's Origin campaign to a decider in Brisbane, NSW centre Josh Dugan conceded the hosts had been guilty of "putting the cue in the rack", while captain Boyd Cordner pointed the finger at breaches of discipline for letting slip what had appeared destined to be a series-clinching victory. Read more.
GWS Giants defender Heath Shaw prepares for his 250th AFL game
The press conference Giants veteran Heath Shaw gave ahead of Saturday's milestone match against the Brisbane Lions epitomised everything he's become as an AFL player over his 249-game career.
It was befitting of the larrikin reputation he's forged off the field, and the cheeky behaviour he's constantly displayed on it for the past 13 seasons, with Collingwood initially and now at GWS. Read more.
Milos Ninkovic in FIFA 17's rest of world team
A-League Johnny Warren Medallist Milos Ninkovic has received yet more recognition of his stellar Sydney FC campaign with inclusion in FIFA 17's rest of world team of the season.
EA Sports have been naming their FIFA 17 ultimate teams of the season featuring sides made up from the English Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga among various others. Read more.
