AU Brief — Thursday 10 September 2026
Thursday 10 September 2026
Good morning: a stark new report warns rising seas could cost Australia $855bn, plus reaction to Uganda's Invictus Games withdrawal, housing market debate and lighter fare from music, fashion and food.
Culture
David Byrne Reflects On Curiosity-Driven Music Career
Speaking on Take 5 With Zan Rowe, David Byrne discusses how curiosity, rather than an intention to become a musician, shaped his path from writing Psycho Killer to forming Talking Heads in New York. He describes being drawn into music after hearing The Byrds' version of Mr Tambourine Man, and how New York's club scene, including venues like CBGBs, influenced his creative development. Now 74, Byrne continues to tour and collaborate, citing curiosity as central to his ongoing work.
Sources: ABC News
Culture
Practical Magic 2 charms critics but loses depth
Practical Magic 2, the sequel to the 1998 film based on Alice Hoffman's books, brings back Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, with Joey King and Maisie Williams playing the next generation. Directed by Susanne Bier, the film is described as visually cohesive with the original and features Lee Pace as a witchcraft expert. A review notes the sequel is bigger in scale and star power but shifts focus more toward magic than the domestic abuse themes that grounded the first film, and is now showing in cinemas.
Sources: ABC News
Culture
Quiz Tests Knowledge Of Upcoming Live Music Tours
Double J has published a quiz focused on a number of upcoming live music tours and events. The item notes the financial cost of attending such events, framing it against everyday expenses like utility bills. It also points readers to Double J for ongoing tour announcement updates.
Sources: ABC News
World
Uganda pulls out of Invictus Games over royal row
Uganda's military chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, announced on X that Uganda will withdraw from the Duke of Sussex's Invictus Games, saying the move reflects respect for King Charles. He linked the decision to internal division over Prince Harry and Meghan, following a royal household letter clarifying the couple are no longer working royals. Uganda had only recently joined as the 26th nation in the event for wounded service personnel.
Sources: Guardian Australia
Culture
Malkovich pulls out of Tel Aviv show over false quote
John Malkovich has cancelled a planned April appearance in Tel Aviv for The Music Critic after a PR firm hired by the show's promoter attributed fabricated quotes of solidarity with Israel to him. The firm apologised, confirming Malkovich never authorised the statement, and the actor said he could not proceed with the performance as a result. Malkovich also clarified that his appearances in any country do not imply endorsement of its policies or political causes.
Sources: Guardian Australia
Health
Sex expert Alix Fox answers reader questions on intimacy
In a Q&A session, sex expert Alix Fox responded to reader questions covering topics including foreplay communication in new relationships, unexplained pain during sex, and messy play with food. She recommended 'Yes/No/Maybe' checklists from Justin Hancock and Meg-John Barker to help couples discuss sexual preferences. For a reader experiencing years of unpredictable pain during intercourse, Fox suggested seeking a new gynaecologist and mentioned The Eve Appeal's 'Ask Eve' helpline as a resource.
Sources: Guardian Australia
Economy
Analyst disputes claims of housing market collapse
Total Australian dwelling values fell 0.3% in the June quarter, a $34bn drop, but remain $948bn higher than a year earlier at $12.18tn. Average dwelling prices fell 0.7% nationally, driven by declines in NSW and Victoria, though prices rose elsewhere and were higher in every state than a year ago. The piece argues recent falls, linked to interest rate rises and tax changes to capital gains discount and negative gearing, do not reverse long-term price growth, noting Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane house prices have more than doubled in six years.
Sources: Guardian Australia
Weather & Climate
Report Warns Rising Seas Could Cost Australia $855bn
A Climate Council report projects $855.1 billion in economic losses across Australia by 2100 due to coastal flooding driven by rising sea levels, affecting more than 267,000 properties and 2 million hectares of land. Queensland, NSW and Western Australia face the highest number of at-risk homes, while urban areas including the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Melbourne are expected to be hit hardest. A NSW farmer near the Clarence Valley described worsening flood impacts on his cattle property, noting shrinking flood-free land during major events.
Sources: Guardian Australia
Science & Tech
Microsoft Caps Xbox Cloud Gaming Streaming Hours
Microsoft has introduced monthly limits of 5-15 hours for game streaming, depending on subscription tier, marking a shift from its previous approach to cloud gaming. The company says only 4% of Game Pass subscribers stream for more than 15 hours monthly, and cites rising data costs partly driven by AI infrastructure demand. Past cloud gaming ventures including OnLive and Google Stadia have shut down, while Sony and Nvidia continue offering streaming services.
Sources: Guardian Australia
Culture
Fashion writer says heatwave ended shirt-tucking habit
A fashion columnist describes how an extended hot summer changed her approach to dressing, moving away from tucking in shirts towards looser, non-tucked clothing for comfort. She notes similar loose styling was observed among attendees at Paris and Rome haute couture shows in July, and references comments by Alexa Chung on a podcast about tucking feeling outdated. The piece also describes a styling technique called the 'Reverse French' tuck as a compromise option.
Sources: Guardian Australia
Culture
Simple corn cob chowder recipe skips cream and stock
A recipe outlines a stripped-back corn chowder made using fresh corn cobs, potatoes, onion, butter and milk, without cream, stock or garlic. The method involves scraping pulp and milk from spent cobs, a zero-waste technique inspired by NewEngland.com. It serves two and includes optional bay leaf, lemon or lime, and parsley.
Sources: Guardian Australia
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