Morning Mail: Coalition’s energy rules ‘timebomb’, Trump’s spokeswoman resigns, Europe enjoys solar blackout

Want to get this in your inbox every weekday? Sign up for the Morning Mail here, and finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletterMorning everyone.The Coalition is facing pushback over its pledge to scrap construction rules aimed at improving energy efficiency for homes.Energy ‘timebomb’ | A Coalition plan to abolish compulsory energy standards for new homes that help reduce people’s exposure to heat and cold has been criticised by advocates as a “cost-of-living timebomb” that would deepen inequality. The Liberal senator Andrew Bragg outlined the plan in a wide-ranging speech yesterday.‘Gayest’ party | Barnaby Joyce has defended One Nation as “one of the gayest parties in Australia” after comments surfaced from one of its failed candidates describing same-sex attraction as a mental illness.ABC ‘overreach’ | The ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, has promised to change editorial guidelines on satire and violence after the broadcaster aired a program featuring offensive comments about Gina Rinehart, sparking concerns about overreach.Smelter pledge | Anthony Albanese and the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, will announce a major bailout of Australia’s largest aluminium smelter in a deal worth $2.5bn.Exclusive | Victorian police are investigating allegations that a car was deliberately driven at speed towards a protester taking part in an anti-racism rally in Melbourne last month. Continue reading...