Good morning, this is Richard Parkin bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Friday 31 August.

Top stories

Peter Dutton faces increasing scrutiny over his use of ministerial intervention after Guardian Australia revealed that an Italian au pair he saved from deportation intended to work for a former police colleague. A former immigration department official confirmed that au pair cases “overruled so quickly and at such a senior level” upset frontline staff.

A spokeswoman for Dutton denied any misuse of official powers: “Ministerial intervention powers have existed under Labor and Liberal ministers for many years, to be used in cases where special circumstances exist according to the law. Suggestions that somehow there is impropriety or some personal gain is completely false.” A Senate inquiry is investigating the case and will report back to parliament on 11 September. Dutton has also come under scrutiny after saving a French woman from deportation from Adelaide at the request of the AFL boss Gillon McLachlan.

A 68-year-old man has been arrested for threatening to kill staff at the Boston Globe, repeating accusations made the same day by Donald Trump of journalists reporting “fake news” and being the “enemy of the people”. The US attorney for Massachusetts, Andrew Lelling, said: “In a time of increasing political polarisation … members of the public must police their own political rhetoric. Or we will.” The newspaper, a former subsidiary of the New York Times, received 14 threatening phone calls from the man, including multiple promises to shoot staff, with specific times given.

The chief executive of the Australian Energy Council has blasted Angus Taylor, declaring that high electricity prices were due not to misconduct in the market but rather a decade-long vacuum in energy policy. Taylor outlined plans in his first speech as energy minister to use “last resort” divestiture powers to break up power cartels if they were found guilty of price gouging, but power companies point to a competition watchdog report clearing them of misconduct. Sarah McNamara concluded that prices “can be lower than where they are at the moment – but the missing piece of that puzzle is a national, bipartisan policy framework” such as the national energy guarantee.

The French public prosecutor has opened a preliminary investigation into rape and sexual assault allegations against the actor Gérard Depardieu, according to reports from France. A 22-year-old female actor complained to police on Monday about an alleged assault at Depardieu’s Paris home, a claim rejected “absolutely” by Depardieu’s lawyer. The 69-year-old Oscar-nominated actor is one of France’s biggest international stars and has made more than 180 films with top directors including François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard.

Climate change could trigger more than just temperature rises, with a new global study revealing a significant potential rise in the rate of crop destruction by pests. Overall losses could tally between 20% and 50%, with wheat, maize and rice dramatically affected. “Warmer temperatures increase insect metabolic rates exponentially [and] increase the reproductive rates,” said the lead researcher, Prof Curtis Deutsch. “You have more insects, and they’re eating more.” Should temperature rises approach 4C rather than 2C, the scenario is expected to be twice as severe, with the authors stating that their overall findings were deliberately conservative.

Sport

Nick Kyrgios has once again faced accusations of “tanking” after a come-from-behind win in the second round of the US Open. Trailing 4-6, 1-4, the Australian significantly lifted his game to beat Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-0. The 23-year-old will face Benoit Paire or Roger Federer in the third round.

Rugby Australia is implementing a training program to stamp out homophobic language after a study revealed that a clear majority of players don’t want homophobic “banter” yet at the same time take part in it, writes Kate O’Halloran. “When you tell people that gay people have a six times higher rate of suicide than straight people,” said the Rebels captain, Tom English, “I think it helps them really understand why homophobic language needs to stop.”

Thinking time

Deaths in custody are mandatorily reported to coroners for investigation, in each case putting families through tremendous trauma as answers are sought, writes Helen Davidson. The royal commission into deaths in custody made 339 recommendations, but as Guardian Australia’s Deaths Inside project has revealed this week, continuing high rates of deaths are occurring, 25 years on. “A lot of people wouldn’t be deceased if those recommendations had been followed,” the human rights lawyer George Newhouse said last year. Now coroners themselves are getting increasingly frustrated at a system that continues to fail Aboriginal people.

When it comes to Australian music, Brisbane has a history of punching above its weight. From the Bee Gees and Billy Thorpe, to the Saints and the lovelorn indie rock of the Go-Betweens. From the heartland rock of Powderfinger and the slick pop of Savage Garden, to pioneering female performers like Katie Noonan and Kate Miller-Heidke. Every September Australia’s biggest music conference, BigSound, takes over the city. To help us kick it off, we’d like to hear from you: what song do you think is quintessentially Brisbane?

It is a wet and blustery August morning: perfect Michael Caine weather. At 85, the actor reminisces about his 100-plus film career, which almost ended in 1978 after the utter stinker, The Swarm, writes Ryan Gilbey. Before the release of his new movie, King of Thieves, Caine reflects on crime and its motivation, including his own experiences growing up in south London. “I was a gentle soul, but some of my friends went out and smashed people up. I only knew one murderer. I based my character in Get Carter on him: the way he moved, everything.”

Media roundup

Tasmania’s premier, Will Hodgson, has denied misleading state parliament over his role in the sacking of the Cricket Tasmania employee Angela Williamson, reports the Mercury. Williamson is pursuing an unfair dismissal case which alleges that the premier and his health minister, Michael Ferguson, complained about social media comments she had made about abortion. A factory fire in Melbourne’s west appears likely to burn for days, warns the Herald Sun, with more than 100,000 residents advised to stay indoors owing to potential health risks. Nineteen surrounding suburbs have been issued a “watch and act” alert for toxic smoke. And Peter Dutton’s au pair drama isn’t truly scandalous, writes Waleed Aly for Fairfax, but it does call into question the minister’s uncompromising stance across his portfolio, including denying refugee children based on Nauru access to psychiatric care in Australia.

Coming up

The Catholic church releases its response to the child abuse royal commission’s recommendations at an 11am press conference in Sydney.

Queensland’s rank-and-file Labor members will vote on resolutions at the state Labor conference for the direction of the party going forward.

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