With all that this time of year serves up to us in Australia, important moments sometimes go missing.
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They're swept away by an avalanche of what sometimes starts out as patriotism but which morphs uncomfortably towards nationalism with scant regard for our nation's long Indigenous history.
And then there's the annual sport v science v culture clash that the Australia Day honours list traditionally provides. Well, we're not even going there thanks very much.
But here's one story that broke a few hours ago and, no doubt, there's much more to come.
Canberra Times reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy has revealed Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck is under fire amid revelations he attended the Ashes Test in Hobart the same day he declined to front Parliament's COVID-19 committee.
As you might expect, the opposition said it was "completely unacceptable" Senator Colbeck went to the cricket rather than "fronting up and doing his job". And also as you might expect, the senator's spokesman has called the claims "completely misguided". The outrage from both sides was real.
As it was elsewhere in Canberra today when 2021's Australian of the Year Grace Tame met with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Ms Tame, a survivor of child sexual abuse, has been vocal in her criticism of the coalition government's response to women's safety issues. She made her displeasure quite apparent at a morning tea and while she shook the PM's hand, there wasn't a lot of warmth there. Check out the video here.
Beyond our borders, life looked grim in the Ukraine as fears rise over potential Russian military intervention while Haiti, which sadly over-performs on the natural disaster scale, is dealing with another earthquake.
But let's not completely pop today's Canberra bubble. Anthony Albanese said today he believes Labor can end Australia's long-running climate policy wars should the opposition win the federal election.
Wow, an election. Who knew there was an election?
THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Grace Tame's awkward meeting with the Prime Minister
- Police release chiling CCTV in 9yo Charlise Mutten murder investigation
- NT region makes history with decision-making agreement
- Five people die with COVID in Illawarra
- Calls for in-school vaccination program
- COVID hospitalisation numbers jump in NSW as 29 more lives are lost
- Vegemite fanatic pushes for dedicated museum
- Ash Barty plays tonight. Here's how you can watch