Latest news with #FourCorners

ABC News
a day ago
- Business
- ABC News
No Return: Australia's Missing Billions
The ATO is one of the most powerful and secretive institutions in the country, but for years, it's operated without effective scrutiny. In this major Four Corners investigation, award-winning financial journalists Neil Chenoweth and Angus Grigg reveal how inaction and flawed systems have allowed more than $50 billion in tax to go uncollected. They unpick how a simple scam, supercharged on social media, saw tens of thousands of Australians fraudulently claim at least $2 billion in GST refunds. They also show how corporate operators extracted millions more through fake invoices and phantom construction projects, often without triggering even basic checks. And they expose how deep cuts, digital automation and a lack of independent oversight has left one of Australia's most powerful institutions wide open to exploitation. Born of years of forensic reporting by two of Australia's most respected financial journalists in collaboration with the ABC's investigations team, No Return exposes systemic failures inside one of the nation's most opaque institutions. It demonstrates why every taxpayer should demand accountability from the very agency entrusted to uphold it. No Return, reported by Angus Grigg and Neil Chenoweth, and produced by Kyle Taylor, goes to air on Monday 28 July at 8:30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.


CBS News
a day ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Northern California's mild July continues. When will the triple-digit heat return?
This July has been too good to be true. Northern California has been one of the coolest spots in the country with fall-like temperatures in what's typically our hottest time of the year. Since mid-July, there hasn't been a hint of a major heatwave. Daytime highs across the Sacramento Valley have hovered consistently in the 80s, and just this Tuesday, many spots didn't even reach the upper 80s, a rarity for a typical summer. So when will the heat return, and could we be looking at late summer? It's possible. The driver for our mild weather lately has been a consistent weather pattern. Northern California has been sandwiched between two areas of high pressure, one to the north in the Gulf of Alaska and one to the southeast over the Four Corners region. This setup has created just enough space for troughs of low pressure to dip in, enhancing the coastal marine layer and fueling a strong Delta Breeze. This Delta Breeze acts like nature's air conditioner, a steady, onshore flow of cool air that not only brings relief in the mornings and evenings, but has been strong enough lately to keep even our afternoons mild. Keeping us out of any summertime heat. Patterns like this are stubborn, and current trends suggest it may hold through early August. So if you've been enjoying this cool-down, there's a good chance it will stick around a bit longer. Typically, July is one of the hottest months of the year in Northern California, often bringing multiple heatwaves and triple-digit temperatures across the Valley. But this year? Not the same. In 2024, Sacramento saw 16 days of highs at or above 100 degrees in July alone. Meanwhile, this July has so far brought only one day of 100-degree temperatures to Sacramento, on July 11. During July, Sacramento averages a high of 93 degrees. Looking at this July, we've only seen eight days at or above that number, with more than half the month below average. Historically, Sacramento's hottest stretch of the year runs from July 9 through August 5, when average highs peak at 93 degrees. So yes, we're technically in our summer prime, but it certainly hasn't felt like it. If we keep our stretch of mild highs through the end of the month with no other triple digits, we could tie a three-decade record. As the last time Sacramento saw only one 100° day in July was back in 1993. Expect highs in the low 80s to continue across the Valley through the rest of the week and into the weekend. In the Sierra and foothills, temperatures will stay comfortably in the 70s and 80s over the next seven days. Starting Wednesday afternoon through Saturday, daily thunderstorms are likely across the Sierra thanks to growing atmospheric instability. The best chances will be along the Sierra crest and eastern slopes. With best chances along the Sierra crest and eastern slopes. These storms will not be big rain-producers, yet storm threats will mainly be dry lightning, small hail, gusty winds and brief heavy rain. The dry lightning risk will keep fire danger elevated through the weekend. If you have any outdoor plans in the mountains, Sunday looks to be the best day with fewer storms expected. Temperatures begin to climb again toward the end of the month, with highs returning to the low and mid-90s by July 28–29. But even as we warm up, the overall pattern through the end of July and early August keeps California among the coolest regions in the country. According to the latest outlook from the Climate Prediction Center, below-average temperatures are likely to continue over the next 6–10 days. Make sure to stay with the CBS Sacramento First Alert weather team for updates to our mild summer pattern.


Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Four Corners 'meltdown' two hours before going to air. Plus, blind gossip hints at media Lothario's dark side... and which TV star has meth on his mind? INSIDE MAIL
By and JO SCRIMSHIRE and NICHOLAS COMINO and PETER VAN ONSELEN, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: | Sore corners In case you missed it, Four Corners poured a steaming bucket of s*** on Melbourne neurosurgeon Greg Malham this week, digging Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.

AU Financial Review
2 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
ATO waived former PM Paul Keating's $1m tax bill: ABC's Four Corners
Tax authorities wrote off an almost $1 million tax penalty owed by former prime minister Paul Keating via one of his companies in 2015, according to a report by ABC's Four Corners program. The Australian Tax Office had initially refused to waive the charge for interest and penalties, but reversed its decision three months after issuing a formal notice demanding payment. The entire dispute went on for more than three years.


Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Former Christchurch surgeon accused of 'sexist' and 'unprofessional' behaviour
Greg Malham was a renowned neurosurgeon in Melbourne. Photo: ABC News Four Corners A high-profile surgeon who grew up in Christchurch has resigned from a private hospital in Australia after an ABC News investigation into his behaviour at work. Greg Malham was a renowned neurosurgeon at Melbourne's largest private hospital, Epworth. Malham's website states he began his training 'in his hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand in 1982' before graduating in 1989 from the University of Otago. The ABC News Four Corners investigation looked into his behaviour at work. In the ABC News report, multiple stories of alleged sexist and unprofessional behaviour by Malham were found. They included 'uncomfortable nurses, crying radiographers, patients who thought he was egotistical and lacked care and compassion, and a devastated, grieving family of a young nurse who left a suicide note blaming Malham for her decision to end her life'. He was also seen in a viral video tearing down Kooyong independent Monique Ryan's election sign and saying "always gotta bury the body". In Melbourne's The Age, Epworth chief executive Andrew Stripp said the hospital was "deeply concerned by the unacceptable behaviour displayed by the surgeon" and he personally found the content of the video "abhorrent". Within weeks, Malham resigned from the hospital. Malham did not respond to questions from the Four Corners investigation, but in a preliminary call he said the corflute video was intended as a joke among a small group of friends and that his fondness for mobster movies had been misinterpreted. Malham pointed to his long and successful career at Epworth. Despite the scandal following the corflute video and his departure from Epworth, Malham was operating at Melbourne's Warringal Private Hospital. ABC News reported Warringal's code of conduct says it has zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour. Warringal's owner, Ramsay Health Care, said in a statement to Four Corners that Malham has "temporary credentialling" and his application for full credentialling was "currently progressing". It said all practitioners seeking to work there must agree to uphold its code of conduct and values.