The Brief · Oct 21

1. Death threats force Victoria to rethink election security
2. Former fast-food worker Emma Kingdon elected ACTU president
3. Australia tests if parked electric car batteries can earn money from the grid
4. Salary sacrifice to super beats mortgage payments by $7,330 over 10 years
5. Former Kenyan netball player builds new family in Wollongong
6. One in five hurt in prescription errors as safety row over pharmacist powers
7. Rooster stranded on river netting rescued and named River Phoenix
8. El Niño sea levels surge 40cm as Kelvin waves push warm water across Pacific

Political, health, financial and environmental systems show simultaneous strain, testing how Australians adapt and persist.