Morning Mail: doctors warn of long Covid, green light for giant grid batteries, Bali bomber released

In today's newsletter: AMA says weak political leadership' has opened the door to ongoing virus risk; abhorrent' Umar Patek out on parole; David Warner launches spray at Cricket Australia

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Morning everyone. Even as the spectre of Covid recedes for many Australians, a lot of people are living with serious and chronic after-effects of the virus. Australia's peak doctors' body is so concerned about the impact of long Covid on the population and the health system that it thinks governments should reconsider mask mandates to address the problem.

Energy ministers are gathering in Brisbane today to discuss long-term changes to the power grid, and David Warner proves the scars of cricket's ball-tampering scandal still run deep.

Defend the truth' | Brittany Higgins has spoken for the first time since the planned retrial of Bruce Lehrmann was abandoned, tweeting last night that she would be willing to defend the truth" as a witness in any potential civil cases brought by Mr Lehrmann".

Covid weakness' | The Australian Medical Association has blasted weak political leadership" for what it sees as the premature relaxation of anti-Covid measures, saying that the health system is not prepared" to deal with long-term issues stemming from the pandemic.

Heatwave warning | Homes in remote communities that are so poorly insulated they rise to temperatures that can cook bodies" will put people's lives at risk in the coming days as a dangerous heatwave pushes the mercury over 40C in northern Australia.

Battery pack | Australia's energy ministers are expected to sign off on a scheme to accelerate the take-up of giant batteries to support the decarbonisation of the grid when they gather in Brisbane today, but are unlikely to make a decision on any Albanese government proposal to impose price caps on coal and gas.