PM

Australia's row with China just gets worse - Chinese media is in overdrive, and its embassy here lashes Australia's attempt to “deflect public attention” from potential Australian war crimes. Can Australia salvage this? And Tasmanians call for a film about the Port Arthur massacre to be scrapped – some say it's in poor taste and will glorify the killer.

A new low in Australia's relationship with China, as a furious Prime Minister savages China in a row over an offensive tweet; and a growing chorus of concern over the government's plan to merge the Family and Federal Circuit courts.

Australian wine all-but locked out of China – as Beijing slaps on crushing anti-dumping charges. Is iron ore next? And the Chief of Army defies a backlash from veterans – defending plans to strip a commendation from thousands of special forces who served in Afghanistan.

Iranian prisoners exchanged to secure the release of Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert. There's anger at Tehran's use of hostage diplomacy; and Meghan Markle's article about her miscarriage helps Australians speak more openly about the grief felt by so many women, but also men.

South Australia's hotel quarantine system is set for a shake-up, what should it look like done right? And a crisis for Australia's infection control experts revealed, as healthcare workers tell PM they've lost confidence.

More border rules are relaxing, and vaccines are proving effective – as Australia gets closer to living free with COVID; and two weeks after Joe Biden's election win, Donald Trump agrees his rival can have access to the offices and briefings a President-elect needs.

South Australian police view security camera footage – building a case against multiple people who may have lied to COVID contact tracers; and Australia's two biggest states linked again, as travel restrictions are lifted between New South Wales and Victoria.

A surprise early easing of lockdown for South Australians tonight .. but the cause and its implications are raising eyebrows. The state's decision to go into a 6-day hard lockdown was, it turns out, all based on a lie....told to contact tracers, by a man who works part-time in a pizza shop. Now it's been uncovered, greater freedoms will return from tomorrow night while SA police have set up a taskforce to investigate all of the information provided to the contact tracing teams. But why was the state's lockdown decision based on the testimony of a single person?

Also:

* The scheduled increase to the superannuation guarantee is again in doubt with the Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg saying the government will make a decision next year.

* A day after the release of a report detailing shocking evidence about the misconduct of Australian special forces in Afghanistan, we speak to David Kilcullen, a military strategist and former soldier who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

* Thousands of building subcontractors are bracing for a hit with the demise of industry giant Grocon.

* Australians stepped up this week making a record number of appointments to give blood, after an appeal about a shortage of supplies – but just how self-sufficient is Australia when it comes to collecting blood during a pandemic?

* And.. after eight months of lockdown, visitors will be allowed back into New South Wales prisons from Monday. Advocates say it's been a long and lonely year for many inmates, but there's arguably been some good to come from it too.

A former SAS paramedic goes on the record on the day a shocking and shameful report is released about the conduct of Australian special forces in Afghanistan. It finds evidence of 39 unlawful killings, some of them carried out as initiation rites. Dusty Miller says what he witnessed in Afghanistan in 2012 destroyed his military career and he hopes those responsible for the crimes go to jail.

Also on the program:

* Stephen Smith was Labor defence minister from 2010 to 2013 – a time when many of the alleged unlawful killings were carried out .. he's described the report has horrific and shameful .. and he says it risks leaving an indelible stain on Australia's reputation.

* Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwary on the reaction in Afghanistan to the revelations and the hopes of victims’ families for justice.

* Some encouraging signs on day one of South Australia’s strict COVID lockdown.

* A Coroner's report into the deadly Bourke Street rampage in Melbourne finds a perfect storm of police deficiencies contributed to the tragedy.

South Australians are flocking to shops and services ahead of the start at midnight of some of the strictest measures Australians have faced since the pandemic began. The tough new measures are being introduced in the hope they act as a circuit breaker on the spread of a cluster of coronavirus cases in Adelaide. We hear from those impacted and from a leading biosecurity expert, Professor Raina MacIntyre on the six day shutdown.

Also:

* The South Australian outbreak has quickly revealed vulnerabilities in the contingency plans of the state's neighbours. Booked hotels and a bird strike on a plane are among the reasons the NT government has got itself in difficulties after it was overwhelmed by a flood of arrivals in Alice Springs from SA.

* The New South Wales gambling regulator says it's "not comfortable" with Crown Resorts opening a multi-billion-dollar venue in Sydney's Barangaroo district after a startling admission from the casino operator.

* China correspondent Bill Birtles on the reaction in Beijing to the promised new defence pact between Australia and Japan.

* And... Donald Trump's continuing to purge his top security officials. The latest victim is Chris Krebs, the cybersecurity expert who declared this month's U-S election the "most secure in history".