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TheConversationAU
Politicians know defamation laws can silence women, but they won’t do anything about it
This piece is the second in a series on Australia’s defamation laws. You can read the first article here. Over recent years, forces like the #MeToo movement have shone a light on how Australia’s defamation laws play out for women. These laws influence whether and how women speak about their experiences of violence and harassment. Multiple high-profile cases have highlighted the gender dynamics at play. Both Geoffrey Rush’s successful defamation claim against the Daily Telegraph in 2018 and Bruce Lehrmann’s ongoing litigation against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson attracted much media attention. This included commentary about how defamation can silence women....
The power of nostalgia: why it’s healthy for you to keep returning to your favourite TV series
How often do you find yourself hitting “play” on an old favourite, reliving the same TV episodes you’ve seen before – or even know by heart? I’m a chronic re-watcher. Episodes of sitcoms like Blackadder (1983–89), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–21), Doc Martin (2004–22) and The Office US (2005–13) – a literal lifetime of TV favourites – are usually dependable in times of stress. But recently, ahead of an exceptionally challenging deadline, I found myself switching up my viewing. Instead of the escapist comedy I normally return to, I switched to Breaking Bad (2008–13), a nail-biting thriller with a complex reverse hero...
In the rare event of a vaccine injury, Australians should be compensated
Vaccination is one of the most effective methods to protect individuals and the broader public from disease. Vaccines are typically given to healthy people to prevent disease, so the bar for safety is set high. People benefit from vaccination at an individual level because they’re protected from disease. But for some vaccines, strong community uptake leads to “herd immunity”. This means people who are unable to be vaccinated can be protected by the “herd”. As with any prescribed medicine, vaccines can cause side effects. In the rare case that COVID vaccines did cause a specified serious injury (the scheme listed...
In Slick, Royce Kurmelovs exposes just how long, and hard, the fossil fuel industry has worked to advance its interests
If Australia was a small developing country, then the ability of the oil and gas industry to exploit our political system, and in turn our natural resources, would make perfect sense. Most people have read stories of multinational companies bending the domestic policies of developing countries to suit the interests of the fossil fuel industry. Few people would believe that a country like Australia would fall for the same tricks. But as freelance journalist Royce Kurmelovs points out in his new book Slick: Australia’s Toxic Relationship with Big Oil, most people underestimate just how far in advance the fossil fuel...
The internet can be toxic. But there are also online oases where mutual care flourishes
This piece is part of a series on the great internet letdown. Read the rest of the series. The internet can be a toxic place. Disinformation, hate speech and trolling are not just abundant – they are encouraged by the economy of clicks which governs many online platforms. There are no good clicks, no bad clicks, only clicks. By that metric, mutual hostility is great, because it results in lots of clicks. But this is only one side of the web. As I have discovered in my research there are also lesser-known places on the internet where mutual care flourishes. These...
Beyond the ivory tower: universities need to prioritise the entrepreneurial mindset, not just new ideas
As universities consider their future in the 21st century, many are embracing the concept of “innovation” in their strategic plans. According to Harvard Business School, innovation is “a product, service, business model or strategy that’s both novel and useful”. By focusing on innovation, universities are attempting to position themselves as drivers of progress – as institutions that generate knowledge and apply it to solve the world’s most pressing problems. But here’s the catch: fewer universities embrace “entrepreneurship” similarly, despite it being the critical bridge between innovation and real-world impact. Innovation vs entrepreneurship It’s easy to see why universities are more comfortable with innovation. Labs,...
More Australians are using their superannuation for medical procedures. But that might put their financial health at risk
A record number of Australians are accessing their superannuation early on compassionate grounds, mainly to fund their own medical procedures – or those of a family member. Some 150,000 Australians have used the scheme in the last five years. Nearly 40,000 people had applications approved in 2022-23, compared to just under 30,000 in 2018-19 – an increase of 47%. Some people think this flexible use of funds is a good way to ensure people can fund their own medical needs. But more transparency and better oversight is needed. What are compassionate grounds? Since July 2018, the Australian Tax Office has administered the early...
View from The Hill: The Greens’ demands on the RBA make for bad economic policy. Is it also crazy politics?
When the Greens tell Labor they’re ready to negotiate, what they usually mean is they’re preparing to make populist demands that can’t or shouldn’t be met. So it is with their “ask” on the Reserve Bank legislation. Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants to split the Reserve Bank board into two, one to run monetary policy and the other to administer the bank. He got close to agreement with the Liberals, but then they saw an advantage in walking away. The Greens jumped in to fill the void, demanding an interest rate cut in exchange for their support. “Both the Treasurer and...
Offering end of life support as part of home care is important – but may face some challenges
Earlier this month, the government announced major changes to aged care in Australia, including a A$4.3 billion investment in home care. Alongside a shake up of home care packages, the Support at Home program will include an important addition – an end of life pathway for older Australians. This pathway will allow access to a higher level of in-home aged care services to help Australians stay at home as they come to the end of their life. Specifically, it will provide an extra A$25,000 for palliative support when a person has three months or less left to live. This is a positive...
Woolworths and Coles sued by ACCC for allegedly misleading shoppers over the price of more than 500 products
At a time most people are trying to cut their weekly grocery bills, Australia’s supermarket giants have been hit with legal action for allegedly misleading shoppers over the price of hundreds of products. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Monday announced it was launching separate actions in the Federal Court against the largest and second-largest grocery chains, Woolworths and Coles. The ACCC alleges the two have systematically misled consumers over price discounts on hundreds of everyday products. The ACCC chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, said the alleged wrongdoing involved the sales of “tens of millions” of products, reaping “significant” extra revenue...
Earth is getting a tiny new mini-moon. It won’t be the first (or the last)
Earth is going to have its very own mini-moon from September 29 until November 25. The regular Moon’s new, temporary friend is 2024 PT₅, an asteroid captured from the Arjuna asteroid group (called the “Arjunas”). Our new mini-moon is approximately 10 metres in diameter and will be captured by Earth’s gravity for 57 days. It’s small and faint, so it won’t be visible by the eye or with small telescopes, but will be visible to larger telescopes. What is a mini-moon? NASA defines “moons” as “naturally formed bodies that orbit planets”. Intuitively, we think of moons as big rocks that stick...
Greek gods, Victoria’s war memorial and an otherworldly love story: Australia’s graphic novel love affair
In Australia, sales of graphic novels grew by 34% in 2022, according to Books+Publishing. Their commercial success is mirrored by critical acclaim, with graphic nonfiction especially well represented in our major literary awards. Last year, Eloise Grills made headlines when big beautiful female theory was shortlisted for the Stella Prize. And Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System by Safdar Ahmed was named Book of the Year at the 2022 New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards. So why is there a relative scarcity of book-length comics by Australian comics makers and publishers? Review: The Islands Where We Left Our Ancestors by...
Am I The Asshole? How judging other people’s dirty laundry became the internet’s favourite pastime
You don’t have to be an avid Reddit user to know about r/AITA, or Am I the Asshole? This subreddit’s digital afterlife reaches endlessly across the vast plains of social media – particularly on Facebook, where spin-off pages abound. There are dedicated AITA podcasts, X accounts and copycat columns – even a YouTube series. The original forum serves up neatly packaged snippets of other people’s personal dramas. Narcissistic exploits and gobsmacking tales of entitlement dominate the space, alongside run-of-the-mill social quandaries. While other subreddits have accumulated larger followings than AITA’s 20 million or so members, it remains one of the most...
Harris’ post-debate gains sustained in US polls, but Republicans likely to gain Senate control
The United States presidential election will be held on November 5. In analyst Nate Silver’s aggregate of national polls, Democrat Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump by 49.2–46.2. In my previous US politics article last Wednesday, Harris led Trump by 48.9–46.0. Joe Biden’s final position before his withdrawal as Democratic candidate on July 21 was a national poll deficit against Trump of 45.2–41.2. It’s been nearly two weeks since the September 10 debate between Harris and Trump. In my previous article I was sceptical that Harris’ post-debate gains would be sustained, but they have been. The US president isn’t elected by...
The pressing case for a new emergency visa to help people fleeing Gaza and other conflicts
Recent conflicts in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza have displaced large numbers of people. In each case, Australia’s humanitarian response has been different. Some people have been able to acquire a visa and travel to Australia relatively easily; others have been stuck. Once here, wildly varying visa entitlements mean some people have access to work rights, health care and other services; others are barely surviving. In a new policy brief, we argue the Australian government should create a new emergency visa for humanitarian crises. We believe the government needs a more streamlined, equitable, predictable and effective response to assist people...
The United Nations has a plan to govern AI – but has it bought the industry’s hype?
The United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has released its final report on governing AI for humanity. The report presents a blueprint for addressing AI-related risks while still enabling the potential of this technology. It also includes a call to action for all governments and stakeholders to work together in governing AI to foster development and protection of all human rights. On the surface, this report seems to be a positive step forward for AI, encouraging developments while also mitigating potential harms. However, the finer details of the report expose a number of concerns. Reminiscent of the IPCC The...
Move over Olympians, Australia’s wildlife are incredible athletes
Now that the Paris Olympics and Paralympics have disappeared from our screens, let’s get back to watching animal videos. But seriously, have you ever paused to think about the athletic abilities of Australian wildlife? In my research as an ecologist, I’m constantly amazed by the strength, speed and resilience of our native animals. Their prowess is testament to the wonders of evolution, and the necessity of species having to adapt to challenging and changing environments in order to survive. Let’s take a closer look at some of our best competitors and how might they fare, against humans and overseas entrants. On your...
Dogma or data? Why sentencing reforms in NZ will annoy judges and clog the courts
The Luxon government surely has little sense of irony. Shortly after introducing the Parliament Bill, designed to reinforce the fundamental constitutional principle of the separation of powers, it has introduced the Sentencing Reform (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to constrain the judicial arm of the state. Its purpose is to put more people into prison for longer. In its Regulatory Impact Statement, the Ministry of Justice estimates 1,350 people will be added to the current prison population. The ministry is also clear that most of the changes are unnecessary and rest on inadequate consultation, particularly with Māori. The main change the bill makes...
Federal Newspoll still tied but Albanese’s ratings up; Queensland Newspoll has big LNP lead
A national Newspoll, conducted September 16–20 from a sample of 1,249, had a 50–50 tie for the third consecutive time. Since the last Newspoll three weeks ago, primary votes were 38% Coalition (steady), 31% Labor (down one), 13% Greens (up one), 6% One Nation (down one) and 12% for all Others (up one). Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved five points to -8, with 51% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied. Peter Dutton’s net approval was down two points to -15. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by 46–37 (45–37 previously). The graph below shows Albanese’s net approval in Newspoll this term....
How did they get my data? I uncovered the hidden web of networks behind telemarketers
Last year, I started getting a lot of unsolicited phone calls, mainly from people trying to sell me things. This came as a surprise because, as a data scientist, I am very careful about what personal information I let out into the world. So I set out to discover what had happened. My investigation took several months. It eventually led me to the labyrinthine world of data brokers. In today’s digital age, where personal data is a new kind of gold, these companies wield significant power, creating networks where our personal information is shared between brokers and telemarketers...
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