Jim Chalmers ‘optimistic’ AI could be drive for good, however realises ‘dangers’
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is speaking in regards to the priorities of his upcoming productiveness roundtable at a press convention. He had this to say on synthetic intelligence:
I’m optimistic that AI could be a drive for good, however I’m additionally life like in regards to the dangers. It isn’t past us, in my opinion, to maximise the alternatives of AI whereas we handle the dangers the perfect that we will.
We are able to chart a center course that makes our employees and our folks and our industries beneficiaries, not victims, of technological change … The one solution to make our folks and employees and industries beneficiaries is that if we deal with AI as an enabler, not an enemy, of what we need to see in our financial system. Which means listening to folks. It means empowering employees with the precise expertise as effectively.
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Up to date at 19.53 EDT
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Col Joye, rock’n’roll trailblazer, dies at 89
Sian Cain
Col Joye, the primary Australian rock’n’roll musician to land a No 1 on the nationwide music charts, has died aged 89.
The singer, born Colin Jacobsen in 1937, died on Tuesday night time, his brother and former bandmate Kevin Jacobsen confirmed to Guardian Australia.
Joye began out as a member of the KJ Quintet, which was fronted by his brother Kevin and included their brother Keith, in Sydney in 1957. The band “impulsively” modified their identify to Col Joye and the Pleasure Boys – a choice they later regretted – however their single Bye Bye Child hit No 1 on the Sydney music charts in 1959 and No 3 nationally.
Their third single, Oh Yeah Uh Huh, launched in October 1959, was the primary rock music recorded and produced in Australia to turn into a nationwide No 1 pop hit; unusually, the music’s beat was supplied by the sound of a typewriter.
Each Kevin and Colin went into leisure administration, with Colin signing the Bee Gees to Joye Music after seeing them carry out in Surfers Paradise in 1961. The Gibb brothers carried out backing vocals on Joye’s 1963 hit Starlight of Love.
Joye was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1981 and inducted into the Aria Corridor of Fame in 1988.
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Up to date at 20.05 EDT
Victoria data 82% spike in e-bike collisions
There’s been a 82% rise in collisions involving e-bikes in Victoria, prompting a crackdown over lingering “confusion” about how highly effective the bikes could be, AAP experiences.
There have been 144 collisions involving e-bikes on Victorian roads in 2024, in comparison with 79 the earlier yr. It’s on observe to be even increased in 2025, with early police knowledge revealing 113 e-bike collisions had been recorded within the first seven months of the yr.
Highway policing assistant commissioner Glenn Weir stated 90% of the time e-bike crashes concerned bikes that had been overpowered, non-compliant with security laws or riders who had flouted highway guidelines.
He pointed to group “confusion” over e-bikes, however pressured the onus was on riders to verify their bikes don’t exceed energy or velocity guidelines, on prime of complying with legal guidelines that have an effect on all cyclists, like carrying a helmet.
Victoria police launched a contemporary crackdown on Wednesday, focusing on riders on overpowered or unlawful e-bikes in Melbourne’s CBD.
Police stated most e-bike crashes concerned bikes that had been overpowered or non-compliant with security laws. {Photograph}: Jessica Hromas/The GuardianShare
Up to date at 20.02 EDT
Jim Chalmers ‘optimistic’ AI could be drive for good, however realises ‘dangers’
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is speaking in regards to the priorities of his upcoming productiveness roundtable at a press convention. He had this to say on synthetic intelligence:
I’m optimistic that AI could be a drive for good, however I’m additionally life like in regards to the dangers. It isn’t past us, in my opinion, to maximise the alternatives of AI whereas we handle the dangers the perfect that we will.
We are able to chart a center course that makes our employees and our folks and our industries beneficiaries, not victims, of technological change … The one solution to make our folks and employees and industries beneficiaries is that if we deal with AI as an enabler, not an enemy, of what we need to see in our financial system. Which means listening to folks. It means empowering employees with the precise expertise as effectively.
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Up to date at 19.53 EDT
Jonathan Barrett
Promoting income falls at Information Corp’s Australian mastheads
Information Corp’s Australian mastheads have endured one other powerful yr, with income from promoting, circulation and subscription all down.
The corporate’s Australian division, which incorporates The Australian, Each day Telegraph and Herald Solar, noticed promoting income fall by 5% to $US343m ($530m), whereas circulation and subscription earnings was down by 2%.
Weak promoting circumstances have hit media corporations all over the world throughout a interval marked by excessive inflation and elevated enterprise prices.
{Photograph}: Bianca de Marchi/AAP
Information Corp’s Australian digital subscriber numbers did improve over the monetary yr, from 1.12m to 1.17m, based on monetary outcomes launched early this morning.
The Australian division was nonetheless stronger than Information Corp’s UK operations, the place promoting income was down 11%.
Whereas Information Corp is finest identified for its conventional media property, its e book publishing, actual property portal and Dow Jones info companies are the revenue drivers.
These companies helped the Rupert Murdoch-controlled conglomerate submit an general improve in income in the course of the previous 12 months.
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Up to date at 19.44 EDT
Tom McIlroy
Albanese growing diplomatic strikes on recognising Palestinian statehood
As he prepares to go to the UN common meeting in New York subsequent month, Anthony Albanese has mentioned plans to recognise Palestinian statehood with the organisation’s chief diplomat.
On Friday final week, the prime minister spoke with the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, in regards to the ongoing warfare between Israel and terror group Hamas, and the rising coalition of nations making ready to recognise Palestine.
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age first reported the contents of the dialog on Wednesday.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese. {Photograph}: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Albanese is intensifying diplomatic strikes round recognition of Palestinian statehood, and has mentioned the matter with world leaders together with Emmanuel Macron of France in a single day.
He had a name with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, on Tuesday and is publicly searching for a dialog with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, this week.
It’s potential Albanese will head to London after the UN journey in early September. The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, is among the world leaders Albanese is coordinating with on recognition of statehood and the pair spoke a couple of potential bilateral go to on the G7 summit in Canada in June. A gathering with Donald Trump can be anticipated someday in coming months.
In a single day, an Israeli safety cupboard assembly, which had been anticipated to debate Netanyahu’s name for the “full occupation” of Gaza, was postponed amid mounting tensions over whether or not the plan is possible.
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Up to date at 19.26 EDT
eSafety commissioner says newest report on YouTube, Apple’s therapy of abuse materials ‘deeply regarding’
The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, sharply criticised main tech corporations following a report that Apple and YouTube weren’t monitoring the variety of youngster sexual abuse experiences they acquired, saying the tech giants definitely had the power to take action. She informed RN Breakfast this morning:
I feel that is vastly regarding. That is unlawful content material … they usually’re enabling it and turning a blind eye.
A few of the corporations, Apple and Google’s YouTube, wouldn’t even give us the variety of belief and security personnel they’ve, wouldn’t inform us what number of youngster sexual abuse materials experiences they bought or how shortly they responded to them. And among the different platforms don’t even have public reporting performance. So that is actually problematic.
eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant. {Photograph}: Lukas Coch/AAP
Inman Grant stated corporations had informed her they couldn’t say what number of workers had been engaged on belief and security, or what number of experiences of abuse they’d acquired. She referred to as these claims “bollocks”.
They’ve bought the expertise, they’ve bought the methods in place. What’s occurring is we’re seeing a winding again of content material moderation and belief and security insurance policies and an evisceration of belief and security groups.
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Up to date at 19.09 EDT
Josh Butler
Renewables can result in lengthy durations of low costs, but in addition sharp value spikes, report says
The report warns that the primary driver of energy costs is shifting – from being depending on demand and supply-side gas prices, to being more and more influenced by “supply-side variability, pushed by the weather-dependent nature” of renewable power. It says:
Costs are more and more characterised by longer durations of very low costs when photo voltaic and wind output is powerful, punctuated by sharp, usually very excessive, value spikes in periods of low renewable era or sudden outages.
Costs are prone to turn into predictably extra variable and unpredictably extra risky.
The report says variability, just like the each day adjustments in photo voltaic or wind output, could be forecast and managed – however volatility, like sudden community outages or long-term adjustments in wind and photo voltaic output, “poses extra important challenges”.
Power minister Chris Bowen. {Photograph}: Lukas Coch/AAP
The report is now out for session, with responses requested by 17 September. Chris Bowen stated the ultimate suggestions, to be delivered by the top of 2025, can be thought of rigorously. The minister stated:
Australia has the world’s finest solar and wind to energy our future.
We’ve supplied the understanding to get funding flowing, to safe the roles we’d like now and into the longer term. We’re working with the states and territories to ship a greater, fairer power system that Australians deserve.
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Up to date at 18.53 EDT
Energy costs might turn into extra risky, draft power assessment says
Josh Butler
Australian energy costs are prone to turn into extra variable and extra risky because of the unpredictability of some renewable power sources, a draft assessment of the nation’s electrical energy market (NEM) has warned.
The draft nationwide electrical energy market assessment, launched on Wednesday by the power minister, Chris Bowen, says renewable power – notably client adjustments like rooftop photo voltaic and battery methods – can enhance effectivity, scale back prices and enhance outcomes for odd Australians.
However even Bowen admits the report finds that the power transition away from fossil gas means “reform is required to make sure our fashionable grid is reasonably priced and dependable”.
The report warns the NEM is dealing with “actual” challenges and “mounting pressures”, however that they aren’t insurmountable. It says:
Resulting from adjustments to the way in which we generate and eat electrical energy, the NEM is changing into a system that’s extra climate dependent, extra power constrained, much less scheduled and fewer dispatchable.
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Up to date at 18.54 EDT
Eelemarni Shut-Brown
Skinks’ resistance to snake venom might streamline design of antivenoms, analysis suggests
Australian skinks have advanced the means to withstand snake venom by shutting down their muscle mass, suggests new analysis, which might assist to tell future therapies for snakebites.
The Australian main skink (Bellatorias frerei) has advanced the identical venom resistance mutation because the honey badger. {Photograph}: Scott Eipper
Analysis led by the College of Queensland has discovered that a number of species of Australian skink have advanced venom resistance via adjustments to a crucial muscle receptor.
In different animals, the receptor is the goal of venom neurotoxins, which trigger speedy paralysis and demise.
Learn extra right here:
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Marles says authorities listening to Australians on Gaza, recognition of Palestinian state
Richard Marles was requested about rising requires Australia to recognise a Palestinian state. He informed RN Breakfast:
We hearken to the Australian group, and that’s our job as a authorities … I feel the protests that we noticed over the weekend had been a really highly effective assertion. Essentially, this authorities is considering this via and primarily based on what’s the proper factor to do right here, what’s the precise precept … excited about this when it comes to how any resolution that we make will truly contribute to creating a distinction on the bottom.
As a result of what we basically need to see is an finish to the tragedy that’s unfolding within the Center East. The humanitarian catastrophe which has being performed out in Gaza is an utter tragedy and the hostages which can be held there, one can solely think about how that’s being felt by their households, they usually have to be returned.
And that’s what we have to see an finish to. And that’s, clearly greater than something, what’s informing the way in which through which we’re excited about this concern.
Sunday’s protest on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. {Photograph}: Flavio Brancaleone/AAPShare
Up to date at 18.13 EDT
Richard Marles says Japan frigate deal ‘important’ second in relationship between two nations
The defence minister, Richard Marles, has referred to as yesterday’s announcement of a $10bn contract with Japan to develop Australia’s warfare fleet a “large step ahead within the relationship” with the nation.
Australia stated it should spend the cash to purchase three Mogami-class frigates over the following decade, awarding the contract to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as a part of a wider deal to interchange the ageing Anzac-class frigates. The primary three can be in-built Japan by 2034, earlier than development strikes to the Henderson naval precinct in Western Australia.
Marles informed RN Breakfast:
There’s little question that it is a very important second in our relationship with Japan. There’s no nation with whom we have now a better strategic alignment than Japan, and we’re doing extra because of this in relation to that defence relationship …
On account of this, that is simply the most important defence business settlement that can exist between Australia and Japan.
Australia will improve its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates constructed by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the federal government says. {Photograph}: AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 18.03 EDT
Ben Doherty
Ican Australia director: ‘Australians are crystal clear – our nation should take motion’
The bombings of Hiroshima on 6 August and Nagasaki on 9 August 1945 – 80 years in the past – killed greater than 210,000 folks. Survivors of the blast – hibakusha – have been vociferous advocates for the worldwide abandonment of nuclear weapons.
There are about 12,000 nuclear warheads on the planet at present, a dramatic discount from the chilly warfare peak of 70,000, however a number of nations, together with Russia and North Korea are believed to be growing and updating their stockpiles.
Labor dedicated in its coverage platform to signing and ratifying the UN prohibition treaty in 2018, and reaffirmed this in 2021 and 2023. The federal government has participated as an observer at treaty conferences since 2022, however has not but signed the treaty.
Protesters sit exterior the Atomic Bomb Dome warfare memorial forward of a memorial service to mark the eightieth anniversary of the WWII atomic bombing in Hiroshima on Wednesday 6 August. {Photograph}: Louise Delmotte/AP
Labor’s present coverage platform states: “Labor in authorities will signal and ratify the Ban Treaty” however with the caveats round enforcement mechanisms, complementarity with the non-proliferation treaty, and work in direction of common help for the ban treaty.
Gem Romuld, Ican Australia director, stated:
Eighty years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Australians are crystal clear – our nation should take motion to make sure these weapons are by no means used once more. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is the worldwide pathway ahead. Australians count on our authorities to ship on Labor’s longstanding promise to signal and ratify the treaty, and to take action on this time period of Parliament.
This isn’t a symbolic gesture – it’s a concrete step in direction of a safer future. Australians throughout the political spectrum need to see management that matches our values and displays the teachings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Up to date at 17.51 EDT
