Deepfake images harming Aussie kids and businesses
Australia is being warned to bring in urgent laws and education to tackle AI-generated deepfake images that put companies and children at risk.
laws
Australian-first Airbnb bookings tax clears last hurdle
Holidaymakers will soon have to pay an extra 7.5 per cent fee on Airbnb and Stayz bookings under an Australian-first levy ticked off by Victorian parliament.
AI deepfake ads set to screen during federal election
An inquiry into AI technology has recommended laws be introduced to stop deepfake political ads, but not in time for the next federal election.
Banning kids from social media could cause greater harm
Mental health experts don't support proposals to ban children from accessing social media and are warning it could have unintended consequences.
Children would lie about their age to evade YouTube ban
A teenage media proprietor says young Australians need to know more about a proposed social media ban as it could impact their education.
Parent groups urge total ban on child social media use
No child should be allowed to access social media networks in Australia, an inquiry has heard, and parents would also benefit from a blanket ban.
‘The bot will see you now’: why AI could be the new HR
More companies are using artificial intelligence to interview and rank job candidates but the government's proposed mandatory rules could curtail the trend.
PM’s early election warning labelled an ’empty threat’
The prime minister has threatened a double dissolution over resistance to his government's housing policy but experts don't think this will benefit his party.
Early election ‘stunt’ to ram through housing bill
The government has failed to pass its housing legislation through the Senate a second time, giving it the first trigger to call a double dissolution election.
Aussie companies should not be shy but careful about AI
Businesses need to monitor for bias, copyright infractions and ethical issues when using AI, a group has warned, but should not ignore the technology.
Social media misinformation to be policed by watchdog
The communications watchdog will be given new powers to crack down on misinformation on digital platforms under proposed federal laws.
‘Kill switch’ considered to tackle high-risk AI
Artificial intelligence has been met with both concern and hype but government guidelines could help regulate its use in high-risk situations.
Australian right-to-disconnect laws come into effect
Australian workers will have the right to disconnect from work outside of paid hours but businesses have concerns while a HR expert fears many aren't ready.
Why more Aussies are letting AI organise their divorce
An AI-powered legal service is helping former couples divide marital assets and, while it will not suit everyone, organisers say it is saving users money.
Blood, sweat and fears: laws may not protect workers
Changes to Australian privacy laws may not stop employers from requesting invasive medical tests with little explanation, a report has found.
Scaffold crumbles on construction union crackdown law
Hopes new laws would put the construction union into administration quickly following allegations of organised crime links have been dashed as talks stall.
CFMEU crackdown laws lodged as calls mount to go harder
CFMEU officials who attempt to disrupt the work of external administrators have been threatened with heavy penalties, but not everybody is happy with the laws.
Laws to demolish resistance by CFMEU bosses to takeover
The scaffolding will be pulled from under the CFMEU as the union's construction division fights administration with legislation about to be introduced.
Call for ad ban on easy credit for groceries, medicines
A popular form of credit to encourage online shopping has morphed into a crutch for trying to stay a step ahead of financial disaster, an inquiry has been told.
Learner drivers should learn first aid, after toll rise
Emergency groups are calling for mandated first aid training for learner drivers after new figures showing at least three Australians die on the road each day.
Calls for law as AI rogues plunder Australian creatives
One actor's voice was cloned after producers cancelled his contract while another's was used in a pornographic ad without her consent, an AI inquiry has heard.
Sexual assaults in Australia reach 31-year high
Sexual assaults recorded by police in Australia rose by 11 per cent in 2023 to reach the highest rate of the Bureau of Statistics' 31-year data set.
New governor-general to put an arm around Aussies
Former lawyer and gender equality advocate Sam Mostyn promises to put humanity as a top order of her time as 28th governor-general.
New Zealand presses ahead with media content pay law
New Zealand's proposed changes to the digital bargaining law will align it more closely with Australia's, Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
‘Pressure-relief valve’: curfew hits Alice Springs
A three-night curfew has been declared to defuse tensions in Alice Springs after a weekend of violent crimes, including a brawl involving 80 people.
Ecstasy and agony as pill testing gets another backer
Victoria has become the third Australian jurisdiction to legalise pill testing following a spate of drug overdoses and deaths at music festivals.
Pharmacy lobby blasts plan for chemists to sell vapes
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has slammed a new plan that would allow smokers to buy vapes at pharmacies without the need for a doctor's prescription.
agriculture
animal
breaking_news
exports
international (foreign) trade
laws
livestock farming
politics
trade agreements
Abandon sheep: report backs future ban on live exports
A parliamentary committee has thrown its weight behind laws to ban live sheep exports, with its chair saying the "time has come" to bring an end to the trade.
Direction 110 doesn’t add up for immigration experts
Community safety will be prioritised in changes to a contentious immigration direction, following weeks of political pressure on the minister in charge.
‘Wanding’ knife laws green light boosts police powers
A second state has passed laws allowing police officers to use hand-held metal detectors on suspects without warrants in certain locations.
Actors, writers, voice artists call for urgent AI laws
Almost three in four workers in Australia's creative industries are calling on the government to restrict the use of AI, with many fearing for their jobs.