Source: New South Wales Ministerial News
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JULES SCHILLER: There is a meeting of State and the Federal Education Ministers today to look at issues surrounding education. Always a very popular topic here on the ABC, as it should be, Jason Clare. Welcome to you.
JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: G’day, mate. Great to be here.
SCHILLER: Let’s get to the child care sector first, because this has been a bit of an ongoing rolling conversation. I know Four Corners tackled it. There’s an Auditor-General’s report into subsidy and fraud. But let’s first get to child care and safety. I know Four Corners had a report saying that many of the for-profit child care centres have not been properly regulated. We’ve heard issues around staff-to-child ratios and pay. Are you going to regulate this industry properly?
CLARE: This is the number one issue on the agenda for Education Ministers today meeting here in South Australia, meeting for the first time since the election. There’s more than a million Australian families who have their kids in early education and care, including me, I’m one of them, so it’s personal for me.
You mentioned the Four Corners story. Even before that there was the arrest of a paedophile in Queensland a couple of years ago and subsequent conviction. That led me as the Minister, working with the states and territories, to ban the use of personal mobile phones in child care centres. There was a reason that we had to do that. And also changes to mandatory reporting rules from seven days to 24 hours where there’s evidence or allegations of sexual or physical abuse in child care centres.
That Four Corners story was really concerning. It produced evidence there of neglect and mistreatment and physical abuse of children in child care centres. Anyone watching that would say that you can’t sit by and do nothing. I’ve said that we will introduce legislation into the Federal Parliament which basically cuts off funding to dodgy operators. If you’re not meeting the quality standards, then you won’t get the subsidy that helps to fund the centre. And we won’t let you expand and open new centres, but not just that.
That Four Corners story produced evidence that people that were once working in child care were moving into the NDIS. We need to take steps to stop people working and neglecting people in one part of the care sector from moving into another. So, they’re things that we’re already doing. Yesterday the New South Wales Government released an independent report following that Four Corners story into the actions that they think are necessary. And they’re going to report to Ministers on that today so that we can work on what are the next steps. This work is never done. But what are the things that we need to do next to make sure our kids are safe.
SONYA FELDHOFF: Can we avoid anything other than an official regulator, though? I mean, are there other options?
CLARE: There are already regulators. There’s a national regulator and there’s state regulators and they work together. That doesn’t mean that everything is hunky dory, though.
FELDHOFF: I was going to say, these things have still happened, though, haven’t they?
CLARE: Exactly right. And so, some of the things we’ll talk about today are beefing up the penalties for providers when it’s proved that they’ve let children down and they’ve let families down and how do we make sure that we get better information faster to families when things aren’t up to scratch.
SCHILLER: This is an issue with quality ratings, isn’t it? Only 10 per cent of all centres, I think – well, 10 per cent don’t have quality ratings. And, look, I mean, to be kind of blunt here, we’re talking a lot about the for-profit centres as well. And, you know, I went to the – there’s a Reddit page on child care in Adelaide, so child care workers talking on Reddit about problems in their industry. Almost uniformly, people who work for not-for-profit centres seem to be happier than many people in the for-profit centres. And you hear stories about staff chipping in for books and toys themselves. They’re very concerned about, you know, children to staff ratios up to three. I think it’s one to five, it gets over three and it’s one to 10 and 11. They’re saying that parents expect them to, you know, parent their kids more than they do, and they’ve got kids with special needs and, you know, obviously they don’t think that they’re paid enough.
CLARE: Firstly, when it comes to quality and safety, whether it’s in a private for-profit child care centre or a not-for-profit centre, my expectation is that everybody meets the quality standards. You’re right, there are different ratios for children depending on how old they are. For little children, zero to two, the ratio of educators to children is much smaller. And that’s all about safety and quality and protecting those children.
In terms of salary, you’re right, early educators historically have not been paid enough, and that‘s why people have either chosen not to become an early educator or have left the job to go and work at Woolies or at Bunnings. We’re rolling out now a 15 per cent pay rise right across the board for the entire sector. Ten per cent rolled from December last year, another 5 per cent from this December. And we did something similar in aged care. It’s designed to help boost the workforce, recognise the important work that they do but hopefully encourage some people who’ve left the industry to come back and work.
We’re seeing evidence of that already: Goodstart, one of the biggest not-for-profit early education provider in the country has seen a massive increase in job applications in the last couple of months, that’s a really good sign, as well as a drop in vacancy rates.
FELDHOFF: It’s 17 minutes past 7. Sonya and Jules with you here. And in the studio with us is the Federal Education Minister Jason Clare. With the introduction of the three free days child care for most families, is it going to be easier or less easy to bring this regulation in? Because we need policing of these things that are going wrong, don’t we?
CLARE: One doesn’t necessarily affect the other. Let me make sure I’m pretty clear about the three days. The 3 Day Guarantee. That’s three days guaranteed access to the subsidy. It doesn’t mean it’s free, but depending on your income, it means that your subsidy for child care could be up to 90 per cent of the real cost that’s charged by the child care centre. And why are we doing that? Because the evidence shows us that kids from really poor families are the children that are most likely to miss out on going to earlier education and care at all and are the ones who need it the most. This isn’t just about looking after children; it’s about the early education of children.
If a child goes to early education and care, they’re more likely to be ready to start school, less likely to start behind, get that early literacy and numeracy and social skills that can help get them off to a good start when they start school. At the moment, we know it’s the really disadvantaged kids that are missing out. So, guaranteeing that subsidy for every child is important.
FELDHOFF: Sure, but we’re not on top of things with fewer children in the system. This is going to see more presumably in the system.
CLARE: Because of two things – number one, we’ve cut the cost of child care over the last two years. For the average family they’ve saved about seven grand on child care fees that they would otherwise have had to pay because of that change we made in the last couple of years. And because of this pay rise for educators we’ve now got about 100,000 more children in the system today than when we made those changes a couple of years ago. So, there’s more kids in early education and care, but still not all of the kids who need it. I’m talking about those kids from really poor and disadvantaged backgrounds, and also kids who might live in regional parts of Australia where there’s less likely to be a centre. That’s why another thing that we’re doing is rolling out a billion-dollar fund to build centres where they don’t exist.
SCHILLER: Well, let’s get to some other issues. 891 ABC Radio Adelaide, Sonya and Jules at 20 past 7 with Jason Clare, the Federal Education Minister. Yeah, we’re hearing lots of reports of teachers who feel unsafe in the classroom. This is because of, you know, bullying or violent behaviour of their students and, let’s face it, parents as well who are emailing them. You know, I know from teachers that, you know, they’re constantly contacted by parents who are asking them to, you know, make sure their kids eat the right food. And because of these issues teacher retention has been kind of difficult in Australia. So how are you going to deal with these issues around teacher safety, around teacher workload that is affecting people wanting to become teachers? And if we don’t – everyone listening right now could think about that teacher that changed their lives, that put them on a course, that created a passion in them that might be the employment they’re currently in. How do we get the best and brightest to stay in teaching?
CLARE: I’m glad you asked it and that you asked it in that way, because I think this is the most important job in the world. And it’s a harder job than it was 20 years ago. And you see that in some of the stories in the media today. This is really serious. It makes parents worry but also, it’s the reason why teachers leave the job they love. They’re attracted to this work because they want to educate children, they want to change lives. It’s that moment when that sort of invisible light bulb goes off and they know that they’ve helped someone learn something and understand something they never did. And then when there’s violence or bad behaviour in the classroom and it all becomes too much it can force people to leave the job.
There are some good things happening. The ban of mobile phones in schools right across the country has had a massive impact. I was talking to Blair Boyer, the South Australian Education Minister, last night. He made the point that kids are more attentive in the classroom now because they’re not distracted by the phone, they’re focused on the teacher. Kids are talking to each other and playing more in the playground than ever before because they’re not doing what adults do – look at their phone. He again got a complaint from students the other day that they’re bored now and that they want more clubs and things to do at lunchtime because they’re not looking at their phones; they’re actually –
SCHILLER: But the problem goes further than that, though, doesn’t it?
CLARE: It’s deeper than that. I just use that as one example. Another one is vaping. You ask teachers and principals they’ll tell you vaping can often be the cause of a lot of problems in schools. We’ve seen a 50 per cent reduction in suspensions in South Australian schools in the last couple of months because of the crackdown on vaping. But none of that means that the job is done. This is a serious issue. It’s one of the things we’ll talk about today, about what more tools can we give teachers, both when they’re training at uni to manage bad behaviour, manage children with complex behavioural issues, but also what we can do in the classroom.
FELDHOFF: Do we need more SSOs – I’m assuming that’s the term now still – SSOs in schools now to deal with some of these behavioural issues that are often medically based?
CLARE: It’s part of it. Often it will be somebody who’s providing special support for people with complex issues. Autism is a classic example of that. Could I just add on to that, because it’s also something in the media today, around bullying generally. Bullying at schools is different today than it was when we were at school. It’s not just push and shove or stealing the lunch money, it can often be what happens online. And it’s not necessarily what happens on the laptop in the classroom, it’s what happens at home. And there’s stories in the paper today about deep fakes. I can’t think of anything more horrific or terrifying than this, but when one student cut and pastes the face of another student and then puts it on to a nude body and then puts it on to the internet to bully or harass other students, but not just other students, female teachers as well. And that’s another thing that’s causing teachers to leave the profession, and young people, it’s affecting their mental health and wellbeing.
SCHILLER: I mean, is this a police matter, do you think?
CLARE: It is.
SCHILLER: Because, I mean, you’ve not only got that, you’ve got explicit pictures being taken of other students on mobile phones that are shared, which, let’s face it, is a criminal offence. So, do you have to get police involved in that?
CLARE: Yes.
SCHILLER: And charge students to make them realise how serious this is?
CLARE: There’s a couple of things you need to do. The eSafety Commissioner today has released a tool kit for schools about how to manage this. We’re going to get her to brief Education Ministers in a couple of months about this as well. She’s made the point, number one, ring the police. Number two, here are some tools to help with this. But we also want to set national standards around how do we deal with this, and that’s another thing that we’ll be discussing at the meeting today.
FELDHOFF: Now, we are fast running out of time. Can I throw a couple of questions at you for really quick answers?
CLARE: Go for it.
FELDHOFF: First of all, Adelaide University, we’re going to see that come into place in January next year. I know this week the domestic numbers are increased. What about the international student numbers in terms of how that might impact this new university which relies on that economic injection?
CLARE: The good news this week was the number of Australian students starting a uni degree is at record levels, the highest it’s ever been, except for COVID. And this new university, when it comes together next year, will be the biggest educator of Aussie students in the country.
FELDHOFF: In the country?
CLARE: In the country. This is going to be a seriously big university when it comes to educating Australian students. But they’ll educate international students as well.
FELDHOFF: And that’s important for the economic bottom line of that university, too, isn’t it?
CLARE: Absolutely, as for all universities. All universities to some extent educate students from the other side of the world who come here for an education. Doesn’t just make the uni money, it means that young people who come here and fall in love with Australia take that love for Australia back home with them. We’re setting numbers for different universities about how to do that. That is rolling out well and we’ve set a special number for the merged university to take into account the fact that it’s merging together next year.
FELDHOFF: And very quickly, should HECS debts cuts be visible on your bill by now?
CLARE: They’ll be visible very soon or as soon as possible. I’ve got to introduce a bill into the Parliament when Federal Parliament sits on the 22nd of July, so just about a month’s time. That will cut everyone’s HECS debt by 20 per cent. It’s got to pass the Parliament and then we’ve got to get the Tax Office to cut that off. But I guess the important message for anyone with a HECS debt listening, you don’t have to do anything; it will all happen automatically.
SCHILLER: And just looking at the text line before you go, Minister – where with Jason Clare, federal Education Minister, 26 minutes past 7, 891 – look, many people are worried about the for-profit childcare centres. You know, there’s texts coming through that, you know, that there’s a childcare centre in Adelaide that has not met standards for 10 years. Other people are talking about bullying in schools. Teachers are also being bullied. Students don’t understand the constant harassment, even low-level harassment, of bullying of teachers, and it’s exhausting teachers. And I think parents as well are getting involved at this level, too. So, yeah, lots of issues for you to discuss, you’d have to say?
CLARE: And it tells me that the agenda today is on the money. It’s the issues that parents care about and teachers care about, quality and safety in child care –
SCHILLER: Because no-one should be in child care to, you know, primarily to make a profit. I mean, primarily it’s kids’ safety –
CLARE: They should be there to care for and educate our children, right? That is number one. We’re talking about that, but we’re also focused on behaviour and bullying in our schools and outside of our schools, but how do we build our teacher workforce. We still don’t have enough teachers. And also the implementation of the agreement that we signed last year, the extra billion dollars for schools in South Australia, an extra $16 billion dollars across the country. Today we start the work on the implementation of that agreement.
SCHILLER: Jason Clare, thank you so much for your company. He’s meeting with the state education ministers today. At 28 minutes past 7.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karen Cummings, Lecturer in Singing, University of Sydney
The star of the 40th anniversary production of Cats – which premiered at the Theatre Royal Sydney last week – is the performing ensemble.
Some ensemble scenes, such as The Jellicle Ball, offered the same joy and exhilaration as the original 1985 production. In these moments of song and dance, the invisible connection between the performers’ hearts, voices and bodies, and those in the audience, is truly felt. There is still magic here.
Yet, 40 years on, it’s clear other aspects of the show have become too tired for modern audiences.
By today’s standards, Cats is a modest show where the biggest investment is in the extraordinary performers and performances.
But back in 1985, when it first premiered in Australia, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical was at the forefront of a wave of mega-musicals that swept the world. A review published in the Los Angeles Times that year called it “one of the most imaginative and eye-catching musicals of the century”.
Cats ran for decades, all around the world. On the West End it ran for 21 years and 8,949 performances. On Broadway, it replaced A Chorus Line as the longest-running musical, playing for 18 years.
First performed in London in 1981, the show is based on a set of poems from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939). Some may know the poems from their primary school elocution classes (we both did).
Eliot wrote Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats in the period between the two world wars, when the world was teetering on the edge of fascism. It spoke to an audience that was probably eager to escape from its frightening reality.
In the musical, the cats move between songs and ensembles that describe the characteristics of each individual. The musical styles include rock, classical, pop, jazz, musical hall, blues and everything in between. Each cat has a specific musical and movement language.
The committed and exuberant performers lift the show. Gabryel Thomas, who plays Grizabella, brings new life and intense musicality in her singing of the iconic song Memory.
Axel Alverez performs the role of Mr. Mistoffelees with exuberance and charisma. And Todd McKenney’s charming and nuanced characterisation of Bustopher Jones makes him an audience favourite.
The cameo roles feature strong performances by well-known music theatre performers, such as Lucy Maunder as Jellylorum, along with some newer faces, such as Claudia Hastings as White Cat.
In this re-launch, the score, direction and choreography are almost identical to what we saw back in 1985.
The dancing and choreography are the heart and soul of the show, just as they were back then. For those who appreciate performance, this alone will make Cats worth seeing.
Yet, the quality of the performances couldn’t completely make up for the tired and largely unchanged musical score. The 80s style synthesisers and guitars, and reduced orchestration, are oddly nostalgic, but in an unsatisfying way.
Nostalgia is big business, and no doubt this production taps into this. As music journalist Peter C Baker wrote in an article last year:
More and more of what we’re offered […] feels motivated by the logic that what people want, or can most easily be sold, is what they already liked before.
At the same time, there’s much discussion these days about reinterpretations of classic musicals and opera – which are often a gamble.
In the 2024 re-imagined New York production of Cats, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, the gamble paid off. The Jellicle Ball was set in a queer ballroom culture where competitive performers rehearse on a catwalk.
The show premiered to wide acclaim, with some reviewers saying Cats finally made sense. As reviewer Jeanine T. Abraham put it:
The ballroom version takes this story into the twenty-first century with flavor, sass, and reverence for the Black Queer Ballroom community who created this joyous form out of so much pain and trauma.
This positive reception was far removed from the very badly reviewed 2019 feature film starring James Corden.
Cats is a musical that has always been controversial – both celebrated and derided, depending on who you ask.
Since around the mid 1980s, audiences have become acclimatised to the spectacular. Whether it’s Wicked, the Olympic ceremonies, or Kendrick Lamar’s Superbowl halftime show, we’ve come to expect spectacle and jaw-dropping visual effects. But Cats is not that kind of show.
Rather, it deals with the idea of community, and of a world where particular kinds of difference are accepted and others are rejected. The narcissistic elderly male cats are revered, while the glamour cat Grizabella is an outcast. A utopian ending brings reconciliation for all.
Cats is a musical that defied expectations. Many initially predicted it would flop, and the song Memory was the only real hit. Yet it enjoyed enormous success.
In 2025, the show leans heavily on its 30 or so performers who still manage to transport us to another world, despite the dated music and lack of story. The success of future interpretations will likely come down to how well those gaps can be filled.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Cats at 40: a dazzling cast – stuck in an outdated show – https://theconversation.com/cats-at-40-a-dazzling-cast-stuck-in-an-outdated-show-256881
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Koplin, Evidence and Translation Lead, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Chief Investigator, Centre of Food Allergy Research; Associate Professor and Group Leader, Childhood Allergy & Epidemiology Group, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland
With the school holidays approaching, many families will be travelling, including on planes interstate and overseas. But travel can pose unique challenges for people with serious food allergies.
Research shows air travel is a significant source of anxiety for people living with or caring for someone with a food allergy. In a global survey of 4,704 people with food allergies and their caregivers published in 2024, 98% said having a food allergy adds anxiety to air travel.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to help keep yourself or children with food allergies safe in the skies.
Reassuringly, documented allergic reactions during flights are very rare. A 2023 review that combined data from 17 studies estimated about seven in every 10 million passengers had an allergic reaction while flying.
While many people have more mild food allergies, some are at risk of anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction) and need to carry adrenaline with them at all times in the form of an EpiPen or Anapen. The review found reports of severe reactions needing adrenaline were even rarer – about eight cases per 100 million passengers.
In fact, this study concluded people were less likely to experience an allergic reaction on a plane than in their everyday lives. However, some of this might be due to the precautions passengers with food allergies already take.
People with food allergies are sometimes worried about food particles travelling in the air of the plane cabin and causing a reaction.
Thankfully, research has shown this risk is very low. It’s difficult for food proteins (the part of the food that causes the allergic reaction) to become airborne. And if they do, air filters fitted on large commercial planes can remove any airborne food particles quickly from the cabin air.
Peanuts are one of the foods commonly associated with anaphylaxis. Studies that have tested opening and shaking containers containing peanuts and de-shelling peanuts found peanut proteins were only detected directly above the container, at a low level, and for a short period of time.
Other studies have found airborne peanut was not detected when eating peanuts in a confined space. And studies found no severe reactions among people with peanut allergy when peanut butter or peanuts were held close to their face or kept in a bowl close by in a small room.
A bigger risk for reactions is the food protein ending up on a seat or tray table. However, casual contact with food crumbs or smears is highly unlikely to cause a severe allergic reaction. This type of contact can cause mild to moderate skin reactions that can be treated with antihistamines if needed.
For people at risk of anaphylaxis:
take your adrenaline in your hand luggage (not your checked baggage). Store it under the seat in front of you or in the seat pocket so it’s in easy reach
carry a travel plan and action plan for anaphylaxis, completed and signed by a medical professional, or similar documentation, showing the traveller’s food allergy status and what to do in an emergency. (Templates of these plans are available via the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy)
let the flight crew know you have an allergy and indicate the location of your adrenaline and anaphylaxis action plan. This is particularly important for people travelling alone, since anaphylaxis can be mistaken for other non-allergic symptoms, which could lead to a delay in receiving adrenaline.
For people with food allergies generally:
let the airline know you have a food allergy and ask about their food and medication policies when booking or before travelling
take allergy-safe food from home. Airlines don’t guarantee allergy-safe food will be available, and not all food supplied on a plane will have an ingredient label (but check liquid restrictions and be aware of potential restrictions on taking fresh food across borders)
wipe down surfaces such as the seat, armrests and tray table with wet wipes when boarding. You can request early boarding from airlines to do this
wash your hands before eating (wet wipes and handwashing with soap are more effective than plain water or hand sanitiser)
you may choose to sit a child with food allergy away from areas where food or drink will be passed over the top of them (for example, next to a window or between family members). Tell passengers sitting next to your child about their allergy so they don’t offer to share food or drink
if you think you’re experiencing an allergic reaction, let the flight crew know immediately.
If you’re travelling, you could wipe down surfaces around you at the end of the flight. Remove rubbish from seatbacks and other areas around your seat and aisle before disembarking.
Also, ask about allergies before offering to share any food with your neighbours during the flight (and check with parents before offering anything to their children).
Airlines, meanwhile, should have clear policies relating to food allergies easily available and consistently applied by ground staff and cabin crew, such as allowing early boarding on request.
The patient support organisation Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia has a Food Allergy Travel Hub with advice on how to stay safe when travelling with food allergies.
Jennifer Koplin receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. She is a member of the Executive Committee for the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), which is supported by funding from the Australian government.
Christopher Warren receives institutional research funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Food Allergy Research and Education, Genentech Inc, and The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Desalegn Markos Shifti is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)-funded Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR) Postdoctoral Funding.
– ref. Travelling with food allergies? These 8 tips can help you stay safer in the skies – https://theconversation.com/travelling-with-food-allergies-these-8-tips-can-help-you-stay-safer-in-the-skies-258387
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney
How do you measure climate change? One way is by recording temperatures in different places over a long period of time. While this works well, natural variation can make it harder to see longer-term trends.
But another approach can give us a very clear sense of what’s going on: track how much heat enters Earth’s atmosphere and how much heat leaves. This is Earth’s energy budget, and it’s now well and truly out of balance.
Our recent research found this imbalance has more than doubled over the last 20 years. Other researchers have come to the same conclusions. This imbalance is now substantially more than climate models have suggested.
In the mid-2000s, the energy imbalance was about 0.6 watts per square metre (W/m2) on average. In recent years, the average was about 1.3 W/m2. This means the rate at which energy is accumulating near the planet’s surface has doubled.
These findings suggest climate change might well accelerate in the coming years. Worse still, this worrying imbalance is emerging even as funding uncertainty in the United States threatens our ability to track the flows of heat.
Earth’s energy budget functions a bit like your bank account, where money comes in and money goes out. If you reduce your spending, you’ll build up cash in your account. Here, energy is the currency.
Life on Earth depends on a balance between heat coming in from the Sun and heat leaving. This balance is tipping to one side.
Solar energy hits Earth and warms it. The atmosphere’s heat-trapping greenhouse gases keep some of this energy.
But the burning of coal, oil and gas has now added more than two trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. These trap more and more heat, preventing it from leaving.
Some of this extra heat is warming the land or melting sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets. But this is a tiny fraction. Fully 90% has gone into the oceans due to their huge heat capacity.
Earth naturally sheds heat in several ways. One way is by reflecting incoming heat off of clouds, snow and ice and back out to space. Infrared radiation is also emitted back to space.
From the beginning of human civilisation up until just a century ago, the average surface temperature was about 14°C. The accumulating energy imbalance has now pushed average temperatures 1.3-1.5°C higher.
Scientists keep track of the energy budget in two ways.
First, we can directly measure the heat coming from the Sun and going back out to space, using the sensitive radiometers on monitoring satellites. This dataset and its predecessors date back to the late 1980s.
Second, we can accurately track the build-up of heat in the oceans and atmosphere by taking temperature readings. Thousands of robotic floats have monitored temperatures in the world’s oceans since the 1990s.
Both methods show the energy imbalance has grown rapidly.
The doubling of the energy imbalance has come as a shock, because the sophisticated climate models we use largely didn’t predict such a large and rapid change.
Typically, the models forecast less than half of the change we’re seeing in the real world.
We don’t yet have a full explanation. But new research suggests changes in clouds is a big factor.
Clouds have a cooling effect overall. But the area covered by highly reflective white clouds has shrunk, while the area of jumbled, less reflective clouds has grown.
It isn’t clear why the clouds are changing. One possible factor could be the consequences of successful efforts to reduce sulfur in shipping fuel from 2020, as burning the dirtier fuel may have had a brightening effect on clouds. However, the accelerating energy budget imbalance began before this change.
Natural fluctuations in the climate system such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation might also be playing a role. Finally – and most worryingly – the cloud changes might be part of a trend caused by global warming itself, that is, a positive feedback on climate change.
These findings suggest recent extremely hot years are not one-offs but may reflect a strengthening of warming over the coming decade or longer.
This will mean a higher chance of more intense climate impacts from searing heatwaves, droughts and extreme rains on land, and more intense and long lasting marine heatwaves.
This imbalance may lead to worse longer-term consequences. New research shows the only climate models coming close to simulating real world measurements are those with a higher “climate sensitivity”. That means these models predict more severe warming beyond the next few decades in scenarios where emissions are not rapidly reduced.
We don’t know yet whether other factors are at play, however. It’s still too early to definitively say we are on a high-sensitivity trajectory.
We’ve known the solution for a long time: stop the routine burning of fossil fuels and phase out human activities causing emissions such as deforestation.
Keeping accurate records over long periods of time is essential if we are to spot unexpected changes.
Satellites, in particular, are our advance warning system, telling us about heat storage changes roughly a decade before other methods.
But funding cuts and drastic priority shifts in the United States may threaten essential satellite climate monitoring.
Steven Sherwood receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Mindaroo Foundation.
Benoit Meyssignac receives funding from the European Commission, the European Space Agency and the French National Space Agency.
Thorsten Mauritsen receives funding from the European Research Council, the European Space Agency, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish National Space Agency and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research.
– ref. Earth is trapping much more heat than climate models forecast – and the rate has doubled in 20 years – https://theconversation.com/earth-is-trapping-much-more-heat-than-climate-models-forecast-and-the-rate-has-doubled-in-20-years-258822
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
Unsafe products in online marketplaces will be a major focus of the ACCC’s product safety priorities during 2025-26, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb announced today.
Addressing the National Consumer Congress in Melbourne, Ms Cass-Gottlieb outlined the importance of the ACCC’s role in protecting consumers from unsafe products and announced five priority areas.
Among the priorities is addressing unsafe products in the digital economy.
“Reducing the prevalence of high-risk unsafe consumer products online will be key. We will focus on systemic and high-risk product safety issues for consumers. And we will use a combination of regulation, education for consumers and for businesses, compliance and enforcement tools, where appropriate,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
“The risks in the digital economy are layered, they include not only physical harm from unsafe or non-compliant goods, but also the associated economic harm and decline in consumer trust in markets.”
“Addressing these harms is essential to maintaining trust in digital markets and ensuring those markets are competitive and safe,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
The other four priorities are consumer and product safety issues impacting young children, lithium-ion battery safety, updating mandatory standards and improving product safety data to identify safety risks. Aligned with these priorities, the ACCC will maintain strong relationships across the regulator network, including information sharing and responding to harm.
“The ACCC will continue to prioritise product safety affecting young children, who can be at greater risk of injury or death from consumer products,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
“We will focus on compliance with button battery standards and continue to raise awareness about new infant sleep and toppling furniture standards.”
“The dangers of button batteries, unstable furniture, and unsafe infant sleep products impact families every day and we want to ensure the standards don’t just exist, but are understood, implemented and enforced so children are kept safe,” Ms Lowe said.
The ACCC will continue to support the safe use of lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from smartphones to e-bikes, and are used in home solar systems. As the use of lithium ion batteries grows, the ACCC continues to focus on the safety of these products.
“Raising consumer awareness about the safe purchase, storage, use and disposal of lithium-ion batteries, and monitoring recalls of unsafe lithium-ion battery products, will be another major focus this year,” Ms Lowe said.
The ACCC will begin a series of expedited reviews of existing mandatory standards from July 2025, following recent amendments to the Australian Consumer Law. These reviews will consider which voluntary overseas and international standards should be added as compliance options for mandatory standards. This will help ensure that mandatory standards are up to date, and can lower compliance costs for businesses.
The ACCC will also work to continue to improve product safety data to help us identify risks and protect consumers. This will include strategies to increase reporting of product safety incidents to the ACCC, working with other regulators and stakeholders to increase data sharing and undertaking new consultation and research to understand the key risks affecting Australian consumers.
“The priorities I have outlined today reflect the environment we’re operating in – one defined by digital acceleration and rising complexity,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
“These priorities are designed to respond to known harms, and to anticipate the emerging risks that could shape the future of consumer safety. They reflect our commitment to protect Australian consumers and build and maintain their trust in markets in an era of change and uncertainty.”
More information including the full list of the ACCC’s product safety priorities is available at Product safety priorities 2025-26.
A transcript of Ms Cass-Gottlieb’s National Consumer Congress address is available on our website.
Each year the ACCC announces its compliance and enforcement priorities and product safety priorities for the financial year ahead.
These priorities help guide the product safety work of the agency and ensure it focuses its work on the most important and impactful issues.
The Australian Product Safety Pledge helps the ACCC remove unsafe products from those online marketplaces that are signatories.
We are looking to expand the pledge and strengthen its commitments and reporting requirements to address the unsafe products available for sale on online marketplaces.
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has released its annual Taxation Statistics report for the 2022–23 year. The report contains data extracted from tax returns and related schedules, as well as other information provided to the ATO.
Taxation Statistics provides detailed and valuable insights into the income tax position of individuals, companies, trusts, super funds and partnerships in Australia for the 2022-23 income year. The data generally follows trends from previous years, with the average taxable income and average superannuation account balance rising, reflecting a return to conditions from before COVID-19.
This report also includes information relating to the 2023–24 financial or fringe benefits tax year, including for goods and services tax (GST), excise and fuel schemes and fringe benefits tax (FBT).
This year there are three new data sets:
For the full breakdown of the 2022–23 statistics, visit ato.gov.au/taxstats.
ATO file footage is available for use in news bulletins from our media centre.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Crozier, Senior Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Psychology, University of South Australia
Umpires’ decisions often upset sports fans, especially during a close contest.
At most games, spectators boo loudly, coaches throw their hands up in frustration and players can yell or even physically intimidate officials.
It seems abusing umpires is acceptable. But why? It’s certainly not something generally tolerated in other workplaces.
Without umpires, games simply couldn’t go ahead.
That’s why we sought to shed light on the situation by researching what it’s really like to be an Australian rules umpire.
Umpires (also called referees or match officials) apply the rules of their respective sports to ensure fair and safe competitions for all players.
They participate in training and accreditation programs to learn rules and apply them based on the demands of the game.
They need to be physically fit and position themselves appropriately around the playing field.
But many sport organisations are struggling to provide enough qualified officials at grassroots levels. Between 1993 and 2010, there was a 28% decline in active sport officials in Australia.
Football Australia, soccer’s governing body here, boasts 11,000 officials but estimates around 4,200 leave their roles every year.
In many sports, teenagers are increasingly stepping in to umpire junior and senior games to back-fill shortages.
However, Australian rules football appears to be defying this trend – the number of community umpires surpassed 20,000 for the first time in 2024. This is an 18% increase in umpire registrations compared to 2023, largely driven by a 31% rise in registrations by women and girls.
Despite these record numbers, the Australian Football League (AFL), and many sports organisations including Rugby Australia and the A-League, are worried about retaining officials.
Abuse towards officials is one of the primary areas of concern.
Our research focused particularly on what was happening in Australian rules football.
We surveyed 356 umpires across all levels of Australian rules football competition to examine their experiences of abuse.
Almost half reported receiving regular verbal abuse (name-calling, insults, swearing and threats). Worryingly, 21% said they had experienced physical abuse (pushing, hitting, or assault).
As one state-level umpire remarked:
Over time, you end up developing a thick skin.
Encouragingly, most umpires knew the process to officially report any abuse received, with more than half indicating they had formally reported at least one incident of abuse.
While many felt supported through the reporting process, only 62% were satisfied with the outcome.
As one state-league umpire recalled:
I was assaulted two years ago by a spectator. Lucky I was bigger than him. I was disappointed he only got a one-year suspension from attending games.
Further, a senior community football umpire commented:
I was threatened with my life this year and the league did nothing about it.
Many respondents commented on the need to support young umpires to have positive experiences.
One potential strategy is to make it clearer when officials are underage.
As one example, Netball Victoria provides a green band or scrunchie to any umpire under the age of 18 to promote respect from players, coaches and spectators.
Other codes could look to implement similar strategies.
Most of our responding umpires called for the introduction of tougher penalties in games and through tribunal systems.
Some called for clubs to be fined or spectators banned for repeated incidents of abuse.
Others commended the AFL’s stricter interpretation of umpire abuse in 2022, which mandated a 50-metre penalty for any player showing dissent.
Additionally, umpires felt clubs needed to take greater responsibility for the actions of players, coaches and spectators.
One umpire told us:
Cultural change needs to come from within clubs because top-down campaigns encouraging respect don’t change hearts and minds.
This could be in the form of creating a positive club culture and zero-tolerance abuse policies.
In our research, umpires said it was crucial that governing bodies communicated both the level of evidence required to report abuse, and how tribunals worked.
As younger officials may not know the process, having this information embedded in umpire training may help umpires feel more supported in reporting abuse.
Equally, appropriate penalties must be handed down to ensure umpires have faith in the reporting system.
While the number of Australian rules football umpires has increased in recent years, these numbers can also decrease quickly.
If we want to retain umpires for the medium and long-term, we need governing bodies such as the AFL to address the frequency and severity with which umpire abuse occurs.
As one umpire commented:
Cases of abuse need to have consequences, not just a slap on the wrist. Why would anyone want to go out and be abused for two hours?
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. 1 in 5 community footy umpires have been assaulted, while others cop death threats: new research – https://theconversation.com/1-in-5-community-footy-umpires-have-been-assaulted-while-others-cop-death-threats-new-research-257804
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Johnson, Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship and Co-Founder of Umbo, University of Sydney
Each year, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) reviews its pricing rules to ensure services funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) remain sustainable.
This year’s annual pricing review outlines changes that will take effect from July 1 2025.
Among the updates are changes to therapy pricing, travel reimbursement, and rural loadings. The NDIA says this will bring NDIS pricing in line with other government schemes and private health insurance.
But what do these changes mean for people outside the big cities?
adjusted therapy support rates, including a $10 per hour reduction for physiotherapists to $183.99 per hour.
travel reimbursement for therapists will be halved (from 100% to 50% of the hourly rate during any time spent travelling)
price loadings for some rural and remote areas will be removed.
The NDIA justifies these decisions with a dataset that includes the average of hourly rates from Medicare, private health claims, and 13 other government programs.
The agency says some NDIS therapy prices exceed mainstream equivalents by up to 68%.
While these comparisons might make sense for metropolitan clinics, they do not capture the realities of service delivery in rural and remote areas.
For example, allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists in cities can see multiple clients in a row at one location (although this isn’t always realistic or best practice in cities either).
In contrast, rural and remote providers may drive hundreds of kilometres between appointments. Much of their time, including travel, planning, and follow-up, is essential but often unbilled.
So while $193.99 (soon $183.99) per hour for physiotherapy might look generous, it does not reflect what is left after factoring in travel and unpaid care coordination.
Disabilities are complex and often lifelong, so clinical support is time-consuming. However, that is something clinicians are passionate about – therapists so often squirm at the thought of billing our clients for anything other than direct clinical services.
The NDIA’s own data confirm most therapy providers are small operators. In fact, 90% are unregistered, and many serve fewer than five participants.
The result is a fragile “market”, particularly in towns with limited infrastructure. If pricing makes it unviable for local clinicians to offer services, the only remaining options may involve families travelling long distances or forgoing support entirely. This has knock-on effects for local economies and contributes to professional burnout and workforce shortages.
For families living in towns with limited services, travel is not optional. It is a lifeline. If providers cannot afford to travel, many people with disability simply go without.
Telepractice can be used in some clinical situations, but not all. The most effective kind of telepractice also includes support from local clinicians and coworkers, and ideally a mix of in-person and online consultations.
One family I worked with during my PhD research lived four hours from the nearest regional centre. After an 18-month wait, their child’s therapy appointment was cancelled twice due to workforce shortages. They eventually paid privately for a service in another state.
This story is not unusual. Many families said they did not necessarily want more funding; they just wanted support delivered in ways that worked for them. Being able to access help locally allowed their children to remain part of the school community and reduced pressure on carers already juggling other responsibilities. Clinicians, communities, and families are continuing to tell very similar stories.
My research found rural families preferred flexible models that blended telepractice with local capacity-building. These hybrid approaches worked well when supported by policy that allowed for coordination, community involvement, and some in-person time. They were not luxury add-ons. They were what made services possible.
There is also a long-term benefit in supporting local service ecosystems. When therapists can build relationships within a community, they are more likely to stay, collaborate with other professionals, and mentor early-career clinicians.
This helps reduce churn and provides continuity of care. However, with travel reimbursement and rural loadings cut, sustaining these models becomes more difficult.
The NDIA’s strategy includes a shift toward “differentiated pricing”, which could eventually support more tailored approaches. The Department of Social Services has also promised to offer “foundational supports” outside the NDIS, but it is currently unclear what the nature of these supports will be. Right now, though, rural communities are being asked to absorb the reduced funding and limited flexibility. Without further adjustment, these changes risk widening the gap between metropolitan and non-metropolitan service access.
A single national price does not guarantee equal access. Equity comes from recognising and responding to different contexts. For rural and remote Australians living with disability, that recognition is long overdue.
Until then, it will be up to 7 million rural Australians to make it work for themselves in places where resources are already stretched thin.
I am a co-founder of Umbo Pty Ltd (an NDIS therapy provider which provides telepractice services)
– ref. The NDIA is changing how it pays for disability supports. What does that mean for rural communities? – https://theconversation.com/the-ndia-is-changing-how-it-pays-for-disability-supports-what-does-that-mean-for-rural-communities-259148
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow South Carolina to end Planned Parenthood’s participation in the state’s Medicaid program – denying South Carolinians easy access to preventive health care like birth control. The ruling opens the door for any anti-abortion state in the country to take the same action. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement in response to the decision:
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling means that any state can blacklist Planned Parenthood or other health care providers, taking away access for Medicaid recipients,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This decision is another troubling step toward the anti-abortion movement’s ultimate goal — deciding for themselves what reproductive care American women are allowed to get.”
The 1977 Hyde Amendment already bans the use of federal funding for abortion, with an exception for pregnancies that endanger the life of the pregnant person or that result from rape or incest. This decision paves the way for states to eliminate access for Medicaid patients to receive affordable cancer screenings, gynecological care, STD and STI screenings, and birth control services from Planned Parenthood clinics.
According to a Planned Parenthood report, from 2023-2024 the provider accounted for 364,600 Pap tests and breast exams, 2.2 million birth control services, and 5.1 million STI tests and treatments. Half of all Planned Parenthood patients (49%) access care through Medicaid and/or the Title X family planning program. Allowing states to withhold Medicaid funding also puts rural communities at risk — 76% of Planned Parenthood health centers are located in rural or medically underserved areas, meaning patients would have to travel farther to receive care.
Sen. Cantwell has been a champion for preserving Medicaid and access to reproductive health care. Earlier this week, on the three-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Sen. Cantwell released a fact sheet detailing the dire consequences for Washington state’s reproductive health care delivery system if the Republican reconciliation bill is passed that would cut billions from Medicaid.
Yesterday, Sen. Cantwell spoke on the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to vote against cuts to Medicaid that would effectively reverse the expansion of the program under the Affordable Care Act. Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is available HERE, and a transcript HERE.
On Tuesday’s Dobbs anniversary, Sen. Cantwell joined the entire Democratic Senate Caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, which would guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. Also this week, Sen. Cantwell joined nine of her Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s recent rescission of guidance that reaffirmed hospitals and providers’ obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to provide medically necessary emergency abortion care, regardless of where the patient lives.
A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell’s actions to defend Medicaid from cuts is HERE.
Source:
27 June 2025
Almost half of all Australian Rules Football (AFL) umpires have experienced verbal abuse such as ridiculing, humiliation or aggressive remarks, threats or gestures, at least every couple of games, according to new research by the University of South Australia.
The survey of more than 350 umpires from 2021 to 2022 has identified that one in five umpires (21%) reported having also experienced some form of physical abuse, whether it be invasion of personal space, pushing, or punching by players, coaches, parents or general spectators.
Twelve per cent of those surveyed umpired in community junior football, 80% umpired in community senior football and 8% umpired in state league and talent pathway.
The study was conducted by UniSA’s Dr Jamie Cleland, and Dr Alyson Crozier, experts in sports management and sports psychology respectively, in a bid to examine the extent of abuse towards match officials, particularly at the youth and grassroots levels, and the reasons for poor retention of umpires in the sport.
Dr Crozier says poor behaviour by clubs, parents or spectators can filter down to the youth and grassroots levels where umpires aren’t protected by security like elite AFL umpires and can face verbal and physical hostility when their decisions are disputed.
“Spectators, players and coaches tend to strongly identify with their team, whereas umpires are viewed as an external authority figure – and this creates an ‘us versus them’ mindset,” she says.
“This then can lead to dehumanisation and justification of aggressive behaviour towards umpires as they’re seen as a threat to the team’s success. Professional AFL umpires are conditioned to expect abuse on the field and understand it as being part of the game.
“But while uMpires may expect the abuse, it doesn’t make the experience ‘right’. Workplaces outside of umpiring wouldn’t tolerate the levels of abuse experienced by some umpires in Aussie Rules; in no other workplace would it be considered acceptable, and it shouldn’t be acceptable for footy umpires either.”
Of the research participants, 91% identified as male and 80% of them umpired in community senior football. 21% said they received verbal abuse every game, 28% said every couple of games and 38% said a couple of times a season.
One umpire in community senior football commented how it “had been the worst year for myself personally as far as coach and supporter abuse – I was threatened with my life this year and the league did nothing about it”.
Another community senior football umpire shared their account of being physically attacked. “I was assaulted two years ago by a spectator. Lucky I was bigger than him. I was disappointed he only got a one-year suspension from attending games,” they said.
More than half of participants (53%) had reported at least one incident of abuse to the relevant authority and of those who had reported abuse, 73% felt supported through the process, with 62% satisfied with the eventual disciplinary outcome.
Dr Crozier says a number of the umpires in the study commented positively on the AFL’s 50m penalty for players who show dissent towards an umpire, such as challenging an umpire verbally or physically after a decision has been made on the field.
“However, although some umpires recognised how their experiences had improved after the introduction of the dissent rule, for the majority, the top-down approach still wasn’t influencing bottom-up behaviour change at the youth and grass rooms levels. It’s at these levels where mass participation occurs that umpires are significantly outnumbered and not sufficiently protected from harm,” she says.
“Umpires told us they need to be communicated with before and after cases of misconduct against clubs, players and spectators, not only for their own health and wellbeing, but because they’re more likely to keep umpiring if they feel supported and valued.”
The researchers suggested technology could enhance the reporting process for bad behaviour, using real time mobile apps to log incidents immediately after a match. Various sporting leagues globally are trialling body cameras for game officials to reduce the level of abuse they face.
An article on the topic is published on The Conversation. It can be republished online or in print for free, provided you follow these guidelines.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The NBL Blitz will be held at the recently refurbished AIS Arena.
Canberra basketball fans rejoice.
The National Basketball League (NBL) will hold its pre-season tournament, the NBL Blitz, in Canberra this year.
The event will be held at the recently refurbished AIS Arena from 27 August to 31 August.
Attendees can expect five days of non-stop action as all 10 NBL teams go head-to-head in preparation of the NBL season.
See some of Australia’s best talent on the court, with double headers each evening of the event.
Wednesday 27 August:
Perth Wildcats vs Melbourne United
Adelaide 36ers vs Illawarra Hawks
Thursday 28 August:
Brisbane Bullets vs Sydney Kings
Cairns Taipans vs Tasmania JackJumpers
Friday 29 August:
South East Melbourne Phoenix vs New Zealand Breakers
Illawarra Hawks vs Perth Wildcats
Saturday 30 August:
Melbourne United vs Brisbane Bullets
Tasmania JackJumpers vs Adelaide 36ers
Sunday 31 August:
Sydney Kings vs South East Melbourne Phoenix
New Zealand Breakers vs Cairns Taipans
The ACT Government has worked with the NBL, Basketball ACT and the AIS Arena to make this exciting event possible.
This event will be delivered through funding from the 2025–26 ACT Budget.
Tickets are now available. Gather your friends and family and secure them on the NBL Blitz website.
For updates, check the NBL website and social media channels.
Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 47-year-old male in relation to an aggravated robbery in Pinelands yesterday afternoon.
Around 5:00pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of a disturbance involving a male allegedly armed with a machete on the Stuart Highway in Pinelands.
It is alleged a trailer containing construction equipment was stolen from a business premises along the Stuart Highway in Pinelands, before the victim observed it was missing a short time later. The victim drove around before stopping nearby after noticing the suspected stolen property attached to a vehicle broken down on the side of the road nearby.
Initial investigations indicate the alleged offender threatened the victim with a machete after the victim approached him. The offender then allegedly entered the victims vehicle to jump start his own personal vehicle before fleeing the scene.
Shortly after, the vehicle broke down nearby the Stuart Highway and Tiger Brennan Drive on-ramp, where the male fled into nearby bushland.
The Dog Operations Unit and general duties members attended on scene swiftly.
Patrol Dog (PD) Wedge was deployed and tracked the alleged offender 400 metres where they located and apprehended him while concealed within the bush.
The male was arrested and is likely to be charged later today.
A machete was seized and the stolen property was returned to the victim.
The Crime Command has carriage of the investigation.
Acting Superintendent Meacham King stated, “This is another good example of the essential work the dog operations unit undertakes in tracking violent offenders and apprehending them.
PD Wedge and his handler are a highly effective team protecting the community.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident, particularly anyone with dash cam footage from the area at the time, is urged to contact police on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25171430. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
If you hire staff, you need to pay your eligible workers’ super guarantee (SG) in full, on time and to the right fund by 28 July.
You need to allow extra time for the payments to reach your employees’ super funds if you’re using a commercial clearing house. Payments are only considered ‘paid’ when the super fund receives them.
The SG rate increased from 11.5% to 12% on 1 July 2025. For the quarter ending 30 June, apply the 11.5% SG rate for payments made before 1 July
You’ll need to apply the 12% rate for all salary and wages paid to eligible workers on and after 1 July. This is even if some or all of the pay period it relates to is before 1 July.
Read our simple checks for super success checklist for help meeting your super obligations.
We’ve set up tailored communication channels for small businesses. They will keep you updated on important information and changes.
Read more articles in our Small business newsroom.
Subscribe to our free to our monthly Small business email newsletterExternal Link
Get email notifications about new and updated information on our website. You can choose to receive updates that matter to you. Select the ‘Business and organisations’ category. This way, your subscription will get notifications for more Small business newsroom articles like this one.
Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain delivered the keynote address about image, voice and trust in the age of AI
https://sopawards.com/the-sopa-awards/award-winners/)
The awards recognize outstanding journalistic work from the past year in the Asia-Pacific region and were given out at a celebratory dinner in Hong Kong on Thursday June 26, marking the 27th consecutive year of the awards.
Submissions from regional and local publications rose substantially from a year earlier, showing the growing voices of smaller publications around the region. To help showcase grassroots coverage, SOPA offered reduced entry fees to small media outlets and first-time entrants from a dozen countries and regions. Several took home prizes including Mekong Eye, which won the top regional/local award in Investigative Reporting for Cattle Hustle, and Hong Kong’s HK Feature got Honorable Mention in the Chinese-language Feature Writing category for ‘Democracy pineapple’ caught in political dilemma across the Taiwan Strait. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism won the top regional/local award in Explanatory Reporting for Renewed Attention on Political Dynasties in the Philippines.
China’s economy and tensions with the U.S. over technology continued to be a focus, while brewing issues on a number of fronts sparked an increase in India-related entries.
Here are some highlights:
EXCELLENCE IN REPORTING ON WOMEN’S ISSUES
The New York Times with The Fuller Project won the top global award for The Brutality of Sugar, with judges calling it an “eye-opening” account “revealing the horrendous conditions facing women in India’s sugar industry.”
The Wire won the top regional/local award for Breaking The Nets, which the judges said offered “a fascinating insight into the knock-on effects of India’s patriarchal society” and how women contend with them.EXCELLENCE IN AUDIO REPORTING
Mongabay won the top regional/local award for Wild Frequencies: How listening to India’s animals inspires people to protect wildlife, which judges praised as showing how sounds are a clue to “whether an ecosystem is healthy or imperiled.”
EXCELLENCE IN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING
The Collective HK won the top Chinese-language award for Five Years After Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement: How are they?, which focused on four personalities in the 2019 social movement in Hong Kong and the judges said is “full of drama” without “emotive writing.”
EXCELLENCE IN FEATURE WRITING
The Australian Financial Review won the top regional/local award for Inside the ‘unending chaos’ at Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue, which the judges called “an impressive portrait” of an Australian businessman involved in tackling climate change.
Initium Media won the top Chinese-language group award for Chinese Fighting for Russia: Money, Thrill and Becoming Influencers, which the judges noted had “sparked significant attention and discussion.”
EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY REPORTING
Nikkei Asia won the top global award for China’s tech industry fights back, which the judges called “a well-reported exploration of China’s drive for tech primacy in the face of U.S. restrictions.”
EXCELLENCE IN ARTS AND CULTURE REPORTING
The Economist’s 1843 Magazine won the top global award for How I became the Taliban’s portrait artist, which the judges called “a gripping account” of how the author’s own kidnapping in Afghanistan showed an unexpected side of today’s Taliban.
EXCELLENCE IN REPORTING BREAKING NEWS
Reuters won the top global and regional/local award for South Korea’s martial law crisis, which judges said, “kept global audiences informed about one of the biggest breaking stories last year.”EXCELLENCE IN OPINION WRITING
Singapore’s The Straits Times won the regional/local award for No country for young men: Where is Malaysia’s next generation of leaders? The judges said it “demystifies the complex web of personalities shaping Malaysian politics.”
The judges selected Qianer Liu of The Information for the SOPA Award for Young Journalist citing her “unique insights into the tech competition between the U.S. and China.”
The Wall Street Journal won the coveted SOPA Award for Public Service Journalism for A Vicious New Scam Industry Metastasizes that detailed the brutal reality of the global criminal enterprise of “pig butchering” cyber fraud.
“Congratulations to all the winners, honorable mentions and finalists,” said Bill Ridgers, Asia Digital Editor at The Economist and Co-Chair of SOPA’s Editorial Committee. “The high quality of entries for the SOPA 2025 awards is proof that the media continues to perform a critical role in informing readers in Asia Pacific and elsewhere about this region and helping shape public discourse.”
SOPA would like to thank Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain who spoke on image, voice and trust in the age of AI. Her keynote address will be available on SOPA’s YouTube channel from 28 June, 2025. (link: https://www.youtube.com/@sopaasia)
We also extend thanks to our nearly 120 volunteer judges and to Karen Koh for being our Master of Ceremonies, and to the University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, which has administered the awards since 2011.
Critical to presenting the awards are our sponsors. Factiva is an Associate Sponsor and Telum Media is a Supporting Partner.
Awards Ceremony Dinner photos can be accessed here:
https://sopawards.com/awards-dinner-photos/
About SOPA
The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) is a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1982 to champion freedom of the press, promote excellence in journalism and endorse best practices for all local and regional publishing platforms in the Asia-Pacific region.
Today, SOPA is the voice of Asia’s media and publishing industry, and continues to work to uphold media standards and freedoms while celebrating and supporting professional journalism and publishing. The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence are the annual,flagship awards, serving as a regional benchmark for quality, professional journalism and have been given out every year since 1999.
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
Businesses with an annual aggregated turnover of less than $50 million now have up to 4 years from the date of their tax return assessment to request amendments. This applies to assessments for the 2024-25 and later income years.
If you make a mistake on a tax return and need to request an amendment, you should lodge your requests well before the end of the amendment period to make sure we can process it within the time limit.
You should keep accurate and complete records to support your amendment request.
For more information about amending income tax returns, visit Request an amendment to a business or super tax return or speak to your registered tax practitioner.
We’ve set up tailored communication channels for small businesses. They will keep you updated on important information and changes.
Read more articles in our Small business newsroom.
Subscribe to our free to our monthly Small business email newsletterExternal Link
Get email notifications about new and updated information on our website. You can choose to receive updates that matter to you. Select the ‘Business and organisations’ category. This way, your subscription will get notifications for more Small business newsroom articles like this one.
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
That’s where ATO Community comes in. It’s the ATO’s online forum for general advice and support that can help with understanding your obligations.
Whether you’re unsure about GSTExternal Link, PAYG Instalments, or when you need to pay superExternal Link, the community is ready to answer your questions. No jargon, no long waits – just practical advice to support you on your business journey.
ATO Community also has a growing library of easy-to-read articlesExternal Link. It covers a wide range of topics tailored to small businesses. Our Getting your business ready for tax and superExternal Link article is a great place to start. It covers everything from structuring your business, to what you need to report to the ATO and the records you must keep.
If you’ve got questions this tax time, simply head to ATO communityExternal Link to join and ask a question.
We’ve set up tailored communication channels for small businesses. They will keep you updated on important information and changes.
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology
Children’s play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life.
In our new study, we compare children’s use of such spaces in Auckland, New Zealand, and Venice, Italy. Our findings present a paradox: playgrounds built for safety can stifle creativity and mobility, while self-organising open spaces offer rich opportunities to explore and belong.
In Auckland, places such as Taumata Reserve are a testimony to contemporary playground design – grassy, shaded, equipped with slides and swings, and buffered from traffic. Such places are an oasis cherished by caregivers for the sense of perceived safety they provide.
Yet during our observations, we noted how these spaces function not necessarily as an oasis or a point for social encounter, but rather as isolated refuge islands, disconnected from the city’s everyday life. Children’s independent mobility and opportunities for diverse play activities remained limited and predefined.
Contrast this with Venice’s Santa Croce neighbourhood. Car-free streets and piazzas, such as Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio above, pulsate with life. We saw children play ball, draw on pavements, chase each other and even water plants. These spaces are shared inter-generational stages.
To compare children’s experience, we measured the diversity of activities (a proxy for creativity). Auckland’s Taumata Reserve scored just 1.46. In contrast, Venice scored 2.33, with more than 2,600 spontaneous acts in the streets, reflecting a child-led play culture.
Play is not a luxury. It is a fundamental necessity of life to understand, navigate and adapt to the complexities of the world.
From a deterministic perspective, contemporary Western cultures (such as in Europe and New Zealand) prescribe diverse benefits of play. This includes learning and developing resilience, spatial awareness and social skills.
In Auckland, safety is the focus. While inclusion for children with special needs is understandable, it may inadvertently limit the collective capacity for vital and formative developmental experiences at the neighbourhood scale.
Global research shows declining children’s mobility, linked to car dependency and adult-controlled routines. This reduces children’s activity radius, constrains confidence and diminishes connection to place. For one of us, a father of two, watching his daughters navigate parks underscores this: children need to be able to learn risk competency.
Venice is a cultural model we can draw lessons from. Its pedestrian streets let children roam, climb statues and play hide-and-seek on bridges. This exposure to risks builds judgement, adaptability and agency. It also makes children co-creators of urban life.
Our study uses what we call “temporary appropriation” – when children use spaces in unplanned, creative ways – and a design framework called SPIRAL, which draws from individual experiences and cultural narratives to build public spaces.
Auckland’s rules and fences curb this; Venice’s human-scale design invites it.
Venice’s conditions foster risk competency in children and caregivers, strengthening community bonds through a culture of care. Auckland’s spaces for play are spatially fragmented, limiting social encounters and the risk-taking skills vital for development.
From a New Zealand perspective, it is also essential to recognise the significance of place-based belonging from a Māori worldview. Concepts such as whakapapa (genealogy), whenua (land) and whanaungatanga (relational ties) emphasise deep, inter-generational connections to place.
In this view, play is not merely recreation but a cultural expression; a way for children to experience turangawaewae (a place to stand).
From our research, we can draw lessons for how urban spaces might be reimagined to better support children’s wellbeing and autonomy. This includes:
Designing public spaces with natural elements, “risky art”, loose parts and creative equipment for open-ended play that balances safety without compromising opportunities for discovery and risk-taking
reducing the number of cars and slowing speeds to achieve better outcomes for children
reclaiming streets so that all people and animals can have positive adventures
prioritising policies for car-free or traffic-calmed areas across neighbourhoods and in proximity to social places (schools, libraries, shops, parks) to contribute to a culture where safety is a collective responsibility and a commitment towards a stronger social cohesion
proactively involving children in urban design through place-making and temporary appropriation; it is their right to be heard and listened to through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
encouraging participatory co-design workshops and action-focused initiatives to harness children’s insights to design spaces that meet needs
considering nuanced and emotional indicators for success such as belonging, curiosity, joy and inter-generational exchange rather than just efficiency or maintenance cost
and collaboratively modifying the environment over time.
We envision cities where children roam freely, invent and experience deeper and authentic belonging. Venice proves that shared public spaces help children enrich and shape cities, as much as the rest of the population does.
Safe playgrounds are only a starting point. For healthy, regenerative and vibrant cities to work, we need to realise that children should have agency to shape the complex assemblage that cities really are. Let’s build urban futures where children don’t just play, but can have positive adventures.
The choices we make today matter. We can either feed the fear or meet the cultural challenge together by embracing the positive adventures of life, with a sense of collective wellbeing, care and stewardship.
Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez received funding for the Horizon 2020 CRUNCH project and was a member of the curatorial team of the Italian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale 2021. He is a senior member of City Space Architecture and the International Society of City and Regional Planners.
Gregor Mews has previously served as a founding director of the Australian Institute of Play and currently serves as a council board member of City Space Architecture as well as a member of the International Society of City and Regional Planners.
– ref. Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity and independence – https://theconversation.com/beyond-playgrounds-how-less-structured-city-spaces-can-nurture-childrens-creativity-and-independence-257481
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology
Our cultural touchstones series looks at influential works.
Gilles Deleuze was one of the most original and imaginative thinkers of postwar France. A lifelong teacher, he spent most of his career at the University of Paris VIII, influencing generations of students but largely shunning the mantle of public intellectual.
His complex, creative books mix philosophy, literature, film and politics – not to give clear answers, but to spark new ways of thinking.
Postscript on the Societies of Control, published 35 years ago in the countercultural L’Autre Journal is Deleuze at his most accessible and prophetic.
Written at a time when the Cold War was ending, computers were becoming more common, and the internet was beginning to connect institutions, the essay describes the emergence of a new kind of society – one not ruled by a single stern voice but by the soft hum of networks.
Postscript was written as an update to the work of Deleuze’s contemporary Michel Foucault, who had died in 1984. Deleuze called it a “postscript” not just because of its brevity (it’s only around 2,300 words in English translation) but to highlight he wasn’t refuting Foucault, just building on his work.
From the 18th to early 20th centuries, Foucault had argued, Western societies were “disciplinary societies”. Schools, factories, prisons and hospitals – institutions with walls, schedules, routines and clear expectations – moulded behaviour. People were trained, observed, tested and corrected as they passed from one institution to the next.
Read more:
‘A dark masterpiece’: Foucault’s Discipline and Punish at 50
But in the late 20th century, Deleuze saw something shifting. He thought the stodgy old disciplinary institutions were “in a generalized crisis” due to technological advances and a new form of capitalism that demanded more flexibility in workers and consumers.
New systems of management and technology were starting to reshape people without sending them through traditional institutions. Deleuze wrote presciently, for example, that “perpetual training tends to replace the school, and continuous control to replace the examination”.
In business, he saw a growing idea of “salary according to merit”, transforming work into “challenges, contests, and highly comic group sessions” – something much at odds with the old model of the standard wage and the assembly line. Traditional government institutions like hospitals and the classic factory were embracing the model of the corporation, driven always by a profit motive and the need for better human tools.
To Deleuze, all this meant people were becoming more “free-floating” – they could be still playing socially useful roles but were being gently steered into them. This greater freedom, however, required a new system to keep everyone in line. He called this “modulation” to underline its dynamic, enveloping nature.
Deleuze described modulation as “a self-deforming cast that will continuously change from one moment to the other”. He meant that people were beginning to live in an environment where everything shape-shifts to encourage or discourage us in the right direction without explicitly putting up walls.
A prime example of how modulation has since become commonplace is nudging – the use of psychological techniques, often subtle and data-driven, to shape people’s behaviour.
Nudging didn’t really exist in 1990, but governments and tech companies use nudges all the time now. We’re nudged to eat healthier, buy, save, recycle, donate. Web sites use “dark patterns” – tricky designs that steer (or nudge) us toward certain choices. Social media feeds use algorithms to exclude us if we say the wrong thing. In fact, entire teams of behavioural scientists operate behind the scenes to manipulate many aspects of our lives.
Nudges can be good and can save us from poor choices, but their newfound moral acceptability (sometimes called libertarian paternalism) is very much a clue that Deleuze’s control society has arrived.
Deleuze, who died in 1995, wrote Postscript before the advent of the smartphone, but he foresaw that an “electronic collar” would assume a central role in society. He envisaged a “computer that tracks each person’s position – licit or illicit – and effects a universal modulation.”
Smartphones more than fit the bill. In the old disciplinary ways, they track where we go, what we search for, what we buy, how many steps we take, even how well we sleep. But if we apply Deleuze’s ideas to these phones, detailed surveillance is no longer their most important function. Our phones present and curate options.
In effect, they shape how we see the world. When you scroll through news or social media, for instance, you’re reading about a version of the world built just for you, designed to keep you looking, clicking and reacting – and keep you very finely attuned to what is acceptable or dangerous behaviour.
In Deleuze’s terms, this is pure modulation: not a forceful “No” but a softly spoken, “How about this?” Your phone doesn’t lock you in – it draws you in. It shapes what you see, rewards your cooperation, ignores your silence, and always keeps score. And it does this 24/7. You might unlock it hundreds of times a day. And each time it’s updated to guide your next move more precisely.
At the same time our phones quietly turn us into a set of credentials useful for regulating physical access to workplaces, bank accounts, information: In the societies of control, writes Deleuze, “what is important is no longer either a signature or a number, but a code: the code is a password.”
Deleuze warned that, in a control society: “Individuals have become ‘dividuals,’ and masses have become samples, data, markets, or ‘banks.’” A dividual to Deleuze is a person transformed into a set of data points and metrics.
You are your credit rating, your search history, your likes and clicks – a different dataset to every institution. Such fragments are used to make decisions about you until they effectively replace you. In fact, for Deleuze a dividual has internalised this treatment and thinks of themselves as a net worth, a mortgage size, a car value – psychological anchors for control.
He illustrates this point with healthcare, predicting a
new medicine ‘without doctor or patient’ that singles out potential sick people and subjects at risk, which in no way attests to individuation.
How many health decisions are now made for us collectively before we ever see a doctor? We should be grateful for advances in public health and epidemiology, but this has certainly impacted our individuality and how we are treated.
An unsettling part of Deleuze’s perspective is that control doesn’t usually feel like control. It’s often dressed up as convenience, efficiency or progress. You set up internet-linked video cameras because then you can work from home. You agree to long terms and conditions because your banking app won’t work otherwise.
One problem is there are no longer clear barriers we can rail against. As Deleuze said:
In disciplinary societies one was always starting again (from school to the barracks, from the barracks to the factory), while in control societies one is never finished with anything.
Control doesn’t always crush – it can enable. Digital networks bring real freedom, economic possibility, even joy. We move more easily – both mentally and geographically – than ever before. But while we move, it always inside a kind of invisible map shaped by capitalism.
It’s no conspiracy because nobody has the whole map. So it’s difficult to work out exactly what action, if any, to take. As Deleuze concludes: “The coils of a serpent are even more complex than the burrows of a molehill.”
Postscript doesn’t offer a political program beyond the sardonic comment that:
Many young people strangely boast of being ‘motivated’ […] It’s up to them to discover what they’re being made to serve.
There are ways to resist control. Some people demand more privacy or digital rights. Others opt out selectively – logging off, turning off, refusing to be nudged. Some look to art as a way of resisting its smooth grip. These acts – however small – may offer what Deleuze and his collaborator, the French psychiatrist and philosopher Félix Guattari, called lines of flight: creative ways to move not just against control, but beyond it.
The real message of Postscript, however, is its invitation to consider a timeless perspective. Any society must have a way to make people useful. So, what kind of society do we want? What kinds of restrictions are we willing to live under? And, crucial to this current age, how explicit should control be?
Cameron Shackell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Computers tracking us, an ‘electronic collar’: Gilles Deleuze’s 1990 Postscript on the Societies of Control was eerily prescient – https://theconversation.com/computers-tracking-us-an-electronic-collar-gilles-deleuzes-1990-postscript-on-the-societies-of-control-was-eerily-prescient-254579
Sometime, probably around October this year, a person will step off aircraft somewhere in Australia in the last stage of their journey way from conflict or persecution.
This person will be the one millionth refugee settled in Australia since the end of World War II.
The Department of Home Affairs says Australia has successfully settled more than 985,000 refugees and humanitarian entrants since the country’s first humanitarian intake occurred in 1947.
With 20,000 refugee places currently allocated for each financial year, the million milestone is due to be reached in the early months of the 2025-26 financial year.
Based on these figures, it is expected the one-millionth arrival to occur sometime between September and November 2025.
The milestone represents a million individual journeys toward refuge and a million stories of people rebuilding their lives in safety with hope for the future.
Since the 1930s, Australia has welcomed refugees fleeing global conflicts — from Jewish refugees before and after World War Two, to Southeast Asians after the Vietnam War.
Following World War Two, Australia entered formal agreements with international bodies to accept displaced people from Europe.
In November 1947, more than 800 people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania arrived in Fremantle. They were the first of 170,000 displaced persons resettled in Australia after World War Two.
Later decades saw more structured resettlement, particularly in response to major global conflicts.
Over the past 40 years, Australia has continued to resettle people from conflict-riven regions, including the Southeast Asia the Middle East, Africa and Myanmar.
Today, refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Iraq, Syria, Myanmar and countries in the Horn of Africa continue to arrive under the humanitarian program.
In two recent emergency situations, Australia evacuated 4100 refugees from Afghanistan following the return of the Taliban to power in 2021 and around 4,000 Ukrainians, mostly women and children, who initially arrived on tourist visas after the Russian invasion are new transitioning to permanent protection visas.
CEO of AMES Australia Cath Scarth said the million-refugee mark was a reflection of Australia’s proud history of affording refugee to people fleeing war, conflict or persecution.
“Australia has a generous and sophisticated refugee settlement program that not only offers refuge to people fleeing war or persecution but also equips them to build successful lives and become contributors,” Ms Scarth said.
“We are an example to the world at a time when more than 122 million people are displaced due to war, conflict or persecution,” she said.
Australia is a leading refugee resettlement country, ranking among the top few resettlement countries on a per capita basis.
The United States has historically accepted the greatest number of refugees, but its program has recently been effectively shuttered by the Trump administration, meaning the loss of 100,000 annual resettlement places.
Among refugees who have come to Australia in recent years are:
Iraqi doctor Asseel Yako who, in his homeland, tended to battlefield wounds suffered by soldiers or militia members fighting ISIS or patching up women children horrifically injured in explosions of gunfire.
Ten years later he is still saving lives working a consultant physician, specialising in internal medicine at Warragul Hospital, in Gippsland, Victoria.
The job is the culmination of years of hard work, striving to get his qualifications recognised in Australia.
He had studied and worked as a doctor for almost twenty years before arriving in Australia, but he was forced to jump through extraordinary hoops to be able practice medicine again.
Cambodian refugee Chan Uoy has helped breathe new life into the struggling regional town of Dimboola, in Victoria’s west.
Chan has opened the Dimboola Imaginarium, an eclectic and exotic gift shop and Air BnB recently featured in the high-end magazine Conde Nast Traveller. Chan has also recently become the deputy mayor of the local Hindmarsh Shire.
The Dimboola Imaginarium is a stimulating space with a cornucopia of exotic wares, including an almost life-size giraffe, oversize world globes, and colourfully painted rocking horses. The five Air BB bedrooms have differing but exotic and indulgent décor.
He has also launched the Wimmera Steampunk Festival, which this year is expected to attract 5000 visitors to the town.
Young soccer star Yaya Dukuly is the embodiment of refugee aspiration and success.
The 22-year-old Adelaide United soccer star was born into a refugee family in Guinea. His father is a Liberian and his mother is from Guinea.
Yaya arrived in Australia with his family as a child and grew up in Adelaide. Now a professional footballer and Australian under-23 representative, he is also an emerging community leader and role model.
Yaya brought is powerful and authentic new voice in the multicultural sector, supporting newly arrived refugees and advocating for their communities.
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
NBN Co’s fixed wireless and Starlink’s satellite networks are providing Australians living outside of the fixed-line network footprint with high speed alternatives, according to the ACCC’s latest Measuring Broadband Australia report.
The report, which compared broadband performance during March 2025, found that both networks can deliver download speeds above 100 Mbps during evening busy hour periods between 7 and 11 PM on weekdays.
Starlink services recorded an average busy hour download speed of 170.2 Mbps, while services on NBN Co’s new Fixed Wireless Home Fast and Fixed Wireless Superfast plans achieved median results of 166.2 and 283.5 Mbps, respectively.
“Australians who live in regional and remote areas and cannot access a fixed-line network rely on alternatives such as satellite and fixed wireless services to connect to the internet,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.
“The introduction of Starlink and upgrades to the NBN Fixed Wireless network have provided these consumers with access to faster speeds than before.”
While both networks were capable of high download performance, Starlink services delivered higher upload speeds, the report found.
The average busy hour upload speed observed on Starlink’s standard service was 29.2 Mbps. This result exceeded the individual upload performance of all monitored services on the Fixed Wireless Superfast plan, the fastest plan on the NBN Fixed Wireless network.
The average busy hour upload speed observed on the popular Fixed Wireless Plus plan was 11.2 Mbps.
Starlink services recorded lower averages for latency and loading times for popular websites, while NBN fixed wireless services recorded fewer outages and lower packet loss. However, the difference in average performance for these metrics is minimal and is unlikely to significantly impact the user’s overall experience.
“In addition to our performance data, we encourage consumers to consider the price of the service, including any hardware and installation costs, and their household’s broadband usage needs” Ms Brakey said.
The ACCC welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement in the 2025-26 Federal Budget to continue funding the Measuring Broadband Australia program for a further 12 months until June 2026. The Federal Government has funded the ACCC to run a national broadband performance monitoring and reporting program from 2017-25.
The ACCC is seeking more volunteers for the extended program. To sign up, visit Measuring Broadband Australia.
Data for the Measuring Broadband Australia program is provided by UK-based firm SamKnows using methodology based on speed testing programs delivered in the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand.
Starlink operates a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites rapidly moving above the Earth’s surface. Starlink’s download and upload speed results do not include connections using Telstra’s Starlink service with plan speeds of 50/10 Mbps.
Latency measures the average time it takes to send a packet of data to the test server and back to the consumer’s connection. Lower latency results in faster responses, providing a more reliable experience when using real-time applications such as video conferencing and online gaming. High latency may result in a lag or delay.
Packet loss measures the percentage of packets that do not make it to their destination out of all packets sent during a test. Higher packet loss at levels above 1 per cent may be detrimental to user experience by causing lagging, reduced video quality or dropouts during real-time applications such as video streaming and video conferencing.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Fellow, Naval Studies at UNSW Canberra, and Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University
After lobbying by US President Donald Trump, NATO leaders have promised to boost annual defence spending to 5% of their countries’ gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035.
A NATO statement released this week said:
United in the face of profound security threats and challenges, in particular the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security and the persistent threat of terrorism, allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence-and security-related spending by 2035.
This development comes at a tricky time for the Albanese government. It has so far batted away suggestions Australia should increase its defence spending from current levels of around 2% of gross domestic product (GDP), or almost A$59 billion per year (and projected to reach 2.33% of GDP by 2033–34). Trump has called on Australia to increase this to about 3.5%.
With this NATO agreement, global security deteriorating and defence capability gaps obvious, pressure is mounting on the Australian government to increase defence spending further.
A long‑time critic of NATO, Trump and his key officials have castigated NATO’s readiness and spending.
Meanwhile, Russia’s war on Ukraine, now in its fourth year, and a spate of suspected Russian sabotage across Europe have sharpened concerns about allied preparedness.
Against this backdrop, the NATO summit saw Trump publicly reaffirms US commitment to the alliance, and European members pledged to lift defence spending.
The headlines say NATO members agreed to increase annual defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
In fact, the actual agreement is more nuanced.
The summit communique, notably shorter than in previous years, broke the pledge down into two parts.
The first is 3.5% of GDP on what is considered traditional defence spending: ships, tanks, bullets, people and so on.
The second part – the remaining 1.5% of GDP – is to
protect our critical infrastructure, defend our networks, ensure our civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation, and strengthen our defence industrial base.
Exactly what strategic resilience initiatives this money will be spent on is up to the individual member nation.
It might be tempting to paint NATO’s commitment to increased defence spending as evidence of European NATO partners bowing to US political pressure.
But it’s more than that. It is a direct response to the increased threat posed by Russia to Europe, and perhaps an insurance policy against any doubts European NATO partners may have about the US reliability and enduring commitment to the 76-year-old alliance between the US and Europe.
However, not all countries are keen on the defence spending commitment, with notable reservations from Spain and Belgium.
These two countries are yet to meet NATO’s 2014 commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defence.
The commitment to hike NATO defence spending will have an indirect impact on Australia’s own beleaguered defence spending debate.
As mentioned, Australia’s main strategic ally – the US – has pressured Australia to hike defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, up from around 2.02% of GDP this financial year (which the government projects will reach 2.33% by 2033–34).
Australia is not the only Indo-Pacific partner being pushed to spend more on defence. Japan is too.
This is consistent with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Shangri-La speech in May, when he urged Asian allies to step up on defence spending, pointing to Europe as the model.
The NATO announcement will likely embolden the US to apply greater pressure on the Australia to increase defence spending.
Trump’s strategy towards NATO has clearly been to sow ambiguity in the minds of European countries as to the US’ commitment to NATO, to get them to come to the table on defence spending.
This may well be a future Australia faces, too. It could mean a bumpy road ahead for Australia and its most crucial alliance partner.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said Australia will determine its own level of defence spending, and that arbitrary GDP limits are unhelpful. Defence spending, he argues, should be based on capability needs, not demands from allies.
And he is right, to a point.
That said, allies have a right to have an expectation all parties in the alliance are holding up their end of the bargain.
Australian defence spending should be based on the capabilities it needs to resource its stated defence strategy and defend its core interests. Currently, in my view, Australia’s defence capability does not match its current strategy.
There are clear gaps in Australia’s defence capabilities, including:
These are key risks, at the moment of possibly most significant strategic circumstances since the second world war.
In the event of a major crisis or conflict in the region, Australia would not presently be able to defend itself for a prolonged period. To address this requires structural reform and defence investment.
In response to this week’s NATO announcement, Defence Minister Richard Marles said:
We have gone about the business of not chasing a number, but thinking about what is our capability need, and then resourcing it.
During the election campaign both the prime minister and defence minister left the door open to increasing defence spending.
The real unknown is how long it will take to make it happen, and how much damage it may do in the meantime to Australia’s relationship with the US and overall defence-preparedness.
Jennifer Parker is affiliated with UNSW Canberra and ANU’s National Security College.
– ref. NATO’s 5% of GDP defence target ramps up pressure on Australia to spend vastly more – https://theconversation.com/natos-5-of-gdp-defence-target-ramps-up-pressure-on-australia-to-spend-vastly-more-259886
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
TORONTO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) (NYSE:BLK) today announced updates to the investment risk ratings of certain iShares exchange-traded funds (“iShares ETFs”), a reduction to the annual management fees of certain iShares ETFs, and the commencement of securities lending transactions of certain iShares ETFs, as further described below.
Risk Rating Changes
BlackRock Canada announces updated investment risk ratings of the iShares ETFs listed below, effective as of June 26, 2025:
| iShares ETF Name | Ticker | Previous Risk Rating | Updated Risk Rating |
| iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF(1) | XDU | Medium to Low | Medium |
| iShares Japan Fundamental Index Fund (CAD-Hedged) | CJP | Medium to High | Medium |
| iShares US Fundamental Index ETF(2) | CLU | Medium | Medium to High |
(1) This investment risk rating change only applies to the Canadian dollar units (XDU) and not to the U.S. dollar units (XDU.U).
(2) This investment risk rating change only applies to the hedged units (CLU) and not to the non-hedged units (CLU.C).
Annual Management Fee Reductions
BlackRock Canada has reduced the annual management fees of the iShares ETFs listed below, effective as of July 2, 2025:
| iShares ETF Name | Ticker | Current Management Fee | New Management Fee |
| iShares 0-5 TIPS Bond Index ETF | XSTP, XSTP.U | 0.15% | 0.10% |
| iShares 0-5 TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) | XSTH | 0.15% | 0.10% |
Securities Lending Transactions
BlackRock Canada also announces that it may engage in securities lending transactions (the “Transactions”) from time to time for iShares Bitcoin ETF (“IBIT”) in compliance with applicable securities laws. This is a standard practice for many Canadian iShares ETFs.
BlackRock Canada is issuing this announcement to provide 60 days’ prior written notice to unitholders of IBIT that IBIT may enter into the Transactions on or after August 25, 2025.
The prospectus of IBIT dated June 26, 2025, discloses additional information regarding the Transactions, including the policies related to engaging in the Transactions and the related risks.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation to ensure United States foreign aid does not squander taxpayer dollars by propping up governments represented in the United Nations (U.N.) that undermine U.S. interests:
“No more should American taxpayers have to question the value of foreign assistance to countries that oppose our values and interests,” said Senator Blackburn. “The United States must be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, ensuring every dollar that we send to foreign nations drives global stability and advances American interests. The United Nations Voting Accountability Act would ensure that taxpayers are not forced to fund countries that undermine and vote against the U.S. in the United Nations.”
The United Nations Voting Accountability Act is sponsored by U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) in the House of Representatives.
BACKGROUND
THE UNITED NATIONS VOTING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
The United Nations Voting Accountability Act would block U.S. foreign aid to any country that opposes the U.S. at the U.N. or sponsors or leads resolutions that target the U.S. or its allies.
The U.S. Secretary of State may exempt a country if it is determined that:
Click here for bill text.
RELATED
Source: New South Wales – News
Police are at the scene of a serious crash at Uleybury.
Just after 6.30am today (Friday 27 June), police and emergency services were called to Medlow Road after reports of a crash involving a truck and ute.
The road is closed in both directions near Craigmore Road.
Please avoid the area if possible.
Source:
27 June 2025
As sport-related concussions continue to spark global concern, researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) are turning their attention to a largely overlooked group – non-professional athletes – calling for more rigorous return-to-play assessments to protect everyday players.
In a new study, researchers suggest that current return-to-play protocols for semi-elite and community sport athletes might not be enough to ensure the safety of players following a concussion.
A sports-related concussion is traumatic brain injury that occurs when a hit to the head, neck or body causes a sudden jolt to the brain. It can lead to a range of symptoms, with or without a loss of consciousness.
Lead author, UniSA’s Dr Hunter Bennett, says repeated concussions have a host of long-term health effects.
“Concussions are one of the most common injuries across all sorts of sports. But while many sporting organisations have guidelines that dictate the minimum time a player must wait before returning to play, they may not always be enough ensure a full recovery,” Dr Hunter says.
“In the short-term, returning to sport before a concussion has properly healed can lead to impaired balance, coordination and reaction time, which can increase the risk of injury during sport.
“In the long-term, the risks are even more serious – from cognitive impairment to neurodegenerative diseases like motor neuron disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
“Community sportspeople, including children, are particularly vulnerable, as they don’t have the same access to medical support as professional athletes.”
Dr Bennett says return-to-play decisions for non-professional players should go beyond symptom checks.
“Instead, they should include symptom-based assessments that test balance, memory, and coordination – key areas affected by concussion – in conjunction with personalised rehabilitation plans to support recovery and reduce the risk of reinjury.”
The Australian Institute of Sport recommends that the earliest a non-professional player can return to play is 21 days after a concussion. For elite players in the AFL or Rugby Australia, the minimum is 12 days.
But even with those timelines, Dr Bennett says, there are still gaps in how concussions may be assessed and managed at community and school sport levels.
“There’s a lot of variation in how potential concussions are handled at local levels. And while the intention is always to support and protect the player, sometimes the necessary precautions are not instigated,” Dr Bennett says.
“Even at professional levels, some research suggests that more than 60% of sports physicians and trainers report feeling pressure from athletes to clear them early, and more than half say they’ve felt pushback from coaches.
“We know all players – whether professional or not – want to return to their sport as soon as possible, but it’s essential that we take a cautious and individualised approach.
“Upskilling team clubs, schools and community sports groups to better recognise the signs of concussion, follow proper protocols, and prioritise player wellbeing is key to creating a safer sporting culture at every level.
“Because when it comes to concussion, it’s not just about getting back on the field – it’s about protecting long-term brain health.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Contact for interview: Dr Hunter Bennett E: Hunter.Bennett@unisa.edu.au
Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew B. Watkins, Associate research scientist, School of Earth, Atmopshere & Environment, Monash University
How often do you mow your lawn in winter? That may seem like an odd way to start a conversation about drought. But the answer helps explain why our current drought has not broken, despite recent rain – and why spring lamb may be more expensive this year.
Southern Australia has been short of rain for 16 months. Western Victoria, the agricultural regions of South Australia (including Adelaide) and even parts of western Tasmania are suffering record dry conditions. Those rainfall measurements began in 1900 (126 years ago).
Fewer and less intense rain-bearing weather systems have been crossing the southern coastline since February 2024, compared to normal. Put simply, the land has not received enough big dumps of rain.
But June has finally brought rain to some drought-affected regions. There’s even an emerald green tinge to the fields in certain agricultural areas. But it’s now too cold for plants to really grow fast, meaning farmers will be carting hay and buying extra feed for livestock until the weather warms in spring.
This month, some areas received good rainfall – including places near Melbourne and, to a lesser degree, Adelaide. City people may be forgiven for thinking the drought has broken and farmers are rejoicing. But drought is not that simple.
Unfortunately, the rainfall was inconsistent, especially further inland. The coastal deluge in parts of southern Australia in early June didn’t extend far north. Traditionally, the start of the winter crop-growing season is marked by 25mm of rain over three days – a so-called “autumn break”. But many areas didn’t receive the break this year.
The lack of rain (meteorological drought) compounded the lack of water in the soil for crops and pasture (agricultural drought). Parts of Western Australia, SA, Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales had little moisture left in their soils. So some rain is quickly soaked up as it drains into deeper soils.
To make matters worse, autumn was the warmest on record for southern Australia, following its second-warmest summer on record. This can increase the “thirst” of the atmosphere, meaning any water on the surface is more likely to evaporate. Recent thirsty droughts, such as the 2017–19 Tinderbox Drought in NSW, were particularly hard-hitting.
Some areas may have experienced “flash drought”, which is when the landscape and vegetation dry up far quicker than you would expect from the lack of rain alone. By May, areas of significantly elevated evaporative stress were present in southeastern SA, Victoria, southern NSW and northern Tasmania.
In late May and early June, and again this week, there have been winter dust storms in SA. Such dust storms are a bad sign of how dry the ground has become.
Some regions no longer have enough water to fill rivers and dams (hydrological drought). Water restrictions have been introduced in parts of southwest Victoria and Tasmania. The bureau’s streamflow forecast does not look promising.
Remember that lawn mowing analogy? The winter chill has already set in across the south. This means it’s simply too cold for any vigorous new grass growth, and why you are not mowing your lawn very often at the moment.
Cool temperatures, rather than just low rainfall, also limit pasture growth. While from a distance the rain has added an emerald sheen to some of the landscape, it’s often just a green tinge. Up close, it’s clear there is very limited new growth.
Rather than abundant and vigorous new shoots, there’s just a little bit of green returning to surviving grasses. This means there’s very limited feed for livestock. To make matters worse, sometimes the green comes from better-adapted winter weeds.
There will be a lot of hay carting, regardless of rainfall, until spring when the soils start to warm up once again and new growth returns. This all adds up to fewer stock kept in paddocks or a big extra cost in time and money for farmers – and ultimately, a more expensive spring lamb barbecue.
Southern Australia (southern WA, SA, Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW) used to experience almost weekly rain events in autumn and early winter. Cold fronts and deep low-pressure systems rolling in from the west brought the bulk of the rainfall.
Now there is a far more sporadic pattern in these regions. Rainfall in the April to October crop and pasture growing season has declined by around 10–20% since the middle of last century. The strongest drying trend is evident during the crucial months between April and July.
Further reductions in southern growing season rainfall are expected by the end of this century, especially in southwestern Australia. Southeastern regions, including southern Victoria, parts of SA and northern Tasmania, also show a consistent drying trend, with a greater time spent in drought every decade.
Drought is complex. Just because it’s raining doesn’t always mean it has rained enough, or at the right time, or in the right place. To make matters worse, a green drought can even deceive us into thinking everything is fine.
Breaking the meteorological drought will require consistent rainfall over several months. Breaking the agricultural drought will also require more warmth in the soils. Outlooks suggest we may have to wait for spring.
This article includes scientific contributions from David Jones and Pandora Hope from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
Read more:
Why is southern Australia in drought – and when will it end?
Ailie Gallant receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub.
Pallavi Goswami works at Monash University. She receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program, Climate Systems Hub.
Andrew B. Watkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. The drought in southern Australia is not over – it just looks that way – https://theconversation.com/the-drought-in-southern-australia-is-not-over-it-just-looks-that-way-259543
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Olver, Adjunct Professsor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide
From July, eligible Australians will be screened for lung cancer as part of the nation’s first new cancer screening program for almost 20 years.
The program aims to detect lung cancer early, before symptoms emerge and cancer spreads. This early detection and treatment is predicted to save lives.
Lung cancer is Australia’s fifth most diagnosed cancer but causes the greatest number of cancer deaths.
It’s more common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, rural and remote Australians, and lower income groups than in the general population.
Overall, less than one in five patients with lung cancer will survive five years. But for those diagnosed when the cancer is small and has not spread, two-thirds of people survive five years.
The lung cancer screening program only targets people at higher risk of lung cancer, based on their smoking history and their age. This is different to a population-wide screening program, such as screening for bowel cancer, which is based on age alone.
The lung cancer program screens people 50-70 years old with no signs or symptoms of lung cancer such as breathlessness, a persisting cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, becoming very tired or losing weight.
To be eligible, current smokers must also have a history of at least 30 “pack years”. To calculate this you multiply the number of packets (of 20 cigarettes) you smoke a day by the number of years you’ve been smoking them.
For instance, if you smoke one packet (20 cigarettes) a day for a year that is one pack year. Smoking two packets a day for six months (half a year) is also a pack year.
People who have quit smoking in the past ten years but have accumulated 30 or more pack years before quitting are also eligible.
Ask your GP or health worker if you are eligible. If you are, you will be referred for a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan. This uses much lower doses of x-rays than a regular CT but is enough to find nodules in the lung. These are small lumps which could be clumps of cancer cells, inflammatory cells or scarring from old infections.
Imaging involves lying on a table for 10-15 minutes while the scanner takes images of your chest. So people must also be able to lie flat in a scanner to be part of the program.
After the scan, the results are sent to you, your GP and the National Cancer Screening Register. You’ll be contacted if the scan is normal and will then be reminded in two years’ time to screen again.
If your scan has findings that need to be followed, you will be sent back to your GP who may arrange a further scan in three to 12 months.
If lung cancer is suspected, you will be referred to a lung specialist for further tests.
International trials show screening people at high risk of lung cancer reduces their chance of dying prematurely from it, and the benefits outweigh any harm.
The aim is to save lives by increasing the detection of stage 1 disease (a small cancer, 4 centimetres or less, confined to the lung), which has a greater chance of being treated successfully.
The risks of radiation exposure are minimised by using low-dose CT screening.
The other greatest risk is a false positive. This is where the imaging suggests cancer, but further tests rule it out. This varies across studies from almost one in ten to one in two of those having their first scan. If imaging suggests cancer, this usually requires a repeat scan. But about one in 100 of those whose imaging suggests cancer but were later found not to have it have invasive biopsies. This involves taking a sample of the nodule to see if it contains cancerous cells.
Some people will be diagnosed with a cancer that will never cause a problem in their lifetime, for instance because it is slow growing or they are likely to die of other illnesses first. This so-called overdiagnosis varies from none to two-thirds of lung cancers diagnosed, depending on the study.
The Australian government has earmarked A$264 million over four years to screen for lung cancer, and $101 million a year after that.
The initial GP consultation will be free if your GP bulk bills, or if not you may be charged an out-of-pocket fee for the consultation. This may be a barrier to the uptake of screening. Subsequent investigations and consultations will be billed as usual.
There will be no cost for the low-dose CT scans.
If you are 50-70 and a heavy smoker see your GP about screening for lung cancer. But the greater gain in terms of reducing your risk of lung cancer is to also give up smoking.
If you’ve already given up smoking, you’ve already reduced your risk of lung cancer. However, since lung cancer can take several years to develop or show on a CT scan, see your GP if you were once a heavy smoker but have quit in the past ten years to see if you are eligible for screening.
This is the first article in our ‘Finding lung cancer’ series, which explores Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years.
More information about the program is available. If you need support to quit smoking, call Quitline on 13 78 48.
Ian Olver receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
– ref. Lung cancer screening is about to start. What you need to know if you smoke or have quit – https://theconversation.com/lung-cancer-screening-is-about-to-start-what-you-need-to-know-if-you-smoke-or-have-quit-253227
Source:
Between 17 May 2024 and 31 March 2025, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) attended 750 residential fires that started in the kitchen, accounting for nearly half (39.8%) of all residential fires within its jurisdiction during that period.
During the same period, CFA responded to 219 structure fires originating in the kitchen, representing 28.3% of all house fires in CFA serviced areas.
The combined total equates to an average of just over three kitchen fires per day in Victoria.
Among those who’ve been affected by a kitchen fire is Melbourne woman Jen Vuk, who suffered serious burns in September 2024 after her flowing top caught alight while she was making tea on a gas stovetop.
“Before I’d even had the chance to realise what was happening, the flames had already devoured my top and was spreading fast across my chest, up my neck and under my arm. It felt like it wanted more with every second,” Jen said.
“I tried to put the fire out by sprinkling water from the tap onto myself. It didn’t help. In fact, it only helped to fan the flames.”
Jen believes that if it weren’t for the quick actions of her family, including her then 17-year-old son who came to her aid and removed most of her burning clothes, and standing under a cold shower for 20 minutes before being taken to The Alfred, her injuries would have been much worse.
She spent two weeks in the Alfred burns unit and underwent multiple surgeries. She’d suffered mid to deep dermal burns to her chest, neck, right arm and back, and superficial burns to her face.
Now months into recovery, Jen hopes that by sharing her experience she can help others understand how quickly life changing incidents can unfold.
“If this helps even one person remember to stop, drop and roll when their clothes catch fire, then job done,” she said.
Unfortunately, stories such as Jen’s are on the rise.
Acting Deputy Director, Victorian Adult Burns Service at The Alfred, Dr Tam Quinn said, “we’ve already seen a 21% increase in patients presenting with burns sustained in the home this year, and many of these patients require surgery and skin grafting.”
“Any burn injury requiring grafting can be life changing, because while lifesaving, they can leave scarring and result in some functional impairment.
“Depending on the severity of the burn, patients may require prolonged stays in the intensive care unit, weeks in hospital and potentially a rehabilitation facility. In the long-term patients may require months to years of scar management, not to mention the psychological impact that such an injury can have.”
Victoria’s fire agencies encourage all Victorians to take the following steps to remain safe while in the kitchen:
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament, & Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, University of Divinity
Wars are often waged in the name of religion. So what do key texts from Christianity, Islam and Judaism say about the justification for war?
We asked three experts for their views.
Robyn J. Whitaker, University of Divinity
The Bible presents war as an inevitable reality of human life. This is captured in the cry of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes:
for everything there is a season […] a time for war and a time for peace.
In this sense, the Bible reflects the experiences of the authors and communities who shaped the texts over more than a thousand years as they experienced both victory and defeat as a small nation among the large empires of the ancient near east.
When it comes to God’s role in war, we cannot shirk from the problematic violence associated with the divine. At times, God orders the Hebrew people to go to war and enact horrendous violence. Deuteronomy 20 is a good example of this: God’s people are sent to war with the blessing of the priest but told to first offer terms of peace. If peace terms are accepted, the town is enslaved. Certain enemies, however, are decreed worthy of total annihilation, and the Hebrew army is commanded to destroy anyone and anything that doesn’t produce food.
On other occasions, war is interpreted as a tool, a punishment where God uses foreign nations against the Hebrew people because they have gone astray (Judges 2:14). You can also find an underlying ethic to treat the captives of war justly. Moses commands that women captured in war are to be treated as wives, not slaves (Deuteronomy 21), and in 2 Chronicles, captives are allowed to return home.
In contrast to war as divinely authorised, many of the Hebrew prophets express hope in a time where God will bring peace and people will “neither learn war any more” (Micah 3:4) but rather turn their weapons into tools for agriculture (Isaiah 2:4).
War is viewed as a result of human sinfulness, something that God will ultimately transform into peace. And that peace (Hebrew: shalom) is more than an absence of war. It is about human flourishing and unity between peoples and God.
Most of the New Testament was written during the first century CE, when Jews and emerging Christians were a minority within the Roman Empire. The military power of Rome is harshly critiqued as evil in resistance texts such as the Book of Revelation. Many early Christians refused to fight in the Roman army.
In this context, Jesus says nothing specific about war but generally rejects violence. When Jesus’s disciple Peter seeks to defend him with a sword, Jesus tells him to put away his sword because a sword only leads to more violence (Matthew 26:52). This is consistent with Jesus’s other teachings such as “blessed are the peacemakers” or his commands to “turn the other cheek” when struck or to “love your enemies”.
The reality is that we find various war ideologies in the Bible’s pages. If you want to find a justification for war in the Bible, you can. If you want to find a justification for peace or pacifism, that is there too. Later Christians would develop ideas of “just war” and pacifism based on biblical ideas, but these are developments rather than explicit within the Bible.
For Christians, Jesus’s teaching provides an ethical framework for interpreting earlier war texts through the lens of love for enemies. This counterpoint to divine violence and war points readers back to the prophets, whose hopeful visions imagine a world where violence and suffering are no more and peace is possible.
Mehmet Ozalp, Charles Sturt University
Islam and Muslims emerged onto the world stage in the hostile environment of the seventh century. In response to major challenges, including warfare, Islam introduced pioneering legal and ethical reforms. The Quran and the Prophet Muhammad’s example laid out clear legal and ethical guidelines for the conduct of war, well before similar frameworks appeared in other societies.
Islam did this by defining a new term, “jihad” rather than the usual Arabic word for war, “harb”. While harb refers broadly to warfare, jihad was defined within Islamic teachings as a legal, morally justified struggle, which includes but is not limited to armed conflict. In the context of warfare, jihad refers specifically to fighting in a just cause under clear legal and ethical guidelines, rather than belligerent or aggressive warfare.
Between 610-622, Prophet Muhammad practised active non-violence in the face of the constant suffering, persecution and economic embargo he and his followers endured in Mecca, despite insistent approaches by his followers to take up arms. This showed that armed struggle cannot be taken up within the members of the same society, as this would lead to anarchy.
After leaving his home town to escape persecution, he established a pluralistic and multi-faith society in Medina. He took active steps to sign treaties with neighbouring tribes. Despite following a deliberate strategy of peace and diplomacy, the hostile Meccans and allied tribes attacked the Muslims in Medina. Engaging these attackers in an armed struggle was unavoidable.
The permission to fight was given to Muslims by the Quran verses 22:39-40:
The believers against whom war is waged are given permission to fight in response, for they have been wronged. Surely, God has full power to help them to victory. Those who have been driven from their homeland against all right, for no other reason than that they say, “Our Lord is God” […]
This passage not only permits armed struggle but also offers a moral justification for just war. It means war is clearly just when defensive — while aggression is unjust and condemned. Elsewhere, the Quran emphasises this point:
If they withdraw from you and do not fight against you, and offer you peace, then God allows you no way (to war) against them.
Verse 22:39 outlines two ethical justifications for warfare. The first is when people are driven from their homes (and land) – in other words, through occupation by a foreign power. The second is when people are attacked because of their beliefs to the point of violent persecution and attack.
Importantly, verse 22:40 includes churches, monasteries and synagogues. If believers in God do not defend themselves, all places of worship would be destroyed, so this is to be prevented by force if necessary.
The Quran does not allow for aggression, since “God loves not the aggressors” (2:190). It also provides detailed regulations on who is to fight and who is exempted (9:91); when hostilities must cease (2:193); and prisoners should be treated humanely and with fairness (47:4).
Verses such as 2:294 emphasise that warfare and any response to violence and aggression must be proportional and within limits:
Whoever attacks you, attack them in like manner as they attacked you. Nevertheless, fear God and remain within the bounds.
In the event of unavoidable war, every opportunity to end it must be pursued:
But if the enemy inclines towards peace, then you must also incline towards peace and trust in God.
The aim of military action is to end hostilities and remove the reason for warfare, not to humiliate or annihilate the enemy.
Military jihad cannot be pursued for personal ambition or to further nationalistic or ethnic disputes. Muslims cannot wage war on nations that have no hostility towards them (60:8). But if there is open hostility and attack, Muslims have a right to defend themselves.
The Prophet and the early caliphs specifically warned military leaders and all combatants that they must not act treacherously or engage in indiscriminate killing and pillage. He said:
Do not kill women, children, the elderly, or the sick. Do not destroy palm trees or burn houses.
Because of these teachings, Muslims have had legal and ethical guidelines throughout much of history to help limit human suffering caused by war.
Suzanne D. Rutland, University of Sydney
Judaism is not a pacifist religion, but in its traditions it values peace above all else, and prayers for peace are central to Jewish liturgy. At the same time, there is a recognition of the need to fight defensive wars, but only within certain boundaries.
In the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, the recognition of the need for war is clear. Throughout their journeying in the desert, the Israelites (Children of Israel) fight various battles. At the same time, in Deuteronomy, the Israelites are instructed (chapter 12, verse 10):
When you go forth against your enemies and are in camp, then you should keep yourself from every evil thing.
The story of Amalek is the symbol of ultimate evil in Jewish tradition. Scholars argue this is because his army attacked the Israelites from the rear – killing defenceless women and children.
The Torah also stresses that army service is compulsory. Yet, Deuteronomy elaborates four categories of people who are exempt:
It is important to point out that the disdain of war is so strong that King David was not permitted to build the temple in Jerusalem because of his military career. His son, Solomon, was allocated this task, but no iron was to be used in the building because this represented war and violence, while the temple was to represent peace, the ideal virtue.
The vision of peace for all humanity is further developed in the prophetic writings and the concept of the Messiah. This is seen particularly in the writings of the prophet Isiah, who envisaged an age when, as he describes in his idyllic vision:
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
The Mishnah, the first part of the Talmud, raises the concept of an “obligatory war” (milhemet mizvah). This encompasses the biblical wars against the seven nations said to inhabit the Promised Land, the war against Amalek, and the Jewish nation’s defensive wars. It is, accordingly, a clearly defined and recognisable class.
Not so the second category, “permitted war” (milhemet reshut), which is more open-ended and, as scholar Avi Ravitsky writes, “could relate to a preemptive war”.
After the Talmudic period, which ended in the 7th century, this debate became theoretical, since Jews living in Palestine and the diaspora no longer had an army. This was largely the case from the time of the defeat of the Bar Kokhba Rebellion against the Romans (132–135 CE), apart from a few small Jewish kingdoms in Arabia.
However, with the return of the early Zionist pioneers to the Land of Israel in the late 19th and 20th century, the rabbinic debates of what constitutes an obligatory, defensive war and what is a permitted war, as well as the characteristics of a forbidden war has reignited. This is a subject of deep concern and controversy for both academics and rabbis today.
Robyn J. Whitaker is affiliated with The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy.
Mehmet Ozalp is affiliated with Islamic Sciences and Research Academy
Suzanne Rutland has received an Australian Research Council grant for her research on the Australian Jewry and funding from the Pratt Foundation, as well as an Australian Prime Ministers Centre (APMC) fellowship for her research on Soviet Jewry and Australia. She is also involved with numerous NGOs, including the Australian Jewish Historical Society (patron), the Australian Association for Jewish Studies (past president and committee member), and the Australian government’s expert delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. In addition, she is a board member of the Freilich Project for the Study of Bigotry at ANU; she is on an academic advisory committee at the Sydney Jewish Museum; she is the director of the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism; and she is an Australian board member for Boys Town Jerusalem and a board member of Better Balance Futures for faith communities These roles are all undertaken in an honorary capacity. She is also writing the history of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry in an honorary capacity.
– ref. What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war? – https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-bible-the-quran-and-the-torah-say-about-the-justification-for-war-259679
