Brittany Higgins has been appointed as the executive director of the Vida Fund, with her role focused on “countering the rise of misogyny. far-right political movements in Australia”.
The role will see Higgins lead an effort to put gender equality “firmly on the electoral agenda”. support “values-aligned” independent female candidates in upcoming elections, both statewide and federally.
She said in a statement:
double quotation mark Vida Fund was created to ensure gender equity remains a defining political issue in Australia. not just a one-off moment. We are entering a period where misogyny, extremism are becoming increasingly organised and visible. Vida intends to meet that moment with evidence-based advocacy, strategic campaigning and community-backed action.
The Vida Fund will also undertake new research into the role of gender in the rise of far-right political movements.
Chalmers accuses political opponents of defending ‘broken status quo’
Jim Chalmers has accused his political opponents of engaging in a “truly absurd” effort to defend a “broken status quo” from tax reforms. as he claimed a noisy minority of vested interests were overshadowing the silent minority who stand to benefit.
“Too often the story of this budget is told by the biggest beneficiaries of these current arrangements. not the biggest victims of the broken status quo,” the treasurer said in a speech to the ALP’s national policy forum this morning.
double quotation mark Our job is to make the right decisions for the right reasons. to represent those voices who aren’t already amplified by the usual suspects with political or commercial skin in the game.
The government has released a range of Treasury analysis showing most Australians would be better off under the proposed changes to the capital gains tax. negative gearing, alongside a $250 working Australians tax offset from next year.
“Those reforms are motivated by three main goals: making it easier for people to buy their first home; cutting taxes for workers again,. again; and better aligning the tax treatment of labour and asset income,” he said.
With One Nation riding high in the polls. Chalmers said the three rightwing parties wanted to replicate the divisive politics seen overseas.
double quotation mark The irony of their position is they want to change the government in order to leave everything as it is – a truly absurd proposition.
Mal Lanyon says it’s hard to read some of the accounts of harmful behaviour within NSW police
Mal Lanyon, the NSW police commissioner, said the experiences he read in the report are “simply unacceptable”. He went on:
double quotation mark It’s very hard to read some of the personal accounts … they are human, they are my officers, I expect them to have a safe. respectful workplace …
That’s why I’m firmly committed to making sure we implement the recommendations.
NSW police minister and commissioner speaking after sweeping report into culture
The NSW police minister, Yasmin Catley,. NSW police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, are speaking after the release of a report into the culture of the force, which found bullying, discrimination and harassment within the organisation after interviews with about 5,000 current and former officers and staff.
Catley said Lanyon had accepted all 29 recommendations included in the report. saying the government was “taking this very seriously, because it’s the right thing to do”. She said during a press conference:
double quotation mark We want the NSW police to reflect the community that it serves,. this review goes a lot to making sure that we do that.
We want to be transparent. This is a time to reset … to build a future workforce within the NSW police.
Lanyon said NSW police was moving in the right direction, but that there was more work to do. He went on:
double quotation mark What it shows to me is a healthy organisation, an organisation where people care …. want to make it better … I am committed to improving the NSW police force.
He confirmed the report found harmful behaviours were present in the NSW police force, including bullying, discrimination. harassment, behaviours he said “were unacceptable and will not be tolerated”.
double quotation mark I have made it clear,. I have made it clear to our workforce that that is not the culture that we will have in the NSW police force.
States and territories ‘unequivocally’ cannot support NDIS exits under proposed federal changes
The states. territories argue there’s a “significant risk” the Albanese government’s proposed changes to the NDIS will leave people with disability in hospitals or other inappropriate settings.
The submission, which has only just been uploaded, was read out in part by Greens senator, Jordon Steele-John, this morning on the third. final day of public hearings for the inquiry.
Steele-John said the joint submission said the federal bill would undermine the original intent of the NDIS. focused heavily on expenditure constraints without a clearly defined broader ecosystem.
The senator said the submission concluded the states. territories “unequivocally” are not in a position and have made no agreement to deliver like-for-like services for people who are exited from the NDIS due to the proposed changes.
The pace of the inquiry, which has reportedly received more than 4,000 submissions. has so far only uploaded about 500, has been heavily criticised over the last few days with the majority of witnesses saying it should not pass in its current form.
Deepest and most extensive whale graveyard discovered in Indian Ocean
The oldest, deepest. most extensive whale graveyard yet discovered has been found in the south-eastern Indian Ocean, with fossils dating back more than 5m years.
Whale falls – the term for dead whales that sink to the ocean floor – are not uncommon,. most have been found at depths of less than 4km (2.5 miles). By contrast, the newly discovered necropolis reaches depths of more than 7km,. extends hundreds of miles across the sea floor.
What’s more, researchers found decaying carcasses teeming with life.
Continuing on our from last post …
There were sales of 11 of the products during the relevant period, while six products did not sell.
The ACCC said the it had decided to resolve the matter “administratively” without taking further formal enforcement action, because:
double quotation mark The allegedly misleading “was” prices were largely due to system errors or human error. some of which JB Hi-Fi proactively took action on prior to the ACCC’s investigation.
JB Hi-Fi also cooperated with the ACCC’s investigation and has taken steps to prevent similar issues in the future.
The ACCC noted JB Hi-Fi had offered compensation to affected consumers, and that the number of affected products was “small”.
JB Hi-Fi has been contacted for comment.
You can read more about how other major retailers (Woolworths and Coles) have used “Was/Is” comparative pricing, here:
ACCC announces JB Hi-Fi to refund customers $250,000 over allegedly misleading ‘Was/Is’ pricing
The consumer watchdog says JB Hi-Fi will refund customers more than $250,000 after the electronics retailer allegedly offered misleading discounts on products including laptops. a VR headset.
In a statement this morning, the Australian Competition. Consumer Commission announced JB Hi-Fi had agreed to the refunds after it raised concerns the retailer may have misled consumers.
The ACCC said it discovered the allegedly misleading use of “was/is” comparative pricing during an investigation. monitored JB Hi-Fi’s online product pricing from March to September last year.
The regulator alleges JB Hi-Fi promoted 17 products as discounted from a previous higher price. when the products were either never offered for sale at the higher price, or only offered at the higher price for a short period, or only offered at the higher price long before the promotion.
In total, 206 consumers bought one of the products when they were advertised with an allegedly misleading “was” price.
Brittany Higgins has been appointed as the executive director of the Vida Fund, with her role focused on “countering the rise of misogyny. far-right political movements in Australia”.
The role will see Higgins lead an effort to put gender equality “firmly on the electoral agenda”. support “values-aligned” independent female candidates in upcoming elections, both statewide and federally.
She said in a statement:
double quotation mark Vida Fund was created to ensure gender equity remains a defining political issue in Australia. not just a one-off moment. We are entering a period where misogyny, extremism are becoming increasingly organised and visible. Vida intends to meet that moment with evidence-based advocacy, strategic campaigning and community-backed action.
The Vida Fund will also undertake new research into the role of gender in the rise of far-right political movements.
Seven’s owners, Southern Cross Media, have announced a $150m cost-reduction program, including significant job losses. a restructure of its newspaper, radio and TV businesses.
SCM’s new managing director. chief executive officer, Rohan Lund, has told staff this morning the company’s business is “under immense pressure”.
“We will be saying goodbye to many smart, talented,. hard-working colleagues who have played a vital role in building both businesses,” Lund said in an email sent to staff.
According to an official ASX announcement. the cost-reduction program will lead to 250 to 300 people leaving the group before the end of this month.
Lund blamed the cuts on a tightening advertising sector and global macroeconomic pressures.
Seven told the ASX this morning market conditions “have deteriorated materially more than anticipated”. revenue for the 2026 financial year is lower than expected: falling from previous guidance of $1,910m to $1,920m to $1,860m to $1,870m.
Seven West Media’s print and digital mastheads include the West Australian, the Sunday Times and the Nightly.
Breast cancer and endometriosis drug Zoladex is being pulled from Australia. How will women be affected?
Thousands of women could be left without vital breast cancer. endometriosis medicine when AstraZeneca removes its treatment from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the private market, experts warn.
Zoladex will no longer be available in Australia from November, as the ABC first reported,. some existing patients will still be able to access it for an additional six months.
Breast Cancer Network Australia also says there have been increasing delays to list other critical breast cancer drugs on the PBS, which they fear is due to policy changes in the US. global uncertainty.
What will this mean for women who use Zoladex, and what happens next?
Charlton says Australia should learn lessons from resources boom for AI
In an apparent nod to comments made by independent senator David Pocock this week. the assistant minister for the digital economy, Andrew Charlton, said some of the response to the datacentre boom is “rightly or wrongly” shaped by the resources boom, in particular gas.
double quotation mark We had abundance – but we didn’t lock in our advantage early enough. We built for export before securing supply at home. We became one of the largest gas exporters on Earth. then watched households and factories pay more for gas dug up beneath their feet.
He said the boom set the terms, not the country,. it is important that Australia set the rules for datacentres now.
He said that is what the government is learning from experiences of backlash over new datacentres bringing higher electricity prices in places like the United States. that led to the so-called “triple lock” policy in Australia where datacentres are expected to cover their own electricity costs, have flexible demand and bring new energy supply.
The assistant minister for the digital economy, Andrew Charlton, said in the past two years, datacentres have become “one of the most contested pieces of infrastructure in the world”, with advocates saying it could bring a new wave of economic value, while critics say they are “giant sheds … creating few jobs. risking some of the same mistakes we made in the resources boom”.
In a speech to the Sydney Institute last night, Charlton said both sides contain important truths,. he said the boom was happening. He said:
double quotation mark It’s accelerating. And it’s likely to be larger and more consequential than anything we’ve lived through in recent decades.
The real question –. I will return to many times – is simpler: do we shape the boom before it arrives – or do we react after it’s here?
Charlton said the datacentre boom will be more profound than the resources boom,. Australia was an attractive location for the new centres.
He added concerns around energy use, water use. locations of the centres were legitimate, as well as ensuring Australia earns its fair share.
Convicted gang rapist Mohammed Skaf arrested and charged with nearly two dozen drug charges
Mohammed Skaf, a notorious gang rapist, was arrested and charged with nearly two dozen drug charges on Wednesday night.
NSW police said this morning two men. a woman will face court over their alleged involvement in a large-scale drug supply scheme after search warrants were executed in Sydney’s south-west overnight.
Police said they had allegedly seized large quantities of drugs, including cocaine, around $245,000 in cash, a vehicle. other items during searches in Greenacre.
Skaf, 42, has been charged with 24 offences, including 22 charges of supplying a prohibited drug. He has also been charged with knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime. knowingly directing activities of a criminal group.
He has been refused bail and will appear before Bankstown local court later today. Investigations are ongoing.
Skaf was convicted in 2000 for his involvement in the gang rapes of at least six schoolgirls in Sydney alongside his brother, Bilal Skaf,. sentenced to 23 years in jail. He was released on parole in 2021, which expired in 2024 at the end of his sentence.
James Paterson says any discussions about deals with One Nation ‘premature’
James Paterson, the shadow defence minister, said any chatter about preference deals with One Nation are “premature”.
Paterson spoke to RN Breakfast. saying the Coalition would need to make a final decision down the road when candidates are put forward at the next election. He said:
double quotation mark You cannot make a final decision about which candidates you’ll preference in each seat until you know who each of those candidates are. because some political parties, like One Nation, have demonstrated great difficulty in choosing appropriate candidates for public office in the past …
Paterson added the Coalition would “never” do deals on a national basis where they guarantee preferences.
double quotation mark I think. frankly, One Nation has a lot of work to do to get themselves into a fit state to contest the election.
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