Rowland says Snapchat could be excluded from social media regulations
The communications minister has continued doing the media rounds this morning, speaking on 2GB about the government’s move to regulate social media companies.
She said that part of the plan was to encourage “low-risk services” like YouTube Kids.
Rowland also said Snapchat could also be excluded, and that some platforms “present themselves in different way”:
We will go through, in a methodical way, having these criteria and the eSafety commissioner applying what will be a very transparent process.
Some of these platforms do present themselves in different way.
They will argue, for example, that they are messaging services and not social media services. We need to assess that objectively against a transparent set of criteria.
Key events
Benita Kolovos
With just four sittings days left of the year, Allan confirmed the government will be introducing to parliament next week stronger anti-vilification protections but would not say whether rental reforms would go ahead as promised. She said:
We’ll provide further information on our legislative program for the next sitting week but I can say that we will be bringing the anti-vilification legislation to the parliament next sitting week. There’s been a huge amount of work to bring it to this point … We are seeing, particularly over the past year, that there are some who want to pull at that thread who want to fray our strong, socially cohesive state. For some, it’s for their own political benefit. For others, they’re driven by hate, and we have to absolutely look at ways that we can strengthen the laws, strengthen the powers [and send the message that] there is no place for this sort of hateful behavior in our community. People should have the right to practice their faith, to pray to their God, to have their identity, to love who they want to love. That’s what makes us a great place now, and we want to look at making sure that we can strengthen that into the future and send a very, very clear message to those who want to drive hate … there’s no place for that here in Victoria.
Benita Kolovos
Allan is also asked about police officers who are striking for the first time in more than 20 years, demanding better pay and working conditions.
The strike will see officers stop work at the police academy in Glen Waverley and Broadmeadows police station for 30 minutes.
She says she supports Victoria police and had been negotiating their pay deal in good faith:
Victoria police do deserve a pay rise. And on the back of that belief and the negotiations that were done with the Police Association, we had reached an agreement. The government reached an agreement with the police association to provide Victoria police with a pay rise. We reached that agreement some months ago. We are now in the situation where the matter is before the Fair Work Commission and so taken there by the leadership of Victoria police, and as part of that process we need to wait for the next set of advice to come from the Fair Work Commission.
The action comes just two months after police rejected the government’s offer, which offered a three per cent pay rise and a nine-day fortnight.
Allan said she had been assured community safety would not be impacted by the walkout.
Benita Kolovos
At her press conference this morning, Jacinta Allan was also asked about a report in the Herald Sun, which said thousands of VCE students were able to access cheat sheets containing almost identical questions and case studies to those in their final exams.
The cheat sheets were for eight subjects, including Business Management, Specialist Maths and Legal Studies, which have already been sat.
It comes after the government was forced to conduct a review into errors in last year’s exams, which included five mistakes in maths tests and one in chemistry.
Asked how this could happen following the review, the premier replied:
“That’s a really fair question, and they’re the questions that the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Education [Ben Carroll] is asking right now. He’s being briefed right now, and he’ll have more to say off the back of that briefing.
Allan said it was incredibly disappointing:
It is disappointing, particularly anyone who knows a year 12 or a VCE student, they might have one in their family, they just know how hard those young people work … to get to this point of the school year to sit their exams. So this is really frustrating for those parents and teachers and students and young people, and that is why the Deputy Premier is getting advice this morning and will provide further information off the back of that advice.
Benita Kolovos
The minister for women, Natalie Hutchins, gave a demonstration of the vending machines, which distribute either a pad or six tampons at a time. She says once the program is rolled out, there will be four machines in every local government area across the state:
“They’ll be in public areas, like train stations, libraries, swim centers. We really did a lot of consultation with local government, and they got to nominate spots within their LGA. And if we could make it happen, we have.
Peter Hannam
Jobs data will provide fresh insights into strength of Australia’s economy
The first of the important October stats land today even before the full September quarter ones are in (eg GDP) with labour market figures out from the ABS.
The jobs story is reliably tricky. It’s possible the economy can shed jobs but if the participation rate also drops (from record levels), we can get a lower unemployment rate.
And, unlike inflation, prior months can be revised so the previous month’s jobless rate can suddenly be lowered or raised. (Since a lot of payments hang off CPI, it would be tough to revise and either give out more money or try to claw some back.)
Anyway, the labour market has been surprisingly strong really since the Covid lockdowns. Most months have seen jobs added even as the labour force has swollen, leaving the jobless rate not that far above the lows seen in the mid-70s.
Today might be more of the same, with economists expecting employers added 25,000 net jobs last month, enough to keep the unemployment rate at 4.1%.
Still, this is a dataset that can surprise and we’re probably due for a worse-than-expected month (given the forecasting errors have generally been the other way).
Stay tuned here at 11.30am Aedt for when they drop.
Henry Belot
Cbus to be questioned by Senate committee
The industry super giant Cbus will today face a Senate grilling, just days after the corporate watchdog announced court action over lengthy delays in paying death and disability benefits.
On Tuesday, the deputy chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Sarah Court, said delays in processing claims from grieving families were causing “real harm to families who may be relying on the payments to meet critical expenses”:
This adds to difficult personal circumstances, whether grieving for a loved one or dealing with severe injury or illness. The additional anxiety and pain these delays caused compounded the issues these members and their families faced.
According to Asic, more than 6,000 Cbus members and claimants had to wait more than 12 months for their payments. The watchdog alleges more than 10,000 members and claimants waited more than 90 days for their death benefits and disability insurance claims to be processed.
Here’s Court:
We allege they are yet to completely rectify these issues.
Earlier this week, Cbus apologised for the delays and said it had established a compensation program for affected members:
Cbus Super is sorry that delays have been experienced in the processing of insurance claims made by our members. Regrettably this has added to the distress of members and their families. We apologise to our affected members and their families without reservation and promise to do better.
The fund’s chief executive, Kristian Fok, is due to appear before the economics reference committee at 10.30am.
Dutton delays decision on tax cuts
Dutton was speaking to reporters in Melbourne earlier and he also addressed comments he made yesterday, where he distanced himself from the Coalition’s pledge to reinstate further tax cuts for high-income earners.
Dutton this morning essentially delayed making a decision on the tax cuts, saying his highest priority is bringing down inflation:
The Liberal party will always be the party of lower taxes and lower interest rates because we manage the economy more efficiently. I think that’s a really important point to make.
Next point is that we have a look at the numbers in a pre-budget context and decide what it is we can afford for our country. Because the highest priority at the moment is to bring down inflation.
We’ll see how much money is in the bank. I want to make sure we provide our policies in a responsible way.
The most irresponsible thing would be to go out and promise billions and billions of dollars’ worth of spending, whether it’s on tax cuts or something else, if it’s going to be inflationary, therefore counterproductive.
Dutton says Rudd’s ambassador role a ‘mess’ Albanese has to deal with
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has waded into the discussions around Kevin Rudd’s role as ambassador to the US, saying this was a “mess” the prime minister has to “deal with.”
Dutton said the government was in a “difficult position” on Rudd’s role, considering previous criticisms he has made of the incoming US president, Donald Trump:
The government’s in a difficult position. The prime minister’s made a number of captain’s calls, and they’ve been at odds with the advice that he’s received from his closest advisers and colleagues. And I suppose that’s a question about the prime minister’s judgment.
The prime minister’s got a lot of messes to deal with at the moment, all of his own making.
I want what is best for our country. I want us to have a functioning, stable relationship with our most important partner. I want to make sure that there is mutual respect toward Australia and toward the United States. I want to make sure that we can have an ambassador that who can work effectively with the government, whether that’s the US or wherever an ambassador might be appointed.
Plibersek says Rudd should stay as ambassador to the US
The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, has backed former boss Kevin Rudd to remain on as ambassador to the United States, amid suggestions he could be fired by the incoming president, Donald Trump.
Rudd has a history of criticising Trump, and this week Dan Scavino, a senior adviser to Trump, reposted Rudd’s congratulatory statement to the president-elect on social media with a gif of an hourglass.
But Plibersek told Sky News she was “not at all” concerned about the situation and that Rudd has “distinguished himself as ambassador.”
He’s widely recognised as one of the world’s pre-eminent experts on China and particularly on the time of Xi Jinping as leader.
We know that people like Malcolm Turnbull, a former Liberal prime minister, and other prominent Liberals, including former ambassadors, have said that it’s important for Kevin Rudd to remain as ambassador and it shows Australia’s strength.
Rowland says Snapchat could be excluded from social media regulations
The communications minister has continued doing the media rounds this morning, speaking on 2GB about the government’s move to regulate social media companies.
She said that part of the plan was to encourage “low-risk services” like YouTube Kids.
Rowland also said Snapchat could also be excluded, and that some platforms “present themselves in different way”:
We will go through, in a methodical way, having these criteria and the eSafety commissioner applying what will be a very transparent process.
Some of these platforms do present themselves in different way.
They will argue, for example, that they are messaging services and not social media services. We need to assess that objectively against a transparent set of criteria.
Benita Kolovos
Natalie Hutchins says free period products will be introduced in regional Victoria next year
The minister for women, Natalie Hutchins, says there will be two types of machines rolled out.
There are more static machines that will be regularly topped up, maybe on a weekly or fortnightly basis. But we know where machines are in high traffic areas, they may need a supply top up more often, and so we need those hi-tech machines to be able to feed back to us [information]. In stage-two of next year’s roll out, we’ll be rolling out into regional areas and beyond libraries into train stations, and health services, as well.
Storms set to batter south-east Queensland
Queensland is bracing for some severe thunderstorms that are set to batter the south-east coast, amid warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology that residents should remain up-to-date and monitor conditions.
Hail of up to 5cm, alongside heavy rainfall and damaging winds, are forecast over the south-east coast, eastern parts of the Darling Downs, the Wyatt Bay, and the Burnett area at around midday today.
Christie Johnson, meteorologist at the bureau, said storms had already been kicking off over the Gulf Country:
There’s a trough line between the Gulf Country and south-east Queensland, so storms are likely or possible anywhere, sort of along that line extending from the north-west down to the south-east.
There could be, could be severe thunderstorms and warnings, obviously, will be issued as soon as we see any storms that are likely to produce severe weather.
Benita Kolovos
Jacinta Allan introduces free period products in public spaces
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is at the State Library of Victoria to launch the rollout of free pads and tampons in public spaces.
The library has three of the first 50 vending machines, with 1,500 to eventually be installed in 700 public places.
She says:
Women and girls know that feeling – there’s nothing worse than being out and about and being caught short. We also know that for many women and girls, access to these period products is a cost of living pressure for them, it’s a significant cost of living pressure, because for too long, too often these items are seeing as a luxury and a priced accordingly but they’re a necessity. My government, the minister, myself, we understand this.
Mark Butler says national anti-vaping program to be introduced in high schools in 2025
The health minister, Mark Butler, was on RN Breakfast earlier, where he said the national anti-vaping program will be rolled out in high schools next year.
Butler said a trial of the program showed “really good results.” Earlier this year, the government said they would be leaning on social media influencers to get the message out, with Butler saying they have to “go where they are”:
Well that’s something we’re going to have to work through.
We have to go where they are. And you know, they’re not watching TV in a traditional way that you and I were at high school. They’re certainly not reading newspapers by and large.
So we have to go where they are. At the moment, they’re on social media.
Man, 32, charged over 3D firearm
A man has been charged in New South Wales for allegedly 3D printing a firearm.
A 32-year-old was charged with three counts of possession of an unauthorised firearm, the manufacture of a prohibited weapon without a permit, two counts of possession of a digital blueprint for making prohibited weapons, among other charges.
In November 2024, officers attached to Moree proactive crime team and crime prevention unit commenced investigations into the manufacturing of firearms via 3D printing.
Following investigations, at about 3.40pm yesterday, officers from the New England police district executed a search warrant on a home on Amaroo Drive, Moree.
During a search of the property, officers allegedly located and seized a 3D printer, firearms and parts, ammunition, computers and telecommunication devices.
The man was refused bail and will appear in Inverell local court today.
