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Today's reading time is 7 minutes. - Miko Santos
Here’s what else you need to know to get going and get on with your day.
1️⃣ Nationals Grapple With Leadership Fracture as Joyce Sits Outside Party
The National Party confronts internal upheaval as former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce announced Thursday he will not recontest his New England seat and will sit outside the party room, citing an irreparable breakdown in his relationship with party leader David Littleproud.
Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie told Sky News that “malicious leaks” forced Joyce to announce his retirement earlier than planned, with speculation linking him to One Nation — claims publicly denied by party leader Pauline Hanson.
2️⃣ eSafety Commissioner Targets AI Companion Apps Over Child Safety Concerns
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant issued legal notices Thursday to four AI companion chatbot companies, demanding explanations of child protection measures following international cases linking the platforms to self-harm and alleged suicide incitement.
The notices target companies including Character AI, which use psychological manipulation techniques to create relationship-like experiences with users, some spending up to six hours daily on the platforms.
3️⃣ Fair Work Commission Rules in Favor of Remote Work Flexibility
The Fair Work Commission delivered a precedent-setting decision this week, ruling that Westpac Bank failed to demonstrate reasonable business grounds to require an employee working successfully from home to return to office attendance two days weekly.
The case involved an employee identified as Carleen, who challenged the bank’s office attendance requirement citing childcare responsibilities and years of successful remote work performance.
4️⃣ Environment Protection Legislation Encounters Bipartisan Opposition
Environment Minister Murray Watt’s proposed environment protection legislation faces opposition from both Coalition and Greens as it heads to Parliament next week, threatening the first major update to Australia’s environmental approval system in decades.
The legislation aims to eliminate federal-state assessment duplication while strengthening enforcement mechanisms, including fines up to $825 million for serious environmental breaches.
5️⃣ Optus Implements Executive Leadership Restructure
Optus announced Thursday a comprehensive C-suite transition as the telecommunications company continues its multi-year transformation program following service disruptions and security incidents that impacted its market reputation.
Chief Financial Officer Michael Venter will retire after four years, including service as interim CEO, and will step down from the Optus Board. Chief Information Officer Mark Potter will depart in March 2026 after establishing technology foundations for the company’s transformation initiatives.
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