News

Social media ban bill lifts online safety fines to $50m

Tech giants face fines of up to $50 million for breaches of Australia’s online safety laws under legislation introduced to give rise to a world-first social media ban for...

Modern cars are surveillance devices on wheels

New research reveals serious privacy flaws in the data practices of new internet connected cars in Australia. It’s yet another reason why we need urgent reform of privacy laws....

Algorithm safeguards proposed to prevent Robodebt repeat

Systems used to automate welfare, migration and other federal governments decisions could be subject to a spate of new obligations under changes being considered in the wake of the...

Industry dept falls short on regional grants and services

The Industry department missed its target for delivering grants and services to regional businesses last year, reflecting the shuttering of the flagship Entrepreneur’s Programme, according to its latest annual...

Bill to split energy regulator from consumer watchdog arrives

The Australian Energy Regulator will be separated from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission under new legislation that entered parliament more than a year since the split was approved...

Australia sees first drop in cybercrime reports

Reports of cybercrime to national authorities fell for the first time last year, ending a half decade of surging known incidents as the Albanese government ploughs $20 billion into...

AUKUS hypersonics pact to boost ‘collective ability’

Australia will conduct a series of hypersonic vehicle tests with its AUKUS partners under a new agreement designed to accelerate the development of the dual-use technology. The agreement, announced...

First NRF deal keeps mining company in Qld

The head of Australia’s $15 billion manufacturing fund says a pipeline of innovation investments will follow its debut equity deal for a Queensland mining equipment maker, and that its...

$160m in export grants allocated within hours

A new digital portal built for Austrade’s reformed ‘first-come, first-served’ export grants program processed hundreds of submissions for funding within hours of applications opening, frustrating some users. The speed...

QIC jumps into $125m climate tech fund

Queensland’s sovereign wealth fund on Tuesday hopped into a $125 million climate technology venture capital fund, boosting the funding available to local startups while expanding its global climate mandate....

ASCA inks $60m in contracts for long-term R&D

The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator has awarded more than $60 million in long-term R&D contracts to local quantum and defence tech companies, universities and the CSIRO. Analog Quantum Circuits,...

Muddied mixing, messaging plagued Defence vetting tech

Bureaucratic and technical jargon obscured critical risks to Defence’s troubled clearance system from top brass and ministers, while contractors were able to influence the direction of outsourced work. That’s...