Reputational damage cost ANU $100m, interim VC says
Interim vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), Professor Rebekah Brown, stated that the university has suffered $100 million in losses due to reputational damage stemming from a series of high-profile scandals and governance failures.
This follows multiple reports into the university's poor culture, including an inquiry led by former chancellor Julie Bishop at a Senate hearing, as well as the management of a contentious $250 million cost-cutting program.
The cost-cutting initiative resulted in the resignation of former vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell, while Bishop herself announced her resignation earlier this year.
Speaking at Senate estimates, Brown acknowledged the significant challenges facing ANU, particularly regarding its donor pipeline and its capacity to attract international students.
"It is very significant, and we are still modelling the impact, the impact is still live. Our modelling from the end of last year ... it’s in the order of $100m."
Allegra Spender defends decision to vote against government’s tax legislation
Independent MP Allegra Spender defended her recent vote against the Albanese government’s tax legislation in the House of Representatives, responding to accusations of an "Olympic-level backflip" on tax reform.
On ABC’s Afternoon Briefing program, the Wentworth MP expressed support for narrowing the capital gains tax (CGT) discount but criticized the government’s indexation model as flawed.
Spender rejected claims that her affluent electorate influenced her decision, emphasizing her desire for a tax model that encourages risk-taking enterprises while using revenue to permanently reduce marginal tax rates for workers.
"I’ve always wanted to see tax reform, and I commend the government for putting tax reform on the table ... but how you do it matters too …
I don’t think the government’s model has got the balance right. It particularly doesn’t work for really those high innovative businesses that we need to encourage and support. So that’s what I think the government needs to fix, and that’s why I didn’t support the model yesterday."
She indicated openness to supporting the second tranche of legislation if the government commits to delivering tax cuts as part of the model.
"If you really want to help young people, you actually need to lower the tax burden and that means using all the money that you raise as tax cuts for people who are earning."
Australia urged to step up climate leadership on oceans to fill void left by US
Australia has been called upon to leverage its prominent role in international climate diplomacy to lead on ocean health, filling a leadership gap left by the United States, according to reports from AAP.
Oceans expert Terry Garcia, speaking ahead of mid-year climate talks in Germany, stated that the global community cannot rely on the US as a dependable partner on ocean and climate policy over the next two and a half years.
Delivering the Talbot Oration at the Australian Museum in Sydney, Garcia said:
"In that regard, Australia and the Asia-Pacific region have the credibility, institutions and scientific capacity this moment urgently requires."
Tech companies invoke possibility of Trump’s wrath in fight against Labor’s media laws
Technology companies are citing Australia’s free trade agreement with the US and potential retaliatory threats to oppose the federal government’s proposal requiring them to pay news companies.
The news media bargaining incentive aims to compel tech firms to negotiate commercial deals with Australian media outlets or pay a dedicated 2.25% levy on local revenues.
The Albanese government has been consulting on the draft legislation since April, with submissions closing late last month.
Meta, owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has criticized the news media bargaining incentive as a "discriminatory tax" that is "poorly designed" and "grossly unfair."
Further details are available in reports by Josh Taylor and Amanda Meade.
A uni professor admitted using AI to write an opinion piece. Here’s what it revealed about trust in the technology
A university vice-chancellor recently disclosed using artificial intelligence (AI) to write an opinion piece for a major Australian publication without prior disclosure, highlighting the growing gap between AI usage and public trust in the technology.
Data from Roy Morgan indicates that 13.6 million Australians (58% of those over 14) use AI monthly, with ChatGPT being the most popular, followed by Google’s Gemini and Microsoft Copilot.
Australians aged 25-34 are the most frequent users (74%), followed by those aged 35-49 (72%), indicating widespread adoption among the workforce.
Australia has extensively covered AI’s impact across industries, noting that as large language models become embedded in everyday products, usage will continue to grow regardless of individual preferences.
‘Long shadow’ recalled at ex-governor general Peter Hollingworth’s funeral
The family of former governor general Peter Hollingworth reflected on the "long shadow" cast over his final years due to his handling of child sexual abuse cases within the Anglican church, according to AAP.
Hollingworth served as Archbishop of Brisbane for over a decade before his appointment as governor general in 2001. He died on 19 May at age 91 following a fall.
His tenure as governor general was brief, resigning less than two years into the role amid scrutiny over his response to child sexual abuse complaints.
At a requiem eucharist at Christ Church in Melbourne’s South Yarra on Friday, Deborah Hollingworth delivered a eulogy on behalf of the family, stating:
"He became the public face and lightning rod for the institutional failures to prevent and address child sexual abuse.
He bore that burden heavily, as did we …
He knew that in the public imagination he had come to stand among the bad men, and that knowledge grieved him profoundly.
And yet he understood how it had happened and why.
He also knew that there was a dark shadow over the church that he had served and been committed to."
2SER radio secures future with new model after funding challenges
Sydney Educational Radio, owned by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), faced uncertainty after failing to secure new funding last year, threatening its operation beyond July.
The 2SER board has now approved a model allowing the station, which has nurtured numerous broadcasting careers over decades, to continue operating with a reduced staff and funding pool.
Tony Duke has been appointed as transitional director to conduct an independent review. Professor James Bennett, dean of the faculty of design and society and a 2SER board member, emphasized the importance of feedback from station staff, volunteers, and the community in this process.
Confidence in ANU governance ‘seriously damaged’, acting chancellor says
The ANU has acknowledged that confidence in its governance has been seriously damaged and trust lost following a series of scandals, as revealed during Senate estimates hearings.
The university has been under intense scrutiny regarding its culture and governance, including a critical review by the national audit office. This review found that the ANU council approved a controversial $250 million cost-cutting program without clear evidence of its necessity or urgency.
Acting chancellor Andrew Metcalfe, a former government department secretary, stated:
"I want to acknowledge plainly that confidence in the governance of the ANU is seriously damaged in the last few years; staff and students have felt hurt, disillusioned and not valued; trust has been lost and the council has a duty to confront that directly."
Measles alert issued for Sydney airport and CBD
NSW Health has issued a measles alert after a confirmed case from Queensland visited multiple locations across Sydney’s central business district and Sydney airport while infectious but unaware.
Dr Christine Selvey, NSW Health’s director of communicable diseases, urged anyone present at these locations to monitor for symptoms, which can take up to 18 days to appear post-exposure.
Symptoms include fever, sore eyes, runny nose, cough, and a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and face to the body.
"If symptoms develop and you’ve been at one of the locations at the time listed on the website, see your doctor or health service, including an emergency department. Call ahead to let them know that you may have come into contact with measles so you don’t spend time in waiting rooms with other patients."
A full list of affected locations is available on the NSW Health website.
Since 1 January, NSW has recorded 49 confirmed measles cases.
Those experiencing symptoms or with concerns should contact their GP or call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
Entrepreneurs won’t leave Australia over CGT changes, Albanese says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, speaking at a forum, defended key budget measures and did not rule out modifications to some contentious proposals.
He noted ongoing consultations regarding capital gains tax changes with small businesses, venture capitalists, and startups. The first tranche of budget legislation passed the lower house and will soon be considered by the Senate.
Albanese said the government is "working that through" and that a Senate inquiry will scrutinize the legislation, with possible follow-up legislation containing changes.
When asked if startups or entrepreneurs might leave Australia over the changes, Albanese responded firmly, "no."
Regarding potential changes to family trust tax treatments, he assured that the government would "do nothing that impacts negatively on inheritances."
Albanese paints budget as antidote to One Nation ‘grievance politics’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Australians might increasingly support populist alternatives such as One Nation if they feel excluded from economic progress, emphasizing that major structural tax reforms in the federal budget aim to rebalance economic opportunity.
At a forum in Sydney, Albanese addressed the rising threat of One Nation, which has outpolled Labor in some opinion polls.
"If government stands still, the world will go past.
What we’re concerned about is if people think the economy isn’t working for them and they’re working their guts out and they’re not getting opportunity, I tell you what, they will turn to more simplistic, grievance-based politics, and that is the context in which my government’s saying ‘No, no, we’re going to deliver real change for the better’."
Albanese said he would not criticize voters considering One Nation, recognizing their frustration.
"I’m critical of the leaders of that political movement [One Nation], but I’m never critical of voters. Voters are sending a message ... that they don’t think that the economy is working for them, and they don’t want to work for the economy."
Teen may become first child in Victoria to face trial on terror charge
A teenager who allegedly attempted to hijack a plane may become the first child in Victoria to face trial on terrorism charges after his case was transferred to a higher court, according to AAP.
The accused was 17 when he allegedly carried weapons including a shotgun, knives, and a fake bomb onto a Jetstar flight bound for Sydney in March 2025.
During final boarding at Melbourne’s Avalon airport, with 173 passengers and six crew onboard, the teen reportedly approached the plane’s front stairs, told crew he had a bomb, demanded cockpit access, and began assembling a shotgun before being restrained.
Defense lawyers argued the case should remain in children’s court due to the accused’s mental health, youth, and lack of prior offenses.
Prosecutors contended exceptional circumstances warranted transfer to county or supreme court, a magistrate agreed.
The magistrate noted this is the first case of a child having terrorism offenses uplifted to a higher Victorian court and the first involving preparation and possession of items connected to planned terrorism.
The teen, now 19, remains in custody and will return to children’s court for a committal mention on 19 June.
‘That’s a bad combination’: why Australia may be in for a slushy snow season
Australian alpine resorts expressed optimism this week as snow flurries arrived just in time for the ski season opening this weekend.
Perisher, the southern hemisphere’s largest ski resort in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales, shared footage of fresh snow and man-made snowmaking.
"We couldn’t be more excited," said the resort, as staff cleared fresh snow from outdoor tables.
Despite the promising start, the outlook for the remainder of winter and future decades is less positive.
With an ongoing La Niña weather pattern, conditions are expected to be drier and warmer through winter and spring, stacking the odds against consistent snowfall.
Asic launches investigation into KPMG
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Asic) has initiated a formal investigation into KPMG following whistleblower allegations that the firm improperly used confidential client information to secure additional work.
Asic Chair Sarah Court informed Senate estimates that the regulator is "trying to get to the bottom of the evidence."
"We’ve now commenced a formal investigation this week in relation to KPMG and a number of the registered company auditors that sit within it."
"I can assure you that Asic has been engaging proactively with KPMG and that level of engagement has intensified."
KPMG’s Australian chief, Andrew Yates, has accepted responsibility for the firm’s failure to adequately respond to whistleblower claims regarding misuse of client information.
The allegations involve KPMG allegedly using confidential data from client Lendlease to win audit work with other firms.
Senator Deborah O’Neill first revealed the allegations under parliamentary privilege during a Senate speech in March.
Asic and various government agencies continue to use KPMG’s services.
KPMG has been contacted for comment.
