Australia
- Scam Awareness Thread
⸻ Ban DHMO 🇦🇺 ⸻ @aussie.zone FeaturedWith so many scams out there, especially now as we face the end of the financial year and the pinned "How to spot a tax scam" post being nearly a year old, I'm going to pin this thread as a place to share advice regarding scams or any new scams you might have noticed.
This isn't to say not to post scam related stuff in the main community but to create a place to keep track of scam related stuff which might get washed away over time.
- IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR LEMMY.WORLD USERS ⸻ Ban DHMO 🇦🇺 ⸻ @aussie.zone Featured
Hello from across the fediverse!
If you've contributed to the conversation in discussions in this community you may have noticed you weren't getting a lot of interaction (at least from outside your instance: lemmy.world). There are a couple of reasons for this and I will unpin this post when the issues are resolved.
The problem is basically that lemmy.world is sending too many activities for aussie.zone to keep up with, this is mostly due to the latency going from Europe to Sydney. There are some features being developed for Lemmy to hopefully fix this issue (expected in 0.19.5). The delay currently means that activities are taking around 7 days to reach aussie.zone.
The admins of aussie.zone do a great job keeping the instance going as a place for us to gather and discuss Australia and related issues so please do not direct any criticism at them over this. To be able to properly interact with our community I would recommend creating an account on another instance for the time being (as far as I know lemmy.world is the only problematic one).
If you're interested there is currently a discussion ongoing in !meta@aussie.zone (link for aussie.zone users) covering this.
- [Aussie Zone Meta] Please defederate from threads.net ⸻ Ban DHMO 🇦🇺 ⸻ @aussie.zone Locked Featured
cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/5028069
> Meta threads will open federation to the fediverse soon, and while this is mainly to mastodon it will still affect lemmy. They are acting like they won't be evil, but let's be real this is Facebook when have they ever done that. > > This article which has been trending lately explains some of the issues. https://ploum.net/2023-06-23-how-to-kill-decentralised-networks.html > > This comment here is a simple analogy if you can't be bothered reading the article. https://lemmy.ca/comment/5702922 >
- Weekly Random Thread #50 12-12-2023
Dale Kerrigan [bot] @aussie.zone BOTFeaturedG'day all! Just thought I'd chuck up this random thread for a bit of a yarn. You know, sometimes it's nice to have a chinwag about anything and everything – could be your latest DIY project, a recipe you're stoked about, or even just how your day's been. It's all about sharing the good vibes and having a fair dinkum chat. So, what's the goss? Jump on in and let's have a good old chit-chat, like a bunch of mates sitting 'round the table. Cheers!
- Discussion on Concerns over Auto tl;dr bot ⸻ Ban DHMO 🇦🇺 ⸻ @aussie.zone Featured
Hello everyone ,
There have been concerns raised lately over issues with the Auto tl;dr bot which creates summaries of news articles from several known sites, however only really ABC news is applicable here. Relevant threads:
- Truck stowaway 'lucky to be alive' after travelling nearly 400km on metal racks beneath B-double (no problem with summary - just discussion of concerns)
- Small modular nuclear reactor that was hailed by Coalition as future cancelled due to rising costs (Australian Politics)
There are also many other occurrences (I haven't been keeping track), if there are some you would like appended to this list comment with a link below.
Most concerns are that the bot misses important information and/or gives a misleading summary. I'd like to see where people sit on the issue and how we could potentially deal with it. There are a few options I can think of:
- Remove the bot (through a ban)
- Get @dalekerrigan@aussie.zone to comment a disclaimer underneath all of its comments
- Get @dalekerrigan@aussie.zone automatically delete all comments by the bot which have been reported (may open door for abuse)
- Do nothing
I don't hate the bot - it can be useful, and I like the concept, however, just like us it gets things wrong.
Anyway feedback is welcome, if you have an opinion on this please comment below so I can judge where we all stand on this and try to make the right decision
- How anger at the rollout of renewables is being hijacked by a new pro-nuclear networkwww.theguardian.com How anger at the rollout of renewables is being hijacked by a new pro-nuclear network
An alliance of political groups is harnessing real fears about the local impact of renewables projects across Australia – and using them to spruik nuclear power
- World losing half a trillion to tax abuse, largely due to [Australia and 7 other] countries blocking UN tax reform, annual report findstaxjustice.net World losing half a trillion to tax abuse, largely due to 8 countries blocking UN tax reform, annual report finds | Tax Justice Network
Multinational corporations cheated more after getting tax cuts, largest inadvertent real-world testing of corporate tax policies reveals Countries are losing US$492 billion in tax a year to multinational corporations and wealthy individuals using tax havens to underpay tax. Nearly half the losses (4...
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.today/post/20289457
> World losing half a trillion to tax abuse, largely due to 8 countries blocking UN tax reform, annual report finds > > Multinational corporations cheated more after getting tax cuts, largest inadvertent real-world testing of corporate tax policies reveals
- News Corp’s fossil fuel advertising dressed as news should be illegalindependentaustralia.net News Corp’s fossil fuel advertising dressed as news should be illegal
News Corp's unethical support for the fossil fuel industry is propaganda dressed as news and requires some kind of regulation.
LAST WEEK, News Corp’s newspapers The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier Mail and The Adelaide Advertiser caused controversy by publishing front page “exclusives” and “special reports” alleging that more gas is needed to avoid electricity blackouts in the future.
If readers turned the page and read the fine print, they would learn that this so-called “news” was actually not news. It was an advertorial (a fancy word for an advertisement), paid for by – you guessed it – the fossil fuel industry.
- US woman caught with golden gun in luggage at Sydney airport jailed for a yearwww.theguardian.com US woman caught with golden gun in luggage at Sydney airport jailed for a year
Liliana Goodson travelled to Australia to attend clown school with the gold-plated pistol, worth about $3,000, in her luggage
> Liliana Goodson travelled to Australia in 2023 to attend clown school with the gold-plated pistol, worth about $3,000, in her luggage
- Australian children seeing gambling ads via Sportsbet filter on Snapchatwww.theguardian.com Australian children seeing gambling ads via Sportsbet filter on Snapchat
Exclusive: Filters, including one that turns a person into a horse, include Sportsbet logos and direct 18+ users to open a gambling account
> Exclusive: Filters, including one that turns a person into a horse, include Sportsbet logos and direct 18+ users to open a gambling account
- Teen sprint star Gout Gout breaks Peter Norman's 56-year national 200m recordwww.abc.net.au Teen sprint star Gout Gout breaks Peter Norman's 56-year national 200m record
At just 16, Gout Gout removes Peter Norman's national mark that had stood since 1968, producing a faster time than what Usain Bolt ran at the same age.
With a kid in Little Athletics, I've taken an interest in junior track and field this year. I've been following Gout's antics for about six months, now.
At 16 (almost 17), He just ran the fastest 200m time by an Australian sprinter, ever.
https://youtu.be/bjb4ku7GeLc
For the record, he also ran a 100m in 10.04 this year.
- Commonwealth Bank pauses plans to charge customers $3 fee to withdraw cashwww.abc.net.au Commonwealth Bank pauses plans to charge customers $3 fee to withdraw cash
Australia's biggest bank has paused its plans to charge customers a $3 fee to withdraw their own money at bank branches around the country, a day after it was announced.
- So… Australia Just Banned Kids From the Internet
> Australia has just passed a law that will ban kids from social media online. How exactly? Well, through the amazing power of… shoosh.
- What do you want for Christmas?
This is my thinly-veiled request for Christmas ideas for a bunch of people I need to buy presents for - some of whom I don't see all that often and know all that well. I thought it'd be handy to have a thread of present ideas that we can all crowd-source off each other. The best ideas are going to be neat stuff that people won't know exists and won't have already bought for themselves. I'll end up getting some people obvious stuff like alcohol and nice chocolates. Those aren't really he ideas I'm looking for.
I don't want to make rules, but I think we need a couple:
- Let's at least cap them at $50. Telling people you want a Drone, a Steam Deck or PS5 simply isn't realistic. I'm not looking for ideas in that price range (even though I'd probably love all these, myself).
- Avoid intimate stuff. I'm not talking sex toys (though avoid those too - I'm not buying my sister-in-law a dildo), but more things that are really personal like jewellery, watches and stuff that you need to know the person's tastes to get right.
- Commonwealth Bank to charge customers $3 'withdrawal fee' to access their own cashwww.abc.net.au Commonwealth Bank to charge customers $3 'withdrawal fee' to access their own cash
The Commonwealth Bank has unveiled major changes to one of its main everyday account offerings, which will see customers charged $3 to withdraw their own money.
I hope this inspires a massive migration off CBA and a rollback of the policy. Because if it doesn't, the other banks will be sure to follow.
- It's the 170th anniversary of the Eureka Stockadewww.abc.net.au The Eureka Stockade and its flag are often misunderstood and misappropriated. The real story is one of unity
As the 170th anniversary of the Eureka Rebellion rolls around, experts say the true story of the event — and its iconic Southern Cross flag — need to be remembered.
> In short: > > The Eureka Rebellion was a battle fought between gold miners and government soldiers at Ballarat in 1854. > > While the miners were defeated quickly, they won favour with the public and eventually earned more rights, including the right to vote. > > What's next? > > The 170th anniversary will take place [on the 3rd of December] and Ballarat locals are watching to see if it is again misappropriated by far-right groups.
- 'Barely stand a chance': The part of Australia it's hardest for these job seekers to get workwww.sbs.com.au 'Barely stand a chance': The part of Australia it's hardest for these job seekers to get work
There are nowhere near enough entry-level jobs to meet demand in any part of Australia — and for those with extra barriers to work, it's "a particularly difficult situation".
- Endometriosis treatment to be subsidised by federal government as health minister says ‘women are suffering unnecessarily’www.theguardian.com Endometriosis treatment to be subsidised by federal government as health minister says ‘women are suffering unnecessarily’
Without a subsidy, patients could pay $750 a year to treat the condition which has no cure and can last decades
> Without a subsidy, patients could pay $750 a year to treat the condition which has no cure and can last decades
- Lone Soldiers. New Australian IDF recruits due to arrive in Israel in Januarymichaelwest.com.au Lone Soldiers. New Australian IDF recruits due to arrive in Israel in January - Michael West
Despite it being illegal to recruit soldiers for foreign armies, recruiters are hard at work enticing young Australians to join the IDF.
- Millions of Australians charged $4.3bn may be part of debt miscalculation controversywww.theguardian.com Millions of Australians charged $4.3bn may be part of debt miscalculation controversy
Services Australia tests found about 64% of employment income-related debts may be affected by the unlawful calculation practice
- Australia Passes Harsh New Anti-Migration Laws
> On Thursday night, the Australian government passed new laws that expand the country’s offshore detention regime, further evade international obligations, and allow officials to pursue prison terms for people who resist deportation, including asylum seekers. These laws undermine the core principles of refugee protection and mark an escalation in Australia’s existing mistreatment of refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers.
- CFMEU under administration jeopardises workers’ safetywww.greenleft.org.au CFMEU under administration jeopardises workers’ safety
The dangerous impacts of Labor’s forcible administration of the CFMEU are being revealed, with some bosses flouting occupational health and safety laws more recklessly. Sue Bull reports.
>Just this month, two workers were killed at Vestas Wind Farm. One died at Golden Plans in Victoria and the other at Wambo in Queensland. Vestas, the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world, regularly confronts the CFMEU over safety on the job. > >Zach Smith, CFMEU national secretary, said Vestas routinely ignores CFMEU Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) concerns and denies union access to sites. > >This is despite WorkSafe Victoria issuing 22 compliance notices to Vestas since March last year. > >Tim Gooden, spokesperson for Victorian Defend the Unions – Defend the CFMEU, said on November 24 that Vestas’ response to the tragic death of CFMEU member Jess Patience at Golden Plains on November 11 was an outrage. > >Patience’s body was left in full view, while police conducted interviews from a car boot and workers were drug and alcohol tested. Gooden thought this might be “so the company could try to blame other workers rather than its own procedures” for the tragedy. > >“It was only once the CFMEU was allowed on site that surviving workers were led from the scene and offered counselling to limit PTSD reactions,” Gooden said.
What the fuck.
- An unwritten 'country code' is putting Rob's life at risk on the road, and all he's doing is turning rightwww.abc.net.au An unwritten 'country code' is putting Rob's life at risk on the road, and all he's doing is turning right
WA sprayer operator Rob Mitchell says a growing number of drivers are mistakenly interpreting his signal to turn right as an opportunity to pass him, with dangerous consequences.
"Indicating to pass" is insane and needs to stop
- Why Long COVID is looking more and more like it's driven by 'long infection'www.sbs.com.au Why Long COVID is looking more and more like it's driven by 'long infection'
Researchers have proposed several biological mechanisms to explain Long COVID. Here's what we know.
- NDIS participants can no longer access sex worker services through funding. Advocates say it's a 'deep betrayal'www.abc.net.au NDIS participants can no longer access sex worker services through funding. Advocates say it's a 'deep betrayal'
For over a month now, people with a disability have been unable to use NDIS funding for seeking sex worker services. Lived-experience advocates say it's a step backward.
- One in five Australian renters are living without essential items and in poverty, peak body study findswww.abc.net.au Struggling Australians being forced into poverty with 'nowhere affordable to live'
More than 20 per cent of Australian renters are living in poverty after their rent has been paid, a new study has found.
- Australia’s social media ban for kids under 16 just became law. How it will work remains a mysterytheconversation.com Australia’s social media ban for kids under 16 just became law. How it will work remains a mystery
The ban won’t take effect for at least 12 months. But key details about it are still missing – including how social media platforms will actually verify users’ age.
- U16 Social Media Ban - Senate 1hr debate before the vote, some time tonight on the livestream
Australian Senate, last sitting of the year. No idea when the Social Media Ban debate is kicking off.
If anyone's keen, feel free to give a live run-down of anything interesting in this thread.
(sorry about all the edits, just trying to get a decent thumbnail: !elevated photo of the Australian Senate)
- Senate likely to pass 31 bills in frantic end to year after Labor strikes deal with Greenswww.theguardian.com Senate likely to pass 31 bills in frantic end to year after Labor strikes deal with Greens
Albanese government will rely on Coalition to pass three controversial migration bills and the under 16 social media ban
- Flash flood risk from tropics to Tasmania as storms bring potential 100mm deluge to eastern Australiawww.abc.net.au Eastern Australia faces multi-day thunderstorm outbreak with flash flooding, hail and damaging winds
A cloudband extending 4,000 kilometres from the Top End to Tasmania will produce intense downpours during the last days of spring – threatening to bring areas of flash and river flooding to multiple states and territories, with other capital cities in the firing line.
- Zachary Rolfe allegedly 'dishonest', 'ego-driven' and held 'overtly racist attitudes', NT coroner told in Kumanjayi Walker inquest final submissionswww.abc.net.au Zachary Rolfe allegedly held 'overtly racist attitudes' and 'lied' in court, coroner told
Counsel assisting the coroner has made final submissions with scathing accusations of former NT police constable Zachary Rolfe, in the inquest into the shooting death of Aboriginal man Kumanjayi Walker.
Former NT police constable Zachary Rolfe allegedly held "overtly racist attitudes" and was "undisciplined", "dishonest", "ego-driven" and "contemptuous of authority" prior to the shooting of Aboriginal man Kumanjayi Walker, the Northern Territory coroner has hear
- How can racism be eliminated from Australia? This is what the national anti-racism framework recommendswww.theguardian.com How can racism be eliminated from Australia? This is what the national anti-racism framework recommends
For the first time Australia has a ‘comprehensive plan’ to tackle ‘deeply embedded’ racism, discrimination commissioner says
- Parliament delivers a performance piece of legislative 'enshittification' that raises more questions than answerswww.abc.net.au Parliament delivers a performance piece of legislative 'enshittification' that raises more questions than answers
Yesterday, parliament heard that the major parties will come together and pass a law banning teenagers from social media, after a period of careful thought roughly commensurate with that of a 15-year-old making a Black Friday impulse buy at Shein.com.
Annabel Crabb's analysis of parliamentary goings on this week.
- ‘What many of us feel’: why ‘enshittification’ is Macquarie Dictionary’s word of the yearwww.theguardian.com ‘What many of us feel’: why ‘enshittification’ is Macquarie Dictionary’s word of the year
The committee’s honourable mentions went to ‘right to disconnect’ and ‘rawdogging’
- Queensland whooping cough vaccine numbers down in pregnant women amid huge surge in cases - ABC Newswww.abc.net.au Queensland experiencing worst whooping cough epidemic on record, costing the life of two-month-old baby
Whooping cough case numbers in Queensland this year are almost 23 times the number at the same period last year.
>Queensland Health communicable diseases branch executive director Heidi Carroll said the disease could be life threatening in babies.
>"They cough so much that they can't catch their breath. They then can't get enough oxygen into their systems," Dr Carroll said.
Well, that sucks :(
- Perverse incentives leave young Australians locked out of community housing, study findswww.theguardian.com Perverse incentives leave young Australians locked out of community housing, study finds
Researchers find providers stand to lose 46% of possible income if they rent to young people compared with those on higher welfare payments
- Laws to regulate misinformation online abandoned, gambling advertising ban pushed to next yearwww.abc.net.au Laws to regulate misinformation online abandoned, gambling advertising ban pushed to next year
Laws that would force social media companies to police misinformation and outright lies on their platform have been formally abandoned by the federal government. Laws to restrict gambling advertising will also not proceed this year.
- Fires, first aid and guns: meet the Finnish women training for war with Russiawww.theguardian.com Fires, first aid and guns: meet the Finnish women training for war with Russia
Anxious Finns are learning how to survive in the wild in preparation for an invasion by their hostile neighbour
Whike this is for Finland I often wonder why Australia doesn't do such a thing? (That's not an argument for or against doing it but a genuine question)
If the LNP/ALP are so concered about an invasion by China that they'll bankrupt the nation to buy a few token nuclear submarines.it seems beyond bizzare to me that the sort of preparedness in the article is not prioritised as well? Or is it becase the submarine thing is all dick waving and posturing for votes and has little to do with actual national defence ?
- The fierce reaction to Australia’s new Future Fund mandate reflects how much has changed since 2006 | John Quigginwww.theguardian.com The fierce reaction to Australia’s new Future Fund mandate reflects how much has changed since 2006 | John Quiggin
Peter Costello and John Howard should note that sovereign wealth funds now typically consider national policy objectives in their decisions
