Podcasts about senate estimates

The Grumpy Strategists answer the call from Australia's Embassy in Washington. They search for meaning in Defence's new religious texts - the Strategic Review and Defence Strategy - amongst the snowstorm of other reviews, strategies & plans. The new Workforce Plan gets a makeover - it's now beige. A Senate Estimates satellite highlight gets airtime, while the Chief of Navy and Deputy Prime Minister Marles show their mettle.

On today's show, we preview the US Presidential election. The RBA dropped its latest rate decision today. Border Force front Senate Estimates about the frequency of patrols in our northern waters. Also in senate estimates, there's been a call to strip Alan Joyce of a prestigious award. And big news about a high speed rail project that could reshape the nation.   Visit thenightly.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senate estimates in the Australian Parliament is a critical forum during which elected representatives ask questions of ministers, department heads and other public servants to work out how prudently taxpayer funds are being spent. Coalition Senator Simon Birmingham give us a quick guide to Senate processes and also points to some of the ways in which Senators might get frustrated with attempts to keep some issues from the view of those that pay them to run the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start with an overview of recent and ongoing Defence procurement disasters – not to bore people but as a reminder that there is something seriously wrong with how the system functions. Defence Minister Richard Marles continues to think that everything is fine when in fact it is not. Another concern is the amount of misinformation coming from Defence officials – and we aren't talking about the occasional slip of the tongue. Testimony has been given to Senate Estimates that is just plain provably wrong on multiple topics. A few words about psychology and how it is that objectively stupid decisions such as destroying and burying Taipan helicopters can gain Ministerial endorsement rather than be sent back to the drawing board. To lighten the mood – an anecdote from the time when we had a Minister who was capable of thinking objectively and believing the evidence of his own eyes rather than the official nonsense he was told. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before we say some more about the General Purpose Frigate debacle let's unpack the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine debacle and the revelation in Senate Estimates hearings that we are making two almost identical $4.7 billion payments to US and UK companies without a refund clause. Mind you that information had to be dragged out of ASA Head, VADM Jonathon Mead, who refused to answer several questions about a refund or clawback clause. Clearly there isn't one. Imagine if it were revealed that the government had given $9.4 billion to a company to build a hospital without any conditions and no refund clause. There would be outrage because nothing would prevent the company pocketing all of the cash and laughing at taxpayers. Then the General Purpose frigate – and there is more evidence to show that neither Navy nor the Independent Review Team have a clue about what they are doing. Finally a positive story about how Navy used to communicate in the days before they became a US-obsessed cult, unused to ever being questioned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Oni Blecher speaks with Fiona O'Shaughnessy. Fiona is a mum of 3, doula, childbirth educator, independent consumer representative for the Northern NSW LHD and a consumer advocate, representing the charity Hygieia Health. She's speaking to us today in her capacity working with Hygieia. Hygieia Health is dedicated to the sacred work of birth and the impact it has on the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of women, their families, and birth workers. They believe that “Peace on Earth begins at Birth,” as Jeanine Parvarti Baker so poignantly stated. As a non-profit organization with a charitable purpose of promoting the prevention and treatment of birth trauma, they strive to provide birth workers, obstetricians, midwives, and doulas with the knowledge and skills necessary to care for themselves and others, and to return birth to its rightful place as a profound rite of passage. Their mission is to support women on their journey to childbirth, ensuring that they receive safe and trauma-free birth services and support. They aim to raise awareness of the occurrence and consequences of birth trauma and provide women and birth workers with the tools and support they need to prepare for and experience a safe, positive birth.Advocacy groups such as Hygieia Health, Homebirth Australia, Maternity choices Australia, and us here at PBB Media to name a few, spend a considerable amount of time translating some of these deeply rooted political stirrings or changes in to smaller bite sized information segments so that we can all come together in our united aim to ensure optimal freedom of choice in childbirth, however that may look for you.You may have a relative, a friend, a neighbour who is interested to birth at home. You may know a midwifery student who has the aim to become a privately practicing midwife. Even if home birth is not on your radar, you may even just empathise with the right to choose a birth environment that feels safe and right. Advocacy groups do so much work, but lets not forget our own capacity to advocate for our fellow human beings, even if their choices look different to ours. The meaning of advocacy is ‘public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy'. We always welcome your feedback and thoughts. Leave us a review, rating, instagram comment or DM, or simply be in touch via email through hello@pbbmedia.org We have left some great links below in relation to information sources that Fi mentions throughout the interview. Thanks for tuning in ! @hygieiahealthltd@bumps_birth_and_beyond @homebirth_australia@bornathomefilmSurvey link: https://tr.ee/pENQCpTihh Excerpt from Hygieia Health Instagram regarding proposed changes:“You may have seen a video circulating yesterday where Senator @larissawaters asked the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer (CNMO) about proposed changes to insurance for homebirth during Senate Estimates - we'd like to thank Senator Waters for her questions. If you're wondering what this all means, please keep reading.We feel the collective anger, fear and in some cases hopelessness about this issue, understanding it's deeply rooted in the lived experiences of women and midwives who have had to fight for women's rights in childbirth for decades.What We Do Know: The Government will conduct a consultation process in the coming months, aiming to have details finalised by the end of the year.  The proposed insurance would only be available for midwives providing homebirth care to women with 'low risk' pregnancies. This could mean that midwives might not be legally able to provide homebirth services to women outside this definition.Currently, the definition of ‘low risk' and who defines it is yet to be determined. However, comments made by the CNMO suggest it could exclude women with common risk factors such as previous c-section, high BMI, gestational diabetes, lack of social support and more. The CNMO also stated that if women deemed ‘high risk' still want a homebirth, they will need a consultation with an obstetrician to be told to give birth in a hospital. Our Goal: It's not too late to influence this process and protect the choice to homebirth as a right for all women. HBA has been promised a seat at the table and we are pushing for this to be a public consultation.Urgency: Women who will become pregnant from September onwards will be directly impacted, so we will reiterate the urgency of this throughout the consultation process.Your Feedback Matters: We've put together a survey as a first step to gather your feedback so we can head into the consultation process and represent the needs of our community. Who Should fill out the Survey: • Have you had a homebirth previously? • Are you planning a homebirth? • Are you a homebirth midwife?Take Action: Complete our survey (link above)

Shocking audio reveals how university professors are indoctrinating students with anti-Israel propaganda, ABC Managing Director David Anderson fronts Senate Estimates. Plus, the Trump trial draws to a close, and more gaffes from Joe Biden.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A senior ABC journalist rebuked by the boss, allegations flying at Nine – what's going on in Australian media?   Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian's app. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Josh Burton. The multimedia editor is Lia Tsamoglou and original music is composed by Jasper Leak.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Feminist on Cellblock Y, Banan and Tasnim at the Egyptian Consulate in Naarm, Students from Palestine strike Feb 29, 8.5 million in faulty claims by job agencies, Senator Lidia Thorpe. Headlines// ​Annelise from Irlinfoshop (Incendium Radical Library and Collective) joins us to talk about the upcoming screening on The Feminist on Cellblock Y, a documentary about a group of men inside a prison who form a reading group based on ways men are recruited into dominant culture. The group explores collective struggles towards different ways of building relationships, lives, and in movement building. You can join the screening event on Sat 24th of Feb from 2:30-4:30pm at Catalyst Social Centre.// ​We hear a recording of Egyptian activist Banan and Palestinian activist and member of Free Palestine Melbourne Tasnim speaking at Monday's rally for Palestine outside the ​Egyptian Consulate in Naarm. This rally was called to draw attention to the Egyptian state's active undermining of efforts to provide aid or safe passage out through the Rafah Crossing for Palestinians being subjected to genocidal bombardment in Gaza by 'israel'.// ​Then we are joined by Renee from Students for Palestine to talk about the upcoming strike on Thursday Feb 29. Students For Palestine has denounced Israel's ground assault on the border town Rafah, and announced plans for a nationwide school and university strike on February 29. Rafah is now sheltering more than half of all Palestinians living on the Gaza Strip. Most of them have had to flee to Rafah from their homes which have been reduced to rubble by Israeli airstrikes. All eyes are on Rafah.// ​Jay Coonan from the Antipoverty Centre joins us this morning to discuss why job agencies have been forced to return 8.5 million in taxpayer dollars, after a record high in faulty claims were lodged through the Workforce Australia employment services scheme during the 2022-23 financial year.// ​Senator Lidia Thorpe joins us to discuss the genocide bill introduced into federal Parliament last week, the abysmal lack of progress on Closing the Gap targets and the Productivity Commission's scathing review of overall progress on implementing core principles of the Council of Australian Governments' National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the ongoing fight to stop Blak deaths in custody, and to provide an update about scrutinising government expenditure in this week's round of Senate Estimates hearings.​// Songs// ​UNTIL WE"RE ALL FREE  - BVT, Jafar, Zeadala, Kid Pharaoh, ChillCheney, L-FRESH The LION, DOBBY, Sereen, Big Rigs & J Lute (Dem Mob)​, Maissa, MC Trey, Sara Sale7 & Zeadala​, Moe Omran, Najah Haidar, Ali Samman, Dema & Wejdan Shamala​, Chandler Connell, Feras Shaheen, Gabriela Quinsacara, Zain El-Roubaei & Rafiko (darbouka)//

You can watch a video version of this deep dive here There is a push to curb alcohol consumption in Parliament House after two recent incidents involving parliamentarians and alcohol. Earlier this month, a video went viral of Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce lying on the ground in the middle of a Canberra street. This week, Nationals Senator Perin Davey admitted she had two drinks before a Senate Estimates hearing, where she could be heard slurring her words. In today's deep dive, we're discussing the rules around drinking in Parliament, the push for breath testing and what happens next. Credits:Hosts: Zara Seidler and Billi FitzSimonsAudio Producer: Emmeline PetersonGive your thoughts via our podcast surveySubscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterBuy our book No Silly Questions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By popular demand, it's time for more dirt on Taipan helicopters, but before that there's some breaking news about AUKUS. In the US, supplemental funding that was going to help lift the rate of submarine production has fallen foul of Trump-worshipping Republicans in Congress. The omnibus legislation was mainly about securing the southern border but also contained military aid for Ukraine and Israel – plus about another $3.3 billion for submarine stuff. So while Australia remains on the hook for a contribution of $4.6 billion – which neither the government nor the RAN can justify – the Americans refuse to spend their own money to speed up submarine production. What an ally! Unless Virginia class submarines are being built at a rate of 2.33 per year, Australia will receive nothing. Finally – Taipan helicopters have received a decent amount of scrutiny in Senate Estimates, though some of the reporting of that has been woeful. Media colleagues: please get it through your thick skulls that the Taipan helicopters are perfectly safe. The obscene speed with which Army has tried to destroy them has only one cause – they don't want another country to successfully use them because that would reveal massive Australian incompetence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The NSW ag minister gets a grilling in Senate Estimates, a meat coop welcomes the news that some of the bans on trade with China have been lifted and concerns about water in the Lachlan and Namoi valleys.

Green Left's Suzanne James interviews NSW Greens Senator and Defence Spokesperson, David Shoebridge. They discuss Australian involvement in the bombing of Gaza, the latest multi-billion dollar Defence boat bungle uncovered by Senate Estimates, the David McBride case along with Labor's ongoing failure to protect whistleblowers, as well as the Senator's proposed Bill to federally legalise cannabis for personal adult use. View this online: https://www.greenleft.org.au/video/video-david-shoebridge-gaza-militarism-and-david-mcbride We acknowledge that this was produced on stolen Aboriginal land. We express solidarity with ongoing struggles for justice for First Nations people and pay our respects to Elders past and present. If you like our work, become a supporter: https://www.greenleft.org.au/support Support Green Left on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/greenleft Green Left online: https://www.greenleft.org.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenLeftOnline/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/greenleftonline YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/greenleftonline TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greenleftonline Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenleftonline/ Podbean: https://greenleftonline.podbean.com/ Telegram: https://t.me/greenleftonline Podcast also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Antennapod, Itunes and PodcastAddict.

In this action-packed episode, first, we look at the aftermath of the Fadden byelection. Although it may seem like business as usual for some, we look into the federal implications and significance of the result in this conservative seat of Gold Coast (hint: there are not many implications). The mainstream media has depicted this as a massive win for Peter Dutton and the negative impact it has had on the Labor Party – also supposedly ending Anthony Albanese's political honeymoon – even though the opinions polls are showing the opposite: the Labor government is still way ahead of the Liberal and National parties.Next, we shine a spotlight on one of the Big 4 consultancy firms, Deloitte, which is under scrutiny for conflicts of interest and misuse of government information during federal government consultancies. Drawing connections with previous breaches by PwC, we explore the revelations unveiled through Senate Estimates, thanks to the meticulous questioning by Australian Greens Senator Barbara Pocock and Labor Senator Deborah O'Neil. We also look at the calls for stronger legislation and even a potential Royal Commission into government outsourcing, given the staggering sums involved in federal government outsourcing – $21 billion.We then turn our attention to sport and the recent decision to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria. The reasons behind this move by Premier Daniel Andrews relate to major cost blowouts and dwindling public interest in the Commonwealth Games – certainly, this is not good news for professional athletes, but if the cost is becoming unaffordable, it's best to cancel the games. This is what the conservative media had been calling for – cancelling the games – but now the games have been cancelled, they're attacking the Victoria government for doing exactly what they asked for. Duplicity!We also look into the contentious issue of government funding for private schools versus public schools and the alarming revelation that government funding for private schools has doubled over the past decade, resulting in one of the least equitable schooling systems among OECD countries. We discuss the historical context and the neoliberal kick-start provided by the Howard government in 1996, under the banner of ‘choice' for parents – when effectively, the choice was just a grant illusion – emphasising the need for reform to achieve a fairer distribution of public funds in the education sector.We then analyse the latest opinion polls and unravel the contrasting interpretations offered by conservative media outlets versus the actual poll numbers. We provide a nuanced analysis of the polls, which show support for the Labor government remaining steady – or increasing – debunking claims of a waning honeymoon for the Prime Minister and the Labor Party.Lastly, we examine of the Voice to Parliament campaign's decline in support. Drawing parallels with the 1999 Republic referendum, we explore the patterns of shifting public opinion and the challenges faced in sustaining momentum for such initiatives. We also look at the complexities of controlling political agendas and the role of prominent conservative figures like Senator Jacinta Price, Warren Mundine, and Peter Dutton in shaping the negative campaign's narrative.

RBA Governor Phillip Lowe suggested more people live together to remedy Australia's housing shortage. It's been a week of consequence in Australia's legal system with the Ben Roberts Smith Defamation verdict and Bruce Lerhmann breaking his silence. I'll break down all the facts and disputed facts on Tim's News Explosion. Melbourne experienced two aftershocks following last week's Sunbury-centred earthquake, there weren't any aftershocks in Melbourne after Victoria's 2021 earthquake. Following backlash, Dan Andrews has backed away from one of his new budget measures to remove the payroll tax exemption for private schools. VicRoads has ordered a motorist to hand back his Dan Out numberplates deeming them inappropriate. Victoria Police had to turn off social media comments on its advertisements for its Public Order Response Teams that brutalized Victorians during lockdowns. The suggestions from Reserve Bank Governor Phillip Lowe before Senate Estimates that Australians should work longer to lessen the blow of inflation and more people should live in the same household since the housing supply isn't keeping up with demand were not well received by the public. Hancock Prospecting owner Gina Rinehart has been named the 2023 Western Australian of the Year for her philanthropy. Roger Cook will replace Mark McGowan as WA Premier. The West Australian newspaper published an op-ed about how residents can grieve the loss of their state daddy. Airbus Albo travelled first to Singapore for Shangri-La Security Dialogue then onto Vietnam to drink beer with the locals. The latest Newspoll has the Aboriginal voice referendum at 46% Yes and 43%. Clearly the race blackmail is having the opposite effect on voters. Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith lost his defamation case against Nine, Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters with Federal Judge Anthony Besanko ruling they proved their accusations he committed war crimes in Afghanistan. Roberts-Smith has not been found guilty let alone charged with any war crimes. He was backed in his defamation case by his employer Kerry Stokes at Channel Seven. Bruce Lehrmann the man accused by Brittany Higgins of raping her in Linda Reynolds's office in 2019 gave an interview to Liam Bartlett on 7News Spotlight. Featured in that interview was CCTV footage from that night in Parliament House where Brittany Higgins looked excited to be there. Also aired was Lisa Wilkinson and her producer's pre-project interview chat with Higgins and her boyfriend David Sharaz where Wilkinson suggested things for Higgins to say during the interview. The four former Hawthorn Indigenous players who accused former coaches Alistair Clarkson and Chris Fagan of mistreatment have outed themselves and launched a Human Rights Commission complaint. One of the former players is Cyril Rioli whose wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli believed a joke by former President Jeff Kennett about her ripped jeans was racist. Two National Socialist Network members Michael Nelson and Nathan Bull performed the Nazi salute with t-shirts that said 6 million a bit much at an Iranian protest in Melbourne? The Andrews Government is planning to outlaw the salute. The Queensland Government's proposed Criminal Code (Serious Vilification and Hate Crimes) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 increases the penalty for “bigoted public statements” from six months in prison to three years. Former Vice President Mike Pence is set to announce his 2024 campaign for President. Pence was cleared by the FBI for mishandling classified documents, but Donald Trump has not. Joe Biden fell when after speaking on a stage but was uninjured.  The Daily Wire gave away Matt Walsh's What is a Woman documentary free for the weekend on Twitter. Twitter originally threatened to limit its reach because the documentary features misgendering. But the weekend ended up with Twitter owner Elon Musk pinning the documentary to his account stating it was a must watch for all parents. The British mainstream media continue to platform TikTok social terrorist Mizzy. Phillip Schofield has gone on the PR offensive claiming he's the victim and that his affair with former ITV This Morning runner Mathew McGreevy was something that just happened, he didn't groom the teenager. Schofield said to the BBC he felt like killing himself as Caroline Flack did. Email: me@timwilms.comMessage: https://t.me/timwilmsWebsite: http://timwilms.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/wilmsfrontMinds: https://www.minds.com/timwilmsGab: https://gab.com/timwilmsTelegram: https://t.me/wilmsfront Support the Show:Membership: http://www.theunshackled.net/membershipDonate: https://www.theunshackled.net/donate/ Other Unshackled Links:Website: https://www.theunshackled.netFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TUnshackledTwitter: https://twitter.com/Un_shackledGab: https://gab.ai/theunshackledTelegram: https://t.me/theunshackled Music and Graphics by James Fox HigginsVoice Over by Morgan MunroSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As scrutiny of the PWC tax leak scandal continues at Senate Estimates hearings, the Greens are calling for an immediate ban on the consultancy firm doing any government work.

The Australian Energy Regulator has confirmed people will see a spike in electricity prices, but the government says its intervention has prevented the worst of the increase. Senate Estimates has also grilled government officials over the leak of confidential tax information by a former PwC employee. - Kinumpirma ng Australian Energy Regulator ang paglobo ng presyo ng kuryente, pero sinabi ng gobyerno na sa pakikialam nito, napigilan nito ang pinakamalalang pagtaas sa singil. Ginisa rin ng Senate Estimates ang ilang opisyal ng gobyerno sa pagkakasiwalat ng isang dating empleyado ng PwC sa mga kumpidensyal na impormasyon sa buwis.

Lubing the king! Senate Estimates! Other Things! G'day Sausages is a podcast that is made by @cjjosh, @rodl and @willozap, using our sweat and tears and blood and love. We hope you like it.

ASIO Chief Mike Burgess made a flying visit to Senate Estimates last week but despite the brevity, he had a lot to say. This week we unpack it, from the increase in religious extremism, to the placement of Chinese cameras in government buildings and a possible Chinese police station in Sydney strong-arming the local diaspora. Oh and yeah, there's more balloons floating around, but curiously not here. Never a dull moment when dealing with spooks!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to episode 40 of the Inner Game of Change Podcast where I focus on exploring the multi layers of managing and enabling organisational change.Today, I am beyond thrilled to chat with Frances Cawthra; Chief Executive Officer for Cenitex , a thought leader and an amazing human.With a wealth of leadership experience in both public and private sectors, and leading complex and technology based organizations, Frances's secret recipe for success is her relentless focus on helping people and stakeholders succeed.In today's episode, Frances shares with me her views on the outer game of change. An episode never to be missed!I am grateful to have Frances chatting with me today.About FrancesChief Executive OfficerFrances has a wealth of leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. She draws on extensive experience in information technology, large transaction processing centres, customer contact centres and client relationship management. Frances has held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Cenitex since July 2019. Cenitex provides shared information and Communications Technology (ICT) services to the Victorian public sector. It enables departments, agencies and more than 55,000+ users to deliver services for the Victorian community.Prior to joining Cenitex, Frances was with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for 14 years and for the last 7 years held the role of Chief Financial Officer. As Chief Financial Officer she managed a $3.6 billion operating budget and a capital budget in excess of $180 million including a property portfolio of approximately $300 million. Frances led several business divisions within the ATO, comprising very large workforces of up to 7500 employees across 36 national sites.Frances's roles in the ATO provided her with a strong understanding and appreciation of public service ethics, delivery to government and the community.Each of her roles has included regular appearances at Senate Estimates, frequent appearances at other committees of enquiry such as the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) and regularly briefing Minister's and their advisors.Frances has held various committee positions over her career including the Australian Bureau of Statistic 2021 Census Board, the Victorian State Revenue Committee and the Federal Circuit Court Audit and Risk Committee. Ali Juma @The Inner Game of Change podcast

I caught up with Senator Rennick (LNP Queensland) after his recent outings in Senate Estimates and his speech on Superannuation. We explored the broader economic issues which we face, and why we need some different approaches from our regulators and the RBA. Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Find more at https://digitalfinanceanalytics.com/blog/ … Continue reading "Getting Better Economic Outcomes: With Senator Gerard Rennick [Podcast]"

For the 100th episode of Australia in the World, Allan and Darren welcome Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong. Allan begins by asking the Minister “why this job?” given her heavy additional responsibilities, and how she is able to carve out “thinking time” given the non-stop nature of her role. The hosts are thrilled to hear that Senator Wong listens to the podcast, and even listened to recent episode where her own speeches were discussed! Darren raises her Kuala Lumpur speech with a question about the links between Australia's interests and its evolving modern identity. He then harks back to the Senator's first speech to the Australian Parliament, delivered in August 2002, to ask whether compassion – a central theme in that first speech – might play a role in managing some of Australia's most difficult relationships. He then asks what role foreign policy might play in boosting public trust in democratic institutions at home. The conversation turns to DFAT, and how Australia's diplomatic capability can best be augmented given most Commonwealth Government departments have international footprints. Darren cannot resist asking about Senate Estimates hearings, including the balance professional bureaucrats must strike between secrecy and accountability. Allan turns the conversation to agency – a long-running theme of the podcast – to ask whether and how foreign policy outcomes can be different under the new government. Allan also asks about how Australia can balance its regional versus global interests. We thank Annabel Howard for audio editing and Rory Stenning for composing our theme music. We also thank all the previous AIIA interns who have provided essential support to the podcast over the past four years. Allan and Darren also wish to express their heartfelt gratitude to listeners to this podcast. The only reason we reached our 100th episode is because of the encouragement, interest and feedback we have received from an audience that has continued to grow. We found an engaged and informed community of people who share our conviction that Australian foreign policy matters for everything we want to do as a country. We could not be more grateful for your support. Thank you. Relevant links Senator the Hon Penny Wong, First Speech to Parliament, 21 August 2022: https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansards%2F2002-08-21%2F0106%22;src1=sm1

Government Pride has been on display at NATO with Airbus AnAl joining in. The end of Roe vs Wade and the Jan 6th hearings have made Ardern expand NZ's terror list. We'll talk about that and the pillage and plunder of the Labor and Labour governments tonight. Join Tim Wilms and Dieuwe de Boer live tonight at 6pm Melbourne time and 8pm Auckland time on Trad Tasman Talk. In covid news we are told cases will rise again with an Omicron BA4 and BA5 wave. Baby MRNA vaccines and Omicron tailored vaccines coming soon. Monkeypox curve could flatten after pride month. Safe monkeypox sex has been promoted. There is now a painful drug-resistant super gonorrhea that an Austrian tourist caught from a Cambodian sex worker. A bee lockdown has been implemented in NSW due to the varroa mite parasite found in hives at the port of Newcastle which is 50% owned by CCP. 6 million bees have been exterminated in an effort to eradicate the mite. The overturning of Roe vs Wade in the US returning legislative authority on abortion to the states saw condemnation from Jacinda Ardern and senior MPs from the Labor Government and Liberal Opposition. National leader Chris Luxon forced pro-life MP Simon O'Connor to delete his post saying “today is a good day” and forcing him to apologize to the partyroom. Dieuwe himself has been in the NZ media for his pro-life traditional views in an effort to smear his New Conservative Party. The Roe vs Wade decision has seen many know the definition of a woman again. However Professor Brendan Murphy AC Head of the Australian Health Department provided a complicated definition of woman to Liberal Senator Alex Antic 3 months after he was asked at Senate Estimates. The American Proud Boys and The Base have been designated terrorist entities by the NZ Police. The justification for listing the American Proud Boys is based on what is being claimed at the January 6 hearings which is low threshold for “terror”. Is the NZ govt worried about a freedom movement repeat? Will they list the Mongrel Mob as terrorists given one of their members was convicted of threatening to kill a National MP? Blockade Australia a climate extremist group terrorising Sydney blocking peak morning traffic. Mali Cooper who blocked the Sydney Harbour tunnel got an interview on The Project. Another blockade member Harley McDonald-Eckersall complained about vegan food not being available in prison. Family First NZ has been deregistered as a charity with the NZ Supreme Court ruling that advocating for family and tradition is not in the public interest. A Christian school Bethlehem College was forced to remove a statement about marriage by the Ministry of Education or they would lose government funding Anthony Albanese is in Madrid for the NATO summit. Indo-Pacific Partners Australia, NZ, Japan and South Korea were all invited. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is visiting her place of birth in Malaysia. She refused to answer questions about her lifestyle being illegal there. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles was at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting 2022 in Rwanda/ Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek was praised by Emmanuel Macron at the Oceans summit in Portugal for Australia's recommitment to climate change. Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls claims Climate Change action will stop domestic violence. Nobody is sure who is back here running Australia. The new Parliament doesn't open until the end of July. The 2021 Australian Census was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. No religion has become the second most common faith after Christianity. The most common countries of birth not in Australia were England, China, NZ, India and the Philippines. There are more childless couples and millennials overtake boomers as the most populus generation. In state government news fees and fines are increasing for Victorians from today but Dan is giving away a $250 electricity bill subsidy per household. Victoria's Ambulance ramping crisis has proven to predate the pandemic attributed to 70 deaths in 2018. NSW teachers and train drivers striked this week, NSW healthcare have workers already striked. A further political headache for NSW Government this week was former Deputy Premier John Barilio trying to get a plum trade commissioner job in New York he created paying $500,000 per year. The Unshackled Links:Website: https://www.theunshackled.netFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TUnshackledTwitter: https://twitter.com/Un_shackledGab: https://gab.com/theunshackledMinds: https://www.minds.com/The_Unshackled/Telegram: https://t.me/theunshackledMeWe: https://mewe.com/p/theunshackledBitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/theunshackled/Free eBook: http://theunshackledbattlefield.net/ Support Our Work: Membership: http://www.theunshackled.net/membershipDonate: https://www.theunshackled.net/donate/Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/TheUnshackledStore: https://www.theunshackled.net/store/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Fordham has criticised Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe calling her outburst in the Senate Estimates "embarrassing". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we hear from NBN Co at Senate Estimates talking about the meteorite hit on its satellite and the status of its fibre upgrade plans as well as Telstra's 1H analyst call where it talked about conditions in a COVID-influenced market and what satellite might do to stem its costs in universal service areas.  

Senate Estimates heard the agency overseeing the NDIS spent almost $22 million on external legal fees in the past financial year with complaints to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal increasing 400 per cent compared to the same period in 2020.

It was an explosive week of Parliament, the first of very few in 2022. The government decided not to schedule too many sitting days this year because, when there's an election year, a most secretive government doesn't want too much scrutiny placed upon itself.And, because it's an election year, a funding freeze for the ABC has been lifted, which is a little bit awkward: the Liberal Party conference in 2015 voted to privatise the ABC (and SBS), and it's one of the Institute of Public Affair's top 50 items on its to-do list. And that's aside from the 30 years of hardline attacks on the ABC by the Liberal Party, which have dramatically escalated since 2013.So much time has been spent on the Religious Discrimination Bill, a Bill that not too many people care about, or even want – but Scott Morrison believes this Bill may provide him with a narrow pathway to victory at the 2022 federal election. But it's off the table now: the government didn't have the parliamentary competence to manage its own legislation.The emphasis on a Bill that nobody wants is also instructive for the areas the government is not focusing upon: a national anti-corruption commission was promised over three years ago, but is nowhere to be seen. The Minister for Aged Care attends a cricket match, rather than face scrutiny at a Senate Estimates hearing. Women's safety issues are being left behind – and didn't Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame give the Prime Minister an earful for this: women have had enough, they're not going to smile and be silent. The powerful never easily relinquish power, but it's a reminder of what can be achieved with effective advocacy.And while the Prime Minister was very busy washing a young woman's hair at a Coco hair salon – creepy! – the Labor Party is carefully preparing its economic agenda for when it returns to government. It will be difficult for Labor to win at the next election – as it is for any Opposition party – but they are ensuring that they are well prepared.Shadow Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, believes the federal government has forgotten the “people” part of the economy and the pandemic has clearly shown that a healthy economy also needs a healthy community and workforce. The current problems in the economy: wage stagnation, a generational debt without a generational dividend, poor economic management, poor management of the pandemic – all need to be addressed, but better economic thinking needs to adopted if the economy is going to “build back better”, rather than a futile “snap back” to a pre-pandemic world, which might be unachievable anyway.

If you've fallen victim to a scam, you're not the only one. The head of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Reece Kershaw has told Senate Estimates even his family has fallen victim to voice scams and that he has almost fallen victim to one too. He is now on a mission to tackle his 'pet peeve' by fighting scams through the controversial Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021. The Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Dini Soulio, joins Jennie Lenman to talk about it and discuss the latest scams affecting South Australians. More information on scams is on the Scamwatch website, including how to make a report and where to get help. You can also contact CBS on 131 882.

Child Safety Concerns? A worried mother pleaded to reduce the speed limit outside of a Huon Valley school.  Brian also spoke to Robert Mallet from the Tasmanian Small Business Council, after it was revealed at Senate Estimates that Tasmania is the only state requiring pharmacies to have a $1,200 per year tobacco licence to stock nicotine vaping products and e-cigarettes. Finally, Peter Ford stopped by to pay tribute to his mate Bert Newton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode: * Grahame Lynch and Simon Dux discuss Telstra's amazing deal to buy Digicel and some of the possible risks that have been barely contemplated by media and financial market analysis * NBN CEO Stephen Rue is grilled by Labor in Senate Estimates on the decision to abandon a 5 year old plan to offer G.fast over the FTTC network in favour of direct fibre lead-ins * Rohan Pearce discusses the TSSR annual report and discussion around anti-scam regulation  

This week we're asking the tough questions on Senate Estimates, Halloween decorations, cool criminals and a 21 year old who made global headlines this week. Writer and actor Michelle Law along with writer and director Corrie Chen face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.

On Wednesday in Senate Estimates, the One Nation Senator asked questions of the TGA boss about COVID-19 vaccination and the number of deaths attributable to adverse effects from administering them.

UFO talk has spread far and wide of late, but yesterday it reached senate estimates! Brian chatted with Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, the man who raised the topic. Clarence City Council Mayor Doug Chipman pondered how to stop hooning in his LGA, and Sarah Grynberg stopped by to chat her new podcast with Josh Frydenberg.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wayne and Rikki unpack a tense Senate Estimates session yesterday featuring an exchange between Qld Labor senator Murray Watt and representing minister Bridget McKenzie about the controversy first unearthed by FlowFM about a secret spreadsheet available to at least 1 Coalition backbench MP amid the Building Better Regions Fund rorting allegations

Arguably the biggest submarine program in the Western world outside of the United States, Australia's submarine development continues to raise concerns around cost. Michael Shoebridge and Dr Marcus Hellyer examine the outcomes of the recent Senate Estimates in relation to the underwater program, and what the life-of-type upgrades mean for the submarine's future. ASPI's Mapping China's Technology Giants project provides an overview of the global impact of Chinese technology companies. Tom Uren is joined by Fergus Ryan and Daria Impiombato for a discussion on how U.S. sanctions have impacted the growth of these organisations, and how the Chinese Communist Party's political influence creates privacy concerns. In a conversation on nation-building, Dr John Coyne and Gill Savage discuss how Australia can re-think its approach to infrastructure in a post-Covid environment. Using the Port of Townsville as an example, they discuss how greater cooperation between regional, state and national governments can achieve economic, social and environmental prosperity. Mentioned in this episode: Mapping China's Tech Giants: Reining in China's technology giants: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/mapping-chinas-technology-giants-reining-chinas-technology-giants Collaborative nation building: Port of Townsville case study: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/collaborative-nation-building-port-townsville-case-study Guests (in order of appearance): Michael Shoebridge: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/michael-shoebridge Dr Marcus Hellyer: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/marcus-hellyer Tom Uren: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/tom-uren Fergus Ryan: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/fergus-ryan Daria Impiombato: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/daria-impiombato Dr John Coyne: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/john-coyne Gill Savage: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/gill-savage

This is a continuation of this past Sunday night's Under the Wire ( June 6th, 2021) analysing the government's responses to Senator Malcolm Roberts' questions at Senate Estimates. This was our most popular Under the Wire yet so if you were interested in how these highly-paid bureaucrats use weasel words and sometimes, outright untruths to defend policy decisions that affect us all

On today's episode Meryl Dorey discussed on Under The Wire Senator Malcolm Robert's questions to the TGA and Health Authorities in the recent Senate Estimates Hearing

No longer dry and boring, Senate Estimates is a total laugh riot now that senators are reading out satirical gags! Plus, our Royal Correspondent Zoe joins us to welcome the new Californian Royal, and we learn how to cover the Melbourne lockdown the Sky News way. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has informed the Senate Estimates committee that while it plans to bring back unaccompanied minors from India 'as soon as possible,' it hasn't committed to a timeline. Parents of such children say this is only adding to their fears.

Twitter has officially launched its subscription service today, but only for those of us here in Australia and in Canada. Twitter Blue is available through the iOS version of the app for $4.49/month, but right now you're not getting all that much for your money – which might be part of why it's only launching in two countries to start with. You'll get the ability to 'undo' a tweet, which is essentially a delayed send to give you a moment to reconsider your tweet or check for typos. You also get new bookmarking features and a special reader mode for reading things like long threads. Maybe one day it will have some features worth paying for, but right now it's distinctly underwhelming.https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2021/introducing-twitter-blue.htmlIn an update on the efficacy of the federal government's COVIDSafe app, the Digital Transformation Agency has clarified some recent numbers given to Senate Estimates last week that were inaccurate and now confirm that the much promoted 'sunscreen' for Australia has identified zero new contacts or exposures in 2021. The app has in total helped to find 17 close contacts in total, with a further 544 identified by manual contact tracers in NSW after the app confirmed someone had been a particular location. The app costs $70,000 per month to run with the cost reducing to $60,000 per month from July.https://www.innovationaus.com/covidsafe-hasnt-found-any-contacts-this-year/The Verge is reporting that Facebook is going to end its policy that protects politicians from being held to the same content moderation rules as others. Historically, Mark Zuckerberg himself has said that Facebook should not police speech by politicians, but the social network has also had increasing requests from those in power to silence dissenting voices, creating a power imbalance when the site chooses to adhere to legal requests on one hand and protect misinformation of politicians on the other. The changes may be part of the response to the Facebook Oversight Board that is due on June 5, which demanded Facebook hold all users to the same rules and be more transparent about its decision making processes.https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/3/22474738/facebook-ending-political-figure-exemption-moderation-policyThe EU has announced it will make a unified digital identity service for citizens to prove identity and share documents across the region. The digital wallet will allow Europeans to link ID and personal information like drivers licenses, medical details and bank accounts into a system that can easily be shared and verified in whichever member state they need to work with or live in. Businesses will eventually be required to support the digital identity system across Europe. The first draft framework will be proposed by September 2022.https://www.cnet.com/news/eu-digital-wallet-will-allow-for-easier-more-secure-cross-border-identity-checks/In special Byteside news, we have a delicious giveaway running over on the website right now to celebrate the launch of The Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood expansion next week. Bethesda ANZ teamed up with Melbourne Hot Sauce to create the official 'Hot Sauce of Oblivion'. To enter just visit the Byteside website and go to the competition page where confirming your subscription to the newsletter will get you in the draw. The link is also in the show notes of this podcast.https://www.byteside.com/2021/06/elder-scrolls-online-blackwood-expansion-launch-hot-sauce-giveaway/In other videogames, Hearthstone has a new Wailing Caverns mini-set that released today, with 35 new cards that can be purchased as a full set rather than through random packs. It costs $19.95 or 2000 gold and it'll undoubtedly shake up the status quo...https://playhearthstone.com/en-us/news/23676206/prepare-yourself-adventurer-the-wailing-caverns-mini-set-is-hereWhich leads to esports, with the Hearthstone Grandmasters Season 1 for the year... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Senate estimates process is like a carnival for political rounds reporters. Ministers and public servants in their topic areas get grilled, sometimes in deeply uncomfortable ways, for hours about what’s been happening in their portfolios. This week there were debates about what constitutes “taxpayers’ money”, which ministers had their legal fees covered, and whether the Prime Minister’s most trusted public servant was about to jump ship. Today on Please Explain, federal politics bureau chief Angus Livingston joins Tory Maguire to look at some of the more interesting reveals from Senate estimates that haven't make the mastheads. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Senate estimates process is like a carnival for political rounds reporters. Ministers and public servants in their topic areas get grilled, sometimes in deeply uncomfortable ways, for hours about what’s been happening in their portfolios. This week there were debates about what constitutes “taxpayers’ money”, which ministers had their legal fees covered, and whether the Prime Minister’s most trusted public servant was about to jump ship. Today on Please Explain, federal politics bureau chief Angus Livingston joins Tory Maguire to look at some of the more interesting reveals from Senate estimates that haven't make the mastheads. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we take you through how the government is being kept accountable by something called Senate Estimates. Turns out there’s been more sexual assault allegations, but there’s also a new education program on the way to STOP. THIS. HAPPENING. Estimates is BIG, but we’re here to take you through it. We’ll also take a dive into what’s wrong with Question Time, and explain what’s happening over in Israel-Palestine. Get in touch at BubblePopPod@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wanna chat #auspol? We do! This week we talk Kevin Rudd's hygiene routine, Peter Dutton's hatred of morning tea, and Scott Morrison (not) nailing it! G'day Sausages is @rodl, @cjjosh and @willozap, image by @FionaKatauskas. Check out our other podcasts at @WholesomeShow and @GdayPatriots!

Welcome to Bits, your daily tech news bulletin, for Monday, May 17, I'm Seamus Byrne.The Australian Signals Directorate, in response to Senate Estimates questions, has told parliament that it knows who was behind an attack on parliamentary email servers in March, but it is not saying who that was publicly as it feels that is a matter for the government. ASD said it was an unsophisticated attack, but that due to a lack of two-factor authentication on access it was more successful than it should have been. Users were forced to implement 2FA when they were allowed back into the system.https://www.zdnet.com/article/asd-knows-who-attacked-the-aph-email-system-but-isnt-revealing-who/eBay has announced it is closing its "adults only" section of the website in what it calls a move to enhance "safety" on the platform. The site maintained a dedicated section of the site as a home for such items, but this will end in one month's time. However, some exceptions are being carved out for sex toys and collectible magazines. The move continues a trend that makes it harder for sex-related content and services to find a place in legitimate marketplaces.https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvb7z/ebay-is-banning-hentai-and-other-adult-contentRumours of Twitter launching a subscription service have been around for a long time, but now more details have been revealed by hidden feature hunter Jane Manchun Wong. The service is set to be called Twitter Blue, with a suggested price of US$2.99 per month. The paid service will offer features like Bookmark Collections, an Undo Send timer on tweets, and improved news reading experience. No word on timings or what other features may be included, but there's certainly no mention of that edit button many users crave.https://www.macrumors.com/2021/05/15/twitter-blue-subscription-service/A report by US non-profit organisation Center for Countering Hate has found that the vast majority of disinformation about vaccines and COVID on social media were distributed by just 12 people. An analysis of activity between the start of February and mid-March showed that 65% of anti-vaccine content on Twitter and 73% on Facebook originated with the same 12 people across a network of accounts they control. Despite repeated violations of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter rules, nine of the twelve remain active on the platforms.https://www.npr.org/2021/05/13/996570855/disinformation-dozen-test-facebooks-twitters-ability-to-curb-vaccine-hoaxesFrom the serious to the more entertaining, a security researcher has published proof of concept code for a major security flaw in a computer system that, thankfully, no one should be worried about. The flaw allows for arbitrary code to be executed on a 1967 design for a Universal Turing machine designed by the late Marvin Minsky. While the conceptual hack has the air of entertainment, researcher Pontus Johnson suggests it speaks to a fundamental question of security design – where in the design process does security enter the picture?https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/11/turing_machine_0day_no_patch_available/In videogames, the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival over the weekend offered a surprise for local fans, with news that an Oceanic data centre is set to open later this year. Launching seven years into the life of the game, such a server will see much improved latency and a potentially improved sense of local community for players from this region. No specific date was announced, but it is expected to launch ahead of the game's new expansion, Endwalker, which was given its launch date of November 23 this year.https://www.shacknews.com/article/124389/final-fantasy-14-adding-new-oceania-online-data-centerIn esports news, Pentanet.gg has struggled in the Rumble stage of the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational, with an 0-6 record over the weekend. Four games remain to be played and while it's still mathematically... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is an edited version of our latest live show in which I discuss policy issues with Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick. CONTENTS 0:00 Start1:14 Introduction2:10 Rennick’s Background7:25 Markets And Capitalism 09:50 Monetary Policy12:46 Post Office and Regional Services16:05 Senate Estimates and the RBA19:20 Mandate of RBA25:22 New Zealand Monetary Policy27:50 Accountability Outsourced31:15 Central Banking Group … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay – Senator Gerard Rennick [Podcast]"

It's wins and fails this week! We discuss the latest Women's Agenda stories including how two men took on the 'problem' of removing pads and tampons by inventing a pink glove (and got investor backing). We also discuss the spectacular fail that was the cringeworthy consent video commissioned by the Morrison Government, featuring milkshakes and a 1960s backdrop, for some reason. And the massive win for fairer pay for early childhood educators -- it's just the beginning but potentially a turning point for so much more. Plus Christine Holgate's brilliant Senate Estimates appearance!This is our quick conversational wrap of some of the biggest stories published by Women's Agenda over the past few days. The Women's Agenda Podcast is produced by Agenda Media. You can check out our other podcast, The Leadership Lessons. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Former Australia Post Chief Executive Christine Holgate, who sensationally lost her job last November after it was revealed she had gifted four Cartier watches to some of her executives two years prior, yesterday grabbed her chance to speak out on the issue with both hands. In a Senate Estimates hearing Ms Holgate accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of bullying her out of her job, said that during the scandal she had become suicidal, and that the chair of Australia Post should resign. Today on Please Explain, Tory Maguire speaks with federal political reporter Lisa Visentin about Ms Holgate’s accusation of bullying by the Prime Minister. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Australia Post Chief Executive Christine Holgate, who sensationally lost her job last November after it was revealed she had gifted four Cartier watches to some of her executives two years prior, yesterday grabbed her chance to speak out on the issue with both hands. In a Senate Estimates hearing Ms Holgate accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of bullying her out of her job, said that during the scandal she had become suicidal, and that the chair of Australia Post should resign. Today on Please Explain, Tory Maguire speaks with federal political reporter Lisa Visentin about Ms Holgate’s accusation of bullying by the Prime Minister. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following a spirited debate on the @ISpiedppodcast twitter feed re. Christine Holgate asking Senate Estimates for the records of her telephone conversations with ministers and the Auspost board, we decided to look at telephone intercepts. How does ASIO go about bugging your phone, what are the legal ramifications and who else is involved? This one definitely warrants a listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laura Tingle on the government's vaccine rollout and Christine Holgate to appear at Senate Estimates.

3-28-2021(Host Scene)Zazz - Welcome to Table of Content. A show by streamers for streamers and the wonderful people who support them. I am Zazzaboo your host and the Editor in Chief of TableOC.com. We have two great streamers here tonight ready to drop their opinions on us about the latest but first~Welcome RogueHate: No one hates us woooooThis first segment is brought to you by Kaylas Cupcake Design. Custom wall art handmade by our good friend @jazz0ejo! Check out our instagram to see the Letters she made for my daughter!Streaming NewsTwitch viewers glued to stream of stop sign where 98.73% of cars don't stopNever ending streams, irl muggings on stream, fish tanks and video games.What do all these have in common? None of them are as weird as this next live stream.From Dexerto‘Stopsigncam' is a channel dedicated to filming a single stop sign on a random street in Salem, Massachusetts, with the account claiming that 98.73% of vehicles don't actually stop for it.While it doesn't sound like the most gripping content at first glance, Twitch viewers have become weirdly fascinated with the stream. Due to the fact that most cars don't actually stop for the sign, when someone actually obeys the instruction, the chat goes crazy.On top of that, as more and more people are catching on to the stream, some have started to actually go to the sign in person knowing that they will end up on camera.One person stopped at the sign, only to get out of his car and do a backflip.Another pair decided to re-enact a lightsaber fight, adding an unexpected bit of entertainment to the ongoing stream.The channel currently only has 7.6 thousand followers, but some of its most popular clips have over 20,000 views.While it's not the most conventional form of entertainment, stopsigncam has proven to be weirdly fascinating to plenty of viewers, and as it gets more popular, the higher the chance that people will look for the sign so they can appear on stream. Tighe - Now that people have figured out where this is of course neighbors and the streamer have started to be harassed by pizza deliveries and the fun things the internet loves to do. Do you think Twitch will eventually crack down on stuff like this because they could become liable for the harassment? The end of Ludwig's absurd 2-week Twitch stream may finally be in sight We're now 12 days into variety streamer Ludwig Ahgren's 'never-ending' subathon Twitch stream and, by golly, it actually looks like it could end this weekend. As I write this, Ludwig's chat of 36,000 viewers is fighting to keep the timer above 18 hours by tacking on another 10 seconds with every subscription. The streamer's efforts have already made him the most subscribed-to channel on Twitch right now with the second-highest total sub count ever of 120,000 (second only to Ninja's record peak of 269,000). Ludwig has a trip planned for tomorrow, March 27, that he isn't bailing on, which means he'll be forced to step away from the stream for the first time in almost 300 hours. How much his sub count grows over the next 12 hours will likely determine how this thing finally concludes. Streamer Slime (Ludwig's roommate)  will take over the subathon in his absence and even sleep on stream in Ludwig's race car bed. "I understand that this is Ludwig's stream, but we're in a weird spot," Slime said. "The [Ludwig] viewer does necessarily wish to see Slime," he said. "What I do not look forward to is 1,000 people asking, 'Who the hell is this bald douchebag?' That's just really annoying." Ludwig chimes in, "You're my horcrux, and I don't want to die." In the event that the timer is about to strike zero while Ludwig is away, his team has been instructed to halt the timer when it reaches one hour. "And then when [Ludwig] comes back, subathon is back on like Donkey Kong and the one hour starts again," Slime said in an update this morning. Off-screen, Ludwig adds, "It's like the last lap in Mario Kart." Beardcules - We see a lot of trends come and go on Twitch do you think this could become a trend or will this be a one off?GTA Online Streamer xQc Nearly Passes Out During Bank HeistReported on by Dexerto, xQc was participating in an intense bank heist on a GTA RP server. He took hostages, battled player-controlled police, but still failed to unlock the vault. During the heist, xQc saw his heart rate skyrocket to 170 BPM, and he nearly passed out from the stress. In a clip from the stream, xQc claimed his peripherals were blacking out and he was on the verge of passing out right on stream.Reported on by Dexerto, xQc was participating in an intense bank heist on a GTA RP server. He took hostages, battled player-controlled police, but still failed to unlock the vault. During the heist, xQc saw his heart rate skyrocket to 170 BPM, and he nearly passed out from the stress. In a clip from the stream, xQc claimed his peripherals were blacking out and he was on the verge of passing out right on stream.Thankfully, xQc managed to get out alive but left empty-handed, unable to solve the puzzle to open the vault. With police yelling from outside and the risk of having his character shot and killed for one of his most outrageous Grand Theft Auto stunts, the streamer's heartrate shot up to dangerous heights and the pressure almost caused him to pass out. When roleplaying in Grand Theft Auto, players often invest a lot of time and attention, and when they find themselves in close-call situations, it can be extremely stressful. Having hostages to worry about and the need to impress his audience by succeeding in the bank heist, the pressure mounted too heavily on his shoulders and he almost fainted.Rogue - This is one of those things you have to wonder  if Twitch will crack down on because of harm to the streamer. I think we should get you a heart rate monitor for when you play phasmophobia alone.Tech/Gaming News -  Brought to you by our merch store! RIP, Xbox Live (2002-2021) XBOX LIVE IS DEAD LONG LIVE XBOX LIVEFrom Kotaku,many Xbox users noticed a small change on the the Xbox dashboard. While uploading a screenshot to Xbox Live, some players noticed a reference to “Xbox network” where “Xbox Live” used to be.“‘Xbox network' refers to the underlying Xbox online service, which was updated in the Microsoft Services Agreement,” a Microsoft spokesperson told The Verge. “The update from ‘Xbox Live' to ‘Xbox network' is intended to distinguish the underlying service from Xbox Live Gold memberships.”In January, Microsoft announced an intention to increase the price of Xbox Live Gold, making it so the minimum (official) annual cost would leap from $60 to $120. Following widespread backlash, Microsoft reversed course and further announced that Xbox Live Gold would no longer be necessary to play free-to-play games. That change will happen at some point in the coming months, with no firm date yet.Tighe - What do you think of this rebrand for Microsoft? Call Of Duty Hacker Gets Banned From Two Games In One Twitch StreamThere is no one dumber on earth than someone dumb enough to hack or cheat while streaming a video game. Thankfully they get what they deserve.From screen rantActivision isn't pulling any punches when it comes to hackers and cheaters in Call of Duty, as one unfortunate streamer realized when he was banned from not one, but two different COD games in a single streaming session. A Twitch streamer banned during a livestream of Call of Duty: Warzone switched over to Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War only to discover that Activision's banhammer extended to him there as well.Call of Duty titles have had an especially disastrous epidemic of hackers as of late; an influx of cheaters that required Activision to take more drastic steps in order to curb the problem. With the Call of Duty franchise seeing a massive increase of active players in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to take preventative measures to curb or eliminate hackers and cheat bots rose with it. The cheating problem got bad enough that a Modern Warfare tournament was effectively ruined by hackers, which ultimately put a damper on the game's reputation. Activision, not one to take any threats to its profitable franchises lightly, was forced to take more drastic action to oust hackers. February alone saw Activision banning over 60,000 Warzone players for using popular cheating software, and the crusade to eliminate cheaters and hackers from Call of Duty is still pressing forward. This might be why Twitch streamer KD1PP found himself on the business end of the banhammer not once, but twice in the same stream. Serves you right.Beard - Do you think twitch should also crack down on cheating streams?This year's Call of Duty returns to WW2This year's Call of Duty returns to World War 2, according to fresh reports in part verified by Eurogamer.Modern Warzone reported this year's new Call of Duty is in development at Sledgehammer Games, maker of 2017's well-received Call of Duty: WW2, and is due out late 2021. Eurogamer sources have indicated this is indeed true.Modern Warzone also reports this game is codenamed Call of Duty WW2: Vanguard, and reports the name will be changed in the future. While this may indeed be the case, Eurogamer understands Activision's current plan is to stick with the Vanguard subtitle for the final version.Modern Warzone also reports "the entire game takes place in an alternate timeline where 1945 wasn't the end of World War 2", and is set in the 1950s. Eurogamer understands this detail isn't quite right, and Vanguard has a traditional WW2 setting.An open question is whether Vanguard is set for integration with Warzone. Black Ops Cold War was announced within Warzone, and its integration into the battle royale, while suffering from significant problems, clearly boosted sales of Treyarch's shooter.With Warzone set for a cataclysmic zombie-fuelled nuke event in the near future, one that reportedly will usher in a significant '80s-themed map change for Verdansk, the question is this: is Warzone set for a WW2-themed change in the future, too?Rogue -  What do you think of the WW2 alternate timeline?Entertainment News - This next segment brought to you by Us! Please go support the podcast on our Patreon page and get exclusive content.Sorry, Suicide Squad Fans, The Ayer Cut Just Got Some Bad News Coming off the success of the snyder cut fans are starting to look for more content. Things however don't look great on that front.From cinema blendDuring an interview with Variety, WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff was asked if following the arrival of Zack Snyder's Justice League, will more DCEU director's cuts be released, with David Ayer's cut of Suicide Squad specifically being mentioned. Sarnoff responded: We won't be developing David Ayer's cut.Well, that's a devastating blow to the #ReleaseTheAyerCut movement, which started gaining in traction back in May 2020 after Zack Snyder's Justice League was announced. Like the Snyder Cut, there are plenty of differences between what unfolded in David Ayer's original version of Suicide Squad and what was presented in the theatrical cut, ranging from more scenes featuring Jared Leto's Joker to a badass fight sequence between Katana and the rest of Task Force X. While the theatrical cut was commercially successful and later won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, its critical reception left a lot to be desired.David Ayer has been supportive of the efforts to getting the Ayer Cut released to the public, saying last November that his version of Suicide Squad was “ripped to pieces” as a result of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice being “chewed up by the critics” and the success of Deadpool. This resulted in Suicide Squad being changed from a “soulful drama” to a more comedic story. Ayer confirmed on numerous occasions that the director's cut of Suicide Squad exists, and urged fans to ask AT&T and HBO Max (which you can sign up for with this link) to “let it see the sunlight.” it's possible that WarnerMedia's unwillingness to release the Ayer Cut boils down to two reasons. One, although the #ReleaseTheAyerCut movement is obviously filled with passionate fans, its ranks haven't grown as big as the Snyder Cut fanbase. Two, while there are no more Justice League movies planned for the immediate future (although the #RestoreTheSnyderVerseMovement is well underway), Task Force X is sticking around the cinematic realm, with James Gunn having written and directed The Suicide Squad. So perhaps WB isn't keen on releasing the Ayer Cut to the masses because it doesn't want to draw attention away from the property ushering in a new era.Beard - It seems the move from dvd/bluray to streaming has hurt the Directors  cut/ commentary scene. Why do you think studios wouldnt want more of their content out there?Ghost of Tsushima Movie From John Wick Director in Development Last years Breakout Game is getting a Big screen adaptation from the Director of the John Wick films.From IGNSony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are developing a film adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima, with John Wick director Chad Stahelski attached to helm.According to a new report from Deadline, Stahelski will work alongside producers Alex Young and Jason Spitz with their company 87Eleven Entertainment. Peter Kang of game developer Sucker Punch Productions will oversee the project on behalf of the studio, which will serve as executive producers.The film is set to adapt Ghost of Tsushima's story, which follows the journey of samurai warrior Jin Sakai as he fights for the freedom of the isle of Tsushima.“We're excited to be partnering with Chad and 87Eleven Entertainment, to bring their vision of Jin's story to the big screen," said Asad Qizilbash, Head of PlayStation Productions. "We love working with creative partners like Chad, who have a passion for our games, ensuring we can create rich adaptations that will excite our fans and new audiences.”Stahelski has been the long-term helmer of the John Wick series of highly-popular action movies, and is set to return for the upcoming John Wick 4, currently aiming for a 2022 release. It's currently unclear how far into development the Ghost of Tsushima movie is, and so there's no date yet confirmed for shooting or release.Tighe -  Do you think this will be a hyper violent move in that it's being directed by A John Wick alum?https://kotaku.com/australian-government-officials-anime-figures-joker-st-1846541409/amp?__twitter_impression=true Bad news for Weebs considering a run for office in Australia. from KotakuAn Australian government official's display of pop culture, comics and anime figurines in their office has been declared a ‘psychological hazard', according to a statement from the Comcare government agency.The bizarre intersection of public servant and waifu figurines entered the national consciousness last year. Around 20 figurines were reportedly displayed in the office of Gerard Boyce, who remains the deputy president of the Fair Work Commission, and the figures had become the subject of debate at a Senate Estimates hearing.Some members of the Fair Work Commission questioned whether the figurines would “undermine trust in the professionalism” of the Commission at the time, and the deputy president was forced to remove at least one of the figurines. It's not clear exactly what was removed, but the Sydney Morning Herald reported that some of the figures included Scarlett Johansson's representation of the Major Ghost in the Shell, a figurine of Jared Leto's Joker, along with Harley Quinn in fishnets, and Captain America. Imagine caring what someone else displays in their own office.Rogue - Do you think this sort of attitude will change as my generation and yours start to get to the politics age? BOLD PREDICTIONS  Plug your stuff.Zazzaboo plug the site, Pod etc Don't forget to check out the patreon.Thanks and we will see you next week!★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The never-ending sexual assault and misconduct allegations plaguing federal politics continued this week, with reports of prostitutes and group sex inside Parliament House, while a crucial press conference by the Prime Minister turned into a disaster of his own making. Sarah and Amanda explain what Senate Estimates are and why they matter. And a veteran MP explains why so many ex-soldiers are taking their own lives and why it needs to be investigated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robbie Barwick from the Citizens Party and I dissect the Senate Estimates hearing in Parliament yesterday as the RBA was put on the stand. This was a significant event, and kudos to the Senators who pressed the bankers on some very important questions. Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

On the Bolt Report, has the PM missed his chance to make amends? Plus, the ABC faces Senate Estimates and have we missed our chance to capture the flood water before it goes out to sea? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday 28th October 2020 There’s a risk that next week’s US election is more contestable than we might have considered a week ago. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says late surge polling could fall in the President’s favour. A poll in the US has also demonstrated just how many American’s would take to the streets if their preferred candidate didn’t win. Through rising COVID numbers into the mix, and it’s not surprising that the markets continue to struggle to find certainty right now. On the data front, US durable goods orders looked strong, as did industrial profits in China. And newspapers are reporting that Australia is heading out of recession on the back of the RBA’s Guy Debelle’s comments to Senate Estimates yesterday, but in reality his comments were more guarded than that.

On this edition of Cory Talks... Despite a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the northern suburbs of Melbourne and protests at the capital's Shire of Remembrance, Victoria should still expect some further restrictions removed from the states lockdown. Time for the Chief of Australia Post to step down after a Senate Estimates inquiry. Victorian Hotel Quarantine guard speaks out. The final Presidential Debate for 2020 was not so much about fireworks from the mouth of Trump. Quite astonishing that the Pres pretty much kept his cool. The Foxtel rort. Another reason why a Royal Commission into Rupert Murdoch's News Corp which own's 65% of Foxtel, should get off the ground. What's up with the Vatican sending money to Melbourne to defend Cardinal George Pell? What's Trump's Twitter password. Did the President pull a Vodafone? (Throw back to a couple of years ago when Vodafone's Customer Database password was... password). Reminder that Tracey McGee and Grant Baensch join me on episode 15 (Wednesday 28thOctober) with a wrap up of this weekend's Grand Finals in the AFL and NRL. Guest: - Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already and turn notifications on so you can be alerted when there's new episodes out. Cory Talks on Twitter - www.twitter.com/CoryTalksPod Cory Talks website - www.corytalks.com Cory Talks email - send via the website I source information from a variety of sources, most commonly ABC News Australia, Independent Australia and The Guardian. CORY TALKS. A PODCAST FROM CORY DIGITAL MEDIA. www.corydigitalmedia.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/corytalkspodcast/message

Corruption scandals once again take centre stage as Senate Estimates kick off in Canberra; Protestors are calling for radical change in Thailand, in defiance of authorities; Richard Flanagan talks about his waking dreams and nightmares.

Senate Estimates kicked off in Canberra, with questions centred around a controversial $30 million sale of land near the site of the new Western Sydney airport. This follows a turbulent week in both New South Wales and Queensland, where LNP leader Deb Frecklington and Liberal New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, both drew heavy fire over issues of propriety and questions of corruption.

In this episode, we talk to Senator Katy Gallagher, Senator for the ACT, Shadow Minister for Finance, Shadow Minister for the Public Service and Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate, about engaging the Australian voters in the political discourse. Topics covered include: - How unexpected tragedies can change the course of one's life and how political parties can support people going through such times - The transition between ‘civilian life' and political life - The changes made to the way ACT Legislative Assembly works in order to support women in politics - Which factors might impact a politician's decision to change from state and territory politics to federal politics - The need for representation of the population as we experience population growth - The concern about climate change - The difference between state Senators and territory Senators - How Senators in the same state or territory from different parties get along - The reasons behind the movement for Australia to become a republic - Why Canberra is such a progressive city - How the ACT has led the way in certain areas of policy - What are Senate Estimates and why they are so important - The difficulties in communicating information to constituents as a Senator - How to become more politically engaged - The need to rebuild voters' trust, especially the trust of young voters About Senator Gallagher: Senator Katy Gallagher has spent over two decades fighting for Canberrans. Whether it was advocating for people with a disability with finishing university, or when she was advocating for the right of public servants as a CPSU organiser, or as Chief Minister of the ACT – the Senator has made it her life's work to fight for the ACT and the people in it. According to Senator Gallagher, Canberra is Australia's best city, and she is proud to have lived here her entire life. The Senator grew up in Weston Creek and is now raising her own family on Canberra's north side. When she first put her hand up to run in 2001 there were no Labor women in the ACT parliament. The ACT has come a long way in the past 17 years now with a majority-women ACT Labor caucus and Senator Gallagher is proud to have been part of leading the way. That's what we do here in the ACT. We lead the way. As Chief Minister, Ms Gallagher saw Labor take on big vision ideas like light rail, marriage equality and commit to a 100% renewable energy target by 2020. And she didn't shy away from the tough fights that she knew were the right thing to do like portability of entitlements for low paid workers and dealing with the legacy of Mr Fluffy asbestos for hundreds of Canberra families. It's this same approach she has taken into the Senate and the Shadow Cabinet but there's a lot more work to do. Senator Gallagher promises she will keep fighting not only for the Canberra she loves, but a more progressive federal Labor as well.

One of the country's top intelligence and security agencies has admitted it's spied on Australians in the last 12 months... but won't say how many. The revelation came as Senate Estimates continued in Canberra, with consular officials also confirming the close monitoring of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. - Një nga agjencitë më të larta të inteligjencës dhe të sigurisë në vend ka pranuar se ka spiunuar qyetarët në 12 muajt e fundit, por nuk do të thotë se sa është numëri i tyre. Zbulimi erdhi ndërsa Vlerësimet e Senatit vazhduan në Kanberra, me zyrtarë konsullorë që konfirmuan gjithashtu vëzhgimin e ngushtë të krijuesit të WikiLeaks Julian Assange.

Weatherboard and Iron is your insight into politics, the bush, and the future of regional Australia. In this episode Matt Canavan and Barnaby Joyce discuss the week that was in Parliament, including Senate estimates and the revelations from the CSIRO and Department of Environment.

Thursday 5th March 2020 Equities and the US dollar have bounced back today, even if bond yields remain low. On today’s Morning Call NAB’s David de Garis suggests the markets are being driven by hope that government’s will follow the lead of their central banks and respond to the virus emergency with stimulus packages to protect their economies. Australia and the UK have both said details will be available soon – two currencies showing gains today – whereas Europe is a little more cagy, with the Euro losing ground. Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada has followed the Fed’s lead with a 0.5 percent rate cut and Guy Debelle, at Senate Estimates last night, reaffirmed that the RBA will look at QE after a further quarter percent rate cut. So, how low will the central banks go and how big will government spending be?

On the midweek edition of WilmsFront it's the episode you’ve all been demanding focusing on the Morrison's Government proposed 10k cash transactions ban. My guest is Martin North principal at Digital Finance Analytics to discuss the cash ban, central bank money printing and a possible global recession. Martin explains to myself and my audience the origins of the cash ban at the G20. The bill is Scott Morrison and the Treasury Department’s proposal, making cash transactions over 10k could see you jailed for two years. It is designed to keep the Australian people in the privileged big banks and so government authorities can track our digital moves. The mainstream media has been asleep at the wheel on this threat to our financial freedoms. I then ask Martin about how both our Reserve Bank and the US Federal Reserve are engaging in quantitative easing to stave off a recession. This is a technical term for printing money, inflating the economy and robbing ordinary people of their wealth through the banks. It makes the eventual economic crash even worse. We finish off by discussing the likelihood of a recession worldwide including here in Australia. Australia is vulnerable due to our dependence on immigration and goods and energy from overseas. Martin analysis of the global trade wars and energy independence policies are also shaped by geopolitical considerations. I finish off with my own remarks on the toilet paper buying panic in Australia due to coronavirus fears, the Super Tuesday Democratic Presidental primary results with Joe Biden now the frontrunner, plus Finance Minister Mathias Cormann bizarre comments in Senate Estimates that the federal Comcar colours were changed from white to grey to move away from our colonial past. Martin North Links: Blog: https://www.digitalfinanceanalytics.com/ Walk The World https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKWDscRjYFTD1KHsmow4-bQ In the Interests of the People Adams/North Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwmB2wn8Slp3hko2Gpj2iA WilmsFront Links: Entropy: https://entropystream.live/app/timwilms Website: http://timwilms.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wilmsfront Minds: https://www.minds.com/timwilms Gab: https://gab.com/timwilms Telegram Channel: https://t.me/wilmsfront DLive: https://dlive.tv/timwilms BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/timwilms/ Rational Rise TV: https://rationalrise.tv/ Contact Details: Telegram Messenger: https://t.me/timwilms Email: me@timwilms.com Support the Show: Membership: http://www.theunshackled.net/membership Donate: https://www.theunshackled.net/donate/ Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/theunsh... Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theunshackled Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/TheUnshackled Other Unshackled Productions: The Uncuckables: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDg6qZbQt68DJ4gmHWhOCuw Debt Nation: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKKEHuAGzwVtIEIFW3cZOPg Affiliate Productions: The Rational Rise: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdEfsAy6rUDPnm9HwKA_asg Right Minds NZ: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFcFU3Qv9lKc9rHEIqWd6Dw Matty's Modern Life: https://www.youtube.com/user/mattus52 XYZ Live: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsVPqW6Mi0XP6hOXTE4sT6g Melbourne Traditionalists: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCREh4e70ZihL5dj0N_kyaaw Other Unshackled Links: Website: https://www.theunshackled.net Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TUnshackled Twitter: https://twitter.com/Un_shackled Gab: https://gab.ai/theunshackled Telegram: https://t.me/theunshackled Minds: https://www.minds.com/The_Unshackled Music and Graphics by James Fox Higgins Voice Over By Morgan Munro

Shutterstock/AAP/The ConversartionWhen Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced this week that a “sophisticated state actor” had targeted the big Australian political parties in a major cyber attack, the revelation threw up more questions than answers. Who did it and how? What data did they get their hands on? How vulnerable is our data – and our democracy? Read more: We've been hacked – so will the data be weaponised to influence election 2019? Here’s what to look for To make sense of it all, we’re hearing today from Nigel Phair, the director of UNSW Canberra Cyber and an expert on the intersection of crime, technology and society. He said that while hacks like these should be seen as “the new normal” there was good reason to be concerned. “Just merely having a breach is quite a big deal. Secondly, you look at the information that they hold. Political parties have information on donors – who they are and how much they give and what they want for it. They have information on the electorate, they have information on their own party politics and tactics for Senate Estimates for Question Time, those sorts of things,” he said. “So that’s a lot of rich data that you could then use as a nation state to infiltrate other areas to perhaps change voter outcomes.” The hackers may have used social engineering techniques such as phishing to gain access to the data, he said. “They are quite unsophisticated attacks. It’s often spoofing an organisation or a person and getting someone, an end user, to reveal login credentials. And because we share passwords across multiple logins, that’s how you gain access to a trophy asset,” he said, adding that the hack served as a reminder to use a password manager and ensure all passwords are long and strong. “I think we should be very concerned. We’ve got a great case study from the US. We’re very allied to the US and when you look at how nation states have disrupted that election I think it’s a given that there are many out there that’ll disrupt ours.” You can read an edited transcript of the interview below. Read more: A state actor has targeted Australian political parties – but that shouldn't surprise us New to podcasts? Podcasts are often best enjoyed using a podcast app. All iPhones come with the Apple Podcasts app already installed, or you may want to listen and subscribe on another app such as Pocket Casts (click here to listen to Trust Me, I’m An Expert on Pocket Casts). You can also hear us on Stitcher, Spotify or any of the apps below. Just pick a service from one of those listed below and click on the icon to find Trust Me, I’m An Expert. Additional audio editing by Wes Mountain, production assistance from Bageshri Savyasachi. Additional audio Kindergarten by Unkle Ho, from Elefant Traks ABC news report Image: AAP (Various)/Shutterstock/The Conversation Transcript SUNANDA CREAGH: And so what’s the main concern? Why was everybody so worried about this, particularly earlier this week? NIGEL PHAIR: I think when you look at the history with the attack in the US on the DNC (Democratic National Committee), and a lot that’s been reported in the US about nation states trying to infiltrate the election process over there and change people’s voting habits and we’re some weeks/months from an election here – it strikes at the heart of what could be our dear beloved democracy, when you have nation state actors trying to influence voting outcomes. SUNANDA CREAGH: And what do you think this week’s events tell us about the cyber security weaknesses here in Australia? NIGEL PHAIR: It tells us that no organisation is immune. It tells us that cyber is another vector for people trying to win the hearts and minds of people. SUNANDA CREAGH: If I was a sophisticated nation state using this as a strategy to achieve that goal, how might this sort of hack help me achieve that goal? What do you think they were actually trying to do here? NIGEL PHAIR: There’s a number of things that they’ve achieved. Firstly, is the goal of doing the hack. When we look at parliament house, we look at the political parties, when we think about it, they’re revered from a democratic perspective. Just merely having a breach is quite a big deal. Secondly, you look at the information that they hold. Political parties have information on donors – who they are and how much they give and what they want for it. They have information on the electorate, they have information on their own party politics and tactics for Senate Estimates for Question Time, those sorts of things. So a lot of rich data that you could then use as a nation state to infiltrate other areas to perhaps change voter outcomes. SUNANDA CREAGH: China has strongly denied that it was involved but a lot of speculation has focused on that country, as opposed to Russia or another state actor that’s been linked to this kind of behaviour in other contexts. In Australia, why do you think speculation has focused on China as a potential perpetrator? NIGEL PHAIR: Basically because they’re a near neighbour to ours, they’re in our arc of instability. They’re well known for their theft of intellectual property online. They’re well known for not adhering to the international norms of cyberspace. Add that all up and that’s why people keep pointing the finger at them. SUNANDA CREAGH: And I believe there’s news reports that China was linked to other previous hacks of universities and parliament and other key pieces of computer infrastructure around Australia. Is that right? NIGEL PHAIR: That’s right. They’ve been well known to do a range of cyber attacks on a range of different organisations – government, non-government, commercial etc. SUNANDA CREAGH: So in the context of concerns that Australians have about the government’s capacity to keep our personal information safe – and I’m thinking here about the talk around My Health Record, the census – what does this hack tell us, if anything, about how capable the government and people in power are at guarding our private details? NIGEL PHAIR: I think we need to go back a couple of steps before we start to think about this. Government, what they haven’t done is take the citizenry of Australia on a journey. They haven’t explained to them what it means to participate in a digital economy. What it means to be a good online citizen and transact with government and social media, commercially, e-commerce. If we had that narrative from the outset then people could understand that the internet is just another public place where they act ethically and lawfully and responsibly to what they do in the real world, then I think we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Because people would be able to have an informed decision about what it means to participate with My Health Record, or participate in an online census or other government instruments. But at the moment we just never had that background and people don’t have the certainty and because of that they make knee-jerk reactions. SUNANDA CREAGH: Where do you land on this issue, do you think the government is capable of keeping that data safe? NIGEL PHAIR: I think the government is capable of keeping it safe. The systems around My Health Record for example are really quite secure and there’s a lot of technologies, a lot of process and a lot of policy to ensure. But the reality is if there is going to be a breach of my health record, it’ll probably happen at a doctor’s surgery where there’s an unpatched or unprotected computer, or a user not using a good password, or accidentally emailing the wrong patient records to someone. It will be the end user compromise which we’ll see will be the failure. And that’s what the government isn’t investing in. It’s great to say they have a great secure system themselves but again we need to wind the clock back several years and start telling people this is what it means. SUNANDA CREAGH: Just on this hack, how might it have been actually perpetrated? Can you just explain that to me in really basic terms? NIGEL PHAIR: We don’t know yet until the forensic examination is done about how it occurred. Invariably, it was most probably some sort of social engineering attack against someone on the network. Most probably a phishing attack or something similar, where a person is targeted rather than the network itself is targeted. But again, until we know the forensics, we’re just speculating. SUNANDA CREAGH: And those phishing and social engineering attacks, am I right in thinking they mainly focus on trying to get somebody to reveal their password or their login details to another person who is perhaps impersonating somebody else or impersonating an official password reset type email. Is that the sort of thing you mean there about the social engineering? NIGEL PHAIR: Invariably, they are quite unsophisticated attacks. It’s spoofing an organisation or a person. Getting someone, an end user, to reveal login credentials and because we share passwords across multiple logins, that’s how you gain access to a trophy asset. SUNANDA CREAGH: So the lesson there for all of us really is never reuse your password details and get a password manager. Am I right? NIGEL PHAIR: You are right. SUNANDA CREAGH: We’ve heard some commentators saying that this is the new normal, that this type of attack really should be expected in this day and age. What do you think about that? NIGEL PHAIR: It’s been the new normal for quite some time. The reality is, most organisations get hacked just don’t know they’ve been hacked. This is all of a sudden a trophy matter, it’s come at the time where parliament is sitting, so it’s really got some attention in society, which is a great thing. And added to that the government that’s come out and actually said this is what’s happened and that is a completely different policy shift, whereas before it was swept under the carpet. SUNANDA CREAGH: Do you think that’s a positive policy shift? NIGEL PHAIR: There’s a great positive. We need to start having a conversation about what it means to be online and what it means to participate. And the fact is there’s countries out there, there’s actors out there trying to do us harm and Australians need to be brought into that confidence. SUNANDA CREAGH: There was a lot of talk about this at the start of this week, but it really has sort of shifted off the news headlines toward the end of the week and some people are now saying that was a lot of noise over what? And I’ve seen some media commentators saying that this was an announcement that fed into a narrative of fear as election day draws closer. And that is a criticism that’s been directed at the government in the past in their rhetoric around border control and security in more general terms. To what extent do you see this announcement as about safety and awareness and how much of it is politics? NIGEL PHAIR: I couldn’t put a percentage on either way but I focus purely on the safety and awareness side of it. I just think that’s the value of the message – is the safety and awareness. SUNANDA CREAGH: It’s an important message to get out to make people aware of those risks. And, as you say, bring them into that conversation around online security and online participation in an active globally networked world, is that right? NIGEL PHAIR: That’s right. SUNANDA CREAGH: So what needs to be done? What should governments do to reduce risks and educate people? NIGEL PHAIR: So the first thing for their internal networks, they need to do a proper risk management exercise. They need to identify the key target assets they hold and work out how sensitive that information is and put appropriate controls around where that data sits. Whether it’s a technology stack, whether it’s internal, cloud-based, those sort of decisions. And secondly, who has access to it, why they have access to it and how they access it. And once you start doing some simple things like that, you’ll find the cyber security posture of parliament house or a political party or anyone else in corporate Australia can really change the way that they’re viewed from a cyber security perspective. SUNANDA CREAGH: And if, and I know this is speculation, but if the source of the problem was somebody sharing their login credentials or being victim to a phishing scam or victim to some social engineering then it sounds like it’s possible that some education is needed around that issue and what to be aware of and how not to get tricked online. NIGEL PHAIR: Well, that’s a tough one. There aren’t sufficient technical controls to protect our data and ourselves online. In fact, we should’ve looked for any technical silver bullet. Likewise, we know education doesn’t work either. But education is all we have. So all we can keep doing is reinforce the message, particularly amongst young people as they grow up and participate in the online economy, and hopefully as time goes on we’ll be better protected for it. SUNANDA CREAGH: In other words, not forgetting to address the capacity for human error in our effort to cover off and protect ourselves from technical error. NIGEL PHAIR: Human error, but also the use of third parties and outlying people that you might not have specific command and control over. SUNANDA CREAGH: And going back to this week’s hack, if I am an individual who has given my details as a donor or as a supporter to a political party, what does this hack tell us about what we as individuals might do in future to protect our data? NIGEL PHAIR: Well, if you think you’ve (experienced) a loss of your data through this process, the first thing to do – contact the party that you’ve made say the donation or whatever it might be to. Secondly would be to start thinking about how that data or information that’s been stolen might be used against you - whether it’s identity theft or takeover, for example. So you need to start monitoring your bank accounts, you need to start thinking about consumer credit that might be done in your name. So you should be probably doing a credit reference check. SUNANDA CREAGH: What advice do you give to people who want to use best practice in keeping their details safe online? NIGEL PHAIR: Best thing you can do is use strong and long passwords. More stealthy it is, the harder it will be to guess by anyone else. Second, don’t replay the same password across multiple logins. Thirdly, be really wary when online and navigating around social media and e-commerce and other places. Really think about where you put your personal information in and why you’re placing it into a particular website or a portal. SUNANDA CREAGH: Now, in the US we’ve heard about state actors really appearing to have an influence on election outcomes. How concerned do you think Australians should be about that happening here? NIGEL PHAIR: I think we should be very concerned, we’ve got a great case study from the US. We’re very allied to the US and when you look at nation states that have disrupted that election I think it’s a given that there’s many out there that’ll disrupt ours. SUNANDA CREAGH: So what can we do about that? NIGEL PHAIR: It’s a tough one. We need to start working with all the players involved. And this is where the social media companies come into it. Your Googles, your Facebooks, your Twitters, your Instagrams etc. Because that’s the place of choice that nation states will use to send out any bespoke messaging. SUNANDA CREAGH: Should we be changing any progression we’re making in Australia towards electronic voting? NIGEL PHAIR: We have zero progression towards electronic voting, unfortunately, and I think it’s a great thing. But because we had the census failure, because we had the robo-debt issues, because we had the My Health Record issues, as a population there’s no way in my generation that we will see electronic voting. We just won’t countenance it because of the perceived risks. I’m a pro-online guy. We doom and gloom everything online too much and I’m guilty for doing that. But we want people to participate online. We are great and early adopters of mobile smart devices and we love being online itself, so it makes sense for service delivery to be online, it makes sense to order your food online, to do social media, participate in everything, there’s a lot of good benefit. But because we hear this messaging all the time about the government can’t deal with online issues, there’s already this level of distrust and dissatisfaction out there that voting will just be another one of those things. And the facts just don’t support that. SUNANDA CREAGH: Would there be anything that you’d change about the way political parties collect or are allowed to collect data on people given that they seem to be a perfect target or a growing target? NIGEL PHAIR: Oh, there’s lots I’d change. Primary to that is the Privacy Act and adherence to the privacy principles of which political parties don’t need to. SUNANDA CREAGH: In what way? What change would you make? NIGEL PHAIR: Well, I’d ensure that political parties have to adhere to the privacy principles when it comes to the collection, the storage, retention and dissemination of personally identifying information. SUNANDA CREAGH: And what are the privacy principles? NIGEL PHAIR: Well the privacy principles, there’s 13 of them, inform organisations in Australia where they have a turnover of more than A$3 million about how they should collect data, how they should store that data, how they should disseminate it and how they should destroy it. There’s some simple advice that’s provided by the Australian Office of the Information Commissioner. And they’re quite easy to adhere to, but unfortunately political parties are exempt from that and I see that as being a bad thing. SUNANDA CREAGH: So we’re at a point where I guess you’d have to assume that basically anybody could be a target for a hack and any organisation could be. So what options are there for organisations like political parties that don’t have My Health Record level of security set ups or government scale security set ups? NIGEL PHAIR: Well, the first thing they have to do is acknowledge that they’re are a target. Then they have to go through a risked-based process to understand what their information assets are, what their technology stack is, and who has access to it and make sound investment decisions around that. We can no longer, as a society, just say “it’s not us that gets hacked, it’s always someone else”. I mean, there is a cost of participating online. SUNANDA CREAGH: Nigel Phair, thank you so much for talking to us. NIGEL PHAIR: Pleasure.

Senate Estimates prompts NHMRC to start an ME/CFS panel to target research funding, Stephen Graves describes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 2008, Brett Lidbury talks about funding ME/CFS. Production checked by Charles Willock, Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution bitcoin: 1AEnJC8r9apyXb2N31P1ScYJZUhqkYWdU2 ether: 0x45d2cd591ff7865af248a09dc908aec261168395

The Cambridge Analytica saga continues as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faces the US congress. But is it too late to say sorry? Plus ABC boss Michelle Guthrie fronts Senate Estimates again and in the spirit of Zuckerberg, takes the blame for the corporation’s recent editorial mistakes. We also discuss the two journalists awaiting a formal hearing in a Myanmar prison. And MPs in Lycra: is the media stretching audience attention just a little too far? To discuss these issues and more, we were joined by Yaara Bou Melhem ( independent) , Stephen Brook ( the Australian) and Peter Kerr (AFR). This episode was hosted by Peter Fray and produced by Ninah Kopel. Fourth Estate is produced by 2SER 107.3 in Sydney and is broadcast across the Community Radio Network in Australia.

Countrywide looks into infected imported prawns, drones used in mustering but vulnerable to attack from eagles, and climate change causing flooding in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault which is the world's seedbank for emergencies

AWI Chairman Wal Merriman addresses recent issues raised in Senate Estimates. Woolgrower groups speak after consultation. The world's largest sheep experiment: MLP. Wool in Turkey: Naturally Inspiring education day.

AWI Chairman Wal Merriman addresses recent issues raised in Senate Estimates. Woolgrower groups speak after consultation. The world's largest sheep experiment: MLP. Wool in Turkey: Naturally Inspiring education day.

This week talking Census after ABS & IBM big wigs fronted up to Senate Estimates - what did we learn?  I've reviewed the Video Doorbell from Ring, discuss my views on the Lenovo YogaBook, wondering about Google Pixel advertising in your area, the number of connected devices you have at home and I'll bring you interviews with Kodak, Facebook and Uber! Huge show

This week talking Census after ABS & IBM big wigs fronted up to Senate Estimates - what did we learn?  I've reviewed the Video Doorbell from Ring, discuss my views on the Lenovo YogaBook, wondering about Google Pixel advertising in your area, the number of connected devices you have at home and I'll bring you interviews with Kodak, Facebook and Uber! Huge show

This week talking Census after ABS & IBM big wigs fronted up to Senate Estimates - what did we learn?  I've reviewed the Video Doorbell from Ring, discuss my views on the Lenovo YogaBook, wondering about Google Pixel advertising in your area, the number of connected devices you have at home and I'll bring you interviews with Kodak, Facebook and Uber! Huge show

@mscott (Mark Scott) MD of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retweets and links are not endorsements - rather signposts to interesting thinking or reading. Late night phone calls One of the best jobs in the country No one takes me that seriously Attacking the ABC Gunston and The Slap