Australia news as it happened: AI’s workforce impact under the microscope; YouTube included in social media ban; Chalmers celebrates falling inflation; Albanese discusses recognising Palestine

That decision was made in a closed session of the District Court, and the details emerged for the first time during separate proceedings for Ms Digance’s lawsuit in the South Australian Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The blackmail charges stemmed from a meeting between Mr Digance and then-opposition leader Malinauskas in February 2020, which was recorded by Malinauskas and handed to police.

Defence documents filed by the state government say at that meeting, Mr Digance demanded Ms Digance “be secured an upper or lower house seat in the SA parliament, and that a failure to do so would result in Mr Malinauskas’ career being deliberately damaged”.

In her statement of claim, Ms Digance states Malinauskas reported the meeting to police in March 2020, “claiming he was a victim of blackmail”.

In her lawsuit, Mrs Digance also alleges trespass, wrongful arrest and false imprisonment by SA Police.

On Wednesday, Malinauskas’ counsel Michael Abbott, KC, asked the court to order that the government hand over files from SA Police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions that explain the agreement reached for the Digances to avoid sentencing.

Associate Justice Graham Dart said “much turns on” any agreement between the DPP and the Digances in the prior criminal proceedings.

Abbott and Todd Golding, for the state government and SA police, indicated they planned to lodge applications for the lawsuit to be dismissed.

The matter returns to court in September.
AAP

“That’s not a good way to talk to people or deal with the impact on their job. It’s actually quite shocking.”

The company in question was Atlassian, an Australian company that makes software for team collaboration.

Coincidentally, their co-founder Scott Farquhar addressed the National Press Club earlier today calling for Australia to more enthusiastically embrace AI.

“What we know is that if you involve workers, there’s different ways that you can introduce change and we want a human-centred approach to AI,” said O’Neil.

“I don’t know how Commonwealth Bank customers are going to feel when they’ve got complex questions and advice needed, whether they’re going to be happy that that’s not being given by someone that can have that personal touch that people bring to it ... it might be cheaper, [but it] doesn’t mean it’s better. And it doesn’t mean it’s going to deliver for the customers.”

“I’m an optimist about artificial intelligence,” replied Chalmers. “I believe we can maximise the opportunity and manage the risks.

“I’m certainly alive to the risks in the labour market but historically, we’ve seen big changes in technology and this will be transformational, a game-changer in the economy, I believe it shouldn’t be beyond us to work out the best version of this for Australia.”

Chalmers was also asked about ppposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash, who said earlier today that recognition of a Palestinian state should only come once peace has been reached in Gaza.

“I don’t pay a lot of attention to what Michaelia Cash says about this,” he said. “I think she’s always looking for the most divisive sound-bite.”

Karvelas: Reflecting on unemployment then and the impact it’s having on unemployment?

Chalmers: There are good reasons, whether on this or other occasions, I don’t say anything that could be misconstrued as second-guessing the decisions taken independently by the Reserve Bank. My job is to focus on the fight against inflation.

Karvelas: But you must be concerned about the broad health of the economy and on growth and, you know, the heartbeat of the economy, given the kind of delicate balancing act we’re in at the moment.

Chalmers: I mean it’s certainly the case that growth in our economy is softer than we would like. It’s certainly the case that even though we’ve averaged the lowest unemployment rate of any government in the last half century, that there is softness around the edges of the labour market. That is true. It is the case that people are under pressure despite this quite remarkable progress that we’ve made on inflation. We’re upfront about that. There’s no shortage of economic challenges.

“It’s time for them to actually do something, and the benefits of having a strong local music scene outstrips anything else.”

While Brooks has since accepted Hilton’s offer, federal minister Burke told The Age that the government was already doing its bit.

“The Tote is a really important venue. That’s why we gave it $60,000 of taxpayers’ money,” he said in a statement.

“I’m really pleased we’ve announced an extra $25 million for Revive Live across the live music sector.”

The Tote has always been something of a canary in the coalmine for Melbourne’s music scene.

In 2010, when new state laws mandating security guards left the venue at risk of closing, 20,000 Melburnians famously marched down in the CBD demanding the measures be repealed, which they ultimately were.

“The results can be sobering … we should be asking governments what they are doing to support teachers,” she said.

“A teacher working on their own can’t do the impossible. They need support from government.”

Ms Haywood, who previously worked as a secondary teacher, said it would be incredibly difficult to provide ongoing support to the growing number of students who are falling behind.

“If you keep falling behind, it’s harder to catch up as you go through school. That has a flow-on impact.”

Education Minister Jason Clare acknowledged there was more work to do to improve results.

He said the federal government had committed to the biggest investment in public schools in Australian history, worth $16 billion over the next 10 years.

The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, which runs the annual tests, said results in all subjects were relatively stable.

But Indigenous students, as well as children in remote and rural areas, remained well behind.

AAP