Australia

Australia to tax digital platforms, search engines that don't pay for news

The Australian government said Thursday it will tax large digital platforms and search engines unless they agree to share revenue with Australian news media organisations. The tax would apply from January 1 to tech companies that earn more than 250 million Australian dollars ($160 million) a year in revenue from Australia, Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said. They include Meta, Google, Alphabet and ByteDance. The tax would be offset through money paid to Australian media organizations. The size of the tax is not clear. "The real objective ... is not to raise revenue -- we hope not to raise any revenue. The real objective is to incentivise agreement-making between platforms and news media businesses in Australia, Jones told reporters. The move comes after Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced that it would not renew three-year deals to pay Australian news publishers for their content. A previous government ...

Australian police launch operation, probe increased antisemitic attacks

Australian federal police launched a special operation to investigate an increase in antisemitic threats and violence since the war between Israel and Hamas began last year. Jewish leaders say prejudice against their community has reached unprecedented levels, with most incidents reported in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's largest cities where 85 per cent of the nation's Jewish population live. Almost 1,17,000 Jewish people live in Australia, according to the last census in 2021, or 0.46 per cent of the 25.4 million residents. The government says only Israel is home to more Holocaust survivors than Australia on a per capita basis. Here's a look at some of the main cases investigated by Special Operation Avalite: Dec. 11: Antisemitic graffiti attacks in the eastern Sydney suburb of Woollahra Police are looking for two male suspects, estimated to be aged between 15 and 20, seen running from Magney St in Woollahra when a car fire was reported at 1 am. Two cars including the one th

US defence chief Lloyd Austin observes joint drills with Japan, Australia

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin expressed confidence about enhanced military capabilities among the United States, Australia and Japan as he observed joint exercises Wednesday showcasing their closer cooperation as tensions grow in the region. Austin is in Japan to reaffirm the importance of their alliance and Washington's commitment to regional security. Austin noted as he observed the trilateral Yama Sakura 87 exercises held at the Japanese army's Camp Asaka on the outskirts of Tokyo that the necessary equipment, munitions and people are in place and these are the things that will guarantee success if we ever get challenged on the battlefield. Japan, under a security strategy introduced in 2022, is pursuing a rapid military buildup to increase its deterrence against growing threats from China, North Korea and Russia, and has bolstered defense cooperation, especially with the United States and Australia. On Tuesday, during talks with Japanese officials, Austin praised the ...

Australian permanent residency: How to apply for National Innovation Visa

The NIV is a permanent residency visa for individuals who can demonstrate exceptional and outstanding achievements in eligible fields

India, Australia assess progress in FTA talks, eye early agreement

Senior officials of India and Australia have reviewed the progress of talks on the proposed free trade agreement between the two countries, the commerce ministry said on Monday. The two countries had implemented an interim trade pact in December 2022 and now they are negotiating to widen the scope of the pact for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). "The three-day stocktake visit for the India-Australia CECA concluded in New Delhi on December 6," the ministry said. The stocktake discussions covered several critical areas of the agreement, including trade in goods, services, mobility, agri-tech cooperation, and more. "The discussions also centered on market access modalities that align with India's food security objectives," it said. Both parties evaluated the progress made so far and outlined a path forward for the early conclusion of the CECA. The Indian delegation was headed by Additional Secretary and Chief Negotiator, Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal,

Young people in China evade video game ban, face growing troubles

In China, strict regulations limit children under 18 to just one hour of online gaming on specified days

Australia's new Skills in Demand visa offers path to permanent residency

The new visa allows most holders, including Indians, to work in Australia for up to four years, with a five-year option for Hong Kong passport holders

Australian synagogue fire deemed terrorism, boosting investigation efforts

Australian law enforcement authorities on Monday declared an arson attack on a synagogue last week a terrorist act in a decision that increases resources available to the investigation. Arson squad detectives have been investigating the blaze that extensively damaged the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on Friday. But the investigation was taken over on Monday by the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team which involves Victoria state Police and Australian Federal Police as well as the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation's main domestic spy agency. The decision ... to transition the Adass Israel Synagogue fire attack to the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team is a crucial turning point in this investigation, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters. I want to thank Victoria Police investigators for the significant information they have gathered so far, which has helped lead us to believe that this is likely to be a politically ...

Australian lender ANZ names former HSBC wealth chief Nuno Matos as new CEO

Hong-Kong-based Matos has served in several of HSBC's largest regions, including Europe and Latin America, and was among the internal candidates vying to take over as CEO of HSBC

Australian PM blames antisemitism for arson that damaged synagogue

The suspected anti-Semitic arson attack, which left one worshipper injured, has been widely condemned by Jewish organisations

Australia banning social media for people under 16: All you need to know

It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. Australia's new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalisation and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they're not ready for, the nation's move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined and judged by the online company they keep. The ban won't go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That's not clear, nor will it be easy. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have become so ingrained in young people's lives that going cold turkey will be ...

Adani investor GQG's shares down by 13% after analyst downgrades stock

Swiss bank UBS downgraded GQG's stock rating from 'buy' to 'neutral' on Monday and reduced its price target from A$3.30 to A$2.30

In scrutiny, you must find the courage to challenge the status quo: Adani

Adani acknowledged the scrutiny faced by his group in recent years, citing challenges such as the coal mine resistance in Australia and allegations of compliance issues in the US

Australia's social media ban: Negative impact of the internet on teenagers

Debate over the internet use for children grows as Australia bans social media for teenagers under 16, sensing its negative impact. Here's how it is affecting them

Probe in US, protests in Australia: Global ambitions weigh on Adani Group

Indian conglomerate's rising international footprint has come with controversies

Australia 'rushed' social media ban for those under 16, says Big Tech

Govt had warned Big Tech of its plans, and first announced the ban after parliamentary inquiry earlier this year that heard testimony from parents of children who had self-harmed after cyber bullying

Australia hikes visa fee by 125%: Indian govt takes it up with officials

The visa fee hike could financially strain international students, including those from India, seeking education opportunities in Australia

TikTok, Meta brace for Australian social media ban for those under 16

A number of other nations and US states have attempted to curb children's access to social media, with limited success

Australia bans social media ban for under-16s with world-first law

A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Parliament on Friday in a world-first law. The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. The Senate passed the bill on Thursday 34 votes to 19. The House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved the legislation by 102 votes to 13. The House on Friday endorsed opposition amendments made in the Senate, making the bill law. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law supported parents concerned by online harms to their children. Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them, Albanese told reporters. The platforms have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced. Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the

Australia passes law to impose ban on social media for children under 16

The law forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta to TikTok to stop minors logging in or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million)