Australia

I think both headlines ABC used for this piece are shit. The other one is:

'Old' at 51? Recruiters hiring based on age over experience, report finds.

I agree much more needs to be done to protect children. That’s the very reason I do this work. But the solution is not to vilify or pathologise men who choose to care for and educate young children. The solution is to overhaul a fractured system – starting with the ridiculous patchwork of state-based regulations governing early childhood education and care in Australia.

We need a unified, national approach that ensures consistency, accountability and support – for children and educators alike. We need robust, mandatory training in child protection for all educators, regardless of gender. We need professional standards that uphold child safety and the dignity of workers. We need appropriate reward and remuneration to encourage the very best to answer the call of early childhood education. And we need to acknowledge that good men in this field are not the problem – they are part of the solution.

Australia's government said on Saturday it had delivered M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine as part of a A$245 million ($160 million) package to help the country defend itself against Russia in their ongoing war.

Australia, one of the largest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine, has been supplying aid, ammunition and defence equipment since Moscow invaded its neighbour in February 2022.

[...]

The tanks formed part of the A$1.5 billion ($980 million) that Canberra has provided Ukraine in the conflict, the government said.

Australia has also banned exports of alumina and aluminium ores, including bauxite, to Russia, and has sanctioned about 1,000 Russian individuals and entities.

Australia's centre-left Labor government this year labelled Russia as the aggressor in the conflict and called for the war to be resolved on Kyiv's terms.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/18/green-groups-fear-business-sector-will-dominate-debate-at-chalmers-roundtable-at-environments-expense

They're doing major renovations to their old Queenslander for the first time since they bought it in the '80s, and they found this coin hidden in the skirting board.

Other news source: ABC's The Business - https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Pc1U4Rsfs

The [Finance Sector Union] said the roles being advertised by CBA India had the exact same job titles as those impacted by the redundancies.

"We do not believe that the redundancies outlined in these change processes are in fact genuine redundancies and that in doing so, CBA has breached the terms of the Agreement,” [FSU National Secretary] Ms Angrisano said, pointing out that genuine redundancies mean the role is no longer required. This is the very definition of bad faith.”

“All Australians are paying for the sham redundancy actions of the CBA. Not only are Australian workers being unfairly and reasonably sacked but this is being subsidised by all taxpayers.

“Bona fide redundancies are taxed concessionally in the hands of the workers. It is especially disgusting that the nation’s richest company is also reducing the tax take as it makes the final payment to hundreds of Australians that we know are being sacked solely to have their work performed offshore.”

I just received an email from the Fire Protection Industry. They reap millions in licence fees. You'd think they could afford a proof reader.

The miraculous survival of German backpacker Carolina Wilga in the West Australian outback was met with joy and relief across the country. But for families of missing Aboriginal men who are still searching for answers, it's prompted uncomfortable questions.

"It sounds cruel to say, but when an Aboriginal male goes missing, most of the public don't care," says private investigator Robyn Cottman, who is representing the families of the missing men.

Clinton Lockyer's aunty, Annalee Lockyer, says the perceived indifference adds to their grief.

"Of course we're all glad the backpacker is alive, but it did hurt to see all the coverage," she says.

"You think, does anyone care about our boys the same way? It's not nice to feel like their lives don't even matter — it really hurts."

👉 The full report