Stories from Canberra · Australia

Seven-year-old Jefferson Lewis was abducted from a town camp on Saturday. Community volunteers and specialist crews have joined a wide-scale operation to locate the child. The abduction follows the child's recent release from prison.

ACT Brumbies women's coach James Irwin announced the team's Super Rugby squad today. The roster includes Savannah Roberts-Hickling from the Indigenous Pathways Program and Jane Morrison from the local Premier 15s. The competition is scheduled to begin in June. Irwin stated the addition of local talent will bring new energy to the season.

Australia has unveiled draft laws that would charge technology companies including Meta, Google, and TikTok a portion of their revenue. The Australian government announced a bill on April 28 to allow new taxation on IT companies regarding news displayed on social media. The source noted that these developments may begin to be priced into markets by May. Failure to reach such agreements would trigger the mandatory tax on their Australian earnings. The proposed legislation would alternatively impose a tax of approximately 2% on revenues earned by these tech companies within Australia. Alternatively, companies could pay a tax of approximately 2 percent on revenues earned within Australia. The proposal targets technology firms generating more than 150 million euros in annual revenue.

The political opposition in Australia is calling for the federal government to acquire B-21 stealth bombers from the United States. This move is proposed as a stop-gap measure while the country waits for nuclear submarines. The suggestion was made during a discussion regarding national defense capabilities. Australian Defence Minister James Patterson stated that B-21 Raider stealth bombers could serve as a stopgap measure until nuclear-powered submarines are delivered. The B-21 Raiders are currently undergoing testing in the United States. Defence Correspondent Tom Lowry reported from Parliament House that the coalition is evaluating these advanced aircraft to mitigate risks of being left exposed. The Australian Defence Force does not currently operate any similar bombers, according to Patterson.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced at a news conference that funds will be invested into local journalism. He stated that every dollar will be returned to journalists to support newsrooms across the country. Albanese said that the investment is intended to maintain the integrity of the system. Australia serves as a major supplier of natural gas to Japan, which maintains domestic oil stockpiles but remains dependent on the Middle East for crude oil. The announcement aims to demonstrate the strong reciprocal relationship between the two nations. The visit follows discussions regarding Japan's refining industry and energy security. The Australian government is introducing an incentive tax targeting social media platforms that do not sign commercial deals with news organizations.

Former Republican congressman David Bratt has been nominated as the next United States ambassador to Australia. Australian officials noted that having an ambassador with direct access to the President increases Australia's capacity to influence U.S. The appointment comes amid discussions regarding Donald Trump's comments about Australia during the Iran war. The appointment is expected to impact the US-Australia relationship and ongoing AUKUS discussions. The appointment follows standard diplomatic procedures where leaders of both nations select representatives. The role is expected to focus on maintaining the long-term US-Australia relationship and the AUKUS defense agreement. Bratt previously served two terms representing Virginia in Congress until his defeat by a Democrat in 2018.

Liberal leader Angus Taylor announced an $800 million plan to link reserves to 60 days. The plan includes infrastructure to store more petrol and diesel, according to the report. Taylor is expected to include these details in his budget reply speech next month. The Premier also noted concerns regarding recent e-bike incidents, though parliamentary crackdowns have faced delays.

Under a draft news bargaining incident, technology giants could face financial penalties if they fail to make commercial deals with Australian media companies for news content. The legislation aims to ensure media companies are compensated for their news material used by tech platforms. Digital giants including TikTok and Google could be forced to pay media companies for sharing news content under draft news bargaining codes. The discussion noted that platforms previously bypassed these codes by removing news content from their platforms to avoid payment. The government is considering measures to ensure social media platforms compensate media companies for shared content.

Australian legislators have proposed a law requiring large digital platforms, including Google and TikTok, to enter commercial agreements with local media outlets. Companies including Meta, Google, and TikTok would be required to strike deals with Australian media groups. The move is being introduced as news consumption shifts toward social media platforms. The Australian government says Meta, Alphabet's Google, and TikTok could face multi-million dollar charges if they do not negotiate deals to pay local media outlets for news on their platforms. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Jerk noted the impact would likely affect Asia first, then Europe. Wells stated that platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Google should contribute their fair share to the journalism that drives their revenue. The minister spoke to the media in Canberra regarding the news media bargaining incentive.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that intergenerational equity and economic resilience will be primary focuses of the upcoming May budget. The announcement outlines the government's fiscal priorities for the next budget cycle. No specific spending figures or policy details were provided in the statement. The announcement was made on Tuesday. The focus aims to address equity between different age demographics.