Stories from Australia

South Sydney winger Alex Johnston announced he will join the new NRL club, the PNG Chiefs, for their inaugural season in 2028. The announcement follows recent changes to several team rosters. South Sydney hooker Bronson Garlick stated that Johnston's experience and leadership will be for the new club. The 31-year-old winger is of Papua New Guinean heritage. Luai will trigger his existing Tigers option for the 2027 season, ensuring he remains committed to the club for the remainder of his current term. The announcement was made during the Wide World of Sports broadcast. The 31-year-old player shared the news regarding his future club. Jerome Lui is expected to exercise a get-out clause in his contract with the West Tigers at the end of next season. The move was reportedly facilitated by West Tigers general manager of football Michael Chambers and CEO Lorna McPherson.

A survey of landlords in Australia found over 70% agreement that renting should be more affordable. The majority of respondents also supported regulating rent increases to provide greater stability for tenants. The findings were discussed in a breakdown of landlord responses regarding housing policy reforms.

A survey of more than 1,000 Australians indicates a demand to classify renting as an essential service. The campaign is currently entering a rebuilding phase. The campaign is advocating for this classification in Australia. The report notes that rapid rent increases beyond a renter's ability to pay often force displacement. Current protections to keep renters in their homes are described as inadequate. The existing tax system is also cited as a factor in the current housing landscape. A new report suggests policy reforms to address rental stability and affordability in Australia. The Australian public has been asked to weigh in on these proposed reforms. A survey indicates that 77% of the Australian population believes the current generation of renters may never afford home ownership.

A broadcaster stated there is no simple solution to gun injury and crime in Australia. The discussion highlighted a need for limits on the number of firearms individuals can keep in homes or on farms to minimize black market movement. The issue was described as a matrix of regulation. The proposal aims to minimize the volume of weapons moving into the black market. The broadcaster noted that banning semi-automatic firearms following the Port Arthur massacre has prevented mass shootings for 30 years. The call said the need to maintain these regulations to address gun crime and suicides. A broadcaster on ABC NewsRadio AU called for national uniformity in gun regulations across Australia. The broadcaster urged pressure on recalcitrant state governments to implement consistent laws nationwide.

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.

The New South Wales state government and Transport for NSW announced an overhaul of the Opal card network. The project involves a new $800 million Opal card system to be rolled out over the next couple of years. The new system will allow users to utilize a digital Opal card on smartphones. Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray is expected to provide further details on the rollout. The system will allow for payments using combinations of debit or credit cards. The rollout aims to provide better real-time information and resolve issues with 'ghost buses' that appear on apps but do not arrive in person. Graham stated the technology will make a big difference for commuters. The project involves replacing nearly 30-year-old technology originally borrowed from London's Oyster card system. The system will retain the Opal name and allow users to keep their existing plastic cards.

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.

A total ban on squid fishing in the Spencer Gulf is going into effect to protect fish stocks across the state. The move follows a period where algae blooms caused the collection of approximately 9.5 tonnes of dead marine life from beaches weekly. Current weekly collections of dead marine life have been reduced to approximately 50 kilograms. Authorities stated that existing restrictions are expected to become even tighter. Marine life mortality from algae blooms has decreased from nine and a half tonnes per week to approximately 50 kilograms per week.

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.