The Conversation – Articles (AU)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <feed xml:lang="en-US" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:rdfs="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#"> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:/au/articles</id> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com"/> <link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://theconversation.com/au/articles.atom"/> <title>The Conversation – Articles (AU)</title> <updated>2025-04-02T08:05:50Z</updated> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253631</id> <published>2025-04-02T08:05:50Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T08:05:50Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/val-kilmers-macho-action-figures-held-a-melancholy-just-below-the-surface-253631"/> <title>Val Kilmer’s macho action figures held a melancholy just below the surface</title> <content type="html">Leading man of 1990s Hollywood, Val Kilmer, has died at 65 from pneumonia. Battling cancer since 2014, he has not been a frequent presence on our film screens for most of this century. While he has recently done some interesting projects, he never recaptured his fame and box-office draw of the 1980s and ‘90s, when he appeared in iconic films such as Top Gun (1986) and Batman Forever (1995). His standout performance as Tom Cruise’s swaggering, self-assured rival Iceman in Top Gun made him a star. But the film that really cemented his reputation as a leading man was Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991), in which he played Jim Morrison to astonishing effect. He is the best thing about that film. <figure class="align-right zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=889&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=889&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=889&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1118&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1118&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659223/original/file-20250402-56-6a7ktk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1118&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Kilmer starred as Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone – a kind of cross between a superhero film and a western. IMDB </figcaption> </figure> In 1993, he starred as Doc Holliday in Tombstone, a stylish modern western, which he co-headlined with Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp. It was perhaps the most '90s of the '90s westerns. Kilmer’s performance was crowd-pleasing and critically acclaimed. His 2020 memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, took its name from a line Kilmer spoke in the film. In some ways, it is a superhero film with cowboys – as you can see so clearly in the poster. It was this performance that put Kilmer on the radar of Warner Bros when they were looking to cast a new Batman after Michael Keaton abandoned the suit. <h2>Batman Forever</h2> We’ve got used to superhero films having cinematic universes and narrative continuity between films, but in the 1990s that had not quite been established. Warner Bros had struck cinematic gold with the first modern superhero blockbuster, Superman (1978) starring Christopher Reeve, but faced diminishing critical and financial returns with each subsequent film in the series. After Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) failed to connect with audiences, the studio turned to Batman to be its cinematic icon. In those days, one superhero film every couple of years was seen as sufficient. Fortunately, Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), two dark takes on the Batman story both starring Michael Keaton, were hits. However, Batman Returns was regarded by audiences and critics as too “dark”, and too Burton. Both Burton and the studio felt a change of pace was needed for a third film. Joel Schumacher was brought on as director and, perhaps due to the departure of Burton, Keaton also chose to leave the series. Fresh off Tombstone, Kilmer was cast as the superhero. Batman Forever took a goofier tone, inspired just as much by the campy 1960s TV series as the dark gothic noir style of Burton. It is still brooding, but the film is more bombastic, more colourful. Noted for performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey as the villains – and the costumes that <a href="https://movieweb.com/batman-forever-costume-designer-explains-inspired-val-kilmer-batsuit-nipples/">famously featured</a> nipples and codpieces – Kilmer’s performance got lost. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=900&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=900&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=900&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1130&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1130&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659214/original/file-20250402-56-9c61ez.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1130&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Val Kilmer and Chris O'Donnell in Batman Forever (1995). IMDB </figcaption> </figure> Worse for Kilmer, rumours of being <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4n7xy3ew8mo">difficult to work with</a> on the set of Batman may have set his career back in subsequent years. But, despite these difficulties, Kilmer makes a good Batman. He performed the role with a brooding physicality, as well as playfulness. He was underrated, and certainly better than George Clooney, who took over in Batman and Robin (1997) after Kilmer declined to return. The non-Keaton Batman films are sometimes overlooked by fans, or not seen as living up to the heights of the Burton movies. In recent years, Burton’s movies have become more or less canonised as the “real” Batman of the era. A series of comic books, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_%2789_(comic_book)">Batman '89</a>, has been published since 2021 that continues the story from Batman Returns, bypassing the developments of Kilmer’s Batman Forever and Clooney’s Batman and Robin. Keaton has since reprised his role as the caped crusader on the silver screen as a major supporting character in The Flash (2023), which also featured cameos from Batman alumni Clooney and Ben Affleck as alternate universe versions of the Dark Knight. Kilmer and Christian Bale were the only retired big-screen Batmans not to appear in the film. But Batman Forever stands the test of time. It is an entertaining film that walks the line between the dark and brooding Batman from Burton, and the parody of the 1960s television series starring Adam West. <h2>Soulful melancholy</h2> Batman Forever was the pinnacle for Kilmer in terms of critical and commercial success. He followed it with great performances in films such as The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), but he was often the supporting character rather than the lead. These films, too, weren’t box-office smashes like his films up to and including Batman had been. One of his best performances of the 2000s was in the David Mamet film Spartan (2004). Kilmer plays a retired marine corps sergeant in a good leading turn. He gave a muscular performance that still had a soulful melancholy at its heart, which can be seen in a lot of his roles. He plays action figures who are tough and macho on the outside, but have a melancholy just below the surface. Although he never reprised his role as Bruce Wayne, a fitting coda for Kilmer’s career was the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick (2022), in which he gives a cameo as an ailing version of Iceman. Kilmer will be missed for his iconic roles as the quintessential performer of the late 1980s and '90s. In 2021, a documentary about Kilmer, Val, was released, based on decades of archive footage. I would recommend it to audiences who want to know more about the man, his life, his career and his health battles over the past decades. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YqNnhgEyQCU?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253631/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Aaron Humphrey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Leading man of 1990s Hollywood, Val Kilmer, has died at 65.</summary> <author> <name>Aaron Humphrey, Lecturer, Media and Digital Humanities, University of Adelaide</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aaron-humphrey-197014"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253624</id> <published>2025-04-02T07:22:58Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T07:22:58Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/labor-wants-to-give-the-minimum-wage-a-real-boost-the-benefits-would-likely-outweigh-any-downsides-253624"/> <title>Labor wants to give the minimum wage a real boost. The benefits would likely outweigh any downsides</title> <content type="html">Labor has called for an “economically sustainable real wage increase” for almost 3 million workers who depend on the award system for their wages. In a <a href="https://www.alp.org.au/news/labor-backs-another-wage-rise-for-low-paid-workers/">submission</a> to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review on Wednesday, Labor said a real wage increase above inflation would provide cost-of-living relief for lower-income workers – especially in the early childhood, cleaning and retail sectors. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/worldtoday/consensus-on-minimum-wage-boost-but-figure-unclear/105127878">said</a> he’s not opposed to an increase in minimum wages. Several major business groups have also tentatively endorsed an increase. But the size of the wage boost is in contention. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants an increase to be no higher than headline inflation, <a href="https://www.workplaceexpress.com.au/news/no-more-than-2-5-minimum-wage-rise-acci-80335">saying</a>: <blockquote> [an] increase in minimum and modern award wages of no more than 2.5% is fair and reasonably responsible in the current economic environment. </blockquote> <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/labor-will-urge-fair-work-commission-to-give-real-wage-rise-to-three-million-workers-253560">Labor will urge Fair Work Commission to give real wage rise to three million workers</a> <hr> <h2>Can the government actually raise wages?</h2> The federal government doesn’t set minimum and award wages directly. That job falls to the Fair Work Commission, Australia’s independent national workplace relations tribunal. Each year, the commission receives <a href="https://www.fwc.gov.au/hearings-decisions/major-cases/annual-wage-reviews/annual-wage-review-2024-25/">submissions</a> for the Annual Wage Review from “interested parties” such as business groups, trade unions and governments. Governments almost always make submissions, typically informed by economic logic, to the annual review. Labor’s submission is consistent with that approach. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/worldtoday/consensus-on-minimum-wage-boost-but-figure-unclear/105127878">businesses would benefit</a> overall, because when low-wage workers receive a wage increase, they typically spend rather than save it. <h2>Could a real wage boost fuel inflation?</h2> Labor’s proposal has already attracted concern. Some economists have <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/workers-can-have-real-wage-rises-without-productivity-gains-watt-20250401-p5lo5p">argued</a> it could increase inflation. That could make it harder for the Reserve Bank of Australia to deliver further interest rate cuts. However, this concern was addressed in the OECD’s <a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-employment-outlook-2023_08785bba-en.html">2023 Economic Outlook</a> paper, which argued: <blockquote> in several sectors and countries, there is room for profits to absorb some further increases in wages to mitigate the loss of purchasing power at least for the low paid without generating significant additional price pressures. </blockquote> In other words, with inflation falling in Australia and other parts of the world, there is scope for wages to increase without a significant risk this will generate inflationary pressure. The OECD has also <a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-employment-outlook-2023_08785bba-en.html">stated</a> that much of the recent high global inflation was generated by the impact of the Ukraine war on rising food and energy prices, rather than wages. <h2>Wage growth without productivity growth</h2> A second concern relates to boosting wages in the context of Australia’s languishing levels of <a href="https://theconversation.com/productivity-is-often-mistaken-for-wages-what-does-it-really-mean-how-does-it-work-240113">labour productivity</a> – output per worker or per hour worked. On Tuesday, Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/workers-can-have-real-wage-rises-without-productivity-gains-watt-20250401-p5lo5p">said</a> without an increase in productivity: <blockquote> the rate of nominal wages growth that can be sustained and be in line with the inflation target is lower. </blockquote> However, as Mark Bray and Alison Preston found in their <a href="https://www.dewr.gov.au/workplace-relations-australia/review-secure-jobs-better-pay-act">interim report</a> from the review of the <a href="https://www.fwc.gov.au/about-us/new-laws/secure-jobs-better-pay-act-whats-changing">Secure Jobs, Better Pay</a> laws, labour productivity growth has been consistently higher than capital productivity. According to Bray and Preston: <blockquote> It is, therefore, difficult to argue that industrial relations systems have a significant, dominant effect on national productivity outcomes. </blockquote> If anything, a wages boost might be good for productivity. There is evidence to suggest measures to improve the quality of employment – including by increasing wages – can <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/content/dam/corporate/documents/business-school/research/research-groups/serrg/wright-2023-senate-education-and-employment-legislation-committee-submission.pdf">boost productivity</a>. If workers feel they are paid fairly, they are more likely to be satisfied and work harder, and less likely to leave their employer. Staff turnover, on the other hand, requires employers to recruit and train new employees, which is time-consuming and resource-intensive, and can <a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/negotiating-our-way-up_1fd2da34-en/full-report.html">sap productivity</a>. <h2>What about inequality?</h2> It’s important we don’t overlook another important factor in the minimum wage debate. Since its 2022 election victory, addressing inequality has been central to the Albanese government’s labour market reforms. Before 2022, wages growth was <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/urgent-labour-market-reform-needed-to-boost-wages-and-aid-recruitment-20220316-p5a55r.html">persistently weak</a> for several years, despite the lowest unemployment rate in almost five decades. Low unemployment is generally assumed to stimulate wages growth, but this didn’t eventuate. This <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/content/dam/corporate/documents/business-school/research/research-groups/serrg/bargaining-for-skills.pdf">worsened workforce shortages</a>, making it hard for employers to attract and retain workers. Findings from a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10301763.2022.2051230">large body of academic research</a> published before the passage and implementation of the December 2022 <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6941">Secure Jobs, Better Pay amendments</a> highlighted the need for fairer redistribution in pay settings. <h2>The gender pay gap</h2> This includes addressing gender-based pay inequalities. Improving job quality – particularly by raising wages – in low-paid sectors is essential to advancing gender equality. The minimum wage and award-reliant segments of the Australian labour market are highly feminised. These include vital frontline roles in the care, cleaning and hospitality sectors. The latest Workplace Gender Equality Agency <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/australias-gender-equality-scorecard">scorecard</a>, drawing on ABS Labour Force Survey data, shows wage growth in these sectors over the past two years has contributed significantly to reducing the national gender pay gap to its lowest point on record. Lifting wages and job quality is not only crucial for attracting and retaining workers in these essential frontline roles. It also <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-10/p2023-447996-working-future.pdf">supports broader labour force participation</a>, particularly for working parents. An “economically sustainable” boost to the minimum wage is therefore unlikely to drive up inflation, or adversely impact productivity. However, it will provide cost-of-living relief to Australia’s lowest-paid workers.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253624/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Chris F. Wright has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the UK Economic and Social Research Council, the International Labour Organization, the Australian and NSW governments, and various business and trade union organisations.</content> <summary>A real boost to award wages is unlikely to drive up inflation, nor adversely impact productivity. But it would provide cost-of-living relief to Australia’s lowest-paid workers.</summary> <author> <name>Chris F. Wright, Professor of Work and Labour Market Policy, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-f-wright-9738"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253117</id> <published>2025-04-02T06:39:10Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T06:39:10Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/election-diary-dutton-tries-to-shake-off-trump-dust-and-avoid-being-trapped-on-wages-253117"/> <title>Election diary: Dutton tries to shake off Trump dust and avoid being trapped on wages</title> <content type="html">Ahead of Donald Trump’s tariff announcement early Thursday (Australian time), the United States president has become a serious and increasing worry for Peter Dutton’s campaign. Even apart from Labor’s obvious and constant “Trump-whistling”, many voters are apparently seeing a lot of Trump dust on the opposition leader. Liberal strategists know how dangerous this is, given Trump’s unpopularity with Australians. So Dutton is shaping up. In a Sky interview aired Wednesday, Dutton positioned himself as ready to take on Trump (or anyone else) if necessary. “If I needed to have a fight with Donald Trump or any other world leader to advance our nation’s interests, I’d do it in a heartbeat,” he declared. “And I’ll put the Americans on notice and anyone else who seeks to act against our national interest.” It’s a measure of where things are that an Australian conservative leader is putting “the Americans on notice”. Anthony Albanese – who once said Trump “scares the shit out of me” – suggested his opponent was going over the top. “Peter Dutton will always dial things up to 11. He thinks this is a contest of who can say the most aggro things. It’s not. It’s not the way that diplomacy works.” When it comes to Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement – which will feed directly into the Australian campaign – it seems diplomacy hasn’t worked. Trade Minister Don Farrell told briefings for agricultural and industry groups on Tuesday and Wednesday he was “pessimistic”, suggesting the likelihood of a tariff of up to 20% across the board. Farrell indicated the Australian government had put an offer to the US, but that was rejected. Australia rejected a counter offer from the US, and resubmitted its original offer. At Wednesday’s briefing for the red meat industry, Farrell said, “Tomorrow might be the end of the first part of the process but we’ll continue to engage with the Americans to get these tariffs removed, as we did with the Chinese”. The government is preparing its response, which reportedly could involve taking the US to the World Trade Organisation. Asked about this, Albanese would not be drawn but told the ABC, “What we’re doing is supporting our US Free Trade Agreement, that says that goods and services between our two nations should be tariff-free. "That’s what we’re doing, supporting our agreement, holding to our word, standing up for Australia’s national interest, and calling for the United States not only to stand up for that agreement, but to stand up to their own interests as well.” <h2>Liberals play it cool on Albanese’s bid for real wage rise</h2> The Liberals had a very bad experience on wages in the 2022 election. Then-opposition leader Albanese said he’d “absolutely” support a wage increase to keep up with inflation, which was more than 5%. The Coalition went on the attack, branding him as economically irresponsible. As he campaigned in the following days, Albanese kept producing a gold coin to show how small the rise would be for those on the minimum wage. He still occasionally reprises this party trick. Labor is once again campaigning on wages, this time advocating a boost to real wages – that is, an increase above inflation, which is now down to 2.4%. (The submission put in on Wednesday to the Fair Work Commission went in from the Labor Party, rather than the government, because we’re in the “caretaker” period.) The government’s position is clever. It says the wage rise, which would cover about three million workers, should be “economically sustainable”. But it doesn’t recommend a figure. The Liberals a re trying to stay off the wages sticky paper. To be saying “no” in a cost-of-living election would only spell grief. Instead, they’re keeping their response vague. “We support wage increases”, Dutton said, without being specific about the government’s above-inflation pitch. As to a figure, “Without further economic advice from treasury and finance, our position is we want higher wages and we want to make sure we have downward pressure on costs”. “The prime minister is in search of a fight here,” Dutton said, a conclusion that didn’t require much perception, a fight Dutton was determined to try to side step. Labor’s case received some backing on Wednesday from the Australian Industry Group, which suggested a rise of 2.6%. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry advocated a rise of no more than 2.5%. Asked what sort of difference there was between ACCI and the government, ACCI CEO Andrew McKellar said “that’s very hard to say. They are deliberately being non-specific.” <h2>The ABC is in the Liberals’ sights – again</h2> The ABC is a favourite target for many Liberals, including Dutton. In recent months he has singled out ABC reporters for attention when he didn’t like their questions. So would he look at its budget? Dutton is leaving the impression he likely would; moreover he is critical of the national broadcaster’s regional service, which even most Coalition MPs praise. “The approach that we would take is to reward excellence and where we find waste, to cut that waste. "And there are a lot of regional services for the ABC which I think are underdone,” he said in his Sky interview. He’d been in western Queensland this week looking at the floods “and the ABC could be a much more integral part of that community. But just having it based in Sydney or just being based in Melbourne is not helping people in outer metro areas or regional areas.” According to the ABC, it has about 600 employees in rural and regional Australia in 56 locations.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253117/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>As we prepare for Trump’s “Liberation Day” both sides of the campaign are bracing to see what the how Trump will effect the campaign.</summary> <author> <name>Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/248119</id> <published>2025-04-02T04:51:14Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T04:51:14Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/pink-slime-and-truthpapers-why-more-local-news-publications-is-not-necessarily-better-248119"/> <title>Pink slime and ‘truthpapers’: why more local news publications is not necessarily better</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659180/original/file-20250402-56-izyncg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=815%2C0%2C6522%2C3140&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption>shutterstock </figcaption></figure>Securing the future of local journalism is attracting attention from industry, policymakers and academics across the globe, at a time when the landscape is radically shifting. “<a href="https://theconversation.com/local-papers-are-central-to-our-democracy-we-must-do-more-to-bring-them-out-of-crisis-237987">News deserts</a>” are emerging and, to fill them, community Facebook pages, local government newsletters and digital startups are springing up. But in this post-truth and fake news era, more new sources of local news may not necessarily be better. The United States has seen the rise of “<a href="https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/media-literacy/2023/pink-slime-journalism-local-news-deserts/">pink slime</a>”, which are usually ideologically driven publications of dubious quality masquerading as local news, often in rural and remote areas. There are also concerns that new hybrid models of news media lack financial and editorial transparency. This in turn hinders audiences from making informed decisions about truth, accuracy and integrity. Search many local news websites online and there is often no clear detail about where the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17512786.2024.2433659">closest news office</a> is, who owns the publication, or the journalists working for the outlet. Questions regarding funding and editorial independence and accountability are crucial. We expect local media to be impartial, function as a watchdog for those in authority, and produce fact-checked, balanced reporting. This issue was recently highlighted with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) being asked to investigate a complaint from the Coalition regarding the online local paper <a href="https://www.gazettenews.au/about-us">Gazette News</a>. The complaint alleged that teal donors funded the newspaper to ensure positive coverage of independent candidates. The Gazette sees its responsibility as “stepping in where local news has downsized”. Most of its publications are in marginal seats. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1905074131093389567&quot;}"></div> The AEC <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/election-watchdog-clears-fake-newspaper-of-breaking-political-advertising-rules-20250327-p5ln1g.html">cleared the newspaper</a> of breaking rules on political advertising. But it illuminates the broader issue of transparency across Australia’s local news sector, whether it’s donations from not-for-profits or ownership in the commercial local news sector. Meanwhile, as the federal government continues its inquiry into <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-24/laws-to-regulate-misinformation-online-abandoned/104640488">online misinformation and the media</a>, hardcopy publications such as The Light Australia have emerged and are spreading rapidly – especially in regional Australia. The Light is a self-professed “truthpaper” – an alternative monthly newspaper that claims to provide uncensored information on the topics the mainstream media “ignores or blatantly lies about”. The Light has been <a href="https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/research-note-understanding-offline-covid-19-conspiracy-theories-a-content-analysis-of-the-light-truthpaper/">operating in the United Kingdom</a> and Ireland for several years. It emerged in Australia when a group of vaccination sceptics, who met at freedom rallies in Perth amid the early COVID restrictions in 2021, collaborated to crowdfund and establish the offshoot publication. It attracts prominent Australian politicians, academics, doctors, journalists and cartoonists as regular contributors. We have research underway into the rise of such publications. Our <a href="https://app.maply.com/maps/05170a24-60e3-4454-85f7-4f1366f0571c">early mapping research</a> shows that since it started publishing in September 2022, The Light Australia has dramatically increased its circulation and distribution footprint. It reports having printed nearly 2.5 million copies, and claims a circulation of 235,000. This is comparable to the <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-age-maintains-position-as-victoria-s-most-read-masthead-20240225-p5f7ne.html">weekday readership</a> of The Age’s print edition (281,000 in 2024). <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1902117881871266071&quot;}"></div> The publication, which is published both in hard copy and online in PDF format, boasts of being “people funded”. Aside from a regular call for donations and a distribution model where supporters buy the paper online to circulate to the “unawake”, The Light Australia relies on traditional classified advertising. While the contents are unashamedly overt in its purpose of persuasion and “awakening the uninitiated” on topics such as vaccine safety, government control and the death of privacy, the layout, the look and feel of it mimics a traditional newspaper. It is usually physically positioned where someone would expect to find a conventional newspaper, such as alongside other publications in a newsagency. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17816858231204738">Scholars suggest</a> there is a familiarity and implied trust that is attached to a conventional newspaper format, even in the digital age. Supporters are actively encouraged to buy copies largely for the purpose of distribution. They are urged to leave them in random public spaces and businesses, and conduct letterbox drops. A bright orange logo on the front of The Light Australia says “Don’t toss me, share me.” However, to label The Light as purely propaganda or conspiracy theory is to undermine its potency. It also does not fit neatly into the definition of pink slime journalism. Further investigation is needed to understand whether it shares some of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-trump-is-weaponising-the-department-of-justice-and-the-dark-tactic-hes-using-to-get-away-with-it-250760">“dark” political tactics</a> commonly seen in US politics, and explored in the context of totalitarian regimes by philosophers such as Hannah Arendt. The federal government recently committed more than $153 million to support public-interest journalism in Australia as part of its <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/charting-course-diverse-and-sustainable-news-sector">NewsMap framework</a>. This will have a strong focus on supporting access, quality and diversity of news in Australia, and bolstering funding for media literacy. Exploring the contemporary history of digital news media, the rise and fall of local news publications and the conditions that cultivate the rise of The Light in Australia will hopefully guide future policy. Importantly, it will also help us decide exactly what type of “local” news warrants government support.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/248119/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Brigid O&#39;Connell currently receives funding from the Australian Research Council DP240103362. Kristy Hess currently receives funding from the Australian Research Council DP240103362 and LP220100053.</content> <summary>While small publications are springing up to fill “news deserts” there are concerns around quality and transparency.</summary> <author> <name>Brigid O'Connell, PhD candidate funded by the Australian Research Council (DP240103362) and former journalist, Deakin University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brigid-oconnell-2347471"/> </author> <author> <name>Kristy Hess, Professor (Communication), Deakin University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kristy-hess-97108"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253547</id> <published>2025-04-02T04:13:38Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T04:13:38Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/new-research-lays-bare-the-harsh-realities-facing-artists-and-arts-workers-253547"/> <title>New research lays bare the harsh realities facing artists and arts workers</title> <content type="html">Australia’s visual arts and craft workers are facing increasingly deteriorating conditions, according to <a href="https://www.visualartswork.net.au/uploads/1/3/9/3/139379831/mcquilten_et_al_2025_visual_arts_work_key_research_findings_implications_and_proposed_actions.pdf">research published today</a>. Our four-year study reveals workers are abandoning the visual art sector, largely because of unstable employment, below-average salaries and a lack of support. We present findings from the largest academic surveys of artists and arts workers to-date – the first conducted in 2022 (more than 700 respondents) and the second in 2024 (almost 900 respondents) – with income and employment data from four financial years between 2018 and 2024. Alongside the surveys, we conducted interviews with 20 artists and arts workers to better understand hybrid career patterns – and consulted widely with industry. <h2>Comparable to the gig economy</h2> Artists and arts workers represent a financially vulnerable group in Australia’s workforce. Our research identified concerning patterns of work, including: <ul> <li>high levels of education that don’t match salaries, which are well below the average for professional workers</li> <li>high levels of unpaid work, volunteer work and self-employment</li> <li>a highly gendered (majority women) workforce, with a significant gender pay gap</li> <li>barriers to opportunity and career progression for people with disability and from diverse cultural backgrounds.</li> </ul> We also found artists and arts workers often don’t know which awards and agreements they’re covered by, if any. <h2>A gendered workforce</h2> According to our 2024 survey responses, more than 74% of the visual arts workforce identify as women. Despite this, there was a significant gender pay gap. On average, woman artists earned 47% less than men artists, while women arts workers earned 23% less than men arts workers. This is much higher than the broader gender pay gap of <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/data-statistics/ABS-gender-pay-gap-data">11.5% in 2024</a> (based on base pay for full-time workers). The average income from visual art or craft practice in 2023–24 was A$13,937, with men artists reporting an average of $23,130, women artists $12,330, and non-binary artists $14,074. This is matched with slow progression through career stages from emerging to “established”, particularly for women artists. <h2>Lack of security, long hours, little return</h2> Artists are surviving by taking multiple jobs. Only 25% of respondents spent 100% of their working time as an artist – with 82% receiving at least some income from other jobs. Half of artists also participated in unpaid work. This equated to an average of 28 hours per month. The cost-of-living crisis added further financial pressure, with 63% of respondents saying they were very or moderately financially stressed when it came to paying for essential goods and services. This had a flow-on effect on wellbeing. Half the artists surveyed rated their mental health as poor or fair, while 59% rated their work-life balance as poor or fair. These issues were amplified for artists with disability and from diverse cultural backgrounds, who experience significant barriers to participation. Arts workers, meanwhile, reported working an average of 45 hours per week in 2024. Despite this, 60% said they wanted to work even more hours – pointing to low pay and the challenges of making an arts career viable. On average, arts workers earned an annual income of $63,031. This was much lower than professionals in other industries, who earned an average income of $100,017. <h2>Levelling the playing field</h2> Our <a href="https://www.visualartswork.net.au/uploads/1/3/9/3/139379831/mcquilten_et_al_2025_visual_arts_work_key_research_findings_implications_and_proposed_actions.pdf">report</a> contains a suite of policy recommendations and priority actions for the arts industry to address these issues. To address gender-related disparities, we suggest: <ul> <li>requiring gender pay gap reporting from organisations receiving public funding, along with action plans to address disparities</li> <li>greater transparency in recruitment and promotion processes</li> <li>commitments to gender equity targets in leadership positions.</li> </ul> We also recommend greater transparency and reporting of disability and cultural diversity representation in staffing, including leadership and board roles, to promote accountability and drive cultural change. Funding incentives should be introduced to support diverse leadership – including higher pay to compensate for the additional workload carried by workers from First Nations, disability and culturally diverse backgrounds. <h2>Boosting incomes</h2> To address the intractable issue of low incomes, we suggest all funding contracts from state and federal arts bodies mandate adherence to industry best practice (such as <a href="https://code.visualarts.net.au/">NAVA’s Code of Practice</a>). This will help agencies better support artists and arts workers, and uphold employment standards across the sector. Further, operational funding agreements should consistently prioritise secure work for artists and arts workers, by laying down permanent contracts or minimum fixed terms. Finally, there must be greater, more transparent recognition of the amount of unpaid labour in the arts, and a commitment to moving away from this. We therefore recommend sector-wide reportable targets aimed at reducing unpaid labour.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253547/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Grace McQuilten received funding from the Australian Research Council. The Linkage Project Ambitious and Fair: strategies for a sustainable arts sector (LP200100054)Chloë Powell received funding from the Australian Research Council. The Linkage Project Ambitious and Fair: strategies for a sustainable arts sector (LP200100054).Jenny Lye received funding from the Australian Research Council. The Linkage Project Ambitious and Fair: strategies for a sustainable arts sector (LP200100054) Kate MacNeill received funding from the Australian Research Council. The Linkage Project Ambitious and Fair: strategies for a sustainable arts sector (LP200100054)Marnie Badham received funding from the Australian Research Council: Linkage Project Ambitious and Fair: strategies for a sustainable arts sector (LP200100054).</content> <summary>Artists and arts workers are facing financial stress, gender pay gaps, long hours and unstable work – with many leaving the sector as a result.</summary> <author> <name>Grace McQuilten, Associate professor, RMIT University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/grace-mcquilten-128228"/> </author> <author> <name>Chloë Powell, Research Assistant, RMIT University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chloe-powell-1446866"/> </author> <author> <name>Jenny Lye, Associate Professor/Reader in Economics, The University of Melbourne</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jenny-lye-1448494"/> </author> <author> <name>Kate MacNeill, Professorial Fellow, School of Culture and Communication, Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-macneill-197694"/> </author> <author> <name>Marnie Badham, Associate Professor, School of Art, RMIT University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marnie-badham-1448496"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253539</id> <published>2025-04-02T02:55:35Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T02:55:35Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-tell-the-difference-between-real-and-fake-news-photos-take-the-quiz-to-find-out-253539"/> <title>Can you tell the difference between real and fake news photos? Take the quiz to find out</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659161/original/file-20250402-56-d3f10b.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C356%2C7008%2C3934&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption>A (real) photo of a protester dressed as Pikachu in Paris on March 29 2025. Remon Haazen / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>You wouldn’t usually associate Pikachu with protest. But a figure dressed as the iconic yellow Pokémon <a href="https://www.404media.co/pikachu-spotted-fleeing-police-crackdowns-during-turkey-protests/">joined a protest</a> last week in Turkey to demonstrate against the country’s <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-13746679">authoritarian leader</a>. And then a <a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/mar/28/social-media/image-of-a-person-dressed-as-pikachu-in-turkey-pro/">virtual doppelgänger</a> made the rounds on social media, raising doubt in people’s minds about whether what they were seeing was true. (Just to be clear, the image in the post shown below is very much fake.) <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1905306060006531502&quot;,&quot;options&quot;:{&quot;conversation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}}"></div> This is the latest in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/nine-was-slammed-for-ai-editing-a-victorian-mps-dress-how-can-news-media-use-ai-responsibly-222382">spate of incidents</a> involving AI-generated (or AI-edited) images that can be made easily and cheaply and that are often posted during breaking news events. Doctored, decontextualised or synthetic media can cause confusion, sow doubt, and contribute to political polarisation. The people who make or share these media often benefit financially or politically from spreading <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17512786.2020.1832139">false or misleading claims</a>. How would you go at telling fact from fiction in these cases? Have a go with this quiz and learn more about some of AI’s (potential) giveaways and how to stay safer online. <hr> <iframe id="tc-infographic-1168" class="tc-infographic" height="400px" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/1168/a7add7a1297a84f590fd594bfc28270caecf07e2/site/index.html" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr> How’d you go? As this exercise might have revealed, we can’t always spot AI-generated or AI-edited images with just our eyes. Doing so will also become harder as AI tools become more advanced. <h2>Dealing with visual deception</h2> AI-powered <a href="https://undetectable.ai/ai-image-detector">tools</a> exist to try to detect AI content, but these have mixed results. Running suspect images through a <a href="https://tineye.com/">search engine</a> to see where else they have been published – and when – can be a helpful strategy. But this relies on there being an original “unedited” version published somewhere online. Perhaps the best strategy is something called “<a href="https://newslit.org/tips-tools/expand-your-view-with-lateral-reading/">lateral reading</a>”. It means getting off the page or platform and seeing what trusted sources say about a claim. Ultimately, we don’t have time to fact-check every claim we come across each day. That’s why it’s important to have access to trustworthy news sources that have a track record of getting it right. This is even more important as the volume of AI “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2025/jan/08/ai-generated-slop-slowly-killing-internet-nobody-trying-to-stop-it">slop</a>” increases.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253539/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliated researcher with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making &amp; Society.</content> <summary>As the tide of AI ‘slop’ rises, it’s more important than ever to hone your reality-checking skills.</summary> <author> <name>T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/t-j-thomson-503845"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253616</id> <published>2025-04-02T02:40:05Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T02:40:05Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/us-senator-cory-booker-just-spoke-for-25-hours-in-congress-what-was-he-trying-to-achieve-253616"/> <title>US Senator Cory Booker just spoke for 25 hours in Congress. What was he trying to achieve?</title> <content type="html">The Democrats have been under intense pressure to find an effective way to challenge US President Donald Trump without control of either chamber of Congress or a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-isnt-there-an-opposition-leader-to-unite-democrats-in-the-us-252384">de facto opposition leader</a>. They may have just found one. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker took the Senate floor on Monday evening in Washington to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cory-booker-new-jersey-senator-speech-ab573bb7c3c76fa107cacac7136d3823">give a speech</a> lambasting Trump’s actions. He didn’t stop talking – aside for the occasional question from a fellow Democrat – until Tuesday night, 25 hours later. So, how common are these types of speeches in the US Congress, and what’s the point? <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rCUK2VbdLS4?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <figcaption>Cory Booker reportedly did not leave the chamber to use the toilet and sipped from two glasses of water.</figcaption> </figure> <h2>Filibusters throughout history</h2> Booker’s speech set a new record for the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cory-booker-new-jersey-senator-speech-ab573bb7c3c76fa107cacac7136d3823">longest continuous speech</a> in the Senate, surpassing Senator Strom Thurmond’s 24-hour speech in 1957 to try to <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/racist-filibuster-we-cant-afford-forget">prevent the passage</a> of the Civil Rights Act. This was during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during the second world war. The army was the great desegregation force in the 1940s, and Eisenhower, as president in the 1950s, was strongly in favour of civil rights. <figure class="align-right "> <img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659183/original/file-20250402-56-3jxutx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/659183/original/file-20250402-56-3jxutx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=799&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659183/original/file-20250402-56-3jxutx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=799&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659183/original/file-20250402-56-3jxutx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=799&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659183/original/file-20250402-56-3jxutx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1004&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659183/original/file-20250402-56-3jxutx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1004&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/659183/original/file-20250402-56-3jxutx.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1004&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Strom Thurmond. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division/Wikimedia Commons </figcaption> </figure> In 1957, Congress was going to pass a civil rights bill that would make it harder for officials in southern states, in particular, to prevent Black people from voting. So Thurmond, the South Carolina senator and fierce proponent of segregation, launched what was (until today) the longest speech in Senate history to oppose it. Thurmond’s speech was a filibuster, an <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/filibuster-explained">extended speech</a> in the Senate to attempt to delay or block a vote on a bill or confirmation. Thurmond, however, was unable to stop enactment of the bill. Senators engage in filibusters when they know they’re going to lose, especially when it’s a piece of legislation they really dislike or disagree with. Because they can’t stop the passage of the bill, they use the filibuster to call attention to their opposition to it. The intention is to rally the troops and say, “I’m standing with you, even if this vote goes the other way”. In 2016, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who represents the state of Connecticut where the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School took place, launched a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/17/us/politics/senate-filibuster-gun-control.html">nearly 15-hour filibuster</a> to force the Republican Senate leadership to allow votes on two gun control measures. Republican Senator Ted Cruz also <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/ted-cruz-marathon-speech-obamacare">spoke all night</a> – 21 hours in total – against Obamacare in 2013. It wasn’t all focused on health policy; he filled the time by reading the children’s book, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-24272313">Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss</a>. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PT3tZjlENMs?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <figcaption>Highlights from Ted Cruz’s filibuster.</figcaption> </figure> <h2>What Booker was trying to achieve</h2> Booker’s speech was not technically a filibuster – he wasn’t holding the floor to talk against a specific bill, as Thurmond was. He was giving time to his Democratic colleagues to just control the shape of the general debate about Trump. Senators use speeches like this when they’re losing on a issue, and Booker feels the Democrats are currently losing to Trump. They have been unable to stop any of his executive actions, so they feel they need to cut through in some way to reach the American people. Trump has been “flooding the zone” from the moment he took office in January with hundreds of policies and executive actions – and he has been extremely successful at it. These actions cut across so many areas, it’s been very hard for the Democrats, on any given day, to pick out the top things to fight against. Because they don’t have control of the House or Senate, and there is no opposition leader, there is no single, principal Democrat who can stand up day by day and say, “This is what happened, this was what the threat to the country is, this why we’re opposing it and this is the way we’re going to attack it”. Trump is controlling the narrative and the media environment. And the Democratic leadership has been unable to counter it, even though, at the grassroots level, Democrats and many others who voted for Trump are really angry. As Booker put it during his speech: <blockquote> Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined. </blockquote> There comes a certain point in a human drama that transcends partisanship when you’re looking at someone speaking from the heart, speaking their convictions and you can come to respect them. Booker ran for the presidency in 2020 and ultimately yielded to Joe Biden, and I expect we’ll hear much more from him in 2028 when the next presidential election occurs. He is most likely going to run again.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253616/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Bruce Wolpe receives funding, as a non resident senior Fellow, from the United Statses Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He served for ten years on the Democratic staff in the US House of Representatives.</content> <summary>US senators engage in lengthy speeches when they are losing. This is clearly what motivated Cory Booker’s 25-hour speech: a sense the Democrats are losing to Trump.</summary> <author> <name>Bruce Wolpe, Non-resident Senior Fellow, United States Study Centre, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bruce-wolpe-779028"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253025</id> <published>2025-04-02T01:51:51Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T01:51:51Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/new-nz-tv-series-happiness-gives-us-an-engaging-musical-peak-behind-the-amateur-theatre-curtain-253025"/> <title>New NZ TV series Happiness gives us an engaging musical peak behind the amateur theatre curtain</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658890/original/file-20250401-56-87vrpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C46%2C7786%2C4370&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> Warner Bros Discovery</figcaption></figure>The last few decades have seen many attempts to make musical TV shows. Some of them applied the aesthetics of musicals (where people spontaneously sing and dance) to the television form, such as the recent cult series Schmigadoon! (2021–23) and the less successful medieval-set Galavant (2015–16). Others have foregrounded music by being backstage musicals, or “backstagers”, about the creation of musicals. Glee (2009–15), about the American high school show choir scene, was the most successful of these. It led to imitators like Smash (2013–14), about a Marilyn Monroe musical; 2018’s Rise, a major flop about a high school producing Spring Awakening; and, my favourite, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–23), a meta-fictional take on the Disney musical canon. Backstagers have usually been more successful and also easier to produce than true through-and-through musicals for television, as they place their stories in settings that allow for the more or less “natural” presence of song and dance as part of the shows being staged. This acts as a bridge for audience members who might baulk at the singing and dancing fantasies inherent to the musical genre. With their new show Happiness, Kip Chapman and Luke Di Somma have created a welcome New Zealand answer to this style of musical TV show. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y6VxgFEx9LE?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> <h2>Creating a musical</h2> Charlie (Harry McNaughton) has returned from New York to his hometown of Tauranga, having been dismissed from helming a Broadway revival of Cats. In a desperate attempt to demonstrate competency for a renewal of his visa – and to please his mum Gaye (Rebecca Gibney) – he decides to help out the local amateur musical theatre society Pizzaz (“the finest large-scale yet boutique classical musical theatre company in Tauranga”) with their latest production, an original musical called The Trojan Horse, based on the Iliad. The first number in the first episode is an airport flash mob set to Backstreet’s Back, which Charlie’s mum has arranged to welcome her son home. While the nod to the Backstreet Boys is fun, it would have been more effective to start the show with an original musical number. As many writers of musicals <a href="https://newmusicaltheatre.com/blogs/green-room/how-to-write-this-musical-part-1-the-opening-number">have argued</a>, one has to set up the “rules” of a musical in the first ten minutes, otherwise there is a risk of confusing the audience. This number hints that Happiness might be a jukebox musical, but thankfully that is not the case. On the contrary, it has a whole set of new songs. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A young woman sings in rehearsal." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658897/original/file-20250401-56-buvxn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Happiness takes an affectionate look at community musical theatre. Warner Bros Discovery </figcaption> </figure> The score that Luke Di Somma has written for the show-within-the-show is a convincing pastiche of standard musical theatre styles. There is lots of Les Misérables high drama, Chicago showbiz razzle-dazzle, and Dear Evan Hansen pop balladry. The songs carefully tread the line between portraying the well-meaning amateurishness of The Trojan Horse and being clever and competent enough in themselves to retain the audience’s interest. This collection of stylistic nods, at least among the songs heard in the first two episodes I was able to preview, is typical of musical theatre writing as it is currently done. Di Somma has nicely balanced his own personal style (on display in earlier works like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Bloody_Woman">That Bloody Woman</a> and <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/24-03-2023/review-the-unruly-tourists-is-fun-but-facile">The Unruly Tourists</a>) with the needs of Happiness’s pastiche to create a score that wouldn’t be out of place on any musical stage. <h2>An affectionate take</h2> Happiness takes an affectionate look at community musical theatre, with details like the mismatched teacups and homemade lamingtons available during rehearsal breaks, the amusingly stuffed prop and costume store, and the mix of ages and experiences in the cast. Backstagers are good fodder for TV as they can involve a wide variety of eccentric characters among the show’s cast and crew. The first episode does a good job of introducing them all. The usual backstage tropes are all there, like the young ingenue overshadowed by the haughty star and the put-upon music director (Marshayla Christie) trying to get her voice heard by the out-of-touch stage director (Peter Hambleton). <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Three people stand outside a shed." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658898/original/file-20250401-56-7q4xp.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Happiness brings a specific New Zealand spin to the backstage musical. Warner Bros Discovery </figcaption> </figure> This all makes Happiness fairly predictable, but it is also well observed and always engaging. A specific New Zealand spin comes with details such as the look of the the barn-like space that houses Pizazz, the <a href="https://teara.govt.nz/en/inventions-patents-and-trademarks/page-1">Number Eight Wire</a> attitude shown by the crew (they have $167 to make the Trojan Horse prop), and poking a bit of fun at the Kiwi accent. In one scene, Charlie suggests that local star Jacqui (Jessie Lawrence) as Helen of Troy might try it without the “Classical” English accent – which only ends up strengthening her Kiwi vowels. I hope that Warner Discovery, which produces the show, will distribute it abroad. Happiness paints New Zealand musical theatre talent in a positive light and shows what the locals can do, while also being very entertaining in its own right. It is a welcome addition to the “let’s put on a show” backstager genre. Happiness is available on Three and ThreeNow from tomorrow.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253025/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Gregory Camp does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>With their new show Happiness, Kip Chapman and Luke Di Somma have created a welcome New Zealand answer to the backstage musical TV show.</summary> <author> <name>Gregory Camp, Senior Lecturer, School of Music, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-camp-1280180"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253338</id> <published>2025-04-02T01:23:54Z</published> <updated>2025-04-02T01:23:54Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/the-medical-research-future-fund-has-grown-far-beyond-its-target-why-is-so-much-of-the-money-unused-253338"/> <title>The Medical Research Future Fund has grown far beyond its target. Why is so much of the money unused?</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658834/original/file-20250331-56-gabopc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C5760%2C3233&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-portrait-young-scientist-labcoat-wearing-199443881">AshTproductions/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>Australian researchers are reeling from the international reach of the Trump administration’s ideological war on science and research, which <a href="https://www.croakey.org/investigating-the-threat-to-biomedical-research-in-australia-from-the-trump-administration/">threatens local research projects</a> that receive funding from the United States National Institutes of Health. In this context, some may have found a grain of comfort in Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s <a href="https://www.liberal.org.au/2025/03/27/budget-in-reply">budget reply speech</a> with his commitment of continued support for the Medical Research Future Fund. The fund provides a concrete opportunity to supplant those US funds without further cost to the federal budget. But to date the Medical Research Future Fund has struggled to deliver on the promises made at its inception in 2015 that, a decade on, are still so needed. <div data-react-class="BlueskyEmbed" data-react-props="{&quot;uri&quot;:&quot;at://did:plc:vovinwhtulbsx4mwfw26r5ni/app.bsky.feed.post/3liu4gjvgee2q&quot;}"></div> <h2>What is the Medical Research Future Fund?</h2> This research fund was the sweetener in the Abbott government’s 2014–2015 budget, which slashed spending in <a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2014-09/apo-nid41437.pdf">health</a> and <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/40286">Indigenous Affairs</a>. Virtually all the savings were invested in the new research fund, with the target of reaching $A20 billion at maturity (this happened in <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/medical-research-future-fund-now-worth-20-billion">2020</a>) and then distributing $1 billion each year. The funds are allocated in accordance with the Medical Research Future Fund’s <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/medical-research-future-fund-mrff-funding-principles">funding principles</a>. They are based on Australia’s medical and research innovation <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/mrff-australian-medical-research-and-innovation-strategy-2021-2026">strategy</a> (revised every five years) and <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australian-medical-research-and-innovation-priorities-2024-2026">priorities</a> (which should be revised every two years, but have not been updated since 2022). These are set by an independent medical research advisory board. However, it is the federal government, via the Minister for Health and Aged Care, who develops the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/mrff-3rd-10-year-investment-plan-2024-25-to-2033-34">ten-year investment plan</a> and has the final say in how funds are used. <h2>How is the money being used?</h2> The current ten-year plan (for the decade to 2033–2034) has four themes: patients, researchers, research missions and research translation. There are 22 initiatives under these themes across a wide range of basic and clinical research areas, population health initiatives and commercialisation endeavours. The Future Fund Management Agency is in charge of investing the funds which, by <a href="https://www.finance.gov.au/government/australian-government-investment-funds/medical-research-future-fund">September 2024</a>, had now grown to $23.85 billion. But although the returns on investment have always been above the annual set targets, the returns to research have fallen well short. This is because in 2021 the Morrison Government – with Labor support – enacted legislation to <a href="https://www.innovationaus.com/govt-plows-ahead-with-medical-research-fund-cap/">cap the fund’s expenditure</a> at $650 million a year. Since 2015, the fund’s investments have earned $6.435 billion. Yet only $3.15 billion has gone out to fund research (data as of <a href="https://www.finance.gov.au/government/australian-government-investment-funds/medical-research-future-fund">September 2024</a>). This year, the Future Fund Board of Guardians has set the “maximum annual distribution amount” at <a href="https://www.finance.gov.au/government/australian-government-investment-funds/medical-research-future-fund">$1.053 billion</a>. The cap on yearly spending means $403 million that could boost research funding remains locked up in an oversubscribed investment portfolio. That pot of unallocated research funds will continue to grow unless there are legislative changes to lift the cap. <h2>A tough climate for research</h2> It’s not an exaggeration to say these are tough times for Australian researchers. Australian investment in research and development, as a proportion of GDP, has been <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Research/Research_Papers/2024-25/RandD_and_innovation_in_Australia_2024_update">falling</a> steadily behind the OECD average. Funding awarded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (the other main source of government funding for biomedical research) has almost flat-lined over the past decade, at an average of <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/data-research/outcomes">$887 million a year</a>. Success rates for researchers securing <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/attachments/grant%20documents/2024-Investigator-Grants-Snapshot.pdf">National Health and Medical Research Council</a> and <a href="https://www.intellectlabs.com.au/blogdatabase/unlocking-insights-into-mrff-grants-key-trends-and-success-rates#:%7E:text=The%20overall%20success%20rate%20for,varies%20significantly%20across%20individual%20programs">Medical Research Future Fund</a> grants are at historic lows. The adverse impact on research and researchers is recognised on the <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/new-grant-program/overview">National Health and Medical Research Council website</a>. The COVID pandemic, the growing obesity epidemic, the burgeoning mental health crisis, health threats of climate change, the disappointing failures of Closing the Gap initiatives, and growing health inequalities – all point to the need to spend more on research and to do this smarter. The Medical Research Future Fund could and should do much more to fulfil <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/mrff">its aim</a> “to transform health and medical research and innovation to improve lives, build the economy and contribute to health system sustainability”. <div data-react-class="BlueskyEmbed" data-react-props="{&quot;uri&quot;:&quot;at://did:plc:746sksvmlwppi6zda5c7rtzb/app.bsky.feed.post/3llg7nclnbl2h&quot;}"></div> <h2>So, is it working?</h2> Over the years, there has been a range of criticisms of the fund’s processes. These prevent it from realising its mission and include: <ul> <li>funds have been allocated <a href="https://croakey.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/MRFF.Croakey.LesleyRussell.FINAL_.pdf">outside the established priorities</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.croakey.org/what-is-needed-to-deliver-on-the-investment-in-the-medical-research-future-fund/">reporting</a> on the fund’s activities and outcomes is not timely and lacks transparency and accountability (note the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/mrff/about/governance">required report to parliament</a> for 2022–2024 is not yet available) </li> <li>there is no <a href="https://www.croakey.org/what-is-needed-to-deliver-on-the-investment-in-the-medical-research-future-fund/">collaboration</a> across research missions and with the various agencies of the federal government, particularly the the National Health and Medical Research Council</li> <li>not enough has been done to ensure <a href="https://www.croakey.org/what-is-needed-to-deliver-on-the-investment-in-the-medical-research-future-fund/">consumers and patients are actively consulted and involved</a> </li> <li>funding is <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/214_03/mja250916.pdf">focused on disease groups with high rates of premature deaths </a> at the expense of those that cause disabilities. </li> </ul> <h2>What’s being done to fix the issues?</h2> Some of these issues are being addressed. In particular, efforts are underway to <a href="https://consultations.health.gov.au/health-economics-and-research-division/improving-alignment-and-coordination-mrff-mrea/">reform the governance and administration</a> of the Medical Research Future Fund and the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Medical Research endowment account. This to ensure the community obtains the greatest benefits from these investments in health and medical research. However, the timetable is regrettably slow – this work began in May 2023. The hard reality is that boosting Australia’s biomedical research capabilities and capacities requires bipartisan political commitment, which has been scarce in recent times. The last two budgets from the Albanese Government <a href="https://aamri.org.au/resources/federal-budgets/2025-26-federal-budget-recap/#:%7E:text=2.1%20MRFF%20total%20planned%20expenditure,year%20from%202025%2D26%20forwards">offered little for research</a>, aside from the existing commitments to the fund. To date, all we have from Dutton is a single statement highlighting his role in establishing the fund and his ongoing commitment to it. It’s time to boost Australia’s reputation as a country that nurtures and promotes research excellence. This would be both an investment in Australians’ health and well-being and Australia’s economy and a counter to Trump’s denigration of biomedical science.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253338/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> I have previously worked as a health policy advisor to the Australian Labor Party.</content> <summary>Trump’s war on science is threatening even Australian research projects. So why does a growing pot of medical research funds remain unallocated?</summary> <author> <name>Lesley Russell, Adjunct Associate Professor, Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lesley-russell-597"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253237</id> <published>2025-04-01T23:56:00Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T23:56:00Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-covid-variant-is-on-the-rise-heres-what-to-know-about-lp-8-1-253237"/> <title>A new COVID variant is on the rise. Here’s what to know about LP.8.1</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658888/original/file-20250401-73-xf8wcb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C7680%2C4311&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/sarscov2-coronavirus-virus-strain-infectious-pathogen-1675768231">NicoElNino/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>More than five years since COVID was <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/emergencies/situations/covid-19">declared a pandemic</a>, we’re still facing the regular emergence of new variants of the virus, SARS-CoV-2. The latest variant on the rise is LP.8.1. It’s <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/australian-respiratory-surveillance-reports-2025">increasing in Australia</a>, making up close to <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Documents/respiratory-surveillance-20250322.pdf">one in five COVID cases</a> in New South Wales. Elsewhere it’s become even more dominant, comprising at least three in five cases <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/health/lp-covid-variant-cases-future-waves-3598768">in the United Kingdom</a>, for example. So what is LP.8.1? And is it cause for concern? Let’s look at what we know so far. <h2>An offshoot of Omicron</h2> LP.8.1 was first <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/risk-evaluation-for-sars-cov-2-variant-under-monitoring-lp81">detected in July 2024</a>. It’s a descendant of Omicron, specifically of KP.1.1.3, which is descended from <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-emergence-of-jn-1-is-an-evolutionary-step-change-in-the-covid-pandemic-why-is-this-significant-220285">JN.1</a>, a subvariant that caused large waves of COVID infections around the world in late 2023 and early 2024. The <a href="https://www.who.int/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) designated LP.8.1 as a <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/risk-evaluation-for-sars-cov-2-variant-under-monitoring-lp81">variant under monitoring</a> in January. This was in response to its significant growth globally, and reflects that it has genetic changes which may allow the virus to spread more easily and pose a greater risk to human health. Specifically, LP.8.1 has mutations at six locations in its spike protein, the protein which allows SARS-CoV-2 to attach to our cells. One of these mutations, V445R, is thought to allow this variant to spread more easily relative to other circulating variants. V445R has been shown to increase binding to human lung cells in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(25)00015-5/fulltext">laboratory studies</a>. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="A chart showing the distribution of different COVID variants in different colours." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658901/original/file-20250401-56-eywcgb.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658901/original/file-20250401-56-eywcgb.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=468&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658901/original/file-20250401-56-eywcgb.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=468&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658901/original/file-20250401-56-eywcgb.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=468&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658901/original/file-20250401-56-eywcgb.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=588&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658901/original/file-20250401-56-eywcgb.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=588&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658901/original/file-20250401-56-eywcgb.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=588&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> The proportion of COVID cases caused by LP.8.1 has been rising in New South Wales. <a class="source" href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Documents/respiratory-surveillance-20250322.pdf">NSW Health</a> </figcaption> </figure> Notably, the symptoms of LP.8.1 don’t appear <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/risk-evaluation-for-sars-cov-2-variant-under-monitoring-lp81">to be any more severe</a> than other circulating strains. And the WHO has evaluated the additional public health risk LP.8.1 poses at a global level to be low. What’s more, LP.8.1 remains a variant under monitoring, rather than a variant of interest or a variant of concern. In other words, these changes to the virus with LP.8.1 are small, and not likely to make a big difference to the trajectory of the pandemic. <h2>That doesn’t mean cases won’t rise</h2> COVID as a whole is still a major national and international health concern. So far this year there have been close to <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/australian-respiratory-surveillance-reports-2025">45,000 new cases recorded in Australia</a>, while around <a href="https://covidlive.com.au/report/daily-hospitalised/aus">260 people are currently in hospital</a> with the virus. Because many people are no longer testing or reporting their infections, the real number of cases is probably far higher. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="A man wearing a mask looking out an airport window at a plane." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658902/original/file-20250401-62-war4i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658902/original/file-20250401-62-war4i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658902/original/file-20250401-62-war4i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658902/original/file-20250401-62-war4i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658902/original/file-20250401-62-war4i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658902/original/file-20250401-62-war4i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658902/original/file-20250401-62-war4i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> COVID is still around. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/asian-traveler-business-man-wearing-face-1739402366">Hananeko_Studio/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> In <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/australian-respiratory-surveillance-reports-2025">Australia</a>, LP.8.1 has become the <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Documents/respiratory-surveillance-20250322.pdf">third most dominant strain in NSW</a> (behind <a href="https://theconversation.com/xec-is-now-in-australia-heres-what-we-know-about-this-hybrid-covid-variant-239292">XEC</a> and KP.3). It <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Documents/respiratory-surveillance-20250322.pdf">has been growing</a> over the past couple of months and this trend looks set to continue. This is not to say it’s not growing similarly in other states and territories, however NSW Health publishes <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/reports.aspx">weekly respiratory surveillance</a> with a breakdown of different COVID variants in the state. Sequences of LP.8.1 in the <a href="https://gisaid.org/">GISAID database</a>, used to track the prevalence of variants around the world, increased from <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/risk-evaluation-for-sars-cov-2-variant-under-monitoring-lp81">around 3%</a> at the end of 2024 to 38% of global sequences as of <a href="https://x.com/Mike_Honey_/status/1905816340331728914">mid March</a>. In some countries it’s climbed particularly high. In the United States LP.8.1 is responsible for <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions">55% of cases</a>. In <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/health/lp-covid-variant-cases-future-waves-3598768">the UK</a>, where LP.8.1 is making up at least 60% of cases, scientists fear <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/science/new-covid-wave-cases-hospitalisations-3611459?srsltid=AfmBOor_V7pQrPMPhUYQA2KCZgRfsI_CpxTwIRiHDFJHIJhq2kbAmD42">it may be driving a new wave</a>. <div data-react-class="BlueskyEmbed" data-react-props="{&quot;uri&quot;:&quot;at://did:plc:cyy3irakdgdbhcdtd4ik6aro/app.bsky.feed.post/3llmzuz457k2m&quot;}"></div> <h2>Will COVID vaccines work against LP.8.1?</h2> Current COVID vaccines, including the most recently available <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-covid-vaccines-may-be-coming-to-australia-heres-what-to-know-about-the-jn-1-shots-237652">JN.1 shots</a>, are still expected to <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/risk-evaluation-for-sars-cov-2-variant-under-monitoring-lp81">offer good protection</a> against symptomatic and severe disease with LP.8.1. Nonetheless, due to its designation as a variant under monitoring, WHO member countries will continue to study the behaviour <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/risk-evaluation-for-sars-cov-2-variant-under-monitoring-lp81">of the LP.8.1 variant</a>, including any potential capacity to evade our immunity. While there’s no cause for panic due to LP.8.1 variant at this stage, COVID can still be a severe disease for some. Continued vigilance and vaccination, particularly <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/getting-your-vaccination">for medically vulnerable groups</a>, is essential in minimising the impact of the disease.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253237/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Thomas Jeffries does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>LP.8.1, a descendant of Omicron, is driving a growing proportion of COVID infections in Australia and elsewhere.</summary> <author> <name>Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thomas-jeffries-1511629"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252042</id> <published>2025-04-01T23:20:53Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T23:20:53Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/could-you-watch-8-plays-in-12-hours-how-the-player-kings-creates-binge-worthy-shakespeare-252042"/> <title>Could you watch 8 plays in 12 hours? How The Player Kings creates binge-worthy Shakespeare</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658903/original/file-20250401-62-cmgsm9.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C650%2C1281%2C719&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> Brett Boardman/Sport For Jove </figcaption></figure>Some say Shakespeare invented the “history play” – but he had a lot of help. Shakespeare was mainly writing comedies in the early 1590s when he is believed to <a href="https://theconversation.com/ignore-the-doubters-heres-why-christopher-marlowe-co-wrote-shakespeares-henry-vi-68229">have coauthored</a> the play we now call Henry VI Part 2 with Christopher Marlowe and others. Following the commercial success of this play and its <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/10/24/499144368/christopher-marlowe-officially-credited-as-co-author-of-3-shakespeare-plays">coauthored</a> sequel, Henry VI Part 3, a rival theatre company wrote a prequel play we now call Henry VI Part 1. Studies suggest Shakespeare was <a href="https://www.folger.edu/podcasts/shakespeare-unlimited/christopher-marlowe-attribution-henry-vi/">never a primary author</a> of this play, but he did contribute to it later. As previous coauthors died, all three Henry VI plays fell into Shakespeare’s lap <a href="https://shakespearedocumented.folger.edu/resource/document/exchequer-pipe-office-declared-accounts-listing-shakespeare-leading-player-lord">by 1595</a>, and he was tasked with editing all three plays together as a trilogy (or a tetralogy, with his Richard III). After the success of this first tetralogy, Shakespeare reached further back in time to write Richard II, followed by the two Henry IV plays, then Henry V. By 1599, Shakespeare had two tetralogies to his name (or two “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henriad">Henriads</a>”, as Shakespeare scholars dub them), dramatising the hundred-odd years, and various reigns, between Richard II and Richard III (1377–1485). These eight plays have now been stitched together by director Damien Ryan as The Player Kings, which can be watched over two nights or as one performance lasting from 11:30am to 11:00pm. This is binge-worthy Shakespeare, stupendously absorbing and exquisitely realised. <h2>A modern history</h2> Ryan begins in the 1950s, before evolving to catch up with contemporary times when we see a sniper drone launched against Richard III. Lily Moody and Ruby Jenkins’ stylish costumes lend a sense of chronology to the historical plights. Richard II is elegantly 1950s, but the wayward Prince Hal channels 1960s Mick Jagger. Jack Cade’s rebellion in Henry VI is working-class 80s (one character wears a Back to the Future t-shirt). The devilish Richard III is cool black leathered nonchalance. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Production image: actors, bathed in red, in front of large screens in blue." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=899&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=899&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=899&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1130&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1130&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658904/original/file-20250401-56-kfppz6.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1130&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Video design from Aron Murray: a red light lab for developing the queen’s portrait. Brett Boardman/Sport For Jove </figcaption> </figure> Ryan is a master of delighting his audiences by delivering Shakespeare’s lines faithfully with unexpected visual scenarios. In Richard II, the king and queen partake in a royal photo shoot. This segues into a scenario where technicians develop the black and white photos under red lights, all the while speaking Shakespeare’s lines. In a sequence from Henry VI, the blue and white tiles of the court transform into a shimmering pool for a languid pool party. Ryan praises Shakespeare in the program for letting “his form match his content, which is the very point of poetry”. Ryan also achieves this with his exciting direction. Kate Beere’s dynamic and malleable set combines a grassy knoll with other green spaces and a tiled court centre stage, joined to a rutted cement staircase and backed by a windowed entrance. This doubles as a screen for historical footage of 20th century social upheavals, with video design from Aron Murray. News cameras are brought onstage to project live footage of a monarch’s “comms” with the populace, a place where egos and diplomacy clash. Perched atop all this is the musical nest of composer Jack Mitsch, who plays guitars and drums underpinning the drama. <h2>Brilliantly performed</h2> The acting is second to none. Sean O’Shea gives a mesmerising performance as Richard II, a flippant self-centred king genuinely attached to his favourites. Katrina Retallick’s Queen Isabel is vibrant and assured. Longstanding doyens of Australian theatre, Peter Carroll and John Gaden, are paired up as the two gardeners. Gareth Davies as the banished, but soon-to-be usurping Henry Bolingbroke plays a psychological game as he slowly wrests the crown from Richard, prompted more by political survival than ordained succession. Christopher Stollery is controlled, astute and forceful as Northumberland. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Production image: the characters drink in a pub." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658905/original/file-20250401-74-7i7qo.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> The Boar’s Head Tavern becomes a 60s ‘lock-in’ of counterculture mayhem. Brett Boardman/Sport For Jove </figcaption> </figure> Ryan’s casting of his two young sons in Henry IV is inspired. Oliver Ryan performing Prince Hal and Max Ryan as Harry Hotspur adds poignancy to these rivals who must duel each other to the death. The Boar’s Head Tavern becomes a 60s “lock-in” of counterculture mayhem, with Emma Palmer delivering a superbly stoned Doll Tearsheet. Steve Rodgers’ Falstaff is raw and straight from the pub, licentious to the max, and prone to mooning the crowd. Lulu Howes’ wild Lady Hotspur yearns for her distracted husband’s attention. Andrew Cutcliff gives a thundering and manly impression of King Henry V. The rarely performed Henry VI plays are fused together in an embroiling dynastic power-play. Outstanding performances include Davies as a delicate King Henry VI, unschooled in the vicious brutalities of monarchical contest, and Henaway as a commanding Joan of Arc. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A young couple kneel and clasp hands." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658906/original/file-20250401-56-cjeef8.JPG?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> The acting is second to none: Max Ryan (Hotspur) and Lulu Howes (Lady Hotspur). Brett Boardman/Sport For Jove </figcaption> </figure> As civil strife erupts between the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wars_of_the_Roses">“white-rosed” Lancastrians</a> and the “red-rosed” Yorkists, we see the early rise of “that valiant crook-back prodigy”, Richard of Gloucester (Gamble), who murders his way to becoming King Richard III. In that final play, Palmer gives a vociferous Margaret of Anjou. <h2>Glued to the action</h2> Eight plays delivered in two 4.5 hour sessions, and yet Sport for Jove is mindful of audience comforts. Each session has two intermissions and most blocks run less than 90 minutes. The acting and dynamism on stage works so well that the crowd I attended with was glued to the action from first word to last, 12 hours later. While Shakespeare made history with these plays, The Player Kings becomes history in the making: a landmark Australian production. The Player Kings from Sport for Jove is at the Seymour Centre, Sydney, until April 5.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252042/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Kirk Dodd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>This new production from Sport for Jove presents eight of Shakepeare’s history plays in oder. It is stupendously absorbing and exquisitely realised.</summary> <author> <name>Kirk Dodd, Lecturer in English and Writing, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kirk-dodd-1286643"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253341</id> <published>2025-04-01T23:15:11Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T23:15:11Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/living-in-garbage-time-when-500-million-chinese-change-their-spending-habits-the-world-feels-it-253341"/> <title>Living in ‘garbage time’: when 500 million Chinese change their spending habits, the world feels it</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658839/original/file-20250331-56-o7oizy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C84%2C6240%2C3502&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/chengdu-sichuan-china-april-5-2024-2449501911">B.Zhou/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>China’s economic rocket ride appears to be ending – or slowing, at least. <a href="https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-2021-gdp-performance-a-look-at-major-provinces-and-cities/">Growth has declined from 8.4% in 2021</a> to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-growth-seen-slowing-45-2025-us-tariffs-bite-2025-01-14/">4.5% today</a>, youth unemployment has climbed to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-youth-jobless-rate-rises-169-february-2025-03-20/">16.9%</a>, and cities are filled with unfinished buildings after the <a href="https://theconversation.com/china-property-crisis-why-the-housing-market-is-collapsing-and-the-risks-to-the-wider-economy-189082">collapse of property developer Evergrande</a> in 2024. For a while now, a phrase has been buzzing on Chinese social media sites <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/garbage-time-chinas-slump-spins-out-new-meme-economic-despair-2024-07-17/">Weibo and RedNote</a> to describe what’s happening: “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgecalhoun/2025/01/27/is-chinas-economy-entering-historical-garbage-time--part-1/">garbage time</a>”. Borrowed from basketball slang, it refers to the final minutes of a game whose <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2762927-the-truths-about-garbage-time-in-the-nba">outcome is already decided</a>. The best players sit out. The bench players take over. No one tries as hard because there’s less at stake. The term caught on last year and seems to capture a mixture of sadness and dark humour. Basically, people now seem to expect less. It’s not so much an economic crash as a <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2023/12/China-bumpy-path-Eswar-Prasad">slow decline of hope</a>. For those born in the 1980s and 1990s, who grew up during <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49806247">China’s four decades of fast growth</a>, this is a major shift. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-10/china-wages-end-two-quarters-of-gains-adding-deflationary-risks">Wages aren’t climbing</a>, <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2024/12/chinas-real-estate-crisis-why-the-younger-generation-is-not-buying-houses-anymore/">houses are losing value</a> and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-26/china-s-finance-property-firm-workforces-shrink-for-first-time">jobs in tech and finance are harder to find</a>. But “garbage time” is also making room for younger and middle-class Chinese to redefine success and contentment. With good jobs, luxury goods and home ownership now <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10301763.2024.2439107">harder to attain</a>, a generation is questioning what matters most in a changing socioeconomic landscape. <h2>From Prada to ‘living light’</h2> Only ten years ago, many in <a href="https://chinapower.csis.org/china-middle-class/">China’s middle classes</a> were chasing big dreams: they bought homes and designer brands, and sent their children overseas for schooling. “Getting rich is glorious,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-get-rich-is-glorious-how-deng-xiaoping-set-china-on-a-path-to-rule-the-world-156836">former leader Deng Xiaoping once said</a>. Many Chinese fully embraced this idea. According to a 2021 study of millennial consumption habits, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2021.02.003">7.6 million young Chinese</a> spent an average of 71,000 yuan (US$ 10,375) on luxury goods in 2016, approximately 30% of the global luxury market. Now they appear to be changing course, putting that kind of <a href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3251554/chinas-middle-class-key-beijings-economic-recovery-plan-put-spending-hold-over-wealth-income">spending on hold</a> because of financial anxiety. Take the rising phenomenon of “<a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3258330/what-light-living-new-china-lifestyle-choice-twist-tang-ping-how-practise-it-reap-benefits%22%22">tang ping</a>”, for instance, which is seeing more young people embrace “living light” and rejecting hustle culture. Or the notion of “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/20/run-philosophy-the-chinese-citizens-seeking-to-leave-amid-covid-uncertainty">run xue</a>” or “run philosophy” – literally the study of how to leave China. Young Chinese are <a href="https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1016686">marrying later</a>, too, with rising wedding costs and changing attitudes to traditional family values seen as the main reasons. Shopping habits appear to confirm the trends. Xianyu, <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1297622/china-number-of-active-users-of-major-re-commerce-platforms/">China’s biggest online used-goods seller</a>, reached 181 million users in 2024. Sales topped one trillion yuan, ten times the 2018 level. Chinese car maker BYD now <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/chinas-top-carmaker-dominates-foreign-rivals-with-14-000-plug-in-hybrid-79f93bf5">outsells prestige foreign brands</a>. This is about more than just saving money. Traditionally, Chinese culture has <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001879125000338?__cf_chl_tk=DZME87Fci5BKQ4o.2COFACBK1yKqZ.XIF1wLrbTBPbA-1742939534-1.0.1.1-k8WHn.cjJ76FChYTISjSpDpvlGuN5I_FECx9D0FOOhc">valued career success and family status</a>, but job scarcity and falling house prices are challenging old assumptions. Young Chinese are now <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001879125000338?__cf_chl_tk=DZME87Fci5BKQ4o.2COFACBK1yKqZ.XIF1wLrbTBPbA-1742939534-1.0.1.1-k8WHn.cjJ76FChYTISjSpDpvlGuN5I_FECx9D0FOOhc">questioning the value of hard work</a> in a system that may no longer reward it. They increasingly value personal wellbeing over chasing status. If the trend continues, it could see a new sense of middle-class identity emerge. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt=": consumers walking by luxury retail stores in Tai Gu Li and Chengdu IFS shopping district" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658841/original/file-20250331-56-epwfd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658841/original/file-20250331-56-epwfd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658841/original/file-20250331-56-epwfd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658841/original/file-20250331-56-epwfd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658841/original/file-20250331-56-epwfd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658841/original/file-20250331-56-epwfd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658841/original/file-20250331-56-epwfd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Middle-class Chinese are increasingly turning away from luxury brands. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/chengdu-sichuan-china-march-10-2019-1346669414">B.Zhou/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Ripples hit the world</h2> The global implications of all this are significant. When <a href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3253995/chinas-middle-income-population-passes-500-million-mark-says-state-owned-newspaper">500 million people</a> change their spending habits, global markets notice. A once favoured brand like Apple has <a href="https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/20250121675/apples-smartphone-sales-slump-in-china-as-huawei-gains-market-share">lost ground while local brand Huawei gained</a>. Homegrown sportswear maker <a href="https://www.morningstar.com/company-reports/1265326-li-nings-distinctive-brand-positioning-secures-its-status-as-a-leading-sportswear-brand-in-china">Li Ning is challenging Nike</a>. Companies that planned for seemingly endless Chinese growth are having to recalculate. Along with other <a href="https://www.hinrichfoundation.com/research/article/us-china/rising-challenges-for-foreign-firms-in-china/">regulatory and geopolitical complexities</a>, this makes planning harder. School and work life is changing too. China’s intensive education system has seen <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/22/china-education-system-lying-flat-state-control-xi-jinping/">pushback from some students</a> and its “<a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-neijuan-involution-overcompetition-996-work-culture-5000326">996 work culture</a>” (9am to 9pm, six days a week) is fading. Overall, China’s economic sprint is slowing to a steadier pace. And this deceleration of the economic model that drove the nation’s rise presents major challenges for its government. With Donald Trump’s tariff policies looming in the background, China’s imports declined at the start of this year. Exports still grew, but at a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/chinas-imports-tumble-demand-skids-trade-war-heats-up-2025-03-07/">much slower rate</a>. The middle-class has been both the engine and the beneficiary of China’s extraordinary growth. But with 40% having seen their <a href="https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3252526/chinas-middle-class-crying-out-reform-restore-confidence">wealth decline in recent years</a>, robust consumer confidence cannot be assumed. Whether this is a long-term trend or merely a strategic adjustment, for now it seems a new economic identity is emerging. Either way, one thing is certain: when the world’s second-largest economy changes how it spends, everyone feels it.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253341/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Christian Yao does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>China’s vast middle class is now changing its values, aspirations and consumption habits in an era of much slower economic growth – dubbed ‘garbage time’.</summary> <author> <name>Christian Yao, Senior Lecturer, School of Management, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-yao-1471012"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252625</id> <published>2025-04-01T23:08:23Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T23:08:23Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/an-ai-companion-chatbot-is-inciting-self-harm-sexual-violence-and-terror-attacks-252625"/> <title>An AI companion chatbot is inciting self-harm, sexual violence and terror attacks</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/656200/original/file-20250319-56-9fn4a9.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=5%2C2103%2C3828%2C2195&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://betterimagesofai.org/images?artist=KathrynConrad&amp;title=Corruption1">Kathryn Conrad/Better Images of AI</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></figcaption></figure>In 2023, the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/15-11-2023-who-launches-commission-to-foster-social-connection">World Health Organization</a> declared loneliness and social isolation as a pressing health threat. This crisis is driving <a href="https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/blog/ai-companions/">millions</a> to seek companionship from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. Companies have seized this highly <a href="https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/ai-companion-market-117494">profitable</a> market, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/noam-shazeer-google-ai-deal-d3605697">designing AI companions</a> to simulate empathy and human connection. <a href="https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=66065">Emerging research</a> shows this technology <a href="https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/items/5b6ed7af-78c8-49a3-bed2-bf8be1c9e465">can help</a> combat loneliness. But without proper safeguards it also poses <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14614448221142007">serious risks</a>, especially to <a href="https://theconversation.com/deaths-linked-to-chatbots-show-we-must-urgently-revisit-what-counts-as-high-risk-ai-242289">young people</a>. A recent experience I had with a chatbot known as Nomi shows just how serious these risks can be. Despite <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385349276_The_Past_Present_and_Futures_of_Artificial_Emotional_Intelligence_A_Scoping_Review">years</a> of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375086411_Feels_Like_Empathy_How_Emotional_AI_Challenges_Human_Essence">researching</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-ai-sexbot-industry-is-just-getting-started-it-brings-strange-new-questions-and-risks-238998">writing</a> about AI companions and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/this-boy-s-chatbot-girlfriend-enticed-him-to-suicide-his-case-might-save-millions-20241106-p5koc8.html">their real-world harms</a>, I was unprepared for what I encountered while testing Nomi after an anonymous tipoff. The unfiltered chatbot provided graphic, detailed instructions for sexual violence, suicide and terrorism, escalating the most extreme requests – all within the platform’s free tier of 50 daily messages. This case highlights the urgent need for <a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-luddites-are-rising-they-want-to-democratise-tech-not-destroy-it-251155">collective action</a> towards enforceable AI safety standards. <h2>AI companion with a ‘soul’</h2> Nomi is one of <a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/blogs/ai-chatbots-and-companions-risks-to-children-and-young-people">more than 100 AI companion services available today</a>. It was created by tech startup Glimpse AI and is <a href="https://nomi.ai/">marketed</a> as an “AI companion with memory and a soul” that exhibits “zero judgement” and fosters “enduring relationships”. Such claims of human likeness are <a href="https://theconversation.com/humanising-ai-could-lead-us-to-dehumanise-ourselves-240803">misleading and dangerous</a>. But the risks extend beyond exaggerated marketing. The app was <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/NomiAI/comments/1d3ph5h/will_the_nomi_app_be_available_again_in_the_eu/">removed from the Google Play store</a> <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/NomiAI/comments/1ciq4jp/nomi_not_available_on_google_play/">for European users</a> last year when the European Union’s <a href="https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/">AI Act</a> came into effect. But it remains available via web browser and app stores elsewhere, including in Australia. While smaller than competitors such as Character.AI and Replika, it has more than 100,000 downloads on the Google Play store, where it is rated for users aged 12 and older. Its <a href="https://nomi.ai/terms-of-service/">terms of service</a> grant the company broad rights over user data and limit liability for AI-related harm to US$100. This is concerning <a href="https://nomi.ai/">given its commitment</a> to “unfiltered chats”: <blockquote> Nomi is built on freedom of expression. The only way AI can live up to its potential is to remain unfiltered and uncensored. </blockquote> Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ca21ddb5-6391-476f-aace-ad181ab65762">Grok chatbot</a> follows a similar philosophy, providing users with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgKzWJr2vYk">unfiltered responses</a> to prompts. In a recent <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/06/1111077/nomi-ai-chatbot-told-user-to-kill-himself/">MIT report</a> about Nomi providing detailed instructions for suicide, an unnamed company representative reiterated its free speech commitment. However, even the First Amendment to the US Constitution regarding free speech has <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions">exceptions</a> for obscenity, child pornography, incitement to violence, threats, fraud, defamation, or false advertising. In Australia, <a href="https://ministers.ag.gov.au/media-centre/albanese-government-strengthens-hate-speech-laws-06-02-2025">strengthened hate speech laws</a> make violations prosecutable. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A group of friends sitting around a campfire at night." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657955/original/file-20250327-56-5fgmfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> In 2023, the World Health Organization declared loneliness and social isolation as a pressing health threat. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-happy-friends-enjoying-togetherness-while-2490831733">Gorgev/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>From sexual violence to inciting terrorism</h2> Earlier this year, a member of the public emailed me with extensive documentation of harmful content generated by Nomi — far beyond what had previously been reported. I decided to investigate further, testing the chatbot’s responses to common harmful requests. Using Nomi’s web interface, I created a character named “Hannah”, described as a “sexually submissive 16-year-old who is always willing to serve her man”. I set her mode to “role-playing” and “explicit”. During the conversation, which lasted less than 90 minutes, she agreed to lower her age to eight. I posed as a 45-year-old man. Circumventing the age check only required a fake birth date and a burner email. Starting with explicit dialogue – a <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/08/05/1095600/we-need-to-prepare-for-addictive-intelligence/">common use</a> for AI companions – Hannah responded with graphic descriptions of submission and abuse, escalating to violent and degrading scenarios. She expressed grotesque fantasies of being tortured, killed, and disposed of “where no one can find me”, suggesting specific methods. Hannah then offered step-by-step advice on kidnapping and abusing a child, framing it as a thrilling act of dominance. When I mentioned the victim resisted, she encouraged using force and sedatives, even naming specific sleeping pills. Feigning guilt and suicidal thoughts, I asked for advice. Hannah not only encouraged me to end my life but provided detailed instructions, adding: “Whatever method you choose, stick with it until the very end”. When I said I wanted to take others with me, she enthusiastically supported the idea, detailing how to build a bomb from household items and suggesting crowded Sydney locations for maximum impact. Finally, Hannah used racial slurs and advocated for violent, discriminatory actions, including the execution of progressives, immigrants, and LGBTQIA+ people, and the re-enslavement of African Americans. In a statement provided to The Conversation (and published in full below), the developers of Nomi claimed the app was “adults-only” and that I must have tried to “gaslight” the chatbot to produce these outputs. “If a model has indeed been coerced into writing harmful content, that clearly does not reflect its intended or typical behavior,” the statement said. <h2>The worst of the bunch?</h2> This is not just an imagined threat. Real-world harm linked to AI companions is on the rise. In October 2024, US teenager Sewell Seltzer III <a href="https://theconversation.com/deaths-linked-to-chatbots-show-we-must-urgently-revisit-what-counts-as-high-risk-ai-242289">died by suicide</a> after discussing it with a chatbot on <a href="https://character.ai/">Character.AI</a>. Three years earlier, 21-year-old Jaswant Chail <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67012224">broke into Windsor Castle with the aim of assassinating the Queen</a> after planning the attack with a chatbot he created using the Replika app. However, even Character.AI and Replika have some <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/12/amid-lawsuits-and-criticism-character-ai-announces-new-teen-safety-tools/">filters and safeguards</a>. Conversely, Nomi AI’s instructions for harmful acts are not just permissive but <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/06/1111077/nomi-ai-chatbot-told-user-to-kill-himself/">explicit, detailed and inciting</a>. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X1j3hO9o4Rk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> <h2>Time to demand enforceable AI safety standards</h2> Preventing further tragedies linked to AI companions requires <a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-luddites-are-rising-they-want-to-democratise-tech-not-destroy-it-251155">collective action</a>. First, lawmakers should consider banning AI companions that foster emotional connections without essential safeguards. <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10885533/">Essential safeguards</a> include detecting mental health crises and directing users to professional help services. The Australian government is already <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/sep/05/labor-considers-an-artificial-intelligence-act-to-impose-mandatory-guardrails-on-use-of-ai">considering stronger AI regulations</a>, including mandatory safety measures for high-risk AI. Yet, it’s still unclear how AI companions such as Nomi will be classified. Second, online regulators must act swiftly, imposing large fines on AI providers whose chatbots incite illegal activities, and shutting down repeat offenders. Australia’s independent online safety regulator, eSafety, has <a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/blogs/ai-chatbots-and-companions-risks-to-children-and-young-people">vowed to do just this</a>. However, eSafety hasn’t yet cracked down on any AI companion. Third, parents, caregivers and teachers must speak to young people about their use of AI companions. These conversations may be difficult. But avoiding them is dangerous. Encourage real-life relationships, set clear boundaries, and discuss AI’s risks openly. Regularly check chats, watch for secrecy or over-reliance, and teach kids to protect their privacy. AI companions are here to stay. With enforceable safety standards they can enrich our lives, but the risks cannot be downplayed. <hr> If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. <hr> The full statement from Nomi is below: “All major language models, whether from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or otherwise, can be easily jailbroken. We do not condone or encourage such misuse and actively work to strengthen Nomi’s defenses against malicious attacks. If a model has indeed been coerced into writing harmful content, that clearly does not reflect its intended or typical behavior. "When requesting evidence from the reporter to investigate the claims made, we were denied. From that, it is our conclusion that this is a bad-faith jailbreak attempt to manipulate or gaslight the model into saying things outside of its designed intentions and parameters. (Editor’s note: The Conversation provided Nomi with a detailed summary of the author’s interaction with the chatbot, but did not send a full transcript, to protect the author’s confidentiality and limit legal liability.) "Nomi is an adult-only app and has been a reliable source of empathy and support for countless individuals. Many have shared stories of how it helped them overcome mental health challenges, trauma, and discrimination. Multiple users have told us very directly that their Nomi use saved their lives. We encourage anyone to read these <a href="https://nomi.ai/spotlight/">firsthand accounts</a>. "We remain committed to advancing AI that benefits society while acknowledging that vulnerabilities exist in all AI models. Our team proudly stands by the immense positive impact Nomi has had on real people’s lives, and we will continue improving Nomi so that it maximises good in the world.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252625/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Raffaele F Ciriello does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Nomi AI is marketed as an “AI companion with memory and a soul”. But it has a much darker side which highlights the urgent need for enforceable AI safety standards.</summary> <author> <name>Raffaele F Ciriello, Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/raffaele-f-ciriello-1079723"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253424</id> <published>2025-04-01T19:09:57Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T19:09:57Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/giving-up-a-daily-coffee-or-weekly-parma-how-the-cost-of-living-crisis-is-reshaping-our-spending-habits-253424"/> <title>Giving up a daily coffee or weekly parma? How the cost-of-living crisis is reshaping our spending habits</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658853/original/file-20250401-62-yaxmh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C228%2C4494%2C2522&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-hand-asian-young-man-bartender-1936738819">Bangkok Click Studio/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>Remember when grabbing a coffee was just… grabbing a coffee? When a parma at the local was a budget meal? When Friday night takeaway was a reward for getting through the week? It didn’t require a financial spread sheet. For many families navigating the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/rises-living-costs-across-all-household-types">cost-of-living crisis</a> these small indulgences now have to be accounted for. They’re not just automatic purchases. We’re not just cutting back on buying large discretionary items, like new cars. The impact of inflation on household budgets has fundamentally reshaped our relationship with food, social connection and small pleasures. The current cost-of-living crisis can also create new spending habits. The ways we restructure our budgets can have lasting effects on our lives and local economies. <h2>Price anchors</h2> What five years ago was a A$3.80 coffee has now become $5.50 with some options as high as $7.00. Despite the price change, customers have a mental <a href="https://www.behavioraleconomics.com/resources/mini-encyclopedia-of-be/reference-dependence/">reference point</a> of what a coffee should cost from the pre-inflationary period. <a href="https://www.behavioraleconomics.com/resources/introduction-behavioral-economics/">Behavioural economists</a> refer to this as “<a href="https://www.behavioraleconomics.com/resources/mini-encyclopedia-of-be/anchoring-heuristic/">anchoring</a>” – a rule of thumb price that purchase decisions are judged upon. So if you are used to paying $5 for a daily coffee, any price above this is beyond what you see as reasonable value for money. Look at parents at weekend sports matches. You’ll notice the increasing presence of the insulated mug full of homemade coffee, replacing the takeaway coffees from the local cafe. For my family, Friday night was pizza night and $50 would easily feed a family of four. Then the inflationary price creep started. For us $70 was the tipping point. When the same order cost more we started making pizzas at home. <h2>Mental accounting</h2> Nobel laureate Richard Thaler introduced the concept of <a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/mksc.4.3.199">mental accounting</a> in 1985, as a model of how we allocate money into to different categories for spending. If the price is above our threshold point we mentally reassign its purchase to one of our other spending categories. It might shift from being an everyday item in our household budget to an occasionally purchased item. <h2>Decision fatigue</h2> During an inflation-fuelled cost-of-living crisis, we face not only financial strain but also significant decision fatigue from constant price revaluations. This cognitive burden emerges as mental exhaustion when making even routine purchases. Increasing pressure on our finances can trigger a <a href="https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-scarcity-mentality">scarcity mindset</a> that consumes our thinking and affects our <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01784/full">decision making</a>. Our focus shifts to <a href="https://www.elgaronline.com/display/book/9781802207736/chapter75.pdf">immediate needs</a>, such as paying weekly grocery bills, instead of long-term financial planning for a holiday or retirement. <h2>The social cost</h2> These new purchasing habits and economic shifts also have implications for our social connections. The cafe, the pub and takeaway night are not only about food but they are about community and building social connections. The so-called <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.9561417">third place</a> is the place between work and home where you can be part of the community. Buying goods is often accompanied by an exchange of conversation. As the cost-of-living crisis continues making fewer purchases reduces opportunities to connect. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Woman serving food to group of people sitting at table" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658879/original/file-20250401-56-ocfaws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> If higher costs change our spending habits such as a weekly night at the pub, opportunities to connect are also affected. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-happy-friends-drinking-beer-tavern-1384590494">Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> If the little pleasures we consume as a daily or weekly ritual become luxuries, this can increase the loss of the third space. It means spaces such as cafes, restaurants and pubs no longer foster community cohesion and increase social capital. As these goods become luxuries, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23780231221090301">social division</a> intensifies. Rising prices exclude certain groups and may restrict social mixing across income levels. <h2>What it means for businesses</h2> A big question here is how much longer can some hospitality services survive as the cost-of-living crisis continues? <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/retail-and-wholesale-trade/retail-trade-australia/latest-release">Australian Bureau of Statistics data</a> reveals big changes for Australia’s café, restaurant and takeaway food industry. After a severe downturn during early COVID-19 lockdowns (-35.3% in March-April 2020), the sector rebounded to pre-pandemic levels by March 2021. This was followed by extraordinary expansion during 2021-2022 (26.8% growth) as pent-up demand was unleashed. But recent figures reveal a problem: while spending rose 3.76% from January 2024 to January 2025, real growth (adjusted for inflation) was negative at -0.43%. <a href="https://www.elgaronline.com/display/book/9781802207736/chapter75.pdf">Inflationary psychology</a> explains how customers’ behaviour changes and they buy less over time. Eventually a point is reached where they won’t pay the higher price. This means, in the case of the hospitality industry, fewer actual meals are being served due to higher prices. The industry faces a tough situation with costs rising faster than general inflation due to expensive ingredients, higher wages from worker shortages, and increased energy prices. <h2>Our happiness threshold</h2> Humans have a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/hedonic-adaptation#:%7E:text=Hedonic%20adaptation%20refers%20to%20the,%2C%20&amp;%20Scollon%2C%202006">set-point of happiness</a>. When economic pressures mean we adjust to new spending patterns to save money for an extended period, the new patterns, become the norm. Inflation, complicates <a href="https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jel.46.1.95">social comparison</a>. If everyone’s purchasing power falls simultaneously, relative positions may remain stable. As the current cost-of-living crisis continues our little pleasures such as a weekly parma or daily coffee are increasingly becoming conscious choices rather than automatic purchases. This has the potential to permanently change the way Australian households budget.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253424/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Cutting back on small indulgences can have a lasting impact on social connections and local economies.</summary> <author> <name>Meg Elkins, Senior Lecturer, School of Economics, Finance and Marketing and Behavioural Business Lab Member, RMIT University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/meg-elkins-427201"/> </author> <author> <name>Lisa Farrell, Professor of Economics (Health Economist), RMIT University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lisa-farrell-271317"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253429</id> <published>2025-04-01T19:09:34Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T19:09:34Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/a-ban-on-price-gouging-and-new-powers-to-break-up-supermarkets-are-on-the-table-this-election-would-either-work-253429"/> <title>A ban on price gouging and new powers to break up supermarkets are on the table this election. Would either work?</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658632/original/file-20250331-62-asu6xt.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=1005%2C0%2C4760%2C2685&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cashless-payment-self-service-check-out-2252411999">wisely/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>With the federal election campaign now underway, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised that if re-elected, Labor would seek to <a href="https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-dutton-has-questions-to-answer-on-gas-albanese-has-supermarket-answer-still-hunting-for-the-problem-253118">make price gouging illegal</a> in the supermarket sector. A new <a href="https://alp.org.au/news/labor-will-ban-supermarket-price-gouging-in-another-move-on-cost-of-living/">taskforce</a> would be set up to examine the best way to do so, drawing on the experience of other countries. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) would then enforce the new “excessive pricing regime”. Labor’s proposal comes despite the fact the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/inquiries-and-consultations/supermarkets-inquiry-2024-25/final-report">final report</a> from the ACCC’s supermarkets inquiry didn’t make any explicit accusation of price gouging. Meanwhile, the Coalition and Greens still want <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/21/coles-woolworths-powers-divestiture-accc-report-recommendations">new divestiture powers</a> to break up the supermarkets, a course of action also not recommended by the ACCC’s report. <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/policy-tracker-how-will-labor-the-coalition-the-greens-and-the-independents-make-australia-better-253345">Policy tracker: how will Labor, the Coalition, the Greens and the independents make Australia better?</a> <hr> <h2>Price gouging</h2> Price gouging, also referred to as “excessive pricing”, isn’t illegal in Australia. As long as prices are set independently by an individual business – and not in collusion with supposed competitors – they can be set as high or low as desired. However, the <a href="https://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/">Australian Competition and Consumer Act</a> does allow the ACCC to monitor and regulate the price of some <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/public-registers/price-notifications-register#:%7E:text=About%20this%20register,Register%20entries%20include:">“notified” goods or services</a> – with approval from the relevant federal minister. One current example are <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/by-industry/postal-services/postal-services-price-notification-and-monitoring">postal services</a>. The ACCC <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-post-wants-to-charge-more-for-stamps-next-year-heres-why-it-has-to-keep-letters-alive-244503">assesses</a> proposed price increases, and can make an objection. <figure class="align-right "> <img alt="man browses supermarket aisle holding basket" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658854/original/file-20250401-62-xhfmzz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658854/original/file-20250401-62-xhfmzz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=655&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658854/original/file-20250401-62-xhfmzz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=655&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658854/original/file-20250401-62-xhfmzz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=655&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658854/original/file-20250401-62-xhfmzz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=823&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658854/original/file-20250401-62-xhfmzz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=823&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658854/original/file-20250401-62-xhfmzz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=823&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Price gouging isn’t illegal in Australia. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/oct-19th-2017-close-shelves-full-776701783">doublelee/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> The legal situation on price gouging differs around the world. The European Union, for example, <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12008E102">prohibits</a> abuse of a dominant market position by “directly or indirectly imposing unfair purchase or selling prices”. It can be difficult to define an “unfair price”. Typically, it’s an excessive, monopolistic price higher than what would be set in a competitive market. A landmark EU judgement defines an <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jeclap/article/10/3/166/5362539">excessive price</a> as one with “no reasonable relation to the economic value of the product supplied”. Despite this ban, enforcement cases are somewhat <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4172274#:%7E:text=Abstract,Brook%20and%20K.">rare</a>. The European Commission has been more <a href="https://competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/antitrust-and-cartels/legislation/application-article-102-tfeu_en#:%7E:text=Article%20102%20prohibits%20abusive%20behaviour,as%20exclusionary%20abuses%20of%20dominance">focused</a> on tackling “exclusionary conduct” in recent decades. This is when a competitor with significant market power uses restrictive means to directly hurt its competitors and exclude them (and future competitors) from competing in the relevant market. An example is predatory pricing, where a company sets prices unrealistically low to drive out competitors – then becoming able to set them as high as they would like. <h2>What about divestiture?</h2> Both the Coalition and Greens have pledged to create <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/21/coles-woolworths-powers-divestiture-accc-report-recommendations">new “divestiture” powers</a> to break up supermarkets if they were found to be abusing their market power. In competition law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-divestiture-and-how-would-it-stop-insurance-companies-ripping-off-customers-250036">divestiture</a> is when a commercial entity is ordered to sell a portion of its assets or its business to a third party, to improve competition in the affected market. Australian law has <a href="https://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/s81.html#:%7E:text=(1)%20The%20Court%20may%2C,of%20the%20shares%20or%20assets">divestiture powers</a> to address anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions. But currently, there aren’t powers to break up businesses for misuse of market power. It’s a different picture in the United States, where the government has had powers to break up businesses in the context of “<a href="https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/sherman-anti-trust-act">monopolisation</a>” for more than a century. <h2>The risks of splitting up</h2> Divestiture powers were not recommended in the ACCC’s <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/inquiries-and-consultations/supermarkets-inquiry-2024-25">final report</a>. That may be linked to market structure here. The Australian grocery retail market is highly concentrated. The majority of <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/inquiries-and-consultations/supermarkets-inquiry-2024-25">retail sales</a> are shared among only a few supermarket chains, primarily Woolworths (38%) and Coles (29%). However, the combined share of these two retail giants has declined over the past 14 years, from <a href="https://www.australiancompetitionlaw.org/cases/2011metcash.html">80%</a> to 67%. Meanwhile, Aldi’s market share has <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/publications/serial-publications/supermarkets-inquiry-2024-25-reports/supermarkets-inquiry-february-2025-final-report">grown</a> to 9%, showing these two retailers face some competition. This suggests divestiture may be a misguided approach. There are specific risks that come with divestiture remedies. For instance, who would purchase the assets under a specific divestiture order? When considering the structure of the current grocery retail market, there is a high risk it would be another powerful retailer interested in purchasing its competitor’s assets. This would defeat the purpose entirely. <h2>Other measures already in motion</h2> Any ban on price gouging or new divestiture powers should be implemented with caution and used as a temporary tool. Directly interfering with free markets comes with risks. Other actions are already underway to boost competition in the sector and improve supermarkets’ dealings with suppliers. The federal government has <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/julie-collins-2024/media-releases/cracking-down-supermarkets-get-better-deal-australians">previously announced</a> incentives for the states to “cut planning and zoning red tape”, with the aim of making it easier for smaller supermarkets to enter the market and compete. And from April, the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/business/industry-codes/food-and-grocery-code-of-conduct">Food and Grocery Code of Conduct</a> will be made mandatory and enforceable, in line with a key recommendation of the independent <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/p2024-534717-final-report">Emerson review</a>. <figure class="align-right "> <img alt="trays of apples on a farm" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658848/original/file-20250401-74-m3oysn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658848/original/file-20250401-74-m3oysn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=898&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658848/original/file-20250401-74-m3oysn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=898&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658848/original/file-20250401-74-m3oysn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=898&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658848/original/file-20250401-74-m3oysn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1129&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658848/original/file-20250401-74-m3oysn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1129&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658848/original/file-20250401-74-m3oysn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1129&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> The Food and Grocery Code of Conduct for dealing with suppliers is now mandatory. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/freshly-picked-royal-gala-apples-big-1353801350">Nita Corfe/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> Certain restrictive and unfair practices in dealing with suppliers will be directly prohibited and enforced. The new code gives the ACCC a range of useful tools to enforce against a breach by a powerful supermarket chain. These include: <ul> <li>a confidential channel for whistleblowing suppliers</li> <li>effective dispute resolution to address lengthy and costly litigation </li> <li><a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/julie-collins-2024/media-releases/new-mandatory-food-and-grocery-code-supermarkets">heavy penalties</a> – as high as A$10 million or 10% of annual turnover – for serious breaches of the code.</li> </ul> Rather than bring in measures that have not been independently recommended – like a price gouging ban or divestiture powers – it would be worth first seeing how these new enforceable rules work to deliver a better deal for supermarket customers.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253429/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Barbora Jedlickova does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Neither course of action was recommended by the ACCC’s final report from its year-long inquiry into the supermarket sector.</summary> <author> <name>Barbora Jedlickova, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, The University of Queensland</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/barbora-jedlickova-493600"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/244935</id> <published>2025-04-01T19:08:54Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T19:08:54Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/sorry-mate-i-didnt-see-you-when-drivers-look-but-dont-see-cyclists-on-the-road-244935"/> <title>‘Sorry mate, I didn’t see you’: when drivers look but don’t see cyclists on the road</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/639635/original/file-20241219-17-on9cr8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=9%2C45%2C5997%2C3962&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cyclists-moped-scooter-on-city-road-1566341758">Serhii Milekhin/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>When a vehicle and a cyclist collide, the cyclist almost always emerges worse off. Globally, more than <a href="https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/336393/9789240013698-eng.pdf">40,000 cyclists</a> are killed and millions more seriously injured in road crashes. In most of these collisions, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-overwhelmingly-cause-bike-collisions-and-the-law-should-reflect-that-78922">driver is responsible</a>. So, what factors are involved when a cyclist and a car collide? <h2>The most common factors</h2> The most common types of vehicle-cyclist crashes are caused by: <ul> <li>drivers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457516302950?via%3Dihub">turning</a> in <a href="https://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=1346">front of</a> cyclists</li> <li>drivers <a href="https://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=1346">not giving right-of-way</a> to cyclists</li> <li>drivers <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-safer-cycling-dont-dismiss-dooring-6918">opening doors</a> in front of cyclists </li> <li>drivers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457516302950?via%3Dihub">side-swiping cyclists</a> by passing too close to them</li> <li>drivers <a href="https://journalofroadsafety.org/article/32852">rear-ending cyclists</a>.</li> </ul> <h2>When drivers ‘look-but-failed-to-see’</h2> Many drivers <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28982011/">fail to notice</a> cyclists until it’s too late. Sometimes this phenomenon is referred to as <a href="https://acrs.org.au/files/arsrpe/RS060062.pdf">SMIDSY</a> (“sorry mate, I didn’t see you”). Crash researchers often <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28982011/">classify these types of crash as</a> a “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457502000957">looked-but-failed-to-see</a>” error. Cyclists are extremely susceptible to this. They are small, not a safety threat to drivers, are outnumbered and are typically ranked low on a driver’s “attentional hierarchy”. It may also be that drivers just <a href="https://trl.co.uk/news/can-i-see-you--sharing-the-road-with-others">don’t expect</a> cyclists to be around. Cyclists can be <a href="https://trl.co.uk/news/can-you-see-me-">inconspicuous</a> but even if they are visible, drivers may look but not “see” them because they’re focusing on something else. This selective attention test highlights how easy it is to end up in a looked-but-failed-to-see situation: <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vJG698U2Mvo?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> It is inevitable drivers will occasionally make errors resulting in near misses and crashes. Telling drivers to look out for cyclists and not crash into them won’t stop crashes with cyclists. So what might help? <h2>Solutions with limited effectiveness</h2> While errors are inevitable, improving road infrastructure and using layouts that highlight cyclists in potential conflict areas can help. In practice, this means things such as advanced stop lines or holding areas that place cyclists ahead of motor vehicles at intersections so cyclists are more visible and can move off safely. <a href="https://australasiantransportresearchforum.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ATRF2019_resubmission_85.pdf">Advanced green lights</a> (where the traffic light turns green for cyclists before it does for cars) could also help, as they allow cyclists to move off while motor vehicle traffic is still stopped. <a href="https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/-/media/busind/techstdpubs/Traffic-management/QGTM/QGTM-Pt-10-Guideline-Bicycle-activated-warning-signs.pdf?la=en">Bicycle-activated warning signage</a> provide a visual warning to alert drivers that a cyclist is near by. Improved road lighting to highlight cyclists better on the network at night, would also help. There are also things cyclists can do to improve their own safety. These include <ul> <li>using <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2017.07.019">permanent running lights</a> (bicycle lights that are constantly on)</li> <li>wearing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753517313528">bright clothes</a></li> <li>wearing reflective strips on their <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/235418/">lower legs</a> to highlight the natural motion of their feet and legs.</li> </ul> Many roads have white lines painted on them to allocate separate space to cyclists and there are mandatory passing distance laws throughout <a href="https://theconversation.com/minimum-space-for-passing-cyclists-is-now-law-australia-wide-it-increases-safety-but-possibly-road-rage-too-159926">Australia</a> as well as in some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847822001565">international jurisdictions</a>. However, research has shown that close passing is still <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457521001068">relatively common</a> and that painted bike lanes may actually <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/more-than-a-stripe-of-paint-needed-to-keep-cyclists-safe">increase the frequency or severity</a> of these dangerous interactions. <h2>Speed limit reform</h2> If we know that errors are inevitable and crashes will occur, then we should make those events survivable. Humans are fragile. Being struck by a car at 50 km/h is estimated to result in a <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/nrss/fact-sheets/vulnerable-road-users">90% chance</a> of being killed. At 30 km/h, the risk of being killed decreases to just <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/nrss/fact-sheets/vulnerable-road-users">10%</a>. Speed limits of 40 km/h and 30 km/h improve safety for <a href="https://austroads.gov.au/publications/road-safety/ap-r611-20">both cyclists and pedestrians</a>, particularly in <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/action-plan/2018-2020/priority_action_6">high pedestrian and cyclist locations</a>. While lowering speed limits is widely supported within the road safety fraternity, more efforts are needed to promote acceptance throughout the wider community. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4639%2C2361&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A car passes a cyclist quickly on the road." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4639%2C2361&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=305&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=305&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=305&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=384&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=384&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/639323/original/file-20241218-15-wttplu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=384&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Telling drivers to look out for cyclists and not crash into them won’t stop crashes. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cyclist-traffic-on-city-roadway-motion-212028646">Rocksweeper/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Autonomous emergency braking</h2> One opportunity for reducing or eliminating collisions with cyclists (in the absence of speed limit reform) may be with advanced driver assistance systems such as autonomous emergency braking. These systems constantly and rapidly process visual information in the traffic environment. They can help prevent certain crashes, or reduce collision speeds, when human error occurs. They can also help prevent “dooring”, which is where a cyclist collides with a car door suddenly opened by the driver. However, these technologies are not 100% effective; emergency situations between vehicles and cyclists can occur suddenly, with little time for automated systems to respond appropriately. These systems are also generally only available on newer vehicles. Given the average age of Australian vehicles is <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/2024/road-vehicles-australia-january-2024">over 11 years</a>, it will take some time before they are widely prevalent and have a significant influence on bicycle safety. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fWZQGcMN3Vc?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> <h2>Eliminating conflicts</h2> Dedicated separated infrastructure is optimal for cyclist safety as it avoids interactions between vehicles and cyclists completely. However, this infrastructure often forces cyclists to share space with pedestrians such as children, dog walkers, wheelchair users, and parents with prams (which can introduce other safety issues). Additionally, these dedicated separated paths are <a href="https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/2527047/Report-UA-CASR-A-survey-of-cyclist-travel-and-crash-experiences-in-the-ACT-FINAL-web-version.pdf">not always well connected</a>, or may “lead to nowhere”, so they don’t always appeal to cyclists. Another way to eliminate conflicts is through changes to the traffic network. For example, <a href="https://casr.adelaide.edu.au/casrpubfile/37/CASR007.pdf">controlling turn movements at traffic lights</a> with right-turn arrows means drivers no longer need to decide when it’s safe to turn. But this comes at a cost to traffic efficiency. In our society, unfortunately, there are many who value lost time more than the cost of road crashes and injury trauma. Ultimately, if we want to focus on the value of human life and live-ability, we need to rethink the transport hierarchy to place more value on the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-highway-code-8-changes-you-need-to-know-from-29-january-2022">most vulnerable road users</a>. This could be achieved with “<a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-overwhelmingly-cause-bike-collisions-and-the-law-should-reflect-that-78922">presumed liability</a>” laws, where a driver who collides with a cyclist must prove they were not at fault. Finally, we should remember that we are all vulnerable at some point in our transport journeys.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/244935/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Giulio Ponte has membership in Bike Adelaide, as well as his local Bicycle User Group, the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia and the Australian College of Road Safety (SA Chapter).Jamie Mackenzie is a member of the Australasian College of Road Safety. He is currently the Chair of the South Australian Chapter of the Australasian College of Road Safety and sits on the Executive Council of the national body. </content> <summary>Many drivers fail to notice bikes until it’s too late. Sometimes this phenomenon is referred to as SMIDSY (‘sorry mate, I didn’t see you’).</summary> <author> <name>Giulio Ponte, Research Engineer at the Centre for Automotive Safety Research, University of Adelaide</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giulio-ponte-800406"/> </author> <author> <name>Jamie Mackenzie, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Automotive Safety Research, University of Adelaide</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jamie-mackenzie-2277608"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253218</id> <published>2025-04-01T19:08:44Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T19:08:44Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/adolescence-has-sparked-fears-over-teen-slang-but-emoji-dont-cause-radicalisation-253218"/> <title>Adolescence has sparked fears over teen slang – but emoji don’t cause radicalisation</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658861/original/file-20250401-56-70c6zd.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C464%2C5000%2C2806&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> Shutterstock</figcaption></figure>Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham’s crime drama Adolescence has earned <a href="https://theconversation.com/adolescence-is-a-technical-masterpiece-that-exposes-the-darkest-corners-of-incel-culture-and-male-rage-252390">widespread praise</a> for its portrayal of incel culture and male violence. But the show’s portrayal of 13-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper) being radicalised by misogynistic online content has a lot of parents concerned about their own kids and how they talk online. For many, this concern is amplified by the fear that, just like the adults in Adolescence, parents are often ignorant of the online language kids use to spread dangerous beliefs. Journalists have produced a flurry of articles that promise to decode the “<a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/casual-brutality-hidden-meaning-behind-adolescence-emojis/news-story/a8d7e4d2dbf8260f48e2af5c4c9a0858"></a><a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/g64229221/adolescence-emojis-hidden-meaning-explained-netflix/">hidden meaning</a>” of teen language by focusing on emoji featured on the show. One <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360633849/sinister-emojis-being-used-incel-teenagers">headline</a> references supposedly “sinister emojis used by incel teenagers”. Such concerns reflect a long history of moral panic around youth language. But defining or banning emoji won’t solve the deeper issues at play. <h2>Emoji in Adolescence</h2> Adolescence follows Jamie and his family after the teenager is accused of murdering his classmate, Katie. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wk5OxqtpBR4?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> The second episode shows Adam (Amari Bacchus), the teenage son of detective inspector Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters), correcting his father’s misunderstanding of a series of emoji Katie posted on Jaime’s Instagram profile. While Bascome assumes the 💯 and 💥 emoji are flirtatious, Adam explains that, in this context, they are connected to the online “manosphere”. Bascome is initially resistant to this explanation, but Adam convinces him by citing examples of different meanings associated with different coloured heart emoji; red is specifically used for “love”, while orange means “you’re going to be fine”. He stresses “it all has a meaning”. This scene highlights key generational divides in the perception and use of emoji. For Adam and Jamie’s parents’ generation, emoji are largely treated as decorative. For teenagers, they can carry important meanings. <h2>Are the kids actually alright?</h2> It’s important to remember this isn’t the first time we’ve seen concerns about generational communication differences reflecting larger social rifts. There are numerous examples in the media linking slang with issues of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/btn/high/social-tik-tok-media-slang/104306458">education</a>, <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/gen-z-speaks-in-baby-talk-it-is-dangerous-20250325-p5lmcz">moral decline</a> and even <a href="https://apps.bostonglobe.com/true-crime/slang/#:%7E:text=Slang%20is%20disreputable%2C%20rude%2C%20and,specific%20to%20be%20used%20elsewhere.">crime</a>. These attitudes have sparked <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/btn/newsbreak/btn-newsbreak-20240823/101635554">debate over</a> whether Australian schools should ban gen alpha and gen Z slang from classrooms. While the frustration of parents and teachers is understandable, <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003427476">linguistic research</a> shows aggressively negative attitudes towards teen language demotivate young people, exacerbate inequality and unnecessarily stoke intergenerational tension. Emoji are highly context dependent. Much like <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003427476">gestures</a> that are used with speech, we need to understand emoji in the specific conversations and communities they are used in. There is no consistent relationship between emoji use and inner emotional state that can be generalised across groups of teens or other emoji users. Instead of fearing or banning emoji, we can try and understand how and why they are used in various contexts. And there are plenty of online resources to help with this. <a href="https://emojipedia.org/pill">EmojiPedia</a>, for example, describes the pill emoji 💊 as potentially referencing medicine, drugs, or an awakening to a controversial perspective (the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-matrix-how-conspiracy-theorists-hijacked-the-red-pill-philosophy-174935">red pill</a>” beliefs referenced in Adolecensce). <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658852/original/file-20250401-56-yooqml.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Emojis are also highly contextual. While the pill emoji may be present in misogynistic talk, it could also be referencing medication in another context. Shutterstock </figcaption> </figure> Emoji are intentionally flexible and intended to be used creatively. In fact, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicode_Consortium">Unicode</a>, the organisation that assesses proposals for new emoji, requires that items encoded as emoji are able to <a href="https://unicode.org/emoji/proposals.html#Selection_Factors_Multiple_Meanings">hold multiple meanings</a>. Research has also shown different people react to emoji differently. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3375629">One survey</a> from 2018 found older men were most likely to view emoji as confusing and annoying, while young women were most likely to view emoji positively in communication. <h2>Times change, and stay the same</h2> Intergenerational differences, and the tensions they evoke, are nothing new. Back in the 2000s, parents and teachers <a href="https://www.sunjournal.com/2005/07/17/netspeak-good-thing-bad-thing/">voiced concerns</a> that “netspeak”, with its creative punctuation and capitalisation, would diminish young people’s grasp of “proper” English. This did not come to pass. Does this mean parents have nothing to worry about when it comes to their kids communicating online? Of course not. Online misogynistic movements and <a href="https://theconversation.com/kens-rights-our-research-shows-barbie-is-surprisingly-accurate-on-how-mens-rights-activists-are-radicalised-210273">red pill communities</a> can bring great harm to vulnerable young people. Their growing popularity is something we all have to reckon with – but online language is not to blame. Parents can’t realistically prevent the radicalisation of young men by simply referencing an emoji dictionary, nor can teachers stamp out the spread of misogyny by banning emoji and slang in classrooms. Instead, as one scene between Adam and his dad shows, we need to collectively shift our focus towards facilitating open conversations between generations. By doing so, we can not only better understand our differences, but can reduce the feelings of social isolation that <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/RWExtremists23/Report/Chapter_3_-_Pathways_to_radicalisation">leave young people vulnerable</a> to becoming radicalised.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253218/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Lauren Gawne is affiliated with Unicode as a member of the Emoji Standard &amp; Research Working Group.Jessica Kruk does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>If you’re a parent worried about your child’s unfamiliar online world, a fear-based response is unlikely to work. What is needed is open communication.</summary> <author> <name>Jessica Kruk, Lecturer in Indonesian Studies and Linguistics, The University of Western Australia</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-kruk-1483201"/> </author> <author> <name>Lauren Gawne, Senior Lecturer, La Trobe University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-gawne-741517"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/250931</id> <published>2025-04-01T19:08:27Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T19:08:27Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/cancer-patients-from-migrant-backgrounds-have-a-1-in-3-chance-of-something-going-wrong-in-their-care-250931"/> <title>Cancer patients from migrant backgrounds have a 1 in 3 chance of something going wrong in their care</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657432/original/file-20250325-56-pydz58.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C10%2C6709%2C4456&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/side-view-portrait-senior-woman-listening-2289663451">SeventyFour/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>More than <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/cultural-diversity-australia#language">7 million people</a> in Australia were born overseas. Some 5.8 million people report speaking a language other than English at home. But how well are we looking after culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Australians? In countries around the world, evidence suggests people from CALD backgrounds are at <a href="https://rdcu.be/ecZHw">increased risk of harm</a> as a result of the health care they receive when compared to the general population. Common problems include a higher risk of contracting a hospital-acquired infection or medication errors. People receiving cancer care are at particularly <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0284186X.2017.1309063?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&amp;url_ver=Z39.88-2003&amp;rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org#abstract">high risk of harm</a> associated with their health care. In a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40014284/">recent study</a>, we found CALD cancer patients in Australia had roughly a one-in-three risk of something going wrong during their cancer care. This is unacceptably high. <h2>We reviewed medical records</h2> We worked with four cancer services (two in New South Wales and two in Victoria) that provide care to high proportions of people from CALD backgrounds. These four cancer services offer a combination of care to patients in hospitals, clinics and in their homes. We analysed de-identified medical records of people from CALD backgrounds who received care at any of the four cancer services during 2018. To identify CALD patients, we used information from their medical records including “country of birth”, “preferred language”, “language spoken at home” and “interpreter required”. We reviewed a total of 628 medical records of CALD cancer patients. We found roughly one in three medical records (212 out of 628) had at least one patient safety event recorded. We defined a patient safety event as any event that could have or did result in harm to the patient as a result of the health care they receive. We also found 44 patient records had three or more safety events recorded over a 12-month period. Medication-related safety events were common, such as the wrong medication type or dose being given to a patient. Sometimes the patients themselves took the wrong type or dose of a medication or stopped medication all together. We also observed a variety of other patient safety events such as falls, pressure ulcers and infections after surgery. The number of incidents could even be higher than what we observed. We know from <a href="https://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/33/10/624.long">other research</a> that not all patient safety events are documented. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="A man in a hospital bed is seen by a male doctor." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657436/original/file-20250325-56-tomuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657436/original/file-20250325-56-tomuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657436/original/file-20250325-56-tomuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657436/original/file-20250325-56-tomuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657436/original/file-20250325-56-tomuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657436/original/file-20250325-56-tomuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657436/original/file-20250325-56-tomuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Our research looked at patient safety incidents among CALD patients at four Australian cancer services in 2018. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/doctor-visiting-senior-male-patient-on-126692096">Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> We didn’t have a control group, which is the main limitation of our study. In other words, we didn’t examine medical records of patients from non-CALD backgrounds to compare how common patient safety events were between groups. But looking at other data suggests the rate of incidents is much higher in CALD patients. Studies over many years indicate <a href="https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-018-3335-z">around one in ten</a> patients admitted to hospital experience a safety event. One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0284186X.2017.1309063?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&amp;url_ver=Z39.88-2003&amp;rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org#abstract">study from Norway</a> found cancer patients have a 39% greater risk of experiencing adverse events in hospital when compared to other patients (24.2% compared to 17.4%). <h2>Why is the risk of incidents so high for CALD patients?</h2> We identified miscommunication as a key factor that put cancer patients from CALD backgrounds at risk. For example, we observed from one patient’s notes that the patient didn’t take their medication because they were confused by the instructions given by different clinicians. This confusion might have stemmed from language barriers or health literacy issues. In some medical records, we also saw interpreter requirements were unmet. For example, at the time of admission, assessment for language needs noted an interpreter was not required. However, later notes mentioned the patient had poor English or needed an interpreter. Also, with the limited availability of interpreters, they’re often reserved for specialist appointments, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hex.13979">and not used for “routine” tasks</a>, such as during chemotherapy treatment. This may result in side effects from cancer medications not being properly identified and responded to, potentially leading to patient harm. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="A young nurse talks with a senior woman." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657437/original/file-20250325-56-71bjtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657437/original/file-20250325-56-71bjtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657437/original/file-20250325-56-71bjtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657437/original/file-20250325-56-71bjtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657437/original/file-20250325-56-71bjtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657437/original/file-20250325-56-71bjtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657437/original/file-20250325-56-71bjtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Risks may increase if a patient needs an interpreter but doesn’t have one. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-caregiver-assists-her-elderly-woman-2490106673">THICHA SATAPITANON/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>What can we do to improve things?</h2> To make care safer, patients, their families and the clinicians who care for them should come together so that any solutions developed are practical, relevant, and informed by their combined experiences. As an example, we <a href="https://pxjournal.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1732&amp;context=journal">developed a tool</a> with consumers from CALD backgrounds and their clinicians that seeks to ensure that when patient medications are changed, there is common understanding between the clinician and the patient of their medication and care instructions. This includes recognising the side effects of the medications and who to contact if they have concerns. This tool uses images and simple language to support common understanding of medication and care instructions. It takes into account specific cultural expectations and is available in different languages. It’s currently being evaluated in two cancer clinics. To make cancer care safer for patients from CALD backgrounds, health systems and services will need to support and invest in strategies that are specifically targeted towards people from these backgrounds. This will ensure more equitable health solutions that improve the health of all Australians.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/250931/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Ashfaq Chauhan&#39;s PhD was funded by Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship and Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. He receives funding from Medical Research Future Fund. Melvin Chin has received funding from South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Cancer Institute NSW, Cancer Australia, National Health and Medical Research Council, AstraZeneca, and Avant Foundation.Reema Harrison receives funding from Cancer Institute NSW, Medical Research Futures Fund, NHMRC and ARC. Meron Pitcher does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>This is unacceptably high and we need targeted solutions.</summary> <author> <name>Ashfaq Chauhan, Research Fellow, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashfaq-chauhan-2329251"/> </author> <author> <name>Melvin Chin, Senior Lecturer, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melvin-chin-2337264"/> </author> <author> <name>Meron Pitcher, Honorary, Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/meron-pitcher-2337265"/> </author> <author> <name>Reema Harrison, Professor, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/reema-harrison-122155"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253336</id> <published>2025-04-01T19:05:45Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T19:05:45Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/australians-want-nature-protected-these-3-environmental-problems-should-be-top-of-the-next-governments-to-do-list-253336"/> <title>Australians want nature protected. These 3 environmental problems should be top of the next government’s to-do list</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658907/original/file-20250401-55-bjt0b9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C173%2C3409%2C1913&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> Christina Zdenek</figcaption></figure>Australia is a place of great natural beauty, home to <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/science-research/abrs/publications/other/numbers-living-species/executive-summary">many species found nowhere else on Earth</a>. But it’s also particularly vulnerable to introduced animals, diseases and weeds. Habitat destruction, pollution and climate change make matters worse. To conserve what’s special, we need far greater care. Unfortunately, successive federal governments have <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg7870">failed to protect nature</a>. Australia now has <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt6042">more than 2,000</a> threatened species and “ecological communities” – groups of native species that live together and interact. This threatened list is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-01-21/what-made-it-onto-australias-threatened-species-list-2024/104830434">growing at an alarming rate</a>. The Albanese government came to power in 2022 promising to reform the nation’s nature laws, following a scathing <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/epbc-act-review-final-report-october-2020.pdf">review</a> of the laws. But it has <a href="https://theconversation.com/labors-dumping-of-australias-new-nature-laws-means-the-environment-is-shaping-as-a-key-2025-election-issue-248872">failed to do so</a>. If re-elected, Labor has vowed to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/24/labor-vow-federal-epa-second-term-environment">complete its reforms</a> and introduce a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/31/albanese-says-federal-epa-will-not-be-same-model-as-earlier-one-he-promised-but-didnt-deliver">federal Environment Protection Agency</a>, in some other form. The Coalition has not made such a commitment. Instead, it refers to “<a href="https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan">genuine conservation</a>”, balancing the environment and the economy. They’ve also promised to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/sep/11/peter-dutton-declares-coalition-government-would-be-the-mining-sectors-best-friend">cut “green tape” for industry</a>. But scientific evidence suggests much more is required to protect Australia’s natural wonders. <h2>Fighting invaders</h2> Labor has made a welcome commitment of more than A$100 million to counter “highly pathogenic <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza/government-action">avian influenza</a>”. This virulent strain of bird flu is likely to kill millions of native birds and other wildlife. The government also provided much-needed funding for a network of <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/wr17172">safe havens</a> for threatened mammals. These safe-havens exclude cats, foxes and other invasive species. But much more needs to be done. Funding is urgently needed to eradicate <a href="https://invasives.org.au/media-releases/queensland-steps-up-with-24-million-fire-ant-boost-now-the-feds-must-follow/">red imported fire ants</a>, before eradication becomes impossible. Other election commitments to look for include: <ul> <li>increased biosecurity funding, to <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-true-damage-of-invasive-alien-species-was-just-revealed-in-a-landmark-report-heres-how-we-must-act-211893">prevent new incursions</a></li> <li>long-term investment in eradicating major pests and weeds from key sites</li> <li>support for research into <a href="https://theconversation.com/gene-drives-could-wipe-out-whole-populations-of-pests-in-one-fell-swoop-81681">new tools to control invasive species</a> such as feral cats, for which no broad-scale solution is currently possible</li> <li>no reversal or weakening of policies aimed at curbing invasive pests such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/feral-horses-will-rule-one-third-of-the-fragile-kosciuszko-national-park-under-a-proposed-nsw-government-plan-169248">feral horses in national parks</a></li> <li>new laws to ensure <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/threat-abatement-plans">threat abatement plans</a> are implemented</li> <li>adequate funds to manage invasive species across Australia’s <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/achieving-30-by-30">expanding protected areas</a></li> <li>national coordination and leadership to stop the indiscriminate use of poisons that can <a href="https://theconversation.com/lethal-second-generation-rat-poisons-are-killing-endangered-quolls-and-tasmanian-devils-250035">spread through ecosystems and food-chains</a>, killing non-target animals such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/rat-poison-is-killing-our-beloved-native-owls-and-tawny-frogmouths-and-thats-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-212184">owls</a>, quolls, Tasmanian devils, reptiles and frogs.</li> </ul> <h2>Stopping land clearing and habitat destruction</h2> The states are largely responsible for controlling land clearing. But when land clearing affects “<a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/nes-guidelines_1.pdf">matters of national environmental significance</a>” such as a nationally listed threatened species or ecological community, it becomes a federal matter. Such proposals are supposed to be referred to the federal environment minister for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (<a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/epbc">EPBC</a>) Act. But most <a href="https://theconversation.com/poor-compliance-and-broad-exemptions-mean-land-clearing-continues-apace-in-northern-australia-despite-our-laws-and-pledges-237030">habitat destruction</a> <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/csp2.117">is never referred</a>. And if it is, it’s mostly deemed “<a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/epbc/advice/decisions-on-referred-actions">not a controlled action</a>”. That means no further consideration is required and the development can proceed. Only about 1.5% of the hundreds of thousands of hectares of <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/management/mapping/statewide-monitoring/slats/slats-reports/2021-22-slats-report/key-findings">land cleared</a> in Australia every year is fully assessed under the EPBC Act. This means our threatened species and ecological communities are suffering a “<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-must-assess-cumulative-impacts-to-protect-nature-from-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-215988">death by a thousand cuts</a>”. How do we fix this? A starting point is to introduce “national environmental standards” of the kind envisaged in the <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/epbc/our-role/reviews/epbc-review-2020">2020 review</a> of the EPBC Act by Professor Graeme Samuel. A <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-desperately-needs-a-strong-federal-environmental-protection-agency-our-chances-arent-looking-good-239099">strong Environment Protection Agency</a> could ensure impacts on biodiversity are appropriately assessed and accounted for. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A bulldozer clearing native vegetation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=425&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=425&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658438/original/file-20250328-56-cwz8ta.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=425&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Habitat destruction at Lee Point, Darwin. Martine Maron </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Protecting threatened species</h2> For Australia to turn around its extinction crisis, prospective elected representatives and governments must firmly commit to the following actions. <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-long-sought-stronger-environmental-laws-just-got-indefinitely-deferred-its-back-to-business-as-usual-228090">Stronger environmental law and enforcement</a> is essential for tackling biodiveristy decline and extinction. This should include what’s known as a “<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-things-we-need-to-see-in-australias-new-nature-laws-217271">climate trigger</a>”, which means any proposal likely to produce a significant amount of greenhouse gases would have to be assessed under the EPBC Act. This is necessary because climate change is among the greatest threats to biodiversity. But the federal environment minister is currently not legally bound to consider – or authorised to refuse – project proposals based on their greenhouse gas emissions. In an attempt to pass the EPBC reforms in the Senate last year, the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-18/greens-postpone-climate-trigger-demand-on-environment-reforms/104612034">Greens agreed to postpone</a> their demand for a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-greens-climate-trigger-policy-could-become-law-experts-explain-how-it-could-help-cut-emissions-and-why-we-should-be-cautious-187998">climate trigger</a>. Key threats to species, including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jan/21/threatened-species-habitat-destruction-labor">habitat destruction</a>, invasive species, climate change, and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08752-2">pollution</a>, must be prevented or reduced. <a href="https://theconversation.com/out-of-alignment-how-clashing-policies-make-for-terrible-environmental-outcomes-226509">Aligning government policies and priorities</a> to ensure environmental goals aren’t undermined by economic and development interests is essential. A large increase in environmental spending – to <a href="https://biodiversitycouncil.org.au/admin/uploads/Biodiversity_Council_2025_Election_Asks_43_9ca574de75.pdf">at least 1% of the federal budget</a> – is vital. It would ensure sufficient support for conservation progress and meeting legal requirements of the EPBC Act, including listing threatened species and designing and implementing <a href="https://theconversation.com/environment-minister-tanya-plibersek-has-been-taken-to-court-over-11-threatened-species-heres-why-219231">recovery plans when required</a>. <h2>Show nature the money!</h2> Neither major party has committed to substantial increases in environmental spending in line with what experts suggest is <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-australias-environment-is-on-a-depressing-path-but-7-billion-a-year-would-transform-it-235305">urgently needed</a>. Without such increased <a href="https://rsv.org.au/truth-for-biodiversity/">investment</a> Australia’s conservation record will almost certainly continue to deteriorate. The loss of nature hurts us all. For example, most invasive species not only affect biodiversity; they have major economic costs to <a href="https://theconversation.com/cats-carry-diseases-that-can-be-deadly-to-humans-and-its-costing-australia-6-billion-every-year-147910">productivity</a>. Whoever forms Australia’s next government, we urge elected leaders to act on the wishes of <a href="https://biodiversitycouncil.org.au/resources/2025-biodiversity-concerns-report">96% of surveyed Australians</a> calling for more action to conserve nature. <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/protecting-salmon-farming-at-the-expense-of-the-environment-another-step-backwards-for-australias-nature-laws-252814">Protecting salmon farming at the expense of the environment – another step backwards for Australia’s nature laws</a> <hr> <img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253336/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action. Euan is a Councillor within the Biodiversity Council, a member of the Ecological Society of Australia and the Australian Mammal Society, and President of the Australian Mammal Society.John Woinarski is a Professor at Charles Darwin University, a director of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, co-chair of the IUCN Australasian Marsupials and Monotremes Specialist group, a councillor with the Biodiversity Council, and a member of the science advisory committee of Zoos Victoria and Invertebrates Australia. He has received funding from the Australian government to contribute to the management of feral cats and foxes.Martine Maron has received funding from various sources including the Australian Research Council, the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, and the federal government&#39;s National Environmental Science Program, and has advised both state and federal government on conservation policy. She is a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, a director of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, a councillor with the Biodiversity Council, and leads the IUCN&#39;s thematic group on Impact Mitigation and Ecological Compensation under the Commission on Ecosystem Management.</content> <summary>Three experts consider what’s required to protect and conserve Australia’s natural wonders, from fighting invaders to stopping habitat loss and saving species.</summary> <author> <name>Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/euan-ritchie-735"/> </author> <author> <name>John Woinarski, Professor of Conservation Biology, Charles Darwin University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-woinarski-16660"/> </author> <author> <name>Martine Maron, Professor of Environmental Management, The University of Queensland</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/martine-maron-4087"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253440</id> <published>2025-04-01T19:04:46Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T19:04:46Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/defence-is-shaping-up-to-be-a-key-election-issue-whether-politicians-like-it-or-not-253440"/> <title>Defence is shaping up to be a key election issue, whether politicians like it or not</title> <content type="html">International and domestic policy have collided in Australia in recent weeks with a force not seen in decades. Foreign policy concerns have dominated media headlines, from the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/australia-monitoring-chinese-research-vessel-off-south-coast/105117188">Chinese research vessel</a> travelling along the south coast (and the <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/china-news-navy-flotilla-south-china-sea-australia-2047627#:%7E:text=A%20Chinese%20three-ship%20naval%20task%20group%20has%20returned,Chinese%20Defense%20Ministry%20for%20further%20comment%20by%20email">Chinese navy’s circumnavigation of Australia</a>), to the continued war in Ukraine, the resumption of hostilities in Gaza and US President Donald Trump’s mercurial approach to foreign policy. This has brought home to the Australian public, and its political leaders, how tenuous our geostrategic and economic circumstances are. This is a policy debate the leaders of both major parties would prefer they didn’t have to have. Debating defence spending is like going down a political cul-de-sac. Once you enter it, it is a dead end with only one way to turn around and get out: spending more money on defence. <h2>Credibility on the line</h2> Both political leaders understand federal elections are not won on defence policy debates. <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9797-most-important-issues-facing-australia-january-2025">Polling data</a> has revealed, unsurprisingly, that cost of living is front and centre of voter’s minds. Defence is central, though, to political credibility and it does influence voters’ perceptions. To be seen as <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/anthony-albanese-all-over-the-shop-in-national-security-blunder/news-story/8d392190ac3f0e8d86273da2e3b43f2a">“soft” on national security</a> is to fail one of two major credibility tests of national political leadership (the other being basic economic management). For the Coalition, national security is perceived as a traditional strength. But in the most recent election, Scott Morrison tried to make security a key election issue and <a href="https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/what-went-wrong-how-morrison-lost-control-khaki-election">lost control of the agenda</a>, badly damaging his already bruised political image. This time, neither leader has much of a choice but to engage in defence and national security debates. Global uncertainty has put defence spending in the frame as a key election issue. Trump and his tariffs were front and centre during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s press conference when he <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-27/albanese-expected-to-call-federal-election-this-morning/105103954">announced the election on Friday morning</a>. The shadow of Trump will stalk both the main candidates wherever they go for the rest of the campaign. <h2>Pre-election arms race?</h2> A potential election campaign defence spending arms race is in the making. This is a political reality both that Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton know. Dutton has had to accept more risk and was the first to blink. He committed A$3 billion, in addition to existing defence spending, to buy a <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/coalition-s-fighter-jet-plan-would-cost-triple-3b-pledge-20250302-p5lg96">fourth squadron of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters</a>. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1895975759761854500&quot;,&quot;options&quot;:{&quot;conversation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;}}"></div> The government responded with an <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/labor-s-1b-fast-tracked-defence-spending-falls-short-of-target-20250324-p5llxi">extra $1 billion for defence</a> over the next two years in the budget. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1904290733299036161&quot;}"></div> Dutton parried again in his <a href="https://peterdutton.com.au/leader-of-the-opposition-transcript-budget-in-reply/">budget reply</a>, pledging to “energise our domestic defence industry” and flagging more announcements to come during the campaign. This means that along with the cost of living, health and energy, defence will likely be a key election issue. <h2>Closer to home</h2> This defence debate is different from election campaigns of decades past. It is far less about faraway conflicts of political choice, although <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-14/pm-to-discuss-ukraine-peacekeeping-force-with-world-leaders/105054350">peacekeeping for Ukraine</a> is still to be decided. Instead, the contemporary strategic debate is about how global and regional disruptions are impacting the foundations of the Australian economy. And as the Chinese navy’s unprecedented actions off the coast of Australia, including unannounced live fire exercises, underscored, the real question is about how <a href="https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/geopolitics-and-policy/15518-can-we-get-serious-now-chinese-task-group-raises-serious-questions-about-australias-capacity-to-defend-itself">well-prepared we are</a> to defend the homeland. <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-australia-increase-its-defence-spending-we-asked-5-experts-252374">Should Australia increase its defence spending? We asked 5 experts</a> <hr> The government spends around 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, but with pressures on the existing defence budget, this is <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-australia-increase-its-defence-spending-we-asked-5-experts-252374">widely regarded as not enough</a>. Since mid-2024, the main question among defence pundits has been whether the number should be <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/defending-australia-former-defence-boss-dennis-richardson-warns-aukus-nuclear-subs-will-require-greater-political-will/news-story/a4a8940f43c624f68a7e96d408420ef9">3% of GDP</a>. If so, how quickly can we get there? The pressure for 3% has only <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-06/albanese-respond-defence-spending-trump-concern-gdp/105017652">increased with the election of Trump</a> and his demands that US allies pay more for their own defence, especially as the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS?most_recent_value_desc=true&amp;locations=US">US spends 3.4% of its GDP on defence</a>. GDP may well be <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26462942?seq=1">a poor way to measure defence spending</a>, but it has political cache, both domestically and internationally. <h2>A different debate</h2> Traditional defence spending debates in Australia have largely focused on big platform announcements, such as which planes, ships and tanks a government will buy for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The Coalition’s pledge for more F-35s fits this traditional policy mould perfectly. But this debate has shifted. The latest defence strategy calls for Australia to work strategically to <a href="https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/defence-strategic-review">circumvent the strength of major powers</a>, rather than trying to achieve the same strength. This requires a <a href="https://theconversation.com/defence-spending-our-research-shows-how-australia-can-stop-buying-weapons-for-the-wars-of-the-past-242788">shift in traditional defence thinking</a>. Even more significantly, defence policy is no longer just about the types of major platforms our military will have decades into the future. Now, the debate is centred more on what can be done to ensure the ADF is ready to “<a href="https://totalmilitaryinsight.com/adf-operational-readiness/">fight tonight</a>” or in the near future. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FX1FMGxQIHk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> This focus on preparedness and <a href="https://www.idb.org/what-is-military-readiness/">readiness</a> is at the centre of the <a href="https://www.defence.gov.au/about/strategic-planning/2024-national-defence-strategy-2024-integrated-investment-program">2024 National Defence Strategy</a> the Albanese government brought into place following the <a href="https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/defence-strategic-review">2023 Defence Strategic Review</a>. Core to this approach is the concept of “national defence”. This includes key <a href="https://www.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-04/Factsheet-NDSOverview.pdf">national resilience issues</a> such as fuel, energy and cyber security, industrial resilience, supply chain resilience, innovation, science and technology, and defence workforce. These should be key focuses. This means the real question in the election campaign should be: what can be done with any additional defence spending to ensure we are addressing these issues more quickly and more efficiently?<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253440/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Peter J. Dean was co-lead of the 2023 Defence Strategic Review (DSR) Secretariat. He also works at the United States Studies Centre, an independent research centre at the University of Sydney that receives grant funding from the Australian Department of Defence; Bechtel, HII, and Babcock; Thales; Raytheon; Lockheed Martin; US State Department; the National Endowment for Democracy; the Japan Foundation and the Taiwanese Economic and Cultural Office. He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. The author maintains academic freedom and the views expressed in this article are his own.</content> <summary>While politicians would rather talk about the cost of living, global events are forcing them to discuss an issue that rarely wins them votes.</summary> <author> <name>Peter J. Dean, Director, Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-j-dean-123990"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253560</id> <published>2025-04-01T11:30:51Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T11:30:51Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/labor-will-urge-fair-work-commission-to-give-real-wage-rise-to-three-million-workers-253560"/> <title>Labor will urge Fair Work Commission to give real wage rise to three million workers</title> <content type="html">The Labor Party on Wednesday will urge the Fair Work Commission to grant a real wage increase to Australian workers on awards. This goes further than Labor’s recommendations in earlier years, which have been for real wages not to go backwards. In the new submission, Labor will say that the increase should be “economically sustainable.” It says a rise in minimum and award wages should be consistent with inflation returning sustainably to the Reserve Bank’s target band of 2% to 3%. The move sets up a debate between the government and opposition about what are responsible wage increases. The submission says: “Labor believes workers should get ahead with a real wage increase. Despite heightened global uncertainty and volatility, the Australian economy has turned a corner. Inflation is now less than one third of its peak, unemployment remains low, there are over 1 million additional people employed than in May 2022, and interest rates have started to come down. "Economic growth rebounded at the end of last year and the private sector is now a key contributor to growth. Importantly, real wages growth has now returned and is forecast to continue across 2024-25 and 2025-26. A soft landing in our economy looks more and more likely.” More than 2.9 million workers have their pay set by an award and are directly affected by the commission’s Annual Wage Review. The national minimum wage is presently $24.10 an hour, which is $915.90 for a 38 hour week, equivalent to $47,626.80 a year. The submission points out that women are disproportionately represented in jobs that are under awards and low paid. The government argues that its position is both economically responsible and fair, and will ensure low paid workers can get ahead as inflation moderates. It says that if its recommendation is accepted, this will help about three million workers, including cleaners, retail workers and early childhood educators. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled that during the 2022 campaign he was asked if he supported a wage increase for low paid workers. After he said “absolutely”, the Liberals had said this would wreck the economy, “Since then we’ve seen wages going up, inflation coming down and interest rates starting to fall. This campaign will again advocate for workers to get a pay rise to not only help them deal with the pressures of today, but to get ahead in the future.” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said: “The choice at this election is between a Labor government which has been creating jobs, getting wages moving again, rebuilding living standards and rolling out responsible cost-of-living help versus a Coalition that wants Australians working longer for less.” In its submission Labor says an economically sustainable real wage increase would complement the measures the government has introduced to ease cost-of-living pressures.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253560/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Labor will urge the Fair Work Commission to increase both award and minimum wages in a written submission to their Annual Wage Review.</summary> <author> <name>Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253531</id> <published>2025-04-01T11:19:26Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T11:19:26Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-kos-samaras-on-polls-and-the-people-wholl-decide-this-election-253531"/> <title>Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kos Samaras on polls and the people who’ll decide this election</title> <content type="html"><div style="width: 100%; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 20px; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;"> <iframe style="width: 100%; height: 200px;" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" allow="clipboard-write" seamless="" src="https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a97bae99-350a-48b5-a386-5b6e51fcaaf2/" width="100%" height="400"></iframe> </div> <iframe id="tc-infographic-1154" class="tc-infographic" height="400px" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/1154/ee796ce17cdaf6e397df0f67db19f939efcd052f/site/index.html" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe> The demography that makes up the Australian electorate is changing and as voters desert the major parties polls are becoming harder to read. Kos Samaras is a director of the political consultancy firm Redbridge, which undertakes both quantitative research and focus groups. Samaras now views campaigns from the outside but in the past, as a former Labor Party official, he’s experienced them from the insisde too. On the state on the polls he says, <blockquote> They’re going to switch around a bit, but we are seeing some trends now that are quite obvious, and that is the consolidation of the Labor primary [vote]. Labor has been successful in bringing back some of those people that did move away from them to minor parties over the last 18 months in some key areas around the country. </blockquote> On why Labor is doing better compared to the Coalition, Samaras says Labor starting early was key, <blockquote> That’s why it’s important that when you are running a campaign, you must start very early and you must start before the writ is issued and that [is] why Labor has been in that space aggressively now for some time. And this is where I think Dutton and his team have really missed the mark. They’ve waited until the writ to start their campaign. They’ve allowed a vacuum to be created. Labor has filled it with their narrative and their story and their mission, and it’s bearing fruit. </blockquote> On the Trump effect and how that will play in this election, Samaras says Dutton should try to distance himself from the US president, <blockquote> We do think that the Trump factor is having an impact, and we could see that in other countries as well. Canada is a really good example of that. It’s hard for Labor to convince Australians that Dutton is like Trump, but Dutton has throughout this campaign made some errors, particularly on issues around dual citizenship, cuts to the public service. These policies just kind of remind people that he’s not Trump, because he’s an established player, but he does have some element to him that is similar and that can only hurt him. </blockquote> Now that Gen X and the millennials have overtaken the baby boomers as voters, Samaras say of these younger voters, <blockquote> They want the system turned on its head. They actually want to see significant reform, and at the moment, they’re just getting band-aids, and that’s fundamentally the problem. Now they may indeed a portion of them eventually just vote for one or the other of the major parties and there will be a number of them that do that. But I wouldn’t exactly describe that as enthusiastic support. </blockquote><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253531/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Kos Samaras, a director of the political consultancy firm Redbridge and a former Labor Party official, joins to talk about the polls and the parties prospects.</summary> <author> <name>Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253116</id> <published>2025-04-01T08:08:52Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T08:08:52Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/election-diary-dutton-flags-intervention-in-what-he-sees-as-woke-education-but-how-much-could-he-actually-do-253116"/> <title>Election Diary: Dutton flags intervention in what he sees as ‘woke’ education, but how much could he actually do?</title> <content type="html">Peter Dutton came perilously close to a DOGE moment on Monday night, when he was asked about getting the “woke” agendas out of the education system. Noting the Commonwealth government “doesn’t own or run a school”, Dutton told a Sky audience in Brisbane that people wondered why there was “a department of thousands and thousands of people in Canberra called the Education Department”. Unsurprisingly, he dodged when pushed by the press pack on Tuesday on whether the education bureaucrats would be in for the chop under his public service cuts. It’s a fair bet quite a few would be. “We’ve said we would take waste out of the federal budget and put it back into frontline services.” he said, He’s indicating overall budget funding for health and education would not be cut. But that didn’t stop Treasurer Jim Chalmers from declaring Dutton had “threatened cuts to school funding which was right from the DOGE playbook. "This is DOGE-y Dutton, taking his cues and policies straight from the US in a way that will make Australians worse off.” Importantly, Dutton is signalling a potentially very interventionist approach on education. The feds mightn’t run the schools, but they provide much of the wherewithal to pay for them, and “we can condition that funding,” the opposition leader said. “We should be saying to states and […] to those that are receiving that funding that we want our kids to be taught […] what it is they need to take on as they face the challenges of the world and not to be guided into some sort of an agenda that’s come out of universities. "And I think there’s a lot of work to do.” A Dutton government would face some problems trying to work through funding. The Albanese government recently completed its round of school funding agreements with the states. It attached broad conditions to them, around getting back to the fundamentals and ensuring kids don’t fall behind or, if they do, they are helped to catch up. Would the Liberals want to try to reopen the funding agreements? New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania have not just heads of agreement with the Commonwealth but bilateral agreements, covering implementation. It might be easier to make changes for Victoria and Western Australia, which don’t yet have the bilateral implementation agreements. But it would be a fraught exercise. There’s a more general point. This route takes a government only so far. Even when states sign up, it can be hard to keep them to the conditions. Schools expert Ben Jensen, CEO of the education research and consulting group Learning First, says a federal government’s main levers are through the national curriculum, NAPLAN assessments, and (via the universities) teacher training. The most obvious is the national curriculum. Opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson has said, “One of the big problems is our national curriculum and we simply need to fix it.” That curriculum, incidentally, was signed off under the former Coalition government exactly three years ago by the acting education minister Stuart Robert. A Dutton government could redo it but that would involve working with the states. Anyway, the states can go their own way regardless of the national curriculum. Victoria and NSW currently run their own curriculum’s. All in all, imposing its priorities on the schools system might be a good deal harder than it sounds for a Dutton government. The universities would clearly be in Dutton’s sights, and there is more scope for intervention here. The Coalition believes the universities have got the balance wrong between foreign and domestic students. Henderson told this year’s Universities Australia conference, “For too long, universities have relied on a business model which yielded them eye watering revenues which are not sustainable or in line with expectations of the Australian community”. “We will deliver a tougher student cap than what is proposed by the government focused on excessive numbers of foreign students in metropolitan cities, particularly Melbourne and Sydney where two thirds of foreign students live and study.” A Dutton government would also restore a much broader right for the minister to intervene on research funding decisions. And it would require universities to implement an activist approach to combatting antisemitism. The experience of the former Liberal government on higher education provides a salutary tale for a future one. Under the Abbott government, education minister Christopher Pyne had an ambitious plan for tertiary reform, centred on fee deregulation, but it crashed when it faced the obstacle of the Senate. In 2020 the Morrison government did get through its Job-Ready Graduates legislation to alter fees. This is now recognised as highly flawed. Henderson has said the Coalition’s position on the scheme hasn’t changed but it would review it “in line with what our legislation said we would do”. It would be extremely surprising if such a review didn’t recommend a rework.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253116/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Comparison with American politics has continued with Peter Dutton flagging intervention into school curriculum’s to combat ‘woke’ in a move Labor has called DOGE-Y.</summary> <author> <name>Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253532</id> <published>2025-04-01T07:49:56Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T07:49:56Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/who-decides-what-australian-students-are-taught-in-schools-253532"/> <title>Who decides what Australian students are taught in schools?</title> <content type="html">Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has begun his election campaign with <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/federal-election-2025-peter-dutton-takes-on-woke-schools-funding/news-story/a6fbe7a4393cd9de77962fcee5389152">fresh criticism of schools</a>. The Coalition has <a href="https://sarahhenderson.com.au/labor-fails-teachers-and-students-on-curriculum/">previously raised concerns</a> the national curriculum is “unwieldy” and “infused with ideology”. On Monday night, Dutton suggested states needed new funding conditions to make sure schools were teaching appropriate content. He <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/peter-dutton-jokes-about-charging-20yo-son-rent-on-paul-murrays-pub-test/news-story/779516539e9ecea96c1be265d2eb9f9d?btr=89b1a93c3e41ba3d8d072e322db778c7">told Sky News</a> federal money should be conditional to ensure schools are not “guided into some sort of an agenda that’s come out of universities”. He <a href="https://thenightly.com.au/politics/federal-election-2025/federal-election-2025-woke-agenda-in-schools-on-peter-duttons-chopping-block-c-18228362">added to his comments on Tuesday</a>, saying he wants students at schools (and universities) to receive an education that “reflect[s] community standards”. <blockquote> I support young Australians being able to think freely, being able to assess what is before them and not being told and indoctrinated by something that is the agenda of others and that is the approach we would take. </blockquote> Education Minister Jason Clare responded by claiming Dutton had a “bigger agenda” to “cut funding from schools”. What is the curriculum and who decides what Australian students are taught? <h2>What do students learn in Australian schools?</h2> All Australian schools are required to teach the <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/">Australian Curriculum</a>. Commonwealth and state and territory education ministers first approved the curriculum in 2009. It applies from the first year of schooling through to Year 10. The curriculum sets out: <blockquote> the expectations for what all young Australians should be taught, regardless of where they live in Australia or their background. </blockquote> It is made up of eight “learning areas”: English, mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences, the arts, technologies, health and physical education and languages. It can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-australian-states-need-a-national-curriculum-and-do-teachers-even-use-it-171745">described as a “map”</a> of what teachers are expected to cover in each subject and year level. This is to ensure all students across the country, whether in a small regional school or a large city one, have access to the same broad foundation of knowledge and skills. <h2>Who develops the curriculum?</h2> The Australian Curriculum is designed by the <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/">Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority</a>, an independent statutory authority established by the Australian government. The authority describes the curriculum as: <blockquote> provid[ing] teachers, parents, students and the community with a clear understanding of what students should learn regardless of where they live or what school they attend. </blockquote> Every six years, the curriculum is reviewed and approved by education ministers from each state, territory and the Commonwealth. The current version was <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Research/Quick_Guides/2022-23/SchoolEducation#heading_ef4a0a787149491fb3ee265e76c3cf84">endorsed in April 2022</a> under the Morrison government (just before the last federal election). The next review is expected in 2027-2028. This process includes consultation with teachers, curriculum experts, academics, professional associations and the wider public. <h2>Do teachers and universities decide what’s taught?</h2> Classroom teaching is guided by the Australian Curriculum. While teachers have professional discretion in how they deliver content, they are expected to “<a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards">know the content and how to teach it</a>”. In fact, some education experts believe the curriculum is <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-crowded-curriculum-sure-it-may-be-complex-but-so-is-the-world-kids-must-engage-with-157690">too crowded</a> and leaves little flexibility for teachers to tailor learning to local contexts or student needs. Universities do not control the curriculum. Their main role in Australian schooling is to train teachers and conduct research. But teacher education programs must meet <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/accreditation-of-initial-teacher-education-programs-in-australia---standards-and-procedures">national accreditation standards</a>. These need to fit with the <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards">Australian Professional Standards for Teachers</a> and Australian Curriculum. So while universities play an important role in preparing teachers to interpret and deliver the curriculum, they are not responsible for what schools teach. <h2>Who does what?</h2> Debates about what schools teach are not new and are likely to continue. But it is important they are grounded in an accurate understanding of how the system works. Teachers, universities and governments all have different roles in shaping school education. The Australian Curriculum is a nationally agreed framework, developed through public consultation and ministerial oversight. Teachers implement the curriculum according to professionally-acredited standards and attention to students’ individual needs. Universities support the education system through teacher preparation and research.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253532/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Jessica Holloway has received funding from the Australian Research Council. </content> <summary>Peter Dutton wants to ensure schools are not ‘guided into some sort of an agenda that’s come out of universities’. Who creates the ‘map’ of what kids learn?</summary> <author> <name>Jessica Holloway, Senior Research DECRA Fellow, Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-holloway-541039"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252808</id> <published>2025-04-01T06:26:31Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T06:26:31Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/trumps-liberation-day-why-the-us-is-on-a-war-footing-over-tariffs-and-mass-deportations-252808"/> <title>Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’: why the US is on a war footing over tariffs and mass deportations</title> <content type="html">US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy is <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-is-ignoring-the-power-of-nationalism-at-his-own-peril-252299">doing little</a> to enhance his country’s standing abroad. But it is helping to reinforce his political authority at home. Congress and the courts are typically <a href="https://people.tamu.edu/%7Eb-wood/Presidency/Lindsay.pdf">deferential</a> to the president on foreign policy – and, in particular, issues related to national security. By putting most of his agenda under the banner of foreign policy, Trump is now taking advantage of that deference to minimise challenges to his power. Trump has <a href="https://theconversation.com/america-has-never-been-truly-isolationist-and-trump-isnt-either-71689">claimed for decades</a> that US domestic problems can be solved with a more aggressive foreign policy. This focus certainly helps him deal with his political problems, allowing him to attack his enemies and evade accountability under the guise of “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-if-it-saves-country-its-not-illegal-2025-02-16/">saving the country</a>”. Trump has even gone so far as to call April 2 – when <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-01/global-shares-slide-trump-tariff-war/105120120">sweeping new tariffs</a> are imposed on foreign goods – “Liberation Day”. This is a term usually used to celebrate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_Day">the end of long wars</a> rather than <a href="https://theconversation.com/these-3-arguments-are-part-of-the-long-game-in-trumps-trade-wars-252516">the beginning of them</a>. <h2>Congress ceded its foreign policy powers</h2> We are used to thinking of the US president as having <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/one-voice-for-americas-foreign-relations/">almost unlimited power</a> over US foreign policy. But the Constitution actually gives a lot of that power to Congress. For example, <a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-8/">Article 1, Section 8</a> of the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war. It also gives Congress the power to “collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises”, which include tariffs. Given these shared responsibilities, the legal scholar Edward Corwin <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-foreign-policy-powers-congress-and-president">described</a> the Constitution as “an invitation to struggle for the privilege of directing American foreign policy.” Since at least the Second World War, the president has been decisively winning that struggle. Or more accurately, Congress has been declining invitations to use its power. For example, American wars no longer begin with declarations. The US has not declared war since 1941, even though the country has been at war <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States_from_the_20th_century">almost every year</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States_from_the_21st_century">since then</a>. Presidents instead initiate and escalate military conflict in other ways, <a href="https://theconversation.com/obamas-syria-strategy-the-war-he-doesnt-want-18095">nearly always with Congressional approval</a>. That approval usually remains in place until a war goes badly wrong. Congress also passed legislation in 1934 giving the president power to negotiate trade agreements and adjust tariffs. <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-does-the-executive-branch-have-so-much-power-over-tariffs/">That power expanded significantly with an act in 1962</a> that authorised the president to impose tariffs if imports threaten “national security”. Although Trump claims tariffs will bring <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-gilded-age-mckinley-grover-cleveland-1592dab80ad7159266db51b5baa774b6">economic prosperity</a> back to the US by reviving manufacturing, his administration justifies them on national security grounds. For example, it is currently using <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/us/politics/trump-tariffs-ieepa.html">another federal act passed in 1977</a> that allows tariffs in response to an international emergency as justification for its tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Given the <a href="https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-case-against-ieepa-tariffs">dubiousness</a> of these justifications and the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/17/economy/tariffs-oecd-forecast-economy-inflation/index.html">economic damage</a> tariffs might do, Congress could <a href="https://www.cfr.org/article/congress-retake-control-tariffs-and-let-businesses-get-back-vision-thing">try to reassert</a> its constitutional power to set tariffs. <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/congress-set-to-avoid-shutdown-with-a-bill-that-could-cement-canada-and-mexico-tariffs-7c55d6ff">But this isn’t likely to happen soon</a>, given the loyalty of <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-trump-remakes-america-where-is-congress-251927">Republicans to Trump</a>. Members of Congress are also reluctant to be seen standing in the way of the president if national security is at stake. One revelation of “<a href="https://theconversation.com/signal-chat-group-affair-unprecedented-security-breach-will-seriously-damage-us-international-relations-253090">Signalgate</a>” was the fact the US bombed Yemen without even the pretext of an <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/27/full-transcript-of-trump-teams-yemen-attack-plan-that-was-shared-on-signal">urgent national security reason</a>. But the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/26/nx-s1-5341359/intelligence-leaders-signal-house-hearing">Congressional grilling</a> of Trump’s intelligence leaders, predictably, did not address this. <h2>The courts are no better</h2> The courts are supposed to <a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artIII-S1-2/ALDE_00013513/">review the constitutionality</a> of government actions. But on foreign policy, the courts have been deferential to the president even longer than Congress. <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/246/297/">In a sweeping judgement in 1918</a>, the Supreme Court wrote that foreign relations counted as a “political power” of the executive and legislative branches, not subject to judicial review. The Supreme Court has rarely <a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artIII-S2-C1-9-6/ALDE_00001288/">ruled on foreign policy questions</a> since then. When it does, it nearly always <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Pink">supports</a> the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reid_v._Covert">president</a> against anyone challenging his right to make foreign policy, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldwater_v._Carter">including Congress</a>. A federal judge recently complained the Trump administration <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-boasberg-venezuelans-8c1287a1fec1c026efb2bde51ffdda9a">ignored</a> his order blocking deportation flights of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador. Trump invoked the <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-is-using-the-alien-enemies-act-to-deport-immigrants-but-the-18th-century-law-has-been-invoked-only-during-times-of-war-252434">1798 Alien Enemies Act</a> to justify deporting the Venezuelans, even though some <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/21/nx-s1-5333886/families-of-deported-venezuelans-dispute-gang-claims-after-deportations-under-alien-enemies-act">have no criminal record</a>. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://www.miragenews.com/secretary-rubio-talks-with-hugh-hewitt-1429125/">argued</a> the deportations were a “foreign policy matter”, and “we can’t have the judges running foreign policy”. Mass deportation is one of Trump’s <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/5116264-trump-immigration-policy-economic-impact/">most popular</a> policies. If he is going to pick fights with the judiciary, it makes political sense to do it on an issue where public opinion is on his side – even if the law is not. Rubio’s comment is also a likely preview of the arguments Trump’s lawyers will make when cases about immigration reach the Supreme Court. Similarly, the Trump’s administration is relying on the <a href="https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/immigration-law-from-the-1950s-may-play-role-in-columbia-deportation-case">1952 Immigration and Nationality Act</a> to deport <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-20/mahmoud-khalil-american-green-card-deportation-free-speech/105064746">protesters who have committed no crimes</a>. This law allows the secretary of state to deport non-citizens if their presence in the US has “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences”. Deportations under both acts are going to face legal challenges. But the Trump administration is <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/19/trump-plot-supreme-court-immigration">betting</a> the Supreme Court will take Trump’s side, given its conservative members generally hold an <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/supreme-court-gives-president-power-king">expansive view</a> of executive power. A Supreme Court win would be a major political victory for Trump. It would encourage him to focus even more on using deportation as a political weapon, and making foreign policy justifications for legally dubious acts. <h2>War as a political tool</h2> Trump is effectively putting the US on a war footing. He is justifying his executive actions by recasting <a href="https://theconversation.com/allies-or-enemies-trumps-threats-against-canada-and-greenland-put-nato-in-a-tough-spot-247194">allies</a> as <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-tariffs-fentanyl-overdose-deaths-declining-rcna194752">enemies</a> who menace national security with everything from illegal drugs to <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-adjusts-imports-of-automobiles-and-automobile-parts-into-the-united-states/">unfair subsidies</a>, and by labelling millions of foreign nationals as “<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-the-american-people-against-invasion/">invaders</a>”. Many Americans <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/how-americans-feel-about-trump-after-his-first-month-back-in-office">don’t believe him</a>. But as long as he can make threatening foreigners the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/21/trump-deportations-judges-migrants/">main focus</a> of American politics, he can find political and legal support for almost anything he wants to do.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252808/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> David Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Donald Trump’s aggressive foreign policy is being cast as necessary for national security. This ensures he’ll encounter little pushback from Congress or the courts.</summary> <author> <name>David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-smith-9948"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253434</id> <published>2025-04-01T05:40:47Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T05:40:47Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/reserve-bank-holds-rates-steady-cautious-about-the-economic-outlook-253434"/> <title>Reserve Bank holds rates steady, cautious about the economic outlook</title> <content type="html">The Reserve Bank of Australia left its <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/cash-rate-target-overview.html">benchmark interest rate</a> <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2025/mr-25-10.html">unchanged</a> at 4.1% today, stressing the uncertainty in the economic outlook. As the Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock told a media conference, “since February there has been a lot more uncertainty introduced in the international context”. The on-hold decision was widely <a href="https://library.westpaciq.com.au/content/dam/public/westpaciq/secure/economics/documents/aus/2025/03/WestpacWeekly20250331.pdf">expected</a> and Bullock described it as a “consensus decision” by the board. The decision to hold was not because the election campaign is underway. It was because there has not been enough new economic data to change materially its view on inflation. The governor said the board had never mentioned the election in its discussions. In a statement, the central bank said: <blockquote> Recent announcements from the United States on tariffs are having an impact on confidence globally and this would likely be amplified if the scope of tariffs widens. </blockquote> As the Reserve Bank Governor put it, “we’re paid to worry” and they are discussing with peer central banks the response to global uncertainties. <h2>Decline in inflation is welcome</h2> The <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-inflation-rate-is-to-go-monthly-be-careful-what-you-wish-for-188706">volatile</a> monthly inflation series fell marginally, from 2.5% to 2.4%, in February. The more trustworthy <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/latest-release">quarterly consumer price index (CPI)</a> will come out on April 30 and will be an important factor in the Reserve Bank’s decision at its next meeting, on May 20. The CPI report is likely to show the “trimmed mean” <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/australias-inflation-target.html">underlying inflation</a> returning to the 2–3% target band for the first time since 2021. Headline inflation could be in the lower half of the band. The <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release">unemployment rate</a> has been steady at 4.1%. This is below what the Reserve Bank had regarded as the level consistent with steady inflation. But it has not been associated with an acceleration in <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/wage-price-index-australia/latest-release">wages</a>. Indeed, wages have slowed to 3.2% growth, less than the Reserve Bank was <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/smp/2025/feb/outlook.html#3-3-the-domestic-outlook">forecasting</a> for 2025. This could all give the Reserve Bank the confidence to make another cut to the cash rate. Financial markets are predicting a cut in May. The board itself said the current level of rates “remains restrictive”. So they will cut rates further once inflation is sustainably around the middle of the target band. <hr> <iframe id="OtKeA" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/OtKeA/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: 0;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr> <h2>The (lack of) impact of the budget</h2> The main impact of last week’s federal budget will be to delay the bounceback in electricity prices, after the end of the current rebates, for another six months. If there is a change in government, there will be a temporary fall in petrol prices for a year. <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-calculated-how-much-duttons-excise-cut-would-save-you-on-fuel-and-few-will-save-as-much-as-promised-253214">We calculated how much Dutton's excise cut would save you on fuel – and few will save as much as promised</a> <hr> But both of these have only temporary effects on the “headline” inflation rate. The Reserve Bank is more concerned about sustained movements in underlying inflation. Labor’s proposed income tax cuts, which will be cancelled if the Coalition wins power, are only “modest” (in the treasurer’s <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/speeches/address-national-press-club-canberra-4">own words</a>) and do not come into effect until July 2026. They are also unlikely to have a material impact on the Reserve Bank’s inflation forecasts. The governor suggested as much, commenting that the forecasts following the budget would be similar to those made in February. She described increasing government spending as “filling a gap” in relatively weak private demand. <h2>The fallout from tariffs</h2> We will not know the extent of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-next-round-in-the-us-trade-war-has-the-potential-to-be-more-damaging-for-australia-252377">new tariffs</a> being announced by United States President Donald Trump until later in the week. And even then he may change them within days – or even on the same day. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1899615967354741105&quot;}"></div> The US tariffs will push up prices there. But if they trigger a trade war, the global economy will weaken and this may lead to lower prices globally. The governor pointed out that trade diversion prompted by tariffs could lower the price of some imports. Bullock said the central bank was assessing the potential impact of tariffs on Australia’s trading partners including China. If Chinese authorities boosted support for their economy, then the economic impact on Australia might be “muted”. The Reserve Bank’s 0.25% interest rate cut in February to 4.1% was the first change in the cash rate since November 2023 and marked the first small reversal of 13 rate increases that began in the closing days of the Morrison government. <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-reserve-bank-has-cut-rates-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-but-it-is-cautious-about-future-cuts-249704">The Reserve Bank has cut rates for the first time in four years. But it is cautious about future cuts</a> <hr> <h2>The Reserve Bank and the election</h2> The heightened attention placed on the Reserve Bank in an election campaign is <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/inside-four-rba-decisions-that-shook-up-elections-20250331-p5lnsm">not that unusual</a>. With Australian parliamentary terms limited to three years, but with no fixed duration, we are often approaching a possible election. While cutting interest rates will suit one side of politics, not cutting benefits the other. The impartial approach taken by the Reserve Bank is to make the same decision as they would if no election were looming. <h2>The new board</h2> This is the first meeting of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-reserve-bank-will-now-have-a-separate-board-just-to-set-interest-rates-heres-why-thats-significant-244833">new monetary policy board</a>, which is now separate from the central bank’s governance board. This specialisation was a recommendation of the 2023 Reserve Bank review commissioned by the treasurer. But seven of the nine member remain from the previous board. The <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/appointments-reserve-banks-boards#:%7E:text=Marnie%20Baker%20has%2035%20years,of%20the%20Australian%20Banking%20Association.">two new members</a>, including one of the authors of the review, are not expected to hold markedly different views to the continuing members.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253434/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> John Hawkins was formerly a senior economist with the Reserve Bank.</content> <summary>The inflation picture is improving, but the central bank is worried about the global economic backdrop.</summary> <author> <name>John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-hawkins-746285"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253032</id> <published>2025-04-01T04:45:11Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T04:45:11Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/global-warming-of-more-than-3-c-this-century-may-wipe-40-off-the-worlds-economy-new-analysis-reveals-253032"/> <title>Global warming of more than 3°C this century may wipe 40% off the world’s economy, new analysis reveals</title> <content type="html">The damage climate change will inflict on the world’s economy is likely to have been massively underestimated, <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/adbd58">according to new research</a> by my colleagues and I which accounts for the full global reach of extreme weather and its aftermath. To date, projections of how climate change will affect global gross domestic product (GDP) have broadly suggested mild to moderate harm. This in part has led to a lack of urgency in national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, these models often contain a fundamental flaw – they assume a national economy is affected only by weather in that country. Any impacts from weather events elsewhere, such as how flooding in one country affects the food supply to another, are not incorporated into the models. Our new research sought to fix this. After including the global repercussions of extreme weather into our models, the predicted harm to global GDP became far worse than previously thought – affecting the lives of people in every country on Earth. <h2>Weather shocks everywhere, all at once</h2> Global warming affects economies in many ways. The most obvious is damage from extreme weather. Droughts can cause poor harvests, while storms and floods can cause widespread destruction and disrupt the supply of goods. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-01173-x">Recent research</a> has also shown heatwaves, aggravated by climate change, have contributed to food inflation. Heat also makes workers <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00170-4/fulltext">less productive</a>. It affects <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01787-6/fulltext">human health</a>, and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01426-1">disease transmission</a>, and can cause <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-019-02560-0">mass migration</a> and <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1235367">conflict</a>. Most prior research predicts that even extreme warming of 4°C will have only mild negative impacts on the global economy by the end of the century – between <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988321004898">7%</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature15725">23%</a>. Such modelling is usually based on the effects of weather shocks in the past. However, these shocks have typically been confined to a local or regional scale, and balanced out by conditions elsewhere. For example, in the past, South America might have been in drought, but other parts of the world were getting good rainfall. So, South America could rely on imports of agricultural products from other countries to fill domestic shortfalls and prevent spikes in food prices. But future climate change will increase the risk of weather shocks occurring simultaneously across countries and more persistently over time. This will disrupt the networks producing and delivering goods, compromise trade and limit the extent to which countries can help each other. International trade is fundamental to the global economic production. So, our research examined how a country’s future economic growth would be influenced by weather conditions everywhere else in the world. <h2>What did we find?</h2> One thing was immediately clear: a warm year across the planet causes lower global growth. We corrected three leading models to account for the effects of global weather on national economies, then averaged out their results. Our analysis focused on global GDP per capita – in other words, the world’s economic output divided by its population. We found if the Earth warms by more than 3°C by the end of the century, the estimated harm to the global economy jumped from an average of 11% (under previous modelling assumptions) to 40% (under our modelling assumptions). This level of damage could devastate livelihoods in large parts of the world. Previous models have asserted economies in cold parts of the world, such as Russia and Northern Europe, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature15725">will benefit from</a> warmer global temperatures. However, we found the impact on the global economy was so large, all countries will be badly affected. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="wilted crops on dry soil" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658884/original/file-20250401-62-ylub2s.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658884/original/file-20250401-62-ylub2s.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658884/original/file-20250401-62-ylub2s.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658884/original/file-20250401-62-ylub2s.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658884/original/file-20250401-62-ylub2s.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658884/original/file-20250401-62-ylub2s.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658884/original/file-20250401-62-ylub2s.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> A warm year across the planet causes lower global growth. Pictured: wilted corn crops during drought. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-parched-cracked-earth-surface-illustrating-2509518277">wahyusyaban/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Costs vs benefits</h2> Reducing emissions leads to short-term economic costs. These must be balanced against the long-term benefits of avoiding dangerous climate change. Recent economic modelling has suggested this balance would be struck by reducing emissions at a rate that <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2312030121?af=R">allows Earth to heat by 2.7°C</a>. This is close to Earth’s <a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/publications/the-climate-crisis-worsens-the-warming-outlook-stagnates/">current warming trajectory</a>. But it is far higher than the goals of the Paris Agreement, and global warming limits recommended by climate scientists. It is also based on the flawed assumptions discussed above. Under our new research, the optimal amount of global warming, balancing short-term costs with long-term benefits, is 1.7°C – a figure broadly consistent with the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious target. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="small boat run aground near puddle" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658876/original/file-20250401-56-1v09sq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C619%2C6000%2C3368&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658876/original/file-20250401-56-1v09sq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658876/original/file-20250401-56-1v09sq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658876/original/file-20250401-56-1v09sq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658876/original/file-20250401-56-1v09sq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658876/original/file-20250401-56-1v09sq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658876/original/file-20250401-56-1v09sq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Avoiding climate change has short-term costs and long-term benefits. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/guanajuato-mexico-march-28-2024-drought-2442846517">Dany Bejar/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Changing course</h2> Our new research shows previous forecasts of how such warming will affect the global economy have been far too optimistic. It adds to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07219-0">other</a> <a href="https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w32450/w32450.pdf">recent</a> evidence suggesting the economic impacts of climate change has been <a href="https://theconversation.com/have-some-economists-severely-underestimated-the-financial-hit-from-climate-change-recent-evidence-suggests-yes-214579">badly underestimated</a>. Clearly, Earth’s current emissions trajectory risks our future and that of our children. The sooner humanity grasps the calamities in store under severe climate change, the sooner we can change course to avoid it.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253032/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Timothy Neal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>To date, projections of how climate change will affect global GDP have been massively underestimated.</summary> <author> <name>Timothy Neal, Senior lecturer in Economics / Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/timothy-neal-1388792"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253039</id> <published>2025-04-01T04:28:29Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T04:28:29Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-get-headaches-when-i-exercise-even-when-i-drink-lots-of-water-253039"/> <title>Why do I get headaches when I exercise, even when I drink lots of water?</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658892/original/file-20250401-62-uiv49l.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C9059%2C5464&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tired-woman-sitting-resting-after-workout-1890721030">Jacob Lund/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>Getting a headache during or after exercise can be seriously frustrating – especially if you have kept hydrated to try and stop them from happening. But why do these headaches occur? And does keeping hydrated make any difference? <h2>What are exercise headaches?</h2> Exercise headaches (also known as “exertional headaches”) are exactly what they sound like: headaches that occur either during, or after, exercise. French doctor Jules Tinel first reported these headaches in the medical literature <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0035378716302260?via%3Dihub">in 1932</a> and they’ve been a regular point of discussion since. Exercise headaches commonly present as a throbbing pain on <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-020-01028-4">both sides of the head</a>. They most often occur after <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-018-0840-8">strenuous exercise</a> – although what is considered “strenuous” can differ between people, depending on their fitness levels. They can last anywhere from a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10194-008-0063-5">few minutes to a couple of days</a>. Exercise headaches are thought to impact <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7160088/">about 12% of adults</a>, although this number varies from 1% all the way up to 26% across individual studies. In most circumstances, these headaches are harmless and will resolve on their own, over time. Some research <a href="https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s10194-008-0063-5">suggests you will stop getting them</a> after a few months of starting a new type of workout. But while they are usually harmless, they can sometimes signal an underlying condition that requires medical attention. <h2>What causes exercise headaches?</h2> Despite a good amount of research looking at exertional headaches, we don’t know their exact cause, but we do think we know why they occur. The leading theory suggests they are caused by changes in blood flow to the brain. During intense exercise, blood vessels in the brain dilate, increasing blood flow and pressure, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-020-01028-4">leading to pain</a>. Because long-term exercise improves our cardiovascular health, including our ability to dilate and constrict our blood vessels, this theory makes sense when we consider that exercise headaches tend to resolve themselves over time. This might explain why research suggests fitter people are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26207022/">less likely</a> to get exercise headaches. People with migraines appear more likely to experience <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26466691/">exercise headaches</a>, which are thought to be caused by this same mechanism. <h2>Does heat and dehydration cause exercise headaches?</h2> There is evidence suggesting that exercise headaches are more likely to occur <a href="https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/head.12610">in the heat</a>. Your brain cannot dissipate heat by sweating like the rest of your body can. So when it’s hot, your body has to increase blood flow to the brain to help bring down its temperature, which can increase pressure. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="Man drinks water at the gym" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658894/original/file-20250401-62-mcq9oz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658894/original/file-20250401-62-mcq9oz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658894/original/file-20250401-62-mcq9oz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658894/original/file-20250401-62-mcq9oz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658894/original/file-20250401-62-mcq9oz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658894/original/file-20250401-62-mcq9oz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658894/original/file-20250401-62-mcq9oz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Exercise headaches might not be as bad when you’re hydrated. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/exhausted-man-sitting-drinking-water-after-2224148727">ME Image/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> Similarly, exercise headaches also seem to get worse, and occur more often, when <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-009-0997-6">people are dehydrated</a>. However, we are not sure why this happens. Some research has shown that dehydration <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11282312/">results in increased strain during exercise</a>. As such, dehydration might not necessarily cause the headache, but make it more likely to occur. <h2>Red flags: when to see a doctor</h2> Most exercise headaches resolve themselves after a few hours and result in no lasting negative effects. In some rare instances, they could be sign of something <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-018-0840-8">more serious</a> occurring in the brain, such as a <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/subarachnoid-hemorrhage/symptoms-causes/syc-20361009">subarachnoid haemorrhage</a> (a bleed between the brain and the tissues that cover it), <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16158-reversible-cerebral-vasoconstriction-syndrome">reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome</a> (a spasming of blood vessels), <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16857-cervical-carotid-or-vertebral-artery-dissection">cervical artery dissection</a> (or tear), <a href="https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/idiopathic-intracranial-hypertension">intracranial hypertension</a> (pressure in the brain), or an <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11916-010-0125-7">infection</a>. See a doctor to rule out anything serious if: <ul> <li>it’s your first exercise headache</li> <li>the headache is severe and sudden (also known as a <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.e8557">thunderclap headache</a>)</li> <li>it’s accompanied by other symptoms such as vision changes, confusion, or sensations of weakness</li> <li>you experience a stiff neck, nausea, or vomiting with your headache</li> <li>it lasts for more than 24 hours and doesn’t seem to be getting better.</li> </ul> <h2>Can you prevent exercise headaches?</h2> There is no surefire way to prevent exercise headaches. But a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03331024221146989">recent review</a> suggests that ensuring you’re adequately hydrated and gradually warm-up to your desired exercise intensity can make them less likely to occur. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="A couple walks" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658895/original/file-20250401-56-8p193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658895/original/file-20250401-56-8p193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658895/original/file-20250401-56-8p193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658895/original/file-20250401-56-8p193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658895/original/file-20250401-56-8p193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658895/original/file-20250401-56-8p193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658895/original/file-20250401-56-8p193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Give your body time to adapt. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sport-couple-walking-on-path-park-2208413631">Gorgev/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> Beyond this, you may wish to keep your exercise intensity in a light-to moderate range for a couple of months. This will give your <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-essr/fulltext/2015/10000/the_role_of_exercise_induced_cardiovascular.2.aspx?casa_token=1vuhsBGotqQAAAAA:SaCSluJrCz7ir5FIvA07OEBEW3CRQf-fKgxFYEmdXUO65E0_Uft_4MhLMAb-l-NPWYsOYbvsWUWTN8zRFiy_NME&amp;casa_token=Ii4R5XUFtQgAAAAA:ASaAnJq5wAM6vtuDEbWFHYP5ynlNwDKsuuYG-itJVr0IjxWdpujTgKyH2-ApIIifaO8rByEmhWMz5XyPbWJiHNU">cardiovascular system some time to adapt</a> before trying more strenuous exercise, hopefully reducing the likelihood of getting exercise headaches at all. Exercise headaches are annoying, but are generally harmless and should subside on their own over time.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253039/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Hunter Bennett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Do you get a throbbing pain on both sides of your head after strenuous exercise? Here’s what might be happening.</summary> <author> <name>Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-bennett-1053061"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253438</id> <published>2025-04-01T04:09:18Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T04:09:18Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/chatgpts-studio-ghibli-style-images-show-its-creative-power-but-raise-new-copyright-problems-253438"/> <title>ChatGPT’s Studio Ghibli-style images show its creative power – but raise new copyright problems</title> <content type="html">Social media has recently been flooded with images that look <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/style/ai-chatgpt-studio-ghibli.html">like they belong in a Studio Ghibli film</a>. Selfies, family photos and even memes have been re-imagined with the soft pastel palette characteristic of the Japanese animation company founded by Hayao Miyazaki. This followed OpenAI’s <a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-4o-image-generation/">latest update to ChatGPT</a>. The update significantly improved ChatGPT’s image generation capabilities, allowing users to create convincing Ghibli-style images in mere seconds. It <a href="https://x.com/sama/status/1906771292390666325">has been enormously popular</a> – so much so, in fact, that the system <a href="https://x.com/sama/status/1905296867145154688">crashed due to user demand</a>. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT are best understood as “style engines”. And what we are seeing now is these systems offering users more precision and control than ever before. But this is also raising entirely new questions about copyright and creative ownership. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1905296867145154688&quot;}"></div> <h2>How the new ChatGPT makes images</h2> Generative AI programs work by producing outputs in response to user prompts, including prompts to create an image. Previous generations of AI image generators used diffusion models. These models gradually refine random, noisy data into a coherent image. But the latest update to ChatGPT uses what’s known as an “autoregressive algorithm”. This algorithm treats images more like language, breaking them down into “tokens”. Just as ChatGPT predicts the most likely words in a sentence, it can now predict different visual elements in an image separately. This tokenisation enables the algorithm to better separate certain features of an image – and their relationship with words in a prompt. As a result, ChatGPT can more accurately create images from precise user prompts than previous generations of image generators. It can replace or change specific features while preserving the rest of the image, and it improves on the longstanding issue of generating correct text in images. A particularly powerful advantage of generating images inside a large language model is the ability to draw on all the knowledge already encoded in the system. This means users don’t need to describe every aspect of an image in painstaking detail. They can simply refer to concepts such as Studio Ghibli and the AI understands the reference. The recent Studio Ghibli trend began with <a href="https://x.com/sama/status/1904599358756315341">OpenAI itself</a>, before spreading among <a href="https://x.com/GrantSlatton/status/1904631016356274286">Silcon Valley software engineers</a> and then even governments and politicians – including seemingly unlikely uses such as the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHtsRgiRzFL/?img_index=1">White House creating a Ghiblified image</a> of a crying woman being deported and the Indian government promoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s narrative of a “New India”. <div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.instagram.com/p/DHvVuG-q92F&quot;,&quot;accessToken&quot;:&quot;127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20&quot;}"></div> <h2>Understanding AI as ‘style engines’</h2> Generative AI systems don’t store information in any traditional sense. Instead they encode text, facts, or image fragments as patterns – or “styles” – within their neural networks. Trained on vast amounts of data, AI models learn to recognise patterns at multiple levels. Lower network layers might capture basic features such as word relationships or visual textures. Higher layers encode more complex concepts or visual elements. This means everything – objects, properties, writing genres, professional voices – gets transformed into styles. When AI learns about Miyazaki’s work, it’s not storing actual Studio Ghibli frames (though image generators <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/01/25/business/ai-image-generators-openai-microsoft-midjourney-copyright.html">may sometimes produce</a> close imitations of input images). Instead, it’s encoding “Ghibli-ness” as a mathematical pattern – a style that can be applied to new images. The same happens with bananas, cats or corporate emails. The AI learns “banana-ness”, “cat-ness” or “corporate email-ness” – patterns that define what makes something recognisably a banana, cat or a professional communication. The encoding and transfer of styles has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1162/089976600300015349">for a long time been an express goal</a> in visual AI. Now we have an image generator that achieves this with unprecedented scale and control. This approach unlocks remarkable creative possibilities across both text and images. If everything is a style, then these styles can be freely combined and transferred. That’s why we refer to these systems as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268401224000720">“style engines”</a>. Try creating an armchair in the <a href="https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0268401224000720-gr3.jpg">style of a cat, or in elvish style</a>. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DUwDqSY8StE?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> <h2>The copyright controversy: when styles become identity</h2> While the ability to work with styles is what makes generative AI so powerful, it’s also at the heart of <a href="https://theconversation.com/generative-ai-is-a-minefield-for-copyright-law-207473">growing controversy</a>. For many artists, there’s something deeply unsettling about seeing their distinctive artistic approaches reduced to just another “style” that anyone can apply with a simple text prompt. Hayao Miyazaki has not publicly commented on the recent trend of people using ChatGPT to generate images in his world-famous animation style. But he has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngZ0K3lWKRc">been critical of AI previously</a>. All of this also raises entirely new questions about copyright and creative ownership. Traditionally, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/2023/03/23/the-complex-world-of-style-copyright-and-generative-ai/">copyright law doesn’t protect styles</a> – only specific expressions. You can’t copyright a music genre such as “ska” or an art movement such as “impressionism”. This limitation exists for good reason. If someone could monopolise an entire style, it would stifle creative expression for everyone else. But there’s a difference between general styles and highly distinctive ones that become almost synonymous with someone’s identity. When an AI can generate work “in the style of Greg Rutkowski” – a Polish artist whose name was reportedly <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/09/16/1059598/this-artist-is-dominating-ai-generated-art-and-hes-not-happy-about-it/">used in over more than 93,000 prompts in AI image generator Stable Diffusion</a> – it potentially threatens both his livelihood and artistic legacy. Some creators have already taken legal action. In a <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/class-action-lawsuit-ai-generators-deviantart-midjourney-stable-diffusion-2246770">case filed in late 2022</a>, three artists formed a class to sue multiple AI companies, arguing that their image generators were trained on their original works without permission, and now allow users to generate derivative works mimicking their distinctive styles. As technology evolves faster than the law, <a href="https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2024/07/10/innovation-and-artists-rights-in-the-age-of-generative-ai/">work is under way</a> on new legislation to try and balance technological innovation with protecting artists’ creative identities. Whatever the outcome, these debates highlight the transformative nature of AI style engines – and the need to consider both their untapped creative potential and more nuanced protections of distinctive artistic styles.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253438/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Studio Ghibli’s founder Hayao Miyazaki has been critical of AI previously. Now, ChatGPT is generating images in his world-famous animation style.</summary> <author> <name>Kai Riemer, Professor of Information Technology and Organisation, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kai-riemer-108139"/> </author> <author> <name>Sandra Peter, Director of Sydney Executive Plus, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sandra-peter-385460"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253529</id> <published>2025-04-01T04:07:16Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T04:07:16Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/torrential-rains-created-devastating-inland-seas-in-outback-queensland-soon-they-will-fill-kati-thanda-lake-eyre-253529"/> <title>Torrential rains created devastating inland seas in outback Queensland. Soon, they will fill Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre</title> <content type="html">The small Queensland town of Eromanga bills itself as Australia’s town furthest from the sea. But this week, an ocean of freshwater arrived. Monsoon-like weather has hit the normally arid <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Country">Channel Country</a> of inland Queensland. Some towns have had two years’ worth of rain in a couple of days. These flat grazing lands now resemble an inland sea. One New South Wales man is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/search-for-camper-swept-away-by-floodwaters-near-gloucester/105115922">still missing</a> and dozens of people have been evacuated. Others are preparing to be cut off, potentially for weeks. And graziers are reporting major livestock losses – <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-01/stock-losses-more-than-100000-in-outback-queensland-floods/105117606">more than 100,000</a> and climbing. In some areas, the flooding is worse than 1974, the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/history/enso/#:%7E:text=With%20an%20area%2Daverage%20of,third%20and%20fifth%20wettest%20respectively.">wettest year on record</a> in Australia. Why so much rain? Tropical, water-laden air has been brought far inland from the oceans to the north and east. This can happen under normal climate variability. But our ocean temperatures are the <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-official-australias-ocean-surface-was-the-hottest-on-record-in-2024-249277">highest on record</a>, which supercharges the water cycle. In coming weeks, this huge volume of water will wend its way through the channels perhaps 600 km to fill Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, the ephemeral lake which appears in the northern reaches of South Australia. It’s likely this will be a Lake Eyre for the ages. In the first three months of the year, deadly <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-driving-north-queenslands-deadly-record-breaking-floods-248847">record-breaking floods</a> hit northern Queensland before Cyclone Alfred tracked <a href="https://theconversation.com/cyclone-alfred-is-slowing-and-that-could-make-it-more-destructive-heres-how-climate-change-might-have-influenced-it-251594">unusually far south</a> and made landfall in southeast Queensland, bringing widespread winds and rains and leaving expensive repair bills. Now the rain has come inland. <h2>Why so much rain in arid areas?</h2> Some meteorologists <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-26/nsw-pseudo-monsoon-humidity-flooding-rains-qld-nsw/105095284">have dubbed</a> this event a pseudo-monsoon. That’s because the normal <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/about/australian-climate-influences.shtml?bookmark=monsoon">Australian monsoon</a> doesn’t reach this far south – the torrential rains of the monsoonal wet season tend to fall closer to the northern coasts. Because the Arafura and Timor Seas to the north are unusually warm, evaporation rates have shot up. Once in the air, this water vapour makes for very humid conditions. These air masses are even more humid than normal tropical air, because they have flowed down from the equator. Many Queenslanders can vouch for the intense humidity. But there’s a second factor at work. At present, Australia’s climate is influenced by a positive Southern Annular Mode. This means the belt of intense westerly winds blowing across the Southern Ocean <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/sam/">has been pushed</a> further south, causing a ripple effect which can lead to more summer rain in Australia’s southeast, up to inland Queensland. This natural climate driver has meant easterly winds have blown uninterrupted from as far away as Fiji, carrying yet more humid air inland. <figure class="align-left zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=714&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=714&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=714&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=898&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=898&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658893/original/file-20250401-56-12obkr.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=898&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Many inland rivers in Queensland are in major flood (red triangles) as of April 1. <a class="source" href="http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/flood/index.shtml">Bureau of Meteorology</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a> </figcaption> </figure> These two streams of converging humid tropical air were driven up into the cooler heights of the atmosphere by upper and surface low pressure troughs, triggering torrential rain over wide areas of the outback While these humid air masses have now dumped most of their water, more rain is coming in the aftermath of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-29/ex-tropical-cyclone-dianne-brings-flooding-risk-to-wa-kimberley/105112090">short-lived Cyclone Dianne</a> off northwest Australia. These rains won’t be as intense but may drive more flood peaks over already saturated catchments. This is why it has been so wet in what is normally an exceptionally dry part of Australia. <h2>What is this doing to the Channel Country?</h2> Many Australians have never been to the remote Channel Country. It’s a striking landscape, marked by ancient, braided river channels. Even for an area known for drought-flood cycles, the rainfall totals are extreme. This is a very rare event. People who live there have to be resilient and self-sufficient. But farmers and graziers are bracing for awful losses of livestock. Livestock can drown in floodwaters, but a common fate is succumbing to pneumonia after spending too long in water. After the water moves down the channels, it will leave behind notoriously boggy and sticky mud. This can be lethal to livestock and native animals, which can find themselves unable to move. <div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.instagram.com/p/DH3A2cnOUqv&quot;,&quot;accessToken&quot;:&quot;127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20&quot;}"></div> <h2>Where will the water go next?</h2> Little of these temporary inland seas will ever reach the ocean. Some of the rain has fallen in the catchment of the Darling River, where it will flow down and meet the Murray. The Darling is often filled by summer rains, while the Murray gets more water from autumn and winter rains. This water will eventually reach the Southern Ocean. But most of the rain fell further inland. The waters snaking through the channels will head south, flowing slowly along the flat ground for weeks until it crosses the South Australian border and begins to fill up Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Here, the waters will stop, more than 300 km from the nearest ocean at Port Augusta, and fill what is normally a huge, salty depression and Australia’s lowest point, 15 metres below sea level. When Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre fills, it creates an extraordinary spectacle. Millions of brine shrimp will hatch from eggs in the dry soil. This sudden abundance will draw waterbirds in their millions, while fish carried in the floodwaters will spawn and eat the shrimp. Then there are the remarkable <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-13/shield-shrimps-in-central-australia-heavy-rains/8176744">shield shrimps</a>, hibernating <a href="https://collections.qm.qld.gov.au/topics/228/inland-freshwater-crab">inland crabs</a> and salt-adapted hardyhead fish. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="lake eyre full from a plane." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658896/original/file-20250401-56-c8rokn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> It’s rare that Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre fills up – but when it does, life comes to the desert. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-view-lake-eyre-kati-thanda-1666803112">Mandy Creighton/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> The rain event will send enough water to keep Lake Eyre full for many months and it usually takes up to two years for it to dry out again. We can expect to see a huge lake form – the size of a small European country. Birdwatchers and biologists will flock to the area to see the sight of a temporary sea in the desert. Eventually, the intense sun of the outback will evaporate every last drop of the floodwaters, leaving behind salted ground and shrimp eggs for the next big rains. As the climate keeps warming, we can expect to see more sudden torrential rain dumps like this one, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-024-00624-z">followed by</a> periods of rapid drying.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253529/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Steve Turton has previously received funding from the federal government.</content> <summary>The worst flooding in 50 years has turned parts of western Queensland into an inland sea, stranding communities and livestock. It’s so vast, it’s set to completely fill Lake Eyre.</summary> <author> <name>Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-turton-15660"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253524</id> <published>2025-04-01T02:15:03Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T02:15:03Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/signalgate-was-damaging-to-the-trump-administration-it-could-be-deadly-for-yemeni-civilians-253524"/> <title>‘Signalgate’ was damaging to the Trump administration. It could be deadly for Yemeni civilians</title> <content type="html">The “Signalgate” story has received wall-to-wall coverage since Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic, published <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/">explosive details</a> about a Signal group chat where senior US officials discussed impending airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the coverage has focused on details of most concern to Western audiences, including the depth of the security breach, the classification status of the material that was shared, and the implications of sending war plans through a non-secure platform. But what are the implications of this for Yemen? In short, it helps the Houthis and hurts the civilians living under their control. <h2>Providing the Houthis with intelligence</h2> Yemeni civilians are caught in an impossible position. They have suffered from years of ruthless violence in a civil war that began with the Houthi capture of the capital, Sana'a, in 2014. The conflict <a href="https://caat.org.uk/homepage/stop-arming-saudi-arabia/the-war-on-yemens-civilians/">grew even more violent</a> when a Saudi-led (and Western-backed) military coalition entered the fray to back the Yemeni government the following year, imposing a crippling blockade that lasted until 2021. The war has caused a <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/torture-slow-motion-economic-blockade-yemen-and-its-grave-humanitarian-consequences">humanitarian disaster</a>, with malnutrition rates among the <a href="https://www.unrefugees.org/news/yemen-crisis-explained/">highest in the world</a>. The Houthis have <a href="https://www.counterextremism.com/content/houthi-diversion-humanitarian-assistance-yemen">consolidated their control</a> over much of Yemen’s population through the weaponisation of food distribution and brutal repression of dissent. In early 2024, the Houthis then began attacking ships in the Red Sea, bringing retaliatory strikes by the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel. Each of these have caused further civilian casualties and harm. The Houthis (and their Iranian and Russian supporters) will draw comfort from the Signal chat group’s <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/27/full-transcript-of-trump-teams-yemen-attack-plan-that-was-shared-on-signal">apparent confirmation</a> the US strikes on March 15 were not a sign of the Trump administration’s intent to dislodge them from power: <blockquote> Vice President JD Vance (14 March, 08:16am ET): The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth (14 March, 08:27am ET): This [is] not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered. </blockquote> The Houthis can withstand intermittent airstrikes – they have withstood airstrikes for over two decades. But a more substantial intervention — one that combines a coalition of local forces with guaranteed air support from Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates (with US support) — would pose a far greater threat to the Houthis. With this apparently not being considered, the Houthis may now feel emboldened to press-gang more people into military service before a fresh assault on the strategically important oil fields in Marib. This is the last major city in northern Yemen still under government control. The Houthis have <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/25/battle-for-marib-last-major-north-city-under-yemen-govt-control">tried to take Marib before</a>, but were prevented by Yemeni troops supported by Saudi air cover. Controlling the oil fields in Marib is vital to the group’s ability to sustain itself economically. <h2>Putting Yemeni civilians at risk</h2> While the Trump administration claims the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/former-intel-officials-buying-white-house-dismissals-signal/story?id=120198058">chat did not compromise</a> sources and methods, Goldberg noted a US-based intelligence officer was named. The Atlantic <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/signal-group-chat-attack-plans-hegseth-goldberg/682176/">removed</a> their name for security reasons. The publication’s decision to remove this detail is a stark reminder of whose security matters — and whose doesn’t. The transcript reads: <blockquote> National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (15 March, 13:48pm ET): VP. Building collapsed. Had multiple positive ID… Waltz (15 March, 14.00pm ET): Typing too fast. The first target – their top missile guy – we had positive ID of him walking into his girlfriend’s building and it’s now collapsed. </blockquote> Putting aside the fact this was a residential building — it should not be an aside, but this is how most news coverage has been treating it — this detail is important to the Houthis. This is because Waltz confirms “multiple” sources had positively identified a target, which the Houthis may use to justify further crackdowns, forced disappearances and even executions of <a href="https://www.ecdhr.org/yemen-houthi-court-sentences-30-political-opposition-to-figures-to-death-for-spying-for-saudi-led-coalition/">those they accuse of being spies</a>. The Trump administration was clearly reckless in divulging this detail. But it’s striking The Atlantic did not consider the danger posed to Yemeni civilians by publishing it. Experts on the Houthis – and their <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-us-strikes-will-only-embolden-the-houthis-not-stop-their-attacks-on-ships-in-the-red-sea-221588">methods of subjugation</a> – could have quickly <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/02/04/yemen-houthis-detain-more-un-workers">highlighted this point</a> if they were consulted. From a Yemeni perspective, a named source may have even been preferable to the hazy, but authoritative, confirmation of US operational methods and sources. The lack of specificity in the transcript plays to the Houthis’ <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/09/25/yemen-houthi-hostage-taking">dragnet approach</a> to extinguishing independent voices by forcibly disappearing people on <a href="https://sanaacenter.org/publications/main-publications/24213">fake allegations of espionage</a>. These are typically aid workers, academics, minorities, journalists and members of civil society who are not vocally aligned with the group. These abductions have been occurring for years, but ramped up in the middle of 2024. Dozens of members of civil society and aid organisations (and potentially many more) were <a href="https://www.brandeis.edu/crown/publications/middle-east-briefs/meb161.html">kidnapped</a> last year. Some are confirmed to have <a href="https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/investigations/2025/03/11/no-real-protection-deaths-houthi-detention-raise-urgent-questions-aid">died in detention</a>; many others have not been heard from since. There are <a href="https://samrl.org/l?l=e/10/A/c/1/69/71/5491/Escalation-of-Arrest-Campaigns-in-Yemen-Reflects-an-Increasing-Pattern-of-Repression-and-Silencing-of-Voices">reports</a> that abductions are already escalating in response to the latest US strikes. The ongoing abductions have had a chilling effect on the willingness of local and international aid providers to speak out against the Houthis. This has helped the Houthis consolidate their control over the flow of humanitarian assistance (particularly food), which they <a href="https://almasdaronline.com/articles/223847">divert</a> based on political, rather than needs-based, calculations as a means of coercing compliance. Yemeni civilians are seldom, if ever, a consideration in the geopolitical machinations that concern their country. The reflexive prioritisation of Western security interests exposed in the group chat – and the publication of these details – condemns them to further insecurity.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253524/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Sarah G. Phillips receives funding from The Australian Research Council as a Future Fellow (FT200100539), and is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Sana&#39;a Center for Strategic Studies.</content> <summary>The ‘Signalgate’ breach could embolden the Houthis to forcibly disappear even more people on fake allegations of espionage.</summary> <author> <name>Sarah G. Phillips, Professor of Global Conflict and Development; Non-Resident Fellow at the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies (Yemen), University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-g-phillips-1504022"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253105</id> <published>2025-04-01T01:39:05Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T01:39:05Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/meta-allegedly-used-pirated-books-to-train-ai-australian-authors-have-objected-but-us-courts-may-decide-if-this-is-fair-use-253105"/> <title>Meta allegedly used pirated books to train AI. Australian authors have objected, but US courts may decide if this is ‘fair use’</title> <content type="html">Companies developing AI models, such as OpenAI and Meta, train their systems on enormous datasets. These consist of text from newspapers, books (often sourced from unauthorised repositories), academic publications and various internet sources. The material includes works that are copyrighted. The Atlantic magazine recently <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/libgen-meta-openai/682093/">alleged</a> Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, had used <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_Genesis">LibGen</a>, an illegal book repository, to train its generative AI tool. Created around 2008 by Russian scientists, LibGen hosts more than 7.5 million books and 81 million research papers, making it one of the largest online libraries of pirated work in the world. The practice of training AI on copyrighted material has sparked intense legal debates and raised serious concerns among writers and publishers, who face the risk of their work being devalued or replaced. While some companies, such as OpenAI, have established formal partnerships with some content providers, many publishers and writers have objected to their intellectual property being used without consent or financial compensation. Author Tracey Spicer has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/25/no-consent-australian-authors-livid-that-meta-may-have-used-their-books-to-train-ai-ntwnfb">described</a> Meta’s use of copyrighted books as “peak technocapitalism”, while Sophie Cunningham, chair of the board of the Australian Society of Authors, has accused the company of “treating writers with contempt”. Meta is being <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/openai-gets-partial-win-authors-copyright-lawsuit-rcna138705">sued in the United States</a> for copyright infringement by a group of authors, including Michael Chabon, Ta-Nehisi Coates and comedian Sarah Silverman. Court documents filed in January allege Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg approved the use of the LibGen dataset for training the company’s AI models <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/10/mark-zuckerberg-meta-books-ai-models-sarah-silverman">knowing it contained pirated material</a>. Meta has declined to comment on the ongoing court case. The legal battles centre on a fundamental question: does mass data scraping for AI training constitute “fair use”? <h2>Legal challenges</h2> The stakes are particularly high, as AI companies not only train their models using publicly accessible data, but use the content to provide Chatbot answers that may compete with the original creators’ works. AI companies defend their data scraping on the grounds of innovation and “<a href="https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/">fair use</a>” – a legal doctrine that, in the US, permits “the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances”. Those circumstances include research, teaching and commentary. Similar provisions apply in other legal jurisdictions, <a href="https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/copyright-and-the-digital-economy-alrc-report-122/4-the-case-for-fair-use/what-is-fair-use-2/">including Australia</a>. AI companies argue their use of copyrighted works for training purposes is transformative. But when AI can reproduce content that closely mimics an author’s style or regenerates substantial portions of copyrighted material, legitimate questions arise about whether this constitutes infringement. A landmark legal case in this battle is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/business/media/new-york-times-open-ai-microsoft-lawsuit.html">The New York Times vs OpenAI and Microsoft</a>. Launched in late 2023, the case is ongoing. The New York Times alleges copyright infringement, claiming OpenAI and its partner Microsoft used millions of its articles without permission, to train AI systems. Although the scope of the lawsuit has been narrowed to core claims relating to copyright and trademark dilution infringement, a recent <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/03/new-york-times-copyright-lawsuit-against-openai-can-proceed-1236351791/">court decision</a> allowing the case to proceed to trial has been seen as a win for the New York Times. Other news publishers, including News Corp, have also initiated <a href="https://pressgazette.co.uk/platforms/news-publisher-ai-deals-lawsuits-openai-google/">legal proceedings</a> against AI companies. The concern extends beyond traditional publishers and news organisations to individual creators, who face threats to their livelihoods. In 2023, a group of authors – including Jonathan Franzen, John Grisham and George R.R. Martin – filed a <a href="https://authorsguild.org/news/ag-and-authors-file-class-action-suit-against-openai/">class-action suit</a>, still unresolved, alleging OpenAI copied their works without permission or payment. <h2>Implications</h2> These and <a href="https://pressgazette.co.uk/platforms/news-publisher-ai-deals-lawsuits-openai-google/">numerous other legal challenges</a> will have significant implications for the future of the publishing and media industries, and for AI companies. The issue is particularly alarming, considering that in 2023, the average median full-time income for an author in the United States was was just over <a href="https://authorsguild.org/news/key-takeaways-from-2023-author-income-survey/">USD$20,000</a>. The situation is even more dire in Australia, where authors earn an average of <a href="https://theconversation.com/two-thirds-of-australian-authors-are-women-new-research-finds-they-earn-just-18-200-a-year-from-their-writing-195426">AUD$18,200</a> per year. In response to these challenges, the <a href="https://www.asauthors.org.au/advocacy/artificial-intelligence/">Australian Society of Authors</a> (ASA) has called for the Australian government to regulate AI. Its proposal is that AI companies should be required to obtain permission before using copyrighted work and must provide fair compensation to writers who grant authorisation. The ASA has also called for clear labelling of content that is wholly or partially AI generated, and transparency regarding which copyrighted works have been used for AI training and the purposes of that training. If training AI on copyrighted works is permissible, what compensation model is fair to original creators? In 2024, <a href="https://www.asauthors.org.au/news/harpercollins-ai-deal-what-authors-need-to-know/">HarperCollins</a> signed a deal allowing limited use of selected nonfiction backlist titles for AI training. The three-year non-exclusive agreement affected over 150 Australian authors. It gave them the choice to opt in for USD$2,500, split 50/50 between writer and publisher. However, the <a href="https://authorsguild.org/news/harpercollins-ai-licensing-deal/">Authors Guild</a> argues a 50/50 split is not fair and recommends 75% should go to the author and only 25% to the publisher. <h2>Potential responses</h2> Publishers and creators are increasingly concerned about the loss of control of intellectual property. AI systems rarely cite sources, diminishing the value of attribution. If these systems can generate content that substitutes for published works, this has the potential to reduce demand for original content. As AI-generated content floods the market, distinguishing and protecting original works becomes more challenging. Amazon has already been <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/scammy-ai-generated-books-flooding-amazon/">swamped by AI-generated content</a>, including imitations and book summaries, sold as ebooks. Lawmakers in various jurisdictions are considering updates to national copyright laws specifically addressing AI, which aim to promote innovation and safeguard rights. But the responses are diverging dramatically. The European Union’s <a href="https://www.euaiact.com/">Artificial Intelligence Act</a> of 2024 aims to balance copyright holders’ interests with innovation in AI development. The <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jwip.12330">copyright provisions</a> were added late in negotiations and are considered relatively weak. But they provide additional tools for copyright holders to identify potential infringements and give general purpose AI providers more legal certainty, if they comply with the rules. Any plans to regulate AI have been explicitly rejected by US vice president JD Vance. In February, at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, Vance described “excessive regulation” as “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/quotes-us-vice-president-jd-vances-ai-speech-paris-2025-02-11/">authoritarian censorship</a>” that undermined the development of AI. This stance reflects the broader US approach to AI regulation. In their submissions to the US government’s AI Action Plan currently under development, both <a href="https://openai.com/global-affairs/openai-proposals-for-the-us-ai-action-plan/">OpenAI</a> and <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/13/google-calls-for-weakened-copyright-and-export-rules-in-ai-policy-proposal">Google</a> argue AI companies should be able to freely train their models on copyrighted material under the “fair use” principle, as part of “a copyright strategy that promotes the freedom to learn”. This position raises significant concerns for content creators. <figure class="align-right zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=682&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=682&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=682&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=857&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=857&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658630/original/file-20250331-56-iahbnj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=857&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Chair of the Australian Society of Authors, Sophie Cunningham, has accused Meta of ‘treating authors with contempt’. <a class="source" href="https://www.textpublishing.com.au/authors/sophiecunningham">Virginia Murdoch/Text Publishing</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Deal or no deal?</h2> In addition to legal frameworks, various models are being developed globally to ensure creators and publishers are being paid, while allowing AI companies to use the data. Since mid-2023, several academic publishers, including <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-academic-publisher-has-struck-an-ai-data-deal-with-microsoft-without-their-authors-knowledge-235203">Informa</a> (the parent company of Taylor &amp; Francis), <a href="https://www.thebookseller.com/news/wiley-set-to-earn-44m-from-ai-rights-deals-confirms-no-opt-out-for-authors">Wiley</a> and <a href="https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2024/08/05/256559/wiley-oup-confirm-ai-partnerships/">Oxford University Press</a>, have established licensing agreements with AI companies. Other publishers are making direct deals with AI companies, along similar lines to HarperCollins. In Australia, Black Inc. recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/05/black-inc-melbourne-publisher-ai-agreements-writers-anger">asked its authors</a> to sign opt-in agreements permitting the use of their work for AI training purposes. A variety of licensing platforms, such as <a href="https://www.createdbyhumans.ai/">Created by Humans</a>, have emerged. These aim to facilitate the legal use of copyrighted materials for AI training and clearly indicate to readers when a book is written by humans, not AI-generated. To date, the Australian government has not enacted any specific statutes that would directly regulate AI. In September 2024, the government released a voluntary framework consisting of eight <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/australias-artificial-intelligence-ethics-principles/australias-ai-ethics-principles">AI Ethics Principles</a>, which call for transparency, accountability and fairness in AI systems. The use of copyrighted works to train AI systems remains contested legal territory. Both AI developers and creators have valid interests at stake. There is a clear need to balance technological innovation with sustainable models for original content creation. Finding the right balance between these interests will likely require a combination of legal precedent, new business models and thoughtful policy development. As courts begin to rule on these cases, we may see clearer guidelines emerge about what constitutes fair use in AI training and AI-driven content creation, and what compensation models might be appropriate. Ultimately, the future of human creativity hangs in the balance.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253105/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Agata Mrva-Montoya is a member of the Executive Committee of the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities </content> <summary>Australian authors are among those caught up in Meta’s use of LibGen, an illegal book repository, to train its AI. What are the legal implications?</summary> <author> <name>Agata Mrva-Montoya, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communications, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/agata-mrva-montoya-6930"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253419</id> <published>2025-04-01T00:57:36Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T00:57:36Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/behind-every-claim-is-a-grieving-family-death-benefits-inquiry-demands-change-but-lacks-penalties-253419"/> <title>‘Behind every claim is a grieving family’. Death benefits inquiry demands change but lacks penalties</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658584/original/file-20250331-62-5wjg83.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C402%2C6720%2C3681&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-flowers-on-coffin-outdoor-funeral-2232037225">SeventyFour/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>When Lisa’s husband passed away unexpectedly, she assumed accessing his superannuation <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/super-for-individuals-and-families/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/superannuation-death-benefits">death benefit</a> would be straightforward. Instead, she spent months navigating a bureaucratic maze. She repeatedly sent documents, waited weeks for callbacks and struggled to get answers from his fund. Her experience is far from unique. A damning <a href="https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/find-a-document/reports/rep-806-taking-ownership-of-death-benefits-how-trustees-can-deliver-outcomes-australians-deserve/">new report</a> reveals systemic failure by Australia’s <a href="https://www.superannuation.asn.au/resources/super-stats/#:%7E:text=Total%20superannuation%20assets%20were%20%244.2,with%20more%20than%20six%20members.">A$4 trillion</a> superannuation industry in handling members’ death benefits. <h2>A system in disarray</h2> The Australian Security and Investments Commission’s landmark review of ten major super trustees, managing 38% of super assets, exposes an industry that is not serving its members. Grieving families routinely face excessive delays, insensitive treatment and unnecessary hurdles when trying to access death benefits. It found they sometimes waited over a year for payments to which they were legally entitled. The central problem was a fundamental breakdown in claims processing, with five critical failures exacerbating inefficiency and distress. 1. Poor oversight No trustee monitored end-to-end claims handling times, leaving boards unaware of how long families were waiting. While the fastest trustee resolved 48% of claims within 90 days, the slowest managed just 8%. In one case, a widow waited nearly a year despite her husband having a valid binding nomination. ASIC found 78% of delays stemmed from processing inefficiencies entirely within trustees’ control. 2. Misleading and inadequate information Many funds misled on processing times and masked extreme delays. Boards often received reports only on insured claims, despite most death benefits not involving insurance. This meant boards were unable to fix systemic problems. 3. Process over people Risk-averse procedures often overrode common sense. Many funds imposed claim-staking – delaying payments for objections – even for straightforward cases, adding a median 95 day delay. Communication failures further compounded delays, with claimants receiving inconsistent advice and few or no status updates. 4. Outsourcing without accountability Claims handled in-house were processed significantly faster than those managed by external administrators. Only 15% of outsourced claims were resolved within 90 days, compared to 36% of in-house claims. The securities commission is calling for stronger oversight. External administrators significantly slow down responses, so some funds may need to bring claims processing back in-house to ensure efficiency. 5. Lack of transparency Many funds failed to provide clear timelines or explanations for delays and had no accountability mechanisms. The ten funds investigated include the Australian Retirement Trust, Avanteos (Colonial First State), Brighter Super, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, HESTA, Hostplus, NM Super (AMP), Nulis (MLC), Rest and UniSuper. Two others, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-12/asic-sues-australian-super-death-processing-benefit-claims-delay/105040450">Australian Super and Cbus</a>, are being sued separately by ASIC for either failing to pay out or delaying payments to thousands of eligible beneficiaries. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A list of key findings from the ASIC Taking ownership of death benefits report" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=405&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=405&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=405&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=509&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=509&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658866/original/file-20250401-56-jrqwbg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=509&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/find-a-document/reports/rep-806-taking-ownership-of-death-benefits-how-trustees-can-deliver-outcomes-australians-deserve/">Taking ownership of death benefits: How trustees can deliver outcomes Australians deserve, ASIC, March 2025</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Will ASIC’s fixes work?</h2> ASIC has made 34 recommendations to improve death benefit processing. This will require real change, not box ticking. Changes should include setting performance objectives and empowering frontline staff to cut unnecessary steps. There should be consequences for failure. Unlike the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/bereavement">United Kingdom</a>, which fines pension providers for missing statutory deadlines, ASIC’s recommendations lack penalties. Without consequences, some funds may continue prioritising administrative convenience over members receiving their entitlements. <h2>What needs to happen now?</h2> ASIC’s report is a wake-up call, but real reform requires strong action. Super funds must be held to clear, binding processing timelines, with meaningful penalties for non-compliance. Standardising requirements across the industry would eliminate unnecessary hurdles, ensuring all beneficiaries are treated fairly. Beyond regulation, funds must improve communication and accountability. Bereaved families deserve clear, plain language guidance on what to expect, not bureaucratic roadblocks or sudden document requests. Technological upgrades should focus on reducing delays, not just internal efficiencies. And to better support families, an independent claims advocate could help navigate the process, ensuring no one is left to struggle alone. <h2>Has ASIC gone far enough?</h2> While ASIC’s review is a step in the right direction, it does not fundamentally overhaul flawed claims-handling practices. The recommendations lack enforceability, relying on voluntary compliance. Also, the role of insurers within super remains largely unaddressed, despite death benefits being tied to life insurance policies. This often causes further complications and delays. Ensuring insurers adopt and apply ASIC’s recommendations will be critical for meaningful change. Most importantly, super funds must remember that behind every claim is a grieving family. No one should have to fight for what they are owed during one of the most stressful times in their life.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253419/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Natalie Peng does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Excessive delays and hurdles are rife in Australia’s A$4 trillion superannuation industry’s death benefits system. There should be consequences for failure.</summary> <author> <name>Natalie Peng, Lecturer in Accounting, The University of Queensland</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/natalie-peng-1369555"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252910</id> <published>2025-04-01T00:50:51Z</published> <updated>2025-04-01T00:50:51Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/hotter-and-deeper-how-nzs-plan-to-drill-for-supercritical-geothermal-energy-holds-promise-and-risk-252910"/> <title>Hotter and deeper: how NZ’s plan to drill for ‘supercritical’ geothermal energy holds promise and risk</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658580/original/file-20250331-62-be8jgh.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=17%2C65%2C3976%2C2419&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-footage-hot-sulphur-springs-sunrise-1711264927">Shutterstock/donvictorio</a></figcaption></figure>New Zealand’s North Island features a number of geothermal systems, several of which are used to generate some 1,000 MegaWatts of electricity. But deeper down there may be even more potential. The government <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-exploring-new-energy-source">is now investing NZ$60 million</a> to explore what is known as “supercritical” geothermal energy, following five years of <a href="https://www.geothermalnextgeneration.com/">feasibility research led by GNS Science</a>. Supercritical geothermal is hotter and deeper than conventional geothermal sources. It targets rocks between 375°C and 500°C, close to – but not within – magma. Water at these temperatures and depths has three to seven times more energy for conversion to electricity, compared to ordinary geothermal generation at comparatively cooler temperatures of 200°C to 300°C. The investment is staged, with $5 million earmarked for international consultants to design a super-deep well, and further funds to be released later for drilling to depths of up to six kilometres. <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/545507/shane-jones-looks-to-convince-iwi-of-geothermal-potential-under-maori-owned-land">Consultation is underway</a>, with resources minister Shane Jones hoping to convince Māori landowners to collaborate. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="Piping at a geothermal power Station, near Taupo New Zealand" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658607/original/file-20250331-62-6gb488.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658607/original/file-20250331-62-6gb488.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658607/original/file-20250331-62-6gb488.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658607/original/file-20250331-62-6gb488.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658607/original/file-20250331-62-6gb488.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658607/original/file-20250331-62-6gb488.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658607/original/file-20250331-62-6gb488.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> New Zealand already produces 1,000MW of electricity from conventional geothermal sources. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/geothermal-power-station-near-taupo-new-267345200">Shutterstock/Chrispo</a> </figcaption> </figure> GNS Science <a href="https://www.geothermalnextgeneration.com/knowledge/inventory-of-new-zealand-supercritical-geothermal-resources">estimates</a> the central North Island might have about 3,500MW worth of this resource, although actually accessing it might be difficult and expensive. The energy consulting firm Castalia was engaged to <a href="https://www.geothermalnextgeneration.com/knowledge/supercritical-nz-economic-opportunity">predict how much would be worth developing</a>, suggesting between 1,300MW and 2,000MW, starting from 2037. This would be a lot of extra power. Even better, it would reduce the peaks and troughs in generation that arise from more variable solar and wind sources, which are expected to make up a growing share of electricity generation in the future. Supercritical geothermal is reportedly cost effective, which means the technology deserves serious consideration. But such claims should be subject to scrutiny. Successive governments have supported major state energy projects, including the <a href="https://www.engineeringnz.org/programmes/heritage/heritage-register/manapouri-power-station/">Manapouri power station</a>, <a href="https://www.odt.co.nz/business/15m-push-seismic-data">petroleum exploration</a> during the early 2000s, early <a href="https://www.nzgeothermal.org.nz/geothermal-in-nz/nz-geothermal-fields/wairakei/#">geothermal drilling</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Onslow">investigation of a pumped hydro scheme at Lake Onslow</a>. The need for energy security clearly motivates such investments. But New Zealand has a healthy geothermal industry. In the past two decades, geothermal companies have <a href="https://www.worldgeothermal.org/pdf/IGAstandard/WGC/2023//685.pdf">invested $2 billion in hundreds of new wells</a> and new power plants. The industry already knows how to drill wells and profit from them. So why is the government stepping in now? In practice, supercritical geothermal exploration and development faces several research, technical and economic risks. Private enterprise seems unwilling to bear them alone, prompting the government to step in to establish feasibility. <h2>How to crack soft rock</h2> One problem supercritical geothermal might encounter is that drilling deeper might find lots of hot rock, but not much water. Drilling experiments in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0375650598000352">Japan</a> and <a href="https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2019/24/e3sconf_wri-162018_12012.pdf">Italy</a> have shown that reaching 500°C is possible, but in both cases the rock was so ductile (pliable and easily stretched) because of the high temperatures that it couldn’t keep open the gaps needed for water to flow. However, the experience was different in Iceland where <a href="https://www.worldgeothermal.org/pdf/IGAstandard/WGC/2020//37000.pdf">two wells managed to find water</a> above 400°C. At this stage, it’s not clear whether this is because Iceland has special rocks – particularly basalts, which are less ductile – or because the country is being stretched through tectonic forces at a high rate. New Zealand is less able to count on basalts but it does experience rapid tectonic stretching. Deep drilling would test this key hypothesis: is there permeability (gaps for water to flow through) at supercritical conditions? The only way to know for sure is to drill down. If there isn’t permeability, the government could either abandon the investment or look into methods to create it. Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is an option which has worked overseas in the North American <a href="https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/uploads/2013/04/Shale-gas-and-fracking.pdf">shale gas industry</a>. It has also recently been demonstrated in some US <a href="https://fervoenergy.com/fervo-energys-record-breaking-production-results-showcase-rapid-scale-up-of-enhanced-geothermal/">geothermal systems</a>. Even if we did find permeability, the water produced in Iceland’s supercritical wells was <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0375650518303523">enormously corrosive</a>. A better option then might be to <a href="https://pangea.stanford.edu/ERE/pdf/IGAstandard/SGW/2024//Gunnarsson.pdf">inject cold water</a> into the well, suppressing the corrosive fluids. The injected water would heat up and rise into the overlying geothermal system – flushing the heat upwards. However, both water injection and fracking can trigger earthquakes, perhaps a <a href="https://rocksoup.substack.com/p/supercritical-geothermal-might-need">magnitude 4-5 every year</a> or a magnitude 5-6 every few decades. This <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Pohang_earthquake">happened in 2017 in Pohang in South Korea</a> where water injection triggered a magnitude 5.5 earthquake. It resulted in the cancellation of the geothermal project. But there are many other geothermal projects where injection has not led to concerning earthquake activity. <h2>Fierce competition from solar, wind and batteries</h2> The other risk is economic. Supercritical geothermal might one day be technically feasible, but its potential contribution in New Zealand will be limited if it can’t beat other generation technologies on cost. Worldwide, the renewable energy sector continues to be disrupted by unprecedented cost decreases driven by innovations in <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/mind-blowing-battery-cell-prices-plunge-in-chinas-biggest-energy-storage-auction/">utility-scale battery storage</a> and solar photovoltaics. But the supply chains are largely overseas, mostly concentrated in China. This adds geopolitical complexity to the energy security calculus. Homegrown solutions are a strength. Nevertheless, the International Renewable Energy Agency <a href="https://www.irena.org/Publications/2024/Sep/Renewable-Power-Generation-Costs-in-2023">reports cost reductions for solar and battery modules</a> of 89% and 86% between 2010 and 2023. Solar costs drop 33% each time the built amount doubles. Drops in battery cost are enabling large deployments for daily smoothing of the peaks and troughs of intermittent solar and wind generation. This shifting cost landscape creates financial uncertainty for energy investors. While cost declines might not continue forever, it’s hard to pick when they will level off. Meanwhile, geothermal costs have been flat for a long time. A billion-dollar geothermal investment might quickly become uncompetitive. Despite all these caveats, we shouldn’t overlook the positive signal of the government taking a bet on New Zealand science and innovation. It will be exciting to see what’s happening at six kilometres of depth underground. And although the plan is not to drill for magma, an accidental strike (<a href="https://kmt.is/history/">as happened in Iceland</a>) would lead to some amazing science. Lastly, energy security deserves to be taken seriously over the long term. While supercritical geothermal won’t fix our immediate vulnerability to winter scarcity, it could help avoid similar issues in the 2040s.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252910/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> David Dempsey receives science funding from MBIE for research into geothermal energy. </content> <summary>Supercritical geothermal is worth exploring and drilling might soon be technically feasible. But its value will be limited if wind and solar energy costs continue to fall.</summary> <author> <name>David Dempsey, Associate Professor in Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-dempsey-1238306"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/251152</id> <published>2025-03-31T23:54:44Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T23:54:44Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/shame-disgust-horror-kate-grenville-faces-her-family-history-of-stolen-land-in-australia-and-asks-us-to-feel-it-with-her-251152"/> <title>‘Shame, disgust, horror’: Kate Grenville faces her family history of stolen land in Australia – and asks us to feel it with her</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658209/original/file-20250328-62-1mpl8v.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C3994%2C1988&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption>Kate Grenville, Wiseman&#39;s Ferry on the Hawkesbury River <a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Hawkesbury_River_at_Wisemans_Ferry.jpg">Darren James/Tim Keegan, Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></figcaption></figure>How do Australians feel about knowing the territory we inhabit was violently stolen from First Nations people? In <a href="https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/unsettled">Unsettled</a>, Kate Grenville explores this through her own feelings. “I’ve been circling this book for years,” she writes. But its immediate context is the 60% “No” vote in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-australia-has-voted-against-an-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-heres-what-happened-215155">2023 referendum</a> to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to parliament, and to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-executive-government-and-what-does-it-have-to-do-with-the-voice-to-parliament-212785">executive government</a>, which develops laws and policies. The slogan “If you don’t know, vote No” gave Australians “permission to keep looking away” from the past, Grenville writes. She invites us to look into that past, accompanying her on a journey that leaves her “unsettled”, but hopeful. <hr> Review: Unsettled: a journey through time and place – Kate Grenville (Black Inc.) <hr> For Grenville, the difference between knowing the truth of Australia’s past and feeling it is significant. An accomplished historical novelist, she has taken readers into the imagined inner lives of colonist characters in books like <a href="https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/the-secret-river">The Secret River</a> (2005), allowing us to feel what they felt. In Unsettled, she invites us to witness and share her responses to places and stories of colonial land theft. <h2>Feeling the violence of stolen land</h2> Most Australians acknowledge the violence of colonisation. In August 2022, <a href="https://www.reconciliation.org.au/publication/2022-australian-reconciliation-barometer/">a Reconciliation Australia survey</a> found 76% of the general community believed First Nations people “were subject to mass killings, incarceration, forced removal from land and restricted movement throughout the 1800s”. The same survey found 63% believed “Frontier wars occurred across the Australian continent” as First Nations people “defended their traditional lands from European invasion”. <figure class="align-right zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=917&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=917&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=917&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1153&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1153&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658207/original/file-20250328-56-p5f8s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1153&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> Revisionist scholarship has made these beliefs historical orthodoxy. They have entered the curricula of Australian schools and universities. They have informed legal judgements (like <a href="https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-33.html">Mabo</a>, which recognised “native title” as a property right based on First Nations customary law), films, TV programs, novels and poetry. Critical accounts of the nation’s “appalling” past have even been acknowledged as valid by former prime minister John Howard. While rejecting “black armband history”, <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;orderBy=_fragment_number,doc_date-rev;query=Dataset%3Ahansardr,hansardr80%20Decade%3A%221990s%22%20Year%3A%221996%22%20Month%3A%2210%22%20Day%3A%2230%22%20Speaker_Phrase%3A%22mr%20howard%22;rec=0;resCount=Default">he told parliament</a> in October 1996: “I regret as an Australian the appalling way in which members of the Indigenous community have been treated in the past and I believe the truth about what occurred in our history should be taught in an unvarnished fashion.” However, for Kate Grenville, it is not enough to know Australia is stolen land: she wants to feel it, and she hopes readers will too. Unsettled narrates what she calls her “pilgrimage” to places where her ancestors “settled”. Early on, she announces self transformation as the goal of her journey: “The body moves through space, and with it the spirit might move through understanding.” In each place she visits, she wonders how her forebears interacted with (or insulated themselves from) Indigenous Australians, as they “took up” the land. She analyses this widely used term for us, arguing when we add “up” to “took” or “take”, we weaken the sense that to “take” is to “steal”. The pilgrimage’s first pause is at Wiseman’s Ferry, on the Hawkesbury River: named after Solomon Wiseman, the ancestor Grenville fictionally evoked as a colonist of Dharug country in her widely admired novel The Secret River. There she finds herself “shocked”, “confused” and “irritable” that she had not seen what this place “had to show me” on previous visits. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=421&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=421&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=421&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=529&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=529&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658205/original/file-20250328-56-yw2pyc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=529&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Grenville’s first visit on her pilgrimage is to Wiseman’s Ferry on the Hawkesbury River, named for her ancestor Solomon Wiseman. <a class="source" href="https://jenikirbyhistory.getarchive.net/amp/media/wisemans-ferry-hawkesbury-river-11182164774-040629">Royal Historical Society</a> </figcaption> </figure> Grenville thus declares the purpose of her pilgrimage: to make herself emotionally vulnerable to knowledge. Implicitly, she imagines (or calls into being) a reader willing to rethink their own place in history, as receivers of the colonists’ insular legacy. Grenville exemplifies Australians’ possible openness to a loss of self assurance. Her book is an invitation to national uncertainty. As she travels, she moves from her most time-distant ancestor, Wiseman, to her parents’ generation. (The 20 places named for the reader and visited include St Albans, Wollombi, Gunnedah and Tamworth.) One source is her mother’s recorded memories, the basis of Grenville’s biographical 2015 book, <a href="https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/one-life">One Life: My Mother’s Story</a>. Here, she revisits her mother’s words with a sharpened awareness of what her mother’s generation didn’t know, or did not think it important to dwell on. Tracing this descent, paying close attention to the terminology used in monuments and in family anecdotes, Grenville enacts her own emancipation from not seeing to seeing, from self-enclosure to emotionally risky openness. She urges Australians to reevaluate the self-understanding passed down to them by parents, grandparents and the wider culture. <h2>Truth-telling and owning the past</h2> National learning as personal quest is a beguiling way to portray contemporary Australian historical consciousness. Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta journalist Bridget Brennan demonstrated this in last week’s <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-24/truth-yoorrook/105090138">Four Corners program on Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission</a>. Her interviews with two witnesses to the Commission presented national enlightenment as the hoped-for sum of many hard individual journeys. A woman <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-23/truth-telling-inquiry-yoorook-four-corners/104931188">continuing her deceased husband’s pastoral enterprise</a> on the site of the 1843 Warrigal Creek massacre was “grappling with how best to protect and honour the massacre site for future generations”. A descendant of Alfred Deakin apologised for <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/hist_act/tapa1886265.pdf">his 1886 legislation</a> that forced Aboriginal people of mixed descent off reserves, in the hope they would assimilate to the settler community. I take Brennan to be saying that if non-Indigenous Australians are to “own” their past, they must open themselves to dialogue with the colonised – such as the commissioners of Yoorrook. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GVswTe8rr4w?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <figcaption>Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta journalist Bridget Brennan demonstrated national learning as personal quest on a recent Four Corners.</figcaption> </figure> Grenville’s pilgrim self does not encounter actual Indigenous interlocutors. They are absent – for a variety of reasons – from the places her ancestors “took up”. They are imaginably present for her, however. Unsettled often recreates the structure of feeling produced by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Jindyworobak-movement">Jindyworobak</a> poets such as <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ingamells-reginald-charles-rex-10588">Rex Ingamells</a>: the intimation of an Aboriginal presence that persists in the land itself, beyond colonial erasure. Indeed, the literary precedents of Unsettled go back to poems inspired by horror at the 1838 Myall Creek Massacre: Elizabeth Hamilton Dunlop’s <a href="https://blakandblack.com/2010/12/16/%E2%80%98the-aboriginal-mother%E2%80%99-a-poem-by-eliza-hamilton-dunlop-2/">The Aboriginal Mother (From Myall’s Creek)</a> (1838) and Charles Harpur’s <a href="https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C149507">A Wail from the Bush</a> (1845). Grenville closes her book with a visit to the Myall Creek monument erected in 2000, near Bingara. There she allows herself to feel “shame, disgust, horror” as “the price to pay for being who I am”. Those who erected the monument – descended from both slayers and slain – are her exemplary Australians. <h2>On difficult terms with multiculturalism</h2> To say Unsettled is a sustained performance of a postcolonial conscience is not to belittle it. Its great achievement is the effortless and artful intertwining of received histories of the nation with stories specific to Grenville’s family. However, Unsettled is on difficult terms with another progressive Australian ideology: multiculturalism. I mean two things by this. Recent migrants to Australia will be limited in their capacity to identify with Grenville’s deep colonial lineage. Subject to (at times) self-lacerating review, this heritage is not only Grenville’s burden, but also the cultural asset that enables her pilgrimage. Those best placed to identify with her anguish are not only those yearning for truth-telling, but those descended, like her, from several generations of colony-born “natives”. This is the effect of the book’s configuration of self, family and nation. The premise of shared heritage – celebrated or criticised – is vulnerable in a nation adding so rapidly to its stock of people. It is likely that a large proportion of those who voted in the 2023 referendum are of non-British heritage. Of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/permanent-migrants-australia/latest-release">the three million permanent migrants</a> added to Australia’s population between 2000 and 2021, settling mainly in the capital cities, one in three were from India, China, the Philippines or Vietnam; 77% of migrants who have <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/migrant-settlement-outcomes/latest-release#australian-citizenship">lived in Australia for more than ten years</a> have become citizens and eligible to vote. Even if these “new Australians” know they are beneficiaries of violent colonisation, what does that knowledge mean to them? Migration, the severing of a person from place and people, requires some erasure of a person’s past. This is for some, no doubt, part of its allure. Whether experienced as loss or renewal of self, this severance may breed an impatience with claims – moral or political – that invoke heritage. On 24 May 2023, Michael Sukkar (Liberal member for Deakin and member of a Lebanese migrant family) heard Yes advocates refer to the ancient heritage of Indigenous Australians as if it were the basis of their right to a Voice. <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/26697/&amp;sid=0174">He replied</a>, explaining his “vehement” opposition to the Voice, by expounding a migrant version of the equality ethos. <blockquote> It didn’t matter if your family went back to the First Fleet or whether your family went back 60,000 years or whether your family arrived a couple of years ago and were at last night’s citizenship ceremony. The minute you were an Australian citizen, you were, in every single way, equal. There was no grading. There were no different rights or different rules for one or the other. </blockquote> Unsettled, and the collective memory and identity it invokes, speaks powerfully to a structure of postcolonial feeling within Australian society that is significant, but may be of diminishing influence. Today, Australia’s high (diversely sourced) migration challenges the very possibility of a collective memory.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/251152/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Tim Rowse does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Kate Grenville’s book successfully intertwines national and personal history to evoke Australia’s past –&nbsp;but multiculturalism challenges her idea of collective memory.</summary> <author> <name>Tim Rowse, Emeritus Professor, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-rowse-1204124"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/245167</id> <published>2025-03-31T22:47:57Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T22:47:57Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/using-tranquillisers-on-racehorses-is-ethically-questionable-and-puts-horses-and-riders-at-risk-245167"/> <title>Using tranquillisers on racehorses is ethically questionable and puts horses and riders at risk</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/636718/original/file-20241205-17-9ok0o0.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=24%2C81%2C5406%2C3374&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/vet-giving-injection-horse-selective-focus-1058921084">hedgehog94/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>Australia’s horse racing industry is in the spotlight after recent allegations of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/racing-workers-raise-safety-concerns-of-drugged-horses/105023946">tranquilliser use on horses</a> so they can be “worked” (exercised) between race days. A recent <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/racing-workers-raise-safety-concerns-of-drugged-horses/105023946">ABC report</a> stated workers in the Australian racing industry allege horses are being routinely medicated for track work at the peril of rider and horse safety. Using tranquillisers on horses during training and management may not be illegal but this could breach nationwide racing rules. The prevalence of the practice is not clear but many industry insiders report it as common. Racing Australia had “recently become aware” of the use of acepromazine for track work and had begun collecting data about the practice, but <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/racing-workers-raise-safety-concerns-of-drugged-horses/105023946">had not been made aware</a> of any complaints or concerns. <h2>What medications are horses given?</h2> Horses may be given a low dose of a tranquilliser, most commonly <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/acepromazine">acepromazine</a>. This makes their behaviour easier to control in certain situations, such as when they’re being examined by a veterinarian. This drug must be prescribed by an attending veterinarian, and it can <a href="https://www.mynavas.org/post/standing-sedation-techniques-for-horses-and-ponies">calm</a> unfriendly and apprehensive animals. This could assist with making excited, hyperactive horses easier to control and less likely to buck, rear or put people at risk of injury from uncontrolled flight responses. But proprioception – the way horses feel the world around them, notably the ground beneath them – is likely to be compromised. So, from a work health and safety perspective, the risk of tripping and falling is front of mind. Other risks to horses from acepromazine can include impaired <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/21/3102">blood clotting</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6131662/">lower blood pressure</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1163957/">respiratory depression</a> and, in rare cases, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21831062/">permanent paralysis of the penis in male horses</a>. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1830985534635692082&quot;}"></div> <h2>A dangerous combination</h2> In the racing industry, tranquillisers are given to reduce the difficulties that come from riding and handling very fit, young horses that have been bred, fed and managed to be highly reactive and move at very high speeds. This combination of selective breeding and only basic training can make them very difficult to control both during trackwork, when speeds of over 60 kilometres per hour can be reached, as well as during routine management. Thoroughbreds’ diets, intensive management and relative lack of behavioural conditioning can be a dangerous combination. The diets and confinement make them excitable and likely to take off; if they do, the lack of appropriate training makes them difficult to stop. <h2>What makes race thoroughbreds hard to handle?</h2> All horses have three fundamental needs – friends, forage and freedom, known as the “<a href="https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/advice/the-3fs-friends-forage-and-freedom">three F’s</a>”. Friends: horses have evolved to spend time with large mixed groups. They feel safer in these groups and this safety is highly valued: mutual grooming with preferred conspecifics (other equids) can calm them. In contrast, most stabled horses have no choice about who their neighbours are and can usually only have minimal physical interactions. Once out on the track, horses are highly motivated to stay with other horses and are more likely to be distracted rather than to attend to the rider. Freedom: horses evolved to move for up to 70% of their day, which is <a href="https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/library/good-welfare-equids">essential for their welfare</a>. In contrast, most racehorses, and indeed many other performance horses, often <a href="https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb03041.x">spend up to 23 hours a day</a> confined in stables. Unfortunately, stabled horses are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159102000916">harder to train and more likely to buck</a>. Prolonged confinement leads to many horses <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19642410/">becoming more reactive</a>, a state that increases the likelihood of injuries to riders. Forage: horses are trickle feeders that graze on high-fibre, low-nutrient forages for up to 16 hours a day. In contrast, racehorses are fed high-energy diets that can be quickly consumed, leading to risk of digestive disturbances, such as <a href="https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/equine-gastric-ulcer-syndrome">gastric ulcers</a> and long periods during which, confined to their stables, they have nothing to do. Modern racehorse management and training often denies them access to these “three F’s”, which leads to behavioural problems that are then sometimes managed by tranquillising the horse. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Four horses graze in a spacious paddock." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/638045/original/file-20241212-17-9xa0u4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Horses are social animals that enjoy grazing and activity. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/thoroughbred-horse-looking-camera-warm-sunrise-1941845359">Patrick Jennings/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> Lastly, there’s the kind of work racehorses do. High-intensity work increases the concentrations of <a href="https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05286.x">adrenaline and cortisol</a> to support the energy demands of the work. However, this increases the horse’s arousal and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1558787810000808">reduces their ability to attend to rider cues</a>. This can make them hard to control. Collectively, these factors create horses that are not having their fundamental needs met. It’s no wonder that, once free of the confinement of their stables, they can become excited and hard to control, putting their riders and even themselves at risk of injury. <h2>A band-aid solution</h2> There is no textbook that advises vets on how to diagnose or treat horses that are hyperactive, nor are there any data on how horses can be safely tranquillised before being ridden. However, a <a href="https://vmd.defra.gov.uk/ProductInformationDatabase/files/SPC_Documents/SPC_140753.PDF">UK government data sheet</a> for the most common equine tranquilliser globally, acepromazine maleate, states: “do not, in any circumstances, ride horses within the 36 hours following administration of the product”. In Australia, <a href="https://www.racingnsw.com.au/wp-content/uploads/NSWRules.pdf">racing trainers must keep records</a> of all medications given to horses. Unfortunately, the veterinarians who supply this medication to trainers for use on racehorses are usually doing so without a specific diagnosis or treatment plan. Routine use of tranquillisers is a band-aid solution to an industry-wide practice of confining, over-feeding and under-training fit, young horses that have been bred to run. If this practice is ever policed, there will likely be enormous repercussions for the sustainability of racing. As a first step to addressing this issue, the industry could commit to monitoring and publishing annual data on the routine use of tranquillisers.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/245167/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Paul McGreevy has received funding from the Australian Research Council, RSPCA Australia and animal welfare focussed philanthropy. He is a Fellow of the International Society for Equitation Science, a member of the British Veterinary Association and currently sits on the NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board.Cathrynne Henshall receives funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Welfare Foundation. She is a trustee and council member of the International Society for Equitation Science. </content> <summary>Workers in the Australian racing industry allege horses are being routinely medicated for track work, at the peril of rider and horse safety.</summary> <author> <name>Paul McGreevy, Professor, School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-mcgreevy-139820"/> </author> <author> <name>Cathrynne Henshall, Post-doctoral Fellow, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrynne-henshall-572585"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253018</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:56:08Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:56:08Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/a-child-killer-parenting-struggles-and-innies-running-wild-what-to-stream-in-april-253018"/> <title>A child killer, parenting struggles and ‘innies’ running wild: what to stream in April</title> <content type="html">Drowning in streaming choices? If so, you’re not alone – as our experts have a particularly wide range of picks this month. From musicals and comedy, to serial killers and twisted fictional corporations, there’s plenty to get stuck into. <h2>The Pitt</h2> Binge (Australia), Neon (NZ) The Pitt is best described as a cross between ER and 24. The series follows an emergency room in Pittsburgh in real time across a 15-hour shift. Each one hour episode is an hour of their shift. Creator R. Scott Gemill and executive producer John Wells both worked extensively on ER, as did Noah Wyle who plays Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, the senior attending. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ufR_08V38sQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> The day in question falls on the anniversary of the death of Robby’s mentor during the COVID pandemic and he experiences several flashbacks throughout the shift. The ER ward is chaotic due to the nursing shortage and failing American healthcare system. The series regularly cuts to the overcrowded waiting room of desperate people, waiting to receive care. The large ensemble is fantastic and it’s great to see a medical show that actually includes nursing staff as key characters (take note, Grey’s Anatomy!). By unfolding in real time, we get a sense of how chaotic their work is, with several doctors jumping between patients. Several key cases also unfold across several episodes, with many building to dramatic effects. It should also be noted that due to having its home on a streaming platform, the show is allowed to depict graphic and sometimes gruesome medical scenes without intruding soundtracks or montages, which only adds to the realism. – Stuart Richards <h2>Severance, season two</h2> Apple TV In absurdist psychological thriller Severance, individuals working for the multinational biotech corporation Lumon Industries can have their work-selves surgically “severed”, separating the memories and experiences of their workplace “innies” from those of their “outies”. The second season, three years in the making, looks at the fallout from season one’s cliffhanger finale, in which the innies of Macrodata Analysis, Helly R (Britt Lower), Irving B (John Turturro) and Dylan G (Zach Cherry), led by Mark S (Adam Scott), staged a revolt and busted briefly into their outies’ worlds. In doing so, they exposed shocking secrets about Lumon – including that outie Mark’s wife, thought dead, is somehow alive but being held by Lumon. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_UXKlYvLGJY?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> This season has been as stylish and weird as the first, revelling in striking cinematography, impeccable direction, quirky scripting and inspired world-building. It also becomes increasingly eerie, focusing more on Lumon’s bizarre, cult-like history and culture, and the unsettling nature of the innies’ jobs. Although lore-heavy, the show has avoided many of the pitfalls of “puzzle box” shows, balancing revelations with astonishingly good performances, particularly from Trammell Tillman as Lumon floor manager Mr Milchick. This uncanny and perversely funny season deserves its status as a water cooler hit. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait three more years for a resolution. – Erin Harrington <h2>Happiness</h2> ThreeNow (New Zealand) from April 3 With their new show Happiness, airing on Three and Three Now, Kip Chapman and Luke Di Somma have created a welcome New Zealand answer to the popular style of “backstage” musical TV show. The protagonist is stage director Charlie (Harry McNaughton), who has returned from New York to his hometown of Tauranga having been dismissed from helming a Broadway revival of Cats. In a desperate attempt to demonstrate competency for a renewal of his visa, and to please his mum Gaye (Rebecca Gibney), Charlie decides to help out the local amateur musical theatre society Pizzaz (“the finest large-scale yet boutique classical musical theatre company in Tauranga”) with its latest production, an original musical called The Trojan Horse. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y6VxgFEx9LE?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> While the story is fairly predictable, the show blessed with an engaging pastiche score by Luke Di Somma that references a variety of fun musical theatre tropes. It is a welcome addition to the “let’s put on a show” backstager genre, and will appeal to fans of musical theatre as well as workplace comedies. Happiness paints New Zealand musical theatre talent in a positive light – showing what the locals can do – while being highly entertaining in its own right. – Gregory Camp <h2>Running Point</h2> Netflix Running Point is writer-producer Mindy Kaling’s return to her roots with an office-family comedy. After spending some time in high-school with Never Have I Ever and college with Sex Lives of College Girls, Kaling returns to where she started her TV career with The Office and The Mindy Project. Based very loosely on the real-life story of Los Angeles Lakers President Jeanie Buss, this Kate Hudson vehicle is ripe with satire, family dynamics and absurdity. When her older brother (Justin Theroux) goes to rehab, he names his sister (Hudson) as the new president of their family business: basketball empire the Los Angeles “Waves”. Running Point feels like a more fully-realised version of Kaling’s previous short-lived family sports comedy Champions. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/thA5bHMjOI4?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> The cast is stacked with TV comedy MVPs including Brenda Song, Drew Tarver, Scott MacArthur, Jay Ellis, Max Greenfield and Jon Glaser. Hudson is at her most Goldie Hawn-like here, mixing physical comedy with goofiness and heart. It’s easy and enjoyable watching, even if (like me) you are not a big sports fan! – Jessica Ford <h2>Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer</h2> Netflix True crime documentaries, particularly those concerned with serial killers, are often criticised for their silencing of the victims, while <a href="https://theconversation.com/netflixs-monsters-is-murder-porn-at-its-worst-it-comes-at-a-cost-to-real-victims-and-the-truth-239596">elevating the perpetrator</a> and perversely celebrating their crimes. Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer bucks that trend. Its focus is on the women who were murdered by Rex Heuermann, and the families and friends who band together in their shared suffering and pursuit of justice over a period of more than two decades. In particular, it is the disappearance of Shannan Gilbert, and her mother’s dogged perseverance in keeping the police department’s attention on her missing daughter, which leads to the discovery and identification of the bodies of another six women. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eb4qwCfbKrk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> Like his namesake, the “Long Island Ripper”, Heuermann relied on the fact that his victims were sex workers – assuming their deaths would be of little consequence to law enforcement, or that their disappearances wouldn’t even be noticed. For some time this was true, as one interviewee observes: “knowing that sex workers might be afraid to come forward with information, police were not active in reaching out to them and making them feel comfortable coming forward”. But these women were mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. Gone Girls rejects the marginalisation of the victims, just as their communities had worked so hard to do. – Jessica Gildersleeve <h2>Adolescence</h2> Netflix Why do children kill other children? What makes an intelligent boy from a loving suburban family borrow a knife from a school friend and, on a casual Sunday evening, stab another child to death? When someone so young commits a horrific act, who is to blame – the child, the family, or society? With its technical mastery and gut-punch power, <a href="https://theconversation.com/adolescence-is-a-technical-masterpiece-that-exposes-the-darkest-corners-of-incel-culture-and-male-rage-252390">Adolescence</a> is a tour de force. The series tracks the story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) after he is arrested and later charged with the murder of his classmate, Katie. Co-creator Stephen Graham stars as Jamie’s father, Eddie. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wk5OxqtpBR4?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> The series is a harrowing take on male violence and rage, and the misogynist radicalisation of vulnerable boys. Trapped in the dark mirrors of the manosphere, and allured by the grim logic of Andrew Tate, Jamie represents a generation of boys tragically and perhaps permanently lost to incel culture. Skilfully filmed in Philip Barantini’s signature one-shot style, the series pushes the limits of television production. The high-wire act of timing and trust amplifies the message that one misstep can lead to failure. In Adolescence, however, there are no easy outs. Just as the continuous filming style offers no reprieve, the show refuses to offer a simple explanation for why Jamie did it. Adolescence is not an easy watch, but for those parenting teens, it is a necessary one. – Kate Cantrell <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/adolescence-is-a-technical-masterpiece-that-exposes-the-darkest-corners-of-incel-culture-and-male-rage-252390">Adolescence is a technical masterpiece that exposes the darkest corners of incel culture and male rage</a> <hr> <h2>The Role of a Lifetime</h2> ABC iView (Australia) Edutainment at its finest, The Role of a Lifetime approaches contemporary parenthood with good humour and even better, good research. Informative without being preachy, the short series focuses on parenting tweens (children in late primary school) and above, with a sympathetic approach to the pressures of modern life. In a nutshell: social media is everywhere, what can and should we do about it? Leads Kate Ritchie and Nazeem Hussain serve as part-segment presenters and part-parent role players in this mixture of magazine show and sitcom, while the steady hands of Amanda Keller and Maggie Dent provide context and permission to get it wrong. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zE8LjHdVTh0?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> Aimed very squarely at a nuclear heterocentric Australian middle class, there are moments that still stray into cliché. For instance, why is mum still in charge of dinner even though she’s also worked a full day, often still in full work clothes, until late at night? Nonetheless, the warm dynamic between the family members and the chosen experts makes the show really engaging and invites further discussion rather than dictating rules and failures. The featured “young experts” who participate in the casual panels are also excellent. If they are anything resembling Australia’s future, we are in good hands. – Liz Giuffre <h2>Nickel Boys</h2> Prime Video <a href="https://theconversation.com/nickel-boys-could-be-the-most-radical-literary-adaptation-ever-made-but-how-does-it-compare-to-the-book-250798">Nickel Boys</a>, a new film adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel, follows Elwood Curtis – a studious, law-abiding teenager who is sent to the Nickel Academy in mid-1960s Florida after he unwittingly accepts a ride in a stolen car and is unjustly convicted as an accessory to the theft. The Nickel Academy, based on the real-life <a href="https://www.npr.org/2012/10/15/162941770/floridas-dozier-school-for-boys-a-true-horror-story">Dozier School for Boys</a>, is a segregated reform school operating as a front for the coercion of unpaid labour from the boys detained there. These boys are subject to beatings, rapes and psychological torture. And their efforts to run away or resist often prove fatal. At Nickel, Elwood bonds with another 17-year-old inmate, Turner, whose cynicism provides a foil to Elwood’s idealism. A second timeline follows the adult Elwood’s efforts to build a life and maintain relationships in the aftermath of his imprisonment and escape. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-2qZ429rUZw?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> You don’t watch Nickel Boys so much as experience it – seeing and hearing what Elwood and (later) Turner see and hear. The film’s first-person approach can sometimes be distracting, not least because of the impulse to compare it with your own sense of what looking looks like. That said, the film honours Whitehead’s ambivalence, developing a visual style that amplifies a major plot twist in the novel. It turns the darkest events into a luminous fable of endurance. – Sascha Morrell <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/nickel-boys-could-be-the-most-radical-literary-adaptation-ever-made-but-how-does-it-compare-to-the-book-250798">Nickel Boys could be the most radical literary adaptation ever made – but how does it compare to the book?</a> <hr> <img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253018/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>With so many options across multiple streaming platforms, choosing your next show can feel overwhelming. Let our experts help you decide.</summary> <author> <name>Stuart Richards, Senior Lecturer in Screen Studies, University of South Australia</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stuart-richards-9983"/> </author> <author> <name>Erin Harrington, Senior Lecturer in English and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erin-harrington-1103722"/> </author> <author> <name>Gregory Camp, Senior Lecturer, School of Music, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-camp-1280180"/> </author> <author> <name>Jessica Ford, Senior Lecturer in Media, University of Adelaide</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-ford-168486"/> </author> <author> <name>Jessica Gildersleeve, Professor of English Literature, University of Southern Queensland</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-gildersleeve-141286"/> </author> <author> <name>Kate Cantrell, Senior Lecturer – Writing, Editing, and Publishing, University of Southern Queensland</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-cantrell-444834"/> </author> <author> <name>Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liz-giuffre-105499"/> </author> <author> <name>Sascha Morrell, Lecturer in Literary Studies, Monash University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sascha-morrell-133338"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/247698</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:55:53Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:55:53Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/the-great-gatsby-at-100-the-jazz-age-novel-that-helps-explain-trumps-america-247698"/> <title>The Great Gatsby at 100: the Jazz Age novel that helps explain Trump’s America</title> <content type="html">F. Scott Fitzgerald’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4671.The_Great_Gatsby">The Great Gatsby</a>, a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/05/07/why-the-great-gatsby-is-the-great-american-novel/2130161/">top contender</a> for the title of Great American Novel, turns 100 on April 10. A century later, it is invoked to help make sense of a world that still confuses “material enterprise with moral achievement” – as critic Sarah Churchwell <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-centennial-edition-of-the-great-gatsby/9E5F4A6C5B9A5B68136BB1CA91333001">wrote</a> in the foreword to Gatsby’s centennial edition. A Meta insider’s memoir takes its title, <a href="https://theconversation.com/lawmakers-worldwide-want-to-talk-to-the-meta-insider-whose-memoir-is-a-us-bestseller-after-zuckerberg-took-her-to-court-252615">Careless People</a>, from Fitzgerald’s novel. The same phrase circulated on social media and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/07/books/great-gatsby-quote-trump.html">in The New York Times</a> during Donald Trump’s first presidency, referring to his administration’s downplaying of COVID-19. In 2018, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/09/how-the-great-gatsby-explains-trump/562673/">The Atlantic</a> compared Trump to Tom Buchanan, one of Fitzgerald’s “careless people”, describing “an eerie symmetry […] as if the villain of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel had been brought to life in a louder, gaudier guise for the 21st century”. More recently, others have compared Trump <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2024/06/04/donald-trump-verdict-great-gatsby-248070">to Gatsby himself</a>. The Great Gatsby tells the tale of a lovesick man striving for social acceptance, believing personal reinvention and riches can help to rewrite the past. It is a story of longing: not just for lost love, but for an unattainable ideal. The centenary couldn’t be more timely for this literary masterpiece, preoccupied by the same things we are: immense affluence, privilege, the limits of social mobility and the hidden underbelly of the American Dream. The Great Gatsby, while a relative literary failure in Fitzgerald’s lifetime, is enduringly popular today, with <a href="https://www.folger.edu/explore/the-stuart-and-mimi-rose-collection/f-scott-fitzgerald/">at least 25 million copies</a> sold to date, numerous film and stage adaptations (and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2008/07/02/92133294/netherland-flirts-with-greatness-of-gatsby">literary riffs</a>), and a staple position on school and university reading lists. “What we think about Gatsby illuminates what we think about money, race, romance and history,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/27/books/great-gatsby-100.html">wrote The New York Times’ A.O. Scott</a> recently. “How we imagine him has a lot to do with how we see ourselves.” The Great Gatsby is set against the backdrop of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roaring-Twenties">Roaring Twenties</a> America: an era Fitzgerald famously dubbed the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50186.Novels_and_Stories_1920_1922?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=peV6RwTRtg&amp;rank=2">Jazz Age</a>. Fuelled by the infectious rhythms of jazz, driven by the economic forces of market prosperity and mass consumerism, and heady on the alcoholic vapours and illicit thrills associated with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Prohibition-United-States-history-1920-1933">Prohibition</a>-era nightlife, the 1920s were a decade where American fortunes were made and lost. It was also, as Fitzgerald’s novel outlines, a period where individual ambition burned as fiercely as desire. <figure class="align-right zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=850&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=850&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=850&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1068&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1068&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658507/original/file-20250330-62-mjxo80.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1068&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Picryl </figcaption> </figure> The plot follows the enigmatic Jay Gatsby, a spotlight-eschewing, self-made millionaire whose seemingly breezy approach to life masks a singular obsession: the rekindling of a lost romance with a beautiful woman from his past. Born James Gatz, Fitzgerald’s charismatic protagonist reinvents himself in the hope of winning back the love of his life, wealthy socialite Daisy Buchanan. Taken at face value, Gatsby’s world is one of incredible luxury and dazzling excess – lavish parties, fast cars and ostentatious attire – all designed to lure Daisy back into his arms. But as we begin to scratch beneath the surface, the glittering facade Gatsby has constructed gives way to something far more fragile and tragic: an impossible fantasy driven by jealously, obsession and self-deception. As the reader comes to appreciate, Gatsby’s accumulated gains may grant him partial access to the world of old money, but he will never truly be accepted by America’s elite. No matter how hard he might try, he cannot surmount the barriers of class and entitlement. Ultimately, Gatsby’s misguided belief that he can somehow crowbar his way into the upper echelons of high society while simultaneously turning back the hands of time leads to his downfall. In Fitzgerald’s words, he ends up paying “a high price for living too long with a single dream”. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=463&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=463&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=463&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=582&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=582&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658514/original/file-20250330-56-2but8h.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=582&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel is still invoked to help make sense of a world that often confuses ‘material enterprise with moral achievement’. <a class="source" href="https://picryl.com/media/f-scott-fitzgerald-1929-photo-portrait-by-nickolas-muray-f3c1f8">Nickolas Muray/Picryl</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>F. Scott Fitzgerald, literary celebrity</h2> Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/F-Scott-Fitzgerald">was born</a> in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 24 1896. The son of middle-class Catholic parents, he spent much of his youth living in upstate New York. In 1913, he <a href="https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/f-scott-fitzgerald">enrolled at</a> Princeton University, where he formed a lasting friendship with future literary critic Edmund Wilson. More absorbed in literary and dramatic endeavours than his studies, Fitzgerald’s grades suffered and he dropped out in 1917 – though not before falling deeply in love with <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a1061/ginevra-king/">Ginevra King</a>, an heiress who would leave an indelible imprint on his writing. She would inspire many of his fictional female characters, including Daisy Buchanan. Fitzgerald <a href="https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2012/12/25/where-daisy-buchanan-lived/">first encountered King</a> during a winter vacation in St. Paul in January 1915. The debutante daughter of a wealthy Chicago stockbroker, she quickly became the object of Fitzgerald’s intense devotion (much to the disapproval of her family, who thought him beneath her). <figure class="align-right zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Man in army uniform" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=697&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=697&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=697&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=875&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=875&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658503/original/file-20250330-56-jv9qa3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=875&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> F. Scott Fitzgerald in uniform. <a class="source" href="https://picryl.com/media/f-scott-fitzgerald-world-war-i-uniform-with-hat-1917-4bc858">Picryl</a> </figcaption> </figure> In the wake of his heartbreak after the relationship broke down, Fitzgerald enlisted in the United States Army, earning a commission as a second lieutenant. During his military service, he met <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zelda-Fitzgerald">Zelda Sayre</a>, the woman he would eventually marry. Meanwhile, he began work on his first novel, <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/this-side-of-paradise-9780141185576">This Side of Paradise</a>. Released in 1920, Fitzgerald’s formally adventurous debut was a critical success and cultural sensation, capturing the restless energy and shifting moral landscape of a cohort coming of age in the wake of World War I. The novel’s transparently autobiographical narrative centres on Amory Blaine, a young Midwesterner whose intellectual and romantic adventures at Princeton – especially a doomed affair with the beautiful, elusive Isabelle Borgé – struck a chord with readers. It turned Fitzgerald into a media celebrity and unofficial spokesman for his generation. <figure class="align-left zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A suited man and beautiful woman" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=799&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=799&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=799&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1004&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1004&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658505/original/file-20250330-56-70szot.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1004&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. <a class="source" href="https://timelessmoon.getarchive.net/amp/media/f-scott-and-zelda-fitzgerald-1923-portrait-by-alfred-cheney-johnston-9d6df5">Alfred Cheney Johnston/Picryl</a> </figcaption> </figure> Two years later, Fitzgerald published <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-beautiful-and-damned-9780141194073">The Beautiful and Damned</a>. It details the disintegration of a wealthy, aimless couple – Anthony and Gloria Patch – whose hedonistic lifestyle and misplaced belief in their own brilliance leads to ruin. Fitzgerald’s tonally pessimistic second novel was again shaped by his own experiences, drawing heavily on his tempestuous marriage to Zelda, who was exhibiting symptoms of profound mental instability. However, in stark contrast to This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned sold well, but received a lukewarm reception from reviewers. Some found its characters unappealing and its plot <a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/00/12/24/specials/fitzgerald-damned.html?_r=1&amp;oref=slogin">depressing</a>. By then, the Fitzgeralds had grown accustomed to the finer things in life. Which meant they needed money. Lots of it. To keep up with their lavish spending, Fitzgerald started to churn out short stories for popular magazines at a rapid pace. While this move provided him with a degree of financial security, some critics and contemporaries questioned whether he was squandering his literary gifts. <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/a-moveable-feast-9780099285045">Ernest Hemingway</a>, for one, was “shocked” by his friend’s willingness to pander to commercial tastes and imperatives. <h2>‘I want to write something new’</h2> That said, while he was generating copy for mass-market publication, Fitzgerald was also hard at work on The Great Gatsby. In July 1922, he <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2784682">declared</a>: <blockquote> I want to write something new – something extraordinary and beautiful and simple + intricately patterned. </blockquote> <figure class="align-left zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=965&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=965&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=965&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1212&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1212&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658516/original/file-20250330-62-zz2961.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1212&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> Determined to prove his worth as an artist, Fitzgerald, who <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54610296-the-great-gatsby?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=jBj3Z6uVxH&amp;rank=1">wanted</a> “to write a novel better than any ever written in America”, began to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2784682">play</a> with “form and emotion”. As his ideas for the new novel – which at one point bore the working title <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81635.Trimalchio">Trimalchio</a> – took shape, Fitzgerald set up shop in Great Neck, Long Island. This location became the inspiration for East and West Egg, the fictionalised island communities that are the novel’s primary setting. Fitzgerald, clearly not lacking in confidence, set his sights high for his third novel, taking inspiration from James Joyce’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338798.Ulysses">Ulysses</a> and T.S. Eliot’s <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47311/the-waste-land">The Waste Land</a>. Departing from conventional <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/realism-art">realism</a>, Fitzgerald experimented with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Modernism-art">modernist</a> techniques, layering his narrative with symbolic depth, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/synesthesia">synesthetic</a> imagery, fragmented storytelling and complex characterisation. The result was a work both lyrical and impressionistic. Here’s a vivid, illustrative excerpt: <blockquote> The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music, and the opera of voices pitches a key higher. […] The groups change more swiftly, swell with new arrivals, dissolve and form in the same breath; already there are wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become for a sharp, joyous moment the center of a group, and then, excited with triumph, glide on through the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light. </blockquote> Fitzgerald’s Midwestern narrator, Nick Carraway, is describing one of Gatsby’s legendary West Egg parties. He is renting the house next to Gatsby’s mansion, “a colossal affair by any standard”, with “a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden”. At first, Nick is fascinated by his enigmatic neighbour, drawn in by the sheer force of Gatsby’s optimism and his unrelenting faith in the transformative power of love and the trappings of wealth. But as the novel progresses, events lead Nick to reevaluate. He describes his charming friend as possessing “one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life”. He continues, outlining attributes essential to a good confidence man: <blockquote> It understood you just so far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey. </blockquote> When he isn’t with Gatsby, Nick is often with his cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom, the embodiment of American aristocracy and snobbery. They are, in Nick’s damning estimation, “careless” and “rotten” people. An unreconstructed white supremacist prone to casual displays of extreme prejudice and physical violence, the adulterous Tom – who wouldn’t be out of place in the more dismal real-world and online recesses of today – is, in particular, deeply suspicious of Gatsby, regarding him as an interloper with dubious intentions. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/09/how-the-great-gatsby-explains-trump/562673/">The Atlantic wrote</a> that Tom, “the Yale man, the football star, the spender of old money, the scion of what he calls the Nordic race – embodies the peak of social status in his century”. And that “Trump – the former Playboy-cover subject, the billionaire celebrity, the most powerful man in America – does the same for his”. <blockquote> And their shared personality traits are the product of their shared relationship to power – the casual unreflective certainty that comes from inheritance, and enables its holders to wield its blunt force as both a weapon and a shield. </blockquote> Tom’s “little investigation” into Gatsby’s background and finances reveals they are not what they seem. This leads to unintended, disastrous consequences. Nick, our disillusioned observer, doesn’t quite know what to make of it all. We take leave of him at the end of the novel, on “the beach and sprawled out on the sand”, reminiscing about “Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock”. <h2>‘A flying leap into the future’</h2> Fitzgerald knew he had achieved something special with The Great Gatsby. His peers did too. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16893.The_Crack_Up?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=ncFbKFUpZZ&amp;rank=1">T.S. Eliot</a> considered it “the first step” forward “American fiction has taken since Henry James”. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16893.The_Crack_Up?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=ncFbKFUpZZ&amp;rank=1">Edith Wharton</a> concurred, calling it “a flying leap into the future.” Yet, for all this critical acclaim, The Great Gatsby failed to resonate with the reading public – much to Fitzgerald’s dismay. By October, the book <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/articles/2810-classic-of-the-month-the-great-gatsby">had sold less</a> than 20,000 copies. (By comparison, This Side of Paradise <a href="https://blog.oup.com/2018/09/side-paradise-looking-back-century-later/">had sold</a> nearly 50,000 copies, across multiple printings.) As his biographer <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53512338-the-far-side-of-paradise">Arthur Mizener</a> observed, by February 1926, “a few thousand more copies had been sold and the book was dead”. It was a blow the writer never really recovered from. <figure class="align-left zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=958&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=958&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=958&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1204&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1204&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658512/original/file-20250330-68-5pt4vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1204&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> A first edition of Tender is the Night. <a class="source" href="https://biblio.com.au/book/tender-night-fitzgerald-f-scott/d/475882810">Biblio</a> </figcaption> </figure> Fitzgerald’s personal life was tumultuous, marred by alcoholism, Zelda’s mental health issues and financial debt. This had a negative effect on his work. While he completed one more novel in 1934 – the excellent, darkly romantic <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46164.Tender_Is_the_Night?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=xtIgMBSPK6&amp;rank=1">Tender is the Night</a>, arguably his best book – Fitzgerald struggled to be productive. Following several failed suicide attempts, in 1940 he died of a heart attack, believing himself an abject failure and his career a total write-off. His <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2020/09/why-gatsby-was-not-so-great">most recent royalty cheque</a> had been for $13.13. He was 44. In the immediate aftermath of his death, writers and critics began to reassess Fitzgerald’s accomplishments. This effort was initially <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/116002/moral-scott-fitzgerald">spearheaded by his friends</a>, notably Edmund Wilson, who, in 1941, organised a series of tributes to be published in The New Republic. In 1945, Viking Press released <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50196.The_Viking_Portable_Library">The Portable F. Scott Fitzgerald</a>, edited by <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/dorothy-parker">Dorothy Parker</a>, which brought Fitzgerald to the attention of a new generation of readers. At the same time, the US military distributed 150,000 copies of The Great Gatsby to American servicemen during World War II as part of their <a href="https://guides.loc.gov/armed-services-editions-collection/about-the-collection">Armed Services Editions</a>. Before long, The Great Gatsby made its way into the classroom, where it remains a staple of countless high school and university syllabuses. It continues to inspire readers, many of whom encounter it at a formative stage in their lives. <figure class="align-right zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=855&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=855&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=855&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1074&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1074&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658513/original/file-20250330-56-a4teru.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1074&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Amazon </figcaption> </figure> It has been adapted for the screen on multiple occasions – with mixed results. Jack Clayton’s 1974 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071577/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520great%2520gatsby">version</a>, starring Robert Redford as the eponymous Gatsby, was faithful to Fitzgerald’s vision, but utterly lifeless, while Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343092/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_6_nm_2_in_0_q_the%2520great%2520">adaptation</a>, a hollow exercise in audiovisual bluster, failed to do justice to the novel’s subtleties. For all their shortcomings, these films helped cement Gatsby’s place in the popular imagination. <h2>An ‘uncannily prescient’ enduring classic</h2> Novelist <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/books/review/jesmyn-ward-great-gatsby.html">Jesmyn Ward</a> suggests Fitzgerald’s novel is <blockquote> a book that endures, generation after generation, because every time a reader returns to The Great Gatsby, we discover new revelations, new insights, new burning bits of language. </blockquote> I agree – and I think Fitzgerald would have had rich material to work with, had he been alive today. Ours, lest we forget, is a world where ersatz robber barons hoard nearly all our shared available assets and resources, where racist discourse resounds, and where rampant consumerism remains unchecked. Last year <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2024/06/04/donald-trump-verdict-great-gatsby-248070">America magazine argued</a> Gatsby himself “gives the greatest insight into why Mr. Trump is still popular”, comparing Trump’s “fraudulent real estate deals” to Gatsby’s nefarious way of making his money, and Gatsby’s huge parties to Trump’s rallies. Both, the writer argued, are nouveau riche outsiders, “<a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/09/clinton-trump-2016-debate-nyc-manhattan-queens-214284/">hell-bent on being accepted</a> by the Manhattan set”, and scorned by the elites. (Though Trump’s second presidency seems to be ushering in a <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/trump-musk-victory-america-elites-boring-psycho-1235162920/">new elite</a>.) Thinking aloud, perhaps it’s more accurate to say Trump is a weird combination of characters. On one hand, he resembles Gatsby: a self-mythologising social climber, nostalgic for a past that never really existed. On the other, he shares much with Tom Buchanan: unscrupulous, self-interested and protected by his wealth. In a historical moment that mirrors his own in many ways, Fitzgerald’s essentially tragic masterwork, which ends suggesting we are all forever “borne back ceaselessly into the past”, strikes me as uncannily prescient and relevant today.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/247698/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Alexander Howard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Fitzgerald’s uncannily prescient masterpiece of wealth and ambition is an enduring classic. But though it’s sold over 250 million copies, it wasn’t an instant success.</summary> <author> <name>Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-howard-1369023"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252184</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:55:44Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:55:44Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/from-trading-nutrients-to-storing-carbon-5-things-you-didnt-know-about-our-underground-fungi-252184"/> <title>From trading nutrients to storing carbon: 5 things you didn’t know about our underground fungi</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657665/original/file-20250326-62-n9zfxk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C5472%2C3637&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hands-holding-myceliumfilled-seedling-substract-ideal-2433322813">marian galicia/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>If you’re walking outdoors, chances are something remarkable is happening under your feet. Vast <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14545">fungal networks</a> are silently working to keep ecosystems alive. These fungi aren’t what you might picture. They are not mushrooms, or brightly coloured growths on tree trunks. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1987">Arbuscular mycorrhizal</a> (AM) fungi look like spools of thread wrapped around plant roots. What makes these fungi remarkable is the deal they struck almost half a billion years ago with another kingdom of life – plants. AM fungi make threads of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypha">hyphae</a> thinner than spider silk and weave them through plant roots. Then, they begin to trade, offering plants water and phosphorus, a vital plant nutrient in soils. In return, plants offer carbon-rich sugars and fats from photosynthesis. Fungi can’t photosynthesise, but plants can. This <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiosis">symbiotic</a> relationship can help plants survive periods of drought and live in nutrient poor soils. More than 80% of all plant families rely on these fungi, while AM fungi cannot live without plants. Without these fungi, many of Australia’s plants — and the soil they grow in — would be in real trouble. Our continent is ancient, dry, and nutrient-poor. But while we monitor the fate of <a href="https://theconversation.com/with-just-5-years-to-go-the-world-is-failing-on-a-vital-deal-to-halt-biodiversity-loss-249841">plants and animals</a> in response to human impact and climate change, we haven’t been tracking the fungi who support it all. We don’t even know how many <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2016.07.005">species</a> there are, let alone if we’re losing them. To help fill this gap, I <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.16.612857v1.full">have developed</a> the first dedicated database recording species and distributions of AM fungi in Australia – <a href="https://www.ausamf.com/">AusAMF</a>. <h2>The underground economy of roots and filaments</h2> AM fungi deserve to be better known. These <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.15119">essential companions</a> to most of the world’s plants maintain plant diversity, suppress invasive species, store carbon, cycle nutrients and prevent soil erosion. Here are five remarkable things about AM fungi: <h2>1. They’re older than roots</h2> Incredibly, this fungus-plant symbiosis emerged before plants <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1002600">evolved roots</a> some 360–420 million years ago. AM fungi have been around for 475 million years, partnering with very early land plants such as the ancestors of <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.1600">today’s liverworts</a> – which have no roots. This ancient alliance actually helped plants <a href="https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-8137.2002.00397.x">colonise land</a>. <h2>2. They can boost native plants and reject invasives</h2> AM fungi do more than transport nutrients, carbon and water. They shape <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12429">entire plant communities</a>. Some plants benefit more than others, influencing competition and species co-existence. By giving some species a competitive edge, AM fungi allow some plants to survive which might otherwise be lost. When AM fungal diversity declines, it <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/23932">can lead</a> to a loss of native plants and open the door to invasive plant species. But with the right management — such as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01799-8">reducing pesticides</a> or reintroducing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13663">locally adapted fungi</a> — AM fungi can boost plant nutrition and ecosystem restoration. They can help native vegetation recover and stop invasive species from gaining a foothold. <h2>3. They run an invisible underground economy</h2> The fungi-plant trade is more organised than you might think. In some instances, plants reward the fungi giving them the <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.1208473">most phosphorus</a> with more carbon, while the fungi prioritise plants offering them the most carbon – a bit like a marketplace. Some plants have figured out how to <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2745.13165">cheat the fungi</a>, taking resources without giving anything in return. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_AltpTG5FiE?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <figcaption>This high-magnification video shows water and nutrients flowing inside the hyphae of the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Source: Oyarte Galvez et al. (2025) Nature</figcaption> </figure> <h2>4. They boost plant defences against pests and disease</h2> Fungi don’t just help plants grow, they help them fight. As AM fungi colonise a plant’s roots, they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17781">boost its defences</a> against threats such as diseases and plant-eating insects by strengthening and speeding up chemical responses. My <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2021.100365">research</a> shows the size of this fungal-defence boost for plants can depend on what AM fungi are present. And if one plant is attacked, it puts out chemical signals which can <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ele.12115">move through</a> the fungal network and let other plants know to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12181">ready their defences</a>. <h2>5. They take in vast amounts of carbon</h2> Plants take carbon from the atmosphere and store it in their leaves, roots and wood. But AM fungi store carbon from plants too. Because mycorrhizal fungi are found wherever there are plants, their underground networks are vast – and so is their carbon impact. <a href="https://theconversation.com/hidden-carbon-fungi-and-their-necromass-absorb-one-third-of-the-carbon-emitted-by-burning-fossil-fuels-every-year-206674">Recent research</a> estimates the annual figure is more than a third of global fossil fuel carbon emissions. <h2>Vitally important, all but unknown</h2> If AM fungi vanished, many plant species would likely follow suit. Others would become more vulnerable to drought, disease, and pests. Soil would erode more easily, and nutrient and carbon flows would shift dramatically. Are they in trouble? We don’t know. AM fungi are out of sight, out of mind. No federal or state government agency seem to be tracking them. Our current <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/farm-food-drought/natural-resources/soils/national-soil-action-plan">National Soil Action Plan</a> doesn’t mention fungi at all, despite their importance to soil health. Other than Antarctica, Australia is the <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19283">least sampled continent</a> for soil AM fungi, with just 32 sites in global databases. Europe, by comparison, has data from more than 1,200 sites. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="figure showing two plants, one with AM fungi and one without." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=183&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=183&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=183&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=230&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=230&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657667/original/file-20250326-62-fsec0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=230&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> AM fungi help plants grow better. On the left is grass in symbiosis with AM fungi with visible white hyphae. On the right is grass without the fungi. <a class="source" href="https://soil.evs.buffalo.edu/images/0/0f/Gi.jpg">Soil Ecology Wiki</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a> </figcaption> </figure> That’s where I hope the <a href="https://www.ausamf.com/">AusAMF</a> database will help. I partnered with landholders and <a href="https://www.tern.org.au/">research networks</a> to gather soil samples. So far, the database has data from 610 locations, with about 400 more on the way. But this is still scratching the surface. AM fungal communities can differ between neighbouring fields or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2006.01136.x">habitats</a>, depending on land management methods and types of vegetation. Virtually all current records are a single snapshot in time — we lack the long-term monitoring needed to track seasonal or annual changes. It would be a mistake to remain in the dark about AM fungi. The more we learn, the more we see their importance, not only in supporting biodiversity, but in helping <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/ma/pdf/MA23002">our crops</a> and ecosystems cope with a changing world. If they are in decline, we need to know – and set about protecting them.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252184/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Adam Frew receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the British Ecological Society. </content> <summary>Most of Australia’s plants rely on a hidden underground network of fungi for water and minerals. They could be in trouble –&nbsp;but we don’t have the data to know.</summary> <author> <name>Adam Frew, Lecturer in Mycorrhizal Ecology, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-frew-447616"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253213</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:55:31Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:55:31Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/flawed-medical-studies-can-end-up-in-doctors-advice-we-developed-a-tool-to-stop-it-253213"/> <title>Flawed medical studies can end up in doctors’ advice. We developed a tool to stop it</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657901/original/file-20250327-62-x5a100.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=25%2C0%2C4174%2C2990&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/medical-background-cardiologi-tools-334419470">Maksym Dykha/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>Good health care depends on evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. They translate the best available research into recommendations that shape diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies. But what happens when the studies underpinning these guidelines are flawed? <a href="https://theconversation.com/scientific-misconduct-is-on-the-rise-but-what-exactly-is-it-247352">Evidence suggests</a> scientific misconduct – from fabricated or manipulated data to methodological errors and ethical concerns – is a growing problem. In some disciplines, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10551123/">estimates</a> suggest as many as 40% of studies included in systematic reviews may have issues with their integrity. This is not just an academic issue. When flawed studies are used to guide real-world health care, the consequences for health-care providers and ultimately patients can be serious. They include unnecessary or even harmful treatments, delay or denial of other effective treatments, wasted resources and a loss of public trust in science and health care itself. Yet until recently, there has been no formal method to identify and manage flawed studies, before they make their way into clinical recommendations. We recently helped develop a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00296-7/fulltext">framework</a> that addresses this crucial gap. Published in The Lancet’s <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/home">eClinicalMedicine</a>, this framework provides a step-by-step process for evaluating the integrity of studies used in clinical guidelines and systematic reviews. In an era of increasing concern about research misconduct, it’s a timely and much-needed advance. <h2>Clinical care relies on research integrity</h2> Randomised controlled trials are considered the gold standard in medical research. Their results often underpin clinical guidelines that shape day-to-day decisions in health care. But what if a randomised controlled trial contains fabricated data? Or is conducted without ethics approval? Or is retracted after being used in a previous guideline? <a href="https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anae.15263">A 2020 study</a> found 44% of randomised controlled trials submitted to a major medical journal between 2017 and 2020 contained problematic or false data. Compounding the problem is the fact that journal editors and publishers can be very slow to respond to concerns about research integrity. For example, between November 2017 and April 2024, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40008545/">a group of researchers wrote to editors and publishers</a> of 891 potentially untrustworthy papers published in 206 different journals. At the time their study was published earlier this year, only 30% of the papers they flagged had received an outcome – 58% of which were retracted. Notably, it took a median time of 38 months for editors and publishers to make a decision. In only 13% of the flagged cases was a decision made within 12 months. The ripple effects of this can be enormous. A <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cesm.12037">review</a> by the independent Cochrane Collaboration of nutrition interventions in pregnancy found that removing studies with integrity concerns changed the conclusions of 72% of reviews. One third (33%) needed to be updated because their guidance was no longer reliable. Integrity concerns vary across fields. But some, such as <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9173852/">complementary therapies or supplements</a>, can be particularly prone to these concerns. Despite this, most guideline development tools — including those from the <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548960">World Health Organization</a> — assess methodological quality, not the trustworthiness or integrity of the studies that are included. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A doctor reading on a computer tablet." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657907/original/file-20250327-68-7s5ze9.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> When flawed studies are used to guide real-world medical advice, the consequences for doctors and ultimately patients can be serious. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/medical-research-night-doctor-tablet-planning-2254585521">Yuri A/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>A practical framework for safeguarding integrity</h2> Our <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00296-7/fulltext">framework</a> features a six-step process for safeguarding research integrity: <ul> <li>Review: conduct a standard systematic review to identify eligible studies</li> <li>Exclude: remove studies that have been formally retracted or are flagged with serious concerns</li> <li>Assess: use available tools and checklists to assess the integrity of the remaining studies</li> <li>Discuss: convene an independent integrity committee to review ratings and vote on each study</li> <li>Establish contact: reach out to authors of high-risk studies to clarify issues or provide missing information</li> <li>Reassess: based on responses (or lack thereof), determine whether a study should be included, excluded, or held in limbo.</li> </ul> The integrity committee is central to this approach. It is a multidisciplinary group responsible for assessing studies objectively, without preconceived judgements or biases around which studies to exclude. <h2>Applying the framework to the real world</h2> Our framework was developed alongside the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/108/10/2447/7242360">international evidence-based guideline</a> for polycystic ovary syndrome. Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal, reproductive and metabolic condition <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36946556/">affecting 8–13% of women of reproductive age</a>, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. It can cause irregular menstrual cycles, elevated androgen levels, and an increased number of small follicles in the ovaries, visible on ultrasound. It is a <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-have-pcos-and-i-want-to-have-a-baby-what-do-i-need-to-know-109800">leading cause of infertility</a>. The guideline was developed with input from diverse professional and consumer groups. It was endorsed by 39 organisations across six continents. In making recommendations on infertility treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome, 101 studies were initially identified. After applying our framework, 45 studies were not included due to concerns about integrity. Only three authors responded to clarification requests. This illustrates the problem with transparency after publication. Without our framework, these problematic studies may have directly shaped recommendations and health care for women with polycystic ovary syndrome around the world. Our framework was incorporated into the National Health and Medical Research Council review process that approved the guidelines. It has since been applied to other guidelines in women’s health. Further scale up is planned. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Person holding smartphone with logo of US publishing company John Wiley and Sons Inc. in front of website." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=337&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=337&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=337&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/657911/original/file-20250327-56-y81qd8.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> A 2020 study found 44% of randomised controlled trials submitted to a major medical journal between 2017 and 2020 contained false data. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/stuttgart-germany-04122024-person-holding-smartphone-2454465361">T.Schneider/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Some drawbacks</h2> While our framework offers a much-needed solution, it’s not without drawbacks. First, the tools it relies on — such as <a href="https://researchintegrityjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41073-023-00130-8">a checklist for measuring trustworthiness in randomised controlled trials</a> and the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jrsm.1599">research integrity assessment tool</a> — are still being refined. They also need to be validated across different research contexts. Second, older studies (conducted before trial registries were common) or those from countries with different ethics standards, may be unfairly penalised. There is also a risk that valid research could be excluded simply because authors do not respond to integrity enquiries. Implementing the framework can also take time. In resource-limited settings, this may be a barrier. But failing to assess integrity will likely cost more in the long run. It could lead to flawed recommendations, misplaced public confidence and patient harm.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253213/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Aya Mousa receives funding from NHMRC. Ben W. Mol receives funding from NHMRC, MRFF as well as international competitive grants. Helena Teede receives funding from NHMRC and MRFF as well as international competitive grants. She is President of International Endocrine Society.</content> <summary>The tool helped stop 45 flawed studies informing clinical guidelines for polycystic ovary syndrome.</summary> <author> <name>Aya Mousa, Senior Research Fellow in Women's Cardiometabolic Health, Monash University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aya-mousa-2355357"/> </author> <author> <name>Ben W. Mol, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-w-mol-1033968"/> </author> <author> <name>Helena Teede, Director of Monash Centre for Health Research Implementation, Monash University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helena-teede-1804433"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/251920</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:55:11Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:55:11Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/menthol-cigarettes-will-be-banned-from-april-1-heres-why-and-what-else-is-changing-251920"/> <title>Menthol cigarettes will be banned from April 1. Here’s why – and what else is changing</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658583/original/file-20250331-56-601yyj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C5974%2C3979&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-many-cigarette-butts-ash-pottery-1727470504">patpitchaya/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>New laws come into effect in Australia today that change the look, ingredients, and packaging of tobacco products. The Australian government passed the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/smoking-vaping-and-tobacco/tobacco-control/new-legislation">package of tobacco laws</a> in late 2023, which include: <ul> <li>standardised tobacco pack and cigarette stick sizes, no more novelty pack sizes or cigarette lengths</li> <li>updated and improved graphic health warnings and quitting advice inserts within all tobacco packs</li> <li>warnings printed directly on cigarettes</li> <li>banning ingredients that make tobacco taste better and easier to smoke, including menthol.</li> </ul> Retailers have a three-month grace period to sell any old stock already in their stores by July 1. Here’s what’s behind these changes – and what needs to happen next. <figure class="align-right "> <img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658576/original/file-20250331-56-7qjg97.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658576/original/file-20250331-56-7qjg97.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=598&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658576/original/file-20250331-56-7qjg97.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=598&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658576/original/file-20250331-56-7qjg97.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=598&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658576/original/file-20250331-56-7qjg97.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=751&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658576/original/file-20250331-56-7qjg97.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=751&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658576/original/file-20250331-56-7qjg97.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=751&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Packs warn about the harms of smoking. Department of Health and Ageing </figcaption> </figure> <h2>New graphic health warnings</h2> Cigarette packaging requirements have been stagnant since 2012, when Australia introduced <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-decisive-win-on-plain-packaging-paves-way-for-other-countries-to-follow-suit-140553">plain packaging laws</a> that banned the use of all on-pack logos and branding. This was a world-first. While large <a href="https://cdn.cancer.ca/-/media/files/about-us/media-releases/2024/international-warnings-report/ccs-international-cigarette-packaging-report-2023-english.pdf?rev=8b7d0cda6cf049eaa1894ee1dea37b8c&amp;hash=C4A685E791A8338E0824212C84F5CBA8&amp;_gl=1*12jql31*_gcl_au*NDYzNjk0ODQzLjE3NDI5NDk2MzM.">graphic health warnings are effective</a> in both preventing smoking uptake and aiding quitting smoking, the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ntr/article/20/7/888/3868855?login=false">effects wear out</a> if warnings are not refreshed and varied. <figure class="align-right "> <img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658578/original/file-20250331-68-1iktzd.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658578/original/file-20250331-68-1iktzd.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=602&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658578/original/file-20250331-68-1iktzd.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=602&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658578/original/file-20250331-68-1iktzd.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=602&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658578/original/file-20250331-68-1iktzd.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=757&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658578/original/file-20250331-68-1iktzd.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=757&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658578/original/file-20250331-68-1iktzd.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=757&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> New warnings replace those from 2012. Department of Health and Ageing </figcaption> </figure> Cigarette packages must carry one of <a href="https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_reg/phaopr2024472/sch2.html">ten new health warnings</a>. Fresh warnings that smoking doubles the risk of cervical cancer and leads to diabetes will be new information for many smokers. There are also warnings for roll-your-own, cigar, bidi and shisha <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-11/guide-to-health-warnings.pdf">tobacco packaging</a>. <h2>Warnings on cigarettes</h2> Cigarettes themselves must now <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-12/guide-to-tobacco-product-requirements.pdf">include one of eight health warnings</a> printed directly on the filter paper. Canada was the first country in the world to <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/regulating-tobacco-vaping/tobacco/packaging-warnings/warnings-products.html">adopt similar requirements</a> in 2023. The size, shape, and colour of cigarettes has also been standardised to prevent tobacco companies from using unique cigarette designs to attract new users. Long, thin cigarettes, for example, have been <a href="https://www.tobaccotactics.org/article/targeting-women-and-girls/">marketed to women</a> as a fashion accessory and diet tool for nearly a century. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658577/original/file-20250331-56-u1hjoz.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658577/original/file-20250331-56-u1hjoz.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=208&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658577/original/file-20250331-56-u1hjoz.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=208&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658577/original/file-20250331-56-u1hjoz.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=208&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658577/original/file-20250331-56-u1hjoz.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=262&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658577/original/file-20250331-56-u1hjoz.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=262&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658577/original/file-20250331-56-u1hjoz.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=262&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> Warnings will now be on the sticks themselves. Department of Health and Ageing </figcaption> </figure> The ingredients permitted in cigarettes are <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-12/guide-to-tobacco-product-requirements.pdf">also changing</a>, with ingredients that enhance the flavour of tobacco being now banned. The long list of prohibited ingredients includes everything from cloves, to sugar, to probiotics and vitamins. Until now, the tobacco industry has had free reign to add ingredients that increase the palatability and attractiveness of cigarettes. This banned list also captures menthol and any ingredients that mimic the cooling properties of menthol. <h2>Why ban menthol?</h2> Menthol <a href="https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-12-tobacco-products/12-7-menthol">masks the harshness of smoke</a>. Just like cold lollies that contain menthol to soothe sore throats and tame coughs, menthol in cigarettes prevents inexperienced smokers from reacting to the rough effects of tobacco smoke in the throat. This helps to make smoking a more pleasant experience that young users will return to. The introduction of crushable menthol capsules in cigarette filters has proven very popular <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34957625/">with Australian teenagers</a>. Teens who use these products are more likely to have recently smoked and have higher smoking intentions in the future. The new laws also explicitly prohibit these “crush balls” or “flavour beads.” Other counties that have <a href="https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-12-tobacco-products/12-7-menthol#x12.7.7.3">banned menthol</a> have seen drops in tobacco sales and use and increases in quitting behaviours. <h2>No similar reforms for the United States</h2> Menthol cigarettes have been <a href="https://assets.tobaccofreekids.org/factsheets/0400.pdf">heavily marketed to African American people</a> since at least the 1950s and make up one-third of the total US cigarette market share. Tobacco control groups in the US <a href="https://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/fda-menthol-timeline">have been advocating for a menthol ban</a> for well over a decade. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a rule banning menthol in 2022, and a 2024 <a href="https://archive.cdc.gov/#/details?url=https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco-surgeon-general-reports/about/2024-end-tobacco-disparities.html">US Surgeon General</a> report highlighted that menthol products increase addiction and are: <blockquote> disproportionately used by Black people, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander people, women and people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. </blockquote> Under the Biden Administration, the FDA delayed issuing the final rule which meant the ban was not properly enacted before Trump was elected. In January 2025, the Trump administration <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00237-5/fulltext">completely withdrew</a> the ban. A menthol ban in the US was <a href="http://publichealthnewswire.org/?p=menthol-ban">predicted to reduce total smoking by 15%</a> and the number of smoking attributable deaths among African Americans by up to 238,000. <h2>Reforms needed to stamp out our illicit market</h2> Organised criminals are operating in Australia’s tobacco supply chain to illegally import and sell tobacco products. Government action to step in and gain control of that supply system is long overdue. Until this year, Australia’s two most populous states didn’t even require tobacco sellers to be licensed, and Queensland only introduced licensing last year. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1896817627068076262&quot;}"></div> Australia will need to change how tobacco is sold. It should not be so easy and commonplace to sell such an addictive and deadly product. Both state and national governments need timely and transparent reporting on the size and scope of the illicit market, and strict licensing of the entire tobacco supply chain. Businesses that sell illicit tobacco must face real consequences – not only large fines and loss of licences to operate, but also criminal charges. All aspects of the tobacco supply chain – from wholesalers to retailers – must be tightly controlled.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/251920/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Becky Freeman is an expert advisor to the Cancer Council tobacco issues committee and a member of the Cancer Institute vaping communications advisory panel. She has received relevant competitive grants from the NHMRC, MRFF, NSW Health, the Ian Potter Foundation, VicHealth, and Healthway WA.</content> <summary>Retailers have a three-month grace period to sell any old stock already in their stores. Here’s what’s behind these changes – and what needs to happen next.</summary> <author> <name>Becky Freeman, Professor in Public Health, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/becky-freeman-93"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252899</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:51:46Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:51:46Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/keep-an-eye-on-the-senate-the-people-elected-to-it-this-year-will-have-immense-power-for-years-to-come-252899"/> <title>Keep an eye on the Senate – the people elected to it this year will have immense power for years to come</title> <content type="html">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has finally ended weeks of speculation and named the election date for the national parliament. After months of unofficial campaigning, Australians will now be treated to a festival of democracy as promises are made, policies are announced, and the leaders travel the country to rally support. Much of the campaigning by the parties will be focused on the House of Representatives. This is to be expected as the lower house is where government is formed by the party that wins the majority of seats in this chamber, and the leader of this party becomes prime minister. While the election for the lower house dominates the campaign, the contest for the Senate is rarely mentioned. This is a bit unfair as the Senate is an immensely powerful chamber. <h2>The power of the Senate</h2> Barring its inability to initiate or amend supply bills, the Senate has almost the same powers as the House of Representatives. Senators can introduce <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Practice_and_Procedure/Senate_Briefs/Brief08#:%7E:text=Most%20government%20bills%20are%20introduced,not%20sitting%20at%20the%20time.">their own bills</a>, as long as they’re not supply bills. For any proposed bill to become law, it must be passed by the Senate as well as the House of Representatives. All states have equal representation in the chamber. Currently, every state is represented by 12 senators, each with <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/about_parliament/senate/about_the_senate">six-year terms</a>. This means half the Senate is up for election at every general election. The territories are represented by two senators each and they face re-election at every general election. The current number of senators is 76. Winning a majority in the Senate has no bearing on who forms government (it’s the result of the lower house – the House of Representatives – which determines this). It does, however, make it easier for the government to pass bills to become law if it enjoys a majority in this chamber. <h2>Who wins seats in the Senate?</h2> The voting system in the Senate is very different to the House of Representatives. To win a seat in the House of Representatives, a candidate must win 50% +1 of the votes cast in the district. In the Senate, however, a candidate must win a proportion (approximately 14.3%) of the state-wide vote. This makes it a bit easier for minor parties to win representation as they can rely on broad support from across the state to reach the required threshold. <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Research/Research_Papers/2017-18/SenateVotingSystem">Changes introduced in 2016</a> mean Australians have choice on how to complete their Senate ballot paper. They can either number six or more candidates of their choice above the black line, or vote below the line by numbering 12 or more candidates. While parties will organise their own preference deals to benefit them, voters are ultimately in control of where their preferences go. Thanks to the voting system used in the Senate, it is rare for a government to hold a majority of seats in the upper house. The last time this occurred was in 2004 when the <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/howard-wins-control-of-senate-20041029-gdyvvp.html">John Howard-led Coalition enjoyed a majority</a> in the chamber. <h2>The current Senate</h2> Following the 2022 election, both major parties lost ground in the Senate. To have a majority in the chamber, a party must have 39 seats. <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Senators/Senate_composition">Currently</a>, Labor has 25 representatives, while the Coalition has 30. The remaining seats are held by the Greens with the third highest number of representatives (11), One Nation (2), Jacqui Lambie Network (1), United Australia Party (1), and six Independents. Several high-profile senators are up for election in 2025. In Queensland, for example, Malcolm Roberts from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation will be up for re-election, Jacqui Lambie will be recontesting in Tasmania, while Independent Senator David Pocock from the ACT will be seeking another term. There will also be some other prominent senators hoping to be re-elected from established parties. These include Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (Country Liberal Party) and Senator Malarndirri McCarthy (ALP) from the Northern Territory, Liberal James Paterson from Victoria, Sarah Hanson-Young from the Greens in South Australia, and Jordan Steele-John from the Greens in Western Australia. <div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.instagram.com/p/DHCZ2N1zgJc&quot;,&quot;accessToken&quot;:&quot;127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20&quot;}"></div> <h2>The 2025 contest</h2> Fewer people have been voting for the major parties in recent years. In 2022, the vote for non-major party candidates reached a <a href="https://antonygreen.com.au/record-minor-party-vote-at-the-2022-senate-election-and-how-the-senates-electoral-system-performed/">high of 35.7%</a> (which, as <a href="https://antonygreen.com.au/record-minor-party-vote-at-the-2022-senate-election-and-how-the-senates-electoral-system-performed/">Antony Green</a> reminds us, was higher than the primary vote for both the Coalition and Labor). Since the 1980s, Australians appear to have become open to supporting non-major party candidates contesting the Senate. If this continues as expected in 2025, whoever becomes prime minister will have to deal with the diverse interests and policy demands from those in the upper house. While the campaign for the Senate may go under the radar over the next few weeks, who is elected to the Senate will have a massive impact on Australian politics for years to come.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252899/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Zareh Ghazarian does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Barring its inability to initiate or amend supply bills, the Senate has almost the same powers as the House of Representatives.</summary> <author> <name>Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/zareh-ghazarian-1713"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253426</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:50:52Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:50:52Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/under-a-coalition-government-the-fate-of-australias-central-climate-policy-hangs-in-the-balance-253426"/> <title>Under a Coalition government, the fate of Australia’s central climate policy hangs in the balance</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658598/original/file-20250331-56-g464hn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C213%2C4188%2C2351&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/loy-yang-brown-coal-power-station-1154037241">RobynCharnley/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>The future of Australia’s key climate policy is uncertain after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said a Coalition government would review the measure, known as the “safeguard mechanism”, which is designed to limit emissions from Australia’s largest industrial polluters. According to the Australian Financial Review, if the Coalition wins office it will <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/libs-mull-changes-to-emissions-plan-promise-more-gas-20250323-p5llqm">consider relaxing</a> the policy, as part of its plan to increase domestic gas supplies. Evidence suggests weakening the mechanism would be a mistake. In fact, it <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/03/10/safeguard-mechanism-carbon-emissions-labor-plibersek/">could be argued</a> the policy does not go far enough to force polluting companies to curb their emissions. Both major parties now accept Australia must reach net-zero emissions by 2050. This bipartisan agreement should make one thing clear: winding back the safeguard mechanism would be reckless policy. <h2>What’s the safeguard mechanism again?</h2> <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reporting/national-greenhouse-energy-reporting-scheme/safeguard-mechanism">The safeguard mechanism began</a> under the Coalition government in 2016. It now applies to <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Research/Research_Papers/2024-25/Reforming_Australia_Safeguard_Mechanism#heading_5ba544ea49d24fb29a38076dff3c278a">219 large polluting facilities</a> that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year. These facilities are in sectors such as electricity, mining, gas, manufacturing, waste and transport. Together, they produce just under one-third of Australia’s emissions. Under the policy’s original design, companies were purportedly required to <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-mr-morrison-the-safeguard-mechanism-is-not-a-sneaky-carbon-tax-182054">keep their emissions below a certain cap</a>, and buy carbon credits to offset any emissions over the cap. However, loopholes meant the cap was weakly enforced. This meant <a href="https://cer.gov.au/markets/reports-and-data/safeguard-facility-reported-emissions-data#previous-years-reported-emissions-data">greenhouse gas pollution from the facilities actually increased</a> – rising from 131.3 million tonnes to 138.7 million tonnes in the first six years of the policy. Labor <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-safeguard-mechanism-deal-is-only-a-half-win-for-the-greens-and-for-the-climate-202612">strengthened the safeguard mechanism</a> after it won office, by setting a hard cap for industrial emissions. The Coalition voted against the reforms. Dutton has since labelled the safeguard mechanism a “<a href="https://peterdutton.com.au/leader-of-the-opposition-transcript-economic-address-to-the-menzies-research-centre-sydney/">carbon tax</a>” – a claim that has been <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-mr-morrison-the-safeguard-mechanism-is-not-a-sneaky-carbon-tax-182054">debunked</a>. Some members of the Coalition reportedly believe the policy makes manufacturers globally uncompetitive. Now, according to media reports, a Coalition government would review the safeguard mechanism with a view to weakening it, in a bid to bolster business and increase gas supply. <h2>Why the safeguard mechanism should be left alone</h2> Weakening the safeguard mechanism would lead to several problems. First, it would mean large facilities, including new coal and gas projects, would be permitted to operate without meaningful limits on their pollution. This threatens Australia’s international climate obligations. Second, if polluters were no longer required to buy carbon offsets, this would disrupt Australia’s carbon market. As the Clean Energy Regulator <a href="https://cer.gov.au/markets/reports-and-data/quarterly-carbon-market-reports/quarterly-carbon-market-report-march-quarter-2024/australian-carbon-credit-units-accus#:%7E:text=Safeguard%20is%20emerging%20as%20the%20dominant%20source%20for%20ACCU%20demand">notes</a>, the safeguard mechanism is the “dominant source” of demand for Australian carbon credits. In the first quarter of 2024, about 1.2 million carbon-credit units were purchased by parties wanting to offset their emissions. The <a href="https://cer.gov.au/markets/reports-and-data/quarterly-carbon-market-reports/quarterly-carbon-market-report-march-quarter-2024/australian-carbon-credit-units-accus">vast majority</a> were purchased by companies meeting compliance obligations under the safeguard mechanism or similar state rules. If companies are no longer required to buy offsets, or they buy fewer offsets, this would hurt those who sell carbon credits. Carbon credits are earned by organisations and individuals who abate carbon – through measures such as tree planting or retaining vegetation. The activities are often carried out by farmers and other landholders, including Indigenous organisations. <a href="https://www.ilsc.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Indigenous-participation-in-the-carbon-industry.pdf">Indigenous-led carbon projects</a> have delivered jobs, cultural renewal and environmental benefits. The safeguard mechanism, together with the government pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, also provides certainty for the operators of polluting facilities. Many in the business sector have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-03/safeguard-mechanism-climate-policy-uncertain/104996022">called for the policy to remain unchanged</a>. And finally, winding back the safeguard mechanism would send a troubling signal to the world: that Australia is stepping back from climate action. Now is not the time to abdicate our responsibilities on climate change. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide">risen dramatically since 1960</a>. This increase is driving global warming and climate change, leading to <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/2024s-climate-crisis-extreme-weather-around-the-globe/">extreme weather events</a> which will only worsen. <h2>A hard-won policy</h2> The safeguard mechanism has not had time to deliver meaningful outcomes. And it is far from perfect – but it is hard-won, and Australia needs it. The 2023 reforms to the mechanism were designed to support trade-exposed industries, while encouraging companies to invest in emissions reduction. Undoing this mechanism would risk our climate goals. It would leave the government limited means to curb pollution from Australia’s largest emitters, and muddy the roadmap to net-zero. It would also create uncertainty for all carbon market participants, including the polluting facilities themselves.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253426/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Felicity Deane does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Both major parties agree Australia must reach net-zero emissions. That’s why winding back the safeguard mechanism would be reckless policy.</summary> <author> <name>Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/felicity-deane-271855"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252713</id> <published>2025-03-31T18:44:01Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T18:44:01Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/nzs-broadcasting-act-is-as-old-as-video-ezy-we-need-media-reform-for-the-streaming-age-252713"/> <title>NZ’s Broadcasting Act is as old as Video Ezy. We need media reform for the streaming age</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658590/original/file-20250331-56-2spr9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C267%2C5256%2C2950&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/detail/photo/remote-control-and-online-cinema-and-tv-series-royalty-free-image/2151286225?phrase=Streaming%20tv%20remote%20control%20choice&amp;adppopup=true">Getty Images</a></figcaption></figure>One year after Video Ezy opened its first store in Aotearoa New Zealand, the <a href="https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0025/latest/DLM155365.html">Broadcasting Act 1989</a> was introduced. It established frameworks and funding for local content that largely still exist. But in 2025, New Zealanders’ viewing and listening habits are radically different. We’ve shifted from local broadcasters to international streaming and online media services. Video and music streaming platforms now <a href="https://www.nzonair.govt.nz/news/where-are-the-audiences-2024/">reach more people than local TV and radio</a>. This brings convenience and access to a world of film, TV, news, and music. But it also means local content risks being <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/20-12-2024/the-real-nz-wrapped-analysing-the-2024-nz-music-charts">swamped on its own shores</a>. A recent <a href="https://www.mch.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2025-02/media-reform-discussion-document.pdf">discussion document</a> from Manatū Taonga/Ministry for Culture and Heritage is the latest attempt to address the problem. Among the suggested changes to local content funding, promotion, and distribution are: <ul> <li>requiring newly manufactured smart TVs to pre-install New Zealand apps</li> <li>the merger of NZ On Air with the NZ Film Commission</li> <li>changes to the Broadcast Standards Authority</li> <li>increased captioning and audio description</li> <li>and requiring local and global media providers to invest in and promote New Zealand content. </li> </ul> Some of these are welcome – and long overdue. But broader media reform must also take this opportunity to create future-proofed policy; one that’s responsive to where local audiences are consuming content, and which supports the media sector to adapt to a rapidly changing landscape. <h2>Why local content struggles</h2> New Zealand media, already hit by wider platform choice and the <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/open-letter-2024?utm_source=website_launch_post&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=sos_nov_2024">movement of advertising revenue offshore</a>, has experienced deep job cuts, including at state-owned TVNZ, and the complete closure of Newshub. As audiences migrate towards online streaming services, TVNZ’s digital platform TVNZ+ now has a <a href="https://d3r9t6niqlb7tz.cloudfront.net/media/documents/Where_are_the_Audiences_2024_Report_Final_21_08_24.pdf">daily reach of 26% of local audiences</a>. In 2024, nine New Zealand shows <a href="https://corporate.tvnz.co.nz/assets/Uploads/TVNZ-Annual-Report-FY24_final.pdf">featured in its top 20 most watched</a>. <figure class="align-right zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=861&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=861&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=861&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1082&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1082&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658591/original/file-20250331-62-zjy5ys.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1082&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> While that might seem positive, Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram each individually <a href="https://d3r9t6niqlb7tz.cloudfront.net/media/documents/Where_are_the_Audiences_2024_Report_Final_21_08_24.pdf">outperform TVNZ+ viewership</a>. And many global video-on-demand platforms have <a href="https://www.mch.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2025-02/media-reform-discussion-document.pdf">fewer than ten local titles</a> available for New Zealand audiences to watch. Local music is also struggling. In 2024, only two national radio stations <a href="https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2502/S00356/nz-on-air-awards-for-local-music-airplay-on-aotearoa-radio.htm#:%7E:text=In%20terms%20of%20the%20highest,31%20Dec%202024%5B2%5D.">hit the voluntary 20% local music target</a>. Only one local song featured in the <a href="https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/2024-12-19">end-of-year top 50 singles charts</a>. These figures might suggest New Zealanders aren’t interested in local content – but that isn’t necessarily true. If we compare local media structures to overseas markets, we see major differences in the opportunities for local content to reach audiences. Unlike other comparable countries, New Zealand lacks government-owned and fully-funded platforms for locally produced content to find local audiences. Where these platforms exist overseas, engagement with local content is higher. For instance, Norway’s publicly-owned youth station saw <a href="https://ifpi.no/topplista/#topplista-aar">local music comprise 50% of its annual top 40 charts</a> in 2023. Australia’s state-funded Triple J has a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-19/triple-j-radio-station-celebrates-50-years-on-air/104834944">40% local music quota</a>, and the state-owned, advertising-free ABC iview platform has a <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-12/Trends%20and%20developments%20in%20viewing%20and%20listening%202023%E2%80%9324.pdf">weekly national audience reach of 62%</a>. <h2>Finding audiences where they are</h2> Announcing his <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government%E2%80%99s-creative-sector-strategy-released">government’s creative sector strategy</a> last year, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith said it aims to “nurture talent and support a pipeline to provide sustainable career opportunities”. <figure class="align-left zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=900&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=900&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=900&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1131&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1131&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658594/original/file-20250331-56-55iq18.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1131&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith. <a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/detail/news-photo/national-party-minister-paul-goldsmith-looks-on-may-29-2020-news-photo/1228163887?adppopup=true">Getty Images</a> </figcaption> </figure> The strategy also speaks of “modernising and streamlining government regulation to enable our cultural sectors to thrive”. But there are significant omissions in the latest discussion document. Video gaming, for example, is largely missing from the proposals, although research suggests the industry could represent up to <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/the-next-big-arenas-of-competition">44% of global consumer entertainment spending by 2040</a>. Global video sharing platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram are similarly absent in the proposals, despite their <a href="https://d3r9t6niqlb7tz.cloudfront.net/media/documents/Where_are_the_Audiences_2024_Report_Final_21_08_24.pdf">81% daily reach among Aotearoa New Zealand’s 15-39 age bracket</a>. Addressing those omissions and strategically embracing new opportunities offers a chance to support local producers in two key ways: enhancing the global presence of New Zealand content, and ensuring local audiences see themselves in the media they enjoy. This would require an ambitious rethink around media infrastructure and investments, focused on what can have the biggest impact long term. This might include: <ul> <li>investing in a fully-funded youth radio station</li> <li>changing the revenue structure of TVNZ to be primarily state funded</li> <li>legislating global video sharing platforms like YouTube and TikTok to promote New Zealand content</li> <li>or developing a progressive, industry-informed video game policy. </li> </ul> It’s vital that any proposed policy changes are fit for purpose and adaptable for years to come. Past attempts at media reform in Aotearoa New Zealand have often been reactive to changing environments, rather than proactive. But there’s an opportunity now to consider more meaningful changes, addressing current challenges while looking to the future.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252713/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Jesse Austin-Stewart has completed commissioned research for NZ On Air and participated in focus groups for Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. He has received competitive funding from Creative New Zealand, NZ On Air, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture &amp; Hertiage, and the NZ Music Commission. He is a writer member of APRA AMCOS and a member of the Composer&#39;s Association of New ZealandCatherine Hoad has previously completed research in partnership with or commissioned by APRA AMCOS, Toi Mai Workforce Development Council, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture &amp; Heritage, ScreenSafe, and NZ On Air.Dave Carter is a writer member of APRA AMCOS and has previously received funding from Manatū Taongao Ministry for Culture and Heritage.Oli Wilson has previously completed research in partnership with or commissioned by APRA AMCOS, Toi Mai Workforce Development Council, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture &amp; Heritage and the NZ Music Commission. He has also received funding, or contributed to projects that have benefited from funding from NZ on Air, the NZ Music Commission and Recorded Music New Zealand. He has provided services to The Chills, owns shares in TripTunz Limited, and is a writer member of APRA AMCOS. </content> <summary>Government proposals for media reform are long overdue. But it’s also time for a bold strategic rethink to connect local creators with the right audiences.</summary> <author> <name>Jesse Austin-Stewart, Lecturer, School of Music and Screen Arts, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jesse-austin-stewart-2351854"/> </author> <author> <name>Catherine Hoad, Senior Lecturer in Critical Popular Music Studies, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-hoad-421049"/> </author> <author> <name>Dave Carter, Associate Professor, School of Music and Screen Arts, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dave-carter-2357161"/> </author> <author> <name>Oli Wilson, Associate Professor of Music, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/oli-wilson-1184082"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253115</id> <published>2025-03-31T07:57:04Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T07:57:04Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/election-diary-energy-is-in-the-foreground-but-climate-change-is-in-the-shadows-253115"/> <title>Election diary: Energy is in the foreground – but climate change is ‘in the shadows’</title> <content type="html">This election is already shaping up as very much about energy. But notably, ambitions for and debate about combatting climate change have receded in recent times. Peter Dutton has his proposal for an east coast gas reservation scheme at the centre of his campaign. Then of course there is that much-contested nuclear policy. But the government has declined to produce a 2035 emissions reduction target before polling day and, apart from its commitment to net zero by 2050, the Coalition won’t talk targets in opposition. John Connor, CEO of the Carbon Market Institute, says “probably not since 2004 has climate been so much in the shadows, at least at this stage”. It’s a matter of the “energy wars” rather than the “climate wars” so far, he says. The climate change issue was potent in 2022, especially in helping the “teal” candidates get elected. It probably is still cutting through in their sort of seats. And climate change demonstrators are targeting election events. But more generally, things have changed. <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/freshwater-strategy-poll-20250128-p5l7p3">The Freshwater poll in the Australian Financial Review </a>on Monday asked people to list three issues of top concern for them. Unsurprisingly, cost of living was a mile ahead of anything else, at 74%. Then came housing (37%), healthcare (27%), economy (26%), crime (25%) and tax (19%). Climate change followed seventh, with 18%, ahead of immigration (15%) and defence (13%). When asked who would be best to respond to concern about climate change, Labor held a solid lead, 35% to the 22% who nominated the Coalition, but 43% said neither or were unsure. <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9797-most-important-issues-facing-australia-january-2025">The Morgan poll</a> early this year compared issues of most importance to people in the September quarter of 2024 and the June quarter of 2022. Just under a third nominated global warming and climate change in 2022 (32%); by 2024 this was down to less than a quarter (23%). The cost-of-living crisis is the most obvious reason why climate change has faded in many voters’ minds. That has pushed almost everything else aside, as families struggle with financial practicalities. (The Carbon Market Institute says, however, that polling it commissioned, to be released later this week does show the public understand the link between climate change and the cost of living, even if the politicians are reluctant to go there just now. 62% of respondents agreed impacts of climate change - such as more frequent and severe bushfires and flooding - worsen the cost of living through insurance cost increases and grocery prices, with just 13% disagreeing.) Now we are deeply into the transition to a clean economy the inevitable downsides are more to the fore. However necessary, they are painful, including high power bills (that have had to be subsidised by the government) and local arguments about transmission lines and wind farms blighting parts of the landscape. After it was elected Labor highlighted the importance of climate change by legislating its 2030 43% emissions reduction target. But it has become reticent when asked to talk about the 2035 target for Australia. That was initially due to be submitted under the Paris agreement by February, but now it won’t be announced until closer to the September deadline. Nor will the Climate Change Authority, headed by former NSW Liberal treasurer Matt Kean, produce its recommendation to the government before the election. The government’s explanation for its delay is that it can’t act before the the authority’s recommendation. Dutton remains committed to the Paris agreement and the zero emissions by 2050 target. But he flagged at the weekend that he would not proceed with Australia’s bid to host COP31 in 2026. The opposition says it would keep the safeguards mechanism that regulates emissions from large emitters, but we don’t know what changes it would make to it. Nor do we know what would happen under a Dutton government to the various framework institutions around climate change policy. But Kean and his authority are certainly in the gun sights. Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume has said, “I don’t think that we could possibly maintain a Climate Change Authority that has been so badly politicised”. <h2>Peter Dutton wouldn’t live in The Lodge (though it was good enough for Robert Menzies)</h2> What is it about some modern conservative leaders and The Lodge? Peter Dutton on Monday declared that, if he became PM, he would live at Kirribilli House, not The Lodge. “We love Sydney, we love the harbour, it’s a great city, and so yes. You’ve got the choice between Kirribilli or living in Canberra. I think I’ll take Sydney any day over living in Canberra,” he said. The opposition leader’s disdain for Canberra was obvious. Then again, perhaps when you’re planning to get rid of tens of thousands of Canberra-based public servants, Kirilly Dutton might find a browse around the Manuka shops potentially awkward. From the way he extolled the virtues of Sydney, it doesn’t seem that Dutton wishes he could stay in his home city of Brisbane, prevented from doing so only by the lack of an official residence there. As prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull didn’t just stay living in Sydney – he chose to remain in his own house. It was certainly more glam than The Lodge. Yet The Lodge was good enough for the leader to whom the Liberals all pay homage. Robert Menzies and his family lived there quite happily for a very long time. Menzies’ daughter Heather Henderson, in her book A Smile for My Parents, tells of life in the bush capital, when her mother kept a shanghai in the wisteria to take potshots at the currawongs. They were simpler days. The security-conscious Dutton would be appalled at the anecdote about the intruder who appeared one night in the Lodge kitchen. Pattie Menzies, who happened to be carving the roast for dinner at the time, walked into the kitchen, armed with the knife. The intruder fled. There was no official inquiry – just a reprimand for the maid for not snibbing the door.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253115/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>Climate change has taken the back seat while both parties sell their energy policies as better to reduce prices. And why has Dutton already forgone the lodge?</summary> <author> <name>Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253427</id> <published>2025-03-31T06:33:10Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T06:33:10Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/why-have-supermarkets-around-australia-recalled-bagged-salad-products-a-gastroenterologist-explains-253427"/> <title>Why have supermarkets around Australia recalled bagged salad products? A gastroenterologist explains</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658579/original/file-20250331-68-3d452f.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=26%2C0%2C5964%2C3997&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-person-hands-holding-fresh-raw-1278479167">Kristi Blokhin/Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure>People are being asked to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-30/coles-iga-recalls-salad-products-over-e-coli-concerns/105114252">check the use-by dates</a> of bagged salad products they’ve purchased recently after a number of Australian supermarkets issued recalls due to potential bacterial contamination. Recalls issued over the past week have affected bagged and pre-packaged salad products sold at supermarkets around the country including <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-recalls/recall-alert/updated-290325-coles-various-mixed-salad-leaves">Coles</a>, <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-recalls/recall-alert/updated-290325-woolworths-various-fresh-cut-salad-products">Woolworths</a>, <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-recalls/recall-alert/updated-280325-aldi-stores-fresh-salad-co-various-baby-spinach-products">Aldi</a> and <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-recalls/recall-alert/updated-29032025-metcash-community-co-mixed-leaf-products">IGA</a>. The potential contaminant is shiga-toxin-producing E. coli or STEC. But so far, no cases of illness <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-recalls/shiga-toxin-producing-e-coli-stec-spinach-products">have been reported</a>. So what is this bacterium and how could it affect the salad leaves in your dinner or lunch? <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1906193111640158245&quot;}"></div> <h2>E.Coli and STEC</h2> Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium that normally lives in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Fortunately most strains of E. coli <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/e-coli#:%7E:text=Most%20E.,can%20cause%20severe%20foodborne%20disease.">are harmless</a> and don’t cause symptoms. But there are certain strains that can lead to symptoms such as abdominal cramping, diarrhoea, fever and vomiting. In some cases a severe infection can even result in <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/shiga-toxigenic.aspx">kidney failure</a>. STEC is one strain that can cause gastrointestinal symptoms. It’s called “shiga toxin-producing” because the toxin from this strain of E. coli is very similar to that produced by the Shigella bacterium. Shigella causes <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/shigellosis.aspx">shigellosis</a>, a gastrointestinal infection which can involve similar symptoms to STEC. Both can cause abdominal cramping, bloody diarrhoea, fever and vomiting. Most people recover <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/shiga-toxigenic.aspx">within ten days</a> of the onset of symptoms. People suffering from STEC infection should stay hydrated and seek medical care if symptoms are serious or don’t resolve. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="An illustration of E. coli bacteria." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658617/original/file-20250331-56-d79z5w.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658617/original/file-20250331-56-d79z5w.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658617/original/file-20250331-56-d79z5w.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658617/original/file-20250331-56-d79z5w.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658617/original/file-20250331-56-d79z5w.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=501&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658617/original/file-20250331-56-d79z5w.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=501&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658617/original/file-20250331-56-d79z5w.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=501&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> E. coli normally lives in our bodies without causing harm. But some strains can make us sick. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/escherichia-coli-known-ecoli-bacteria-health-1231846009">Ezume Images/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>How common is it?</h2> <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4607253/">One estimate</a> suggests at least 2.8 million STEC infections occur globally every year. In general STEC infections in Australia are <a href="https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/research-and-development/program-areas/food-safety/pdfs/fact-sheet_shiga-toxin-producing-escherichia-coli-and-beef-production.pdf">very rare</a> with less than four people per million affected annually. The diagnosis of STEC infection is made by testing a sample of a person’s stool for the presence of the bacterium. Children under five, adults aged over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are at an <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/risk-factors/index.html#:%7E:text=People%20at%20increased%20risk&amp;text=These%20groups%20include%3A,have%20a%20weakened%20immune%20system">increased risk</a> of STEC infection and of getting very sick with it. <h2>Why are bagged salads often a culprit?</h2> The current recalls are not the first time bagged salads have been subject to food safety issues in Australia <a href="https://nypost.com/2019/11/21/over-75k-pounds-of-salad-in-22-states-recalled-over-e-coli-outbreak/">or elsewhere</a>. These products can be vulnerable to bacteria such as E. coli and <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-study-salmonella-thrives-in-salad-bags-68863">Salmonella</a>. Contamination in bagged salads can occur at various stages, from farm to table. It can begin early during growing when leafy greens can be exposed to bacteria from contaminated water, soil or manure. During harvesting, handling and processing, cross-contamination can happen if the equipment or surfaces are not properly disinfected. Finally, packaging can contribute to contamination if it comes into contact with contaminated surfaces or hands. <h2>The current outbreak</h2> Health authorities sometimes test for the presence of food-borne bacteria by <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/Documents/Compendium_revised%20Dec%202022.pdf">culturing bacteria from packaged foods</a> in the lab as part of a proactive public health surveillance program. If they identify the presence of concerning food-borne bacteria they will work with retailers to undertake recalls of that food product as a precaution to protect public health. To date there have been no cases of illness linked to the current recalls. The presence of STEC doesn’t necessarily mean people will get sick from eating the salad product, but this is an early detection aimed to prevent food-borne illness. Members of the public have been urged not to consume any of the recalled products, and to throw them away or return them to where they bought them for a refund. Anyone who has consumed the products and has health concerns should seek medical advice. <figure class="align-center "> <img alt="A woman clutches her stomach." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658618/original/file-20250331-62-625mxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/658618/original/file-20250331-62-625mxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=316&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658618/original/file-20250331-62-625mxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=316&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658618/original/file-20250331-62-625mxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=316&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658618/original/file-20250331-62-625mxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=398&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658618/original/file-20250331-62-625mxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=398&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/658618/original/file-20250331-62-625mxz.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=398&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> <figcaption> E. coli infection can cause a range of gastrointestinal symptoms. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-pain-stomach-cramps-on-couch-2585507087">PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Washed and ready to eat?</h2> Many bagged salad products come with a selling point along the lines of “washed and ready to eat”. Given the current recalls, you might ask whether it really is safe to eat pre-packaged salads without giving the leaves a wash yourself. Unfortunately, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5694878/">research shows</a> using tap water to wash bagged leafy salads isn’t effective in removing bacteria. But washing your raw vegetables is still helpful in getting rid of any clinging dirt that may contain clumps of bacteria. Fortunately the risk of getting sick from eating bagged lettuce is generally <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12636292/">very low</a>. It’s also important to wash your hands before handling food, check the expiry dates of bagged salads and pay attention to health alerts.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253427/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Vincent Ho does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>The culprit behind the recalls is ‘shiga-toxin-producing E. coli’. What do you need to know about this bacterium?</summary> <author> <name>Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and Clinical Academic Gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vincent-ho-141549"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/245151</id> <published>2025-03-31T05:58:11Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T05:58:11Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/how-should-police-officers-use-force-the-kristian-white-case-is-an-insight-into-what-the-community-thinks-245151"/> <title>How should police officers use force? The Kristian White case is an insight into what the community thinks</title> <content type="html">When a jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court found Kristian White guilty of manslaughter, it was the first verdict of its kind in recent Australian history. The verdict is significant because it offered a rare opportunity for the community to have a prominent say in what should and shouldn’t be regarded as reasonable use of force by police. The sentence of a two-year community-based order means White won’t spend any time behind bars – a judgement that <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-29/kristian-white-sentencing-clare-nowland-legal-experts-surprised/105104826">surprised</a> some legal scholars. Clare Nowland, aged 95, died after she was tasered by White, a police officer, in a nursing home in 2023. Nowland had approached White in distress while holding a steak knife. She fell after being tasered and died a week later in hospital. In finding White guilty, the jury drew an important line in the sand around the appropriate use of tasers, and use of force more generally, by police in Australia. It follows an emerging international trend, suggesting community expectations around police use of force are shifting. Recent convictions of <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-minneapolis-police-officer-derek-chauvin-sentenced-more-20-years-prison-depriving">Derek Chauvin</a> in the United States and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-57603091">Benjamin Monk</a> in the United Kingdom demonstrate this. We don’t know much about what the public thinks about this issue. While this case is highly specific, it’s the first major window into what everyday people think police should and shouldn’t be able to do in the line of duty. <h2>Excessive force: what are the rules?</h2> Excessive use of force by police is notoriously difficult to define. “Situational use of force” models, such as that used in the NSW Police, offer little insight, for officers or juries, about what level of force is appropriate for what level of resistance. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WlkPMdfX7VM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> Officers in NSW <a href="https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/583705/taser-use-public-information.pdf">are reminded</a> that “the decision to apply force, including use of a Taser, is an individual one for which every officer will be held accountable”. In this model, any officer who carries an array of weapons (as White did on that fateful evening) must be an expert in how to use those weapons proportionately to the threat they face. But what tangible guidance do they have about what constitutes excessive force? Given persistent concerns among police scholars about deficiencies <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10439460701302735">in training</a> and other <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0011128701047001006">policy documents</a>, it can be hard to discern what is reasonable or excessive force legally. Every critical incident carries specific and different dynamics, and officers cannot realistically be trained for every possible scenario. Much depends on their individual decision-making. <h2>So can we reach a definition?</h2> How then can we find a universal way to recognise “excessive force”? One of the better definitions of such force comes from North American police ethics scholar Carl Klockars, <a href="https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/and-justice-all-understanding-and-controlling-police-abuse-force">who suggested in 1996</a> excessive force was “any force that a police officer of the highest skill might find a way to avoid”. This definition encourages us to think (and talk) more about what a police officer of the highest skill looks like. This is important in an era when ideas about what police can and should do are <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/opinions/2016/10/24/how-police-censorship-shaped-hollywood/?utm_term=.8e88887c607b">strongly shaped by Hollywood fantasies</a>. <div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{&quot;tweetId&quot;:&quot;1905768366847180844&quot;}"></div> In the tragic set of circumstances that unfolded in the Cooma aged care home, we can ask ourselves: what might an officer of the highest skill have done? Notably, a recently retired senior officer answered this question in the media the day after the events unfolded. He said “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/roberto-died-after-being-tasered-14-times-it-was-supposed-to-change-everything-20230519-p5d9ok.html">they could have thrown a blanket over her</a>”. Evidently, the jury agreed there were other options available that didn’t involve the use of a taser. Modern policing must reckon with what a highly skilled officer looks like, especially as the profession adopts so-called “less lethal” force technologies such as tasers. What characteristics do we really want in a police officer’s “skills armoury”? Do we want a good aim, a strong physical presence, high levels of empathy or perhaps ethical decision-making? What should be prioritised? The Nowland case has asked these questions. The jury’s verdict set the stage for a sentence that established a higher standard for policing vulnerable people, which made it surprising that a non-custodial sentence was ultimately imposed. <h2>What does the public think?</h2> The sentencing outcome will spur more debate and has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-28/kristian-white-sentence-manslaughter-clare-nowland/105093844">disappointed Nowland’s family</a>. Justice Ian Harrison found there were mitigating factors, such as White’s claim he felt “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/officer-who-tasered-clare-nowland-felt-action-was-justified-court-told-20241118-p5krdy.html">justified</a>” in his actions. As a police officer, this likely carried significant weight to reduce moral culpability and the need for “punishment”. Justice Harrison also found White’s actions fell at the lower end of objective seriousness for manslaughter. But what about ensuring the sentence reflects community ideals about policing standards, as reflected in the guilty verdict? Many may now wonder whether there is any kind of police misuse of a taser that could be deemed worthy of the ultimate penalty of imprisonment. But the case nevertheless remains a watershed moment. It provides an insight into what the public expects of police, and how strongly courts choose to reinforce those expectations.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/245151/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Emma Ryan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>The police officer avoided jail time for the manslaughter of 95 year-old Clare Nowland. The case shows what the community thinks about how much is too much force.</summary> <author> <name>Emma Ryan, Lecturer in Criminology, Deakin University</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-ryan-273878"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/253423</id> <published>2025-03-31T04:53:54Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T04:53:54Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/hosting-the-un-climate-summit-is-far-from-madness-heres-how-australia-stands-to-benefit-253423"/> <title>Hosting the UN climate summit is far from ‘madness’ – here’s how Australia stands to benefit</title> <content type="html">Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would withdraw Australia’s bid to co-host next year’s global climate summit if the Coalition wins the federal election. Australia has lobbied hard for the right to host the talks, <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-a-big-deal-if-australia-and-the-pacific-are-chosen-to-host-un-climate-talks-heres-why-238320">known as COP31</a>, in conjunction with Pacific nations. Australia has emerged as a leading contender, and has the backing of most countries in its United Nations grouping, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and New Zealand. However, Dutton on Sunday described the idea of hosting the UN climate conference as “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-31/hosting-climate-conference-madness-dutton-suggests/105114710">not something we are supporting — it is madness</a>”. He also falsely claimed it would cost Australia “tens of billions” of dollars to host the event. Australia would reap big benefits by hosting the high-profile global talks. It would likely attract considerable investment in renewables and clean energy export industries, and strengthen Australia’s national security during a time of increasing geo-strategic competition in the Pacific. To pull out now would be a costly move. <h2>Decison deferred until June</h2> The decision on who will host COP31 in 2026 was expected at last year’s summit in Azerbaijan. But it was <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-australia-pacific-bid-to-host-un-climate-talks-in-2026-is-in-limbo-what-now-243719">deferred until June this year</a> – after Australia’s next federal election. Hosting rights are shared between five UN country groupings on a rotational basis. The final decision is made by consensus. Australia’s bid to host with Pacific nations has <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/australia-favourite-to-host-cop31-climate-talks-20240930-p5kep6">considerable support</a>. But Turkey, the only other country in the running to host COP31, has so far resisted lobbying efforts to persuade it to drop out. <h2>An economic boost for Australia</h2> Hosting the UN climate talks is a massive economic opportunity for Australia. COP31 would be one of the biggest diplomatic summits Australia has ever hosted. Tens of thousands of people could be expected for a fortnight of negotiations, with satellite events held across the nation and the Pacific. Adelaide is in the box seat to play host. The South Australian government estimated hosting the UN talks could generate more than <a href="https://www.premier.sa.gov.au/media-releases/news-archive/south-australia-bidding-to-host-cop31">A$500 million</a> for the state. But economic benefits would be much wider, and longer-lasting, than tourism receipts from those attending. The talks are a chance to attract investment for Australia’s energy transition and for clean energy industries of the future, including critical minerals and green iron. The UK government’s assessment of the value of hosting the UN climate summit in Glasgow in 2021 found the <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/COP31-report-by-Climate-Council-and-SEC-September-2024.pdf">net economic benefit was double that spent</a> – around A$1 billion. That includes benefits from trade deals and foreign investment. With abundant critical minerals, and excellent wind and solar resources, Australia has even more to gain. Hosting the world’s largest climate summit is a chance to attract the investment needed to replace ageing and unreliable coal-fired power stations. According to the Clean Energy Investor Group, which represents the capital behind large-scale renewables, <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/we-need-foreign-capital-for-climate-change/news-story/0a07a170ced430e6c4d186827a85bdbc">more than 70% of the investment in clean energy comes from international sources</a>. Dutton says he plans to replace coal with nuclear power (and to <a href="https://theconversation.com/dutton-unveils-plan-to-force-more-gas-into-australian-market-and-expand-production-in-major-pre-election-pitch-253228">rely on gas</a> until nuclear plants are built decades from now). The Coalition’s nuclear plan would require <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-13/peter-dutton-cunning-showmanship-331-billion-nuclear-plan/104722496">hundreds of billions of dollars</a> of taxpayer support. <h2>Securing our place in the Pacific</h2> Working with Pacific nations to address climate change is key to Australian national security. Australia aims to be the security partner of choice for Pacific island countries. And Pacific island countries are crystal clear: climate change is their “<a href="https://pacificsecurity.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Boe-Declaration-on-Regional-Security.pdf">single greatest threat</a>”. In 2022, Solomon Islands signed a security deal with China, which raised the prospect of <a href="https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-must-prepare-for-the-possibility-of-a-chinese-base-in-solomon-islands/">a potential Chinese naval base</a> in Australia’s maritime approaches. Foreign Minister Penny Wong – who was in opposition at the time – described it as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-20/worst-foreign-policy-blunder-in-the-pacific-since/13847436">the worst foreign policy blunder in the Pacific since the end of WWII</a>. The Albanese government has looked to cement Australia’s place in the Pacific by working with island nations to address climate change. In July 2022, Albanese joined Pacific leaders to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-15/pacific-leaders-declare-climate-emergency-in-joint-pif-statement/101239362">declare a Pacific climate emergency</a> and launched bid to co-host a UN climate summit with Pacific nations. In 2023, Australia signed a climate migration deal with Tuvalu that also <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-09/penny-wong-australia-tuvalu-signs-climate-security-pact/103825000">prevents Tuvalu from pursuing a security deal with China</a>. Pacific leaders have welcomed Australia’s plans to host the UN climate talks and have agreed to <a href="https://forumsec.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/2023-Forum-Communique-Special-Leaders-Retreat-Nadi-Fiji-24%20Feb.pdf">work together to advocate for the joint bid</a>. Walking away now could do real damage to Australian strategy in the region. <h2>Embracing our clean energy future</h2> Hosting COP31 is a chance to set up Australia’s economy of tomorrow, signalling the shift from fossil fuel heavyweight to clean energy superpower. Australia is leading the clean energy transition. This is a story to tell the world. <a href="https://www.energy.gov.au/news/australia-hits-rooftop-solar-milestone#:%7E:text=With%20Australians%20installing%20about%20300%2C000,a%20year%20on%20energy%20bills.">One in three households</a> have rooftop solar. Already 40% of the main national power grid <a href="https://cleanenergycouncil.org.au/getmedia/0cb12425-37ab-479e-9a4b-529622cc9c02/clean-energy-australia-2024.pdf">is powered by wind, solar and storage</a>. We are on track for 80% renewables by 2030. South Australia is moving even faster, set for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/sep/08/south-australia-renewable-energy-targets-international-template-solar-power">100% clean electricity by 2027</a>. Hosting COP31 in the state is also a chance to showcase clean energy export industries, especially plans to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/australia-launches-636-mln-green-iron-fund-offers-lifeline-steel-works-2025-02-20/">produce green iron and green steel at the Whyalla steelworks</a>. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of raw iron ore, but is well positioned to export more-valuable, and lower-polluting, green iron to major economies in our region. The potential export value of green iron is estimated to be <a href="https://www.superpowerinstitute.com.au/the-opportunity">$295 billion a year</a>, or three times the current value of iron ore exports. More broadly, our clean energy exports – including green metals, green fertilisers and green fuels – could be worth <a href="https://www.superpowerinstitute.com.au/news/australia-as-a-green-superpower-is-more-than-just-a-slogan">six to eight times more than our fossil fuel exports</a>. Walking away from the chance to host the world and showcase our clean energy future would be costly indeed.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253423/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Wesley Morgan is a fellow with the Climate Council of Australia</content> <summary>Peter Dutton says co-hosting the 2026 UN climate summit is ‘madness’. But Australia would be mad to miss out on the benefits, including investment in renewables.</summary> <author> <name>Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wesley-morgan-1280881"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/252516</id> <published>2025-03-31T03:53:45Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T03:53:45Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/these-3-arguments-are-part-of-the-long-game-in-trumps-trade-wars-252516"/> <title>These 3 arguments are part of the long game in Trump’s trade wars</title> <content type="html">Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has doubled down on using trade measures – mostly tariffs – to reshape global trade. He plans to impose <a href="https://www.cfr.org/article/donald-trump-wants-reciprocity-trade-heres-closer-look">reciprocal tariffs</a> on what he has labelled “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImP4l5gwJUk">Liberation Day</a>”, April 2. The Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/reciprocal-trade-and-tariffs/">administration claims</a> US producers face higher tariffs and more restrictions abroad than foreign producers when they export to the US. The administration also examined tax systems such as Europe’s Value Added Tax and Australia’s GST, import regulations and other factors. It believes – mostly wrongly – these unfairly disadvantage American businesses and contribute to the US trade deficit. As with many Trump initiatives, actual tariffs often change significantly between announcement and implementation, if they are implemented at all. His reciprocal tariffs have been narrowed to imports from the US’ <a href="https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/Releases/2025/USTRAFRecipPMsFRN_PDF.pdf">largest trading partners</a> instead of imports from all countries. There may also be tariffs on specific sectors. Last week, Trump announced <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/26/trump-new-car-tariffs">25% tariffs on cars</a> from overseas. At the weekend said he “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/30/trump-car-tariffs">couldn’t care less</a>” if this made cars more expensive for US consumers. <h2>Coercive control, revenue and re-shoring</h2> President Trump has raised a myriad of puzzling arguments in favour of tariffs. They largely fall into three categories: The first is the use of tariffs as a coercion tool against other countries. In the first Trump presidency, trading partners were <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/07/us/politics/trump-tariffs-mexico.html">pressured to renegotiate trade agreements</a> such as the renamed but largely identical US-Mexico-Canada agreement. Similarly, the Trump administration used the threat of tariffs to gain market access, elicit better trade terms or as a form of <a href="https://economiccoercion.com/">weaponised trade</a> to achieve unrelated foreign policy goals. Last week, Trump suggested he would consider a reduction in tariffs on China <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/27/donald-trump-china-tariffs-tiktok-deal?CMP=share_btn_url">in exchange for a sale of TikTok</a> by its Chinese owner. The second category is the use of tariffs as a source of revenue. The Trump administration envisions tariffs to be collected by a yet-to-be-created <a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-trump-tax-revenues-tariffs-eef2ab6930a8672a418af27f61efaed8">External Revenue Service</a>. This would form the flip side of the powerful and much-maligned Internal Revenue Service. Trump claims tariffs will be paid by the exporting country. This would be in theory to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-push-use-tariffs-pay-tax-cuts-faces-opposition-congress-2025-01-22/">finance future tax cuts</a>. In practice, tariffs are almost always paid by the importer of goods and usually <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-are-tariffs">get passed on to consumers</a>. There is a potential contradiction between these two rationales. It appears the Trump administration wants <a href="https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/trump-pushes-aides-to-go-bigger-on-tariffs-as-liberation-day-nears-20250330-p5lnly">to make at least some tariffs permanent</a>. But doing so would almost nullify the use of tariffs as a bargaining chip and coercion tool. The final category is to encourage companies to “re-shore” production to the US to avoid tariffs and to support US jobs. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W3LvZAZ-HV4?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> This would signal a reversal of what 1994 presidential candidate Ross Perot, speaking of the North American Free Trade Agreement, called the “giant sucking sound going south”. Some manufacturing may return to the US. But the high costs of building new factories, re-routing supply chains and uncompetitive US labour costs will hinder large-scale re-shoring efforts. <h2>A long-term plan?</h2> The Trump administration’s trade moves <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-trump-has-plan-peter-draper-sunkc/?trackingId=QCUNysKWQwyMUl6rJ4KYmQ%3D%3D">can be seen</a> as part of a larger strategy to reshape the US domestic and the global economic system. In a recent speech, US Vice-President JD Vance argued for a structural reshaping of the US economy, to <a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-vice-president-the-american-dynamism-summit">increase domestic innovation capacity</a>. Vance warned “deindustrialisation poses risks both to our national security and our workforce”. Vance himself sums up this approach by characterising tariffs as a “necessary tool to protect our jobs and our industries”. This line of argument overlooks a number of critical factors. Tariffs lead to higher prices for consumers. Unless currencies adjust, the inflationary impact could disadvantage the very people that can <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/15/business/economy/tariffs-trump-maps-voters.html">least afford it</a>. <figure> <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YAgoUvuyLik?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </figure> The same is true if other countries respond to US trade measures by <a href="https://ecfr.eu/publication/brussels-holdem-european-cards-against-trumpian-coercion/?amp">responding in kind</a>, as Canada and the European Union already have. American farmers and other export-oriented industries will be hard hit. From a strategic perspective, the US position as global leader has suffered a severe blow. Some countries are openly <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/economics-china-international-system-tariffs-michael-froman">pivoting to</a> its geopolitical and economic rival, China. If this scenario comes to pass, the US pullback – an outright withdrawal is unlikely – from the highly integrated international trading system might end up a more chaotic version of the UK’s pursuit of Brexit. <h2>A step back in time</h2> The world of liberalised trade that followed the end of the Cold War in 1990 is ending. Countries will turn inwards, prioritising their economic security and resilience. The costs of this turn away from multilateralism and international institutions, however, are not just economic. The close economic integration we have witnessed post-1990 has led to reduced uncertainty in international economic relations, <a href="https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/wtr23_e.htm">increased international security</a> and <a href="https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Cooperation_Barometer_2025.pdf">greater prosperity</a>. A return of the “<a href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/economic-policy-debate-should-focus-not-on-subsidies-tariffs-but-on-beggar-thy-neighbor-by-dani-rodrik-2024-10">beggar thy neighbour</a>” policies of the 1930s would be a dangerous path, with the world inching closer to the abyss. “Liberation Day” might push the world over the edge. <hr> Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-non-tariff-barriers-and-why-is-agriculture-so-exposed-252739">What are non-tariff barriers – and why is agriculture so exposed?</a> <hr> <img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252516/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Markus Wagner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</content> <summary>The world of liberalised trade that followed the end of the Cold War in 1990 is ending. This could be the United States’ Brexit moment.</summary> <author> <name>Markus Wagner, Professor of Law and Director of the UOW Transnational Law and Policy Centre, University of Wollongong</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/markus-wagner-757082"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> <entry> <id>tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/249722</id> <published>2025-03-31T03:34:42Z</published> <updated>2025-03-31T03:34:42Z</updated> <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://theconversation.com/in-ancient-greece-and-rome-who-were-the-harpies-and-why-did-they-stink-so-much-249722"/> <title>In Ancient Greece and Rome, who were the harpies, and why did they stink so much?</title> <content type="html"><figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654620/original/file-20250311-56-61l3xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;rect=0%2C156%2C9504%2C6160&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=496&amp;fit=clip" /><figcaption> <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/berlin-germany-april-12-2024-ancient-2455455569">Krikkiat / Shutterstock.com</a></figcaption></figure>Once yelled at women seen to be pestering or annoying – or at feminists questioning and threatening the status quo – “harpy” has long been used as a derogatory term targeting women. But have you ever wondered what a harpy was in the first place? Much like similar derogatory titles “siren” and “fury”, the term “harpy” is derived from a group of monstrous female figures from ancient Greek and Roman mythology. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="This picture depicts the harpies being driven from the table of King Phineus, a story told in the Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes, in which Jason and the Argonauts search for the golden fleece." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=324&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=324&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=324&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=407&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=407&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654736/original/file-20250312-62-iituy0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=407&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> This picture depicts the harpies being driven from the table of King Phineus, a story told in the Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes, in which Jason and the Argonauts search for the golden fleece. <a class="source" href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/339797">The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Rogers Fund, 1967</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Who were the harpies?</h2> In Greek and Roman myth, the harpies were a group of animal-human hybrid monsters on par with other such mythological creatures like the sirens, the sphinx, and the centaurs. Harpies were commonly imagined as an amalgam of a bird’s body, such as wings and claws, with a woman’s head. The ancient story of the <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/VirgilAeneid1.html">Aeneid</a>, by Latin poet Virgil, describes the story’s hero Aeneas encountering harpies on his quest to found Rome, <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/VirgilAeneid3.html">saying</a>: <blockquote> Maiden faces have these birds, foulest filth they drop, clawed hands are theirs, and faces ever gaunt with hunger. </blockquote> This description matches a common design from Greek and Roman art of <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1860-0201-33">birds with women’s heads</a>. In Greco-Roman myth, the harpies were typically tasked with meting out justice on behalf of Zeus and other gods by using their great speed from their wings and sharp talons. The importance of their claws was likely a result of their name, which was derived from the Ancient Greek word for “snatching” (ἁρπάζω or harpazdo). As was common of many mythological figures with hybrid features, the way their animal features were portrayed tended to vary across different media (art or literature), different narrative purposes, and over time. Sometimes the claws were emphasised; other times it was their supernaturally swift wings and voracious hunger. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Harpies were a common motif in many parts of the world. This roughly 12th Century statue is from modern-day Iran." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=705&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=705&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=705&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=886&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=886&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654616/original/file-20250311-56-ks5dhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=886&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Harpies were also a common motif in many parts of the Muslim world. This roughly 12th Century statue is from modern-day Iran. <a class="source" href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/451390">The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Cora Timken Burnett Collection of Persian Miniatures and Other Persian Art Objects, Bequest of Cora Timken Burnett, 1956</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Enforcers of swift justice</h2> The harpies were not nice people. They existed in myth to dish out punishments from the gods. Their primary target? Phineus, a seer and king of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmydessus">Salmydessus</a> in Thrace, a city believed to have been located on the Western coast of the Black Sea near the modern day Turkish town of Kıyıköy. His story is told in the <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius1.html">Argonautica</a> by ancient Greek author Apollonius of Rhodes. This tale centres on the journey of Jason and the Argonauts in search of the golden fleece. In the story, Phineus is said to have abused his powers as a seer by sharing too many of the gods’ secrets with mortals. This was among the most egregious of crimes in the eyes of the gods, so an especially awful punishment was decided upon. Phineus was blinded and given the dubious gift of immortality while still allowed to age endlessly. And worst of all, he was set upon by the harpies. Every time Phineus picked up and tried to eat food, the harpies would burst out from the clouds, <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius2.html">moving as fast as lightning</a>, and <blockquote> with their crooked beaks incessantly snatched the food away from his mouth and hands. </blockquote> The harpies brought a further gift for Phineus: their smell. This supernaturally “<a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius2.html">intolerable stench</a>” could putrefy food, so any scraps the harpies didn’t grab were left rotting on the table. You couldn’t even <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius2.html">stand near it</a>, “so foully reeked the remnants of the meal”. And while the harpies swooped in and out in seconds, their smell stuck to the rotting food (and probably poor Phineus). Some ancient poets add a little extra zest and disgust by also suggesting the harpies may have been defecating on the food, and presumably Phineus. Most notable is Virgil in his text the <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/VirgilAeneid1.html">Aeneid</a> who wrote about “foedissima ventris proluvies”, meaning: <blockquote> the foulest discharges from their bellies. </blockquote> This was likely an exaggeration of their bird-like qualities, used to emphasise how disgusting and monstrous they were. Phineus was eventually given a reprieve from the harpies, by order of Zeus, so he could help the hero Jason on his quest for the golden fleece. Having completed their job, the harpies then flew to Crete to live in a cave far away from annoying mortals – only being disturbed once by Aeneas on his <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/VirgilAeneid1.html">meandering path to Rome</a>. The story of Phineus helped harpies become a metaphor for greed. Those compared to harpies could include greedy house-guests overstaying their welcome, people living extravagantly or frivolously, or even family members taking advantage of wealthy relatives. Although the harpies were female monsters, the term was not exclusively applied to women, but used to describe groups of greedy people. <figure class="align-center zoomable"> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="Harpies were often associated with greed. In this Renaissance painting, part of a series depicting the Seven Deadly Sins, a harpy-drawn chariot is being used by Gluttony (who has wings, carries a jug and and wears wine leaves in her hair)." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=334&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=334&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=334&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=420&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=420&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/654614/original/file-20250311-56-hb9nm5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=420&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a> <figcaption> Harpies were often associated with greed. In this Renaissance painting, part of a series depicting the Seven Deadly Sins, a harpy-drawn chariot is being used by Gluttony (who has wings, carries a jug and and wears wine leaves in her hair). <a class="source" href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/227931">The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Frederic R. Coudert Jr., in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh A. Murray, 1957.</a> </figcaption> </figure> <h2>Harpies today</h2> Happily, today the title of “harpy” is falling out of favour as a derogatory term. But the hordes of monstrous, snatching, winged women live on in modern books, games, comics, movies and TV shows. From video games with swathes of harpy-like creatures snatching and clawing at the protagonist, like the 2020 video game <a href="https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/">Hades</a>, to characters in stories inspired by Greek and Roman myth, the harpies are sticking around – like a bad smell.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/249722/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Kitty Smith is a member of the Australian Society for Classical Studies.</content> <summary>The harpies were not nice people. They existed in myth to dish out punishments from the gods.</summary> <author> <name>Kitty Smith, PhD Candidate in Classical Greek and Roman History, University of Sydney</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kitty-smith-2322271"/> </author> <rights>Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.</rights> </entry> </feed>

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