Greens vital Labor ‘nonetheless hasn’t legislated a single enforceable safety’ on AI
Josh Butler
The Greens have once more referred to as for a moratorium on new datacentres till the federal government’s new legislated requirements are in place, claiming there can’t be a “free for all” till the brand new legal guidelines are enacted.
Senator David Shoebridge was additionally vital of the delay in responding to the AI subject.
“A coordination workplace in Canberra doesn’t cease a single child getting harmed tonight, and no quantity of branding adjustments the truth that this authorities nonetheless hasn’t legislated a single enforceable safety,” he mentioned in a press release.
Sarah Hanson-Younger has referred to as for a pause on new datacentre builds, and mentioned this was necessary within the interval earlier than Labor’s new legal guidelines – which Anthony Albanese mentioned gained’t be launched into parliament till “early subsequent yr” – got here into pressure. She mentioned:
We want a moratorium on the constructing of datacentres till there are legal guidelines in place to correctly regulate their impression in Australia together with vitality, water use, setting and communities. It’s important that we get the foundations proper. To try this we’d like a pause on the approval and building of recent hyperscale datacentres whereas we do that necessary coverage work.
Simply because large tech firms need to transfer at hyperspeed, doesn’t imply that we have to fast-track and roll out the pink carpet for them. We have to take the time to get this proper, if we don’t there will likely be severe penalties for our vitality grid, water, setting and local weather.
Shoebridge raised issues about “consent, privateness and surveillance threat”.
Australians want an impartial AI regulator with actual powers, necessary guardrails, and legislated protections for youths, employees and creators.
Key occasions
What we realized, Wednesday 15 July
Ima Caldwell
We’re going to depart our reside weblog protection there for as we speak. Earlier than we go, listed here are as we speak’s high headlines:
Have a stunning night, we’ll be again tomorrow for an additional day of breaking information.
Penry Buckley
Minns welcomes proposed AI framework, saying ‘we have to get the settings proper’
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has welcomed the prime minister’s announcement of a nationwide regulatory framework for AI forward of it being put to leaders at nationwide cupboard subsequent month, including the state “must get the settings proper”.
In a press release launched by his workplace this afternoon after Anthony Albanese’s announcement, the premier mentioned:
We welcome the federal authorities’s announcement as we speak on a proposed AI framework to make sure communities see the advantages of knowledge centre funding. NSW needs to prepared the ground on jobs, funding and innovation – however we have to get the settings proper.
The premier’s workplace didn’t reply on to questions on whether or not it supported proposed laws, together with necessities for datacentres to pay in full for electrical energy grid connections and extra water infrastructure. The state authorities, which launched a session paper on the datacentre trade earlier this yr, is growing its personal technique, after submissions closed in March.
The NSW opposition spokesperson for synthetic intelligence, James Griffin, mentioned the Coalition’s personal technique to help the “accountable progress” of the trade could be introduced within the coming months.
The NSW Greens have echoed their federal counterparts. In a press release, Abigail Boyd MLC, the chair of a parliamentary committee into datacentres, mentioned:
The place this leaves NSW is, within the continued absence of any technique, plan or guardrails, in determined want of a moratorium on AI knowledge centres to permit rules and safeguards to be put in place.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Jacinta Nampijinpa Value rebuked for sharing false declare Labor ‘importing’ Indian migrants
Jacinta Nampijinpa Value has been rebuked by Liberal colleagues after sharing a social media clip that falsely claimed Labor was “importing” Indian migrants, resurrecting the controversy that ended together with her being sacked from the frontbench by former chief Sussan Ley.
The backlash got here as a brand new inner dialogue paper admitted multicultural communities had “deep-rooted” issues with the Liberals, urging the social gathering to “instill message self-discipline” to forestall political opponents weaponising its positions as “hostile or racist”.
The Northern Territory senator was final yr sacked from Ley’s frontbench after suggesting the federal authorities’s migration program favoured Indians to win Labor votes.
Value later clarified the preliminary remarks – acknowledging Australia has a non-discriminatory migration program – however refused to apologise for the damage prompted to Indian Australians.
Learn extra:
Caitlin Cassidy
Vice-chancellor of UNSW tells royal fee employees wanted ‘generosity, endurance, empathy’ after 7 October 2023
The vice-chancellor of UNSW, Prof Attila Brungs, has informed the royal fee he was “deeply involved” in regards to the wellbeing of his group after the 7 October 2023 Hamas terror assault.
Brungs mentioned he instantly arrange a response group and reached out to Jewish employees and college students, who spoke of their “worry” and “anguish”, some with direct connections to individuals who had been immediately affected.
Twice per week for a couple of yr, the response group met, and so they nonetheless meet each week … I wrote to all employees most likely twice a month … simply acknowledging the damage that was occurring throughout the group … to point out them generosity, endurance, empathy.
As well as, UNSW launched a “Converse Up” marketing campaign encouraging employees and college students to subject complaints, and elevated their variety of protecting providers.
Brungs is the ultimate witness throughout as we speak’s hearings, which have additionally heard from the heads of the College of Melbourne and the College of Sydney. On Monday, the commissioner heard testimony from a tutorial at UNSW who mentioned he was subjected to Nazi salutes by college students in his UNSW Faculty enterprise class.
Brungs confirmed UNSW Faculty was independently operated and he didn’t have oversight of it as a better schooling supplier.
Tory Shepherd
Barnaby Joyce claims Australia is a ‘Christian nation’ and says many First Nations individuals would agree
One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce has claimed First Nations individuals would agree with him that Australia is a “Christian nation”.
The New England MP made the feedback at an anti-abortion gala – the place he accepted a prize for “political braveness” – in Sydney over the weekend.
In an trade posted on social media, Benjamin van der Linden from a gaggle referred to as Make Australia Christian Once more requested Joyce if Australia was a Christian nation. Joyce mentioned:
Sure, it was premised on Christian rules.
Quite a lot of Indigenous individuals would let you know straight up and correct Australia’s a Christian nation.
Learn extra:
Kat Wong
Melbourne council votes to scrap Lime ebikes for failing to fulfill ‘naked minimal requirements’
Shared ebikes will disappear from some inner-city Melbourne streets after a council scrapped its settlement with Australia’s largest electrical bike operator.
The Metropolis of Yarra on Tuesday voted to finish its memorandum of understanding with Lime, terminating its virtually six-year-long trial.
Although some councillors famous shared ebikes have been an reasonably priced and environmentally pleasant transport choice, others mentioned the operator had not accomplished sufficient to forestall customers from blocking footpaths, dumping ebikes or using whereas drunk.
Learn the total story right here:
Greens vital Labor ‘nonetheless hasn’t legislated a single enforceable safety’ on AI
Josh Butler
The Greens have once more referred to as for a moratorium on new datacentres till the federal government’s new legislated requirements are in place, claiming there can’t be a “free for all” till the brand new legal guidelines are enacted.
Senator David Shoebridge was additionally vital of the delay in responding to the AI subject.
“A coordination workplace in Canberra doesn’t cease a single child getting harmed tonight, and no quantity of branding adjustments the truth that this authorities nonetheless hasn’t legislated a single enforceable safety,” he mentioned in a press release.
Sarah Hanson-Younger has referred to as for a pause on new datacentre builds, and mentioned this was necessary within the interval earlier than Labor’s new legal guidelines – which Anthony Albanese mentioned gained’t be launched into parliament till “early subsequent yr” – got here into pressure. She mentioned:
We want a moratorium on the constructing of datacentres till there are legal guidelines in place to correctly regulate their impression in Australia together with vitality, water use, setting and communities. It’s important that we get the foundations proper. To try this we’d like a pause on the approval and building of recent hyperscale datacentres whereas we do that necessary coverage work.
Simply because large tech firms need to transfer at hyperspeed, doesn’t imply that we have to fast-track and roll out the pink carpet for them. We have to take the time to get this proper, if we don’t there will likely be severe penalties for our vitality grid, water, setting and local weather.
Shoebridge raised issues about “consent, privateness and surveillance threat”.
Australians want an impartial AI regulator with actual powers, necessary guardrails, and legislated protections for youths, employees and creators.
Caitlin Cassidy
Royal commissioner rejects line of questioning in cross-examination of Mark Scott
The royal commissioner, Virginia Bell, has rejected the road of questioning in a cross-examination of the vice-chancellor of the College of Sydney, Prof Mark Scott, over feedback made by one in every of his former college students.
Gabi Crafti SC is representing the Australasian Union for Jewish College students and Jewish communal teams. She requested Scott whether or not he had heard the proof of Yasmin Johnson, a Jewish pro-Palestine activist who appeared as a witness on Monday.
Crafti pointed to Johnson’s affirmation that she gave a speech in August 2025 on the College of Sydney’s campus “during which she referred to as for the destruction of the State of Israel”.
Is that tolerated on the College of Sydney?
Scott mentioned she was a “visitor speaker” and the college shouldn’t be “vetting speeches prematurely”.
I completely reject her views. I don’t consider that’s an acceptable use of educational freedom and discourse. And I on no account help or affiliate myself together with her remark.
Crafti requested if he would “allow that type of factor to occur on the College of Sydney going ahead”, at which level the commissioner intervened:
You don’t need to reply that, Professor. Ms Crafti, I feel that’s a tough proposition to place to the witness. Will you not allow that to go forward? We’re speaking a couple of college the place a complete vary of views would possibly in lots of contexts be expressed. I’m not going to permit that query.
Luca Ittimani
OpenAI welcomes likelihood to form Australia’s requirements as a ‘precedence market’
OpenAI has dedicated to working with creators and trade on the brand new nationwide AI requirements the prime minister introduced as we speak.
A spokesperson for the corporate mentioned it had been participating with the federal government for months on its dedication to constructing AI entry and infrastructure in Australia and welcomed the prospect to assist form Australia’s method. They mentioned:
Australia has monumental potential to profit from AI, and we need to work for and with Australia to assist realise Australia’s AI ambitions. That is actually a once-in-a-generation alternative for Australia’s financial system and it’s essential the nation will get this proper.
We’re dedicated to participating constructively all through this course of with the federal government, creators and trade on an method that’s sensible, sustainable and proper for Australia.
Anthony Albanese as we speak instructed artists and different creatives would preserve copyright protections in opposition to AI mannequin coaching and reuse. OpenAI mentioned it was open to industrial agreements with particular person publishers the place acceptable, similar to these it has signed with Information Corp and Guardian Media Group, proprietor of this web site.
OpenAI mentioned Australia was a “precedence market” with half of all adults utilizing ChatGPT.
Caitlin Cassidy
Mark Scott says there was a threat of the College of Sydney’s pro-Palestine encampment ‘blowing up’ by forcibly disbanding it
The vice-chancellor of the College of Sydney, Prof. Mark Scott, has informed the royal fee into antisemitism that he feared forcibly disbanding the campus’s pro-Palestine encampment might have led to it “blowing up” and inflicting battle.
The encampment, established on its entrance garden in mid-2024, was the primary and longest operating within the nation. Scott mentioned the college “didn’t anticipate” one could be established on the college as a result of it hadn’t been a part of its “protest custom” and there weren’t substantial preparations in place.
In keeping with different universities, he mentioned their precedence was to “try to see a peaceable decision” of the encampment, however mentioned it could have been a “actual failure” to not seek the advice of additional with Jewish teams.
How can we convey this encampment to a detailed peacefully with out seeing the destruction and the turmoil that we’d seen at main universities world wide? … I nonetheless felt the chance of the encampment blowing up by forcibly ending it. Police in riot gear taking college students away might have seen an encampment 10 occasions the dimensions the day after. And in the event you take a look at the expertise in the US, who is aware of who would have been drawn in to that type of battle.
However I can see that our Jewish college students and employees paid a worth for that because the encampment dragged on. And I’m sorry to them that it took so lengthy for us to get it accomplished. And I’m sorry we didn’t preserve them extra intently engaged in dialogue and hear extra intently to them because it was going.
Recording trade affiliation says it’s time for AI firms to licence content material
Aria, the Australian Recording Trade Affiliation, mentioned it’s now time for AI firms to maneuver ahead on content material licensing after Anthony Albanese’s speech on the know-how increase.
Annabelle Herd, Aria’s CEO, mentioned in a press release:
The prime minister couldn’t have been clearer: Australian writers and musicians preserve possession and management of their work. Artists management what that work is value, not the federal government and never a know-how firm.
Management of worth, worth and phrases of use are what underpin a industrial licensing market. The artist decides what their work is value and who might use it. That’s how licensing works in every single place else on the planet and it’s the way it ought to work right here. Within the prime minister’s phrases: something much less is theft.
That is clear message to AI firms: now could be the time to get on with licensing. Proper now offers are being signed throughout music, journalism and publishing world wide. Australia’s artistic industries are prepared do enterprise.
Caitlin Cassidy
College of Melbourne interim vice-chancellor disputes declare of a sector-wide failure to correctly undertake antisemitism definition
Interim vice-chancellor of the College of Melbourne (UoM), Prof Glyn Davis AC, has pushed again on an audit carried out by the emeritus professor Greg Craven on behalf of the antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, which discovered no college was correctly adopting a definition of antisemitism.
He informed the royal fee that he didn’t settle for Craven’s evaluation that the UoM hadn’t integrated a definition of antisemitism into their insurance policies and procedures. The UoM was the primary college in Australia to publicly undertake the Worldwide Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in 2023.
He mentioned:
It has been adopted in the identical sense that the commonwealth authorities has adopted it. That’s, a press release of precept and as a working definition of antisemitism and that’s essential … It isn’t a definition by itself that takes you to disciplinary actions. It was not written for that time. That isn’t its character …
I don’t settle for that we haven’t engaged with the definition, drawn it into our insurance policies, used it to tell our discussions. It’s a part of the protocol for our appeals. It informs appeals panels once they come to make choices. In that sense, I feel it’s maybe an overstatement.
Nick Visser
That’s all for me. Ima Caldwell will snag issues from right here. Take pleasure in the remainder of your arvo.
Luca Ittimani
Enterprise council backs Labor’s plans for AI requirements
The Enterprise Council of Australia has thrown its help behind the federal government’s AI method.
Bran Black, the BCA’s chief government, backed the brand new AI workplace, suggesting it ought to give attention to the impact of AI on workplaces as a precedence.
He supported the federal government’s “measured” timeline for bringing in nationally coordinated requirements with plans to seek the advice of first then legislate subsequent yr.
We’d at all times help engagement and session proper throughout the financial system together with with totally different ranges of presidency companies, unions, group teams, and so forth. Take the time to do this and do it effectively.
The BCA was much less supportive of Labor’s strikes to mandate builders convey new vitality and water infrastructure. Black mentioned the council would push the federal government to as a substitute give precedence to these builders.
We are able to’t be too prescriptive as a result of we’re in a race and we’re in a aggressive contest in that regard …
AirTrunk … [has] simply made a $42bn dedication to construct datacentres, not in Australia, however in India. … We don’t need to see ourselves get out of step with Worldwide counterparts and that as a consequence, we’d lose funding.
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