TV host slams age verification rules for Google as ‘devious' overreach
'We were sold a ban on children using social media, but most people wouldn't assume that Google is social media,' Mr Macpherson said.
'For this to be snuck through, not in legislation but in regulation of codes for internet and big tech companies by the eSafety Commissioner, I think is quite devious because most Australians don't know this is happening.'
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Sky News AU
29 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Treasury tells Labor to hike taxes, slash spending to avoid budget blowout in leaked advice as millions struggle with price pressures
Labor must impose higher taxes on Australians grappling with a cost-of-living crisis and slash spending in order to avoid budget blowouts, according to a Treasury briefing released under Freedom of Information laws. The independent Treasury informed Labor after its re-election it needs to find "additional revenue and spending reductions" to ensure a 'sustainable budget' as the Albanese government faces a decade of deficits and more than $1 trillion in debt. It also warned Labor's goal to build 1.2 million homes by the end of this decade "will not be met" in a blow to Australians suffering under the dire housing crisis where prospective buyers are locked out of the market. These revelations, which originate from a Freedom of Information request put to Treasury by the ABC, mount pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers as he drives Labor's economic agenda in the Albanese government's second term. He has invited leaders across business, economics, unions and politics to an economic forum in August where Australia's sluggish productivity and the need for tax reform will come under the microscope. Efforts to change how super balances above $3m are taxed, which includes paper gains on assets, have already met intense backlash, while Mr Chalmers has largely opposed calls to tackle GST despite economists arguing it would reduce reliance on income tax. 'I suspect the states will have a view about the GST. It's not a view I've been attracted to historically, but I'm going to try not to get in the process of shooting ideas between now and the round table,' Mr Chalmers told reporters in June. The ABC revealed Treasury told Labor that "improvements to the budget will need to come from economic growth, additional revenue and spending reductions" and that "tax should be raised as part of broader tax reform". Uncertainty surrounding the United States and its trade war were also analysed by Treasury with the department presenting an array of scenarios including if there was a loss of confidence in the US dollar. "The global economic outlook has rapidly deteriorated, with implications for Australia," Treasury said. The Albanese government was also warned about its lofty 1.2 million homes target. Treasury said it 'would not be met' and called on Labor to build a 'coherent and well-prioritised' housing agenda. Mr Chalmers told reporters he was "pretty relaxed" about the new revelations, which were released by error, and insisted Labor was upfront about the information in the new report. "We have already made it really clear that we will do more to make our economy more productive and more resilient," he told reporters on Monday. "We have made it clear that we need to build on the progress we have made in repairing the budget so that we can make the budget even more sustainable." Mr Chalmers dismissed a question about Treasury's warning that Labor was falling short of it housing target as "a partial release" before later being grilled by a reporter. "For the record, that subheading, in full, on new homes says the 1.2 million new homes target 'will not be met'. It's about as unambiguous as any of the headings yet," the reporter asked the Treasurer. "Are you saying the department is wrong on that?" Mr Chalmers shot back: "I have read the incoming Government brief. I don't need reminding of what it says. I read it on the Sunday after the election." The Treasurer also said Labor has made efforts to boost the rate of housing growth and acknowledged the government was lagging behind its target. "We will need more effort to reach that substantial ambitious housing target and we're investing tens of billions of dollars," Mr Chalmers said. "We're working well with the states and territories and local governments, we're engaging with the industry, we're trying to get the capital flowing." Labor's housing target were a point of concern for REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty who warned the target already falls behind what is needed for Australia's housing market. 'We are lagging,' Ms Flaherty said on Business Now. 'There are some positive signs that things are picking up a bit but if we continue on the trajectory that we're already on, we're looking at around a 20 per cent shortfall in the government's target of 1.2 million houses or homes. 'I should add to that … (Labor's) 1.2 million new homes is really what we need to keep the ratio of supply of homes to the population steady from where we are. 'With population growth continuing to outpace forecasts, that's likely to mean that this 1.2 million new homes - which we are unlikely to achieve - would already be below what we would actually need.' Recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the nation is falling well short of its 1.2 million new home goal. If the government were to achieve its target, it would need to ensure 240,000 are built each year. However, ABS figures show that since the Housing Accord began in July 2024, only about 90,000 new dwellings have been completed. There were 90,136 houses built from July to December 2024 under the Albanese government, almost the same amount delivered by the Morrison government over the same period in 2021.
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Uber makes app changes to take more seniors for a ride
Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options. Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options. Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options. Australians will be among the first in the world to test features designed to make ride-share services easier for seniors to access. Uber announced the rollout of two features designed for riders over the age of 65 on Monday, including one that will allow family members to book, pay for and track their trips. The announcement comes one month after the features were launched in the US and after a study showed more than one in three older Australians found it difficult to arrange their own transport. The features added to the tech giant's app would include "simple mode" that had been designed for older travellers who wanted easier access to rides, Uber Australia and New Zealand managing director Emma Foley said. "Many older Australians have a smartphone these days, but figuring out how to use something new for the first time can still be a challenge," Ms Foley told AAP. "Simple mode is for independent seniors who are happy to be out on their own but want to have a simpler way to book a ride." When activated, the mode will show larger text in the app, fewer icons, and allow users to save frequently visited locations for quick access. Also introduced in the update, "senior accounts" will feature more controls for family members, allowing them to track trips, contact drivers directly, as well as booking and paying for rides. "The classic use case for this might be someone who is caring for their elderly mum and can't be there to take them to a doctor's appointment but wants to book a ride for them, track that trip, call the driver directly... and make it really simple to keep an eye on their loved one," Ms Foley said. The features, tested in the US in June, will be delivered after a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by YouGov found 36 per cent of seniors considered organising transport to be a challenge in their daily lives. It also comes less than a year after Uber launched a Caregiver feature in Australia to book trips on behalf of others, and a Teen mode expected to be delivered to NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory shortly. Research undertaken by Roy Morgan showed Uber had become significantly more popular than taxis in Australia, with more than 7.4 million people using the app-based service in March 2025 compared to 4.2 million hailing taxis. Uber was significantly less popular with older generations, as the research found 1.05 million Baby Boomers used the service compared to 1.02 million using taxis, while the Interwar generation, born before 1946, preferred taxis to ride-share options.
Sky News AU
8 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Albanese's great betrayal: The alarming data that shows there is no end in sight to the housing shortage crisis
The numbers scream betrayal. Australia will fall 262,000 homes short of the government's own housing target by 2029. Other reports indicate the shortfall could total 400,000 homes in the capital cities. Some might label this as speculation. They're mistaken. At this point, it's a mathematical certainty. Anthony Albanese's government knew this was coming. They set the target: 1.2 million new homes by 2029. Bold promises, empty delivery. The rental market tells the real story. National vacancy rates sit at 1.2 per cent as of May 2025. That's crisis territory. Anything below three per cent spells disaster for renters. We're not even close. These rates remain 1.5 percentage points below pre-COVID averages. Young Australians know the truth. They're living it. Share houses at thirty. Multigenerational mortgage stress. Dreams deferred indefinitely. Many can't afford to leave home, not out of choice but necessity. Full-time work doesn't guarantee independence anymore. They're working harder, saving longer, and getting less. The ladder to homeownership might not have been torched, but the bottom rung has been quietly sawed off. The median house price continues its relentless climb. Wages don't. Simple arithmetic delivers crushing verdicts. A generation locked out of home ownership. Forever. Labor's response? Build apartments. Stack humans vertically. Problem solved, apparently. Wrong. This is not urban planning. Not the smart kind, anyway. It's bureaucratic crowd control dressed up as policy. Apartments jammed into dense lots, minimal green space, no long-term vision. The goal isn't to help people thrive; it's to make the housing crisis disappear on paper, to tick a box and call it progress. But Australians don't dream of concrete towers. They dream of Saturday morning lawn mowing. Children's laughter in backyards. Space to breathe. Privacy to exist. The apartment obsession ignores something elemental—how people actually live. Families need space to grow, not just square footage. Kids need backyards, not balconies. Parents need storage, quiet, parking, not communal bins and walls that carry every footstep, argument, and appliance hum. Three-bedroom apartments won't solve this. They're band-aids on arterial wounds—luxury-priced, politically convenient, and conceptually bankrupt. Australians want what their parents had. Modest homes on reasonable blocks. A patch of lawn. A shed out back. A place to park without circling the block. But today's policymakers have something else in mind, the kind of housing they'd never dream of inhabiting themselves. The kind they wouldn't raise their own children in. Tower blocks for the masses, leafy suburbs for themselves. And the consequences are already here. When people can't afford to live near where they work, society fragments. When young people can't afford to start families, birth rates collapse. When families are priced out of the market, the dream of upward mobility dies. A nation without children, without aspiration, is a nation in retreat. But solutions do exist. Australia is short on vision, but it's not short on land. Regional areas offer what cities no longer can: space, affordability, and the potential to build real homes, not cramped cubicles. Yet the regions remain neglected—underfunded, underconnected, underutilized. Jobs are sparse, services are threadbare, and infrastructure barely exists beyond the town sign. The answer is there, but it demands investment—leadership, not lip service. Smart countries build new cities. They don't cram everyone into a few mega-centres and then act surprised when crises unfold. They spread their populations strategically. They invest in infrastructure before the nightmare begins. They lay down roads, rail, and internet—not just in capital cities but in the forgotten regions too. They create opportunity across the map. They think 20 years ahead. Australia does none of this. For far too long, the current government has done nothing as cities swelled, costs surged and families were priced out. Sydney and Melbourne are bursting at the seams. Brisbane and Perth aren't far behind. And still, no new cities. No bold planning. Just higher density, higher prices, and higher stress. The government could act. It could release land, not drip-feed it to inflate prices, but actually make it available. It could fast-track approvals, not tie them up in years of bureaucratic purgatory. It could cut the red tape strangling builders. But it won't. Because this government is hooked on stagnation. It mistakes inertia for prudence. It governs like a property manager, not a nation builder. It wants tax receipts, not transformation. The Australian dream isn't dead, but it is being euthanised. Slowly. Bureaucratically. Smothered by incompetence and indifference. And as always, it's the young who pay the price. The renters. The first-home buyers. The would-be parents. Paying off someone else's investment portfolio. Watching the dream of a backyard vanish while politicians blame local councils and 'market forces'. There's nothing natural about this crisis. It's manufactured. Maintained. Managed by people too spineless to challenge the status quo and too visionless to build something better. Albanese's government had a chance. A mandate. The numbers. They chose failure instead. Future historians will judge this era harshly. They'll ask how a nation with so much space became a place where families couldn't afford to start, where a home became a luxury, where the middle class—the engine of prosperity—was gutted in real time. Young Australians deserve better. Something must change, or watch an entire generation simply give up. John Mac Ghlionn is a researcher and essayist who writes on psychology and social relations. He has a keen interest in social dysfunction and media manipulation.
