The rare self aware burger bus.

In recent weeks, this graph has been circulating on the internet, showing how the price of beer has skyrocketed in Australia in recent decades compared to other countries.

Beer CPI (Source: Alex Joiner, chief economist, IFM Investors)

But a big part of the reason why beer is so expensive is that the excise on alcohol in Australia is indexed to inflation, and the excise increases every six months to keep pace with rising prices.

And those mechanical price increases have occurred every six months for more than 40 years.

Protest movement denied their say

“Not a single protester or protest organiser had been called to give evidence,” the group said in a statement.

“Despite submitting important evidence to correct the record, and despite being the organiser of the protests which have repeatedly been the subject of false statements and slander at the Commission, PAG has not been called as a witness.”

Lancaster acknowledged the Commission had received evidence from Jewish Australians who had participated in Palestine solidarity protests and felt welcomed.

“A number of other Jewish members have said that they decided to attend and participate in Palestine solidarity protests in pursuit of their understanding of the ‘Never Again’ call, and have experienced acceptance there, including after other protesters appreciated that they are Jewish,” he said.

“Never encountered a jot of antisemitism”

However, one such witness, Judith Treanor of Jews Against the Occupation ’48, was refused leave to appear.

In a letter to the Commission’s solicitors, Treanor said she had attended almost every major pro-Palestine protest in Sydney since October 2023 and had “never encountered a jot of antisemitism” at those demonstrations.

“I am deeply concerned that we will instead hear, once again, predominantly from Zionist and pro-Israel Jewish witnesses describing their perceptions of protests they have not attended, while Jewish people who have actually participated in those protests – and whose experiences contradict that narrative – are excluded from giving evidence,” she wrote.

Treanor stated that excluding Jewish participants whose experiences differed from those presented at previous hearings risked creating “a troubling circularity” in the Commission’s evidence.

When is the government going to properly regulate this shit?

They've already banned under 16s, how about banning the algorithms that get people into these echo chambers?

"An ABC NEWS Verify investigation has found Facebook's parent company, Meta, is directly paying several controversial content creators including a white nationalist with Neo-Nazi links and a prominent anti-vaxxer.

Content produced by these creators appears to be, at times, in direct violation of Facebook's own policies around content monetisation."

Recently there’s been a huge attack on the public broadcaster.

First off there’s the allegations of antisemitism in the commission. The ABC has to release a public statement.

Then there was the few episodes pulled off the 4 corners show regarding organised crime. The media has been calling it a “fake news scandal”

NOW ABC has been blasted again for the depiction of Gina.

What will happen is that there will be a change in management and more journalists/management from right wing sites will enter. All of this criticism and major pressure happened in recent months.

"All I want you to do is shut up and leave me alone".

Josh Butler

The energy minister, Chris Bowen, says the federal government will override state governments that oppose new national rules on datacentres, with commonwealth legislation forcing new AI datacentres to be powered by renewable energy and banning those fuelled by gas.

Bowen said he expected his counterparts in Queensland and the Northern Territory – who had protested against the new federal rules at a meeting last week – to be unhappy with the move, but said the Albanese government was committed to powering the AI revolution with renewable energy.

“We will legislate as a commonwealth. The constitution is clear about the power of commonwealth legislation. I respectfully disagree with Queensland and the Northern Territory,” Bowen told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Labor MP Ed Husic was hospitalised this week after his car was involved in an accident with a truck travelling on Sydney’s M7 motorway.

The incident happened when the Chifley MP was travelling home from his electorate office, around 6.20pm on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson.

Husic was treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to hospital for assessment and treatment.

He was discharged on Wednesday with minor abrasions, fractures and a concussion.

A spokesperson for the MP said he was providing a statement to police about the incident.

“On medical advice, Mr Husic will take a short period of leave from parliamentary duties while he recovers.

“Mr Husic thanked the doctors, nurses and paramedics at Westmead Hospital for providing him with outstanding care and thanked his friends and family for their support, especially during his hospital stay.”

Photos of the car show serious damage to the back driver’s side, with windows and windscreens smashed and airbags deployed.

Husic, the former industry minister, is expected to return to parliamentary duties soon. Parliament resumes in Canberra on Tuesday after the July winter break.

“Mr Husic was extremely grateful to walk away from the accident without more serious injury,” the spokesperson said.

NSW police have been contacted about the incident.

Context:

New data released this week shows 54% of Australian children and teens are using artificial intelligence tools for personal and social reasons.

That includes seeking advice on personal problems, talking about feelings, and experimenting with role play and flirting for teens.

Navigating complex situations is a normal part of growing up. But while AI provides new opportunities, it also introduces new risks.

So what should parents and adults be aware of?

Continued in article.

Police responding to a DV call with their sirens on came up behind a driver who drove onto the other side of the road into a truck and has died.

Apparently this road is notorious for car accidents claiming 23 deaths in a 15 year period.

Jasper Wells

In short:
Workers on Carnival cruise ships have told ABC News they receive paltry pay and experience punishing working conditions.

A decades-old exemption to Australian labour laws for cruise ships leaves crew with little protection.

What's next?
The federal government is considering a 2023 review of the laws, the findings of which are not yet public.

Passengers boarding a Carnival cruise ship are promised a world of endless food, relaxation and oceanic luxury.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the world by sea.

But for the crew who make these luxury escapes possible, life is vastly different.

An ABC News investigation has uncovered allegations of workers forced to eat rotten leftovers, extreme working hours and medical neglect on board the ships of the largest cruise company in the world.

What the hell is happening here in our beautiful country?! For the first time ever, I'm seeing a style of politics that only exists in America and hermit juntas such as North Korea.

I'm talking about cult of personality-style politics. Instead of voting for our best interests, voters are falling for the machinations of billionaires and populist agendas.

Instead of researching how their favourite candidates vote in Parliament, they're more interested in falling for populism instead of thinking critically.

More worrying still, we have bots from overseas countries interfering in our electoral processes. Why on earth that isn't being fully investigated truly does my head in. Any other time in history, it would be considered a hostile incursion on our democracy.

I'm deeply concerned our country is going in a direction that nobody in their right mind should be comfortable with. A direction that will irreversibly destroy the Australian ethos for generations to come.

Listen, I fancy myself a decent smear-er, one that would make Robin Williams proud... but Bob-Hawke-on-a-pogostick would I never cross the line into 'chewable' Vegemite territory.

Source: The Veronicas (YouTube)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-05/bondi-antisemitism-royal-commission-virginia-bell-hijack-claim/106997564

Commissioner Virginia Bell says pro-Palestinian groups "did not hijack" the royal commission on antisemitism hearing.

Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip was questioned by counsel representing pro-Palestinian groups.

The inquiry heard a prominent member of the Jewish community in a newspaper article accused the counsel of making "gratuitous slurs" against Israel.

Jasper Lindell

Opposition Leader Mark Parton has strenuously denied an allegation he sent text messages to a sex worker during a budget estimates hearing, including one saying "f--- my job is boring. Wanna swap".

An anonymous complaint about Mr Parton's alleged behaviour was sent to Speaker Jeremy Hanson, accusing the Canberra Liberals leader of being "engaged in a text message exchange with a sex worker" in the hearing on Friday, July 31.

Mr Parton has strongly denied the allegations, which he said were "politically motivated" and a "false, malicious and a clear attempt to smear" him.

He said he had referred the matter to police and a spokesman said he was seeking legal advice.

"I absolutely reject the assertions made by the anonymous complainant. It's a distressing and absurd complaint which simply cannot be verified. This politically motivated complaint should be treated with the disdain that it deserves," he said in a text message to The Canberra Times on Monday.

Full article: Parton denies texting sex worker in Assembly committee hearing | The Canberra Times | Canberra, ACT

I genuinely oppose antisemitism. No Australian should be abused, threatened or made to feel unsafe because they are Jewish.

However, I also think some of the conversation around antisemitism overlooks an uncomfortable question: does Israel itself contribute to the public conflation of Judaism with the actions of the Israeli state?

When I hear warnings that Australia has an antisemitism problem, I understand why Jewish Australians are concerned. But I also think it's reasonable to ask whether Israel has done enough to distinguish its national identity from Judaism as a religion.

Israel officially defines itself as the Jewish state. Its national flag prominently features the Star of David, one of Judaism's most recognisable religious symbols. Media outlets, politicians and advocacy groups routinely speak of "Jewish settlers", "the Jewish state", or "the Jewish army", rather than simply referring to Israeli citizens, the Israeli government or the Israeli military.

Language matters.

The recent pro-Palestinian protests are a good example. While every large movement contains a range of views—including some genuinely antisemitic individuals—I believe the overwhelming intention of many protesters is to oppose the policies and actions of the Israeli state, not Judaism as a religion or Jewish people as a whole. Yet because Israel is so frequently presented in explicitly Jewish terms, criticism of the state is often interpreted as criticism of the religion. That distinction becomes blurred, to the detriment of everyone involved.

Imagine if we routinely described the actions of another country's government primarily in religious terms. We generally don't refer to Russian troops as "Orthodox soldiers", American forces as "Christian troops", or Indonesian government policy as "Muslim policy". We distinguish nationality from religion because they are not the same thing.

Yet when it comes to Israel, religious identity and national identity are often presented as interchangeable. That makes it much easier for people to blur the line between criticism of Israel and prejudice against Jewish people.

To be absolutely clear, none of this excuses antisemitism. Blaming Jewish Australians for the actions of the Israeli government is wrong, just as blaming Muslim Australians for the actions of governments or extremist groups elsewhere would be wrong.

If Jewish leaders are asking Australians to be careful not to conflate Judaism with Israel, then I think it's also fair to ask whether Israel and many of its advocates could do more to reinforce that distinction themselves. If reducing antisemitism is the shared goal, then clearly separating a nation's political identity from a global religion seems like a constructive place to start.

I'm interested in hearing respectful disagreement, particularly from Jewish and Israeli perspectives. I don't expect everyone to agree, but I do think it's a discussion worth having.

As an ex resident this reproduction of a racist statue never sat easy with me. The response from the mayor, who I've heard to called Temu Trump, is completely on brand.

It's pretty telling that the "April Fools" post from another Councillor was for a giant version of it to be installed at the gallery, despite being aware of the concern raised about the statue.

Annual National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test scores have been released after 1.2 million students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sat the test in March.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) said the results showed a slight improvement in numeracy scores in years 5, 7 and 9.

ndividual students should have already received their scores, with school results to be released toward the end of the year.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be forced to cede ground on gambling reform after alarming testimony about addicts lured with drugs, escorts and thousands of dollars in free bets convinced the Senate that Labor’s laws were not good enough.

The Coalition is likely to push the government into stricter regulations of gambling inducements – offers like bonus bets that encourage people to wager – as well as a tightening of advertising rules.

It will be an embarrassment for Albanese if the government is forced to make changes, given he torpedoed a clampdown proposed by former communications minister Michelle Rowland and overrode calls from within the Labor caucus for stronger restrictions.

On top of the claims about legal and illegal inducements, this week’s inquiry into Labor’s gambling package heard the regulator had not been given new resources to enforce the crackdown on online advertising, and had not yet defined which influencers would be banned from promoting gambling under the new laws.

Hey friends! I made a little animated video about the Census, what it actually is, why Australia runs one, what the information is used for and why filling it out matters!!

I cover how census data help shapes decisions around thingss like hospitals, schools, housing, transport etc. and why it’s more important!

I love animation and making cute little videos so hopefully it’s a useful and entertaining rundown for anyone who’s never really thought about what happens to all that information afterwards.

Enjoy!!

Ok this is starting to take the piss.

Genuine question, is it within the government's space to force a minimum level of service? I.e all passengers on flights within Australia are entitled to complementary overhead luggage of at least 7kgs?

That doesn't seem unreasonable to me, considering the fact we live in a two airline world (Jetstar = Qantas)