AI powered traffic cameras enforce road laws with an iron fist

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AI powered traffic cameras enforce road laws with an iron fist

1 March 2026

Emma Wynne, writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC):

When Perth mother Lisa Taylor’s 11-year-old daughter slipped one arm out of her seatbelt, the family had been on the road for over two hours, returning from a holiday in Dunsborough over the Christmas period. The transgression was picked up by one of WA‘s new AI safety cameras, which detect people not wearing or incorrectly wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones.

Police in the Australian state of Western Australia (WA) issued thirty-one thousand infringement notices to drivers in the month commencing early October 2025.

AI technology installed in road cameras were intended to target drivers handling phones, and improper seatbelt usage, but appear to have a keen eye, having detected numerous traffic violations.

I’m not aware of the use of AI equipped road safely cameras in other Australian states, though they may be present, but the WA initiative is looking like the future of traffic law enforcement to me.

Meanjin magazine given reprieve by Queensland University of Technology

14 February 2026

The Australian literary journal closed late last year after then publisher, Melbourne University Press (MUP), said the long running publication was no longer financially viable.

Earlier this week, the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said it had taken ownership of the magazine, and quarterly publication will resume.

There will no doubt be rejoicing in Australian literary circles at the news. MUP’s decision to close the magazine, which was launched in 1940, was roundly criticised at the time.

Creative Australia opens applications for a National Poet Laureate

10 February 2026

Applications are open until 17 March 2026, for the role of Australian National Poet Laureate:

The National Poet Laureate is a three‑year appointment that recognises an outstanding Australian poet whose work and cultural contribution have shaped contemporary poetry and its readership. The Laureate serves as a respected public spokesperson and champion for Australian poetry, highlighting its diversity, richness and cultural significance.

Australia has not had a Poet Laureate since, I believe, 1821. Michael Massey Robinson, a convict from England no less, was appointed to the role in 1810.

The history books tell us Robinson was paid with cows for his services. The next Poet Laureate, who will be announced in October this year, will receive financial remuneration.

I thought Evelyn Araluen, who won the 2022 Stella Prize, an Australian literary award, for her debut collection of poetry, Drop Bear, would suit the role.

To be in the running though, applicants must, among other things, have had at least three professionally published books of poetry. To date, Araluen has written two works.

Maybe another time then.

Heatwaves impact daytime spending habits of Australian consumers

6 February 2026

Luke Cooper writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC):

Researchers found on days when maximum temperatures were 35C or higher, which the Bureau of Meteorology classifies as a “hot day”, a $5.4 million collapse in daily daytime consumer spending was recorded.

However, on a recent excessively warm day, consumer spending increased by five percent from six o’clock in the evening until about five hours later. That makes sense as people stay in their hopefully cooler homes, until it is a little more comfortable to go out later in the day.

The impact of climate change is indeed far reaching.

Substack reportedly asking Australian users to verify their age

2 February 2026

According to a Reddit thread, that was re-posted at Marginal Revolution, the online publishing platform is requesting users in Australia submit to an age verification process.

Substack, as of the time I type, is not on the list of websites, or services, that Australians under the age of sixteen cannot access, so I’m not sure why Substack would be doing this. If indeed they are.

On a visit to Substack, again, as of the time I write this, I was able to access, and move around the site without hindrance. I was not logged in, but was using an Australian ISP.

Evidently some people are having difficulty though. Possibly age verification only applies to people in Australia who are logging in to gain access. I might try doing this another time.

But Substack is a platform, and who knows, may one day be added to the banned list. This is precisely why online writers should be publishing from their own, independent website, and not a platform.

And this is before addressing the concerns many people have with Substack in the first place.

Influencers, content creators, taking centre court at Australian Open

27 January 2026

Marnie Vinell, writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC):

Emily Wade, 28, says she is a genuine fan who is finding it personally frustrating to see the influx of influencers take up seats at marquee matches when others who would genuinely appreciate being there for the tennis are finding it increasingly inaccessible through overcrowding and higher ticket prices.

Ticket buying fans report waiting hours, in the heat, to watch the tennis matches, and claim social media influencers are being given priority access.

The Australian Open (AO) sells itself. As long as tennis fans know the world’s top players are going to be in Melbourne in January, they’ll show up and buy tickets.

No advertising required, let alone influencers.

But the show no longer seems to be about the fans, it’s about putting social media content creators with large followings, centre court. You no longer go to see games, you go for an experience. One which may not include a whole lot of actual tennis.

But it’s not all beer and skittles for the influencers however. They have to sing for their supper, or, presumably, risk not being invited back:

But one popular TikTok influencer, who talked to the ABC on the condition of anonymity, said they were surprised at the level of pressure placed on influencers to be creating content by organisers.

“I think it was 20 posts [across the tournament] to even be allowed into the AO creator lounge,” they said. The creator lounge is a designated section within Tennis HQ, where creators can film, edit and work.

Influencers under pressure? I’d have thought they’d be the ones calling the shots, especially those with millions of followers. “If you want to me to show up to some tournament I have no real interest in, and promote it, we’re doing things my way.”

It sounds like influencers, even the established ones, don’t have a great deal of leverage after all.

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Olivia Dean tops 2025 Triple J Hottest 100 countdown

26 January 2026

The London based neo-soul singer and songwriter was voted into the number one slot with her song Man I Need. Dean also scored a second spot in the Hottest 100 top ten, with Nice to Each Other.

Such amazing music to listen to, especially while working.

The Hottest 100 countdown is an annual poll conducted by Australian new and alternative radio station, Triple J, and ranks listener’s favourite songs released in the previous calendar year.

I find the Hottest 100 great for new(-ish) music discovery, as I seldom seem to listen much radio, or random music streams, anymore.

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Nearly five million Australian social media accounts deactivated after ban

19 January 2026

Clare Armstrong writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC):

More than 4.7 million accounts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat were deactivated in the first two days of the ban that started on December 10, according to new data released by the federal government.

The social media ban, supposedly to stop Australians under the age of sixteen accessing numerous such platforms, has seen nearly five million accounts closed in the last five weeks.

Here’s hoping the lockout is having the desired impact, whatever exactly that was, though it may be a while before we know one way or the other.

Adelaide Writers’ Week on the brink following author boycotts

13 January 2026

Hannah Story, writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC):

Authors including Miles Franklin winners Michelle de Kretser and Melissa Lucashenko will boycott Adelaide Writers’ Week (AWW) to protest the cancellation of an event featuring Palestinian Australian author, lawyer and activist Randa Abdel-Fattah. Other authors who have withdrawn from the festival include Peter Greste, Yanis Varoufakis, Evelyn Araluen, Amy McQuire, Clare Wright, Chelsea Watego, Bernadette Brennan and Amy Remeikis.

The boycott is in response to the removal of Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from the 2026 event, scheduled to start at the end of February.

Organisers felt Abdel-Fattah’s presence would “not be culturally sensitive” in the wake of last December’s mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, which targeted the Jewish community.

Although organisers say Abdel-Fattah’s writing played no part whatsoever in the atrocity, they were concerned by her long standing anti-Israel sentiments.

Abdel-Fattah has asked organisers to reinstate her, while more writers are threatening to withdraw from the event if this does not happen.

Update: Adelaide Writers’ Week (AWW) 2026 event has been cancelled. The Adelaide Festival, of which AAW is a part, will however still run.

Much of Australia presently in the grip of a heatwave

8 January 2026

Most Australia states, with the reported exception of Queensland, are in the grip of a heatwave. Temperatures in our part of the world, the NSW Central Coast, are expected to reach the high thirties, Celsius, on Saturday. That’ll be a little too warm at our place here, which doesn’t have AC.

We’ll go into Sydney, where ironically Saturday’s high is (presently) forecast to peak at forty-two degrees, Celsius. However we will have AC there.

We remain hopeful the southerly buster will come through not too late in the day though. This is a wind change from the south (bringing chilled Antarctic air northwards), and can see temperatures drop by up to twenty-degrees over the course of fifteen to twenty minutes.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, a heatwave occurs in Australia when the maximum and minimum temperatures are unusually hot over three days. We’re only one day into this, and already feeling the pinch. Accumulating heat will make Friday uncomfortable, to say nothing of Saturday.

It’s going to be a difficult time for a lot of people, with bush fires in some places making matters worse. Do whatever you can to stay cool over the next few days.

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