Australia’s eSafety commissioner buried a report (released Friday afternoon) that shows the under 16 social media ban didn’t tangibly reduce teen social media use, and also resulted in parents tuning out of kids usage. We traded our privacy for no reason. theconversation.com/more-than-80...

More than 80% of kids still using social media despite ban, new eSafety report finds

The report provides more evidence Australia’s world-leading social media ban isn’t going to plan.

theconversation.com

Thread, on the use of gAI to produce xenophobic videos featuring stereotypes of the dangerous, dirty, sexually predatory, violent foreigner threatening the cleanliness, order and peace of China. Fascinating, and terrifying.

Manya Koetse@manyapan.bsky.social · 2d ago

Chinese viral AI videos are turning foreigners into villains, flooding Chinese social media. They depict foreigners as threats to China’s social, moral, and national order. Strong, confident Chinese people confront, violently beat, and humiliate them in defense of their country. See more below🧵

How to navigate shifting political views in your romantic relationship www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

This feels dystopian. Not a life or limb service. Just more inequality.

#Census2026au is two weeks away! Two weeks!

#Census2026au will be the most progressive population stocktake Australia has ever seen, as gender and sexual orientation are finally added www.abs.gov.au/census/2026-...

I was teaching in a class of about 200-odd today when the national test alert sounded. Most of our phones sounded right on 2pm, though not totally in sync. It made a gloriously consuming sound. (We were very excited). For ~30mins afterward random phones were still sounding in isolated cases.

Diabolical there isn’t sufficient accountability of what happened under Berry’s leadership. Details must be exposed, and not just for this but any other suspicious matters. www.canberratimes.com.au/story/931708...

A $200k soft landing? Why Yvette Berry should leave the Legislative Assembly

Why stepping down from the cabinet is not true accountability.

canberratimes.com.au

Dr Liz Allen@drdemography.com · 2w ago

Minister resigns to avoid a circus. More like avoiding accountability. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

Minister resigns to avoid a circus. More like avoiding accountability. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

'I don't want a circus': ACT Education Minister resigns from cabinet

ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry resigns after the Integrity Commission made "serious corrupt conduct" findings against two senior public servants in her portfolio.

abc.net.au

The good people ABS have compiled the options for getting help with #Census2026au in language. Check it out and tell your friends. www.abs.gov.au/media-centre...

I can confirm these are AHmazing. And so is Prof Bradby. 🥧

Jodie Bradby@jodiebradby.bsky.social · last mo.

Want to know a thing? These are THE best muffins on the ANU campus (possibly the best in Canberra?) 🧁 Freshly baked on site every day at Vanilla Bean Café. The cinnamon apple is my favourite, but the blueberry is great too. #ANUDailyJoy

‘The Labor Party collected more than $4 million in gambling donations in five years, including $1.5 million around the last election, as it dithered on reform before backing down from a full crackdown on betting advertising.’ www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

Labor’s millions in gambling donations revealed amid last-ditch push for reform

The Labor Party collected more than $4 million in gambling donations over the last five years, including $1.5 million around the last election.

smh.com.au

ANU has been to hell and back. It’s time we come together. It’s time for a BIG community block party! ANU turns 80 this year and to celebrate the campus is opening up to all. Please come along. Bring your friends, the family! There’s free face painting!! www.anu.edu.au/about/our-hi...

It was great to get a few quotes in this article along with the one and only @drdemography.com www.sbs.com.au/news/article...

A dark chapter of Australia's past is resurfacing in immigration politics

Australia ended the White Australia policy decades ago. A new immigration debate has revived concern about its ideas.

sbs.com.au

Research upon research has shown that Australia’s privatised employment services don’t help people get jobs, it’s punitive and serves only the providers - helping them get rich and richer www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

Job system broken for workers, booming for private equity, report says

A new report argues Australia's employment services system is failing jobseekers, while filling the pockets of private equity firms and millionaires.

abc.net.au

Looking at that footage of Barnaby Joyce, as I used to look at Mark Latham ... can't help thinking about how having an unpredictable adult in a family house - who goes from sullen to rage in an instant - can be terrifying.

ko-fi.com/post/The-mis...

The missing piece

Artistaffame published a post on Ko-fi

ko-fi.com

Data houses. My @smh @theage cartoon.

Finally — woke is over. A man can become the leader of a Women's publication purely on merit.

Come join us @ourANU for a symposium in November on the topic of grandparents. Hurry, abstracts are due the end of July! Please share.

Why does Australia take a census? It’s our only national family photograph and it provides valuable evidence about who we are and how and where we live. My explainer from 2025. #Census2026au is 11 August - we all count! theconversation.com/australias-c...

Australia’s census is getting a stress test – keeping it going is good for everyone

Census testing begins next month ahead of the 2026 official headcount. National census are under threat overseas, threatening the collection of quality data.

theconversation.com

A month ago old mate columnist told boomers, the luckiest, most recipient generation in history, to organise to lobby for even more privileges. But now it's wrong to tell women which advertisers support sexist drivel on radio, in case they wanna boycott 'em? #logic www.theage.com.au/national/the...

These ‘witches’ claim to have brought down Kyle, Karl and Alan Jones. In fact, they’re bullies

But by what right does activist group Mad F---ing Witches appoint itself as guardian of what is proper and fair? How representative are they of the “real” audience?

theage.com.au

Probably more helpful to think of them not so much as “Canadian wildfires” but rather “climate change wildfires currently consuming Canada”

'Social media bans are likely to make things worse: psychologist Candice Odgers on kids, tech and mental health. Maybe we should just kick all men off the internet? www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Reminder that data centres have driven new capital expenditure in Australia. In other words, data centres are good for business. But are they on balance good for the nation?

Dr Liz Allen@drdemography.com · 2mo ago

‘…investment in data centre equipment, specifically server racks and processing equipment, significantly boosting overall investment figures…builds on a similar spike in data centre investment recorded [last quarter]’ www.abs.gov.au/media-centre...

Don’t be a census vandal. Answer truthfully. P.S. More Australians report no religion on the census than any other single religion. #Census2026au

Principles listed here won’t prevent what happened at ANU. The government has the opportunity to make good change to prevent wrongdoing. This is putting lipstick on a pig! www.canberratimes.com.au/story/930902...

Which is pretty much like the rest of the country. I think we’re so much better than the people peddling division give us credit for

Dr Liz Allen@drdemography.com · 4w ago

In this friendship group there are 'no Jews, no Muslims, just one big family' www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

In this friendship group there are 'no Jews, no Muslims, just one big family' www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

In this friendship group there are 'no Jews, no Muslims, just one big family'

When a group of Jewish mates decided to support a newly arrived Muslim family, all of their lives would change. Together they have flipped expectations about religion and friendship.

abc.net.au