Australia’s privacy watchdog has warned retailers that the tribunal decision overturning her ruling against facial recognition at Bunnings is not a green light for widespread biometric surveillance in stores. Read more: ia.acs.org.au/article/2026...

Bunnings ruling no ‘green light’ for facial recognition

Privacy Commissioner says retail still faces scrutiny.

ia.acs.org.au

Went to put the recycling in the bin. Discovered a Tawny Frogmouth.

My stuffiest political-legal opinion is that the American style of giving laws acronymic names like the CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America) Act is undignified. Laws should have boring ass names like the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act 2022

Please, I'm trying to stream the best community radio stations from around the world, and would like a recommendation for a good one to stream from London. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. x

This essay by @mrdtjames.bsky.social, highlighting the blatant selective outrage over acts of violence, is precise and to the point, and very much worth your time.

Daniel James on the Perth pipe bomb

At Forrest Place in Boorloo (Perth), on what this country officially calls Australia Day, around 2,500 people gathered to mark Invasion Day. They listened to speakers, held banners and, for a few…

pca.st

I’m really looking forward to chatting about my book next Thursday at 5pm with the Oxford Water Network. I plan to focus on some key insights & lessons legal geography brings to the challenge of charting more sustainable and just water governance futures. Do come along if you’re in town!

Legal geographies of water: Cristy Clark

Cristy will discuss her recent book, Legal Geographies of Water, which explores community and policy responses to the global water crisis.

eventbrite.co.uk

NEW NEWSLETTER: “The Weekly Cybers #102” buttondown.com/stilgherrian... In a relatively quiet week there’s some poking at the teen social media ban, a slap for Service Australia, and more. buttondown.com/stilgherrian...

The Weekly Cybers #102

In a relatively quiet week there’s some poking at the teen social media ban, a slap for Service Australia, and more.

buttondown.com

NEW PODCAST: “The 9pm 57 Varieties of Thai with Erin Cook” @erincook.bsky.social (1h00m27s) the9pmedict.com/edict/00262/ Look for “The 9pm Edict” in your podcast app. Like it? Please tell people and maybe throw in a tip at the9pmedict.com/tip.

My partner is running in the 10km event at the #Ballarat Marathon. We'd appreciate any support for fund raising for Djirra, who are dedicated to ensuring that Aboriginal women and their children have access to opportunities and live free from violence.

DJ Tomislav@djtomislav.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Hi there I've signed up for a Ballarat Marathon 10KM race in April this year and I am trying to fundraise $1500 to help Djirra. Please help me by making a donation through my page. Thank you, I really appreciate your support... Tomislav. ballaratmarathon26.grassrootz.com/djirra/tomis...

The Federal Court has found a Victoria Police move to give officers greater powers in Melbourne's CBD for six months was invalid and unlawful.

Extended police stop-and-search declaration unlawful, court finds

The Federal Court has found a Victoria Police move to give officers greater powers in Melbourne's CBD for six months was invalid and unlawful.

abc.net.au

There's an emergency inquiry happening on the impact of AI and digital fraud on Parliamentary processes, namely epetitions, after unverified and self-evidently AI generated constituency emails, petitions and inquiry submissions started flooding in since 2021.

The @libertyvictoria.bsky.social submission with the NSW Council of Civil Liberties on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026 is now online: lnkd.in/gPMwSnvc #auslaw

My partner is running in the 10km event at the #Ballarat Marathon. We'd appreciate any support for fund raising for Djirra, who are dedicated to ensuring that Aboriginal women and their children have access to opportunities and live free from violence.

DJ Tomislav@djtomislav.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Hi there I've signed up for a Ballarat Marathon 10KM race in April this year and I am trying to fundraise $1500 to help Djirra. Please help me by making a donation through my page. Thank you, I really appreciate your support... Tomislav. ballaratmarathon26.grassrootz.com/djirra/tomis...

Banning organisations has a sorry history – does Australia really want to go down this road again? | Anne Twomey

Banning organisations has a sorry history – does Australia really want to go down this road again? | Anne Twomey

As the government brings its new hate laws to parliament, it’s worth remembering past attempts suggest legislation used to outlaw political groups have been neither wise nor necessary Australia’s history of banning political groups gives pause for thought as to whether we really want to go down this route again. During the first world war, the Unlawful Associations Act 1916 was enacted and used to ban a group called Industrial Workers of the World. Membership was made a criminal offence. Members could also be deported if they were not British subjects born in Australia. Anne Twomey is a Professor emerita in constitutional law at the University of Sydney Continue reading...

theguardian.com

No sign Australian politicians will leave X after the Grok scandal. Hard to see what if anything could make people who are still posting on there now leave. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Australian politicians are condemning X and Grok, so why won’t they leave the platform?

Anthony Albanese has said the AI chatbot generating sexualised images of women and children is ‘abhorrent’ but has an account posting on the site

theguardian.com

Entries are now open for the Wheeler Centre's Hot Desk Fellowships for emerging writers! I was in the very first cohort of Fellows & used my Hot Desk to work on my first book 'Out of Shape'. I went in there daily like it was my job, & got heaps done. Highly recommend this program!

Hot Desk Fellowships

wheelercentre.com

The Committee (PJCIS) invites submissions to the inquiry by 4pm, Thursday 15 January 2026: #auslaw

Review of the Exposure Draft Legislation: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026

The Minister for Home Affairs, Hon Tony Burke MP, wrote to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (the Committee) on 12 January 2026 to refer an Exposure Draft of the Combattin...

aph.gov.au

CCH Political Alert@politicalalert.bsky.social · 10mo ago

The Albanese Government has released details of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026 for consultation: www.ag.gov.au/crime/hate-c...

Thinking of all the workers and volunteers risking themselves to protect our communities against these fires. And also thinking of the pissant political class who are refusing to risk any political capital to slow the expansion of the coal mines and gas wells that are driving us towards disaster.

At this crucial time people in Iran must be able to express themselves + access and share the information they need. ARTICLE 19 urges authorities to restore the internet & all communications now. #FreeIran #ایران_آزاد #اعتراضات_ایران اعتراضات_سراسری# #KeepItOn www.article19.org/resources/ir...

Iran: Communication blackout puts lives at risk and violates human rights - ARTICLE 19

Iranian authorities must restore the internet and all communications to ensure people can access information, communicate and remain safe.

article19.org

NEW NEWSLETTER: “The Weekly Cybers #99” buttondown.com/stilgherrian... We’re back early! Happy 2026. Elon Musk’s AI image editor is removing women’s and children’s clothing, Australian teens are working around the social media ban, and a hacker kills white supremacist websites live on stage.

The Weekly Cybers #99

We’re back early! Happy 2026. Elon Musk’s AI image editor is removing women’s and children’s clothing, Australian teens are working around the social media ban, and a hacker kills white supremacist we...

buttondown.com

Victoria Police revokes powers to allow warrantless searches across inner Melbourne. They did not provide a reason. However, an urgent hearing of a challenge to the declaration will begin in the Federal Court on Monday. #auslaw

Victoria police revokes powers to allow warrantless pat-downs across inner Melbourne

Police say declaration of Melbourne CBD and surrounds as a designated area will end on 9 January, more than four months ahead of schedule

theguardian.com

Draft Letters Patent Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion: www.ag.gov.au/about-us/pub... #auspol

My daughter’s primary school, for example, sent out a notice to say they were going to stop using their X account for comms. It’s as simple as that. There are plenty of alternatives. But even if there weren’t you can’t contribute to that.

Inner North Melbourne people: two of Yarra Library's branches have extended opening hours on Thursday and Friday so that you can hide away from the heatwave.

City of Melbourne has a great map of "cool places" as well www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/heatwaves

Heatwaves

Be prepared for heatwaves and extreme weather events.

melbourne.vic.gov.au

I also looked at this list of specifically AU options, and was interested to learn that LMS brand Moodle (an alternative to Canvas & Blackboard) is based in Perth

GitHub - AdamXweb/awesome-aussie at disconnect.blog

Curated list of Aussie (Australian) based software and services - GitHub - AdamXweb/awesome-aussie at disconnect.blog

github.com

Paris Marx@parismarx.com · 10mo ago

Given everything happening right now, I updated this article with options for weather apps, web forms, and translation services — along with some tweaks to existing categories. I hope it helps your transition off US tech!