@trishcahill.bsky.social
Hyperscale data centres can use as much water as a small town. As AI demand grows, governments face a new test: how to allocate, monitor and protect already-stressed water resources, Delia Paul writes. #AI #Water #Sustainability
With hyperscale data centres, water governance faces its biggest challenge
Hyperscale data centres are adding new pressure to already stressed freshwater systems, testing whether governments can allocate, monitor and protect water fairly.
pearlsandirritations.com
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
Public urged to avoid hospital unless ‘life might be in danger’ after record day for Sydney emergency departments
Public urged to avoid hospital unless ‘life might be in danger’ after record day for Sydney emergency departments
Winter flu season is putting pressure on the health system, with medical staff bracing for the ‘worst three weeks of the year’ Sick patients in New South Wales have been told to avoid the emergency room unless their life is at risk after a record day for winter presentations put the hospital system under strain. The New South Wales health minister, Ryan Park, said just under 10,000 people presented to emergency departments in Sydney on Monday, the “biggest ever recorded winter day in history”. It was around 1,000 more people than the average. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
"In 2019, researchers estimated Australia had over 20,000 volunteer wildlife carers, each of whom spend an average of $5,300 of their own money on food and equipment annually (about $100 million in total). On average, each volunteer put in 32 hours a week."
Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS@euanritchie.bsky.social · 2d agoThis article is excellent. It speaks volumes about how governments take so many in the environmental and conservation sectors and communities for granted theconversation.com/australia-ha.... As H5N1 begins to spread and devastate Australian wildlife the dire consequences of this are evident.
Will we get the plans when it's too late to make any necessary and timely improvements? The clock is ticking, and H5N1 is spreading, rapidly.
Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS@euanritchie.bsky.social · 2d agoWhy have federal, state & territory governments not released their H5N1 response plans for native wildlife to the public & independent experts? They've had more than enough time to prepare. We have a right to know what's planned & what's not planned. Have a listen 👉 www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
If you have the BOM calendar, you may have noticed that it features one of my photos for August. I was so chuffed! This was taken on a nasty hot day in March last year. Cavin & I went for a drive in the hills east of Wilmington & looked out to see these willy-willies (dust devils) on the plain.
Democracy being unravelled in plain sight.
Lucy Hamilton@lucyham.bsky.social · 5d agoThe UK gov is almost able to make protest untenable now. You can only protest if you are invisible. UK has made political prisoners of Grannies and church folk holding signs. The UK’s slide to illiberalism is better dressed than the US version, but it’s the same trajectory.
Yes, it's conference time. I'll be speaking about ventilation and schools; 1) revisiting NSW Cooler Schools and 2) research on 22 NSW schools near Sydney Airport. I hope to see you there! I really have no idea why we're in Cairns... iaq.airah.org.au
🇫🇷 Behind The News: how viral photo of fire in southern France was captured AFP photo editor Maximilien Lamy was on holiday when he took a series of snapshots of vacationers in fire-struck southwest France. He did not expect one of his shots to go viral. ▶️ u.afp.com/SHJ5
Australia has confirmed its first mass wildlife deaths from H5 bird flu after greater crested terns were found dead on Baudin Rocks, South Australia. Australia now has 74 confirmed cases: 54 in SA, 10 in WA, 7 in Victoria, 2 in NSW and 1 in Queensland.
Bird flu mass mortality points to 'significant losses' for wildlife
The first mass mortality of Australian wildlife from the deadly H5 bird flu has been confirmed in greater crested terns found on an island off South Australia's coast.
abc.net.au
The world’s largest electric ferry, built in Tasmania, has been loaded aboard a special heavy lift vessel ahead of its voyage to its new home in Argentina https://ow.ly/9r4450Zvzq7
"Extraordinary moment:" World's largest electric ferry, made in Australia, loaded on cargo ship for trip to South America
The world's largest electric ferry, built in Tasmania, has been loaded aboard a special heavy lift vessel ahead of its voyage to its new home in Argentina.
ow.ly
Wow. Most people who've visited Stonehenge or even just seen photos or footage of the site surrounded by lush green grass should be shocked to see it looking like this. But hey ... we'll keep on mining and burning those fossil fuels, right? Right. #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency
Right now, wild fires are tearing through Europe, Canada, and the US. Half of England and the whole of Wales are officially in drought. Here in Australia, we are expecting one of the worst El Ninos on record. The world is on fire, people are dying and we know who lit the match.
We know that Labor continues to approve new fossil fuel projects and subsidise fossil fuel use by more than $30,000 a minute. They are letting the biggest polluters cook the planet, and to add insult to injury, they are letting them avoid billions in taxes too.
David Crisafulli & Jarrod Bleijie went into the 2024 Queensland election promising no new Games stadium. Like 2 schoolboys working on a project, they've now released more concept designs without details & demand we build their fantasy Colosseum. #qldpol www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/a...
Queensland reveals concept plans for Brisbane Olympic stadium precinct – but critics say they are ‘fantasy vision’
David Crisafulli says ‘Queenslanders will enjoy for generations’ as opponents point to lack of detail
theguardian.com
"To take out a subsequent license you will be required to: * Complete a re-accreditation process * Completion of 20-minute refresher webinar" People's lives will hang in the balance based on the decisions made by these assessors
How do you become an I-CAN assessor? Pay $655. No more need or four year uni degrees to become an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, a physiotherapist or a social worker to do functional assessments. Anyone with a laptop and an I-CAN v 6 license can do it, supposedly
Senator Jordon Steele-John managed to wrangle a copy of the I-CAN v6 Scoring Manual, which will be used to assess funding needs of NDIS applicants under the new system share.google/Tw2jkBwXW049...
share.google
Powerful article by #joanapartyka in @thesaturdaypaper.com.au about the thuggish legal bullying by big businesses - in this case Woodside, against climate activists protesting against the exploitation & environmental destruction. We so need legal reform to stop such suppression of public protest
The warning signs are over: Australia now faces a devastating bird flu outbreak in wildlife The spread of H5N1 birdflu is worsening. theconversation.com/the-warning-...
The warning signs are over: Australia now faces a devastating bird flu outbreak in wildlife
We cannot stop wild birds from flying. But we can control whether this becomes an unmanaged catastrophe or a closely tracked outbreak.
theconversation.com
How can this be? Indian conglomerate Adani will pay no company tax despite generating almost $1bn in revenue from coal mining in Queensland over the past year. We should be marching on Parliament. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Adani to pay no company tax despite $1bn revenue from Queensland coalmine
Indian conglomerate offsets earnings from Carmichael mine to report $340.6m loss, after promising billions in taxes and royalties
theguardian.com
In Australia, the growth in measles cases has flattened out for the most part, with low recent growth in NSW, VIC and QLD. NSW has reported the highest rates for 2026, on a per-capita basis. It seems certain that more introductions will continue, from the countries with ongoing outbreaks.
Diphtheria in Australia – Epidemiological update – 27 July 2026 Published: 31 July 2026 🔹In 2026, Australia has recorded 475 diphtheria cases 🔹Over the past fortnight 24 total cases were notified 🔹NT: 261 cases, WA: 197 cases, SA: 13 cases, QLD: 4 cases www.cdc.gov.au/resources/pu...
Public health nurses have been pulled from other duties in Washtenaw County, MI, to call hundreds of people sick with cyclosporiasis, and try to help them remember everything they ate in recent days. n.pr/45EhJnK
Nurses chase Cyclospora using grocery receipts, food apps and detailed interviews
Public health nurses have been pulled from other duties in Washtenaw County, MI, to call hundreds of people sick with cyclosporiasis, and try to help them remember everything they ate in recent days.
n.pr
We have seen a rapid escalation of H5N1 bird flue cases in Australia in recent days, and now we have (probably) the first of what will likely be many, many mass mortality events in wildlife. Story from me.
First Australian mass mortality event suspected as deadly bird flu virus rapidly escalates among native birds
Helicopter surveillance finds dead and dying greater crested terns off South Australian coast as H5 virus spreads
theguardian.com
So, is _now_ a good time for us to see all the wildlife risk assessments and response plans? Asking for lots of ecologists and other experts. First Australian mass mortality event suspected as deadly bird flu virus rapidly escalates among native birds www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
First Australian mass mortality event suspected as deadly bird flu virus rapidly escalates among native birds
Helicopter surveillance finds dead and dying greater crested terns off South Australian coast as H5 virus spreads
theguardian.com
Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS@euanritchie.bsky.social · 6d agoH5N1 (bird flu) is now spreading through resident Australian wildlife. Why have the full details of federal, state, and territory risk assessments and response plans _still_ not been released to the public? Are the plans adequate? Full statement - australianmammals.org.au/files/1608_b...
“the unusually close proximity of the facilities to Darwin city — around 6 kilometres away” Haha it is in the city. 6 km is such a highschool level lie, how stupid do they think the public is? #auspol
ABC News Australia@news.abc.net.au · 5d agoNT EPA recommends stricter pollution rules for Darwin gas giants Santos and Inpex
Interesting warning from Justice Beach to the government in a robodebt ruling published yesterday on what it means in the future re AI. www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/view...
