News

Editorial coverage from the Melbourne Australia Wire newsroom.

Culture
Grief, community and memory: Log Boy is a wickedly intelligent post-AIDS play
Anthony (Anthony Nicola) is an anxious, grief-stricken mess mourning the loss of his partner, Michael, who died from AIDS.
SyndicatedTriss Niemi, Casual Academic, College of Business, Creative Arts, Law and Social Sciences, Flinders University9 Oct 20264 min read
Environment
‘We will not be sacrificed’: Pacific climate voices were clear and strong this week - and we’re listening
Preparatory meetings for the United Nations’ annual climate summit are usually quiet affairs, focused on laying the political and technical groundwork for the main COP event. But this year felt very different.
SyndicatedKathryn Bowen, Director, Melbourne Climate Futures and Professor - Environment, Climate and Global Health at Melbourne Climate Futures and Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, The University of Melbourne9 Oct 20264 min read
Culture
What makes an Olympic emblem memorable – and does Brisbane’s new design fit the bill?
A cockatoo, a flame and a map all in a single symbol – now known as Brisbane 2032’s Olympic and Paralympic emblem. Is it saying too much, and who is it really speaking to?
SyndicatedNina Hillenberg, Senior Lecturer, Design, Torrens University Australia9 Oct 20264 min read
Technology
Is this the ‘mathocalypse’? Why OpenAI’s latest results dump has left mathematicians in shock
Earlier this week, OpenAI published a trove of hundreds of mathematical results it claimed could “push the frontier of human knowledge”.
SyndicatedMelissa Lee, Senior Lecturer, School of Mathematics, Monash University9 Oct 20265 min read
Technology
After Firmus shelved the biggest ASX listing in 30 years, what does it say to investors about AI hype?
It was pitched to investors as “the biggest initial public offering (IPO) in a generation”.
SyndicatedMarta Khomyn, Senior Lecturer, Finance and Data Analytics, Adelaide University9 Oct 20264 min read
Government
Big political donations have hit $7.4m this election year. Are the rules tight enough?
With polling day still a month away, large political donations declared in 2026 have reached about NZ$7.4 million, already surpassing the total for 2023.
SyndicatedMaria Armoudian, Associate Professor, Politics & International Relations; Director, Sustainability Hub, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau9 Oct 20264 min read
Technology
Andrew Charlton flags requiring AI companies to run tough ‘risk management’ systems
Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Andrew Charlton, has flagged the government is looking to regulate AI companies by forcing them to run rigorous “risk management” processes.
SyndicatedMichelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra8 Oct 20262 min read
Government
Grattan on Friday: Unless you’re Pauline Hanson, the migration debate can be a dangerous sinkhole
When, way back, the opposition started talking about cutting immigration it would have thought, on the basis of polling, that it was tapping into a vein of political gold.
SyndicatedMichelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra8 Oct 20265 min read
Government
Many are shocked by the domestic violence charges against Sam Wood, but we shouldn’t be
Another high-profile Australian man has been accused of domestic violence. On Saturday, Sam Wood, reality TV star and influencer, was charged with the domestic violence offence of assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domes…
SyndicatedJessica Schaffer, Lecturer in Law, Faculty of Business, Law and Arts, Southern Cross University8 Oct 20264 min read
Business
Some small businesses are paying tax bills with credit cards. What will happen when they can’t?
From December 1, Australians will no longer be able to pay their tax bills directly to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) using credit cards.
SyndicatedDonovan Castelyn, Senior Industry Fellow - Taxation and Director of the UTAS Tax Clinic, University of Tasmania8 Oct 20264 min read
Environment
Pacific people pay exorbitant prices for energy. Rich countries should back their renewable transition
Across the Pacific, the changes wrought by a warming climate are visible everywhere. Surging sea levels, warming oceans and more intense cyclones and flooding.
SyndicatedCharles T. Hunt, Professor in Global Security, Social Equity Research Centre, RMIT University8 Oct 20264 min read
Technology
Apple’s new age verification is a game-changer for kids’ safety online. We need the rest of big tech to follow
Australians who use Apple devices can once again access the world’s most popular adult content site, Pornhub.
SyndicatedToby Murray, Professor of Cybersecurity, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne8 Oct 20264 min read