With the fuel crisis showing no sign of abating, the Albanese government has unveiled a package worth more than $10 billion to protect the country’s fuel and fertiliser security.

The measures include setting up a government-owned Australian Fuel Security Reserve of about a billion litres.

The government would also raise the Minimum Stockholding Obligation by about ten days for every type of fuel.

The measures would expand Australia’s onshore reserve to at least 50 days supply and storage of diesel and aviation fuel.

As well, there is money for examining the feasibility of new or expanded refining capacity. Australia’s previous multiple oil refineries have shrunk from eight to just two, one of which, near Geelong, recently had a serious fire.

The government would aim to have its plan fully in place by 2030. It would be financed off budget meaning it doesn’t hit the budget’s bottom line. Much of the detail remains to be worked out.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese briefed national cabinet on the package on Wednesday before the announcement.

The components of the plan include:

• $7.5 billion for the Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility with financial support including loans, equity, guarantees, insurance and price support

• $3.2 billion to establish the government-owned Australian Fuel Security Reserve to increase long-term diesel and aviation fuel supply and storage, combined with an increase to the Minimum Stockholding Obligation to extend Australia’s critical fuel reserves to 50 days. The reserve will concentrate on regional stocks and supply constraints for essential users in times of crisis.

• $10 million for feasibility studies into new or expanded refining capabilities. These studies would be co-funded with state and territory governments.

Recently the opposition announced its own policy to boost fuel supplies. It said a Coalition government would boost Australia’s minimum fuel reserve to 60 days, and deliver at least one billion litres of new storage with a $800 million Fuel Security Facility.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor said the government plan was “too little and too late”.

Tony Wood, from the Grattan Institute’s climate change and energy program, told The Conversation the government’s planned modest increase in onshore storage was probably a good idea.

But he said there were a lot of questions about the proposed government-owned storage facility. These included how it would be managed, how the fuel would be used and who would pay for it.

Wood criticised the provision for feasibility studies for new refineries as a “dumb” idea given Australia was not producing oil to refine. There has been speculation about development of the Taroom Trough in Queensland, but the economic viability of this is unknown.

Wood said the emphasis should be on encouraging electric cars and trucks, and also looking at biofuels.

The Queensland government has just announced a plan to make available state-owned land for potential oil storage and refineries near ports.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Economic growth, particularly in energy-intensive nations, is slowing as the Middle East war continues to throttle exports of oil, plastics and fertiliser.

The International Monetary Fund in its World Economic Outlook and Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers have forecast slowing economic growth in industrialised economies.

But perhaps the current crisis is an opportunity to discuss an alternative to the economic orthodoxy of constant growth.

Supporters of economic theories known as “degrowth” or “post-growth” say that capitalism’s pursuit of growth, along with the relentless consumption and production needed to sustain it, has run its course.

They point to rising inequality, exceeding natural planetary boundaries and geopolitical struggles over scarcer energy resources.

If slower economic growth is where we’re heading, degrowth and post-growth thinkers have already been exploring ways to make that transition smoother.

The push for reform

Leading post-growth and degrowth advocates include economists Tim Jackson and Giorgos Kallis. They see a radical departure from capitalism, especially in its current neoliberal form, as a necessary next step in economic and political reform.

Degrowth proposals seek to redirect policy and economic activity away from how fast or how much the economy grows. Instead, the focus is on:

• the quality and purpose of what is produced
• who benefits and
• whether growth genuinely improves people’s lives.

Global supply chains have been disrupted by the Strait of Hormuz closure. The prospects of energy shortages and usage restrictions may mean reorientation away from economic growth is happening out of necessity.

A planned policy shift

Degrowth proponents argue for sufficiency over constant growth in gross domestic product (GDP). They want to see shorter supply chains and localised ownership of companies producing goods and services. This would simplify supply systems and reduce overall consumption.

In practical terms, this means fewer ships carrying cheap or single use goods, a focus on localising food production and expanding the lifespan of the products we do consume. In degrowth, less is more.

To achieve this in an energy-constrained world, degrowth involves reducing or eliminating some resource-intensive industries, such as fast fashion, through taxation and regulation. The European Union’s fast fashion tax is a good example.

Scaling back is occurring already, with regional supply chain strategies for the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) and some pharmaceutical firms localising manufacturing to produce drugs and vaccines closer to end users.

What differentiates degrowth from stagflation or recession is an intentional, planned political shift away from GDP growth, to reorient economies around the idea of “buen vivir” (living well). This concept, originating from South America, is based on collective wellbeing and meeting basic needs.

It may be hard to pin down how much is enough and what a “decent” standard of living is for everyone. But a recent study has suggested it’s far less materially than we might think. It’s more about ensuring universal access to the essentials like food, housing, healthcare and education.

Basic needs for human wellbeing are defined in measures such as the UN’s Human Development Index and global happiness and wellbeing indices.

Environmental concern

War is leading to fuel shortages and rising food prices on top of a deepening cost of living crisis in Australia. With that backdrop, faith in the economy’s ability to deliver for people may be strained further.

Compounding this are concerns our current growth-dependant lifestyles are exceeding what Earth can support. One study just released found 58% of people in 92 countries surveyed placed a higher priority on environmental protection than economic growth.

Measures of economic growth such as GDP do not measure human wellbeing. In Australia, the government published an alternative set of measures known as Measuring What Matters, although wide policy influence has been limited.

Discussions on post-growth are happening at the international level of the OECD and World Economic Forum.

The United Nations just held its first meeting of the Beyond GDP Global Alliance in April, where leaders discussed shifting the measures of economic success away from GDP.

Is it just a thought experiment?

Despite worthwhile aims, degrowth and post-growth theories face significant challenges to feasibility in our current capitalist economies.

No industrialised country has ever deliberately shrunk its economy – though some cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen and regions are trying it. That means most ideas about what degrowth policies could achieve remain theoretical.

A saying within degrowth circles is that the end to economic growth will happen either “by design or by disaster”.

Does the slowing of economic growth in industrialised economies signal “degrowth by disaster”? And if so, perhaps it is time for businesses and governments to think about how to prepare for “degrowth by design”.

Carla Liuzzo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Almost 60 countries, representing about a third of the global economy, met in the Colombian port city of Santa Marta last week for the first international summit on the transition away from fossil fuels.

It was hailed as a bold step to shift global dependence on hydrocarbons into an era of clean energy. The group of 57 countries, including Australia, Canada, Norway and Brazil, launched a new international process to coordinate the global phase out of coal, oil and gas. This historic shift brings us closer to the end of fossil fuels.

Irene Vélez Torres, Colombia’s environment minister and chair of the talks, said: “We decided that the transition away from fossil fuels could no longer remain a slogan but must become a concrete, political and collective endeavour.”

Here are five key developments from Santa Marta.

1. Moving beyond negotiating deadlocks

This meeting was a successful complement to the UN’s annual climate summits, not a replacement for them.

Decisions at UN climate meetings are made by consensus. Outcomes such as the 2015 Paris Agreement have huge legitimacy because they are agreed by nearly 200 countries. But the consensus rules also allow a handful of fossil fuel producers such as Saudi Arabia and Russia to block progress.

Holding a summit outside these formal UN talks brought much-needed fresh air to global climate diplomacy. Without petrostates blocking the way, willing countries were able to have pragmatic discussions about the legal, fiscal and economic measures needed for a coordinated wind down of fossil fuels.

These discussions will now feed back into the next UN climate talks, to be held in Turkey in November. They will, for example, raise expectations that countries include timelines to end fossil fuel use in national climate plans.

2. Paths away from coal, oil and gas

Working groups were established in Santa Marta to help countries develop national and regional plans to move away from fossil fuels, with targets and timelines to end the use of coal, oil and gas.

France launched its national roadmap at the summit, pledging to end the use of coal by 2030, oil by 2045 and gas by 2050. Europe’s second-largest economy plans to close its last coal-fired power plant next year, while replacing oil with electricity for transport and switching from gas to heat pumps for home heating. France wants two out of three new cars to be electric by 2030 and will ban the installation of gas boilers in new homes this year.

The ongoing US-Iran war has only added momentum for a shift to clean energy, as nations grapple with their dependence on imported fossil fuels amid the worst energy crisis in history.

Other nations are now expected to create plans to move away from fossil fuels and bring them to future summits.

3. A science panel to guide the transition

A new scientific panel launched in Santa Marta brings together experts in climate, economics, technology and law to advise policymakers as they draft plans to shift away from fossil fuels.

The panel will map out the most promising policies, regulations and financial arrangements to support the shift to clean energy. It is spearheaded by Professor Johan Rockstrom from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Ahead of Santa Marta, a global group of researchers released a report listing 12 high-level actions nations can take to support a fossil-fuel phaseout.

4. Tuvalu to host next summit, with Irish support

Tuvalu will host the next meeting on ending fossil fuels in 2027. As a low-lying island nation, Tuvalu’s future is threatened by sea-level rise. The Pacific nation has led global climate diplomacy for decades.

“If we are to address the climate change issue, we have to address the root cause, and the root cause is the fossil fuel industry,” said Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s climate change minister.

That there are plans for a second summit is meaningful in itself. A single conference could be a flash in the pan. But a series marks the birth of a new international process with buy in from both wealthy nations and developing countries. This year’s summit was co-hosted with the Netherlands and next year will be co-hosted with Ireland.

5. Toward a fossil fuel treaty

Today, fossil fuel producers plan to dig up more than double the amount of coal, oil and gas in 2030 than would be consistent with meeting shared climate goals.

Tuvalu is part of a growing bloc of countries, including 11 Pacific nations, that wants a new treaty to phase out fossil fuel production. Such a treaty would have three elements: ending fossil fuel expansion; phasing down existing production; and supporting a just transition to clean energy.

It would be similar to global agreements to phase out weapons, harmful substances or hazardous waste.

Climate diplomacy now runs at two speeds

We will only appreciate the full significance of the Santa Marta summit in history’s rear-view mirror.

But what is clear is that climate diplomacy now has two operating speeds. André Corrêa do Lago, who headed last year’s UN COP30 climate talks in Brazil, calls this “two-tier multilateralism”.

The first speed is that of the UN climate talks, which are slower and anchored in consensus. They ensure legitimacy, universality and collective direction.

But what the Santa Marta conference shows is the existence of a second, much faster speed available to any country wanting to rapidly move to end the use of fossil fuels, once and for all.

Wesley Morgan is a Fellow with the Climate Council of Australia.

Since 2020, Australia has had an ongoing shortage of oestrogen patches, which are usually prescribed to help ease menopause symptoms.

In March, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) confirmed shortages of several brands and doses of patches will last until at least the end of this year. But this estimate has already been pushed back many times.

So, what can you do when the pharmacy has run out of the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patches you rely on?

You don’t need to ration your supply (and this doesn’t work anyway). Here are your other options.

What are HRT patches for?

HRT patches are small sticky squares worn on the skin, usually on the lower belly, back or buttock. This is sometimes also called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT).

HRT patches slowly release oestrogen (and sometimes a second hormone called progestogen) through the skin and into the bloodstream. Most brands need to be replaced every 3–4 days (twice a week).

Patches are prescribed to two groups of people. The vast majority are women going through perimenopause and menopause, when the ovaries make less oestrogen. Menopause typically happens around 50 years of age, but low oestrogen can occur earlier due to certain conditions, as well as surgery or cancer treatments.

The drop in oestrogen is what causes hot flushes, night sweats, broken sleep, brain fog, mood changes, joint aches and vaginal dryness. Symptoms vary from person to person, but about one in ten women in Australia are prescribed HRT for menopause.

Read more: What are the most common symptoms of menopause? And which can hormone therapy treat?

A much smaller group using HRT patches is transgender women and some non-binary people. They make up less than one per cent of Australia’s overall population.

As part of gender-affirming hormone therapy, HRT patches raise oestrogen levels in the body to bring about physical changes that align with the person’s gender, and to support their mental health and wellbeing.

The medication is identical. The shortages hit both groups.

Patches are a popular first choice for hormone therapy for a good reason. They deliver the hormones via the skin and not the gut, meaning unlike tablets the liver doesn’t have to process them. This carries a lower risk of blood clots, which matters for people with migraine, high blood pressure or a higher clot risk.

Patches also release a steadier level of hormone in the blood than a once-a-day pill.

Hormone patches are not just “good to have”. For many people they are the difference between functioning at work and home, and not.

What happens when you stop using them

If you stop using your HRT patches, your oestrogen levels will drop. This can mean hot flushes, night sweats and disrupted sleep return – usually within days.

Symptoms can really impact mood and mental health. This is not “withdrawal” in the way people withdraw from alcohol or opioids, as oestrogen patches are not addictive. But as the oestrogen that was easing symptoms is no longer there, the symptoms come back.

Many people may choose to stop HRT after a period of time. Research has shown that around half of people report a return of symptoms after stopping, which can sometimes lead them to restart treatment.

Some longer-term benefits of HRT, such as stronger bones, take months to fade. A short gap of a week or two while finding an alternative will not make a big difference.

If you have limited patches and can’t find more, you may consider tapering off. This means gradually using less over time (for example, by using fewer patches a week). But this doesn’t prevent symptoms returning – it only delays them. So if supply has run out, the priority is switching to another formulation, rather than rationing what remains.

One thing to avoid: cutting patches in half to make them last longer. The TGA specifically warns against this. It can affect how the patch sticks to the skin and how the oestrogen is absorbed, making the delivered dose unreliable.

What are the other options?

The first is a different patch. Pharmacists can now swap one brand for another brand or strength without a new prescription, under rules that specifically address medicine shortages. The TGA has also approved an overseas patch called Estramon, which is available in Australian pharmacies now.

A pharmacist may also provide multiple lower-dose patches, to use together.

The second option is an oestrogen gel, rubbed on the skin once a day. It works the same way as a patch and, as it’s delivered through the skin, has the same benefit of lower blood clot risk. But gels need to be applied daily. The Australasian Menopause Society has a dose conversion guide that doctors use to match a usual patch dose to other forms.

The third option is a tablet. Oral oestrogen works well for hot flushes and other body-wide symptoms, and may also be used alongside progesterone tablets. The trade-off is a slightly higher clot risk than skin-based options, because the hormone passes through the liver first. So tablets may not suit those with a history of clots or migraines.

For those whose main problem is vaginal dryness or discomfort during sex, a vaginal oestrogen cream or pessary works right where it is needed. Very little hormone reaches the bloodstream, so it is generally safe and can often be used with, or replace, other forms of HRT.

The shortage is frustrating for patients, pharmacists and doctors alike, and won’t be fixed any time soon. There are many alternative options. A chat with a GP or pharmacist is the place to start.

Ada Cheung is an Endocrinologist and Professor at The University of Melbourne. She has received travel support as an invited speaker from the Australasian Menopause Society and International Menopause Society. Ada Cheung has received research funding from National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, Heart Foundation, Suicide Prevention Australia, The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, University of Melbourne, Endocrine Society of Australia, Royal Australasian College of Physicians Foundation, Austin Medical Research Foundation, Sir Edward Dunlop Medical Research Foundation and Viertel Charitable Foundation. She is currently a member of the Endocrine Society (US), Endocrine Society of Australia, Australian Medical Association, World Professional Association for Transgender Health and Australian Professional Association for Trans Health.

Across Australia, universities and governments say increasing the numbers of Indigenous graduates is one of the main priorities in tertiary education.

First Nations people are still considerably underrepresented in our universities. They make up 1.9% of domestic higher education students, compared with 3.3% of the total Australian population.

While there are many programs and policies designed to encourage and support Indigenous people to enrol, many of the systems designed to improve participation are still shaped mainly by non-Indigenous decision-makers.

If universities want to improve Indigenous participation, policies and programs must be shaped not only for Indigenous students. They need to be guided by their voices and priorities.

What do Indigenous students themselves say matters when deciding whether or not university is for them?

Our research

In our new study, we spoke to Indigenous students about their university experiences. More specifically, what factors shaped their decision-making around going to university?

We used individual storytelling and focus groups where people shared stories in their own way. Through autobiographies, yarning sessions and interviews, First Nations participants shared rich insights into their journeys to higher education.

This study involved 37 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander university students, recruited with support from two Western Australian university Indigenous centres through email and social media. To protect their identities, we used pseudonyms. Where possible, we noted their Country affiliation.

Students came from different communities and backgrounds. Some came straight from school. Others entered university later in life. Some were the first in their family to attend university.

Their stories showed there is no single “Indigenous student experience”. But there were some clear, shared themes.

The ‘spark’ that started things

One of the strongest findings was students who went to university could describe a “spark” that helped them on their way.

This could have been a conversation, interaction or moment of encouragement from a trusted person that helped them see university as possible. For many students, university became imaginable because someone believed in them first.

For Samantha, a Ghungalu woman from Central Queensland, the spark came early. In Year 6, a family friend asked: “What do you want to be when you’re older?” This moment helped to normalise university long before an application was submitted.

An Aboriginal man, Blake, described how a school outreach visit changed his direction:

I was going to join the army, but university – they came, and it broadened my mind. I want to show people and myself that I can go to university and succeed. I want to break the chain.

Madison, a Nyikina woman from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, left school at 16 and once believed university was “only for smart people”. Years later, while supporting a young man in her community, she mentioned wanting to study psychology. His encouragement changed her path.

I realised that I was giving him excuses because I was afraid of failing.

After he passed away, Madison applied through an enabling program to university and is now studying psychology to give back to her community.

The importance of trusted friends

Traditional higher education marketing often assumes students will compare websites, fees, academic reputation, rankings, job prospects, teaching quality and course information before making a decision about where and what to study.

But many participants in our study relied first on family members, Elders, teachers, mentors, peers and the university’s Indigenous centre staff to help steer their choice. Universities have their own Indigenous centres that provide academic, social and cultural support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

A sense of belonging, cultural safety and connection strongly influenced Indigenous students. For example, when Samantha attended a high school program hosted at an Indigenous centre, it helped her see a pathway to uni.

I remember being around everyone at the Indigenous centre. It was amazing […] I don’t have to feel like […] keeping my guard up.

Emotional and study support

Our interviewees also spoke of the importance of authentic inclusion once they got to university. This included tutorial assistance for Indigenous students and dedicated spaces for Indigenous students on campus.

Madison also emphasised the importance of flexible study options and a culturally safe space and that support needed to go beyond academic help.

It’s not just tutoring help, it’s the emotional and cultural support provided.

Students also pointed to the importance of flexibility in how they study, as well as greater awareness of alternative entry pathways to university beyond the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank).

For Madison, being able to study online and on campus has made university possible while raising her children. As she explained,

I love bringing my kids on campus because I want them to see it’s normal to go to university, learning can be flexible and not just from a textbook.

What’s needed now

Our research suggests increasing Indigenous students at university cannot rely on generic recruitment and marketing.

Students seek genuine inclusion through relationships, representation and communication. This means investing in mentors, school outreach, community partnerships and Indigenous role models to create more “sparks”.

This must be matched by a whole-of-university commitment to culturally safe and supportive student experiences.

Inclusivity must be embedded across the entire institution, with Indigenous centres working alongside marketing, faculties, student services, and equity teams. This means using inclusive language, curricula that reflects Indigenous perspectives, staff that are culturally aware and Indigenous-specific student support. Indigenous knowledges and perspectives need to be visible, respected and represented in everyday university life.

Associate Professor Marie Ryan contributed to the original research described in this article.

Braden Hill receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Medical Research Future Fund.

Claire Lambert and Melissa Fong-Emmerson do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

If you’ve driven on regional Australian roads, you’ve likely seen the signs warning of kangaroos and other animals – the familiar “wildlife ahead” signs.

They are supposed to warn drivers of the dangers of wildlife on our roads, but collisions with animals are rising in Australia.

So how widespread is the problem? How can you reduce the risk? And what should you do if you do hit one?

A growing concern

Recent insurance data suggest the risk is higher than many people realise.

Tens of thousands of collisions with animals are recorded each year across Australia and the number appears to be rising.

According to NRMA Insurance claims data, there was a 21% rise in animal collision claims from 2024-2025.

The risk is not evenly spread. It varies by time of day, season and location, meaning there are periods when drivers are significantly more exposed.

Understanding when and where that risk is highest is the best way to avoid animals while driving.

How common are crashes with animals?

Insurance data provides the clearest indication of the scale of animal-vehicle crashes:

When and where is the risk highest?

There are distinct risk patterns when it comes to animal crashes and the strongest and most consistent pattern is time of day.

Crashes involving animals are heavily concentrated in low-light conditions (dawn and dusk), particularly from early evening through to midnight.

Analysis of serious crashes shows they are significantly over-represented between 6pm and 6am, with the highest risk typically in the evening (6pm–12am).

This pattern is closely linked to animal behaviour. Many large animals, including kangaroos, are most active at dusk and night, often moving to feed along roadside vegetation.

Reduced visibility also means drivers detect animals later, leaving less time to react.

Seasonal patterns also exist, though are less pronounced. Insurance data shows collisions increase through the cooler months, with a clear peak in mid-winter (June–July).

This is largely due to shorter daylight hours, which extend the time drivers are exposed to high-risk, low-light conditions.

Location matters, as well. Insurance data shows collisions are concentrated on regional and rural roads, where higher speeds, limited lighting and greater exposure to wildlife increase risk.

Insurer data consistently identifies specific hotspots across the country.

In New South Wales, the highest number of claims were recorded in Dubbo, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga. In Victoria, collisions are concentrated around Sunbury and Melbourne’s northern fringes, including rapidly growing outer suburban areas.

Some road users are more vulnerable and exposed than others. Motorcyclists are consistently over-represented in serious animal crashes and are more likely to suffer severe injury, a pattern observed internationally.

To swerve or brake?

There’s no silver bullet solution to animal-vehicle crash risk. It comes down to understanding the conditions that increase exposure, and how drivers respond in the moment.

Not all widely used measures work. Wildlife warning signs are common but evidence suggests they have limited impact: drivers become accustomed to them and often ignore them.

The safest response is not always clear.

Drivers confronted by an animal may brake or attempt to swerve, and the evidence on these decisions is more nuanced than some road safety messaging suggests.

Among crashes that led to hospitalisation, direct impacts were associated with higher injury severity (than swerving), while swerving was linked to a greater likelihood of rollover.

In other words, swerving does not necessarily eliminate the risk; it can change it from an animal impact to a loss-of-control crash, such as a rollover or collision with another object.

But not swerving does not guanrantee lowering the severity of occupant injuries.

The best advice is to reduce speed early which allows the driver to maintain control, particularly at dusk, dawn, night and in known wildlife zones. Lower speeds give drivers more time to brake safely and reduce the severity of both direct impacts and evasive manoeuvres.

What should you do if you hit an animal?

Dead or injured animals on the road can lead some drivers to stop, get out of the car, or try to move an animal. This can expose them to passing traffic and can prove fatal.

In many cases, the safest option is to call a wildlife rescue service and report the location, rather than intervening directly.

Play it safe

Animal crashes are inherently unpredictable. The most effective approach is to understand the patterns and risk factors and respond proportionately.

Reduce exposure to high-risk times where possible, and if not, remain vigilant in those conditions.

There is no single fix. The risk and outcome depends on when you drive, where you drive, and how you react in the moment.

Milad Haghani receives funding from the Australian government's Office of Road Safety.

Four of the so-called “ISIS brides” and nine children are set to arrive in Australia from Syria imminently, with the Australian Federal Police ready to make arrests.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the group had “plans to travel to Australia”, but reiterated “the government has not and will not provide any assistance to this group”.

The Australian newspaper reported the women and children are due to land in Sydney and Melbourne on Thursday, flying from Qatar.

Appearing at a news conference with Burke, AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett said “some individuals” would be arrested and charged, although she would not say how many. Minors in the group will have to take part in integration programs.

Barrett said the government has been investigating the women since 2015.

For more than a decade, investigators, when possible, have been collecting evidence and information in Syria at a time when Syria was a war zone with no functioning government.

That evidence and information was to determine whether Australians who travelled to Syria may have committed Commonwealth offences, including terrorism offences such as entering or remaining in declared areas and crimes against humanity offences, such as engaging in slave trading.

Read more: Albanese is prioritising politics over the responsible handling of ISIS families, setting a dangerous precedent

In relation to the children, Barrett said they “will be asked to undergo community integration programs, therapeutic support and countering violent extremist programs”.

She said the AFP and their partners would provide updates “at the appropriate time” for two reasons. “One, Australians need to know that law enforcement and security agencies are doing everything they can to keep them safe. And two, that individuals are held to account for their actions”.

ASIO chief Mike Burgess told the joint news conference the return of the group did not change the national terrorism threat level.

Of course, it’s up to them what they do when they get here, and if they start to exhibit signs that concern us, we and the police through the joint counter-terrorism teams will take action.

I’m not concerned immediately by their return, but they will get our attention as you’d expect.

Burke again stressed the government had only very limited options to prevent Australian citizens from returning from Syria.

There are very serious limits on what can be done, with respect to preventing a citizen of a country returning to their country. The legal threshold that we have is with respect to temporary exclusion orders.

The government earlier acted to put an exclusion order in place against one woman who married an ISIS fighter.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Australian author Craig Silvey, known for his bestselling books Jasper Jones, Honeybee and Runt, has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material. Two further charges were dropped, including allegations he produced child exploitation material.

Silvey is yet to be sentenced – but what we do with his books will be decided outside the court of law. Families, libraries, schools and bookshops may be struggling to know how to proceed. Is it possible to separate the art from the artist?

The recent cancellation of First Nations children’s book Bila by University of Queensland Press – scrapped because of statements made by its illustrator, not anything in the book itself – is a reminder that destroying books is always problematic.

But sitting with the discomfort of keeping Silvey’s books in circulation is genuinely hard when children have been harmed. What do we tell a young person who asks why their favourite book has disappeared from the shelf – or why it hasn’t?

A personal betrayal

A generation of Australians has grown up with Jasper Jones, a fixture on school reading lists – along with its popular stage adaptation and film. For the many who continue to feel deeply attached to the texts they study in high school, Silvey’s conviction may feel like a personal betrayal.

On TikTok, one young woman is throwing her copies of Honeybee and Jasper Jones in the bin, with the caption “one of my favourite authors … no longer”.

My own gender fluid kids are acutely aware of J.K. Rowling’s critical views on trans people. They won’t watch the new Harry Potter adaptations, but have not thrown out their books. Young people have different ways of sitting with such tensions – and that’s OK.

Parents may no longer feel comfortable keeping Silvey’s books, or may be reluctant to remove a child’s favourite book, especially amid a global downturn in children reading for pleasure. Deciding what to do together with the books could be a way to help a young person process their feelings.

Gentle, age-appropriate honesty will be important in these difficult conversations. For younger children, that might mean something simple and direct: “Craig Silvey looked at pictures and videos of children being hurt, and shared them with others. That is against the law, and it harmed real children.” No young person should be made to feel ashamed for having loved these books.

A problem with Jasper Jones

Jasper Jones (2009) sold nearly a million copies worldwide. It was voted one of ABC Radio National’s 100 Best Books of the 21st century. So was Silvey’s controversial novel about a troubled trans teenager, Honeybee (2020), winner of the 2021 Australian Indie Book Award. His award-winning illustrated novel Runt (2022) attracted a younger audience, spurning a sequel and a feature film.

In Jasper Jones, which defined Silvey’s career, 13-year-old Charlie is drawn into the aftermath of a young woman’s death by Indigenous character Jasper, who knows he will be blamed for it. Charlie helps him hide Laura’s body. In the novel’s denouement, we discover she was the victim of sexual abuse perpetrated by her own father; she died by suicide.

Jasper Jones was published in Australia as adult literary fiction. But in the United States, it was published as young adult fiction, making the American Library Association’s 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. It was then repackaged as young adult in Australia.

While I don’t advocate censorship, I’ve long found the novel’s presence on school text lists troubling: Laura’s sexual abuse and death by suicide exist primarily to catalyse the growth of a young male protagonist. I have always felt the original decision to publish Jasper Jones as adult fiction – which would have driven editorial decisions, including its (bleak) ending – was correct.

Are we ‘cancelling’ Silvey?

Following Silvey’s arrest in January 2026, his Australian publishers Allen & Unwin and Fremantle Press halted promotion of his work. Major booksellers pulled his titles. Australian state education departments removed his books from curricula. The Belvoir Theatre Company announced it would indefinitely pause the stage adaptation of Runt it had scheduled for this August.

Has Silvey been “cancelled”? As acclaimed novelist Rebecca Makkai wrote about author Alice Munro, after it was revealed Munro turned a blind eye to her second husband’s abuse of her daughter, it’s not that simple.

“Canceled” implies that something, collectively, has been done to the author, rather than that individual people are making choices to relinquish, perhaps with great pain and mourning, the work of a writer they once loved. Or to relinquish some of it. Or to look at it quite differently.

You may still be able to find Silvey’s books in your local library. Libraries have collection policies to help guide decisions in situations like this. Most Australian public libraries operate under policies aligned with the Australian Library and Information Association’s free access to information principles, which explicitly resist the removal of material on moral or reputational grounds.

Unless a title is legally prohibited, a library has limited grounds to remove a book simply because its author has been convicted of an offence. To do otherwise risks setting a precedent that could lead to censorship.

That said, many librarians will likely be quietly reconsidering how prominently Silvey’s titles are displayed.

So much at stake

Months before his arrest, Silvey toured Australian schools to promote the sequel to Runt. There is no direct link between his crime and his books or public appearances – unlike the case of Sydney children’s author Oliver Phommavanh, sentenced to jail in February for sending sexually explicit messages to three underage students. (Two had contacted him after he visited their schools.)

However, Silvey’s access to children through his public standing must be unsettling for the many organisations who have hosted him. And cases like these risk unbalancing the fragile trust between schools and children’s authors.

As a children’s author myself, I once relied on school visits as a source of income and a way to connect with my readers. Most children’s authors are good, kind people, passionate about books. School visits and assigned texts by living authors can help inspire a lifelong love of reading.

Today, I’m thinking of the collaborators who were involved in producing Silvey’s books and their adaptations – and dedicated years to bringing his stories to life. I’m thinking of the parents, grandparents, booksellers, librarians and teachers who have put these books in young people’s hands. And of the children and young adults who love his books.

But most importantly, behind Silvey’s guilty plea are children who were exploited and abused. Concerns about his art, its legacy, or the shockwaves in Australian children’s literature are worth thinking about – but shouldn’t obscure that fact.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Penni Russon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Around the world, the boom in artificial intelligence is driving a parallel race between major tech companies to secure the physical infrastructure that enables it.

This race has now reached New Zealand, with Singapore-based Datagrid rolling ahead with plans to open the country’s first “AI factory” near Invercargill.

The scale of this major data centre, designed to power energy-hungry global AI systems, is substantial – both in its 78,000 square-metre size and its multi-billion-dollar cost.

It is not the only major investment by global players. Just last year, Amazon Web Services announced plans for a large new cluster of data centres in Auckland, billed as a NZ$7.5 billion investment in New Zealand’s digital infrastructure.

For smaller countries such as New Zealand, projects like these are often presented as wins – bringing jobs, investment and a pathway into the global AI economy.

But they also carry less visible consequences, many of which are more complicated than they first appear.

The hidden economics of AI infrastructure

Behind these projects sits a rapidly expanding global demand for computing infrastructure, driven by the growth of AI systems such as ChatGPT and Claude.

Increasingly, governments are leaning into this shift by competing to attract data centres as part of their approach to AI and the digital economy.

In New Zealand’s case, officials have pointed to the country’s renewable energy, cool climate, available land and political stability as reasons it could appeal to foreign investors. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has even suggested the country could become an “international data centre hub”.

Datagrid’s project has been presented as an early example of that opportunity. The company has described it as “the most significant upgrade to New Zealand’s digital infrastructure in a generation”.

Some of the potential downsides are straightforward.

These systems rely on powerful computer chips and so use far more energy than typical digital services.

The Datagrid facility, for instance, is expected to draw up to 280 megawatts of electricity, or around 6% of national demand – making it New Zealand’s second-largest electricity user after the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter.

But other drawbacks are less obvious.

My research on data centre markets suggests that, while the infrastructure is built locally, the systems it supports usually operate across multiple countries.

Datagrid has indicated it expects to serve international AI and cloud providers, positioning New Zealand as a potential host for global AI workloads.

These workloads are likely to come from AI markets already dominated by a handful of big tech companies. This, in turn, raises questions about where value is created – and how much of it is retained locally.

Who builds the infrastructure – and who controls it?

For smaller economies like New Zealand, relying on large international investors is often seen as a practical necessity, given the scale of capital and market reach required to build and run these facilities.

But large data centre projects can also have significant impacts on the shape of local cloud service providers – companies that typically offer data storage, computing services and IT support to businesses and government.

These smaller domestic players often find it difficult to compete directly with global firms on price and influence.

As such, they are often forced to find new opportunities. As AI increases demand for land, power and connectivity, local firms are taking on roles in building and running the infrastructure that supports them.

This tends to shift them toward the physical side of the industry, securing sites, brokering access to energy supply, building facilities to overseas market specifications and meeting both local and international legal requirements.

Global companies such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Google, meanwhile, provide the platforms and software that run on top, often by leasing capacity from local operators.

Recent developments in New Zealand’s own cloud sector illustrate how these arrangements can work in practice.

Amazon Web Services, for example, recently disclosed it had shifted away from plans for a large standalone Auckland data centre build, while continuing to expand its local cloud operations through co-location agreements with local data centre providers.

For countries hosting this infrastructure, the relationship can become uneven, with hosts supplying the land, energy and networks while key decisions about how these systems operate are often made elsewhere.

This raises broader questions for governments. If domestic firms are concentrated in infrastructure roles, how does that affect the development of higher-value capability over time?

And how should countries weigh immediate gains – jobs, investment and connectivity – against longer-term control and positioning in the digital economy, including what this means for where value is created and retained?

Projects like Datagrid’s will still deliver clear benefits. But their wider impact will depend on how trade-offs are managed, and how much influence countries retain over the systems they host.

Angus Dowell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Australia is rich in minerals, metals, sun and wind. Iron ore, copper and critical minerals are all mined here and largely exported overseas to be turned into products such as steel, fertiliser, fuel and infrastructure. Mining and heavy industries create jobs and wealth. But their emissions are some of the hardest to cut.

This is changing. Steel can now be made without coal. Hydrogen can be made using water and renewable power rather than from gas.

The Australian government wants to create greener export industries. It hasn’t been easy. Green hydrogen is proving difficult to finance and scale, while the development of green iron is moving slowly. Interest has grown in green fuels such as biodiesel during this year’s energy crisis, but progress remains slow.

But hard doesn’t mean impossible. To make new exports competitive, policymakers should create green hubs close to renewables and where resources can be shared.

Precincts, not projects

To make enough green iron, green ammonia and green fuels to export, Australia will need large renewable energy zones, energy storage, hydrogen production, water supply and port infrastructure. Much of this already exists or is being scaled up. The problem is coordination.

If every company builds its own separate systems for power, water and transport, costs rise and land use expands. It’s cheaper and more effective to plan regional hubs where industries can share infrastructure, use renewable energy more efficiently and reduce environmental impact.

This isn’t new. Australia’s large, high-tech mining industry relies on hubs. Queensland’s port city of Gladstone is a hub for coal and gas exports, aluminium smelting and chemical manufacturing. These heavy industries use shared infrastructure such as ports, roads and power.

Countries such as China, Germany and the Netherlands are using this hub method as they rapidly scale up green exports.

The cost of green iron and steel depends not just on the technology used in furnaces, but on how well integrated the facility is. A waste stream from one plant can become an input for another. The intense heat produced by making green ammonia or clean fuels can be used for other processes such as preheating iron ore for ironmaking.

Our modelling shows integrating renewables, hydrogen and green iron at a proposed hub in South Australia can cut power costs 20–30% compared to standalone projects by avoiding overbuilding of electricity infrastructure. More cheap renewable power is used, less gas is required and emissions fall more rapidly.

Modelling of a separate hub in New South Wales shows similar benefits.

Future green hubs should be centred around a nature-positive philosophy, where industry and nature restoration sit side by side. Instead of approving projects one by one, planning happens across whole landscapes. Sensitive areas are protected from the start. Infrastructure is concentrated into shared corridors. Natural restoration is part of the plan.

Iron ore – or green iron?

Australia has long been a major iron ore exporter, but makes little iron or steel here.

If Australia moves rapidly, it could take more market share as buyers shift to clean options. German and Australian researchers are working to green the steelmaking process. One option is for Australia to make and export green iron as a precursor to steel.

This would be a surprisingly effective climate measure. Studies suggest Australia could singlehandedly reduce global emissions 4% if it turned its iron ore into green iron.

Is it possible?

Turning this vision into reality is not straightforward. Coordinated industrial hubs are difficult to deliver in Australia.

Fragmented regulations across agencies slow progress. Environmental approvals are typically done project by project rather than at a system level. Government-business collaboration is limited. Business models focus on individual projects rather than collaboration. Where technical solutions exist, institutional and commercial barriers can slow progress.

Here’s how to begin.

First, policymakers should identify optimal hub locations able to co-host mining, processing, green fuel production and renewable energy.

Second, plan the hubs at scale so environmental impacts can be managed and restoration work undertaken nearby.

Third, give the hubs clear, measurable emissions and nature goals. Set targets for emissions reductions, renewable and hydrogen use, water recycling, and ecosystem restoration at a regional scale. Track them over time.

Clear roles for government and industry

Governments have a key role in setting the direction of travel. This means selecting hub locations, coordinating land use and infrastructure planning, aligning approvals to allow system-level assessments rather than individual and investing in shared infrastructure.

They can also reduce risk by supporting early projects and broker agreements between companies. Long-term policy certainty will help unlock private investment.

Industry must respond by collaborating. This includes sharing infrastructure where it makes sense, coordinating across value chains, designing projects around environmental outcomes and working with communities as genuine partners.

Australia can punch well above its weight on green industry. If we succeed, our clean product exports will be a model for the future.

Changlong Wang receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the South Australian Government (Department of Energy and Mining).

Rahman Daiyan receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Australian Renewable Energy Agency, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, NSW Government and RACE CRC.

In 2024, the Western Australian Museum received a donation. It was a koala skull collected from Moondyne Cave in Margaret River by Lindsay Hatcher, an avid caver. There was something a bit odd about this skull, and we were able to put our finger in it.

This koala had dimples.

Koalas are iconic on Australia’s east coast, but they are regionally extinct in Western Australia today. Fossils tell a different story: koalas once lived across parts of WA, from the Margaret River region to as far north as Yanchep and as far east as Madura.

In our new study, published today in Royal Society Open Science, we show these WA koalas were not simply stray populations of the modern koala. They represent a distinct species that has been hiding in plain sight for more than a century.

Not like the koalas we know

Koala fossils in WA were first discovered in Mammoth Cave near Margaret River in 1910. But for the better part of a century, most specimens consisted of isolated jaws and teeth.

Over the past 25 years, however, two rare, more complete adult skulls were found in caves in the state’s south-west. Together with additional jaw, tooth and limb bones from multiple cave sites, these specimens allowed us to test a long-standing assumption: that WA’s fossil koalas belonged to the same species as modern koalas found in other states of Australia.

That assumption now appears false. Using detailed skull and tooth measurements, comparative anatomy and evolutionary analyses, we found the WA fossils consistently fall outside the shape range of modern koalas.

The most striking feature is a deep, rounded sulcus (groove) in the cheek region of the upper jaw, below the eye socket. This feature is far deeper than anything seen in living koalas and inspired the new species name: Phascolarctos sulcomaxilliaris, meaning “grooved maxilla” (maxilla is the name of the cheek bone).

The WA species also has a shorter, more robust skull, differences in the ear-bone region of the skull, and generally broader teeth.

What was the groove for? In living koalas, lip and nose muscles attach in the same general area. The exaggerated sulcus in the fossil species likely made space for larger muscles, potentially giving it a more mobile upper lip for manipulating tougher leaves or shoots, or enhancing nostril movement and smell.

The bones of the skeleton were also more long and thin, suggesting the WA koala was a more slender species.

A cave visit

While the donation of material by Lindsay Hatcher’s family kickstarted this project, three of us went to find out where exactly these fossils came from so that we could say how old they are.

Visiting the caves themselves was an adventure in its own right. With the help of the local cave researchers, Western Australian Speleological Group, we revisited Koala Cave in Yanchep, and Moondyne and Foundation Caves near Margaret River, to find out where these fossils came from.

Uranium-thorium dating of the newly described fossils, and radiocarbon dates for others, suggest our koala went extinct roughly 28,000 years ago. Around that time, the climate became colder and drier according to pollen records, and the south-west eucalyptus forests shrank dramatically for almost 10,000 years.

Koalas have a habit of eating themselves out of house and home, so as the shelter and food in their habitat declined, the extinction of this species was likely inevitable.

Reshaping koala history

This discovery matters for two reasons.

First, it reshapes koala history: the modern koala was not the only koala species in the recent past, and WA hosted its own distinctive lineage.

Indeed, four species of koalas are now known to have lived in Australia over the last few million years, including the living Phascolarctos cinereus in eastern Australia. One of these four species was the giant Pleistocene koala Phascolarctos stirtoni, nearly double the size of living koala.

Second, it is a deep-time reminder that koalas are tightly bound to forests. When those forests shrink fast enough, even adaptable mammals can vanish from entire regions. In a warming, drying Australia, understanding how past climate shifts transformed habitats helps us anticipate the risks facing the koalas that remain today.

The story of the WA koala is a lesson learned to protect the last living koala species. Protecting the eastern eucalypt forests from climate change and deforestation is paramount for the survival of koalas in the future.

Kenny Travouillon has received funding from the Foundation for the WA Museum, Minderoo Grant and is a member of Australasian Palaeontologists and Western Australian Speleological Group.

Helen Ryan has received funding from the Foundation for the WA Museum, Minderoo Grant and is a member of the Geological Society of Australia, Australasian Palaeontologists and Western Australian Speleological Group.

Kailah Thorn is a member of Australasian Palaeontologists, Western Australian Speleological Group, and the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Natalie Warburton receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australia and Pacific Science Foundation.

Winter is coming, and the increased cost of living might have you worried about higher energy bills.

Most winter energy advice focuses on heaters and insulation but energy savings often come from places people rarely check. Small and inexpensive changes can reduce heat loss more than many standard upgrades.

Interestingly, most Australian homes lose heat in simple ways. Warm air escapes through tiny gaps, cold surfaces draw heat from the body and open-plan layouts let warmth drift away.

These issues are especially common in older homes and rentals, where people have limited control over insulation or window upgrades. The good news is that many of the biggest improvements cost very little and can be done in minutes.

Here are four quick fixes to winter proof your home.

Move furniture away from external walls

Beds and couches placed against external walls can make a room feel colder because you’re sitting next to a cold surface. They also block warm air from circulating properly.

Heating experts warn that placing large furniture or drapes in front of radiators or heat sources can cut their effectiveness significantly, because warm air gets trapped behind the furniture or curtains instead of moving through the room. Fire risk is also important when curtains are near heat.

Keeping clear space around heaters and external walls helps the room warm up faster and feel more comfortable, allowing the heat to circulate freely.

Create thermal zones inside your home

Heating an entire home is expensive and is often unnecessary. Creating small thermal zones can outperform costly whole home upgrades.

Closing internal doors, using curtains to section off areas or hanging a temporary fabric divider in open plan spaces slows the movement of warm air and reduces the space you need to heat. Official advice notes zoning can significantly reduce the need for heating in older homes.

Modern open-plan homes looks great but are harder to heat. Warm air can easily drift into hallways, stairwells and unused rooms. Creating a thermal zone in open plan houses can be as simple as closing a hallway door or hanging a curtain across a wide opening. Some households use tension rods and thick fabric to create temporary barriers able to be removed in summer.

Seal the gaps

Research from CSIRO shows one of the biggest ways Australian homes lose heat is through warm air leaking outside.

Warm air can escape in many ways. Bathroom exhaust fans, sliding glass doors, poor or missing door seals and wall penetration, such an opening in the wall from a large screws, are among the most common leakage points.

Finding and sealing these leaks matters because warm air naturally rises and escapes through any opening it can find, pulling cold air in your house from outside. Many of these gaps are easy to fix with removable draft stoppers, foam tape or putty that won’t damage surfaces, making them suitable for renters.

Small gaps around floors, skirting boards and power outlets can leak more heat than windows. These gaps are often only a couple of centimetres, or difficult to see, but together they create a surprising amount of air movement. Sealing them with cheap foam strips or silicone can significantly reduce heat loss and takes only minutes.

Use soft furnishings to reduce heat loss

Thick rugs, wall hangings and heavy curtains add insulation in places where homes lose heat fastest. Even a low-cost rug can reduce heat loss through timber or tile floors.

Building performance studies show internal surface temperatures strongly influence how warm a room feels, even when the air temperature is the same. Floors, especially timber and tiles, can be some of the coldest surfaces in a home. When you walk on a cold floor, your body loses heat quickly, making the whole room feel colder. A rug acts like a small insulation layer, raising the surface temperature and improving comfort without touching the thermostat.

Combine small actions for savings

None of these changes will transform a home on their own, but together they can make a noticeable difference. Sealing gaps reduces heat loss, zoning keeps warm air where you need it and soft furnishings improve comfort without extra energy use.

These strategies are accessible to almost everyone, including renters. With energy bills rising, these small changes won’t replace insulation or efficient heating, but they can make a home feel warmer and reduce energy bills during winter.

Niusha Shafiabady does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.