eSafety chief rejects US congressman’s claim he is ‘enthusiast for global removal’
josh taylor
E-Security Commissioner, Julie Inman Granthas rejected a US congressman’s claims that he is “enthusiastic about global expulsions” and said he has written back to him To explain his role.
last month, jim jordanThe US Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee wrote to Inman Grant asking him to speak before the committee he chairs.
He requested that the committee interview Inman Grant, saying, “Your broad interpretation and enforcement of Australia’s (Online Security Act) … directly jeopardizes American speech”. Jordan referenced eSafety’s unsuccessful effort to remove a tweet containing footage of the stabbing death of Bishop Mar Marie Emmanuel in a 2024 church.
Jordan referred to Inman Grant as a “noted enthusiast for global removal”.
Inman Grant was to indicate yesterday whether she would agree to give Jordan an interview. But she told Senate estimates last night that she was sending a letter to Jordan, but did not confirm whether she would appear before the committee.
I am passionate about protecting children online, but I will get back to them with a letter explaining a few things.
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David Pocock disappointed at Labor ignoring key recommendations after ‘jobs for peers’ report
independent senator david pocock He said he was disappointed that the Labor Government had largely refused to accept the recommendations made in the scathing “Jobs for Colleagues” report released yesterday.
Speaking to RN Breakfast, Pocock said there still remained “legitimate circumstances” over whether the former politician was “the right person” for certain jobs. His comments follow an anticipated report by former Public Service Commissioner Lynette Briggs, which found widespread dissatisfaction over the processes used by government departments and ministers in making appointments to many boards.
Pocock said that the lack of guardrails to ensure integrity was “detrimental to our democracy”, adding:
It is very disappointing to have a Labor government that has talked such a big game and I think colleagues are absolutely right to criticize the Morrison government on jobs.
When given all these recommendations, and I think there’s a serious need to actually legislate on this, they said, ‘No, we’re just going to have a framework and a little more transparency, we want to be able to essentially appoint whoever we want.’
eSafety chief rejects US congressman’s claim he is ‘enthusiast for global removal’
josh taylor
E-Security Commissioner, Julie Inman Granthas rejected a US congressman’s claims that he is “enthusiastic about global expulsions” and said he has written back to him To explain his role.
last month, jim jordanThe US Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee wrote to Inman Grant asking him to speak before the committee he chairs.
He requested that the committee interview Inman Grant, saying, “Your broad interpretation and enforcement of Australia’s (Online Security Act) … directly jeopardizes American speech”. Jordan referenced eSafety’s unsuccessful effort to remove a tweet containing footage of the stabbing death of Bishop Mar Marie Emmanuel in a 2024 church.
Jordan referred to Inman Grant as a “noted enthusiast for global removal”.
Inman Grant was to indicate yesterday whether she would agree to give Jordan an interview. But she told Senate estimates last night that she was sending a letter to Jordan, but did not confirm whether she would appear before the committee.
I am passionate about protecting children online, but I will get back to them with a letter explaining a few things.
Union asks workplace regulators to investigate ANZ
jonathan barrett
finance sector association (FSU) has called for an investigation into ANZ’s handling of major job cuts after accusing the bank of failing to act on serious health and safety concerns raised by workers.
The FSU’s decision to write to workplace health and safety regulators across Australia follows the major bank’s decision to cut 3,500 jobs, including some just before Christmas.
Chief Executive of ANZ, Nuno Matostold parliament last month that the cuts were “not something I’m proud of”, but added that they were in the “best interests of our customers” as the bank’s operations had become too complex.
National President of FSU Wendy Street Said:
(Matos) has refused to delay redundancies for staff facing the exit in December, refused to provide clarity on outstanding job cuts and is not showing even a basic level of compassion for people under immense stress ahead of Christmas.
People are upset because they are facing uncertainty as they are being forced to go out during the most stressful time of the year.
ANZ declined to comment.
Study finds Indigenous Australians twice as likely to face barriers to internet access
douglas smith
Indigenous Australians are twice as likely to face barriers to accessing, affording and using the internet than other Australians, a university report has found.
The Digital Gap Mapping report, conducted by RMIT and Swinburne University of Technology, found that barriers are even greater for people living in remote areas of the country, with three in four Indigenous people living in remote and very remote communities experiencing digital exclusion.
Assoc. Prof Daniel Featherstone RMIT said this meant significant barriers to access and use of online services essential to daily social, economic and cultural life.
He said:
Connectivity is an essential service nowadays, especially in remote communities.
But there are a number of barriers to affordable and reliable internet access in these communities – primarily due to limited or strained infrastructure, low household connectivity and high reliance on pre-paid mobile services.
While the study found a 10.5-point digital gap on the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII), the research also found an 8.7-point improvement in digital capability for Indigenous people in very remote communities, from 45.8 in 2023 to 54.5 in 2025.
The ADII measures how Australians access and use digital technologies, scoring digital skills and affordances out of 100.
Good morning!
And welcome to a new day. Nick Visser Here’s things to pick from – let’s get to it.
Bruce Lehrman to know fate of defamation appeal
former political staff bruce lehrman Today we will learn whether returning to the lion’s den for the second time has made up for his defeat in the defamation case against Network Ten and the journalist Lisa WilkinsonYour report.
30-year-old sued for defamation over an interview brittany higgins On project in 2021.
in 2024 Justice Michael Lee Found against Lehrman, and said in his decision that Higgins’s claim that Lehrman had raped her inside the Capitol two years earlier was founded on the balance of probabilities.
He commented in his decision: “Having escaped the lion’s den, Mr. Lehrman made the mistake of going back for his hat.”
Lehrman appealed against the findings during a two-day hearing in August, arguing that the judge had erred in convicting Tan and Wilkinson when he was legally justified in charging her with rape.
After months of deliberations, the full bench of the Federal Court will deliver its verdict today.
josh taylor
More from last night roblox questions:
david pocock When asked if eSafety was conducting its own experiments like the ones conducted by our reporter sarah martin To see what the features of Roblox are like.
inman grant Said eSafety is assessing whether it has the legal capacity to set up accounts for its testing.
We look at a number of factors in terms of experts, things like that, to determine what we consider the relative risk. Where those tests have been done.
(On the weekend) I’m often reading 404 Media or the Guardian or whatever, or Wired and sending some research for (my team) to look at.
So we are doing that. We’re doing some testing of our own. And we are using our transparency powers, but we are also taking complaints from the general public every day through our complaint schemes.
eSafety on Roblox investigated after Guardian investigation
independent senator david pocock At Senate Estimates last night the eSafety Commissioner was asked about Guardian Australia’s investigation into Roblox and what children may experience on the platform.
Since Roblox is not subject to under-16 social media restrictions, Pocock asked whether Roblox is considered a gaming platform or a platform that “actually enables social interaction”?
Julie Inman Grant Roblox responded by detailing the changes it has announced, saying that age assurance will be used to separate age groups from interacting with each other.
eSafety officials said that Roblox has been assessed as having the primary purpose of gaming – which is one of the exemptions from the ban – but as services evolve over time and more features are added that have a social aspect, it is something that platforms should constantly assess themselves to see if they may fall within the scope of the ban.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I am martin farrer With the top nightly stories and then Nick Visser Will take command.
It was predictably a busy night in the Senate, with the eSafety Commissioner quizzed on matters relating to the impending social media ban for under-16s. First, independent senator david pocock Asked Julie Inman Grant About Guardian Australia’s investigation into Roblox and why the platform is not subject to the ban. Inman Grant also told senators that she rejected claims by a member of the US Congress that she was “enthusiastic about global expulsions”. More coming.
Indigenous Australians are twice as likely to face barriers to accessing, affording and using the internet than other Australians, a university report has found. Taking into account the digital gap, it was found that poor infrastructure, low household connectivity and reliance on prepaid mobile services hindered access. more soon.
And this morning the federal court will issue its decision bruce lehrmanAppeal against defeat in his defamation case against Network Ten Lisa WilkinsonWe will bring all the developments for you,
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