Indigenous Land Rights Restored for First Time in Urban East Coast Area
The Australian Federal Court has formally recognised the Kabi Kabi people as native title holders over land on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. This is the first time a native title has been recognised in a heavily urbanised area on Australia’s east coast. Significantly, it’s also the first occasion where the right to “take resources from the area for any purpose” is being acknowledged in south-east Queensland. The ruling represents an opportunity to preserve First Nations knowledge, values, and culture in Australia.
Women Plumbers Break Glass Ceilings with Rheem
New data investigating Australia’s skilled trade industries, such as plumbing, construction, and electrical, reveals an increase in women taking up a skilled trade as a lifelong career. To support apprentices kickstart their careers, Rheem Australia has announced the recipients of its 2024 Rheem Apprentice Plumbers Grants worth $3000 and awarded to emerging plumbers showcasing a passion for the industry. This year, 30 per cent of the grant beneficiaries were women, up 50 per cent since 2023.
Censored Times Square Breastfeeding Ad Reveals the Power of Brand Comradery
When a recent ad for lactation cookies, featuring a pregnant woman, was taken down for being “too provocative”, a probiotics company stepped in to reinstate the ad gifting its own billboard space. This move of advertising altruism and unexpected brand support has created a movement to bring taboo topics, such as breastfeeding, to the fore and reveals the power of brands coming together to advocate for change. The media industry still has a long way to go to address sexist double standards.
Aussies Unable to Opt Out of Training Meta’s AI
From next week (26 June), Meta will be introducing a new privacy policy that allows the company to train its AI tools with user data dating back to 2007. And Australia’s lack of AI protection laws means those not wanting their content to be used can’t opt out. Australian legislation is yet to catch up with developments in AI, but many users want more control over their data. On 17 January of this year, the Australian Government announced that it would seek to regulate AI, citing that the existing voluntary set of AI Ethics Principles is inadequate.
