The government's new scheme to force digital platforms to pay Australian journalists, Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto intends to stay in charge despite losing defamation trial, Craig Foster condemns decision to award Saudi Arabia with 2034 men's World Cup.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The government's new scheme to force digital platforms to pay Australian journalists
- Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto intends to stay in charge despite losing defamation trial
- Craig Foster condemns decision to award Saudi Arabia with 2034 men's World Cup.
The Albanese government has announced a new scheme to force digital platforms to compensate Australian broadcasters for their news content.
Under the proposed 'news bargaining incentive', any major social media giant like Meta, Google or Tiktok that refuses to negotiate with publishers or removes news content will have to pay for the content regardless.
The incentive will apply a tax to the revenue of all major platforms that can be wiped away if they sign agreements to compensate news publishers.
It follows an announcement from Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta earlier this year [[MAY]] that it will stop paying for Australian news altogether from next year.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says these platforms cannot expect to benefit from Australian journalism and not pay their fair share.
"The rapid growth of digital platforms in recent years has disrupted Australia's media landscape and it is threatening the viability of public interest journalism. They need to support access to quality journalism that informs and strengthens our democracy. By establishing the news bargaining incentive, the government is ensuring that large digital platforms are incentivised to either renew or enter into commercial deals to remunerate Australian news organisations."
Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto says he intends to stay in charge after losing a three-week defamation trial against MP Moira Deeming earlier today.
Ms Deeming has lashed out at Mr Pesutto who has now been ordered to pay $300,000 in damages over comments that Justice David O’Callaghan says made her out to be a Nazi sympathiser.
She was expelled from the Liberal party room last year after taking part in an anti-transgender rights rally in Melbourne that was then hijacked by neo-Nazis in March 2023.
After the ruling Ms Deeming was asked whether Mr Pesutto should resign and whether she should have access to the Liberal party room.
"I don't think that he's proven himself trustworthy so it's not up to me to make that kind of call."
"Would you like to return to the Liberal party room?"
"Would I like to? I have a right to be there, I did nothing wrong. All the accusations that were made about me, they were just disproven in court."
John Pesutto has now responded, saying he will continue leading the state opposition.
"I do wish to emphasise though, for all Victorians, that I've always been a fighter. I've been a fighter for the right reasons and for the right people, the Victorian people. And that's why I'll continue in this role, now more than ever."
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol remains defiant in the face of his political opponents ahead of a second impeachment vote.
President Yoon has defended his shock decision to declare martial law last week as South Korea's ruling party leader, Han Dong-hoon, has called for the leader to be immediately suspended from his duties.
Mr Han says the only way to do so is for the ruling party lawmakers to vote for impeachment.
“The president should be immediately excluded from state administration, including the military leadership. As long as it has been confirmed that the president has no intention of stepping down early, an immediate suspension of his duties is required.”
But President Yoon says the martial law decision was necessary to defend democracy as he believes North Korea may have hacked the country's elections.
He faces a second impeachment vote on Saturday [[Dec 14]], a week after the first one failed because most of the ruling party boycotted the vote.
A piece of writing by Prague-born author Franz Kafka considered to be his earliest known work still in existence is set to be auctioned.
It is believed that Kafka wrote the inscription and signed it in an album in 1897, when he was just 14.
According to the auctioneer Bonhams, it is the earliest piece of writing by the acclaimed author that is known to exist.
It is scheduled to be auctioned next week with auctioneer Bonhams estimating a selling price between $US10,000 and $US15,000.
Football commentator Craig Foster has joined human rights organisations in criticising a decision by football's governing body to award the 2034 men's World Cup to Saudi Arabia.
Hosting the global showpiece tournament is the pinnacle of Saudi Arabia's massive push into sports and entertainment over recent years as it seeks to improve its international image despite numerous human rights concerns.
Steve Cockburn of Amnesty International says, in a joint statement from 21 organisations, that the move is reckless and will endanger the lives of thousands of labourers.
Craig Foster agrees saying football has been corrupted by insider politics, opening the door for the abuse of migrant workers.
"The politics and the amount of commercial pressure to make that happen. Football is in a different era now. And secondly, it raises all the questions around women's rights, broader human rights but specifically labour rights and the deaths of migrant workers. We know that somewhere up to 6,000 migrant workers perished building the stadium and infrastructure in Qatar and we can expect something similar from Saudi unless immediate change happens."
