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Fighting One Nation’s AI Slop with people-powered activism

Have you looked at your social media feeds lately? It is absolutely wild out there.

We are being completely inundated by an onslaught of foreign-backed AI slop, deepfakes, and automated bots.

It’s a digital tsunami of trash intentionally designed to do two things: (1) artificially boost One Nation, and (2) flood our comment threads with racism, hate and division.

Let’s be clear: this stuff is not from real people with genuine concerns about their future, their children’s future, and the status quo in this country.

It is a highly orchestrated, billionaire-funded campaign designed to crowd out our voices: Green voices. Progressive voices. Your voices.

It is a mass propaganda campaign to stop people from looking at the real crisis: extreme wealth inequality caused by the billionaires and big corporations who make up the 1% – and who continue to get richer and richer from it.

You don’t need me to tell you how dangerous this playbook has been globally.

Pauline Hanson recently jetted off to Europe: seen holidaying in Italy with Gina Rinehart, attending a Dolce & Gabbana fashion show, and travelling on to the UK on a “fact-finding” mission.

The experts she chose to meet with?

A billionaire ex-pop star, a multi-millionaire MP whose party welcomes fascists and white supremacists as members, and a far-right activist even Nigel Farage won’t speak to.

This is more of the same for Pauline Hanson. She wants a monoculture, mass deportations, and thinks everything started to go wrong in Australia when the White Australia Policy ended; we know, she’s been telling us for 30 years.

All that’s changed is that she’s found some billionaires to help her spread her hate.

One Nation is running a coordinated campaign to turn people’s legitimate economic pain into cultural warfare.

But we know the truth: blaming immigration, attacking workers’ rights, and fueling racism and Islamophobia will not make big corporations pay their fair share of tax. It will not lift people out of poverty. And it will not make housing more affordable.

Labor and the Liberals are compromised, doing the bidding of the exact same billionaires and big corporations who fund their political parties. One Nation is the same, completely bought off by the wealthiest donors who profit from keeping us divided.

At best, they tinker around the edges. At worst, they tip the scales even further away from everyday people. They will not change this broken system because they are entirely dependent on it – and yet wonder why voters abandon them or look elsewhere.

This is where we must face the reality of the job ahead.

We are not here to change the minds of failing politicians. As Bob Brown once said: our job is not to keep the bastards honest, it’s to replace them. Only then will we be able to break the corporate grip on Canberra once and for all.

I know that saying this out loud opens us up to ridicule from the media and attacks from fringe groups and trolls. Well, you know what? Bring it on.

If we’re being attacked, it’s for a reason: they know the impact a strong progressive movement can have.

By ourselves, it can feel like there is little we can do, but we are not by ourselves. We have each other.

This grassroots solidarity – our grassroots solidarity – is exactly how we challenge the racist and divisive politics of the far-right and the corporate greed of the 1%.

If you’re not already a member of the Greens, that’s the most powerful step you can take on this journey.

We have the power to replace the establishment, bring essential services back into public hands, and build a movement that welcomes everyone. Better is possible, friends, and it is a future we can absolutely shape together.

The battle against Australia’s largest new fossil fuel project

Woodside’s attempt to develop the Browse gas field on top of Scott Reef off Western Australia’s Kimberley Coast represents a climate and environmental disaster for our entire country and beyond.

It’s a project that will only exist for one reason: Woodside’s profit.

Woodside is absolutely gunning to get Browse approved, which if successful would be the largest new gas field in the Southern Hemisphere and would result in 1.6 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2070.¹

Worse still, the fossil fuel giant wants to drill directly under the pristine Scott Reef and right in the middle of an important feeding ground for migratory marine life and endangered species, including the pygmy blue whale. Sandy Islet, located within Scott Reef, is also an important breeding ground for a genetically distinct population of green sea turtles.²

Under Woodside’s proposed plan, they would build a 900km pipeline through the ocean to their gas processing plant in Karratha, WA, risking a devastating oil spill across several marine parks.

The Karratha gas plant is also literally right next to the at least 40,000-year-old Murujuga First Nations ancient rock art, which includes the oldest known depiction of the human face. Browse will further damage the sacred petroglyphs, which are already being corroded by emissions.³

Last year, my state colleague Brad Pettitt and I visited Murujuga with Greens leader Larissa Waters and Victorian Senator Steph Hodgins-May to witness firsthand the proximity of this precious rock art to the constant destructive emissions from the Karratha gas plant.

It’s a stunning, sacred place and we simply cannot let this rock art be exposed to further emissions from Woodside’s Browse project.

Fortunately, thanks to the work of our friends at the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), we have just had the first opportunity in eight years to submit a public comment to the Federal Environment Minister, Murray Watt. This was triggered by ACF providing new evidence that showed that the climate pollution from this project would have unacceptable impacts on places of national significance like the Great Barrier Reef.

Research from IPCC lead author, Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, found that emissions from Browse would result in the death of an additional 29.35 million individual coral colonies in every future mass bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef.⁴

Huge thanks to the thousands of you who either wrote your own submission, or added your name to the Greens’ submission. This was a really important opportunity for us to collectively influence the government’s imminent decision on this project.

There is a growing movement of people across the country who care about preserving our precious places and understand the absolute rort that the gas industry is pulling on the Australian public.

After decades of governments that have refused to act in our interests and the interest of the environment, people are increasingly fed up.

It couldn’t be more obvious that we are being taken for a ride by the fossil fuel industry. Daily life gets harder, but the profits that these companies rake in from climate-destroying projects skyrocket.

With both WA state and federal government approvals on the horizon, this is an incredibly important time to get active and support the campaign against this horrific gas project. This is a project that will have irreversible impacts across the entire country for many decades.

Our only opportunity to stop it is right now.

We need a huge, vocal movement of people across the country calling on the federal and WA governments to reject this project. We know that one of the only things that impact political decisions is the risk that these decisions pose to political careers.

The gas lobby is already embedded in the halls of parliament and the only reason this project will go ahead is because of the profits that Woodside can wring out of it by getting the gas for free.⁵ These are the same companies that lobbied against the national gas tax.

They only care about lining their own pockets – not providing a benefit to the community, and definitely not protecting our precious environment.

There is so much at stake – please, tell your friends, family, neighbours and colleagues to join us in this important battle.

How will Labor’s Fair Work Court actually work?

The Coalition supports a workplace relations system that is simple, fair and is easy to comply with. It should deliver timely justice for workers and employers.

Workers deserve to be paid every dollar they are owed, and employers have a responsibility to provide fair wages and conditions. Everyone must comply with the law.

But Labor’s answer to a complex industrial relations system appears to be creating another layer of legal process. Labor’s announcement of a proposed ‘Fair Work Court’ raises more questions than it answers.

If even the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations can’t comply with Australia’s workplace laws, how will adding more lawyers, more litigation and another court fix the system?

Will the court be able to overturn decisions of the Fair Work Commission, or be subject to it? When should workers or employees seek resolution in this court or with the Commission? Can a business be taken to the Commission and the court for breaches of employment law? Or only one? Will the court prioritise claims made by certain groups over others?

Labor has announced more complexity, not how another judicial body will reduce complexity or make it easier for employers to comply with workplace laws.

Rather than creating another institution, the Government should be focused on making workplace laws simpler, clearer and easier to comply with.

It is up to the Albanese Government to explain why they have designed an adversarial workplace relations system which creates conflict between employers and employers, and to empower their union donors.

This announcement further emphasises the Albanese Government’s desire to increase disputes in the workplace.

We share the concerns of workers and employers about lengthy delays in resolving workplace disputes. But simply creating another court does not guarantee faster outcomes or a fair system.

The Coalition will carefully scrutinise any details once they are released. But Labor must explain why creating another legal process for employers and workers will reduce delays, improve compliance and deliver better outcomes than reforming the workplace relations system itself.

Justice delayed is justice denied, but it just got more complex for both workers and employers under Labor.

Newcastle sets sights on economic growth through tourism, events and experiences

Economic sustainability, memorable experiences, world-class events and a thriving night-time economy will take centre stage in a new strategy designed to create a more vibrant Newcastle for residents, visitors and industry.

Proposals are being invited to support the research and development of City of Newcastle’s new five-year City Vibrancy Strategy.

New Annual street party Major events such as City of Newcastle’s flagship arts festival New Annual, play an important role in the economic growth and vibrancy of the city.

The strategy will provide a roadmap to support business growth and sustainability, enhance the visitor economy, strengthen the city’s night-time economy and unlock new opportunities for investment, business and job creation.

Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said Newcastle’s evolution as a diversified economy ripe for investment, as well as an appealing events and tourism destination is building momentum, delivering a range of economic benefits.

“Newcastle has become a city that delivers the complete package, from its breathtaking beaches and thriving cultural scene to its outstanding hospitality, major events calendar and experiences that continue well into the evening,” Cr Morris said.

“We’re seeing increased investment attraction across a range of sectors, more visitors choosing to stay longer, travel for major events and spending more whilst enjoying everything Newcastle has to offer. That presents a significant opportunity for our local economy and businesses.

“This strategy is about making sure we harness that momentum. We want to grow visitation, encourage investment, create jobs and continue building a city that’s vibrant every day of the week and at all hours of the day.”

The City Vibrancy Strategy will review and consolidate City of Newcastle’s Destination Management Plan, Economic Development Strategy, Night-Time Economy Strategy and Events Plan into a single, coordinated framework.

A key focus will be growing Newcastle’s diversified economy, its reputation as a premium leisure destination and extending appeal to international markets on the back of Newcastle Airport’s recent expansion and the introduction of new routes and connections.

It will review City of Newcastle’s commitment to attracting and facilitating major events, assess the use of Council-owned venues and public spaces, identify opportunities for sustainable event growth and explore how this can increase overnight visitation.

Chair of City of Newcastle’s Strategy and Innovation Strategic Advisory Committee, Cr Declan Clausen said major events were a key economic and tourism driver.

“The calibre of events Newcastle is attracting today would have been difficult to imagine a decade ago. From international concerts to world-class sporting events, we’re proving that Newcastle can compete on the national and global stage,” Cr Clausen said.

“We’ve got a significant pipeline of major events locked in, welcoming global music heavyweights including the Foo Fighters, Robbie Williams and Guns N’ Roses, alongside sporting spectacles such as the Rugby League and Rugby World Cups. These events don’t just fill venues, they fill our hotels, restaurants, cafés and local businesses while showcasing everything Newcastle has to offer to new audiences.

“We’ve built incredible momentum over recent years and now is the time to think strategically about how we build on that success, working alongside industry and all levels of government to maximise every opportunity.”

The City Vibrancy Strategy will explore opportunities to support business growth and sustainability, investigating City of Newcastle’s role in supporting the local economy, emerging sectors.

It will look to strengthen the night-time economy and investigate the feasibility of one or more Special Entertainment Precincts, including Midtown, to encourage a range of 24-hour economic activity. This responds to a notice of motion endorsed by the elected council in March 2026.

The Night-Time Economy 2026 Report, released this week by the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, underpins the importance of this sector in Newcastle, where it recorded a turnover of $2.3 billion in 2025, and accounted for 13,600 jobs across 1,027 businesses.

Councillor Paige Johnson said it is important to create and support places where people want to spend time and where local businesses can thrive.

“Special Entertainment Precincts are one tool that have the potential to unlock new economic opportunities and support a vibrant nightlife in Newcastle,” Cr Johnson said.

“Following the Council resolution about exploring a Special Entertainment Precinct for Midtown Newcastle, the Strategy will be informed by community engagement and consultation on how SEPs could support live music, hospitality, arts and culture, while meeting the needs of residents, businesses and visitors.”

The City Vibrancy Strategy will outline and guide how City of Newcastle can best support Newcastle’s economic growth during the next five years, alongside other layers of government and the private sector.

More details are available online, with proposals open until 25 August.

$181 million pavement upgrade to improve safety and reliability on Newell Highway north of Moree

Motorists and freight operators travelling on the Newell Highway north of Moree will benefit from a $181 million major pavement upgrade, with the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments investing in smoother, safer and more reliable journeys on one of regional NSW’s most important freight corridors.

The 14.9-kilometre project will deliver a new heavy-duty pavement and a suite of safety improvements to tackle high crash rates and support local communities, industry and freight operators.

The project is backed by $144.8 million from the Australian Government and $36.2 million from the NSW Government.

Early work is expected to begin by mid-2027, with a construction contract expected to be awarded in 2028.

The project will deliver:

new heavy-duty pavement to improve ride quality and support freight
wider lanes, shoulders and centreline spacing to improve safety
upgraded intersections and protected right-turn lanes
improved drainage and flood resilience
safer property access
upgraded bus stops

The upgrade will improve safety on a section of highway with a history of crashes while increasing the reliability and resilience of this critical freight and transport link.

This investment will deliver the next stage of heavy-duty pavement upgrades on the Newell Highway, following completion of the heavy-duty pavement upgrade between Narrabri and Moree in 2025, the North Croppa safety upgrade in 2024, and ongoing work at Tackinbri and South Croppa.

Work is also underway to upgrade the twin Tycannah rest areas south of Moree, improving access to heavy vehicle rest facilities and supporting safer and more convenient journeys for all road users.

Together, these projects will provide continuous upgraded pavement and improved heavy vehicle rest facilities along the Newell Highway from Narrabri to Boggabilla, making one of Australia’s most important freight routes safer, more reliable and better prepared for future demand.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King:

“The Newell Highway is a major inland regional route that is used by thousands of locals, tourists and key freight operators every day.

“With a history of crashes along the highway, this project will deliver wider lanes and upgraded intersections to improve safety and ensure all Australians can return home safely.

“The Albanese Government is proud to be working with the NSW Government to deliver this much-needed upgrade on the Newell Highway.”

NSW Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison:

“The Minns Labor Government is focused on delivering practical upgrades that make a real difference for communities, and this project is exactly that.

“The Newell Highway is one of the state’s most important regional corridors, supporting freight, tourism and local travel between Victoria and Queensland.

“These upgrades target some of the most important sections of the Newell Highway to deliver real safety improvements for the people who rely on it every day.

“Once complete, these works will deliver safer, more reliable journeys and help people get home sooner and more safely to family and friends.”

Designs revealed for new public school in Googong

A new public school with co-located public early learning facilities is planned for Googong, helping meet the needs of the town’s growing population when it opens in 2028.

The Minns Labor Government has revealed the designs for Googong’s new primary school, giving the local community its first look at the project.

The new school will have classrooms with multipurpose spaces and shared common areas, specialist facilities for support classes, a multipurpose hall and canteen, library, staff and administration facilities, a multipurpose sports court, and co-located public early learning.

Families and residents were shown the designs for the school, which will accommodate 650 students, at a drop-in information session on Thursday, July 23.

The new school is scheduled to open Day 1, Term 1, 2028, and will be the town’s second public school after Googong Public School opened in 2023, helping meet rising enrolment demand in one of the fastest growing communities in the Monaro region.

The project is one of a raft of school infrastructure projects the Minns Labor Government is delivering in the Monaro region, including:

Googong High School
Jindabyne High School (delivered)
Jindabyne Primary School (delivered) and new public preschool
Bungendore High School
Jerrabomberra High School expansion
Queanbeyan East Public School new public preschool
Queanbeyan South Public School new public preschool (delivered)

As part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education, the 2025-26 NSW Budget is delivering $2.3 billion for new and upgraded schools in regional NSW, ensuring families in growing communities like Googong have access to a world-class public education.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“We are pleased to be sharing these designs with the Googong community, giving families a first look at what this brand new public school will offer.

“Googong is one of the fastest growing communities in the state, and the Minns Labor Government is committed to ensuring local families in growing areas have access to public schools close to home.”

Member for Monaro Steve Whan said:

“It’s terrific to see these designs released and to have our community invited in to see them first-hand this week.

“I’m excited to see $46 million allocated in the budget by the Minns Labor Government to deliver the services and infrastructure the Googong community needs.

“It’s great to see this project taking shape and to see our locals getting involved, seeing the plans and speaking with the project team.”

Planting the seed for greener, cooler neighbourhoods in more of NSW

The Minns Labor Government is helping fight urban heat and boost tree canopy in more of NSW with the Greener Neighbourhoods Grant Program being expanded to 10 councils in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven and Hunter-Central Coast.

This means 43 councils from Sydney to Wollongong, Newcastle and everywhere in between can now apply for more than $2.5 million worth of grants to better plan for greening in their communities.

The Greener Neighbourhoods grants can provide up to $60,000 to eligible councils to support strategic planning for urban canopy, heat mitigation, and maintaining green cover.

It is about making sure greenery is not only maintained but expanded as these regions continue to grow and will make sure future investment in urban greening are directed to areas that need it most.

Research shows trees can reduce ground-level temperatures by up to six degrees, while communities with more than 30 per cent canopy cover experience improved mental and physical health outcomes.

The funding is part of the NSW Government’s $60 million Greening our City program which is helping increase tree canopy and biodiversity to reduce the impacts of urban heat and climate change on communities.

Greener Neighbourhoods is funded from the NSW Climate Change Fund. Applications for the Greener Neighbourhoods grants are now open.

Councils have until 5pm, Friday 21 August 2026 to apply.

More information, including application guidelines, is available on the NSW Planning website.

This is another example of the Minns Labor Government building better communities investing in quality green space to support growing neighbourhoods.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully said:

“Urban greening delivers real, everyday benefits for communities, from cooler streets to more shade, and better public spaces where people can connect and spend time outdoors.

“The Minns Labor Government has expanded the Greener Neighbourhoods Grant Program to the Illawarra-Shoalhaven and Hunter-Central Coast for the first time to make sure these key growth areas have the tools they need to fight urban heat and boost tree canopy and green cover.

“These grants will help councils plan for more climate resilient neighbourhoods, complementing the Minns Labor Government’s housing reforms, and helping growing communities stay greener, cooler and more vibrant.”

Beverly Hills Town Centre (West) rezoning proposal on exhibition

A rezoning proposal for Beverly Hills Town Centre (West) has been placed on public exhibition, with plans for around 800 new homes, local jobs, public spaces and improved connections close to transport and services.

Beverly Hills Town Centre (West) is set for its biggest transformation in decades, with a new rezoning proposal on public exhibition which could deliver around 800 new homes and approximately 190 jobs in the heart of the suburb.

The Minns Labor Government is seeking feedback on plans to turn 1.7 hectares along King Georges Road, between Beverly Hills train station and Stoney Creek Road, into a thriving new precinct.

Housing is the number one cost-of-living concern facing NSW families today, and as a result, more people are now leaving the state than coming in.

When the Minns Labor Government came to office, forecasts showed NSW would build just 36,000 homes a year over the next five years, nowhere near enough to meet demand.

As a result of planning reforms and initiatives including State-led rezonings such as this one, the Minns Labor Government has been turning home building and job creation around.

Under the previous government, the Beverly Hills town centre languished while families across Sydney struggled to find a home close to jobs, schools and transport.

The Minns Labor Government is not prepared to let another generation of Beverly Hills residents wait.

The Beverly Hills Town Centre (West) rezoning proposal could deliver:
around 800 new homes, including at least two per cent affordable housing,
new public spaces and pedestrian links to open the precinct,
approximately 190 local jobs through new shops and commercial space, and
buildings ranging from 15 to 22 storeys.

The rezoning proposal is on public exhibition from today, until Friday, 21 August 2026.

A community drop-in session will be held from 5pm to 8pm on Wednesday 5, August at Blackshaw Gould Community Pavilion, 34 Dora Street, Hurstville, giving interested community members the chance to speak directly with the project team.

For more information, including links to technical reports, and to make a submission, please visit: NSW Planning.

Combined with a record $6.6 billion investment in 8,400 new social homes and the world-leading Pre-sale Finance Guarantee, NSW recently recorded its highest number of homes under construction in the last seven years.

The Minns Labor Government is building better communities, with more homes close to jobs, transport, public spaces, and infrastructure so people can live in the communities they choose.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully said:

“Beverly Hills residents have waited long enough for the area to be unlocked for more homes, jobs and public spaces that people can enjoy. This proposal means real homes, real jobs, and a real future for this town centre.

“Families and workers need homes close to where they work and the services they rely on. That is exactly what this precinct will deliver, right next to the train station.

“We are getting on with the job of building the homes NSW needs and giving the Beverly Hills community every opportunity to help shape its future.”

New intake of intensive care paramedics for NSW

This week, 16 highly qualified Intensive Care Paramedics (ICPs) have been deployed across NSW after completing an intensive 27-week specialist training program, designed to advance their clinical expertise and expand frontline critical care capability.

These newly trained ICPs complete a comprehensive program of training to develop and refine their advanced clinical skills while delivering critical care to patients across the state.

ICPs are specialised emergency clinicians equipped to perform complex medical procedures in high-pressure and time-critical environments. Their training emphasises advanced technical proficiency and strong interdisciplinary collaboration.

ICPs are qualified to deliver advanced airway management and provide life-saving interventions for patients experiencing severe chest trauma, traumatic brain injuries, acute cardiac events, and other life-threatening conditions requiring advanced pre-hospital care.

These specialist paramedics come from various locations across the state, including Illawarra-based Liam Jennings who became a father for the second time halfway through the rigorous course.

The Minns Labor Government is rebuilding essential services by recruiting more health staff, including paramedics, doctors, nurses, and allied health workers.

As of 4 June 2026, 880 Intensive Care Paramedics have been trained. In 2025-26, 37 newly trained Intensive Care Paramedics were deployed into regional NSW.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“Intensive care paramedics are highly skilled, highly trained, and equipped for even the most difficult and traumatic cases.

“These additional ICPs will provide a critical boost to frontline health services right across NSW, helping people during some of their most difficult times.

“We are proud to welcome this new class of intensive care paramedics into NSW Ambulance, joining the ranks of one of the best emergency care services in the world.”

NSW Ambulance Interim Chief Executive Clare Beech:

“The graduation of these Intensive Care Paramedics marks their transition into clinicians with a wider scope of practice, bringing advanced care and decision making into pre-hospital care.

“These highly trained advanced paramedics can deliver critical care interventions in the most uncontrolled and unpredictable environments, enhancing patient treatment options.

“With enhanced capability comes leadership, setting a benchmark for colleagues and other agencies.”

Intensive Care Paramedic Liam Jennings:

“We had great camaraderie while doing the course which helped, it was intense, but I really enjoyed it.

“I became an Intensive Care Paramedic to challenge myself clinically, the timing of my son’s birth during the course could have been better, but everything worked out well in the end.”

Minister must explain her role in payout

The NSW Liberals and Nationals are demanding answers from the Premier after further reports show the Minister for Families and Communities had direct involvement in the payment of nearly $40,000 of taxpayers’ money to an NGO so it would drop legal action against a former foster carer with ties to the Labor Party.

Shadow Minister for Families and Communities Natasha Maclaren‑Jones said reports that NGO staff were directed to remove references to the Minister from correspondence, and a non‑disclosure agreement was drawn up, raise serious questions about what the Minister was trying to hide and suggest a deliberate effort to conceal her role.

“This was not a routine decision. Minister Washington overruled her own department and presided over a process to hide her role. This stinks to high heaven,” Mrs Maclaren‑Jones said.

“It has all the hallmarks of a cover‑up.”

“The public deserves straight answers. Were records altered? Was the NGO pressured? And why was ministerial intervention required at all?” Mrs Maclaren‑Jones said.

Mrs Maclaren-Jones said the Premier must answer these questions and explain why he continues to shield Minister Washington from accountability.

“When experienced stakeholders are warning that a Minister has misused her authority, Chris Minns cannot simply look the other way, Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.

“Chris Minns must explain why the public is only learning about this now. The public deserves transparency, but instead they get secret payouts, children placed with dangerous offenders, and welfare reports closed without kids even being seen.”

“The Minister has blamed her department for every disaster on her watch, children living with a serial killer, ROSH reports closed because there’s ‘no capacity to allocate’, kids not even being seen before their welfare reports are shut down. Not this time.”

“This payout was her call, her signature, her responsibility, and she has serious questions to answer about her judgment, transparency and integrity.”