NewsMatch Alert: Press Release Summary | 20 September
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Welcome to Medianet’s daily media alert featuring a curated list of today's most newsworthy press releases handpicked by our editorial team.
Today's top press releases
Australia’s fossil fuel hypocrisy called out on the world stage
The Australia Institute says as Australia’s Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, defends her right to ignore climate science when approving coal mines in the Australian Federal Court, and Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong prepares to attend the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit in New York, a coalition of more than 220 world-renowned scientists and experts are publicly calling on the Australian Government to abandon its extensive plans for fossil fuel production.
Spring heatwave and sweltering El Ni?o summer ahead reignites call for net zero emissions by 2035: Climate Council
As the return of El Ni?o heralds a hot, dry and fire-prone summer, a new Climate Council report provides the latest scientific evidence that the only effective way to put the brakes on extreme heat is to drive down emissions, fast. The review reaffirms the Climate Council’s recommendation to slash emissions 75 percent by 2030, and reach net zero by 2035, in line with the science.
Weather bureau confirms what farmers are already experiencing – it’s getting hot and dry
Farmers for Climate Action is calling for urgent action to limit climate change as it emerges farmers are officially facing an El Ni?o weather pattern after three years of La Ni?a.?Already some farmers, including Farmers for Climate Action member Peter Lake who farms near Grafton on the NSW North Coast, are officially in drought conditions after battling floods 12 months ago.
Satellite deal delivers real-time data intelligence to help combat bushfires
Australian emergency responders tackling bushfires over coming months will have access to real-time data intelligence for the first time, as part of a ground-breaking deal with a Finnish satellite company. The data partnership, between Finnish satellite company ICEYE and Geoscape Australia, will provide real-time situational intelligence to assist fire-fighting efforts around the nation.
Ampol to pay over $700,000 after oily water spill in Kurnell
Ampol must pay $700,000 towards four community projects in a legally binding agreement with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA). This comes after more than 9,000 litres of diesel mixed with floodwaters and spilled from its Kurnell fuel transfer terminal in April last year.
National Jobs and Skills Council to launch in Hobart: ‘Tasmania pivotal to nation’s skills challenge’
Industry Skills Australia (ISA), the newly created Jobs and Skills Council for Australia’s transport and logistics industries will officially launch in Hobart today. ISA will be seeking to gather the perspectives of Tasmanian industry to inform the federal government's National Workforce Development Plan, which will be released next year.
Increase to social security payments grossly inadequate
The new rate of social security payments such as JobSeeker remain grossly inadequate and will leave people unable to meet basic living costs, ACOSS says. “The new $4 a day higher JobSeeker rate is still less than half the minimum wage. It is also well under the pension rate of $78 a day, which is also below the poverty line,” ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie said.
Calls for reform to rent assistance
EVERYBODY'S HOME
National housing campaign Everybody’s Home is calling on the federal government to reform rent assistance as today’s increase is set to be eclipsed by high rents. From today, the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance for singles is increasing by $27.60 to $184.80 a fortnight. The payment for a family with one or two children will increase by $32.34 to $217.28.
Media alert: The Voice to Parliament, misinformation, and gambling harm on agenda as hundreds of public health experts gather in Hobart
领英推荐
Over 350 local and international practitioners, researchers, policy makers and advocates will gather in Hobart next week to discuss Australia’s most pressing public health issues including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, health mis- and disinformation, and gambling harm. The Australian Public Health Conference, hosted by the Public Health Association of Australia, will be held from 26 – 28 September at the Hotel Grand Chancellor and streamed online.
Does a brain in a dish have moral rights?
No longer limited to the realm of science fiction, bio-computing is here, so now is the time to start considering how to research and apply this technology responsibly, an international group of experts says. The inventors of DishBrain have partnered with bioethicists and medical researchers to map such a framework to help define and address the problem in a paper published in Biotechnology Advances.
Museum promotes telling stories to prompt memories for people with dementia
The Australian National Maritime Museum is trialling sessions aimed at people with dementia and their carers that promote story sharing and to encourage social interaction and connection. Seaside Stories are themed, hands-on reminiscence sessions where visitors can touch and hold museum objects. Museum educators (trained in dementia communication) ask questions and guide discussion. Participants are encouraged to share their personal recollections, stories and experiences in a safe and welcoming space.
The cruelty you don’t see: The suffering of pet macaques for social media content
Macaques being kept as pets are being physically and psychologically abused for social media content, states a new report released today. Compiled by a coalition of 20 animal protection organisations, The Asia for Animals’ Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC) conducted research into this online trend, which it says is inherently abusive and is being fuelled by social media.?
Australian invention of Quilted Oyster Doonas brings versatility to shellfish restoration
OzFish Unlimited continues to innovate the shellfish revolution with the upcoming trial of Quilted Oyster Doonas (QODs) set to bring an added layer of versatility to restoration projects.?The home-grown invention uses a non-degrading, flexible gabion blanket that incorporates recycled oyster shells which can be securely attached to rock walls, eroding banks, and urbanised waterways, effectively transforming these structures into vibrant living seawalls.???
Large fossil spider found in Australia - The first fossil from the brush footed trapdoor spider family ever found
A team of Australian scientists led by Australian Museum (AM) and University of New South Wales (UNSW) palaeontologist Dr Matthew McCurry have formally named and described a fossil spider, Megamonodontium mccluskyi, which is between 11 – 16 million years old. The findings on this new genus of spider have now been published in the 2023Zoological Journal of Linnean Society. Found at McGraths Flat, NSW, a fossil site known for its iron-rich rock called ‘goethite’, the new genus of spider is the first ever spider fossil of the Barychelidae family to be found.?
Anzac stories remembered on anniversary of Battle of Menin Road (20 – 25 September 1917)
20 September marks the anniversary of the first major battle involving Australians in Flanders during World War One – The Battle of Menin Road. Here, historian Mat McLachlan and founder of Australia’s leading battlefield tour company, Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours, shares some of the stories of the Anzacs involved in this significant action.
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