Budget belt-tightening collides with a swollen public service With the May 12 federal budget looming, Labor is signalling restraint—net savings, possible tax changes and tougher choices—as scrutiny intensifies on how spending is being reined in without stalling services. The AFR reports wage forecasts imply cuts of around 7000 public service jobs a year, underscoring the political risk of “efficiency” drives landing as frontline reductions. Covered by: The West Australian, Australian Financial Review, Australian Financial Review. AUKUS anxiety: Japan submarines floated as a Plan B A former senior defence official is urging Australia to develop a contingency option for AUKUS by exploring leasing advanced conventional submarines from Japan, timed to high-level talks during Japan’s prime ministerial visit. The push highlights growing concern about delivery timelines and capability gaps, and would reshape regional defence diplomacy if Canberra formally lo

Winning a Lizzie to Pickr’s Leigh :) Stark means that people are reading and appreciating his work.  Stark says this after winning the Best Consumer Technology Media award at this year’s Samsung Australian IT Journalism Awards. “One of the best forms of validation is that other journalists are reading it and judging it and saying that it's solid content”, Stark told Influencing.   “When you're in a small newsroom, you have an editor who can give you that. When you are your own publisher, there's the occasional friend and other journalist out there who will tell you what's happening, but that validation you get from the judges is really important.” Stark explained that it was an absolute honour for Pickr to be adjudged Best Consumer Technology Media. “[Pickr] is about trying to make consumer technology easier and more connectable for people, and to have judges more or less say that it's the best consumer

One Green Bean promotes Bailey to MD Lauren Bailey has been promoted to Managing Director at PR agency One Green Bean, stepping up from her previous role of Managing Partner and Director of Innovation. Commenting on her appointing at LinkedIn, Bailey said she “couldn’t be prouder” to lead the One Green Bean team. “16 years ago, I walked into a brand‑new agency called One Green Bean with a big feeling of imposter syndrome, outweighed by how excited I was to be shaking up the industry. At the time the idea that earned was more than just PR was very new. Now it’s assumed. Fast‑forward through a few life chapters (two kids, a whole lot of learning, and a big stint in-house), I’m now Managing Director at the very grown up ogb.” Rebecca Shaw departs Keep Left Keep Left account director Rebecca Shaw is departing to move back to the US “to spend some quality time with family and friends”. “While I’m so excited for

Nine director of news and current Affairs, Fiona Dear: "Cost is not driving our decision making". The 20 redundancies that Nine announced yesterday as part of its “Future News” initiative may just be the first wave, according to media reports. Yesterday a memo from director of news and current affairs Fiona Dear was revealed by Crikey Media Reporter Daanyal Saeed, in which Dear claimed “cost is not driving our decision making”. “This isn’t about doing the same work with fewer people to save money; it’s about acknowledging that the work itself is changing across our industry and we must adapt to survive and thrive”.  “The permanence and depth of the change we’re delivering will fundamentally alter the way we produce and deliver news at Nine.”  According to a report by The Daily Telegraph’s Nathaneel Cooper the initial impact will be be newsrooms in Sydney, Canberra and the foreign bureaus

Daily Telegraph Bondi terror attack inquiry puts police, ASIO and funding cuts under the microscope Interim royal commission findings into the Bondi Hanukkah terror attack intensify scrutiny of NSW Police and intelligence agencies over whether repeated warnings were acted on, with some recommendations kept secret for security reasons. Several papers also highlight claims of pre-attack threat briefings to government and debate over whether counter-terror funding was cut despite rising risks—raising fresh political pressure over preparedness and accountability. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The West Australian, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Australian. Alice Springs tragedy: five-year-old found dead, arrest sparks unrest The death of five-year-old Kumanjayi “Little Baby” has shocked the country, with police arresting Jefferson Lewis after the child’s body was found following a multi-day search. Co

The media fraternity marked a sombre day with the passing of two noted personalities, Kamal Mishra in Mumbai and Kumar Bhaskarjyoti in Assam. In Mumbai, senior journalist Kamal Mishra, 56, associated with The Free Press Journal, passed away on Wednesday morning. Widely regarded as one of the city’s finest transport correspondents, Mishra extensively covered railways, state transport services, BEST buses, and the taxi network. Colleagues recalled his relentless commitment to ground reporting, often among the first to reach accident sites, even walking railway tracks to examine derailments firsthand. Meanwhile, in Assam, television host, radio jockey, writer, and cultural activist Kumar Bhaskarjyoti died at the age of 50. Known for his multifaceted contributions across media and literature, Bhaskarjyoti actively engaged audiences and promoted cultural discourse and social awareness, earning widespread recognition and respect across the state, India Today reported.