14h ago

Burke unveils migration overhaul, targets 225,000 arrivals by 2028

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. Immigration Minister Tony Burke used a National Press Club address in Canberra, delivered on Citizenship Day, to detail Labor’s overhaul of the migration system after a six-week delay. Burke said net overseas migration has dropped to 292,000, down from 300,000 and 47 per cent below its post-pandemic peak, with the government aiming to bring the figure to 225,000 by 2028. The changes affect three visa categories. Visitor visas will now carry a “no further stay” condition, student visas will only be extended for those advancing to a higher qualification and can no longer include family members, and working holiday makers face new caps of 45,000 second-year and 5,000 third-year visas. Burke also outlined a return to pre-2015 enforcement for the 77,000 visa overstayers in the country, backed by 100 new compliance officers and 250 extra detention beds, th Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

3d ago

Whyalla steelworks blast furnace shuts for good, 500 jobs to go

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. Administrators have permanently closed the blast furnace at the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia, cutting the site’s workforce from 1,700 to around 1,200. KordaMentha partner Sebastian Hams told staff on Monday the furnace’s recovery had become unsustainable and its failure inevitable, with redundancies unavoidable despite efforts to redeploy workers first. The furnace was more than 60 years old and hadn’t been relined since 2005. SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, who joined the announcement in Whyalla, said it had “not been well cared for or looked after, particularly by the previous owner,” but insisted the closure won’t change the state’s long-term plan for steelmaking in the city. A $10.2 million transition package, split between the state and federal governments, will fund retraining, counselling and support for contractors. BHP and mining company Hallett are both looking to hire displaced workers. The sale of the steelworks continues, with two bidders still in the race, and Malinauskas expects a deal to close by year’s end, with a decision on the site’s next operator due before Christmas. Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

6d ago

Queensland credit rating downgraded to AA for first time since 2009

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. S&P Global Ratings has downgraded Queensland’s long-term issuer credit rating from AA+ to AA, the state’s first downgrade in almost two decades. The agency cited weak budgetary performance and structurally higher debt as the state ramps up infrastructure spending ahead of the 2032 Olympics, though it kept the outlook stable. Treasurer David Janetzki called the downgrade inevitable and blamed the former Labor government and the federal budget, a claim Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers rejected on air. Opposition Leader Steven Miles said the blame sits with the Crisafulli government for missing its own savings targets. Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 8

Albanese unveils Digital Duty of Care draft, offers social media users feed choice

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. The federal government released draft legislation Tuesday requiring social media platforms to give Australian users control over what their feeds show them, building on last year’s ban on social media accounts for children under 16. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells unveiled the Digital Duty of Care exposure draft at Parliament House in Canberra, saying more than five million accounts have already been removed or deactivated under the existing minimum-age law. Under the proposal, called My Feed, My Way, platforms will have to let every user over 16 choose between an algorithm-driven feed and one showing only the people they follow, and switch between the two at any time. For children, the draft names specific harms platforms must actively guard against, including content that promotes eating disorders, misogynistic material, pornography, content glorifying crime or dangerous stunts, and content causing serious distress such as abuse or cyberbullying. The eSafety Commissioner would also gain power to order the takedown of nudify apps. Companies that breach the rules face fines above $100 million, rising past $200 million per offence where a breach also crosses the existing minimum-age law, according to Wells. Parents and advocacy groups joined the announcement, including Wayne Holdsworth of SmackTalk, whose son died two and a half years ago, and Emma Mason of Let Them Be Kids, whose daughter Tilly died by suicide in 2022. Both backed the legislation; Mason said it represented government support rather than control. Asked whether the changes amount to censorship, Albanese and Wells said the laws are about giving people choice over their own feeds, not policing political speech. The draft is now open for public consultation before heading to Parliament. Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 2

Australian economy grows 0.4% in June quarter, ABS says

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. Australia’s gross domestic product grew 0.4% in the June quarter and 2.1% compared with a year earlier, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday, as households continued to spend cautiously and business investment fell for the quarter. Household consumption rose 0.4%, with spending subdued across most categories, the ABS said. Vehicle purchases jumped 10.3%, which the bureau linked to continued household uptake of electric vehicles amid cost-of-living pressures. Private business investment fell 0.5%, largely reflecting a pullback in spending on machinery and equipment for data centre fit-outs after a sharp rise the previous quarter, though the ABS said investment was still 10.4% higher than a year earlier. Imports of services fell 4.9% as the Middle East conflict disrupted Australians’ overseas travel plans, marking the first drop in northern hemisphere summer travel since the COVID-19 pandemic. Exports rose 0.8%, driven by coal, and net trade added 0.1 percentage point to GDP growth. “Economic growth remained subdued in the June quarter as households continued to behave cautiously,” said Grace Kim, the ABS’s head of National Accounts. The release also included the first estimates for the 2025-26 financial year, with annual GDP up 2.4% and GDP per capita up 0.8%, which Kim attributed to stronger growth in service industries that make up more than 70% of Australia’s economic activity. Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 27

At Least 34 Australians Missing in Deadly Nepal-Tibet Flooding

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Thursday that at least 34 Australians are missing following catastrophic flooding in Nepal and Tibet, reiterating an earlier statement from the prime minister. Wong said the Australians were traveling with separate tour and pilgrimage groups and that the government’s priority is confirming their whereabouts and welfare. Wong said she has spoken with Australia’s ambassadors to Nepal and China and that additional Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) personnel, including crisis response experts, are being deployed to the region. She cautioned the confirmed figure could rise, noting it currently reflects only travelers registered with official tour operators. Access to the disaster zone remains limited due to its remote, mountainous terrain and flood damage to roads, officials said. Nepal has not formally requested assistance from Australia, though Wong said Canberra is prepared to help if asked. The government is coordinating with Nepalese authorities, the United Nations and the Red Cross on the humanitarian response. Australians in Nepal or China seeking consular assistance can contact DFAT’s 24-hour emergency centre at 1300 555 135 domestically or +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas. Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 21

Origin Energy confirms 60 customers had full bank details accessed in July breach

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. Origin Energy has confirmed the sharpest details yet on last month’s data breach — and for a small group of customers, the damage goes well beyond names and addresses. In this episode, we break down the update straight from Origin’s CEO: what was actually taken, who’s in the worst-affected group, and why the company is still holding back key details while police investigate. We walk through the numbers that matter — the 900,000 customers broadly affected, the 60 whose full bank account numbers were exposed, and the 15,000 caught up through government concession data. We also look at what Origin is offering by way of support and why the company keeps warning customers about scammers using the breach as cover. This one sits inside a bigger pattern. Qantas, Optus, Medibank — Australian companies keep getting hit, and customers keep being told to watch their inboxes. We close out with what to actually do if you’re an Origin customer wondering whether you’re one of the 60, 100, or 15,000. Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 15

Mastercard payments declined nationwide after scheduled system update

This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise. Card payments were declined across multiple Australian states on Saturday afternoon after a scheduled system update disrupted Mastercard’s network, the company confirmed. Shoppers reported failures with Apple Pay, cash withdrawals and travel cards, prompting Commonwealth Bank to describe the disruption as a “global Mastercard issue.” Mastercard said in a statement the situation has since been resolved and all systems are “working as normal.” The outage left shoppers stranded at checkouts. In Bayside, Victoria, Jackie Wells had three separate cards declined while trying to pay for $208 worth of groceries at Aldi, ultimately abandoning her shopping and returning home for cash. She said she watched other customers leave stores “disgruntled” after being unable to complete their purchases. Outage-tracking site Downdetector recorded more than 1,700 reports of Mastercard issues at 3 p.m. Saturday, a figure that fell to 173 within two hours as service was restored. The most frequently reported problems involved funds transfers and mobile banking. Mastercard has not detailed what specifically triggered the failures beyond the scheduled update, and the company has not said whether further disruptions are expected. Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive! For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence. Got a News Tip? Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos. The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence. We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure. Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world. Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari. Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here. We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe

The Flashwire

Burke unveils migration overhaul, targets 225,000 arrivals by 2028

Whyalla steelworks blast furnace shuts for good, 500 jobs to go

Queensland credit rating downgraded to AA for first time since 2009

Albanese unveils Digital Duty of Care draft, offers social media users feed choice

Australian economy grows 0.4% in June quarter, ABS says

At Least 34 Australians Missing in Deadly Nepal-Tibet Flooding

Origin Energy confirms 60 customers had full bank details accessed in July breach

Mastercard payments declined nationwide after scheduled system update

Trailer

Welcome to Flashwire

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The Flashwire

Episodes

Burke unveils migration overhaul, targets 225,000 arrivals by 2028

Whyalla steelworks blast furnace shuts for good, 500 jobs to go

Queensland credit rating downgraded to AA for first time since 2009

Albanese unveils Digital Duty of Care draft, offers social media users feed choice

Australian economy grows 0.4% in June quarter, ABS says

At Least 34 Australians Missing in Deadly Nepal-Tibet Flooding

Origin Energy confirms 60 customers had full bank details accessed in July breach

Mastercard payments declined nationwide after scheduled system update

Trailer

About

Information