auspol Archives

CRYPTOPIA: Australian government unveils major payments reforms to embrace cryptocurrencies and digital assets

Simon Thomsen - December 9, 2021 3 MIN READ

The Australian Government is looking to embrace cryptocurrency and digital assets with federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg announcing plans to investigate the feasibility of a Central Bank digital currency, as well as the existential fintech terror of de-banking. Speaking at the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Frydenberg said his plans “were most significant reforms to… Read more »

Cryptocurrency

Day of the DAO: Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s ambitious plan for payments and digital assets reform

Josh Frydenberg - December 8, 2021 6 MIN READ

We are in the midst of a digital revolution. COVID has accelerated and changed the way Australians and businesses engage with digital technologies. And many new and innovative technologies are emerging throughout the economy, impacting every part of our lives. Nowhere is this digital disruption playing out faster than in the payments and crypto-asset sectors.… Read more »

Politics

Australian MPs are looking at the impact of Big Tech on mental health

Michelle Grattan - December 1, 2021 3 MIN READ

The Morrison government is setting up a parliamentary inquiry to put big tech companies “under the microscope” over dangers posed to people’s wellbeing by toxic material on their sites. In its latest strike against big tech, Scott Morrison said the move built on the weekend announcement that the government would legislate “to unmask anonymous online… Read more »

Politics

Planned ‘anti-troll’ laws do nothing for most victims of online abuse

Jennifer Beckett - November 30, 2021 3 MIN READ

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Attorney-General Michaelia Cash announced proposed new legislation aimed at making online “trolls” accountable for their actions on Sunday. Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard Morrison decry trolls as “cowardly” and “un-Australian”, language that made it into the talking points at yesterday’s media conference. But is his new-found concern about… Read more »

Politics

For whom the bell trolls: Morrison government plots social media crackdown against anonymous users

Simon Thomsen - November 29, 2021 4 MIN READ

Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites could be legally liable for defamatory posts made by users unless the tech companies out the person responsible under new laws proposed by the Australian government. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the proposed changes to defamation law for social media platforms on Sunday. The changes will redefine the… Read more »

Politics

There’s embarrassingly easy, tax-free way to make electric cars cheaper in Australia

Peter Martin - November 18, 2021 3 MIN READ

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he wants to keep prices down. Without his party in power, “you’re going to see petrol prices go up, you’re going to see electricity prices go up”. There’s something practical he can do straight away to stop prices from rising. Apart from a home, a car is the most important… Read more »

Politics

Australia ramps up quantum computing focus with $70 million commercialisation hub

Simon Thomsen - November 17, 2021 3 MIN READ

The Morrison Government’s increased focus on technology took another step up today with $111 million allocated to quantum technologies. The investment includes $70 million over 10 years for the Quantum Commercialisation Hub to foster strategic partnerships with other nations to commercialise Australia’s quantum research. The announcement came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison released its Blueprint… Read more »

Politics

The Australian government is putting $500 million in to low emissions investment – and wants the private sector to match it

Simon Thomsen - November 10, 2021 2 MIN READ

The Australian government is hoping the private sector’s appetite for investment in climate change tech will make it want to partner with the Commonwealth in a $1 billion commercialisation fund to develop new low emissions technologies. The government is chipping in $500 million for the fund, to be run by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation… Read more »

Politics

The Morrison government’s new EV policy avoids subsides and an end date for petrol vehicles

Michelle Grattan - November 9, 2021 3 MIN READ

After demonising Labor’s policy on electric cars before the 2019 election, the federal government has put electric vehicles at the centre of a new “Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy” to be released by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday. The policy puts another A$178 million into the government’s future fuels fund, bringing it to $250… Read more »

Advice

Senator Andrew Bragg: ‘We’ll see reform within 12 months’ on cryptocurrencies

Senator Andrew Bragg - November 3, 2021 4 MIN READ

Since its inception, cryptocurrency has largely been left to its own devices. Investors have made money, and communities have been built through a shared passion for the innovative sector. So when I was assigned the role of chair of the Senate Select Committee on Australia as a Technology and Financial Centre, I assumed there would… Read more »

Global tech

Australia’s competition regulator wants to put an end to Google’s dominance as a search engine

Casey Tonkin - October 28, 2021 2 MIN READ

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) wants to end Google’s reign as the default search engine for Australians, saying its dominance has likely “stifled innovation and reduced consumer choice”. The consumer watchdog released the interim report of its Digital Platform Services Inquiry on Thursday and has taken aim at Google for penning deals to ensure its Search… Read more »

Politics

The Australian government wants to expand its digital ID system. Here are several things in the plan you should be concerned about

Kelsie Nabben - October 27, 2021 4 MIN READ

The federal government has been asking the public for feedback on proposed legislation to create a “trusted digital identity” system. The aim is for Australians to use it to prove their identity when accessing public services. I first found out about the draft Trusted Digital Identity Bill not through my research at the intersection of… Read more »

Business

The Australian government is going after social media companies with $10 million fines for privacy breaches

Casey Tonkin - October 26, 2021 3 MIN READ

The government is getting ready to hand out $10 million fines for companies mismanaging user information with new legislation targeting social media companies. A draft of the Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Online Privacy and Other Measures) Bill 2021 – or the Online Privacy Bill for short – was circulated on Monday. The bill aims to… Read more »

Fintech

CRYPTONATION: A Senate committee looking into digital assets thinks Australia could be a cryptocurrency epicentre

Simon Thomsen - October 21, 2021 5 MIN READ

Australia could be a leader in digital assets and global hub for cryptocurrencies according to a landmark new report by a Senate committee investigating the sector’s potential. The Senate Select Committee on Australia as a Technology and Financial Centre, chaired by Senator Andrew Bragg, is bullish on the possibilites, having investigated issues such as regulation… Read more »

Funding

Government relations data startup GovConnex raises $1 million as it looks to UK and NZ markets

Simon Thomsen - October 18, 2021 2 MIN READ

GovConnex, a political intelligence and relationship management platform, has raised $1 million in a round led by local VC Black Nova. The funds will be used to scales platform to organise all of Australia’s government data amid plans to expand internationally by the end of 2021. The GovConnex platform, which launched in 2019, captures information… Read more »