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Happy Thursday!
As you’ll see further down, today is officially one year since ChatGPT launched. To celebrate, I thought I’d ask the chatbot to write you an intro…
“Good day, News Explorers! Dive into today's essentials with The Daily Aus. We've distilled the latest stories spanning politics, science, and culture to keep you informed and engaged. Let's navigate the headlines together! #BriefAndBright #DailyDigest”
Feels like my job is safe for now.
I've got 10 seconds
The quote
“Despite [the] noise, households and businesses in Australia are actually in a pretty good position. Their balance sheets are pretty good… Housing prices are rising again, much to everyone’s surprise, so that’s sort of helping people feel a bit more wealthy.” — RBA Governor Michele Bullock at a conference in Hong Kong this week.
The stat
11
The number of people hospitalised in Lebanon over using suspected fake Ozempic.
Today in history
2022: ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot, was launched by OpenAI.
I've got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Free television content will become easier to find on Smart TVs, under new government measures. Legislation introduced by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland will require TV manufacturers to prioritise the on-screen discoverability of free-to-air services over subscription services like Netflix. Rowland said it’s “becoming harder to find" free Australian services on "connected devices” like smart televisions, and that this bill will prevent “content slipping behind online paywalls.”
The Victorian Government will repay $7 million worth of road taxes to electric vehicle owners in the state. Victorian EV drivers had been required to make payments based on the number of kilometres they travelled on public roads. However, that road charge was challenged in the High Court earlier this year, and was eventually scrapped. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas told ABC News that government revenue from the tax will be repaid to drivers, with interest.
I've got 1 minute
Prices (inflation) rose by 4.9% in the 12 months to October, according to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The inflation rate indicates how much prices have increased over the past 12 months.
The update shows the smallest rise in inflation since June 2023. While it doesn't mean inflation has fallen, it does mean it's increasing at a slower rate.
Inflation peaked at 8.4% in December last year.
October inflation
Housing and rental costs were high areas of inflation in the year to October.
The price of food, non-alcoholic drinks and transport all rose above 5%.
The ABS also releases an inflation rate that excludes items with high price volatility (prone to fluctuation), such as fresh produce and holiday travel. This figure showed a 5.1% price rise — the lowest yearly rate since April 2022.
The cash rate
The Reserve Bank (RBA) uses the cash rate as a tool to mitigate inflation by limiting consumer spending. It began increasing the cash rate in May last year.
In a meeting earlier this month, the RBA raised the cash rate to 4.35% – the highest since 2011.
I've got 2 minutes
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a national apology to Australians impacted by the drug thalidomide in Parliament yesterday.
Thalidomide was a medication given to pregnant women experiencing morning sickness in the 1960s.
It caused severe disabilities and premature deaths among thousands of babies.
What is thalidomide?
Thalidomide was a drug that was first sold in Germany in 1957 and distributed in 46 countries.
It was marketed and prescribed in several countries as a safe drug for women experiencing morning sickness and nausea during pregnancy. Thousands of women are believed to have taken it.
It was sold in Australia in 1960 and 1961. It was taken off shelves in 1961, and banned in 1962.
Effect of the drug
Some babies born to mothers using thalidomide reported a range of disabilities. This included shortened or absent limbs, facial disfigurement and brain injury.
Thalidomide survivors have reported lower health outcomes, including severe or continuous pain, and poor mental health.
High rates of premature death have also been reported. This includes miscarriages and infant deaths. Just a single dose could cause severe harm.
National apology
In his apology, Albanese said thalidomide represented "one of the darkest chapters in Australia's medical history".
While being promoted as a safe drug, there was no system that properly tested this claim when thalidomide was being sold in Australia.
Albanese said the Australian health system failed the mothers who used thalidomide. He said they had been haunted by "undeserved regret" their whole lives.
Albanese apologised to the survivors, as well as their friends and families. A minute's silence was observed for those who had suffered or died due to the drug.
"We know the toll of thalidomide is still felt today, we know it will still be felt tomorrow. We promise your legacy and your example will never be forgotten."
Senate review
A national apology to thalidomide survivors and their families was recommended by a bipartisan Senate committee in 2019.
It also recommended creating a compensation scheme to support thalidomide survivors. This was formed in 2020, and provides one-off payments of up to $500,000 to survivors. The scheme also offers annual payments to help survivors meet their health needs.
Further support
A national site recognising the thalidomide tragedy will be unveiled in Canberra today. Creating this site was another recommendation made by the Senate committee.
During the apology, Albanese said the Government would reopen applications for the one-off survivor payment, and that annual payments would now increase due to inflation (rising prices).
This was welcomed by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who commended Albanese on the apology.
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Give me some good news
41 construction workers have been rescued after 17 days trapped in a collapsed tunnel in India.
A landslide in the Himalayas buried a section of the tunnel on 12 November, but workers survived on food and water delivered to them through small pipes.
Hand-held drills were used to eventually free all of the workers. They have been taken for medical checks and observation before they will be sent home.
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A TDA tidbit
All aboard the Hogwarts Express! But not for long.
The steam train that featured as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films could soon stop running due to new safety regulations.
In Scotland, where the steam train is currently operating, there is a regulation that requires the trains to have Central Door Locking. For years, heritage steam trains have been given exemptions to this, but this will soon be removed.
West Coast Railways, which operates the train, has told local news that an upgrade on the train doors would set them back £7 million (over $AU13 million) – an expense that would bring the railway service to its final stop.
On another note, this week is the anniversary of when the first Harry Potter film premiered in Australia. May the legacy live on! Steam train or no steam train.
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