☕️ No fault evictions to be banned in NSW

Aussies Mollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus are training buddies, have the same coach, just won Gold and Silver in the 200m Freestyle and shared a podium. Does it get much better?! I think not.

“The bullet you have is that little piece of paper, and it goes in that magazine called the voting box. And it’s coming up. Get ready to load that magazine… Goodbye, Albo.”
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce speaking to the crowd at an anti-wind turbine rally in Wollongong, NSW. Joyce has since apologised for the comment.

$US3,000 ($AU4,500)
The estimated retail value of each leotard worn by Team USA’s Olympic gymnastics squad. The uniforms are adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals. Each of the five team members has eight leotards.

1928
Film and photography pioneer George Eastman showed coloured motion pictures for the first time to a group of scientists (including Thomas Edison) at a screening in his New York home.

The rate of high-risk gambling is increasing in Australia, according to new data.

High-risk gambling is associated with negative behaviours and consequences that are harmful to participants.

The Australian National University’s (ANU) Centre for Gambling Research found that the number of high-risk gamblers has increased to nearly 14%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

Gambling habits are also shifting towards online platforms, particularly for racing and sports betting.

Around three-quarters of Australian adults reported gambling on one or more products in a 12-month period, according to a 2022 survey by the Australian Gambling Research Centre.

Gambling products include lottery tickets, poker machines, and sports betting.

Nearly 25% of people who reported their gambling habits said they gambled on six or more products in the past 12 months.

Men had higher gambling rates than women across every type of gambling.

ANU conducted longitudinal research on gambling from 2019 to 2024.

It found that the rate of Australians gambling overall decreased during the 2020/2021 pandemic.

The latest data from January 2024 shows that 13.7% of Australians are risky gamblers, slightly above pre-pandemic levels (0.1% higher than April 2019).

“The number of individuals gambling at risky levels increased... This means a larger proportion of individuals who gamble are experiencing harm.” — ANU lead author Dr Aino Suomi

According to ANU’s report, lotteries were the most popular gambling product.

Nearly half (47%) of Australians are estimated to have participated in lotteries, followed by raffle tickets (23%), and scratch tickets (16%). Betting on sports and races saw the largest proportion of online gambling.

Dr Suomi said: “The unlimited access to online gambling has the potential to cause real harm if not properly addressed.”

Researchers found that 5.3% of Australian adults are affected by another person’s gambling — around 1.2 million people.

This can include psychological distress, financial difficulties, and strain on relationships.

ANU researchers are calling for more data on people impacted by gambling in order to inform and improve support.

Gambling helpline: 1800 858 858

Reporting by Nandini Dhir.

NSW will ban ‘no fault’ evictions, bringing the state in line with other parts of the country, including Victoria.

Landlords currently have the power to end a lease without giving their tenant a reason. However, the NSW Government will introduce legislation to ban this practice.

Notice periods for evictions will also be extended under the plan.

The State Government said the reforms are set to be rolled out “early next year”.

There are two types of tenancy agreements (leases) for NSW rentals: Periodic (month-to-month) and fixed-term (has a specified start and end date, e.g. a 12-month lease).

More than a third of the NSW population rent their home. This number has increased by 17.6% since 2016, according to Government figures.

Rentals have also become increasingly expensive over recent years. The median weekly cost to rent in NSW in March 2021 was $470. This figure jumped to $650 in March 2024.

When a NSW tenant is notified that their landlord is ending a lease, they are typically given a move-out window between 30-90 days.

No-grounds or ‘no fault’ evictions mean landlords can legally end a lease without providing a reason.

The NSW Government has pledged to ban these evictions starting next year.

Under the proposal, a landlord will be required to disclose the reason for ending a lease.

This could include plans to sell, renovate or move into the property, or if a tenant has damaged a property or not paid rent.

NSW Housing Minister, Rose Jackson, said the move will create a ”fairer” system for renters doing the right thing, “who should not have to be in a constant limbo with the possibility of an eviction for no reason just around the corner”.

The reforms will also extend the minimum notice period for renters on fixed-term leases of less than six months – from 30 to 60 days.

Anyone on a six-month or longer lease will be given a minimum 90-day notice period of their lease ending, up from 60.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the reforms are intended to give “homeowners and renters more certainty”.

“Bad tenants will still be able to be evicted. We don’t want homeowners to have to put up with bad behaviour,” he added.

South Australia, Victoria, and the ACT have all banned no-fault evictions.

Executive Director of advocacy group ‘Better Renting’, Joel Dignam, told TDA that since the ban was implemented in the ACT, there has been a 0.3% increase in the number of properties available for rent.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the Coalition will consider the reforms, but argued the plan “will not solve” the state’s housing crisis.

Vice President of the peak body ‘Property Owners NSW’ Debra Beck-Mawing described the proposal as “impractical,” and suggested the ban would lead to fewer available rentals in the state.

In a statement to TDA, Beck-Mewing said: “The minute you buy a property you’re treated like a villain and an endless source of fees and taxes”.

The Government said it plans to introduce legislation to ban no-fault evictions in September, after consulting with relevant stakeholders such as property owners and renters groups.

To pass through both houses of NSW Parliament, the Government will need the Coalition’s support or the support of the Greens and some crossbenchers.

Reporting by Harry Sekulich.

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The wukalina Walk in Tasmania, also known as the Bay of Fires, was featured in the 2024 TIME list alongside 99 other destinations. The track follows the coastline of Mt William National Park on the traditional lands of the Palawa or Pakana people. The walk takes around four days to complete, and is known for its wallaby, wombat and Tasmanian devil habitats.

Reporting by Nandini Dhir.

“Women athletes are not there because they are more attractive or sexy. They are there because they are elite athletes.”

That’s the latest from the head of the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), Yiannis Exarchos. OBS films the Games for all the global news channels that have purchased Olympic broadcasting rights - in Australia’s case, the Nine Network.

Exarchos says OBS has updated its camera guidelines to tackle stereotypes and sexism in sports coverage. This could include fewer close-ups of female athletes.

“Unfortunately, some events still reflect stereotypes and sexism in how camera operators frame men and women athletes differently,” he said, attributing this issue to "unconscious bias".

Reporting by Chloe Christie.

Over the weekend, 12 children were killed in an attack on a soccer field in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. Israel and the U.S. said Hezbollah was responsible, which Hezbollah denied. In today’s deep dive, we’ll explain the history of Hezbollah and what this attack could mean for the region’s stability.