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Happy Friday!
Chances are many of you will be celebrating someone’s birthday this weekend, because September 17th (this Sunday) is the day when the greatest number of Aussies will be celebrating birthdays. That’s according to the ABS.
The least celebrated day for birthdays? 29 February (leap year!), closely followed by Christmas Day.
Happy birthday to all!
I've got 10 seconds
The quote
"I think [these are] a clear demonstration that we are dealing with non-human specimens that are not related to any other species in our world.” - At Mexico’s first parliamentary hearing into the possible existence of UFOs, journalist Jaime Maussan presented what he claimed were alien bodies found at an archaeological site in Peru.
The stat
3.7%
The unemployment rate in Australia in August. Unemployment has hovered around this level since the beginning of last year. Underemployment - those who did not work as much as they wanted to - increased slightly to 6.5%.
Today in history
2000: The Olympic Games opened in Sydney, Australia.
I've got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Over four years after it was established, the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability will conclude today, with a ceremonial closing sitting in Sydney. The Commission began in April 2019 following widespread reports of severe misconduct against people with disability. A final report including a list of recommendations will be handed to the Governor-General in two weeks.
The Federal Government has announced free-to-air stations will be given the first chance to secure broadcast rights for future Matildas World Cup matches, before subscription services. The Government says this will ensure more Australians can watch the Matildas’ World Cup matches for free in 2027 and into the future.
I've got 1 minute
If you’ve received a text message telling you how to vote in the upcoming Voice referendum, you're not alone.
'No' campaign texts have been common in recent weeks, some addressed by leading Voice opponent Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
Political ‘spam’:
Australia has rules about spam communication. These rules ensure marketers must have your consent and offer you a way to opt out of messages.
The Government also operates a 'Do Not Call' register for those who wish to opt out of telemarketing.
However, these rules are designed for commercial marketing. They generally do not apply to political communication.
In general, the only requirement placed on political campaigners who send texts or make phone calls is to identify themselves by providing their contact details.
Like all forms of federal political advertising, these messages are not required to be factually accurate.
How did they get my number?
Political campaigns often maintain databases with contact information.
Campaigners also often claim to use random phone number generators to reach people whose details they do not have.
The 'Yes' campaign for same-sex marriage claimed to have used this tactic in 2017, as did Clive Palmer's United Australia Party prior to last year's federal election.
Use of official sources:
Some of the text messages sent to voters in recent days include a link claiming to direct people to a 'postal vote'.
The link directs to a Liberal and National party website, which encourages people to enter details to receive an email on how to register for a postal vote.
Anyone who wants to register for a postal vote can do so on the official AEC website without providing their details to a political party.
No Silly Questions in the wild!
Thanks for sending us this aesthetically pleasing picture, Laura! Every plant we have tried to grow in the office has died, so we wish you the best of luck with your orchard.
For the next week, we’d love to share photos in this section from any of you who spot the book in the wild. Just hit reply with a photo attached of you and the book, or a photo of the book in a bookstore!
I've got 2 minutes
The Queensland Government has passed laws allowing the names of adults charged with rape and other sexual offences to be made public before they stand trial.
The change will come into effect on 3 October, ending previous laws that prevented accused offenders from being identified by the media and in public records.
The context:
For most cases and in most of Australia, the media can report on people who have been charged with an offence before they stand trial.
However, in Queensland, there is currently a legal protection for people who have been accused of rape or other sexual offences, that prevents the media from reporting on them prior to the court case.
The Queensland Government passed a law yesterday to overturn this.
This means that from next month, people accused of a sexual offence can be identified when they’re charged (in the same way alleged offenders of other crimes are named).
The laws will be retrospective, meaning anyone previously charged with sexual assault in the state who has not yet gone to trial can be identified from 3 October.
Are there exceptions?
Alleged offenders and alleged victims will be able to apply for a non-publication order, which would keep an accused offender anonymous.
The decision would be up to a court, who must consider any views or submissions made by the alleged victim or applications made by the alleged offender.
The Queensland Government says it is working on a guide to assist journalists in reporting on alleged sexual offenders in the media.
Government statement:
The change was recommended by the QLD Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce. It received support from both sides of politics when it passed in state Parliament on Wednesday.
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Yvette D’Ath, said the Government hoped that “modernising” these laws would encourage more victim-survivors to report their experience to police.
Give me some good news
Australian Paralympic swimmer Jack Ireland has broken his own world record at the Australian Short Course Championships.
Ireland beat his previous record in the multi-class S14 200m freestyle by almost a second in Sydney on Wednesday night.
A message from our sponsor
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A TDA tidbit
They say journalism is a changing landscape. And they’re not wrong.
USA Today is advertising for a new role simply called ‘Taylor Swift Reporter’.
Yep – a full-time role, solely dedicated to reporting on a single artist.
The job ad reads: “[We] are seeking an experienced, video-forward journalist to capture the music and cultural impact of Taylor Swift. Swift's fanbase has grown to unprecedented heights, and so has the significance of her music and growing legacy.
We are looking for an energetic writer, photographer and social media pro who can quench an undeniable thirst for all things Taylor Swift with a steady stream of content across multiple platforms.
Seeing both the facts and the fury, the Taylor Swift reporter will identify why the pop star’s influence only expands, what her fanbase stands for in pop culture, and the effect she has across the music and business worlds.”
This job posting comes in the wake of USA Today’s parent company, Gannett, laying off hundreds of staff in the past year.
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The Daily Aus acknowledges the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.