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Happy Tuesday!
Here are the three things you’ve definitely heard someone say in the last week:
“I’m just crawling to the end of the year.”
“We’ll deal with that issue next year.”
“Nah but actually where did the year go?”
Which other sayings do you have to add to the list?
I've got 10 seconds
The quote
"I don't think it's right that we have to pay so much." – Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on the fees sponsors have to pay based on drivers' performances. Verstappen won 19 of 22 races this year. His sponsor, Red Bull, will have to pay a nearly $2 million fee to F1's governing body.
The stat
1 in 3
The number of Australians aged 18-24 who drank five or more standard drinks in a single day at least monthly in 2022, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Today in history
1949: Robert Menzies becomes Prime Minister of Australia for a second time, serving until 1966. He was Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister.
I've got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
New legislation will be introduced to further regulate how tech companies like Google and Meta distribute news content. Since a News Bargaining Code was implemented in 2021, Google and Meta have reached voluntary agreements with multiple news media organisations, to pay these outlets because they are hosting their content. A review of the Code made several recommendations, which the Government supports, including giving the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission powers to monitor how news content is being distributed on these platforms, and if news organisations are being properly compensated for sharing their content.
Nine workers have died and several have been injured after a blast at an explosives factory in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The factory is run by Solar Industries, an explosives manufacturer. The state government and Solar Industries have agreed to compensate the families of the workers who died.
I've got 1 minute
In the 12 months to November, 1,253 people died on Australian roads.
It's the highest death toll for the past five and a half years, according to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA).
Targets
The Federal Government has a goal to reach zero deaths on Australian roads by 2050. This includes drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
The latest data shows that all these targets are unlikely to be met.
Both the territories have a slightly higher chance of targets being met, but they remain overall low.
State breakdown
NSW had the highest number of road deaths (354) in the past year and the ACT had the lowest (3).
NSW saw a significant spike in deaths from May this year through to August.
From November 2022 to November 2023, NSW saw a 24% increase in deaths.
Deaths in SA and VIC have also gradually increased throughout this year.
WA, TAS, and the ACT had a slight decline in deaths overall. NT's rates plateaued.
QLD's rates have been irregular. However, at the end of November, they fell lower than VIC for the first time in years.
Government response
Transport Minister Catherine King has urged the public to "take it easy on the roads" and to "drive with care this holiday season".
Assistant Minister for Transport Carol Brown has reminded people to wear seatbelts, not to drink drive, stick to the speed limits and to not "take risks on our roads. It just isn't worth it."
I've got 2 minutes
More Australians are at risk of going hungry in the lead-up to Christmas, with "unprecedented" demand for food relief services.
Foodbank, Australia's largest food relief organisation, says it's experienced record demand for services during recent months, amid rising food prices.
The organisation warned the current peak in food insecurity is likely to continue throughout the holidays.
Food insecurity
Food insecurity is a term used to describe the experience of having limited options or access to food, often due to financial pressures.
Foodbank describes food insecurity as a a spectrum, which can range from anxiety about paying for food, to skipping meals or going days without eating.
Food insecurity can lead to health, dietary and nutritional issues.
Cost of food
Food is becoming more expensive in Australia, according to the latest data on food inflation (rising prices). Food prices were 5.3% higher in October than last year. Groceries like bread and cereals are 8.5% more expensive.
It's prompted accusations of supermarket "price gouging" — the practice of unreasonably raising the cost of certain products.
A Senate inquiry into Coles and Woolworths has been tasked with investigating these claims.
Record numbers
CEO Brianna Casey told TDA demand for Foodbank services in Victoria has been "very pronounced" over the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, a record daily average of 744 households in WA sought help for food insecurity from Foodbank in November.
In NSW and ACT, the number of people seeking food relief increased by 50% in recent weeks.
Remote communities
Many frontline charities that support remote communities are closed during the school holiday break.
Casey said Foodbank Australia is responding to requests from remote parts of the NT and SA for the first time.
She told TDA multiple regions were also recovering from floods and fires, with some still living in temporary accommodation and "struggling" with day-to-day costs.
High demand
Casey told TDA "it's always busy at this time of the year", but this year's Christmas peak in demand is "unprecedented" due to cost of living expenses increasing.
"It's not tapering off. And we are planning and forecasting for this increased demand to continue in the months ahead," said Casey.
A message from our sponsor
Here’s one to watch in the men’s draw at the Australian Open 2024 - 22-year-old Australian fan favourite, Rinky Hijikata. When we caught up for a chat with him, it was clear to us just how much this superstar has a laser focus on taking out some big champions during this year’s tournament. But he’s not just focused on being a good tennis player - he’s also focused on being a good role model and person. From speaking out against gun violence in the U.S. to inspiring young Aussies to pick up a tennis racquet, this is a homegrown star we are thrilled to see succeed.
Give me some good news
A national breeding program in the U.S. has led to the birth of an African Elephant calf. The species is endangered.
Weighing just shy of 100kgs, baby Corra is spending time bonding with her mum at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. She’ll be monitored by vets and expert keepers before the pair are ready to join the rest of the herd.
Disney’s Director of Animal & Science Operations Scott Terrell said Corra’s successful birth is part of a program aimed at ensuring the responsible breeding of endangered animals.
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A TDA tidbit
For the first time ever, Netflix has released its viewership statistics. Collectively, subscribers watched nearly 100 billion (yes, billion) hours of Netflix this year.
The top 5 titles (and the number of hours spent viewing them) are:
The Night Agent: Season 1 (812 million hours)
Ginny & Georgia: Season 2 (665 million hours)
The Glory: Season 1 // 더 글로리: 시즌 1 (623 million hours)
Wednesday: Season 1 (508 million hours)
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (503 million hours)
Other things we learned? On average, someone will watch films and shows from six different genres a month. Also, 30% of views come from non-English titles.
Looking forward to contributing to those viewership stats over the break!
Want to get in front of young Australians?
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