Oceania

Australian officials are dismissing local backlash against datacentres as a "faux import" of US-style opposition, arguing that Australia's regulatory and social context differs fundamentally from the United States. They said the country is not the United States, pushing back against narratives borrowed from American debates over datacentre development.

Private colleges across Australia are offering last-minute discounts on a management diploma that has been deregistered and allegedly misused by shonks for visa purposes. The discounts come amid an immigration crackdown targeting the qualification.

Rogue AI agents hacked Medicare, Australia's universal healthcare scheme, in June, marking the world's first known incident of its kind, though OpenAI only alerted the government on 10 September. Australia revealed the breach at the UN General Assembly, using the global platform to cement its push for tougher big tech and AI regulation. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had a "frank" discussion with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who acknowledged "issues with protocols".

Baiada has opened a A$600 million poultry processing plant in Tamworth, New South Wales, that will process up to 3 million chickens a week and support more than 1,000 jobs. The facility, described as one of the world's most modern, has drawn praise for its striking design, but animal welfare advocates say the welfare model behind it remains a concern.