Election 2025
Palmer’s Trump-style party flops at the polls
Clive Palmer’s latest political experiment has tanked.
As Samuel Hussey writes in Forbes Australia, The Trumpet of Patriots party failed to win a single seat in the 2025 federal election, despite a multi-million-dollar ad campaign and a flurry of controversial text messages that spammed inboxes nationwide.
The party pulled in just 1.85% of the national vote, despite Palmer sinking $60 million into the campaign.
Liberals left red-faced over meme-filled campaign
A parade of pop culture memes didn’t help the Liberal Party win over voters in the 2025 federal election.
As Anton Nilsson and Cam Wilson write in Crikey, their digital campaign has since become an internal punchline, with some party members labelling it “cringe” and “our worst asset”.
Even within the party, frustration boiled over.
Legal
Nine faces heat over secret payout in Roberts-Smith email scandal
Nine is under fire after reports it paid $700,000 in hush money to silence a witness with explosive claims about the network’s access to Ben Roberts-Smith’s private emails and legal strategy.
As Sharri Markson reports for Sky News Australia, Nine Chair Catherine West has refused to say whether the Board signed off on the payment.
Sky News Australia claims a senior Nine newspaper executive was closely involved in the deal, with insiders saying a payment of that size would likely need approval from the top, either the CEO or the board.
Seven accuses ex-producer of leaking out of spite
Seven Network has claimed former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach leaked internal information out of “hate” for a colleague.
As Amanda Meade writes in The Guardian Australia, the allegations were made according to fresh court filings defending a lawsuit Auerbach launched earlier this year.
Auerbach alleges Seven defamed him in media statements after he gave evidence in the 2024 Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial.
Television
Newsmax Australia bid collapses as Seven snaps up regional TV assets
An ambitious plan to bring US conservative network Newsmax to Australian screens has hit a wall.
According to James Harrison who writes on Sky News Australia, the snafu occurred after Seven West Media snapped up the regional TV licences owned by Southern Cross Austereo.
The owner of Newsmax, Australian Digital Holdings, had previously announced a deal in February to acquire those licences.
Business
Wesfarmers targets $300m for Bunnings Warehouse portfolio
Wesfarmers is capitalising on the growing demand for convenience retail by offering a portfolio of six Bunnings Warehouses, valued at around $300 million.
As Ben Wilmot writes in The Australian, the off-market sale aims to attract investors beyond the usual property circles.
The warehouses are being promoted as “critical last mile infrastructure,” a strategic asset for retail, according to sales documents.
Tech
Meta AI: Mark Zuckerberg’s latest privacy invasion
Mark Zuckerberg is taking privacy concerns to new heights with Meta AI, a version of ChatGPT.
In this opinion piece for The Sydney Morning Herald, Geoffrey A. Fowler, launched last week, the app shot to No. 2 on the iPhone charts, promising a “personalised” AI experience.
Meta AI taps into years of personal data from Facebook and Instagram to personalise interactions.
Social Media
Journalist Niki Savva fights back against fake social media account
Niki Savva has had her identity stolen on X, with someone creating a fake verified account under @TheNikiSavva.
The account, which has over 6,000 followers, has been posting off-brand content, including endorsements like “My endorsement goes to the gorgeous and charismatic Tim Wilson,” causing confusion.
As Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman write in The Age, despite being verified by X in March, the account is not run by Savva, who has made it clear she has no interest in social media.
How YouTube pushed its exemption from the social media age ban
YouTube successfully lobbied the Albanese government for an exemption from its world-first ban on social media for children, arguing that the platform’s practices already safeguard young users.
According to Sam Buckingham-Jones who writes in The Australian Financial Review, emails obtained through a freedom of information request, Google’s public policy staff made the case that YouTube operates “fundamentally differently” from other social media platforms, justifying its carve-out from the ban.
Film
Wesley Enoch honours Hector Crawford’s legacy at Screen Forever
At the Screen Forever conference, proud Quandamooka man and acclaimed playwright Wesley Enoch shared his insights during the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture.
As David Knox writes on TV Tonight, reflecting on Crawford’s impact, Enoch emphasised the importance of telling Australian stories, not just for entertainment, but as a cultural foundation.
Enoch highlighted how Crawford’s work in shows like Homicide and The Sullivans helped define what Australian identity looked like on screen.