Meta, the owner of Facebook, is abandoning its deals with Australian publishers that see the tech giant pay for the news content it uses, in a move that is expected to cost media groups tens of millions of dollars.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Meta announced today in a statement that it will scrap its news bookmark tab on Facebook in early April.

“To ensure that we continue to invest in products and services that drive user engagement, we will not enter into new commercial deals for traditional news content in these countries and will not offer new Facebook products specifically for news publishers in the future,” Meta said in its statement.

“As we previously shared in 2023, news makes up less than 3 per cent of what people around the world see in their Facebook feed, and is a small part of the Facebook experience for the vast majority of people.”

In other words, Meta will not be removing news content from Facebook — it just won’t be paying for it.

This move has serious ramifications for the Australian news industry, both for large and small publishers alike, given that Meta draws significant advertising revenue off the back of the publishers’ work, and those publishers will no longer be compensated by Meta for that content.

Meta’s commercial relationships with news publishers are estimated to be worth around $65 million per year. The majority of Meta’s three-year contracts, including several negotiated with Google, are slated to expire this year.

The federal government will come under pressure to “designate” Meta under the terms of the news media bargaining code, which would force them into arbitration for content payments, with the threat of massive fines to those unwilling to compensate news outlets.

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland have today accused the company of “a dereliction of its commitment to the sustainability of Australian news media.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Anthony also blasted Meta, labelling the company’s move as “unfair” and “not the Australian way.”

“We’re very concerned with this announcement … It is absolutely critical that media is able to function and be properly funded,” Mr Albanese said in Melbourne.

“We will consider what options we have available and we will talk to the media companies as well.”

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian.

A new analysis of the NSW Government has suggested the entire Inner West local government area in Sydney could be rezoned for six-storey apartments, in a bid to reshape affluent Sydney neighbourhoods.

The 12-page briefing document further indicated that the government’s efforts to increase density are unlikely to meet the ambitious 378,000 National Housing Accord targets set by Premier Chris Minns last year.

After being drafted on December 14 2023, by Planning Minister Paul Scully, senior departmental officials, and eight Sydney mayors, the document revealed numerous previously undisclosed specifics regarding the reforms introduced just a week before. 

The Sydney Morning Herald also revealed that the document detailed each pillar of the government’s proposed changes, while providing insights into how they would impact the inner west.

The document stated that for areas up to 800 metres from transport hubs and town centres in medium-density zones and “appropriate employment zones”, mid-rise apartment blocks built up to six storeys high will be allowed.

“For the inner west, which is entirely mapped as ‘well located’, this will mean… that six-storey apartments will be possible across the LGA (even though some consolidation is required),” the document revealed.

This proposal has been criticised by many, including the Inner West Council.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said allowing six-storey apartment blocks “in every single street is absurd, and we would fight hard against such a simplistic proposal. I don’t know if rezoning the whole of the inner west is just another bureaucrat’s thought bubble, but this contradicts public statements of the premier and the planning minister.”

“Frustratingly, we are still waiting for them to provide dwelling targets. Once we have the dwelling numbers we will work through the best places to locate the new housing,” Mr Byrne said.

Planning Minister Paul Scully dismissed these concerns addressed by the Inner West Mayor. 

“But the idea that the entire LGA will be reshaped to only include mid-rise apartment blocks is fanciful and designed to scaremonger,” he said. 

“It remains the council’s responsibility to assess a development based on a range of criteria including overshadowing, congestion, light, design and privacy, among other considerations.”

The committee for Sydney planning policy manager Estelle Grech said while there was “a lot to like” about the NSW government’s new housing reforms “we need to take the time to get it right before automatically uplifting heights around all centres”.

“Not all town centres are created equal. We need to make sure they have the social infrastructure new residents need, including childcare, primary schools, open space, libraries and cultural centres, as well as frequent and reliable public transport,” Ms Grech said.

“Instead of trying to do everything everywhere all at once, we should prioritise and start in the areas with the highest potential. It makes sense to start in the city’s east and work our way west in a clear and certain manner, allowing markets to mature over time.”

Kobi Shetty, the Greens MP representing Balmain, also argued that the recent revelations indicated a lack of proper communication from the government regarding the scale of the proposed changes to the community.

“These proposed changes could see wholesale rezoning of the inner west, with significant impacts on current and future residents,” she said. 

“Despite the impact of these proposed changes, the NSW Labour government has failed to adequately consult with local communities. As a result, I’ve had hundreds of local residents join public meetings to get the facts on these reforms and to understand how they can have their say.” 

The government’s plans for the Inner West were revealed alongside projections from the briefing document. 

It showed that only 15,802 homes would be added by July 2029 in the eight main transport areas.

These areas include Bankstown, Bays West, Bella Vista, Crows Nest, Homebush, Hornsby, Kellyville, and Macquarie Park. They’re expected to contribute a total of 147,000 homes over the next 15 years.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.

Seniors across the state will have more opportunities to socialise and learn new skills thanks to $600,000 in grants from the NSW Government.

The Connecting Seniors grant program has awarded funding to 21 organisations across NSW for initiatives that will help older people stay connected.

The recipients include 16 not-for-profit organisations and five local councils, with initiatives ranging from choirs and intergenerational learning projects to social events for LGBTQ+ seniors and cultural programs for Aboriginal Elders.

Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison said the grants will support activities which can provide a social lifeline for seniors, especially for those of which who live alone.

“As our population ages, we want to make sure we provide our seniors with opportunities to socialise while enjoying engaging experiences,” Mr Harrison said.

“Congratulations to all the grant recipients; I’m looking forward to seeing your activities in action.”

For example, one recipient Touched by Olivia has received $30,000 to fund a paid ‘Connector’ who works with the Council, local businesses and community groups to connect those needing support with services and activities in their area. Its Community Circles program bring seniors together for social activities, helping beat social isolation and loneliness.

“Our Community Circles program helps connect isolated or lonely seniors with social opportunities, support and services in their area and it’s been a huge success where we trialled it in the Southern Highlands,” the Touched by Olivia founding director John Perkins said.

“This funding will allow us to expand the program in Canada Bay LGA so we can assist more seniors in need.

“Whether that’s by running social board game sessions at Concord Library, connecting locals from different cultural backgrounds or simply getting groceries for elderly residents who don’t have support.”

More than half of the projects will support seniors living in regional NSW and about one-third will assist Aboriginal people over 50 and seniors with disability.

The Connecting Seniors grant program builds on previous grants, which have been proven to reduce social isolation for thousands of seniors in NSW.

It delivers on the Ageing Well in NSW: Seniors Strategy 2021-2031, with the Government committed to creating a more inclusive community and addressing isolation and loneliness.