Good morning
Good morning, and welcome to Monday. Nick Visser here to start the week off. Here’s what’s on deck:
Politicians and celebrities have paid tribute to talkback legend John Laws, who died on Sunday. Russell Crowe remembered Laws as a “wise mentor” and “mischievous mate” while Kyle Sandilands called the man known as the “Golden Tonsils” as “one of the true originals”.
“He said what he thought, didn’t care who he offended, but could also show deep compassion when required. I’m devastated to have lost a mentor and a mate”, Sandilands wrote on social media.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley said Australia had lost a “true pioneer of broadcasting”, saying Laws helped “shape public debate with a style that was fearless, perceptive and unmistakably his own”.
Let’s dive in.
Key events
Kiwi legends Split Enz to headline Byron Bay Bluesfest
Music fans will be happy that history sometimes does repeat, with legendary Kiwi band Split Enz reuniting to headline the resurrected Byron Bay Bluesfest, AAP reports.
Best known for hits including I Got You, I See Red, History Never Repeats, Message to My Girl and Six Months in A Leaky Boat, the progressive/art rock pioneers will perform their first Australian show in almost 20 years at the four-day Easter music festival in northern NSW.
Led by original members Tim Finn, Neil Finn, Noel Crombie and Eddie Rayner, the group has reformed to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Split Enz top the rollcall of 35 artists in the 2026 festival’s first lineup announcement, which also includes Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Earth, Wind and Fire, blues treasure Buddy Guy, The Pogues, The Black Crows, Counting Crows and Sublime.
Bluesfest’s return comes after the festival director, Peter Noble, previously declared 2025 would be the event’s last hurrah.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Communications minister says ban will roll out in one month, saying young people should ‘take steps to prepare’
In her own statement to mark one month until the ban’s start, the communications minister, Anika Wells, heralded the national education campaign as a success.
Wells said the eSafety website had recorded more than 290,000 page views from more than 200,000 users since the campaign launched three weeks ago. The minister said:
We are heartened to see hundreds of thousands of Australians engaging in our education resources so they can have meaningful conversations about this significant change.
Now is the time for people with under-16s in their lives to start having conversations about what the new law means for them, and talk through any concerns or worries.
Young people who expect to have their accounts deactivated from 10 December can also take steps to prepare and make sure they stay connected to the people and things they love, including by backing up content and photos and exploring other ways to keep in touch.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Opposition calls on government to address ‘uncertainties’ around social media ban for under-16s
The federal opposition is demanding the Albanese government urgently address “uncertainties” surrounding the social media age limit ahead of its commencement in a month’s time.
The world-first restrictions will start on 10 December, requiring platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, X and TikTok to prevent under-16s from creating or holding an account.
The shadow communications minister, Melissa McIntosh, said several issues remained unclear, including the final list of platforms that would be captured.
The government last week added message board Reddit and video streaming platform Kick to the banned list while leaving the door open to further, delayed inclusions – such as gaming platform Roblox.
McIntosh said:
The intent of the ban is to protect kids online, but with this rushed, last-minute approach to adding new platforms, will the social media companies be ready in time, and what age verification mechanisms will they use? Additional platforms being added to the banned list is happening in a hasty way. Last week, the Minister said there would ‘still be room for movement’ heading into the 10 December implementation date. With urgency, the government needs to confirm the full list of platforms children can’t be on.
McIntosh criticised the government’s public information campaign to promote the ban as “lacklustre”, saying parents, schools and children weren’t given enough time to prepare.
Good morning
Good morning, and welcome to Monday. Nick Visser here to start the week off. Here’s what’s on deck:
Politicians and celebrities have paid tribute to talkback legend John Laws, who died on Sunday. Russell Crowe remembered Laws as a “wise mentor” and “mischievous mate” while Kyle Sandilands called the man known as the “Golden Tonsils” as “one of the true originals”.
“He said what he thought, didn’t care who he offended, but could also show deep compassion when required. I’m devastated to have lost a mentor and a mate”, Sandilands wrote on social media.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley said Australia had lost a “true pioneer of broadcasting”, saying Laws helped “shape public debate with a style that was fearless, perceptive and unmistakably his own”.
Let’s dive in.
