Australia hikes levy for tech giants that fail to strike local news deals
Matched: Australia
Australia will increase a levy on large technology companies that fail to reach commercial deals with local news outlets to pay for journalism. The charge will be calculated based on advertising revenue rather than total revenue, narrowing its scope. The move is designed to pressure platforms like Google and Meta into negotiating fair compensation agreements with Australian news publishers.
Exclusive: Japanese telco Sakura Mobile informs customers of data breach
Matched: Australia
Japanese telecommunications service Sakura Mobile, which caters to tourists and international residents including Australians, has notified customers of a data breach involving unauthorised access to limited customer data. The company says payment details were not affected. No further details about the breach's scope or cause have been publicly disclosed.
Exclusive: Partnered Health responds to Inc Ransom data breach claims
Matched: Australia, health
Australian GP network Partnered Health is responding to claims by cyber extortion group Inc Ransom, which alleges it stole terabytes of data from the organisation. At least 21 clinics may be affected. Partnered Health has not confirmed the breach but is investigating. Inc Ransom typically publishes stolen data if ransom demands go unmet.
FBI And Allies Warn of North Korean IT Workers Using Stolen Identities
Matched: Australia
The FBI, U.S. State Department, and allied nations including Japan, Canada, Germany, Australia, the UK, and South Korea have jointly warned that North Korean IT workers are infiltrating private companies using stolen identities, forged documents, and proxy networks. The advisory urges firms worldwide to strengthen hiring verification processes to detect and prevent such infiltration.
Report: Nearly half of Australians experienced cyber crime in 2025
Matched: Australia
Nearly half of Australians were affected by cybercrime in 2025, though overall victimisation rates fell slightly from the previous year, according to the Australian Cybercrime Survey. Online scams continued to rise despite the broader decline. Underreporting remains a significant concern, with most incidents never flagged to authorities, limiting the ability to fully assess the scale of the problem.
ASPI launches AI and Security Program to tackle national security challenges
Matched: Australia
Australia's Strategic Policy Institute has launched an AI and Security Program to research how artificial intelligence affects national security. The program will focus on cyber threats, critical infrastructure protection, defence sector AI adoption, and international AI governance frameworks.
ACMA takes Optus to Federal Court over September 2025 Triple Zero outage
Matched: Australia
Australia's communications regulator ACMA has launched Federal Court action against Optus over its handling of a September 2025 network outage, alleging the telco breached legal obligations related to Triple Zero emergency call access during the disruption.
Melbourne start-up Maincode announces widespread access to Matilda AI coding agent
Matched: Australia
Melbourne start-up Maincode has opened its AI coding agent Matilda to wider beta access. The Australian-made chat model and coding agent was previously in limited release before the company announced broader community availability. Maincode is based in Melbourne.
ACMA takes Optus to court over 2025 Triple Zero failures
Matched: Australia
Australia's communications regulator ACMA is taking Optus to court, alleging the telco breached its emergency call obligations more than 1,000 times during a network outage in September 2025. The action centres on failures to connect customers to Triple Zero during the disruption.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner sues Telegram over terror content
Matched: Australia
Australia's eSafety Commissioner is suing Telegram after a year-long investigation found the platform failed to comply with the Online Safety Act. The regulator alleges Telegram did not adequately respond to requests for information about how it handles terrorist and violent extremist content on its platform.