Bernard Hickey

"Recommendation 7: The committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a Digital Media Competency Fund... While this fund should have a strong focus on the digital media literacy of young Australians, it should also fund initiatives aimed at improving the digital media literacy of other groups at risk of being taken in by mis- and disinformation, including older Australians and those in regional areas." Excellent recommendation for media literacy week - and good to see the Australian Library and Information Association submission quoted in the report. Read the full Second interim report: digital platforms and the traditional news media here: https://lnkd.in/gCpXAtCE #LibrariesTransform #MedialiteracyWeek

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The #RIAAConference2024 is coming up in May, helping investors navigate the mainstreaming of sustainability, and unveiling pivotal initiatives like the Sustainability Classifications and the #AI and #HumanRights Investor Toolkit. Estelle Parker co-CEO Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) says sustainability is no longer in the side-lines, it's now mainstream, and companies are racing to net zero. Click the link below to read more: 👇 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gAr8aWBg 💡🌱 Follow me and FS Sustainability for essential sustainability/ESG-related news, and keep on top of the trends and requirements in a fast-paced business landscape. #esg #sustainability #sustainableinvesting #investment #sustainable #socialimpact #business #responsibleinvesting #responsibleinvestment #investing #financialservices #climatecrisis #LinkedInTopVoices #climatechange #climate #netzero #news #breakingnews #climatenews #newsupdate

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Supporting independent public interest media - this article by @johnmenadue highlights how public policy undermines media diversity & independent media, while boosting the big corporates https://lnkd.in/g6EPGPsC Commercial Determinants of Health in action.

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The question of what should happen to our data and our digital lives after our physical one end is fundamentally a philosophical and ethical one, as the terrific book I reviewed this week makes clear: https://lnkd.in/euYyyRj3

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An excellent piece from Dileepa Fonseka at BusinessDesk NZ on the $33m cloud computing project at New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade – a must read for anyone in government IT and procurement.  One the big issues it underlines is the poor scoping of project work. Migrating to the cloud is a much bigger deal than a lot of people realise and plenty of people have underestimated how much work is needed to be ready to make the shift… it’s not simply a matter of plugging in a few bits of code and flicking a switch. If anything, it’s another reminder of how important transparent pricing is when it comes to procurement and it seems like there’s far too much underbidding to win contracts, with margin built into variations. Mfat won’t be the only organisation to find itself in this situation – if we expect to get a better bang for our buck when it comes to government spending, it seems like we need much more realistic expectations of the true cost of projects.  https://lnkd.in/gyzAEAp3

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Some of my editorial clients are rule-breakers. Instead of slavishly following accepted style guides (we often use the Australian Government Style Manual and the Macquarie Dictionary here), they’ve got their own rule book. That’s not to say that our trusty government style manual is thrown away. Of course not. It’s used as a basis, but they make some refinements based on their preference or needs. Here are some examples I’ve seen in local style guides that break with convention: 👉 using 70s instead of ’70s to indicate a decade (that’s right, no apostrophe!) 👉 no comma before ‘etc’ in a horizontal list (this one still hurts my eyes) 👉 5am and 12.30pm instead of 5 am and 12.30 pm 👉 ‘acknowledgment’ and ‘judgment’ instead of ‘acknowledgement’ and ‘judgement’ 👉 punctuation OUTSIDE a quotation mark (‘Keep it real’, he said.) 👉 Full stops in someone’s initials (J.R.R. Tolkien instead of JRR Tolkien) There are more, but you get my drift. Sometimes I come across an issue that isn’t in their guide or even the government style manual. So what do I do? I consult with the author and publisher and come up with a solution, which is added to the style sheet. As long as it’s consistent, they’re happy. Sometimes, authors make choices that go against most style guides or local dictionaries. But if they work and the publisher gives them the green light, they stay! (For example, one of my favourite fiction authors only used commas and full stops in his writing. No colons. No semicolons. No quote marks. And the writing is still highly readable!) So you see, editors need to be adaptable and creative. They’re not always mindlessly applying grammar, spelling and usage rules. Instead, they’re scrutinising house guides, and even the author’s own style, to determine what stays, what goes and what needs to be tweaked. Sure, popular style manuals (like APA, New Hart’s Rules, CMOS, etc.) exist for a reason. They ensure consistency and readability. But sometimes they need to be questioned – or even defied – if they don’t serve the writer’s goal. (And remember, they get updated regularly to reflect changing usage.) When you see some unusual style choices in a book or website, don’t fire up your blow torch just yet. If they’re consistent, they’re probably intentional and actually PREFERRED by the publisher or writer. If this resonates and you’re looking for a non-fiction editor who can balance style guides with your voice (and even approve some risky choices), drop me a line! P.S. What do you think of writers who break the rules? Do you have any favourites? #styleguides #editing ------------------- Hi, I’m Gabriella, a freelance editor for businesses, marketers, publishers and non-fiction authors. I help you polish your writing so you can educate, inspire or persuade readers to take action. Shoot me a DM if you need an editor on your team. I have slots open from August. 

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Introduction by Croakey: Next week’s Federal Budget will include $100 million for a new national Active Transport Fund to upgrade and deliver new bicycle and walking paths. Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the initiative will “support zero emissions travel, provide a safer environment for cyclists and pedestrians, and promote active and liveable communities”. The program is expected to begin on 1 July 2025, and guidelines will be developed in consultation with states and territories. The Climate and Health Alliance welcomed the announcement, noting that CAHA has championed a healthy transport fund for a decade. Traffic-related air pollution is known to cause asthma onset in children, lung cancer, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, stroke, diabetes, and premature birth and low birth weights, CAHA CEO Michelle Isles said in a statement. However, the Greens said the funding pledge falls far short of a call for 20 percent of federal transport funding to be dedicated to active transport, as recommended by the Climate Council in its 2023 Shifting Gear Report in order to achieve Australia’s obligations under the Paris Agreement and reduce traffic congestion. Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Greens spokesperson for Transport, Infrastructure and Sustainable Cities, said the new fund will not see a meaningful decrease in cars on the road, with the Government “still tipping over $10 billion a year into road projects that will see more people drive”. “If Labor’s new active transport commitment were spread between Australia’s 86 cities and regional centres, it would equate to just over $290,000 a year each for active transport infrastructure. That’s hardly much more than a few painted lines,” Watson-Brown said in a statement. Meanwhile, recommendations for reducing road deaths are outlined in the article below, which was first published by The Conversation with the headline, Hundreds of cities have achieved zero road deaths in a year. Here’s how they did it.

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With ASIC (deservedly) under fire for being comprehensively broken, it's worth remembering the government is very much part of the problem (ICYMI): https://lnkd.in/gvBzKefX

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Very excited to read the report from the Untapped Research project. This ambitious (maybe slightly crazy) ARC linkage which the Australian Library and Information Association was a partner on, actually set up a publishing house, negotiated rights reversion for out of print Australian classics and then turned them into ebooks loaned through public libraries. The findings included: 1. There was substantial public demand to borrow these titles  2. There was substantial public demand to purchase these titles  3. There was no evidence that e-lending cannibalised book sales (and some evidence it may actually have increased them) 4. Library promotional efforts influenced circulation 5. Reversion can open up new streams of income for authors 6. Authors received economic and non-economic benefits through participation in the project Read the report - you'll enjoy it: https://lnkd.in/gUxZkyRs The report was launched at the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Futures Summit - more on that to come! #LibrariesTransform #Libraries #eBooks

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A Director's Guide to AI Board Governance was released by the Institute of Directors in New Zealand yesterday and is a really good primer for board directors about how to deal with rapid change in the field of AI in the context of existing governance practices. The guide is free to download here... Underpinned by nine principles: 1. Take action from a strategic perspective  2. Seize the opportunities 3. Categorise and address the risks 4. Build board capability 5. Select the right board structure 6. Oversee AI use and data governance 7. Look after your people 8. Proactively build trust 9. Embrace AI as part of your governance practice Well worth a read for anyone in a governance role and wanting to make the most of AI - responsibly. https://lnkd.in/gzydE97v Kirsten (KP) Patterson Frith Tweedie Jenni Rutter Monique Forbes

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I wonder if it is possible to find out how many of the syndicated/non-attributed "Editorials" NZME reprints in the likes of Hawke's Bay Today are generated by Artificial Intelligence? Because under NZME's regime you would struggle to find a regional newsroom sufficiently full of enough journalists to produce relevant, local, daily op-eds! Remember - NZME's artificially intelligent execs HALVED the size of HB Today's staff mere weeks after the paper won national AND international awards! Surely this has wider implications for the whole of New Zealand if their media networks are flooding their regional newspapers with AI-generated news & opinions?! "NZ Herald’s publisher NZME says it should have employed more “journalistic rigor” when it used AI tools to create an editorial that appeared in the Weekend Herald, online & in regional papers recently." Herald deploys AI for editorial, admits lack of rigour https://lnkd.in/gJ4NjgGw

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Here’s an interesting take on the topic of AI and the media industry: the Australian independent news website Crikey has banned the use of AI in generating news. Its manifesto might be come across as shrill, but it makes some good points and I suspect many journalists, subscribers and readers will happy with its conclusion: ‘Crikey will never use AI to create what you read and see from us … ‘We join a movement of people rejecting AI-generated content to fight for the real stuff, and we invite other news organisations to join us. 'We promise that everything you read and see in Crikey is made by a real person …' https://lnkd.in/g7MkUwAK

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[NEW CLIMATE COUNCIL REPORT ON PT FREQUENCY] Finds Melbourne lags Sydney in relation to frequent PT within 800m of people (52% versus 67%). Also we tie with Brisbane for having the worst comparative PT for low income people. The answer is FREQUENCY with the main recommendation being PT every 15 min or better between 7am and 7pm 7 days. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gf2NTYWg

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Artificial intelligence is tipped to be the big breakthrough to help modernise Australia's sheep sector. While other industries have benefited from greater mechanisation, grazing enterprises have not seen the same gains. But now, scientists like Mark Ferguson say AI could be the next big thing for sheep farmers. Check out the cool video in this story. It shows AI using facial recognition (no, not all sheep look the same) to work out who is who in the zoo (well, farm) and adding $$ to farm enterprises. And it's not pie in the sky stuff, the program will be released this year. https://lnkd.in/g8iUaspd

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#NewResearch! 🏮 🏮 Subscription traps are consumer-harm-causing deceptive design tactics used by all companies small and large- from news providers to e-commerce platforms, and over-the-top video streaming(OTT) services to medical services. A new report from the Consumer Policy Research Centre on hashtag #SubscriptionTraps witty-ly titled 'Let me Out' measures the impact of these choices on consumers in Australia- Here's what stood out for me: 1. Close to 1 in 3 Australians (32%) have felt pressured into keeping a subscription 2. 75% of Australians with subscriptions have had some form of negative experience when trying to cancel a subscription 3. 90% of Australians would likely purchase from the same organisation if cancelling a subscription process was quick and simple (yes yes yes!) Let's break the #myth that subscription traps are good for business in the short term or long. Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/g_dUuJiC #darkpattens #deceptivedesign #userresearch #consumerprotection The Advertising Standards Council of India Chandni Gupta Erin Turner

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Impact measurement is increasingly recognised as a core requirement for good governance. This is especially true for the not-for-profit (or for-purpose) sector, where boards have a responsibility to report to funders, donors, clients and other stakeholders on the extent to which their organisation is achieving its stated mission or purpose. Measuring impact provides that assurance to funders. An understanding of the key concepts and purposes of impact measurement empowers the board to request evidence-based information, ask the right questions and make informed decisions focused on impact. In the same way that boards should receive, understand and respond to financial information about the organisation, the board should have a similar governance role regarding impact. The AICD’s Impact measurement and governance guide outlines five principles of effective impact measurement.

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In the hyper-vigilant thrall of witch-hunting "Pretendians", people are failing to pay attention to the bigger issues: https://lnkd.in/gZteQ5et Reconciliation IS supposed to be about Healing -through establishing right relations and accountabilities with the First Peoples. Throwing money at anything and anyone waving an "indigenous" flag is not the way. In fact, it only serves to muddy the waters AND to create competition, confusion and strife for everyone concerned. The colonial strategy of "divide and conquer" is still in operation. And people who fail to learn from this history, only perpetuate "Reconciliation as Re-Colonization". The absence of Traditionally-taught First Peoples on every level-of decision making, I believe, is highly problematic. Firstly, because there are so few left of the bona fide Traditional Elders. Secondly, because there is zero trust between bona fide Elders and representatives of the Formal System (FS). Thirdly, because the very mechanisms for influencing decisions and outcomes of the FS are THEMSELVES constructs of coloniality. The machinations of the system itself STILL require us to ASSIMILATE sufficiently in order to gain audience and influence at the levels that matter (e.g., through language, anglicizing, urban proximity, adoption of colonial methodologies in communication, decision-making, contracted timelines, and results expectations, etc.). Genuine Reconciliation cannot happen without a long overdue SHIFT both at the PERSONAL and at the PARADIGMATIC levels. Yes that's right, I am naming it. The structures we have inherited in Canada, within which we are presumed to necessarily operate, are COLONIAL CONSTRUCTS. Traditional Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing - as I know them - are completely precedent and altern to these constructs. How then can we rely on these colonial constructs - from Governance to Health, Education Social Services, Business and Economics- to be even permeable to, much less comprehensive of, Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being? Particularly when these colonial constructs are designed to only reproduce replicants of itself? Surprisingly, I do not advocate for a complete dismantling of 'The System'. I actually believe it is possible to steer many of these colonial machinations towards proper Reconciliatory ends. This must start with the People - it cannot be from 'Top Down'. And it must be through Skills Learning and Practice - not through catechism, rote and formulae. Also surprisingly, I am not going to promote my workshop/teachings here. I am wary, critically cognizant and inherently resistant to leveraging social and professional contacts in civic discourse for 'marketing' purposes. And i resent the expectation that i must commodify myself in order to discover a community of similar minds. I DO however have to say a few things in a few directions. (TBC in following post due to character limitations).

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Someone asked me recently if I was worried about AI taking my job. The genuine answer is...not really? Maybe it's naive. But I told her I'd worry about it when AI could report a story. AI is getting better at writing coherent sentences. But journalism and science writing are more than just writing. You have to come up with the idea, talk to people (shocker!), pick quotes, tell a story, and fact-check what you've written. AI is a tool we're all experimenting with right now. We are testing its usefulness and its limits. I expect more stories like this to come out as places realize that they have to put in some guardrails if they want to use AI...maybe hire someone to look over its work? Like, oh, I don't know, an editor? Or maybe a freelancer?

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Australians are encouraged to make good choices about when and how we share our personal information… but how can we do that if companies like Meta take the choice away from us? If you’re a Facebook or Instagram user in Europe, you’ll have more autonomy than someone in Australia about whether and how Meta can use your data to create their next generation of AI products and tools. Why? Because Meta must respect Europe’s stronger privacy laws. This matters on its own terms. It’s also Exhibit #4783 of why we need the Federal Government to make good on their commitment to introduce a bill to strengthen and modernise Australia’s privacy legislation by August. Australians currently have flimsier privacy protections than people in other parts of world. This must be fixed. Great to speak with David Swan about this important issue

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