Even before it is delivered on Tuesday, the budget’s looming broken promises are bringing a political backlash.

Anthony Albanese pledged at the election not to touch negative gearing or capital gains tax – the budget is set to alter both.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is not unaware of the political reaction but argues “what matters most at the end of the day is taking the right decisions for the right reasons”.

“Without coming at the specifics of these policy issues that have been speculated about, if we come to a different view we’ll front up and explain why,” Chalmers tells The Conversation in a pre-budget interview.

His point about “coming to a different view” will be contested. It is more credible that Chalmers and others in Labor wanted to change these taxes all along. But the experiences of former leader Bill Shorten had shown the risks of proposing such changes before an election, and how far Albanese would go was always a question mark.

Chalmers said there were good reasons in the election campaign to focus on supply. “I think there has been a welcome focus now on some of the intergenerational issues in our housing market and in our tax system.

“And I genuinely believe that if you come to a different view on a key issue that the onus is on you to explain why.”

Chalmers casts this budget as “the balance point” between a year of delivering previous commitments and the coming year “of ambitious reform”.

“The commitments we took to the people in 2025 [on housing] were focused largely on supply as well as 5% deposits [to help first home buyers].

“We’ve been working very hard to deliver on those commitments and like any government [we] are always looking for where we can make a meaningful difference.

“This budget is about making a difference and making difficult decisions, not just marking time.

“And I think these sets of issues, these really quite defining anxieties about how hard it is to get a toehold in the housing market – I think there has developed a sense of urgency to deal with them.”

Chalmers is anxious to reject the claim that by stressing intergenerational equity the government is indulging in intergenerational warfare.

“On the specific question around these intergenerational concerns, we do not intend for one second to blame one part of the Australian community for the difficulties being faced by another part of the Australian community.

“We have no intention of setting one group of Australians against another group of Australians.

“We don’t blame older people for making the most of the tax arrangements, including those put in place by [prime minister John] Howard and [treasurer Peter] Costello a quarter of a century ago.

“We want more people to be able to access the housing market […] we see that as an important way to get more people having a toehold in the economy more broadly.”

One change the budget won’t make is to impose a new tax on gas exports.

Chalmers said he understood there were “really strong views” in favour of this and he understood the arguments.

“It was one of the reasons why I reformed the PRRT [Petroleum Resource Rent Tax] in the first term.

“I know that people would like us to go further than that, but from the government’s point of view and for the foreseeable future there are good reasons to prioritise these two way supply arrangements in the region on fuel. Getting the gas reservation scheme in place, which is about energy security, industrial capacity and price. Those are more important things to do for the foreseeable future.”

This week the government announced that under its gas reservation scheme, producers of liquefied natural gas on the east coast will be required from July 2027 to put aside 20% of their gas exports for the Australian market.

When it is put to Chalmers that he doesn’t seem to be ruling out forever going further on gas tax, he said it was one of the issues in the public debate but “it’s not something that I’m anticipating”.

As well as tax changes, the budget will contain a package aimed at improving productivity. These include measures to reduce red tape, remove barriers to trade, make it easier to engage with government, accelerate approvals and simplify building regulations.

They also include making it quicker to recognise the skills of migrant tradespeople, and reforming the permanent migration points test for skilled visas to select better educated, higher-skilled and younger migrants.

This is Chalmers’ fifth budget. Costello delivered a dozen, as he waited, in vain, for Howard to retire. With Labor set to win perhaps another couple of terms, is Chalmers prepared to contemplate Costello’s milestone?

“I find it hard to imagine that anyone would do a dozen.”

“That’s amazing because I know how much these budgets take out of people.”

– ref. View from The Hill: Jim Chalmers on justifying broken promises – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-jim-chalmers-on-justifying-broken-promises-282261

Communications Minister Anika Wells has repaid more than $10,100, which includes a penalty, after an audit found she wrongly claimed travel expenses on four occasions.

Wells said said on Friday she was “sorry for making these honest mistakes”.

None of the claims relates to the reported around $100,000 in travel expenses for her and a staffer that created a political storm last year. The trip was to the United Nations in New York to promote Australia’s social media ban.

The audit put the cost at about $90,500 and noted the late confirmation of the travel meant flight options were limited and expensive.

A controversial family trip to Thredbo in June 2025 was found to be within the family reunion guidelines.

After the furore about her travel Wells referred herself to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority that deals with parliamentarians’ expenses claims. She asked the authority to audit all trips between 2022 and 2025.

“The publicly available audit found no misconduct or ethical breaches, ” Wells said in a statement.

“The audit found, over four years of travel, involving nearly 250 separate trips, I made four mistakes.

“These were four cases where I chose what I thought was the more sensible, cheaper option, but those choices were not allowed according to the rules, which I accept and respect.”

The four claims breaching the rules relate to

..a February 2022 trip by her husband to pick up a child in Canberra when Wells had COVID

… a May 2025 family trip to Canberra to attend Wells’ swearing in

…a September 2025 trip by Wells’ husband from Melbourne to Brisbane after attending the AFL Grand Final with her

.. part of the use of a hire car from Toowoomba to Sydney in October 2025.

About $2000 of the money Wells has repaid is the penalty for the breaches.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended Wells. “She has done what the rules require. Anika Wells is a very good minister doing extraordinary work,” he said.

Shadow communications minister Sarah Henderson said that Wells “tried to justify her travel breaches by asserting she chose the more sensible, cheaper option shows she is tone defe to her ministerial obligations”.

– ref. Minister Anika Wells repays more than $10,000 after four travel claims found to have breached rules – https://theconversation.com/minister-anika-wells-repays-more-than-10-000-after-four-travel-claims-found-to-have-breached-rules-282265

Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer has been awarded the prestigious Archibald Prize for his life-sized portrait of senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken.

Though Ken is small in stature, Lewer’s portrait of her carries what the artist himself describes as a “quiet authority” – an ability to command a space with a sense of calm attentiveness.

It is perhaps the way Ken is brought forward by the bright yellow ochre background that gives the work its greatest sense of presence and vitality.

A radiant presence

Late last year, Lewer travelled to Amata in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands so he could spend time at Ken’s art centre, Tjala Arts. It was during this time Lewer gained a deeper understanding of the responsibilities Ken carries in maintaining continuity and care of culture.

Ken’s own work, which is informed by walawuru tjukurpa (story of the eagles), speaks of such care. She is well known for her large-scale ink drawings, which feature graphic depictions of mother eagles hunting.

Lewer’s portrait seems to depict a moment in which Ken has briefly stepped away from her work. Yet the small flecks of paint on her left arm suggest the ongoing labour of carrying and caring for the stories of her father’s Country, an attentiveness that persists whether in the studio or beyond it.

I was in the room at the Art Gallery of New South Wales when Lewer’s work was awarded the Archibald Prize – Australia’s most prestigious annual portrait prise.

After all the excitement, Ken herself slowly waded through the crowd towards her portrait. The warm yellow aura surrounding her in Lewer’s work is not merely an invention of the artist’s imagination; the same warmth and quiet radiance could be felt in her presence as she sat down quietly next to the portrait.

Gaypalani Wanambi wins the Wynne Prize

Yolngu artist Gaypalani Waṉambi has won the Wynne Prize this year with her etching on metal, The Waṉambi tree. This prize is Australia’s oldest art prize, and is awarded annually for the “best landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or watercolours or for the best example of figure scultpure”.

In her winning piece, Waṉambi has etched the important ancestral honey hunter of the Marrakkulu clan, Wuyal, on the back of various discarded road signs.

Beatrice Gralton, who curated this year’s Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, ensured viewers of the exhibition could see both sides of Waṉambi’s work by suspending it directly from the ceiling.

Waṉambi carries forward a legacy of cultural innovation, with a practice that recovers discarded industrial material. Growing up in an artistic family, Waṉambi learned to paint and etch with her father and brothers. After receiving news she had won the Wynne Prize, Waṉambi said:

My father was a great artist and I learnt by his side.

After announcing Waṉambi as the winner of the Wynne Prize and playing a short video message from the artist in her absence, board president Michael Rose recalled calling community members in Yirrkala, East Arnhem Land, to share the news. The person he spoke to remarked that the very Waṉambi trees depicted in the winning work had just begun to flower.

Rose also mentioned that the decision of the Wynne Prize was very close this year. In an unusual occurrence, a highly commended honour was also awarded to Sanne Mestrom for her sculpture, What the body knows.

To make things even more interesting, the Trustees decided to also announce a winner for the Trustees Watercolour Prize, which was awarded to Jennifer Mills for her work ET home (another Wynne Prize finalist).

Finalists in the Wynne Prize are also eligible for the Trustees’ Watercolour Prize, valued at $5000.

Lucy Culliton wins the Sulman Prize

The Sir John Sulman Prize is awarded to the best subject painting, genre painting or mural by an Australian artist, and is judged by a guest artist each year.

This year’s Sulman Prize judge was Sydney-based Del Kathryn Barton who selected Lucy Culliton’s intricate painting of Toolah, one of her beloved rescue greyhounds.

This is Culliton’s seventh time as a Sulman Prize finalist. When this fact was mentioned by Culliton herself, as she graciously accepted the award, I instantly thought of the kotowaza (Japanese proverb) “nanakorobi yaoki”, meaning “fall down seven times, get up eight”. (This is also the title of Taryn Cameron-Smith’s entry to the Archibald this year.)

In the work, Toolah is seated on a lavishly decorated armchair, a choice that Lucy Culliton has said reflects her belief that greyhounds, like all animals, deserve comfort and dignity rather than confinement in cages.

Behind Toolah is a large landscape painting by Culliton that was recently featured in an exhibition about climate change.

In Culliton’s palette of soft pinks and yellowy greens, Toolah, the ornate armchair, and the landscape painting behind them seem to bleed into one another, visually collapsing boundaries between subject and setting, and underscoring the interconnectedness of these themes.

Unfortunately, Culliton was unable to bring Toolah to the announcement. But she promised many cuddles were in order.

– ref. Richard Lewer wins Archibald Prize with radiant portrait of traditional healer Iluwanti Ken – https://theconversation.com/richard-lewer-wins-archibald-prize-with-radiant-portrait-of-traditional-healer-iluwanti-ken-282141

This week, US-based education technology provider Instructure announced a significant cybersecurity incident affecting its Canvas system. This is used by schools and universities around the world, including in Australia.

Cyber crime group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility. On Thursday, the group claimed it had breached Instructure in another attack. Almost 9,000 educational institutions, involving 275 million students, teachers and staff are understood to be caught up in the data breach.

The hack has seen school login pages defaced. In Australia, students at institutions such as the University of Melbourne have been unable to submit assignments amid a global outage. The Queensland government’s “early advice” is students and staff working or studying at public schools since 2020 have been affected.

Instructure confirmed the exposed information may include names, email addresses, student identification numbers and private messages exchanged between users.

Learning is online – and so is student information

Canvas is widely used across the Australian education sector. It is one of several digital “learning management systems” that deliver teaching, assessment, communication and student support services.

Other common systems include Moodle and Blackboard, which help institutions manage coursework, assessments, attendance, analytics (like student engagement) and student administration.

The rapid growth of online and hybrid education (where students learn online and in person) has encouraged the adoption of these systems in schools and universities.

Many institutions now operate these systems through cloud-based models rather than maintaining all infrastructure internally. Students and staff can access these platforms through web browsers, desktop applications and mobile devices.

As a result, education providers now store significant volumes of sensitive information digitally.

While these systems provide flexibility and accessibility, they also create highly interconnected digital environments that can become attractive targets for cybercriminals.

A shift is happening

The Canvas incident is not the only breach. In 2025, there were reports ransomware attacks in schools and universities had jumped by 23% over the previous year.

But there is also an important shift occurring.

Earlier breaches often affected a single university or school through ransomware or compromised internal systems.

In contrast, incidents involving Canvas and another platform, PowerSchool, demonstrate a growing “platform concentration risk”. This is where one cyber incident can rapidly affect thousands of institutions and millions of students simultaneously because so many organisations rely on the same providers. Sadly, it is not just the education sector that is vulnerable to such incidents, any service reliant on internet can be be affected.

Read more: An Amazon outage has rattled the internet. A computer scientist explains why the ‘cloud’ needs to change

Another emerging concern is the increasing sensitivity of the information exposed. Recent incidents reportedly involve private communications within educational environments among all stakeholders (students, teachers, and staff). This raises broader concerns around privacy, safety, mental wellbeing and institutional trust.

What do we need to do to better protect student information?

The Canvas incident highlights how dependent the education sector has become on large cloud and education technology platforms.

When widely used systems experience cyber incidents, the effects can quickly spread across thousands of institutions and millions of students. Schools and universities therefore need stronger oversight of vendors and clearer accountability regarding how student data is stored, shared and protected.

Institutions also need stronger access controls. This needs to involve multi-factor authentication, tighter identity management, encryption and “zero trust” approaches. This means every access request is continuously verified.

Sensitive information relating to student wellbeing, counselling or disability support should receive additional protection and restricted access.

Cyber awareness across the education community must also improve. Students, parents and teachers are often targeted through phishing and impersonation scams after breaches occur.

Governments should also consider stronger and more consistent cyber resilience standards for education technology providers.

As it stands, breaches can potentially affect privacy, safety, trust and mental wellbeing across the broader community.

– ref. Hackers just stole data from 9,000 schools and unis around the world. How can we protect student privacy? – https://theconversation.com/hackers-just-stole-data-from-9-000-schools-and-unis-around-the-world-how-can-we-protect-student-privacy-282486

Amid great media attention, four women and nine children with links to Islamic State have returned from Syria to Australia.

Three of the women were arrested by police after touching down in Melbourne and Sydney on Thursday night. One was charged with terror-related offences after arriving in Sydney, while two were charged with crimes against humanity offences after arriving in Melbourne.

Those cases will be now play out through the courts.

They will all face other challenges, too, with Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett stating some of the group “will be asked to undergo community integration programs, therapeutic support and countering violent extremism programs”.

So-called “de-radicalisation” programs are complex and can differ depending on the age and location of the people involved.

Let’s unpack what happens in these situations, specifically in Victoria and New South Wales, where the women and children have returned to.

Different states, different programs

Each state and territory has different programs with slightly different focuses.

In Victoria, the program is more ideologically focused. It was originally led by the Islamic Council of Victoria in cooperation with Victoria Police and Corrections Victoria.

Since then it has been revised, evaluated and taken over by Victoria’s Board of Imams who continue to work closely with authorities.

It’s a voluntary, community-led program where imams help the alleged offenders gain a better understanding of their religion, and guide them towards peaceful interpretations of their faith. It also has a therapeutic element designed to disengage people from violent extremism and aid their reintegration into the community.

There are other aspects of the program that deal with possible mental health issues and support to address specific risks and needs.

In NSW, it’s very much a social services model. You could liken it to a triage system where they look at the risks and needs of the person and then provide interventions based on addressing those specific risks and needs. For example, if someone has anger management issues, they’ll set up psychological support and education and so forth.

There’s no Australia-wide de-radicalisation program – there is federal coordination but each state and territory’s approach is slightly different through police-led intervention and support from social service agencies.

Read more: IS-linked women are facing a raft of criminal charges. A legal expert explains the laws at play

How do these programs work?

There are a lot of professionals who work in these programs: social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, legal practitioners, criminologists, religious clerics and leaders.

The key to a successful outcome is intensive engagement and trust-building.

If a person doesn’t trust the people working with them, they tend not to engage with the facilitators and often just look for a way out. But if trust has been established, others can be brought into the circle, which can include family and friends as well as mentors and trained professionals.

One of the greatest challenges is getting community cooperation. Some of the best programs are community-led rather than government-led, as communities tend to have the right cultural and religious sensitivities to ensure the program is effective. These subtleties are often missed by those on the outside of relevant communities.

But de-radicalisation is not always a linear path. There are often setbacks and failures and sometimes people re-offend.

Police play a vital role if things go wrong, such as if the person threatens to harm themselves or others. Aside from their own community engagement programs, police can step in to re-arrest the person and protect the community if needed.

The first priorities

For the families that returned to Australia this week – the throng of media, the crush of people around them – these circumstances will be traumatic. There is also stigma associated with their history and that’s going to require lots of effort to get through.

The immediate focus should be getting them out of public attention as soon as possible to dial down the pressure. Until that happens, it’s going to be very hard to get effective interventions going.

For the women who have been arrested and are being brought before the courts, there will be a judicial process where they may or may not be granted bail prior to further court hearings.

If convicted, either Corrections Victoria or Corrections NSW have dedicated prison programs. There is also a good chance they will be eligible for de-radicalisation programs before and after their release, should they wish to participate voluntarily.

There’s also going to be significant separation anxiety issues – not just between mothers and children but also the separation between the members of the group. They will have gone through a lot together and now they’re being separated, this will affect them psychologically.

What about the children?

The children involved have likely all suffered extensive trauma – living in difficult conditions in the refugee camps, suffering through extreme cold and extreme heat, poor diets and so on.

Child psychologists will be crucial, but the most immediate priority will be ensuring their basic needs are met – such as proper housing, nutritious food and getting them re-engaged with their families.

There’ll be different courses of action for the children and that will be based on age. Treatment will be different depending on a child’s age.

But first question is: what do they need straight away? Then, there’s the longer-term interventions that can hopefully produce a good outcome for the person involved, and the wider community.

– ref. What’s next for the ISIS families? This is how ‘de-radicalisation’ programs work in Australia – https://theconversation.com/whats-next-for-the-isis-families-this-is-how-de-radicalisation-programs-work-in-australia-282475

In late April, Amal Khalil, a 43-year-old Lebanese journalist, was killed in a double-tap Israeli strike in southern Lebanon. When rescue teams tried to reach her and another injured journalist, they reportedly also came under fire.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Israel’s “deliberate and consistent targeting of journalists” was “aimed at concealing the truth of its aggressive acts against Lebanon”, despite a ceasefire that had been agreed to by Israel days earlier.

Both Aoun and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared they would pursue international accountability for her death. Khalil was the ninth journalist to be killed in Lebanon so far this year. Israel says the incident is under review.

The incident had parallels to the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza in March 2024. She and her family were fired on by Israeli forces while trying to evacuate Gaza City by car. Hind survived the initial attack, but remained trapped for hours, on the phone with Palestinian Red Crescent workers trying to reach her.

Even after following an approved route, the two medics sent to rescue Hind in a clearly marked ambulance were killed, as was Hind herself. A subsequent investigation by Forensic Architecture found 355 bullet holes in the car carrying her and her family.

These are not isolated incidents. This is a clear pattern across war zones in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and Lebanon. Militaries using drones and AI-assisted weapons systems – marketed for their precision – are changing the face of war and driving increasing numbers of civilian deaths.

These growing attacks on civilians, journalists and humanitarian personnel are leading many to fear a new normal setting in: war without rules.

Performative adherence to law

At a Chatham House event in London last month, UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher spoke plainly: “1,000 dead humanitarians in three years – when did that become normal?”

Fletcher identified the absence of legal accountability as an enabler of escalating attacks on aid workers.

Part of this is the performative adherence to international humanitarian law – often repeated in political statements and media coverage – as militaries simultaneously carve out exceptions for the use of force.

For example, Israel has continued to issue evacuation orders for residents of southern Lebanon in recent weeks. It has cited its compliance with international humanitarian law, while also expanding its control over territory there.

When evacuation orders primarily serve to shift populations, rather than protect them, it is a violation of the rules of war.

Self-assessments of legal compliance have also enabled systematic attacks on civilian infrastructure in Lebanon to continue, such as healthcare and food and water systems. Some 1.2 million people now facing crisis levels of food insecurity.

Ceasefires, too, have become performative. Experts argue they are merely serving to divert public attention from Israel’s broader goals in both Gaza and Lebanon.

Six months on, for instance, the Gaza ceasefire is failing to meet its stated objectives. There is no peace or safety for residents. More than 800 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire came into effect and 60% of people have lost their homes. Humanitarian aid continues to be obstructed, while children suffer from acute malnutrition.

The ‘Gaza playbook’

Last month, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich openly threatened to make Dahiyeh, a suburb of southern Beirut, look like Khan Younis in Gaza.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has also said all “houses in villages near the Lebanese border will be destroyed, in accordance with the model used in Rafah and Beit Hanoun in Gaza”.

This is precisely what is happening now, despite the ceasefire. Israel created a “buffer zone” in Gaza where it has expanded territorial control, and the same thing is taking place in southern Lebanon.

There were countless warnings, including from the UN secretary-general, that insufficient action over Gaza would have consequences – not only for Palestinian civilians and international law, but wider peace and security.

What can be done?

Now is the time for more principled confrontation from political leaders and concerned states to clearly call out performative adherence to international law and ceasefires.

The normalisation of Israel’s “Gaza playbook” strategies in Lebanon, without sustained outside political pressure, will only continue to escalate the threats to civilians and wider international peace and security.

Middle powers have important roles to play, too. Practically speaking, states can use what’s called “universal jurisdiction” to bring domestic legal action against Israeli leaders and individuals accused of crimes. This could include legal action for the targeting of aid workers and journalists.

A broad coalition of UN member states must also come together to reinforce international law against the forces and practices undermining it.

The “Hague Group” is one such path forward. Formed in early 2025, its membership has expanded to include more than 40 nations aimed at supporting international law, the right to self-determination and the prohibition on taking territory by force.

From Gaza to Lebanon to Iran, greater political action is needed to reinforce international law. The world cannot afford the reverberating human and security costs of continued impunity and war without rules.

– ref. Israel’s destructive actions in Lebanon are normalising war without rules – https://theconversation.com/israels-destructive-actions-in-lebanon-are-normalising-war-without-rules-281538

In the Strait of Gibraltar – a famous marine road connecting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic – lives a critically endangered sub-population of a few hundred long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas).

Despite their name, these dark and blubbery marine mammals aren’t technically whales – they’re large oceanic dolphins which are believed to have a navigator or lead for each pod. Hence the “pilot” part of their name.

There are two types of pilot whales – short and long-finned. They’re generally found in deep offshore waters but can appear in coastal areas. And like other dolphins, they use high frequency sounds to talk to each other in their pods. These clicks and squeaks travel shorter distances compared with the melodic songs of humpback whales.

And as a new paper led by Milou Hegeman from Aarhus University in Denmark and published in the Journal of Experimental Biology shows, the pilot whales that live in the Strait of Gibraltar are having to shout at the upper limit of their range in order to hear each other over human noises.

What’s making all that noise?

The ocean is full of sounds.

Some of these are natural, such as the sounds from fish, seals and waves. Other sounds are produced by human activities, either deliberately (for example seismic and sonar exploration) or unintentionally (for example, the sound of moving ships or other vessels).

The ocean continues to get noisier because of human-made sound – even in isolated Arctic regions. And because of its strategic location, the Strait of Gibraltar is especially noisy with the drone of cargo ships.

Spying on pilot whales

To investigate the communication and behaviour of the population of pilot whales in the Strait of Gibraltar, scientists used 6-metre poles to attach small tags to the creatures (kind of like an Airtag used to track your suitcase) with sterile suction cups positioned between the dorsal fin and blowhole.

Between 2012 to 2015, the steam attached tags to 23 different long-finned pilot whales who live in the region year-round.

These tags remained on pilot whales for up to 24 hours collecting sounds and tracking individual behaviour. The tags then floated to the surface where scientists could locate them using an antenna and collect the data from their diving activities.

More than 84 hours of recordings were made, with 1,432 pilot whale calls extracted. The tags also recorded ship noise in the area.

The researchers found there was a scarcity of pilot whale calls during periods of shipping noise. And the volume of the calls they did make were louder by about half the increase in background noise.

This means the animals are adapting to communicate in times when it is noisy – kind of like having a conversation in a crowded place and you having to raise your voice to be heard.

Other noises, other impacts

This study focuses on just one location in the ocean. But there’s increasing evidence that human-made noise is also impacting other species in other places.

For example, a 2012 study found that ship noise increases stress in right whales. Another study from 2024 found sea turtles travelling in the Galapagos were more vigilant because of increased ship noise.

But it’s not just ship noise that is impacting the animals that live in the ocean. Sonar disrupts whale diving behaviour and feeding behaviour, sometimes even potentially resulting in strandings.

Thankfully, work is being done to reduce noise pollution in the ocean – from building quieter ships to rerouting ship activity, helping ship operators drive more quietly and dialling down the noise from all human activities.

This new study is just one of many scientific contributions to learning more about our impact on our blue backyard. We can only protect what we know. And as we celebrate the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, it’s worth remembering one of his many pieces of wisdom: “If we save the sea, we save our world”.

Part of this involves being more aware of sound in our sea. Because sometimes, it’s not always the visible impacts such as plastic pollution that need our attention. It might also be the impacts we can only hear.

– ref. Squeak up! I can’t hear you: pilot whales are shouting to hear themselves over ship noise – https://theconversation.com/squeak-up-i-cant-hear-you-pilot-whales-are-shouting-to-hear-themselves-over-ship-noise-282394

Irish hip-hop group Kneecap recently released their latest album, called “Fenian”.

A proud reclamation of a painful derogatory slur, Fenian is a word that connects Irish people to a history in which they were sometimes seen as less than human.

A title packed with meaning

The word originally comes from “Fianna”, which is linked to an ancient Irish mythology. The Fianna were small groups of male Irish warriors led by the legendary hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Today, however, the term is more commonly known for its association with Irish nationalism.

Since at least the 17th century, Irish people have endured religious and cultural oppression under British rule – which largely targeted the Irish Catholic population.

In the 19th century, various nationalist groups fought for Irish independence, sometimes violently. This included the Irish Republican Brotherhood, whose members were called Fenians.

The word’s meaning eventually expanded to become a derogatory term for supporters of Irish independence.

Anti-Irish stereotyping

But there’s more to this word than just its political significance. It is also entwined with a history of anti-Irish racism, also known as “hibernophobia”.

In the 19th century, interest in human evolution led to a pseudo-scientific theory called social Darwinism.

This discredited theory claimed all human “types” could be placed along a hierarchy of evolution. White Europeans were at the top, as the most “evolved”. This twisted logic was used to justify the subjugation of people in colonised territories worldwide, including Australia.

Irish Catholic people were given a position in this hierarchy – towards the bottom. Historians argue the designation of Irish Catholic people as a backwards “race” was used to rationalise their oppression. If they were an inherently “savage” people, then they were unfit to run their own government.

Fenians supposedly embodied the worst elements of the Irish character: stupidity, violence and brutishness. From this viewpoint, Fenian violence became seen as an expression of a supposedly inherent Irish character – not as a response to the British rule in Ireland.

Cartoons were published that dehumanised Fenians and drew on centuries of anti-Irish stereotyping. Fenians were drawn as “terrorists” with exaggerated facial features, making them look like chimpanzees.

In one typical example from 1866, a thuggish, simianised Fenian man menaces a beautiful feminised version of “Britannia”. Anti-Irish cartoons were even published in Australia.

This history of anti-Irish racism still normalises anti-Irish jokes today.

Who are Kneecap?

Kneecap is a rap and hip-hop trio from Northern Ireland.

The group shot to fame following the release of their 2024 semi-autobiographical film. Their music is gritty, rude and defiantly anti-colonial – belonging to a long line of Irish activists fighting to get “Brits out” of Ireland.

Kneecap want to bring Irish people together, regardless of religion, and reunite Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. The six counties of Northern Ireland were separated from the rest of Ireland in the 1921 Partition. They remain part of the United Kingdom.

Kneecap rap in English and Irish, and have been credited for revitalising the Irish language. Irish only achieved official language status in Northern Ireland in 2022, after being suppressed for much of the 20th century.

The chorus in Kneecap’s latest title song, also called Fenian, features a crowd jubilantly chanting “F-E-N-I-A-N”. The messaging is clear: they accept the label. In fact, they celebrate it.

The track was written as one of the band members, Mo Chara, faced charges of terrorism brought against him by the British government. In November 2024, Mo Chara allegedly committed a terrorist act by waving a Hezbollah flag at a London concert.

Kneecap is outspoken in its support for the Palestinian people, connecting the group to a longer history of Irish nationalists advocating for other colonised peoples.

The charges were dismissed. As Mo Chara observed in a recent interview, he’s not “the first Irish person to be called a terrorist”.

Who can use ‘Fenian’?

Although Kneecap celebrate being called “Fenians”, this word can still be understood as a cultural slur.

Recently, the band claimed it was forced to “censor” its album posters by blanking out the word Fenian. London transport authorities allegedly refused to publish the uncensored version.

Kneecap knows the power and the pain of this label, and they use it with intention. With a sense of tongue in cheek, they explain their use of the term refers to members of “a secret socialist society of sound cunts”. But they also acknowledge it can be weaponised as a derogatory slur. Context is everything.

“Fenian” can’t be untangled from a painful history of anti-Irish racism, which arguably lingers today.

It is appropriate for Kneecap to reclaim the word as a statement of cultural defiance. They use it as an empowering rejection of stigma. But it is problematic for others to use it without thinking of its deeper meaning.

– ref. Fenian: the anti-Irish history behind Kneecap’s defiant new album title – https://theconversation.com/fenian-the-anti-irish-history-behind-kneecaps-defiant-new-album-title-282271

The polling headlines have been shouty: One Nation is surging! It’s a One Nation bubble! One Nation has peaked!

But beyond the noise, there’s a trend: more Australians are voting for One Nation.

The controversial minor party has become our unofficial opposition.

In episode six of The Making of One Nation, political scientist Jill Sheppard laughs that she hasn’t been asked about the real opposition leader in three months.

We’re not talking about (Liberal leader) Angus Taylor. We’re not even really talking about (Nationals Leader) Matt Canavan, we’re still talking about Pauline Hanson. She’s charismatic. She’s attention-grabbing.

And so if part of the job of opposition is to lead the alternate agenda, to talk about things that the government isn’t talking about, then we could say One Nation is already the opposition.

One Nation is hardly a new phenomenon; this year marks 30 years since Hanson was first elected to parliament.

Decades on, Hanson’s still talking about many of the same issues: migration, globalisation and trade.

I think what’s different about One Nation this time is that everything is dovetailing in their favour. The Coalition is in disarray. Housing affordability is worse than it has been in a long time. Inflation keeps going up, so interest rates are going up at the same time.

And if you’re looking for a scapegoat, you’ve got this party that’s been waiting in the wings with 30 years of experience by now and this much more professionalised edge ready to take that vote.

It’s a critical juncture for the party: can it move from the fringe to the mainstream in earnest? And to do so, will it have to drop some of its more provocative and offensive rhetoric?

Certainly the maths suggest there’s no way that One Nation becomes the official opposition in Australian politics. But right now all we’re doing is talking about One Nation.

Listen to episode six of The Making of One Nation podcast, available at Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode was written by Ashlynne McGhee and produced and edited by Isabella Podwinski. Sound design by Michelle Macklem.

– ref. Ignore the polls: One Nation is the unofficial opposition – https://theconversation.com/ignore-the-polls-one-nation-is-the-unofficial-opposition-280359

In recent years, we’ve seen a sizeable shift in medicinal cannabis prescribing, to products containing higher levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – the component that can cause drowsiness or a high.

Now, our new study shows some of the harms with this shift, including from products containing far more THC than naturally found in cannabis plants.

We found more than half of all cases of adverse events involving unapproved medicinal cannabis products reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) were related to products containing higher strengths of THC.

For this group, psychiatric disorders – including anxiety, psychotic disorder and paranoia – were the most common ones reported.

Our research is released as the TGA is reviewing the safety and regulation of unapproved medicinal cannabis products. These are the more than 1,000 products that are legally available in Australia but that the TGA has not assessed for safety, quality and effectiveness.

For higher-strength THC products, particularly in some vulnerable populations – such as young people and people with mental health conditions – the increased risk of harms is a key concern.

What we did and what we found

We used Freedom of Information requests to the TGA to access more than 1,100 separate adverse events (sometimes called side effects) across more than 600 cases reported from mid-2022 to May 2025.

We examined the types of medicinal cannabis products involved, including the main types of cannabinoids in the product, the dose forms (for instance, plant or oils) and the main types of adverse events reported.

More than half (54%) of all adverse event case reports related to products containing higher concentrations of THC.

These products are available via prescription in Australia. They contain from 13% to more than 88% THC. By comparison, cannabis plants can contain up to 30–35% THC.

Of all adverse events reported, psychiatric disorders were the leading category, particularly for higher THC products. Anxiety, psychotic disorder and paranoia were the most common of these. We also saw 14 cases involving suicidal thoughts, behaviour and attempt.

However, just because an adverse event is reported doesn’t mean medicinal cannabis caused it. But it’s a good indication, because psychiatric disorders are known adverse events of THC.

As these types of adverse events are typically under-reported, the rising frequency of these events is concerning, as actual rates are almost certainly higher.

How about CBD? And inhaled products?

Adverse events were also reported for products containing cannabidiol (CBD). For CBD and combined CBD/THC oral oil products, these mainly involved the stomach or intestines. Here, the adverse events included nausea, vomiting and stomach discomfort.

In general, and for higher THC strength products, we also saw an increase in respiratory adverse events, such as cough and shortness of breath compared with earlier research. This coincides with the increased number of approvals for inhaled products.

Overall, adverse events for all products and higher THC strength products most commonly involved products that are usually inhaled or smoked, such as dried flower.

This is a big shift from our previous research, where most adverse events involved products with about the same amounts of CBD and THC, and prescription approvals were mainly oral liquids.

In that earlier study, nervous system disorders were the leading adverse event type, whereas now, psychiatric disorders are the most common ones reported.

We need to take care

We are seeing this volume of serious psychiatric adverse events even with probable significant under-reporting. So this should prompt a closer look at how these products are being prescribed and monitored.

Prescribers need to follow published guidance to safeguard patients. For instance, the TGA states medicinal cannabis products containing THC are best avoided for patients with a current mood or anxiety disorder, or people with a personal or family history of serious mental health concerns (such as psychosis or schizophrenia).

Smoking medicinal cannabis is not recommended due to known harmful health effects. Instead, TGA-approved medical devices for inhaling vaporised medicinal cannabis are available in pharmacies. The TGA says these devices involve lower temperatures than smoking and produce fewer toxins.

What does this mean for patients?

If you use medicinal cannabis, your regular GP, who knows your health history and medications, is best placed to discuss the potential benefits and risks.

All medicines, including medicinal cannabis, have potential adverse effects. These effects can range from mild to severe.

If you have a medicine-related adverse event, speak to your trusted GP or pharmacist. For severe effects, or you feel really unwell, call an ambulance or go to hospital.

Medicinal cannabis prescriptions have skyrocketed in Australia, mostly for legal but unapproved products we don’t even know work or are safe. In our recent series, experts teased out what fuelled the rise of medicinal cannabis, the fallout, and what needs to happen next.

– ref. Higher-strength medicinal cannabis may be linked to a disturbing pattern of side effects, our study shows – https://theconversation.com/higher-strength-medicinal-cannabis-may-be-linked-to-a-disturbing-pattern-of-side-effects-our-study-shows-282144

After multiple attempts to leave Syria, four ISIS-linked women (often referred to as “ISIS brides”) and nine children have arrived back in Australia.

The government has long promised that if these women, who are Australian citizens and have Australia passports, came back, they would face criminal prosecution.

Now the Australian Federal Police has done just that. Two women who landed in Melbourne on Thursday were arrested and charged with crimes against humanity, including slave-related offences.

A third woman, who landed in Sydney, was arrested and charged with joining Islamic State (IS) and remaining in a declared conflict zone.

These prosecutions wade into uncharted legal territory in Australia. No one has been charged with international slavery offences before, and only one other person has been tried for the conflict zone offence.

Read more: Albanese is prioritising politics over the responsible handling of ISIS families, setting a dangerous precedent

Who are these women?

Police have pressed charges against three women.

In Victoria, a 53-year-old, reportedly named Kawsar Abbas, and a 31-year-old woman, reported as Zeinab Ahmed, have been charged. Police allege Abbas went to Syria with her husband and children in 2014. Ahemd allegedly went to Syria with her family in the same year.

Police say the women were detained by Kurdish forces in March 2019 and held with other family members in the Al Roj Internally Displaced Persons camp.

In New South Wales, police say a 32-year-old woman, named by media as Janai Safar, went to Syria in 2015 to join her husband, who’d already left Australia to join IS.

The women were arrested as part of Operation Kurrajong, which police say has been underway since 2015.

What are the charges?

Abbas has been charged with multiple slavery offences under the federal criminal code, including enslavement, possessing a slave, using a slave and engaging in slave trading. These all constitute crimes against humanity.

Police allege she was complicit in purchasing a female slave for US$10,000 (about A$13,800) and “knowingly kept the woman in the home”.

Ahmed was charged with enslavement and using a slave.

Each individual charge has a maximum prison sentence of 25 years. These are among the harshest criminal penalties in Australian law.

Media reporting has since revealed the police have interviewed a Yazidi woman who says she was the slave of the two women charged. She told the ABC she’s willing to testify in legal proceedings.

Safar was charged with entering, or remaining in, declared areas and being a member of a terrorist organisation. Both offences carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

No Australian has ever been charged with these slavery offences internationally.

A NSW woman, Mariam Raad, was charged with remaining in a declared area in 2023. She pleaded guilty and was discharged with conditions, therefore avoiding time in jail.

Will they get bail?

All three women are set to face court today. Either today or in future court appearances, they may choose to apply for bail.

In assessing how likely the women are to be bailed, it’s worth considering the current proceedings against former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, who’s been charged with six counts of the war crime of murder.

He received bail with a long list of conditions, including surrendering his passport and reporting to police regularly.

Read more: ‘Exceptional circumstances’: why was Ben Roberts-Smith granted bail?

While the recently returned women are not facing murder charges, their situations share some similarities. Both include crimes allegedly committed overseas and both are historical offences.

If the Roberts-Smith bail decision is any guide, the women will likely be granted bail. The judge would take into account that the women returned to Australia voluntarily (in the face of all but guaranteed arrest on arrival).

A judge would also be unlikely to consider the women as “flight risks” (someone who’d probably try to leave Australia). Even if that was a concern, it could be overcome by giving up their passports, as Roberts-Smith has done.

A long road ahead

If the women plead not guilty to their respective charges, the matters will proceed to trial. But don’t expect these trials to happen anytime soon.

Prosecuting crimes that allegedly happened many thousands of kilometres away, and some years ago, is a challenging task.

In 2023, Oliver Schulz became the first Australian soldier to be charged with war crimes. But the resulting trial isn’t going ahead until 2027.

This is because of the complexity of gathering international evidence. The prosecutors in that case will need a lot of time to cooperate with global authorities to get the evidence they need, to organise witnesses and to navigate any language or cultural barriers. The defence team will need to do the same.

The legal teams for the IS-linked women face similar challenges, slowing down the process.

That said, it appears the police investigations are well-advanced, including discussions with potential witnesses. There will also be significant political and public pressure to get it sorted.

But given the lack of legal precedent in this space, authorities will probably want to be extremely methodical and thorough to boost their chances of securing convictions. That means time, and likely lots of it.

– ref. IS-linked women are facing a raft of criminal charges. A legal expert explains the laws at play – https://theconversation.com/is-linked-women-are-facing-a-raft-of-criminal-charges-a-legal-expert-explains-the-laws-at-play-282472

If you’re dealing with a relationship marked by conflict, criticism or manipulation – be it with a parent, co-parent or colleague – chances are you’ve come across the “grey rock” method on social media or advice blogs.

But what is it, and does it actually work?

Often presented as a simple way to deal with narcissistic, abusive or toxic behaviour, the technique is straightforward: make yourself as uninteresting as a grey rock. Respond in a neutral, minimal and emotionally flat way, particularly in interactions marked by conflict, criticism, or provocation.

Despite its popularity, there is no direct scientific research evaluating whether the grey rock method is effective.

That said, the idea behind it draws on well established research on how behaviour – including problematic behaviour – is learned and how it can change over time.

What is the grey rock method?

Rather than arguing or reacting emotionally, the aim of “grey rocking” is to keep communication brief and non-engaging.

It doesn’t mean ignoring the other person. Instead, it involves acknowledging what they’ve said in a way that limits engagement and reduces escalation.

Say you’ve had to tell a parent you can’t attend a family event, and they reply with: “You never make time to see me; you’re so ungrateful.”

You might normally respond by arguing, justifying or trying to smooth things over.

“Grey rocking” would involve a brief, neutral reply such as “I see” or “OK”. You acknowledge the comment but prevent the interaction from escalating.

The grey rock method is commonly promoted as a way of managing interactions with narcissists.

Narcissism is a suite of personality traits characterised by a strong need for attention, admiration and validation from others.

When this need is threatened, individuals high in narcissistic traits are more likely to respond with aggression.

This aggression can escalate or provoke conflict. Conflict tends to elicit strong emotional reactions from others, drawing attention back to the narcissistic person and helping to reassert a sense of importance, control or dominance. This can feel rewarding for them.

Over time, this can make conflict more likely.

Does ‘grey rocking’ work?

There are no scientific studies evaluating whether the grey rock method is effective. Much of the support for it is anecdotal, with some tracing the term back to a 2012 mental health blog.

That said, the logic behind the approach aligns with two behavioural psychology principles known as “reinforcement” and “extinction”.

Reinforcement is when the person “gets what they want” from an interaction, which incentivises them to do it again. It reinforces the behaviour.

It’s a bit like a child throwing a tantrum because they didn’t get a chocolate bar at the shops. Relenting and buying it anyway means the child’s crying is reinforced by the chocolate. But the parent’s relenting – to stop the public tantrum – is also reinforced. Next time, the child will be more likely to cry to get what they want, and the parent more likely to relent.

The principle of reinforcement suggests every behaviour serves a function – to get us things we want, or get rid of things we don’t.

To decrease the likelihood of a behaviour, the reinforcing consequences need to be removed consistently. This process is called “extinction”; the idea is that when the child learns tantrums don’t “work”, he or she will eventually stop throwing them.

The grey rock method applies a similar principle.

If the person you’re dealing with thrives on your emotional response to criticism, provocation and conflict, withdrawing these reactions might help reduce those troubling behaviours over time – or at least make it less likely the situation will escalate in the moment.

It’s not always appropriate

When extinction is first introduced, it’s often followed by an initial increase in the intensity or frequency of the behaviour. This is known as an extinction burst.

This may be the person attempting to find another way to get the same reward.

For extinction to be effective, the change in reward needs to be consistent and permanent, and continue despite the extinction burst.

If the bad behaviour is occasionally rewarded, this sets up “intermittent reinforcement” and might lead to more persistent behaviour over time.

So if you’re considering “grey rocking”, you must be prepared to “grey rock” through the escalation consistently because stopping along the way might reinforce the escalation.

Importantly, in relationships involving ongoing or escalating abuse, where the expected increase in intensity may put you at risk of harm, prioritising safety, clear boundaries and external support are more appropriate than relying on “grey rocking” alone.

The grey rock method also does not address the deeper reasons behind the person’s problematic behaviour (such as substance abuse, emotional dysregulation, or a need to control). The person may also shift to a different tactic or target.

Staying neutral and emotionally flat in the face of repeated provocation is also really hard to sustain over time.

In practice, the grey rock method may be most useful when contact cannot be easily avoided, and the goal is to limit how much those interactions affect you.

It won’t change the person or the underlying causes of their behaviour.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

– ref. What is the ‘grey rock’ method for dealing with narcissists or difficult family members? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-grey-rock-method-for-dealing-with-narcissists-or-difficult-family-members-282047

There was much warmth on display at the official leaders’ meeting between Australia and Japan on Monday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave his Japanese counterpart Senae Takaichi an AC/DC drum skin signed by the band members, while receiving new vinyl records for his DJ collection. Both leaders famously love rock music.

But there was also national business at stake. The pair signed a joint declaration on economic security, outlining a broad agenda to align policies across trade, energy and critical minerals and new technologies such as quantum computing.

It’s not all been smooth sailing. Japan has been vocal in speaking out against proposals for higher taxes on Australia’s gas exports, and over domestic climate policies. To overcome this turbulence, a long-term vision for the Australia-Japan energy relationship is needed in a decarbonising world.

There are three distinct ways in which Japan and Australia’s interests are intertwined: how we tax companies that extract our resources, how we ensure energy security, and how we cooperate on climate change.

Taxing resources

In recent months, calls to raise taxes on Australia’s LNG exports have grown louder. A number of proposals have been made to secure a greater share of income from Australia’s domestic gas resources, including a “windfall tax” on gas exports.

With limited energy reserves of its own, Japan has been a major driver in the growth of Australia’s liquefied natural gas industry. And it has been blunt in its opposition to calls for new taxes. Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiro Suzuki said any imposition of a windfall tax would be regarded by Tokyo as a “bad surprise” that could deter future investment.

Energy security

Energy security is a second link between the two countries.

Australia’s reserves of oil and oil products are limited. In responding to the current crisis Australian leaders, including Prime Minister Albanese, have visited several Asian nations in an attempt to shore up our supplies.

In contrast, Japan holds 142 days of oil and oil products in addition to private inventories. Japan could help Australia manage any risk of fuel shortages by providing supply commitments.

But the role of energy security in the Australia-Japan relationship is more complicated than guaranteeing fuel supplies.

Japanese officials have expressed concern, for example, about Australia’s incoming domestic gas reservation policy, whereby east coast LNG exporters will be required to hold back 20% of new production for the domestic market from 2027.

Japan has also expressed concern about Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism, a carbon-pricing scheme that places caps on Australia’s greenhouse gas emitting facilities.

The Albanese government has increased the stringency of the Safeguard Mechanism as a way to meet Australia’s climate commitments. Crucially, it covers existing and new gas production, linking Australia’s domestic emissions reduction policies with fossil fuel exports. The review of the Safeguard Mechanism during 2026-27 is sure to draw renewed attention from Japan and elsewhere.

Climate change

Climate change is the third – and perhaps most important – issue linking Australia and Japan. Both countries have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. But there’s uncertainty about the technology mix they will use to get there, including the residual role for gas.

For both Australia and Japan, rapid electrification of transport, heating and other sectors are key, alongside the shift to renewables and storage for power.

Japan’s most recent medium-term energy strategy positions gas as less environmentally damaging than coal as the country moves towards net zero emissions. Japan proposes gradually reducing greenhouse emissions from gas generation through the use of technologies such as mixing hydrogen with gas to generate electricity, and storing carbon dioxide underground, including in Australia. But there is scepticism within Japan about the costs and feasibility of this approach to decarbonisation.

Where to now?

Japan and Australia’s joint declaration is a strong signal both governments want to deepen ties, including in critical minerals and energy.

It is a welcome step forward. There is a large shared agenda between the two countries. Japan’s Green Transformation, a suite of green industrial policies, and Australia’s Future Made in Australia initiative, overlap across green metals, hydrogen and ammonia, low-carbon liquid fuels, critical minerals, renewable technology manufacturing and other areas.

So how to build on the opportunity from here?

Australia’s Climate Change Authority offers a useful way forward, proposing bilateral Decarbonisation Deals as a way of coordinating emissions reduction, trade, investment and industrial policy.

Australia and Japan could develop a roadmap for a shared decarbonisation agenda through a bilateral energy transition council, with industry as delivery partner, and informed by research.

Australia and Japan’s joint agreement offers an opportunity to create a new energy partnership, based on our shared commitment to reaching net zero by mid-century, and our interests in open trade and investment.

– ref. Gas and coal have long tied Japan to Australia. It’s time for a new climate and green industry partnership – https://theconversation.com/gas-and-coal-have-long-tied-japan-to-australia-its-time-for-a-new-climate-and-green-industry-partnership-282052

If you’ve ever watched a game of Australian rules football, rugby league or basketball, you’ve probably seen it happen: a player lands awkwardly, grabs their knee, and doesn’t get back up.

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common and feared knee injuries in sport.

Every year, thousands of Australians rupture their ACL.

The ACL is a strong band of tissue that helps keep the knee stable, especially during quick turns, sudden stops and awkward landings.

At the time of injury, people often report feeling a “pop” in their knee with rapid swelling, acute pain and sometimes, the feeling the knee might buckle when trying to stand or walk.

So, what next? For most, it’s surgery.

But our recent research shows for most people, rehabilitation delivers similar results to surgery.

Read more: Injured your ACL? It’s more than just a knee injury

Are Australians too reliant on surgery?

Our team of physiotherapists and an orthopaedic surgeon recently researched the latest evidence from around the world on how best to treat ACL injuries, and particularly what happens when you do or don’t have surgery.

An estimated 90% of young active Australian adults with an ACL rupture choose to have surgery – an ACL reconstruction. We have the highest and also fastest growing rates of ACL reconstruction surgery in the world. This may be why most people assume surgery is the only treatment option.

But in Australia, no studies have compared surgery versus other treatments, such as physiotherapy rehabilitation.

However, other countries, such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark, more routinely offer a period of rehabilitation first before deciding on the need for surgery. Importantly, patients can still be deemed appropriate candidates for surgery after first trialling rehabilitation.

What we found

When our team reviewed all the evidence from robust studies (mostly from these countries), there was no difference in most short- and long-term outcomes between surgery first, rehabilitation without surgery, or rehabilitation first plus later surgery.

In simple terms, patients’ knee strength, ability to do daily activities and ability to return to sport was similar, regardless of treatment choice.

Importantly, at least half the patients who started with rehabilitation chose not to have surgery within the first two years after their injury, without compromising their outcomes.

This also matters because surgery comes with risks, including:

• infection: about 1%
• deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot): up to 8%
• graft failure (where the new ligament ruptures): up to 20%

These risks may not always be presented to patients or may sometimes be downplayed, which can lead to a lack of awareness when making treatment decisions.

Despite these risks, ACL reconstruction surgery may be the best option for some patients, especially those with concurrent injuries to the meniscus, cartilage and/or other knee ligaments.

Patients aiming to return to sports with lots of cutting and turning, like football or netball, and patients with a knee that still feels unstable even after extensive rehabilitation, may also be good candidates for surgery. For these reasons, surgery is the norm for treatment in professional sport, though with some exceptions.

Re-injury remains a big concern – re-rupture of the new ACL graft affects up to 20% of patients. About half of all patients with an ACL rupture will also develop knee osteoarthritis within 10 years of injury. This risk is mainly driven by the injury itself.

While surgery may make the knee feel more stable, it does not remove the long-term risk of osteoarthritis.

Rehab is crucial, with or without surgery

Regardless of the treatment pathway, rehabilitation is an important component of recovery.

A physiotherapist will guide patients in restoring knee stability by improving knee range of motion, muscle strength, balance and coordination.

Nine to 12 months of rehabilitation is recommended after surgery before returning to sport, with checkpoints along the way used to measure progress.

Exercising prior to surgery may also speed up recovery.

Nine to 12 months can feel like a long time, especially if you’re used to being active or playing sport.

Research tells us not meeting rehabilitation goals is related to a lower likelihood of returning to sport and increased risk of re-injury, highlighting the importance of seeing it through.

Talk to the experts

The bottom line is, not every ACL rupture needs immediate surgery – some people do just as well with a structured exercise-based rehabilitation program.

The right advice at the time of injury is crucial.

ACL injuries require a proper assessment by experts, such as physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons, who will help guide decisions about imaging, available treatment options and whether surgery is necessary or not.

– ref. Australia has the world’s highest rate of ACL reconstruction surgery. Rehab may be just as good – https://theconversation.com/australia-has-the-worlds-highest-rate-of-acl-reconstruction-surgery-rehab-may-be-just-as-good-278778

When Cyclone Gabrielle tore through New Zealand’s Tairāwhiti region in 2023, it left behind more than silt and floodwaters.

Rivers were choked with forestry debris, beaches littered with logs, and homes, bridges and farmland buried under tonnes of forestry slash swept down from hillsides.

The scale of the impacts – to infrastructure, livelihoods, ecosystems and to Māori kaitiakitanga (guardianship), and the loss of life – triggered widespread public outrage, with a ministerial inquiry launched soon after.

This led to new rules requiring foresters to better manage harvest debris on steep slopes and reduce the risk of slash being swept away in floods.

Now, the rulebook is being rewritten again, with the government proposing changes to the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF).

This would allow foresters to leave more slash in areas considered lower risk.

Detailed government guidance on managing slash risk is still being developed, in a process which will limit opportunity for public input. At the same time, the reforms curtail councils’ ability to impose tougher restrictions to address the risks of slash.

This all points to an obvious question: have Gabrielle’s lessons for forestry management been learned? Our newly published research suggests that, even before these latest policy changes, they have not.

Little evidence of clear-cut limits

When the ministerial inquiry’s findings were released in May 2023, large clear-cutting – felling all trees in one area at once – was singled out as being a key driver of damage from slash and erosion.

The inquiry recommended limits of 40 hectares per harvest, a five-year “green-up” period between neighbouring sites and no more than 5% of a catchment harvested each year.

The then Labour-led government agreed to these measures, tasking officials to work with Gisborne District Council to review existing resource consents and hasten changes to strengthen the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan.

However, no change was made to the NES-CF itself to reduce the size of clear-cutting. It was instead left to regional councils to make more stringent rules to protect downstream communities.

To understand how the inquiry recommendations were implemented in Tairāwhiti, we obtained all Resource Management Act (RMA) consent applications for forestry harvesting, along with council decision documents, from the time of the inquiry through to July 2025.

This period ended just before the coalition government halted most council plan changes in August 2025, ahead of its planned RMA reforms.

In particular, we examined whether forestry operations and council decisions were actively limiting clear-cut size.

This was important as large, contiguous harvested areas – which can span hundreds or even thousands of hectares – are especially prone to erosion and landslides. The risk is highest during the “window of vulnerability” – or the period after mature trees are removed but before new seedlings can stabilise the soil.

This was illustrated when scientists mapped more than 116,000 landslides after Cyclone Gabrielle. They found that steep slopes harvested three to five years earlier experienced significantly more landsliding than other forested areas.

Of the six consent applications and decisions we analysed, only one partially limited the harvest area – and that was because it formed part of a water supply catchment. The remaining five imposed no explicit restrictions and did not require neighbouring areas to green up before harvesting continued.

We also examined whether particularly high-risk areas, such as headwater basins and gully systems, were being excluded from harvesting.

These areas are especially vulnerable, as rainfall funnels into gully systems where many landslides begin. Slash left there can become a hazardous mass of debris during heavy rain.

In Washington State in the United States, such areas have long been recognised as requiring specialist geotechnical oversight and are often excluded from harvesting to maintain slope stability.

In contrast, none of the consent documents we reviewed excluded these high-risk areas in Tairāwhiti, from ridge tops down to riverbanks.

Under current national standards, slash can still be left in these zones if it’s deemed by foresters to be unsafe or impractical to remove.

Why the risk remains

Our findings may provide context for why Gisborne District Council raised concerns about slash volumes and locations in many catchments after an aerial survey in late 2024. The potential for future risks clearly remains a concern.

The council is now seeking an exemption from the government moratorium on council plan changes, allowing it to introduce stricter regulations for steep land areas.

At the same time, the government has declined to fund a transition away from clear-felling in highly erosion-prone areas, leaving the council to regulate on a case-by-case consent basis rather than through a strengthened regional plan.

Changes to the NES-CF have also limited councils’ ability to set stricter protections for freshwater ecosystems, except in the most severely erodible soils.

These are so narrowly defined, that most of the country are excluded from tougher rules to protect freshwater ecosystems from damaging sediment loads after rain.

This also raises questions about whether these changes will reduce the national risk of slash-laden debris flows, as foresters may still clear-fell steep gullies without limits on harvest size.

New Zealand could choose a different path. This could include amending the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme to address legacy plantings on unstable steep land.

But as it stands, and as climate impacts hit home, regional communities and taxpayers are likely to continue bearing the cost.

– ref. Cyclone Gabrielle exposed the risks of forestry slash. New research suggests little has changed – https://theconversation.com/cyclone-gabrielle-exposed-the-risks-of-forestry-slash-new-research-suggests-little-has-changed-282129