Eureka Street

Keywords: Regulation

AUSTRALIA

Coles, Woolies and the battle for the basket
- Claire Heaney
- 13 December 2024
For years, Coles and Woolworths have been accused of squeezing both producers and shoppers in equal measure. With new regulatory changes on the horizon and a web of inquiries underway, the supermarket duopoly finds itself under unprecedented scrutiny. But will these reforms actually lower grocery bills?
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EDUCATION

The hidden cost of digital childhood
- Peter Hosking
- 11 December 2024
In a world reshaped by smartphones and social media, Generations Z and Alpha grapple with rising anxiety, diminished attention spans, and the erosion of real-world connections. As governments and parents push for reforms, the challenge is clear: how can technology serve young people’s growth without exploiting their vulnerabilities for profit?
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AUSTRALIA

What should we make of the social media ban?
- David Halliday
- 11 December 2024
The global media fracas around a government daring to impose restrictions on children using social media was dramatic, but not unexpected. Reactions were predictably divisive and steeped in the sort of performative outrage that social media tends to encourage.
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AUSTRALIA

Can a ban save kids from social media’s harms?
- Binoy Kampmark
- 04 December 2024
In a move that’s been both lauded as necessary and criticized as overreaching, Australia has enacted legislation banning social media for users under 16, placing enforcement squarely on Big Tech. But behind the legislation lies a contentious debate: does prohibition protect, or does it merely shift the harm?
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AUSTRALIA

Could re-thinking charities solve the cost-of-living crisis?
- Joe Zabar
- 28 November 2024
As cost-of-living pressures weigh heavily on Australians, could mission-driven organisations like charities and not-for-profits disrupt markets by prioritising people over profit? Empowering these organisations to compete in key markets may result in more equitable systems that address community needs.
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INTERNATIONAL

Is America ready for a tycoon President again?
- David James
- 18 November 2024
4 Comments
Donald Trump's first term, marred by impeachments, bureaucratic resistance and a pandemic, offered few answers as to how a businessperson might navigate the complexities of Washington. Now, as he returns to office, Trump’s business instincts — and their implications for governance — are once again under scrutiny.
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AUSTRALIA

Demonic youths and sacred children
- Binoy Kampmark
- 31 October 2024
3 Comments
Two narratives dominate Australia’s view of children. The first casts them as dangerous, irredeemable offenders. The second, as vulnerable innocents threatened by risks online. Both anxieties reveal deep-seated tensions over safety, innocence, and societal responsibility.
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AUSTRALIA

Betting the nation: How Australia became the world's biggest loser
- Claire Heaney
- 11 October 2024
Australia’s gambling culture, once seasonally grounded in the Spring Racing Carnival, has become a year-round obsession. From family sweeps to the rise of betting apps, gambling has become ingrained in the nation's identity, leaving in its wake a growing crisis of addiction, debt, and societal harm.
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INTERNATIONAL

The unbearable lightness of presidential debates
- Binoy Kampmark
- 30 September 2024
Last month, Kamala Harris faced off with Trump in what may be the only debate of the 2024 race for the White House. As we revisit the event, it’s clear that the real takeaway isn’t found in the limited substance offered to voters. Rather, it’s a stark reminder of how far the standards for such political showdowns have fallen, leaving us to question the usefulness of this once-crucial platform for democratic discourse.
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MEDIA

Should children be banned from social media?
- David Halliday
- 23 September 2024
Social media regulation has been a long time coming. For the last eighteen years we’ve been running a social experiment where we watch what happens when we allow children to grow up with unfettered access to this technology.
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AUSTRALIA

Imagine what you could be legislating instead
- John Falzon
- 19 September 2024
1 Comment
We should not be surprised at the persistence of gambling advertising. We are confronted by a federal government that appears to be stubbornly protective of certain private interests while wanting to appear to also be concerned about the harm to the community that is caused by the promotion of those interests.
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AUSTRALIA

The dangers of a captured democracy
- Andrew Hamilton
- 12 September 2024
3 Comments
Anxieties about democracy around the world today are well-founded. While we rightly celebrate our democratic institutions, it's crucial to acknowledge the vast wealth disparities and the growing influence of powerful corporations.
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Keywords: Regulation