Written by Sofia Pizzinato

ABC staff strike over pay  

Thousands of ABC staff have walked off the job this week for the first time in 20 years after rejecting the national broadcaster’s latest paid offer. The draft agreements included a 10 per cent pay rise over three years and a $1,000 sign-on bonus, but 60 per cent voted against it. 

The strike, that began yesterday at 11am, came amid concerns over workloads, pay progression, and job security. MEAA chief Erin Madeley said the action reflects frustration from staff doing more with less, warning that communities risk losing trusted local voices, especially in regional Australia. 

ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks defended the offer as sustainable, citing the need for long-term financial responsibility and performance-based progression.  

The strike was a reminder of how essential ABC staff are and how much their voices matter to audiences nationwide.  

Mode Office: your Monday boardroom briefing  

If you’re after a newsletter that blends sharp news, pop culture, fashion, and career insights, Mode Office on Substack deserves a place in your inbox. 

Every Monday at 8:30am, Boardroom Briefing delivers a curated mix of top stories, cultural trends, beauty and fashion highlights, plus a deep dive or interview with someone shaping the scene. 

It also covers practical extras like style inspiration, job opportunities, and an ‘In case you missed it’ section, making it an easy, all in one read for women who want to stay informed without digging through long form features. 

With its tagline ‘Smart is the new status,’ Mode Office keeps things digestible, polished, and culturally in tune. 

Senior journalist suspended over AI-generated quotes 

Peter Vandermeersch, a senior European journalist and former editor-in-chief at NRC, has been suspended after publishing AI-generated quotes he failed to verify. 

Vandermeersch admitted he “fell into the trap of hallucinations”, using tools like ChatGPT and Google’s NotebookLM to summarise reports but mistakenly presenting AI outputs as real quotes.  

Mediahuis, publisher of De Telegraaf and the Irish Independent, removed several of his articles and emphasised the importance of human oversight and transparency when using AI. Vandermeersch called the errors “wrong” and acknowledged that his enthusiasm for AI led him to skip the necessary checks, despite having long advocated for careful AI use in journalism. 

The incident is a reminder that while AI can support reporting, journalism standards must be upheld and mistakes can happen when technology replaces human verification. 

Meta ordered to pay $538m 

A jury in the US state of New Mexico has found Meta violated consumer protection law and ordered the company to pay $US375 million. 

Meta was accused of misleading users about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and of enabling child sexual exploitatioIt’s the first time a jury has ruled on such claims against Meta – the company is facing a wave of lawsuits over how its platforms affect young people’s mental health. 

Meta says it will appeal the verdict.