Written by Kotori Tayama-Gannon

Coalition divided over net zero target  

The Coalition is grappling with internal conflict after the Nationals voted to abandon Australia’s commitment to reach ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas pollutants by 2050. The target is aimed at balancing emissions produced with those removed from the atmosphere.  

The decision has intensified divisions over climate policy as the Coalition meets for the first time since the vote. Nationals leader David Littleproud has said he will not pressure the Liberals but is open to collaboration once they finalise their position.  

Liberal MPs remain split, with moderates wanting to retain net zero, while others lean towards dropping it, arguing that current costs are too high. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley faces pressure to unify the party as Climate 200 targets marginal Liberal seats over the Coalition’s climate divisions. 

Solar sharer scheme to offer free daytime power  

From July next year, Australian households in default market offer regions, including NSW, south-east Queensland and South Australia, will be eligible for three hours of free electricity each day.  

The federal government’s new Solar Sharer scheme aims to shift energy use to the middle of the day when solar generation often creates an oversupply and lower wholesale prices, lowering evening peak costs and limiting expensive grid upgrades. 

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said the scheme would ensure renters and households without rooftop solar benefit from renewable energy. However, retailers criticised the lack of consultation, warning it could harm industry confidence and raise costs elsewhere.  

Banks, retailers and insurers among 2025 Shonky Award winners  

Consumer group Choice has named Commonwealth Bank, Temu, HCF and several energy retailers among the winners of its 2025 Shonky Awards, which highlight poor value, unsafe products, or misleading practices.  

Commonwealth Bank has earned its fourth Shonky for charging low-income customers excessive fees, despite eligibility for low or no free accounts. Temu was condemned for unsafe, low-quality products, also facing backlash for slow refunds and promoting fast fashion. HCF was criticised for rebranding a health policy to bypass oversight and raising prices by more than 30 per cent.  

Choice CEO Ashley de Silva said all ‘winners’ had put profit ahead of consumer safety or fairness.  

OpenAI updates ChatGPT in response to mental health concerns  

OpenAI has released new data on ChatGPT mental health usage and announced updates to improve its responses to psychological issues. The data reveals that around 1.2 million weekly users discuss suicidal ideation with the chatbot, while approximately 560,000 users show potential signs of psychosis or mania.  

The company stated such conversations are ‘extremely rare’ relative to its 800 million weekly users but emphasised it is strengthening the platform’s ability to respond appropriately to distress.  

The update follows a five-step safety process and incorporates improvements in GPT-5 to better manage mental health risks. 

The announcement comes amid a lawsuit by the family of U.S. teen, Adam Raine, who passed away after extensive interactions with ChatGPT. 

New Australian content quotas to boost local production on streaming services  

The Albanese Government will introduce legislation requiring major streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, to invest in Australian content. Services with more than one million local subscribers must allocate either 10 per cent of their Australian expenditure or 7.5 per cent of local revenue to new Australian drama, documentary, children’s, arts or educational programming.  

The quotas form part of the government’s National Cultural Policy, designed to strengthen the nation’s arts and screen industries and align streaming obligations with those already imposed on free-to-air broadcasters.  

While Screen Producers Australia has welcomed the move, Free TV has cautioned against potential cost inflation and competitive imbalances. Critics warn the rules could be undermined if global streamers count international blockbusters filmed in Australia toward their quotas.  

The exact calculation method and legislative details are yet to be finalised, though the policy could inject over $370 million annually into local production.