Written by Sophie Babic

New political campaign influencer requirements 

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has updated its guidelines for social media influencers, citing their growing role in political space. 

The move follows an investigation into Abbie Chatfield’s podcast interviews with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Greens leader Adam Bandt, which found no breaches of electoral law. 

The AEC acknowledged influencers now play a key role in informing the public ahead of elections and noted strong compliance with authorisation rules. 

Out-of-Home advertising grows 

The out-of-home (OOH) advertising sector has posted impressive growth, with media revenue rising by 16.1% in the first quarter of 2025—despite broader economic challenges and restrained ad spend in other industries. 

Net media revenue for the quarter reached $334.1 million, up from $287.7 million in the same period last year. 

This milestone quarter also marks a significant shift for the industry, as digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising now accounts for more than three-quarters of the total net media revenue. 

Milano Cortina 2026 reveals torches for winter Olympics and Paralympics 

The Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee has unveiled the official torches for the upcoming Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, named Essential. 

Representing a fusion of innovation, sustainability, and iconic Italian design, the torches were revealed in a coordinated launch across Milan and Osaka. Designed to reflect the dynamic energy of the Olympic and Paralympic flames, Essential features a cutting-edge system that allows each torch to be refilled up to 10 times. 

In line with the Games’ commitment to environmental responsibility, the torches will be powered by bio-LPG, marking a more a sustainable approach to one of the Games’ symbols. 

Clorox misleads on recycling 

Clorox Australia, the company behind GLAD garbage bags, has been fined $8.25 million for falsely advertising that its products were made from 50% recycled ocean plastic. In reality, the recycled material came from communities in Indonesia located up to 50km inland—not from the ocean itself. The misleading claims were made between June 2021 and July 2023, during which over 2.2 million bags were sold, typically at a premium price. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took the case to federal court, and Clorox admitted the packaging claims were misleading.  

While the court acknowledged Clorox didn’t set out to deceive, the judge found the company had engaged in greenwashing and deprived consumers of honest information. Clorox has since stopped selling the bags in Australia and agreed to pay $200,000 in legal costs. The company says it’s committed to improving its environmental practices and transparency moving forward. 

Women in trade  

Lara Smyth is building a promising career in plumbing, aiming to focus on maintenance work and help grow her mother’s business, Hey Sista Plumbing.  

She represents a growing number of women entering the male-dominated trade, supported by initiatives like Rheem Australia’s apprentice grants, which saw a 200% surge in female applicants and a 50% increase in female recipients in 2024. Despite this progress, women still make up a small percentage of hands-on roles in construction, with industry leaders calling for more support from employers and institutions. Lara hopes to inspire other women to pursue trades, proving that with the right support, they can thrive in the industry. 

Rheem Australia is an IMPACT client. 

Coachella’s gender gap  

If you’ve been following coverage from Coachella 2025, you’ve likely seen highlights like Lady Gaga’s skull-encrusted keyboard, Kylie Jenner’s yellow leather outfit, and Charli XCX’s “Miss Should Be Headliner” sash. 

While women have featured heavily in headlines, they remain underrepresented on the official line-up. According to advocacy group Book More Women, only 23.9% of this year’s acts were women—down from 25.1% in 2023. This is despite women typically making up around half of Coachella’s audience and having a strong track record of standout performances. 

In 2018, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to headline Coachella, delivering a culturally significant and widely acclaimed set. Lady Gaga headlined in 2017, helping establish pop as a central genre at the festival. In 2024, RAYE’s performance of Ice Cream Man drew praise for its emotional honesty. 

Earlier acts like Amy Winehouse and M.I.A. also left a lasting impact, Winehouse despite being listed near the bottom of the bill, and M.I.A. with a chaotic, full crowd moment in 2008. 

These performances are a reminder of the contribution women have made to Coachella’s history, even if they’re not yet equally represented on its main stages.