Trump Tariffs
Trump gives TikTok a reprieve as trade tensions deepen
TikTok has once again dodged a US ban, with President Donald Trump extending the deadline for ByteDance to offload its American operations.
As Michael Koziol writes in The Age, the Chinese-owned app, a major force in digital advertising, was facing renewed pressure to divest or disappear from US app stores.
Trump’s move buys TikTok another 75 days, marking the second extension since he took office.
Election 2025
Clive Palmer’s ad blitz hits early, loud and everywhere
When it comes to political advertising, Clive Palmer doesn’t do subtle, or cheap.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones reports in The Australian Financial Review, before the 2025 federal election campaign officially began, Palmer had already outspent his record-breaking 2022 effort, flooding high-traffic suburbs with Trumpet of Patriots billboards.
Media buyers say the strategy feels less like a targeted swing and more like a media carpet-bombing.
Election ads go viral as politics turns platform-first
This year’s federal election is shaping up as a social-first showdown, with campaign messaging saturating every feed, from TikTok dance duets and YouTube rants to community Facebook groups that aren’t quite what they seem.
In response to the digital noise, The Australian Financial Review has launched #CampaignWatch, a rolling blog decoding how political messages are being crafted, targeted and amplified across platforms.
As Rachel Bolton reports, the blog will cover advertising tactics, influencer campaigns and the emerging slogans.
Legal
Lisa Wilkinson fires back as Lehrmann defamation appeal begins
Lisa Wilkinson is pushing to have Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation appeal dismissed, arguing there were no errors in the original trial and no procedural unfairness in Justice Michael Lee’s findings.
As Michaela Whitbourn writes in The Age, her legal team labelled Lehrmann’s appeal “without merit” in documents filed with the Federal Court this week.
The case stems from Lehrmann’s failed defamation suit against Network Ten and Wilkinson over a 2021 Project interview with Brittany Higgins.
Tech
Gridsight raises $7.5m to help power a smarter energy grid
Energy tech start-up Gridsight has landed $7.5 million in backing from Airtree Ventures, as utilities race to modernise outdated infrastructure amid Australia’s solar surge.
The company, founded by Dr Brendan Banfield, provides real-time data and analysis to more than half the country’s grid operators, reports Joseph Lam in The Australian.
The platform’s insights have already shaped Endeavour Energy’s Flexible Exports program, allowing homeowners to double the solar energy they export back to the grid, potentially unlocking up to $100 million in value.
How hackers struck super fund customers
A coordinated cyberattack targeting major superannuation funds, including AustralianSuper, REST, Hostplus and ART, has exposed weak spots not in tech, but in human behaviour.
According to Paul Smith in The Australian Financial Review, the breach, which siphoned off hundreds of thousands of dollars, relied on credential stuffing, a technique fuelled by reused passwords and digital complacency.
Sources say this wasn’t some high-tech hack.
Companies
Tech leaders say migration is key to growth, not a problem to solve
While politicians debate immigration caps, two of Australia’s leading tech entrepreneurs are urging policymakers to go the other way, arguing that smarter, more open migration settings are critical to building a competitive, innovation-led economy.
Both AirTrunk founder Robin Khuda, and Canva co-founder Cliff Obrecht believe the federal government should be more welcoming of immigrants
As Jared Lynch writes The Australian, for the tech and advertising industries, talent scarcity remains a top concern.
Brands
M&C Saatchi bets on culture as the next big brand metric
M&C Saatchi is repositioning itself around a new proposition: cultural relevance is the future of brand value.
The global agency group has launched the Cultural Power Index, a tool designed to measure how well brands engage with, and influence, the shifting cultural landscape.
As Danielle Long writes in The Australian, the move reflects a growing reality in marketing: reach is no longer enough.
Meghan’s brand buzz backfires as honey sell-out stings fans
Meghan Markle’s lifestyle label As Ever created a frenzy with its launch, but the hype quickly turned sour for some shoppers.
As Nika Shakhnazarova writes in The Daily Telegraph, her limited-edition A$47 wildflower honey and other boutique pantry items sold out within the hour, leaving many fans empty-handed despite having placed orders.
Customers who believed they’d secured products were later told stock had already sold out, prompting full refunds and a free item offer by way of apology.
Retail
Easter retail spend rises as Aussies prioritise travel, treats and tools
Despite a cautious consumer climate, Australians are still opening their wallets for Easter, especially on experiences and at-home upgrades.
As Sean Cao writes in Inside Retail, new data from the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan shows a $20 billion boost on the way, with food, travel and DIY projects leading the charge.
DIY is having a moment, with 6.2 million Aussies planning Easter weekend renovations and garden makeovers, driving a 27% jump in spending to $6.7 billion.
Television
Australian Idol crowns its new king
Marshall Hamburger, affectionately known as ‘Burger Boy’, has claimed the 2025 Australian Idol title, bringing a synth-soaked retro-pop flavour to a season defined by young talent and fresh takes.
The 19-year-old Sunshine Coast singer edged out teenage vocalists Iilysh Retallick and Gisella Colletti in a tightly contested finale.
Screen
Streaming delays put Australian screen sector on pause and under pressure
Australia’s screen industry is feeling the fallout from delayed local content rules for streaming platforms, with new data from Screen Producers Australia revealing more than 15,000 jobs lost and $1 billion in stalled or scrapped productions.
As Kyle Laidlaw writes in TV Blackbox, SPA’s latest industry survey shows confidence is plummeting, with 80% of producers reporting direct setbacks from the policy vacuum.
As traditional broadcasters pull back and streamers remain unregulated, many say the sector is caught in a holding pattern with no clear path forward.