Small business not convinced there’s much in Budget for them but see bigger picture

Australia's under-16 social media ban may fail to protect children from explicit content, as platforms like Messenger remain unaffected and harbor AI chatbots that can expose users to sexual and violent messages. Experts emphasize the need for improved digital literacy and platform accountability instead of relying solely on bans, warning that children may gravitate toward less regulated messaging apps. Want More Context? 🔎

Workers heading home experienced significant traffic disruptions due to a crash on Reid Highway westbound at Alexander Drive in Noranda, occurring just after 3pm. Additionally, a breakdown earlier on Mitchell Freeway northbound contributed to congestion, with Main Roads WA advising motorists to proceed with caution as traffic remained heavy. Want More Context? 🔎

Footage from the Victorian Supreme Court shows police interviewing Erin Patterson on 3 August 2023, where she admitted to lying about foraging for mushrooms and owning a dehydrator. Last month, she was convicted of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder another with a toxic mushroom-laced beef Wellington. Want More Context? 🔎

Japanese warships, the JS Ise and JS Suzunami, have docked in Wellington, New Zealand, for the first time in nearly 90 years, reflecting Japan's efforts to strengthen strategic ties in the South Pacific amid rising regional tensions. This visit follows Japan's participation in military exercises with New Zealand and Australia, highlighting ongoing defense collaborations and a focus on a free and open Indo-Pacific. Want More Context? 🔎

A couple from Geraldton, WA, won $100,000 on a Scratch ’n’ Win ticket and are celebrating by traveling to Adelaide to watch the Fremantle Dockers play Port Adelaide. They expressed disbelief at their win, recalling a previous smaller jackpot, and plan to treat their grown children to dinner to celebrate their good fortune. Want More Context? 🔎

Simon Patterson declined an invitation to a lunch hosted by his estranged wife, Erin Patterson, due to fears she had been poisoning him, which he suspected after multiple unexplained illnesses linked to her cooking. Prosecutors dropped three attempted murder charges against Erin but revealed evidence of suspected poisoning with toxic compounds, including Barium Carbonate, following the deaths of Patterson's parents from mushroom poisoning. Want More Context? 🔎