Tomago smelter bailout, housing win, and AI liability

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1. Massive bailout for Australia’s largest aluminium smelter to be announced by PM and NSW premier

   Anthony Albanese and the NSW premier are set to announce a massive bailout for Australia's largest aluminium smelter, the Tomago site. Rio Tinto said in December it may cease operations there at the end of its current electricity supply contract.

   theguardian.com

2. Isn’t it amazing what a policy that actually tackles the cause of outrageous house prices can do? | Grogonomics

   Labor has been credited with showing what a government can do to improve housing affordability, with commentator Grogonomics noting it is the first time in 25 years an Australian government has acted on housing based on tackling the cause of outrageous prices.

   theguardian.com

3. AI agents aren’t legally responsible for any harm that they cause, experts say. So who is?

   Following Australia's first reported automated hacking accident, experts warn that deployers and possibly developers of AI agents could be held liable for harm caused by their bots, since the agents themselves are not legally responsible.

   theguardian.com

4. Will Albanese deliver on gambling reform? – podcast

   Pressure to act on gambling reform has mounted after allegations that some betting companies provided gamblers with drugs and sex workers to keep them wagering. Anthony Albanese appears to be edging closer to a deal with the Coalition to pass new restrictions.

   theguardian.com

5. The Mount Isa Rodeo: broncs, bulls and exceptional horsemanship – in pictures

   The 2026 Mount Isa Mines Rodeo on Kalkadoon country in Queensland drew one of the largest and most diverse fields in Australian rodeo, with almost 800 competitor starts including 200 females and 240 juniors from every state and New Zealand, plus the Indigenous Rodeo.

   theguardian.com

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