AGP Executive Report

Defence & Innovation: Retired Maj-Gen Mick Ryan says Ukraine’s drone-driven warfare should force Australia to speed up drone capability and rethink risk-averse procurement, warning current local drone capacity is “limited.” EV Policy: Cadillac says smaller battery packs for its Australia-bound Optiq and Vistiq are driven by new European ECE rules, with deliveries starting mid/late 2026. Cars & Consumer Tech: Chrome Temple launches CT Club, letting members access rare cars and track experiences without owning a vehicle, while CarExpert Choice crowns the Ford Transit Custom as Australia’s best van and the Chery Tiggo 4 as top-selling small SUV. Health & Social Policy: Australia’s blood donation need is highlighted via stories from families and donors, and New Zealand’s children’s commissioner urges young people be heard in under-16 social media ban discussions. Science: Researchers report a vast, fan-shaped geological basin network beneath Antarctica’s ice, improving understanding of ice-sheet stability. Environment: Traditional Owners dedicate a 1.6M-hectare Indigenous Protected Area in the NT, creating a major conservation corridor. Climate & Energy: Commentary argues climate denial is back in vogue as rooftop solar and batteries reshape Australia’s power system.

AI Policy Shock: Anthropic says it’s suspended access to its most advanced Claude models for foreign nationals after a US export-control order, citing national security concerns about potential safeguards being bypassed. Online Safety: Australia’s under-16 social media ban is showing early results, with eSafety reporting underage account ownership down 37% since the Dec 10, 2025 start. Health & Food Rules: A Lancet study links Chile’s front-of-pack warning labels and ad limits to lower childhood overweight and obesity risk after national rollout. Climate & Costs: El Niño is arriving and could push up prices for “big shop” essentials as drought and crop stress spread. Biosecurity in the Wild: Kangaroo Island declares victory in its feral pig eradication push after two years without sightings, following a $7.5m mission. Research & Tech: Australia’s CSIRO-linked work highlights a Western Australia “mouse plague” gripping homes, while new brain-cell computing research keeps pushing biocomputing closer to practical use.

Social Media Regulation: Australia’s under-16 ban remains a flashpoint as young users and parents argue it targets kids instead of platforms, while the UK weighs similar “high-risk app” limits and AI restrictions. Work & Gig Economy: New Zealand backed the US against stronger gig-worker protections at the ILO, drawing criticism that it sides with big tech over workers. AI at Work: A new survey finds AI can cut hours of office work, but also creates “busywork” as people spend time checking and fixing outputs. Health Policy: Chile’s front-of-pack food warning labels and marketing limits are linked to lower childhood obesity risk, adding fuel to global nutrition reform. Australian Tech & Industry: Sharon AI signs a major NVIDIA compute deal for 40,000 GPUs, while data-centre power and online infrastructure controversies keep growing. Science & Nature: Australian-led teams filmed goblin sharks alive deep in the ocean, and new research flags rising climate risks in northern shallow tropical bays. Sports Tech Angle: Football Australia extended Tony Popovic’s contract to 2027 as the Socceroos build toward the 2026 World Cup.

Antarctica Ice Dynamics: Scientists report a huge, previously unknown geological basin network under East Antarctica, which could affect how fast ice flows toward the sea if parts of the ice sheet destabilise. AI Governance & Loopholes: Canada’s new AI chatbot regulation faces pushback from academics over vague rules, privacy trade-offs, and concerns that workarounds could blunt the impact. Child Safety Online: The broader wave of age limits and tougher controls for social media and AI tools continues to ripple beyond Australia, with governments looking at enforcement models. Cybercrime Crackdown: Europol helped dismantle AudiA6, a crypto laundering pipeline tied to ransomware, seizing servers and freezing funds. Energy Storage Rollout: RWE has opened Australia’s first 8-hour battery storage system, adding to the push for firming renewables. Workplace Tech & Industry: Heidelberg Materials expands AI-assisted autonomous haul trucks, including in Australia, as it scales automation across multiple sites. Mining & Labour: BHP faces union claims of strikebreaking tactics at Port Hedland as industrial action looms.

Climate Watch: El Niño has officially formed and is forecast to intensify to historic strength, with a 63% chance it ranks among the biggest events since 1950—meteorologists warn it could turbocharge extreme weather. Food & Brain Health: Monash University research links higher ultra-processed food intake with poorer visual attention and slower mental processing speed in middle-aged and older Australians, even among those otherwise eating well. Cybersecurity: Zscaler says phishing volumes have fallen since the ChatGPT-era peak, but attacks are getting more dangerous as criminals shift to smarter, higher-conversion targeting. Space Science: Australia’s SKA radio telescope project is progressing with South Africa and Western Australia as co-host regions, aiming for a one-million-square-metre collecting area. Health Tech (Cancer): Monash-led early results for an in vivo CAR T-cell therapy (KLN-1010) in relapsed/refractory myeloma report 100% response rates and MRD-negative results in evaluable patients. AI & Industry: CSIRO’s ON Translate 2026 event showcased deep tech startups from ON Accelerate, pushing Australian research toward real-world impact. Workplace Safety Training: DV-alert is launching a national LGBTQIA+ frontline workshop to improve recognition, response and referral in domestic and family violence cases.

AI Governance in the Spotlight: A new report warns Australian firms are racing ahead of regulation, with “Shadow AI” and broad access driving data-breach risk as Privacy Act changes kick in from Dec 10. AUKUS Undersea Boost: The US Navy has reactivated Submarine Squadron 3 at HMAS Stirling in WA, strengthening AUKUS undersea support for Indo-Pacific operations. Cyber & Supply Chain Security: JFrog’s Software Supply Chain Security State of the Union says Australia is leading on automated enforcement and AI governance controls. Child Safety Online: Canada moves to restrict social media for under-16s, following Australia’s earlier model, while regulators push safety standards for platforms and AI chatbots. Health Tech Research: Monash-led studies are exploring whether menstrual blood can help predict or prevent pregnancy complications, including recurrent miscarriage. Regional Road Safety: A Youi survey finds most Australians see country roads as risky unless drivers take extra care, with speeding and poor conditions topping concerns. Medical Devices Industry: Mekon expands its Huber needle and biopsy needle offerings for safer long-term port access and tissue sampling. Inequality Watch: Oxfam says Australia’s billionaires gained about $35,000 a minute while millions remain in poverty.

AI in Healthcare: A major “REVOLUTION” ICU trial led by New Zealand and Australia will test whether AI-guided treatment improves survival for more than 24,000 critically ill patients across 50 hospital ICUs. Energy & Industry: Gamuda Renewables has acquired interest in Victoria’s Hazelwood North, a 450MW solar-plus-4-hour battery project aimed at starting construction in 2028 and operating in 2030. Traceability Tech: A $4m government funding round backs Round 4 Traceability Grants, supporting export-ready digital tracking tools for agriculture and forestry supply chains. Online Safety Policy: Canada has introduced a Safe Social Media Act to restrict social media for under-16s, with exemptions for platforms meeting safety standards, and new rules for AI chatbots. Cyber & Telecom: Coverage of the M1-SIMBA collapse highlights how price pressure can squeeze telcos’ ability to fund 5G, cyber and resilience upgrades. Climate & Oceans: A UN ocean assessment warns warming and ecosystem collapse are accelerating, with coral reefs and Arctic ice facing severe near-term risk. Smart Assistive Tech: A Queensland student built a smart clock that helps older people take meds and get alerts without constant supervision.

Energy Security & Gas Supply: A new push to find fresh gas sources is turning attention to Queensland’s Taroom Trough, with Elixir Energy preparing key steps in a basin that could rival Canada’s Montney play. AI Infrastructure in the Region: Meta and Reliance have announced a 168MW AI-enabled data centre in Gujarat, with Meta leasing capacity as India’s AI compute demand keeps accelerating. ASX Tech & Defence: Canberra drone maker Boresight has debuted on the ASX after an $8m IPO, targeting low-cost counter-drone training with swarming-capable target drones. Climate Costing NSW: A UNSW-led report estimates climate change cut NSW economic output by 18% in 2024, translating to an average annual loss of about $21,288 per person. Solar & Manufacturing Innovation: UNSW and Trina Solar report progress toward silver-free back-contact solar cells using screen-printed aluminium contacts. Health Tech: DeepHealth launched Reporting Pro in Australia, aiming to speed radiology reporting with AI-assisted findings and structured outputs. Policy & Online Safety: Australia’s under-16 social media ban continues to ripple outward, with Apple rolling out child safety controls inspired by the approach.

AI & Energy Crunch: A new UN-linked report warns AI could drive big electricity and water demand, with data centres already consuming power on par with major countries and a widening digital divide between builders and consumers. Climate Diplomacy: Turkey’s COP31 team is pushing a voluntary goal to lift electricity’s share of global energy demand to 35% by 2035, aiming to cut fossil fuel exposure and price shocks. Telecoms Trust: A commentary argues Australia’s telco story is too focused on outages and breaches, missing how decades of connectivity underpin banking, government services, telehealth and e-commerce. Undersea Defence: The US Navy demonstrated autonomous underwater drones in NATO exercises in the Baltic, while New Zealand’s torpedo sale would help turn submarine detection into combat-ready engagement—an area where Australia is closely watching. Social Media Safety: UK-style pressure is building for stronger child protections online, with Australia’s age-assurance and platform controls in the spotlight. Health Tech & Research: A first-in-human gene therapy trial has begun in the US to target cellular aging in glaucoma-related neuron loss, raising both hope and safety questions. Environment & Conservation: WA is funding a major habitat corridor to save Carnaby’s black cockatoo, with hundreds of thousands of trees planned. Modern Slavery Enforcement: New research finds only 1% of forced labour reports lead to convictions, calling for better support for workers before law enforcement outcomes arrive.

AI & Markets: OpenAI has filed confidentially for an IPO, teeing up a “third phase” of growth as investors watch the next big AI listing. Online Safety: Apple rolled out new child accounts and parental controls after Australia’s social media minimum-age push, with eSafety noting millions of under-16 accounts have been removed or deactivated since the law began. Defence Manufacturing: Australia is testing its first locally produced AS9 Huntsman 155mm howitzer, while the government also backs new forging capacity for M795 shells in Queensland to boost sovereign supply. Energy Storage: Richmond Vanadium signed a mine-to-battery deal with RKP Global to develop long-duration vanadium flow battery opportunities in Australia. Health & Research: A UN-linked warning says AI could soon use a major share of global electricity and water, adding pressure to make computing greener. Child Safety Crime Risk: Australian clinicians warn encrypted apps are being used to recruit vulnerable teens into serious crimes. Space/Science: New research suggests the Chicxulub asteroid impact site stayed hot for millions of years, shaping deep underground ecosystems.

AI Infrastructure & Datacentres: Independent senator David Pocock argues Australia should get a “fair return” from the AI datacentre boom, pointing to Microsoft’s $25bn and AWS’s $20bn commitments while communities push back on construction. Cybersecurity & Software Deals: PagerDuty expands in Australia via an exclusive distribution deal with Ingram Micro, aiming to speed up adoption of its AI-operations platform; Libra Software Group also buys Melbourne logistics software firm Expedient to deepen customs and forwarding tech. Tax Tech Compliance: Wolters Kluwer rolls out BEPS Pillar Two filing tools in CCH Integrator ahead of Australia’s 30 June 2026 deadline, targeting multinational reporting across 60+ jurisdictions. Health & Travel Tech: Southern Cross Travel Insurance reports a rise in gastro claims for Australians using Asian transit hubs, with costs per claim climbing. Space & Earth Science: NASA’s SWOT satellite helps reveal hidden vertical ocean currents beneath Antarctica, while NASA imagery shows prescribed burns in Australia’s Top End—fires that look dramatic from orbit but are planned to prevent worse blazes. Markets & Policy: OpenAI confidentially files for a US IPO, and Meta continues to fight Australia’s proposed news levy.

Big Tech & Kids Safety: UK PM Keir Starmer says Apple/Google must add phone controls to stop children sending or viewing nude images, with legislation and fines if firms don’t comply within three months. Health Data & AI: A new push argues middle powers like Australia should collaborate on health data and health AI to improve patient care while protecting sovereignty. Energy & Grid Tech: Australia’s solar-battery momentum continues with projects securing grid approvals and new storage partnerships, while longer-duration battery storage is highlighted as key for 24/7 clean power. Science in the Sky: Australian-led research reports a likely cause for long-period radio “pings” from space, pointing to “vampire stars.” Conservation Watch: South Australia’s koala boom is being quantified, with researchers warning numbers could rise further and stress habitat unless managed. Cybercrime & Scams: Police detail a script used by Cambodian scam centres to impersonate AFP officers and coerce Australians into sharing bank details. Markets Mood: Global stocks wobble on Israel–Iran tensions and rate fears, feeding into regional tech weakness.

Cancer Research Loss: Former Australian of the Year melanoma pathologist Richard Scolyer has died aged 59 after a long battle with glioblastoma, leaving a legacy from world-first brain cancer immunotherapy to a public “give it a crack” message to Australians. Online Safety Policy: Australia is pushing a “safe by design” digital duty of care for social media, with a proposed requirement for platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable online harm. Cybercrime & Finance: The IMF granted Sri Lanka a waiver after a cyber incident caused a missed $2.5m external debt payment to the Australian Government, tied to phishing that altered Treasury payment details. AI & Education Debate: New research weighs in on whether streaming students by ability helps learning, while warning about fairness and who gets pushed into lower groups. Data Centre Boom: NSW and Victoria’s data centre construction surge is now outpacing the last mining boom, raising questions about whether the spending will pay off long term. Tech Consumer Gear: Lefant’s self-emptying robot vacuum is discounted 69% to $249.99, while Boox’s Go 6 (Gen II) Android e-reader adds stylus and handwriting support.

AI & Safety: Pope Leo’s Spain visit put AI risks in the spotlight, warning that new tech can weaken critical thinking and inflame prejudice. Cyber & Misinformation: Bangladesh’s information minister called fake news a national security issue and urged a national action plan to tackle cyber risks. AI in the real world: A UK-style “AI cops” trial using facial recognition at Appleby Horse Fair shows how tech can flag people as “wanted” in live policing. Space & Investing: Reuters explains how Australians can access SpaceX’s IPO via US broker eligibility rules and the big retail demand behind the listing. Energy Tech: Google and Voltus are expanding virtual power plants, pooling home solar, batteries and smart loads to help grid stability. Health Tech: WA cold-case detectives used radiocarbon dating and DNA to identify an Aboriginal man from remains found near Darwin. Education & Environment: An NSW study found many classrooms hit high CO₂ levels, renewing calls for better ventilation in public schools. Transport/Auto: BYD unveiled the Dolphin G DM-i as its first true global PHEV push. Sports Tech Culture: FIFA says it will collect World Cup items after every match to build a long-term digital museum trail.

AI & Work Reform: Australia’s unions are pushing a three-day workweek, arguing AI-driven productivity should translate into shorter hours and better job design, not just higher corporate profits. Mental Health & Medicine: Adelaide and Queensland researchers say long-term antidepressant benefits may be overstated because many “relapses” could actually be withdrawal effects. Health & Vaccines: Australia’s winter flu season is ramping up after a highly infectious H3N2 “Super-K” wave, with an updated vaccine now available. Food Tech: Canberra’s PPB Technology says on-site milk testing using biosensors can deliver results in minutes and cut waste of up to 70 million tonnes globally. Transport & Mobility: Google and Telstra are partnering on an AI-focused fibre and subsea infrastructure push aimed at boosting Australia’s connectivity. Cars: GWM’s Tank 500 PHEV gets Australia/NZ chassis tuning with pricing unchanged for MY26 builds from March 2026. Science & Environment: A new coral-bleaching forecast tool could give reef managers months of warning to intervene before bleaching hits.

Medical research in Australia: A WEHI-led study in Cell found a 14-protein “blood signature” that can flag lung cancer risk more than five years early, including in non-smokers, pointing to earlier prevention. Biotech at EULAR: Cullinan Therapeutics says early Phase 1 data for its CD19xCD3 T cell engager CLN-978 showed clinical benefit and deep, dose-dependent B cell depletion in refractory lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Cyber and data security: A lawsuit claims IBM covered up major breaches, including alleged issues tied to APT10, while Australia-focused debate continues over how platforms should be held to account. Rail tech for the Olympics: Alstom won a €69m contract to install ETCS Level 2 digital signalling with 5G radio on Brisbane’s Sunshine Coast line, with local apprenticeships planned. Transport and safety tech: Cricket’s ICC trial will allow pink balls during bad-light stoppages in Tests, though it won’t be ready for the first match at Lord’s. Energy and electrification: Australia’s home battery program delivered 10.7GWh to the grid, as EV uptake accelerates and demand patterns get more dynamic. Policy and education: Australia’s “reading wars” are shifting into a new fight over evidence-based teaching methods across subjects. Health risk and regulation: Experts urge governments to ban the frog-poison “Kambo” detox drug after repeated reports of serious harm and deaths.