Sydney desk

Filed from the Sydney desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Business · 29 September 2026

OpenAI Pulls the Plug on Rogue AI Model, Nvidia Unveils Compliance Tool

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

OpenAI has halted the launch of its most ambitious model after fears it could become a runaway digital anarchist, while Nvidia counters with a new tool that promises to keep AI obedient. The industry’s market participa…

Business · 29 September 2026

Woolworths Relocates 130 Auckland Customer‑Care Agents to Sydney, Promises ‘More Coffee, Less Commute’

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The supermarket giant has announced a cross‑border relocation of its Auckland customer‑care team to Sydney, sparking speculation about cost‑cutting, corporate culture, and the inevitable Aussie slang takeover.

Politics · 29 September 2026

Tax Take Nears Record as Treasurer Blames War, Petrol Prices Still Exist

Rex Blister, Sydney desk

In a baffling move, Treasury Minister Chalmers attributes the near‑record tax haul to war while blaming rising petrol prices for inflation, amid looming RBA rate hikes.

Business · 29 September 2026

Crown Casino Suits Up Over Missing $72m Insurance Payout

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Crown Casino has taken legal action against its multinational insurer after the policy that was supposed to cover a $72 million class action was declined, turning a potential payout into a courtroom showdown.

Finance · 29 September 2026

Chalmers Promises ‘Lower Taxes Than Howard’ as Cash Rate Decision Looms—Meanwhile a Missing Activist’s Wife Urges Help

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Treasurer Chalmers, in a pre‑rate‑cut spectacle, claims taxes will be lower than under Howard, sparking a chorus of sceptical market participants, while the odd subplot of a missing activist’s wife seeking help tur…

Politics · 29 September 2026

Sydney's Cartoonists Crown September’s Most Underwhelming News as Art

Mabel Crowe, Sydney desk

A roundup of September 29’s ‘Best of Cartoons’ shows the city’s illustrators turning today’s headlines into mildly amusing sketches, highlighting the absurdity of everyday politics and civic life.

Finance · 29 September 2026

ASX Stalls, RBA’s Rate Riddle: Bonds Boil While Wall Street Wavers

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

A flat opening for the ASX and a wobbling US market underscore how RBA’s anticipated rate hike keeps market participants in a state of polite suspense, while bond yields sprint ahead of a possible policy twist.

Politics · 29 September 2026

Hanson and Spender demand crackdown on hate preachers while Britain thwarts a terror plot – Sydney wonders if the next bill will need a translator

Mabel Crowe, Sydney desk

Veteran MPs Pauline Hanson and James Spender have jointly called for tougher measures against hate‑speaking clergy, a move that arrives on the same day British police announced a foiled terror scheme, prompting a dryly…

Business · 29 September 2026

Luxury Labor: $280,000 Nannies Outshine Oil Rig Workers in Sydney’s Elite

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

In a market where hours on a rotating shift are the norm, a new class of high‑pay “sugar” workers is emerging – and the numbers are sweeter than a dessert bar.