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Welcome to the Daily Rundown! These are the top stories for Wednesday, October 30 — Black Friday could soon be Australia’s biggest retail event, an oil and gas giant sued by its own shareholder, and more. 1️⃣ Black Friday forecasts look bright Black Friday and Cyber Monday retail sales are forecast to rise 5% in the US this year to a record $114 billion, according to a new survey. It also found 67% of consumers in countries including Australia, the US, the UK and Germany are planning to buy half of their items online. Business and consumer expert Graeme Hughes says retailers are facing increasing pressure, making Black Friday and Cyber Monday critical. https://lnkd.in/eP4m8jup 2️⃣ Santos sued by shareholder In what's being dubbed a world first legal case, oil and gas giant Santos is being sued by one of its shareholders, the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) , over claims of greenwashing. Daniel Street, Partner (Disputes, Sustainability & ESG) with DLA Piper, explains the details. https://lnkd.in/eqhkqU5J 3️⃣ Do you like scary movies? Aussies say “yes” Horror and supervillain films dominated the Aussie box office over the weekend with a 34% rise in tickets attributed to Venom: The Last Dance, Smile 2 and Terrifier 3. Academics Shane Rogers, Coltan Scrivner, and Shannon Muir investigate the allure of scary films. https://lnkd.in/eiXJUSd7 4️⃣ Video: Experts green-light super for mortgages Amid soaring property prices and increasing financial pressure on homeowners, the Grattan Institute's Brendan Coates says using superannuation to pay off home loans is a “rational” choice. See the highlights from his address at The Australian Financial Review Super & Wealth Summit. https://lnkd.in/eJdmXQvU 5️⃣ Top business school in Australia UNSW Business School has been dubbed the nation’s top business school for the third year in a row after scoring highest in four categories: university reputation, career impact, research and teaching. The University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland made the top three. UNSW Sydney Business School Dean Frederik Anseel outlines the school’s plans. https://lnkd.in/eEbwvPyj How will Black Friday sales affect your shopping patterns, or your business? Share your thoughts on this, or any other story, in the comments. By Cathy Anderson #DailyRundownAustralia

Welcome to The Wrap-Up — a summary of the day's top news and views. Today, we're discussing Myer's new brand deal, Google Search's AI feature and the rise in 'zombie' construction companies. Also, we reveal how The Office Australia has fared with audiences.  📣 Software developer Sharjeel Ahmad shares his opinion on Google's new AI search feature — https://lnkd.in/ea92_cfp Share your thoughts on these topics in the comments below and watch our video with The Office Australia’s lead actress Felicity Ward: https://lnkd.in/ecwhEvyx ✏️ Brendan Wong #TheWrapUp #Australia #News 📰 Sources:  Myer acquires fashion chains (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)) https://lnkd.in/eFq8d3R8 Google Search AI feature launches in Australia (The Sydney Morning Herald) https://lnkd.in/ejwgUP-u ‘Zombie’ firms on the rise (The Sydney Morning Herald) https://lnkd.in/evFHXZxb The Office Australia sets streaming record (Mumbrella) https://lnkd.in/ehd5Qrmm

Banks and insurers are planning to use more AI, but don't have the right policies in place, a recent report by the corporate regulator has found. ASIC analysed over 600 AI use cases by 23 banks, insurers and other financial services firms. It found 61% of them planned to increase AI use in the next 12 months, but only 10 of the firms had policies in place that disclosed AI use to affected consumers. ASIC also found in most cases AI was used to augment rather than replace human decision making and there was "only limited direct interaction between AI and consumers". It also found many firms relied on third parties for their AI models but not all had appropriate policies to manage the risks. What do you think of banks and insurers using AI? Should there be better disclosure to consumers? Share your thoughts in the comments below. By Misa Han Source: The Australian Financial Review

Welcome to the Daily Rundown! These are the top stories for Tuesday, October 29 — the highest-performing state in the nation has been revealed, Google’s plan to launch a new AI tool, and more. 1️⃣ Video: The most thriving economic state in Australia is … For the first time in a decade, Western Australia officially has the nation’s best economy, reveals the CommSec State of the States report. The results are based on eight factors, with WA topping retail spending, relative unemployment and population growth. Watch Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Australia Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves dissect the data. https://lnkd.in/dztN_raW 2️⃣ Google to unveil computer-use AI Google plans to unveil an AI tool, code-named Project Jarvis, that can take control of a user’s web browser and perform certain tasks, The Information reports. Tech podcast host Jordan Thibodeau says this latest innovation is why competition is good for the global tech sector. Would you use a tool like this? https://lnkd.in/dVK5bc5k 3️⃣ Making apartment life greener and cheaper Amid conversations of how to make apartments more sustainable through solar panels, there’s a push to relax strict no-laundry-on-the-balcony rules which force residents to use power-hungry dryers. Shelter NSW Principal Policy Officer Cathryn Callaghan argues the issue has a serious cost-of-living impact as well. Your thoughts? https://lnkd.in/dHwBxBAK 4️⃣ Diwali in Australia Diwali, the five-day Festival of Lights, begins today. Each year people mark the occasion by lighting public spaces and homes, fireworks, cultural activities and the sharing of food and gifts. Strategist Monalisa Dhall explains how the festival allows her to revisit old traditions but also make new ones. https://lnkd.in/dpAVmyyr 5️⃣ Social media mistakes to avoid Whether you’re in a small business or a corporate environment, there are key things you should avoid when crafting your social media strategy — like posting 30-minute videos. See freelance content writer Chryssie Swarbrick’s tips. https://lnkd.in/dfnhR7fZ What’s your best social media hack? Share your thoughts on this, or any other story, in the comments. By Cathy Anderson #DailyRundownAustralia

Breast cancer doesn't only affect women financially during the treatment, it can also have a lasting impact on their careers, says finance commentator Kate Browne. In a video marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Browne says a Compare Club survey shows women continue to suffer financially even after the treatment ends. "While it's expected you're out of work while you're on a treatment, a lot of women told us they are too tired and in too much pain from treatment or ongoing medications to return to work. Or they often quit their jobs after few months because they didn't feel like they couldn't do it any more," Browne explains. What can companies do to better support employees recovering from an illness? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Welcome to The Wrap-Up — a summary of the day's top news and views. Today, we’re discussing Telstra and Optus’s 3G shutdown, bank impersonation scams and IMAX’s ambitious expansion plans. Plus, do you use corporate jargon? Here’s the phrase that Aussies dislike the most. 💡 Customer Support & Experience Leader Nabil Sabih explains the significance of the 3G network shutdown — https://lnkd.in/gmR2VGjN Share your thoughts on these topics in the comments below. By Misa Han #TheWrapUp #Australia #News 📰 Sources:  3G network shutdown (Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Australia) https://lnkd.in/gKytZRSM Bank impersonation scams (The Age) https://lnkd.in/gFXED_n5 IMAX plans local expansion (Capital Brief) https://lnkd.in/gYEHYtbf Corporate jargon (LinkedIn News Australia) https://lnkd.in/gtE2tvdZ

Managers are being set up to fail, and it's the company's fault, The Australian Financial Review reports. A survey by the Australian HR Institute found only 14% of employers were prioritising training budgets on management and leadership programs this financial year, compared with 26% that were focusing on technical skills. Most companies rely on existing managers to spot potential leaders, but new research by HR consultancy BoldHR revealed only 6.5% of middle managers in Australia excelled in four key competencies: motivating direct reports, handling pressure, influencing stakeholders and managing their reputation and value as a leader with integrity. BoldHR founder Rebecca Houghton said this was partly because most managers weren’t trained in these skills and, "It's just assumed that perhaps the reason that they were promoted is because they are talented at [leading others]." According to the Harvard Skills Lab, companies should assess a person’s suitability by testing their economic decision-making and delegation skills. Do you think companies approach managerial promotions the wrong way? How can it be improved to ensure the right people are in leadership roles? Share your thoughts in the comments below. By Brendan Wong

Australia could see robotaxis on its roads as early as 2026, as government bodies prepare for the arrival of autonomous vehicles. The National Transport Commission (NTC) calls self-driving cars a “gamechanger” and forecasts that by 2030, 2.6% of new vehicles will be highly automated, increasing to 50% by 2046. Developers and supporters of self-driving cars claim there are safety, productivity and environmental benefits from the technology with automation potentially saving as many as 8,000 lives and $152 billion in crash costs, reports Forbes Australia. In the US, companies like Waymo (formerly the Google self-driving car project) and Tesla are leading the development of such cars, and it is possible for people in test areas — mainly San Francisco — to use them. However in Australia, legislative changes are still needed before full autonomy of a vehicle is possbile, according to NTC CEO Michael Hopkins. The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) is monitoring developments locally in the space. ANCAP’s CEO Carla Hoorweg says that under current Australian regulations, the driver must be in control of their vehicle. “For now, our priority is ensuring these early-stage systems can safely assist drivers. Performance testing is a vital step and the building blocks towards full automation. As these technologies evolve, we expect our approach to evolve in tandem,” she says. When will we see driverless cars in Australia? What needs to happen for the emerging sector to take off here? Comment below. 🖊️  Marty McCarthy

Welcome to the Daily Rundown! These are the top stories for Monday, October 28 — Queensland Liberal leader David Crisafulli to start his new job as premier, researchers question if surveilling staff really works, and more. 1️⃣ New Queensland Premier  David Crisafulli MP will be sworn in as Queensland’s 41st premier today at Government House after the Liberal party defeated the incumbent Labor government in the state election. Former premier Steven Miles says he will stay as opposition leader. https://lnkd.in/dvSsxFQy 2️⃣ Does tracking staff boost productivity? Following revelations Woolworths tracks its staff quite rigidly, RMIT University academic Melissa Wheeler investigates the pros and cons of such productivity measures and asks: where’s the trust? https://lnkd.in/eyWzmx3Z 3️⃣ How to power up apartments for solar Despite Australia being a global leader in rooftop solar and boasting the most solar capacity per capita in the world, there’s still the issue of how to enable the 2.5 million Aussies living in apartments to follow suit. Macquarie Law School Professor Cathy Sherry outlines the challenges. https://lnkd.in/edeYA_QV 4️⃣ Where Sydney’s future jobs will come from Clean energy is one of the top five sectors identified as potentially adding one million jobs to Sydney, considered the largest economic ‘engine’ in the country, reveals a new report from the Committee for Sydney think tank. See the other four areas via The Sydney Morning Herald. https://lnkd.in/gwFzMzg3 5️⃣ Should you bother learning a language in an AI era? Artificial language has allowed people from all over the globe to communicate without the need for learning to speak fluently in a different language. But does that mean it’s an outdated skill? Not at all, argues AI solution architect Alex Ferguson. https://lnkd.in/eMPRPGnS What do you think about staff being tracked to boost productivity or ensure everyone is working at the same level? Share your thoughts on this, or any other story, in the comments. By Cathy Anderson #DailyRundownAustralia

Welcome to The Evening Wrap-Up — a summary of the day's top news and views. Today, we’re discussing Australia’s tricky citizenship test, Commonwealth Bank’s reported move to encourage office attendance and NSW’s black market cigarette problem. Also, Hermés is not threatened by the cost-of-living crisis. 💡 Health Project Officer Dimity Betts (Chaseling) says a new plan to stamp out illegal tobacco addresses part of the problem — https://lnkd.in/gnggnpgH Weigh in on any of these top stories in the comments. By Cayla Dengate #TheWrapUp #Australia #News 📰 Sources:  Citizenship test is too hard (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)) https://lnkd.in/gHuFnNY2 Commonwealth Bank threatens bonuses (News Corp Australia) https://lnkd.in/g5-mPaV6 Illegal cigarette crackdown in NSW (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)) https://lnkd.in/gt9ZC2U3 Hermés bucks luxury slump (Business Insider) https://lnkd.in/gWWzaJWR