ATO “nudge letters” spark fresh Robodebt-style fears for small business Multiple front pages report the ATO has wrongly sent tens of thousands of letters accusing businesses of unpaid superannuation totalling about $5.4bn, with threats of penalties prompting comparisons to Robodebt. The story has national political bite because it raises questions about automated compliance, data quality and procedural fairness—issues that have previously driven major inquiries and compensation. Covered by: Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail, The Advertiser. Victoria election launches: health waitlists, crime and a “no big spending” pitch Victoria’s campaign launches dominate Melbourne papers, with Labor and the Coalition framing the contest around hospital surgery backlogs, community safety and cost-of-living pressures. The Age focuses on the competing promises and live campaign dynamics, while the Herald Sun spotlights a tougher anti-stalking agenda tied to the Celeste Manno ca

The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has expressed concern over the attack on senior journalist Subba Rao and filed an FIR at the District Police Office in SPS Nellore in connection with the incident.  Speaking to Influencing India, D. Somasundar, national secretary-general of the IJU, said the attack was allegedly linked to Rao’s reporting on ganja traffickers. He added that Rao had also reported on alleged irregularities involving the ruling party during the election period. Rao is associated with Eenadu newspaper.  “We condemn the attack and have filed an FIR in connection with the incident,” he said.  Expressing concern over the growing incidents of violence against journalists, Somasundar added, “We have been witnessing repeated attacks on journalists recently. The murder of a journalist in Chittoor was particularly shocking.”  The incident took place on November9,  when Rao was riding his moto

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged journalists to give greater prominence to India's achievements and take the country's development stories to a global audience, while reflecting on his decades-long association with the media at the BJP's Diwali Milan programme in New Delhi on Thursday, November 12. Addressing media professionals at the party headquarters, Modi said India had several achievements worth highlighting internationally, describing them collectively as the India Story. He called on news organisations to give greater visibility to the country's progress in technology, infrastructure, manufacturing and social development. The Prime Minister cited India's lunar mission, the Chenab railway bridge, growth in mobile phone manufacturing, expansion of solar power generation and digital payments as examples of achievements that deserved wider attention. He also referred to the government's efforts in poverty reduction and improving access to basic ameniti

Friday, 13 November 2026 #1  ·  Times City  ·  Investigative / Data story Mind the gap: DPCC fines STPs and CETPs ₹50 crore in 6 years, but recovers just ₹3 lakh By Kushagra Dixit   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page Page 5 (Times City section) An RTI-based investigation reveals that Delhi's pollution regulator DPCC imposed nearly Rs 49.7 crore in environmental compensation on sewage treatment plants and common effluent treatment plants over six years, but recovered only Rs 3 lakh. The story, drawing on RTIs filed by two separate activists, exposes a systemic disconnect between paper penalties and actual enforcement, set against NGT findings that 249 MLD of sewage remains outside Delhi's treatment system and 16.5 lakh households lack sewer connections. The reporting directly implicates Delhi Jal Board, private operators and DPCC itself in the continuing pollution of the Yamuna. Rare RTI-drive

Labor’s backpacker visa backflip after farm-sector revolt The Albanese government is set to soften its backpacker visa crackdown, delaying elements like a ballot system and lifting caps, after warnings of regional labour shortages and harvest losses. The policy reversal underscores how migration settings are colliding with food supply, supermarket prices and workforce realities—especially in agriculture and hospitality. Covered by: The Australian, Courier Mail, NT News. Big Build secrecy showdown as royal commission demands unredacted files Victoria’s building industry royal commission has escalated its push for transparency, moving to compel unredacted communications from government offices after receiving heavily redacted material. The fight over documents goes to the heart of alleged corruption and safety risks tied to major infrastructure delivery—and the political accountability of senior decision-makers. Covered by: Australian Financial Review, Herald

The Conversation’s NZ deputy editor Jamie Morton has urged academics pitching him a story to get the single most important message across as clearly as possible. “One of the best pieces of advice I got from my first chief reporter when it came to pitching a story is if you're at the pub on a Friday night and you're telling a friend about something, how would you describe it”, he shared on Influencing Insider last Friday.  Some of the best pitches he receives come from academics who think like journalists, Morton said. “[They] have an angle in mind and have boiled down their message to something sharp, tight and ticks all the boxes that we want: Is it fresh, relevant and topical?” Academics hoping to write for The Conversation pitch through a portal, which asks why the topic is significant and whether it is newsworthy. A topical pitch is another way to stand out, he said, but the masthead does not rely solely on the portal. “Often we're reaching out to academics our