Welcome to SBS News in Easy English, I'm Kerrin Thomas.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says climate change poses an existential threat for low-lying small island states - including Antigua and Barbuda.
He's visiting the Caribbean nation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and made the comments at the launch of the Commonwealth Nature Initiative on board Australian businessman Andrew Forrest's Green Pioneer vessel.
Mr Albanese also says environmental action can be a driver of economic growth.
"Australia’s commitment is clear: we are with you in facing the challenge, but also the opportunity of dealing with climate change. And this ship itself is an example of the opportunity that is there for greater economic activity, not less, by acting on climate change."
The speech comes after an open letter warning Australia cannot "credibly lead on climate abroad" or protect regional security if it continues to approve new and expanded coal and gas projects.
More than 500 Australian-based academics issued the message to Mr Albanese, days before Australia takes a leading role at the COP31 climate talks in Turkiye.
The High Court of Australia is considering whether limiting children's political engagement outweighs the harm done by social media platforms, as hearings into challenges against the under-16s social media ban begin.
Children under the age of 16 were banned from having their own accounts on 10 digital platforms late last year.
The Digital Freedom Project launched proceedings in the nation's highest court in a bid to overturn the ban.
Reddit also launched its own challenge, arguing the law raises issues around privacy and political expression.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas tells Channel Seven under-16s can learn about politics in many ways.
"It doesn't have to be through social media. And if it is only through social media, I think we've got a bigger problem. You know, because social media is just this echo chamber of anger that seems to rile people up. In fact, it seeks to monetise riling people up. We've got people engaging with one other on social media in a way they just would never do face to face. Or even worse, we've just got people agreeing with each other on social media and not hearing different points of view in a considered and diplomatic way."
The government has previously acknowledged concerns the bill impinges on the rights of children but says the ends justified the means.
Australia's housing downturn is gathering pace, with more than 63-thousand dollars wiped off the average property price in just seven months.
New figures from Cotality show national dwelling values dropped another 1.2 per cent in October, extending the fall to 6.7 per cent since March.
Higher interest rates, affordability pressures and changes to property tax concessions have dampened buyer demand.
Cotality's Head of Research, Tim Lawless, says the downturn is closing in on a record.
"This is the fastest downturn over a seven-month period we've seen since at least the 1980's and it's also only about 18 basis points off the largest downturn compared to the previous largest downturn was 8.2 per cent between the middle of 2017 and 2019."
Kiwi trainer, Bjorn Baker, is attempting to exorcise his father's Melbourne Cup demons with a contender he concedes is far from the most gifted horse in the field.
Sydney-based Baker will saddle Bendigo Cup winner, "So You Are" at Flemington today.
It comes more than two decades after his father, Murray Baker, went close to winning the Cup when "The Phantom" ran second to "Kingston Rule" in 1990.
The American-bred horse Kingston Rule" still holds the 3200m handicap's race record time of three minutes, 16.30 seconds.
I'm Kerrin Thomas, this is SBS News in Easy English.
