News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs.
Below are snippets of all the media releases we received from Nov 25 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week.

Beware Delivery Scams

Sydney, Nov 25: Australia Post is urging Australians to stay alert for parcel delivery scams as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas sales approach.
Research reveals 75 per cent of Australians find scams increasingly convincing, with delivery scams being the most common.
Customers are advised to avoid clicking on suspicious links and to use trusted apps like the AusPost app for tracking parcels.
Australia Post warns they will never request personal or financial information via calls, texts, or emails. Visit their website for scam prevention tips.

Sporting Goods Auction

Sydney, Nov 25: Hilco Global and Lloyds Auctions are offering $10 million worth of sporting goods, fitness equipment, and lifestyle products from T&R Sports, now in liquidation.
Items include pool tables, gym gear, e-bikes, massage chairs, and more, with no reserves.
Auctions close Tuesday to Thursday next week, with collection points in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.
Visit Lloyds Auctions online for details.

Skills Training Lags

Sydney, Nov 25: A report by HiBob and RMIT Online reveals nearly one-third of Australian employees feel their training needs are unmet, worsening skills shortages across 36 per cent of occupations.
The lack of digital skills alone costs the economy $3.1 billion annually, with employees citing training as critical for career growth and industry competitiveness.
Many workers desire structured, proactive upskilling programs aligned with business objectives to boost engagement and productivity.

Koala Living Penalised

Sydney, Nov 25: Koala Living has paid $56,340 in penalties after the ACCC found it made false claims about consumer rights, including limiting remedies for faulty goods to a 72-hour window or the manufacturer’s warranty period.
The retailer admitted likely contraventions of Australian Consumer Law and will compensate affected customers and revise its policies to ensure compliance.
Further details are available on Koala Living’s website.

Safewill Secures $17M

Sydney, Nov 25: Safewill, Australia’s leading digital estate planning platform, has raised $17 million in Series B funding to expand its services beyond wills to estate administration.
Since 2019, Safewill has grown its user base by 200 per cent annually and partnered with over 250 charities.
The funding will fuel product innovation, market reach, and team growth as it modernizes estate planning for Australians.

Wicked Leads Box Office

Sydney, Nov 25: The highly anticipated Wicked dominated the Australian box office this weekend, earning $8.9M and surpassing $10.24M with night-before screenings.
Gladiator II followed with $4.13M, bringing its total to $13.7M.
Red One secured third with $865K, while Venom: The Last Dance and Lee rounded out the top five. The box office saw a 32 per cent increase from last week, totaling $15.9M.
Upcoming releases include Moana 2, Heretic, and Her Story.
HOYTS is offering Black Friday discounts on gift cards and exclusive Moana trading cards.

Crypto ATMs Fill Gap

Sydney, Nov 25: At the Australian Crypto Convention, CoinFlip VP Ben Brockliss criticized the reduced cash access in regional Australia due to bank closures, highlighting the growing demand for CoinFlip’s crypto ATMs.
With over 700 locations across ANZ, these ATMs provide vital cash-to-crypto services, offering communities an alternative to traditional banking.
CoinFlip aims to bridge cash and digital currency gaps, supporting underserved regions and driving crypto adoption.

D-Link Wins Networking Award

Sydney, Nov 27: D-Link has been named Cloud Wireless Networking Provider of the Year at the 2024 Cloud Connect Conference and Awards.
The accolade highlights D-Link’s role in advancing cloud-managed wireless networking solutions, particularly in Australia and New Zealand.
The company’s D-ECS Cloud platform is central to its offerings, enabling seamless integration and high-performance networking for mobile edge devices.
This recognition underscores D-Link’s commitment to innovation and customer support in driving digital transformation.

Blackmagic Cloud Price Cut

Sydney, Nov 26: Blackmagic Design has announced a significant price reduction for its Blackmagic Cloud storage. The cost has been cut in half from USD $30 per TB per month to USD $15 per TB, making the service more accessible to customers. This price change is effective immediately, and all current users will see their bills reduced by half going forward.
Blackmagic Cloud enables global post-production workflows by allowing users to share media seamlessly between DaVinci Resolve systems and Blackmagic Cloud storage. It supports collaboration among editors, colorists, visual effects artists, and audio engineers worldwide. “This new lower price for Blackmagic Cloud storage is exciting and should allow a lot more customers to use cloud workflows,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO.
The service is integrated into DaVinci Resolve software, Blackmagic Design cameras, and the free Blackmagic Camera app for iPhone and Android. The latest cameras, including the Cinema Camera 6K, PYXIS, URSA Cine, and URSA Broadcast G2, can record HD proxies in H.264 that are live-synced to the cloud during recording. This feature enables editors and colorists to work on projects in real-time as footage is being captured.
For news workflows, cameras such as the URSA Broadcast G2 can sync recordings into the editing system immediately, allowing segments to be edited and aired within seconds of an event unfolding. DaVinci Resolve acts as a media decoder and player, enabling broadcasters to stream recorded content to air in real-time.
“This is the core of what Blackmagic Design stands for. The engineers have done a great job in helping reduce the cost of Blackmagic Cloud. It’s a lot of fun to do this!” said Petty. The new pricing model is now available, aiming to bring more creators into the fold for producing outstanding content globally.

Aussies Embrace Festive Cheats

Sydney, Nov 27: New research by Brumby’s Bakery reveals that 34 per cent of Australians admit to “Christmas culinary cheating,” purchasing baked goods or festive foods and passing them off as homemade. About 16 per cent say it reduces stress, while 13 per cent plan to cheat on their Christmas roast.
Etiquette expert Zarife Hardy supports the trend, calling it “affordable outsourcing” to ease holiday pressures.
Hardy advises focusing on quality products, creative packaging, and personal touches for gifting success.
With nearly half of Australians (48 per cent) giving food as gifts, edible treats remain a popular, cost-effective choice this season.

APAC SME Spending Trends

Sydney, Nov 28: Instarem has launched its inaugural SME Spend Barometer, analyzing data from 700 SMEs across Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia from January 2023 to August 2024. The report reveals strategic spending patterns in technology, infrastructure, and talent, reflecting cautious optimism amid economic challenges.
Export payments grew 6 per cent in Malaysia and Australia, while Singapore saw a 27 per cent decline, suggesting a domestic focus. Digital transformation accelerated, with IT investments increasing by 29 per cent, particularly in F&B (+120 per cent) and IT services (+66 per cent). However, some industries, like financial services, cut tech spending.
Office expenses rose 16 per cent, with sectors like retail and business services investing heavily in physical infrastructure. Salary payments increased by 7 per cent, showing a commitment to talent retention despite cost pressures.
Challenges remain, including high cross-border fees and exchange rate fluctuations.
SMEs are focusing on cost-efficient solutions and strategic payments to free resources for long-term growth.
More insights are available in the full report.

Aussies Cut Holiday Spending

Sydney, Nov 29: New research from ShipStation reveals 42 per cent of Australians have reduced their 2024 holiday budgets due to inflation and rising living costs, with most trimming non-essential spending to $200–$500—a 75 per cent drop from last year.
Generational divides are clear, with Millennials spending the most, while Boomers cut back significantly. Discounts and promotions are driving shopping trends, with 69 per cent opting for cheaper alternatives, 30 per cent shopping secondhand, and 32 per cent supporting smaller brands.
Shipping costs are critical, with 73 per cent expecting to pay under $10 and 51 per cent wanting free returns.
Retailers offering value and flexibility stand to gain loyalty this season.

DJAARA Wins Top Award

Sydney, Nov 29: DJAARA, the representative body for the Dja Dja Wurrung People of Central Victoria, was named Business of the Year at the Telstra Best of Business Awards National Gala in Melbourne.
The organisation, recognised for integrating traditional and modern knowledge in agriculture and aquaculture, also received the Indigenous Excellence award.
Selected from over 22,000 nominations, DJAARA’s work has gained global recognition, including collaboration with the United Nations.
Other category winners included Ikuntji Artists (Accelerating Women) and The Push-Up Challenge (Building Communities). Telstra’s program continues to celebrate Australian small businesses and their contributions to the nation’s prosperity.