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 June 16 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week.

Climate Change Linked to Rising Sleep Apnea Rates

Sydney, June 16: Climate change could significantly increase the prevalence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a new global study by Flinders University researchers published in Nature Communications.
Analysing data from over 116,000 individuals using FDA-cleared sleep sensors, the study found that higher temperatures were linked to a 45% increased risk of experiencing OSA on a given night. The findings also suggest that global warming could double the burden of OSA in many countries by 2100, with notable regional differences possibly due to access to air conditioning.
OSA, a condition that disrupts breathing during sleep, already affects nearly one billion people and is associated with serious health risks including dementia, cardiovascular disease, and depression.
In 2023 alone, rising temperatures were linked to the loss of approximately 800,000 healthy life years and an economic impact of around USD 98 billion across 29 countries.
Researchers warn that without stronger climate action and improved OSA diagnosis and treatment, the health and economic toll will continue to climb.

Haskoning Wins Flood Contract

Sydney, June 16: Haskoning has been awarded a contract by the City of Parramatta to lead flood mitigation and drainage design for the $58.5 million Hill Road Resilience Project in Wentworth Point. The initiative aims to reduce flood risks and prevent isolation of over 18,000 residents, a number expected to double with future development.
The engineering firm will deliver a flood study, risk management plan, infrastructure assessment, and urban design improvements in coordination with the NSW Government’s Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2.
The project covers around 10 hectares and is part of a broader master plan to develop the Wentworth Point peninsula. Work is due for completion by mid-2026.

McConaugheys Debut Tequila Ad

Sydney, June 16: Matthew and Camila McConaughey premiered their new “Official Tequila Of” commercial for Pantalones Organic Tequila at the Austin FC home game on June 14. The ad aired during the match and featured the couple in their trademark pants-less style, celebrating their support for the team.
Pantalones Organic Tequila, which the McConaugheys co-founded, became an official sponsor of Austin FC in February 2025. The Q2 Stadium is now serving the Verderita cocktail made with Pantalones, currently the top-selling tequila at the venue.
Additional photos and a link to the spot are available.

AusPost Launches Parcel Hubs

Sydney, June 17: Australia Post has launched a new parcel-focused format called Australia Post Parcels to streamline sending, collecting, and returning packages. The initiative responds to surging online shopping and aims to improve customer convenience with features like 24/7 self-service zones and secure Parcel Lockers.
The new concept officially opened in Fitzroy, VIC, following last week’s launch in Waterloo, NSW, with upcoming locations in Chadstone (VIC) and St Leonards (NSW). Trial sites also include vending machines for mailing essentials and smaller, efficient layouts to handle growing parcel volumes.
The rollout forms part of Australia Post’s strategy to build a future-ready, customer-centric network.

Damac Plans Jakarta Megacenter

Jakarta, June 17: EDGNEX Data Centers by DAMAC has announced a $2.3 billion investment in a next-generation AI-focused data center in Jakarta, Indonesia—its second project in the country.
With a projected capacity of 144 MW, phase one is expected to be operational by December 2026. The facility will feature high-density AI racks and aims for a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.32.
This development is part of EDGNEX’s broader Southeast Asia expansion, with more than $3 billion committed to digital infrastructure in the region.
The Indonesian Data Center Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.73 per cent, reaching 2.11 thousand MW by 2030.

Adobe Launches Firefly App

Sydney, June 18: Adobe has released a mobile version of its Firefly app for iOS and Android, enabling AI-powered image and video generation on the go.
The app integrates with Creative Cloud and includes advanced tools like Generative Fill, Style Reference, and Text to Video. Firefly Boards, now in public beta, brings AI-first mood boarding to creative teams with video and image collaboration.
Adobe has also expanded its AI ecosystem, adding models from Ideogram, Luma AI, Pika, and Runway alongside existing integrations from OpenAI and Google. Firefly supports transparency with Content Credentials and has generated over 24 billion assets to date.

JAGGAER Appoints New CEO

Sydney, June 18: JAGGAER has appointed Andrew Roszko as its new Chief Executive Officer. With over 25 years of experience in supply chain, SaaS, and enterprise technology, Roszko previously served as Chief Commercial Officer at Descartes Systems Group, where he helped grow revenue from $40 million to over $700 million. His appointment comes as JAGGAER aims to advance its AI innovation roadmap and enhance customer outcomes amid increasing global supply chain complexity. The board cited his strong leadership, customer-first approach, and alignment with company values as key reasons for his selection.

NAB Fined Over Data Breach

Sydney, June 19: National Australia Bank (NAB) has paid $751,200 in penalties after the ACCC issued four infringement notices for alleged breaches of the Consumer Data Right (CDR) Rules. The alleged failures involved inaccurate or missing disclosures of credit limit data in response to consumer-authorised requests from four accredited CDR providers. The breaches impacted fintech services, including mortgage broking tools that rely on accurate CDR data. NAB has since rectified the issues and cooperated with the investigation. This is the largest penalty paid for alleged CDR contraventions to date.

Rental Crisis Still Deepens

Sydney, June 19: Australia’s rental crisis has eased slightly, with national average rental growth falling from 6.9 per cent to 5.7 per cent annually, according to property advisory firm InvestorKit. Despite this moderation, rental supply remains one-third below pre-pandemic levels and vacancy rates continue to sit below one per cent across most of the country.
InvestorKit’s latest whitepaper identifies 20 regions likely to face continued rental pressure in 2025, with Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland leading the surge.
Affordability challenges persist in regions like Unley, Mundaring, Loganlea, The Gap, and Wynnum, where rent continues to outpace housing supply.