AGP Executive Report

Parramatta Powerhouse: NSW has confirmed the first five opening exhibitions for the new Powerhouse Parramatta, with free entry for visitors aged 16 and under when it opens Nov 7, plus details on ticketing for older visitors. Royal Return Watch: Prince Harry and Meghan are reportedly preparing to return to the UK from California, raising fresh questions about security, royal duties and whether Harry can repair his relationship with Prince William. Family History, Books & Identity: An opinion piece marks the 50th anniversary of Alex Haley’s Roots and looks at how genealogy searches—especially among Holocaust survivors and descendants—are reshaping family histories. Sport & Storytelling: Novak Djokovic’s stand against COVID mandates is spotlighted in a new documentary, while Mitchell Starc’s record-breaking WTC wicket haul against Bangladesh and the build-up to Springboks vs All Blacks keep cricket and rugby front and centre. Publishing/Media Policy: Australia’s news bargaining levy push for tech giants to pay publishers remains in focus, alongside broader digital media and platform regulation. AFL Scandal: The Sydney Swans’ off-field crisis continues to dominate headlines as players are stood down amid an investigation.

Australia’s news bargaining laws: Australia has passed new legislation forcing big tech to pay for local news, with Meta, Google and TikTok facing levies unless they strike deals with publishers. Book industry & AI: A fresh push to scan and destroy rare books for AI training is raising alarms, while second-hand bookshops fear AI will hollow out their business model. Libraries under pressure: Australian libraries have pulled Gaza-related books after complaints, reigniting debate over access and censorship. Sydney Swans scandal: Five Swans players have been suspended for the rest of the AFL season as police investigate a sexual assault allegation tied to a Melbourne hotel room, with further claims about drugs also circulating. Publishing in the region: BizPrint brings advanced digital print tech to Papua New Guinea, aiming to upgrade production printing across the Pacific. Kids TV & books: Invisible Boys is heading to the US via Hulu, extending the Geraldton-set LGBTQ drama beyond Australia.

Big Tech News Payments: Australia has passed a News Bargaining Incentive law that could levy major platforms like Meta and Google 2.5% of Australian ad revenue if they don’t strike deals with local publishers. Book World Community: Perth’s tiny London Court Books has been flooded with nearly 300 volunteer applications after a social media call for just four roles. Publishing/Media Industry: Take-Two has subpoenaed Microsoft and Discord in its hunt for the GTA 6 leaker tied to the “CyberLeek” handle, while a YouTuber named in the filing denies wrongdoing. Local Culture & Reading: A NSW charity book club model is raising money for ShelterBox Australia, with members voting on books and sourcing them via library, purchase, eBook or audiobook. Manga & Horror Adaptations: Dark Horse Manga announced English releases for Vampire Hunter D: Rose Princess (manga) and Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood (comic), plus a Charles Dexter Ward adaptation.

Big Tech News Levy: Australia has passed the News Bargaining Incentive, forcing Google, Meta, TikTok and Microsoft (including LinkedIn) to negotiate deals with local publishers or pay a levy of 2.5% of Australian advertising revenue, with offsets for payments to publishers (and a cap on any single deal). Cyberattack Hits Books: A major cyberattack on Hachette has disrupted distribution and left authors and booksellers scrambling just as Children’s Book Week and the Father’s Day/Christmas rush loom. AI Bulk-Book Buying: Australian booksellers are reporting “irregular” bulk orders of rare, unrelated titles, raising fears AI firms are buying and potentially destroying second-hand books to train systems. Children’s Literature Win: Zeno Sworder’s Once I Was a Giant takes CBCA Picture Book of the Year, spotlighting trees and their “social lives” for young readers. Publishing/PR Moves: NOVA Entertainment expands its podcast publishing partnership with One Daydream Network, while IVY PR appoints Rhiannon Bulley as Senior Account Director. Policy Watch: WA’s first enforcement under Short-Term Rental Accommodation laws flags how registration rules are being tightened—another reminder that compliance is moving fast.

Big Tech & News Funding: Australia has passed the News Bargaining Incentive, forcing Meta, Google, TikTok and LinkedIn to pay a 2.75% levy on local revenue if they don’t strike paid deals with at least eight Australian publishers—money flows to newsrooms, with caps and offsets designed to stop platforms gaming the system. Publishing Industry Shockwaves: Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney’s off-field scandal is spilling into publishing, with Allen & Unwin pausing promotion of his children’s books and suspending a third title while sponsors like Colgate and Nike step back. AI & Booksellers: Reports say second-hand booksellers are seeing unusual bulk orders, with suspicion falling on AI firms buying physical titles for training. Creative Sector Warning: Proudly Human founder Dr Alan Finkel says AI brings “no economic benefits” for the arts and calls for stronger safeguards for creators. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Journalist-author Chris Hammer says his novel Treasure & Dirt has been adapted for TV, following Scrublands’ success. Print & Community: The 2026 Print Swap Exhibition opens Sept 4, bringing a mail-art community into a physical gallery space.

Sydney Swans Fallout: Sponsors are pulling back from Isaac Heeney after a police investigation into an alleged Melbourne hotel sexual assault, with Colgate suspending its deal and Allen & Unwin pausing promotion of Heeney’s children’s books (and delaying a third title) as bookstores remove copies. Publishing & Sports Crossfire: The AFL club has banned five players for breaching club standards, while brands and charities step away, showing how quickly publishing and marketing can get caught in sport scandals. Media Policy: Australia’s News Bargaining Incentive passed Parliament, pushing digital platforms toward deals with news publishers or a 2.5% levy—prompting a US group to warn it could trigger higher tariffs. Books & Culture: ACOTAR 6 and 7 pre-orders open in Australia after this week’s releases, while BMG signs Australian electronic star Anna Lunoe to a worldwide publishing deal. Indigenous History Debate: A call for the Australian War Memorial to tell the full Frontier Wars story, including massacres and dispossession, not just “organised resistance.” Business & Books Adjacent: LEPAS expands its NEV rollout with launches planned across Australia and other regions in Q3 2026.

Australian Publishing & Books: A major Australian library story is back in the spotlight as multiple reports say libraries have pulled books related to Gaza after complaints, reigniting debate about access, censorship and review processes. AI & Content Integrity: New research flags “content debt” as a compliance and revenue risk for manufacturers in the AI search era, while separate reporting warns companies are buying and destroying rare books to train AI. Mortgage Fraud Crackdown: AUSTRAC and Fintel Alliance report coordinated mortgage fraud and control weaknesses across major banks, with suspected inflated income and repeated professional intermediaries. Sports & Culture (book-adjacent): Australian Idol 2027 gets a judging shake-up with country star Morgan Evans joining Marcia Hines and Amy Shark. Arts: Melbourne’s Art Music Awards name Chamber Made the big winner, with ocean-themed works taking multiple honours. Books in the spotlight: Jane Harper’s new novel Last One Out is profiled ahead of its release.

News Bargaining Code: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia will back journalists and force big tech to strike deals or pay a levy, with regional publishers and under-served communities getting a bigger distribution boost. Media Industry Shake-up: Guardian Australia managing director Rebecca Costello is standing down, as the title navigates ongoing change. Publishing & Books in the Spotlight: A Sydney library has removed a Gaza-related book after complaints, while another library pull targets a genocide title—showing how quickly book access can become a political flashpoint. Courtroom Drama: Erin Patterson’s appeal begins after her triple-murder conviction over poisonous mushrooms; prosecutors also seek a harsher sentence. Property & Fraud Watch: AUSTRAC reports coordinated mortgage fraud across major banks, flagging inflated incomes and fabricated employment used in loan applications. Tech, Ads & Attention: Fortnite’s branded “drops” underline how games are becoming ad-friendly brand worlds. Business & Publishing: Cosmopolitan Australia’s relaunch publisher KK Press goes into liquidation owing $1.1m.

Library Censorship in Sydney: Waverley Library has pulled Pluto Press’s How to Sell a Genocide for “review” after complaints, including from a Bondi Beach attack survivor; the book stays searchable in the catalogue while council considers tighter oversight. AI & Rare Books: Amazon is accused of buying rare books, scanning pages and destroying physical copies to train AI, with parallels drawn to Anthropic’s “Project Panama” plans exposed in court. Creator Compensation Debate (NZ): New Zealand’s copyright review is weighing how generative AI should work with creator rights, with discussion pointing to Australia/UK approaches rather than the US model. Social Media Regulation Pressure (US): A US appeals court lets thousands of lawsuits against Meta and TikTok over alleged teen addiction harms proceed, rejecting a bid to stop the cases under Section 230. Kids Audio Push (Australia): Yoto expands in Target’s Play section nationwide, leaning into backlash against screens with more demos and cards.

Library Censorship: Waverley Council in Sydney has pulled Adam H. Johnson’s book How to Sell a Genocide from library shelves for review after complaints, though it remains searchable and reservable. Arts Funding Fight: Canberra writers’ group MARION’s patrons say ACT arts funding cuts have slashed MARION’s budget by 35%, warning the organisation’s sustainability is at risk. AI & Copyright: A new push for “creator control” in AI training and licensing is colliding with the reality that Australian work has already been scraped into overseas models, leaving creators worried about outcomes. Gambling Reform: Two Coalition MPs cross the floor to help pass Labor’s online gambling advertising and inducement restrictions, with David Pocock calling it a “betrayal” and vowing to oppose the bills in the Senate. Publishing/Media Business: Harvey Norman faces a Federal Court penalty over misleading interest-free advertising just before its results. Secondhand Books: Reports claim AI firms may be behind bulk orders from secondhand booksellers. Community Libraries: A Phillip Island library group is pitching itself as an accessible community hub, using events to fund upgrades.

Secondhand Books & AI: Secondhand booksellers across Europe and beyond report a surge in large, unexplained orders for old and obscure titles, with suspicion focused on AI firms buying physical books for training. Publishing & Audio: A new wave of serialized literary audiobook adaptations is bringing classics to listeners via major performers, highlighting how audiobooks and podcasts keep overlapping in publishing. Book Review (Australia): Henry Reynolds’ Looking From the North argues for a “top down” view of Australian history, pushing readers to confront what standard curricula skip. Tech & Rules for Games: MicroProse confirms Sydney studio Funtime Electrics’ Deck & Conn (based on incomplete-information command) launches on Steam Sept 1, with native Linux support. Warhammer 40K (Rules & Pricing): Games Workshop’s 11th edition codex for Orks is set to be cheaper and includes a living rules subscription, signalling how digital rules delivery may change. Community & Books/Donations: A Zibalongwe Secondary School progress report credits Australian embassy support and book donations, while still seeking help to finish infrastructure. Court (Mushrooms): Erin Patterson, convicted over a death-cap mushroom poisoning, returns to the Victorian Court of Appeal to seek overturning of convictions.

ABC & US Politics: The ABC is set to air Hasan Piker’s Planet America return, but the appearance has sparked fresh conservative outrage over whether the broadcaster should use taxpayer-funded airtime for the leftwing commentator. AI & Books: Secondhand booksellers in the UK, Ireland and Australia report “strange” bulk orders from mystery buyers, with speculation that AI firms are snapping up titles for data. Publishing/Discovery Tech: Sydney AI search brand Somantra says most web pages cited by ChatGPT and Google are cited once and then vanish, with “content graveyard” patterns tied to formats like FAQs and how-tos. ASX Watch: JB Hi-Fi’s weak sales hit hard as banks and retailers drag the market, while miners and copper strength help cushion the fall. NSW/Queensland Crime: Four people linked to the pork industry face charges over alleged large-scale financial crimes, including off-books sales and alleged label tampering. FOI Reform Push: A review finds frequent FOI disclosure-log breaches, with many agencies missing required timeframes. Court Update (Victoria): Erin Patterson returns to the Victorian Court of Appeal to try to overturn her life sentence over the “mushroom killer” case. Mining (Qld/NSW): Horn Island Gold drilling starts in Far North Queensland, while Mt Hope Mining locks in a $1.82m placement to accelerate NSW gold exploration.

Social Media Accountability: A US appeals court has let thousands of lawsuits against Meta and TikTok over alleged addiction harms involving minors move forward, rejecting arguments for broad protection under Section 230. Publishing & Libraries: Portlaoise author Helen Cullen credits weekly library visits as the spark for her writing career, calling libraries “portals” to opportunity. Wildlife & Conservation: Victoria’s penguin vaccine push against bird flu is underway, but officials say a recent death of a little penguin before rollout has raised the stakes for Phillip Island’s tourism-linked colony. Arts Funding (NZ, but relevant): A New Zealand literature funding round shows writing getting a smaller slice of arts support than other disciplines, despite strong reader interest. Books & Ideas: An interview spotlights Sabrina Fernandes on ecosocialism and eco-territorial internationalism. Rare Flora: A Queensland shrub last recorded in 1967, Ptilotus senarius, has been rediscovered thanks to citizen science. TV & Culture: Deborah Mailman becomes the first Indigenous person inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame, while Sam Pang wins the 2026 Gold Logie.

Australian Publishing & Books: A new training memoir, Across the Line by Sue Reynolds, follows her push from weight-loss success to elite triathlon ambition, including coaching upgrades and the realities of training like an Olympian in later life. Rare Species & Citizen Science: A shrub, Ptilotus senarius, last recorded in 1967, has been rediscovered in remote Queensland after citizen scientists spotted it via iNaturalist, with the finding now documented in the Australian Journal of Botany—a reminder of how much biodiversity can still be hiding in plain sight. Housing & Homeownership: A Perth proptech firm, Coposit, is rolling out “Unrent”, a rent-to-deposit model aimed at renters facing record rents and deposit delays. Economy Watch: RBA deputy governor Andrew Hauser is set for a “fireside chat” on interest rates and the economic outlook, as consumer confidence and housing pressures remain front of mind. Indigenous Culture: The 2026 NAIDOC Week Awards have named winners across culture, education, sport, science and leadership. Missing Persons Spotlight: National Missing Persons Week coverage highlights long-running cases in Far North Queensland, including Joanne Butterfield and Allison Bernard, with new attention via true-crime podcast work. Tech & Media Law (US, with local relevance): A US appeals court has cleared thousands of social media addiction lawsuits against Meta and TikTok to proceed, rejecting arguments that Section 230 blocks the claims.

Australian publishing & culture: Meg Mason’s new novel “Sophie, Standing There” lands with a big question about whether books can “save us” in the moments we need them most. Local arts: National Portrait Gallery director Bree Pickering talks style and names the Australian labels she loves. Indigenous voices: TikTok star and newly published author Louis Davis shares the whānau, fishing and fatherhood themes behind his work. Books & AI in the trade: UK and Irish secondhand booksellers report strange bulk orders, with suspicion falling on AI firms buying titles for data. Media & tech policy: France’s top court strikes down Macron’s under-15 social media ban, reigniting the debate over who should control kids’ online lives. Energy (for readers who follow home tech): Australia hits 500,000 home battery installations under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, with the scheme tracking toward 2 million by 2030. Sport (cross-code interest): NRL giant Ben Te Kura goes “all in” on an NFL switch.

Tech & Youth Safety: A US appeals court has let thousands of social media addiction lawsuits against Meta and TikTok proceed, rejecting arguments that Section 230 blocks suits and keeping pressure on platforms over claims they harm minors. Publishing & Books: Cambridge’s literary scene is in focus with beach-reading picks from writers and experts, while a new Australian-set Netflix adaptation, My Brilliant Career, keeps the Miles Franklin conversation alive. Australia’s Media Policy: Australia’s plan to make big tech pay for news is in the spotlight, with critics warning it may tilt toward large outlets and leave independents short. Libraries in Canberra: ACT public libraries face reduced access, with Sunday closures and lost late hours sparking community backlash. Energy & Homes: Australia hits 500,000 home battery installations, with the Cheaper Home Batteries Program credited for accelerating uptake. Sports & Storytelling: Josh Hazlewood reaches 300 Test wickets in Darwin as Australia struggles against Bangladesh, and a new survival-at-sea book spotlights an Indian Ocean shipwreck tale.