Articles by Ben Westcott

Australia Warns of Critical Financial Risks to Insurers and Banks From Climate Change

Australia’s worsening climate change may see insurance companies and banks withdraw their services from communities vulnerable to extreme events, potentially triggering “cascading effects” across the economy, a new government report warned. The government released its first National Climate Risk Assessment …

Australia Braces for More Wild Weather in Wake of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily has uprooted trees and felled powerlines in Australia’s Queensland state, leaving tens of thousands without electricity or phone service as the state braces for further wild weather into the weekend. The storm has weakened to a tropical …

Australia Imposes Sanctions on Russian Citizen Over Hack of Insurer Medibank

Australia imposed cybersecurity sanctions for the first time on a Russian hacker over his role in the breach of healthcare insurer Medibank Private Ltd. that exposed the sensitive private data of millions of Australians. Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced Tuesday …

Australia’s Usual Summer of Wildfires Is Now Being Soaked by Prolonged Wet Weather

Australians bracing for a return of scorching heat and wildfires are instead battling a prolonged deluge of rain across the country’s east that’s inundated homes and damaged crops from sugar to wheat. Vast areas of the country’s populous eastern states …

Many Australians Abandon Insurance as Premiums Surge on Climate Costs: ICA Head

Increasing numbers of Australians are abandoning their insurance policies as premiums surge in response to climate-linked natural disasters, the head of the Insurance Council of Australia said. Over a million households now face home insurance affordability stress, Andrew Hall said …

Australia Revamps Cybersecurity Protections After Port Cyberattack

Australia will undertake an economy-wide revamp of its cybersecurity protections including revised data laws, mandatory reporting and a new nationwide cyber council in response to several significant hacks targeting businesses and infrastructure over the past year. Home Affairs Minister Clare …

Australia’s Health Care System Prime Target for Cyber Attackers: Minister

Australia’s hospitals and health care system are at a high risk from cyberattackers targeting citizens’ personal data, the home affairs minister said, adding the country needed to step up its efforts to combat hacking attempts. Speaking ahead of an international …

Proposed Australian Law Would Make It Employers’ Job to Stop Sexual Harassment

New legislation introduced into Australia’s Parliament will place a “positive duty” on employers to prevent workplace sexual harassment, as part of sweeping changes to improve worker safety. Under the proposed law, introduced by the government into Parliament on Tuesday, employers …

Climate Change Is Making Australia a More Difficult Place to Live: Prime Minister

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded that a changing climate is making the country a more difficult place to live as he declared recent destructive flooding on the east coast a national emergency. Morrison spoke to reporters as he visited …