Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has been appointed a professor of practice at the University of Sydney. The part-time role will see her guest-lecture, run masterclasses and mentor students and researchers in the school of public health. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Ardern, who led New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, said she was looking forward to working with the university community. University vice-chancellor Mark Scott said students would learn from a thoughtful teacher with much to share about public leadership.
Economists say the unrest in France is a warning signal for Australia's public spending and rising costs. Hundreds of thousands marched across France on Saturday over school underfunding and cost-of-living pressures. Economist Luke Hartigan said soaring energy costs are a major factor, but that France's high public debt and generous welfare state are the more fundamental problem. Public debt in France is nearly 120 per cent of the economy, compared with 53 per cent in Australia. Economist Bob Breunig called for an honest public conversation about what government can do and what it will cost.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern will lecture and mentor at the University of Sydney, beginning this month. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Based in the school of public health, she will host guest lectures and masterclasses, although the university says it is not a full-time teaching role. Vice-chancellor Mark Scott praised Ardern's leadership, saying empathy and resolve can strengthen each other. Ardern moved to Australia earlier this year.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Chlamydia is one of several threats facing koalas, which are listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Antibiotics can harm the gut microbes koalas need to digest eucalypt leaves, and some strains have become resistant. A single-dose vaccine developed by University of the Sunshine Coast researchers was approved in September 2025. University of Queensland professor Keith Chappell has questioned its efficacy, saying a data error affected the results. The university has defended its research, and the regulator says the vaccine is only permitted to aid in reducing clinical signs of the disease.
Western Sydney International Airport opens to passengers on Sunday, with flights operating around the clock. The $5.3 billion public project is designed to handle up to 10 million passengers a year. University of Sydney academic Rico Merkert says the airport could take 10 years to become profitable and may need subsidies until then. Government and business leaders hope the airport will anchor an economic hub that attracts industry and jobs to the region, supported by new transport links and the planned city of Bradfield.
Odyssey House NSW will expand its TRACKS program, which helps fathers address harmful behaviour before it escalates, after receiving landmark funding from the Paul Ramsay Foundation. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that family and domestic violence offenders rose by eight per cent in 2024-25, to 97,800 nationally. Odyssey's chief executive, Carmel Tebbutt, said early intervention with fathers is key to preventing harm before families reach crisis point. The extra funding will support specialist staffing and independent research to evaluate the program's impact.
University of Sydney staff are striking on Thursday, 22 October, over pay, job security and protections on the use of artificial intelligence. The strike is led by the university branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, which is seeking changes to its enterprise agreement. Strikers will picket the Main Gate on Parramatta Road. The university says most classes will run online and that it is encouraging staff and students to work or study from home where possible. A few labs may be cancelled. The university says it will not change how it negotiates in response to the strike.
Queen Mary has opened up about the loneliness she felt after moving from Australia to Denmark. Speaking to Danish children's newspaper Børneavisen, the 54-year-old said not knowing the language made her feel left out in social settings. She said losing her mother, Henrietta Etta, in 1997 left her feeling most alone. An insider told Woman's Day that Mary still misses Australia and her family, and that trips home help her recharge. Mary chairs the Mary Foundation, which works to tackle social isolation among young people.
A new Australian study suggests about one in four people with severe, recurrent or persistent depression may have circadian depression, a proposed subtype linked to the body's internal clock. Researchers say people with it often describe themselves as night owls or wake up very tired. Lead researcher Emiliana Tonini said the findings could help give people earlier access to the treatments most likely to work for them. The study found these patients reported more severe symptoms and may have a different genetic profile. Experts say more research is needed before it could be used in clinical practice.
Australian researchers have identified a new subtype of depression, called circadian depression, linked to disruptions in the body's internal clock. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found it affected about 23 per cent of 11,380 participants, mostly with severe and recurrent depression. Those with the subtype were less responsive to common antidepressants, so the researchers suggest treatments such as melatonin and light therapy may help. Lead author Dr Emiliana Tonini said the subtype appears to have a distinct biology, not simply poor sleep. Some outside experts described the findings as interesting but preliminary.
More than 20 leading Australian companies have supported the inaugural Mawal Leadership Program in 2026. Companies including BHP, Coles and Origin funded scholarships, while others hosted events or mentored scholars. Mawal founder and CEO Brad Welsh said the aim is to develop 10,000 Indigenous leaders and eventually produce the first Indigenous chief executive of an ASX-100 company. Applications for the second program close on November 30, and Mawal is calling for more companies to get involved.
Dick Beattie, known as Dick, has died aged 94. He spent 35 years in education, including as principal of Casino High School, before retiring in 1989. Dick and his wife Leila were active in community life for more than 30 years. He was a life member of Apex and the Casino Lions Club, and in 2003 received a Melvin Jones Fellowship. He was named Richmond Valley Citizen of the Year in 2009. Funeral details are yet to be announced.
Eating one extra serve of fruit a day is linked to a 13 per cent lower risk of depression symptoms in teenagers, a University of Sydney study has found. The same extra serve was linked to a seven per cent lower risk of anxiety symptoms. Higher intake of sugary drinks, such as soft drinks, cordials and sports drinks, was linked to a higher risk of both conditions, with a stronger link in male teenagers, particularly for anxiety. The study followed 6537 adolescents from 71 secondary schools across NSW, Queensland and Western Australia from Year 7 to Year 10.
