WORLDWIDE MICROSOFT TEAMS FAILURE DISRUPTS MILLIONS FROM CONNECTING WITH COWORKERS AND WORKING TOGETHER

AUSTRALIA NEWS

25th October 2024

By Oyenike

Microsoft Teams faced a significant global disruption, preventing millions from reaching their coworkers or collaborating effectively. This application is the top choice for communication among over a million businesses globally, with more than 1.4 billion users reported by SignHouse in 2022.

On Friday, just before noon, many users encountered issues, unable to send or receive messages. Countries like Australia and New Zealand, among others, were impacted by the outage. Besides messaging failures, users reported various other difficulties with Microsoft Teams’ services and functionalities across different platforms.

The tech company indicated that a standard update was causing “unexpected behaviour” within Teams, with engineers actively seeking a solution. The list of affected services included sending messages, initiating new group chats, updating messages, and creating one-on-one calls, among others.

Microsoft acknowledged the problem, stating, “We’ve identified a routine change that we suspect is resulting in unexpected behaviour and causing impact.” They are working to find the best way to mitigate the issue and promised to provide updates as their investigation continues. Many users expressed their frustration online, noting that the outage severely disrupted their daily tasks.

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QANTAS TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH A $1,000 ‘GRATITUDE’ BONUS AS THE AIRLINE STRIVES TO RESTORE ITS IMAGE

Qantas is rewarding thousands of its employees with an additional $1,000 as a gesture of appreciation while the airline works to restore its image following various controversies. CEO Vanessa Hudson announced this bonus during the annual general meeting in Hobart, commending the outstanding efforts of the workforce.

Approximately 23,000 non-executive staff will benefit from this financial boost. Hudson emphasised the dedication and resilience of the employees, highlighting their commitment to customer service even in difficult situations. Their enthusiasm and creativity are crucial for the airline’s efforts to regain its reputation.

Hudson also reiterated her commitment to improving relationships with staff and unions since taking over as CEO. She acknowledged the progress made but recognised that rebuilding trust is a gradual process.

While there may be disagreements and unmet expectations, Hudson expressed the airline’s aim to enhance pay and working conditions for employees while ensuring sustainable growth. This $1,000 bonus follows previous incentives, including travel vouchers distributed to non-executive workers amid ongoing union actions supporting Qantas engineers.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson

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NSW PREMIER CHRIS MINNS INTRODUCES INNOVATIVE RENTAL LAWS TO ‘GUARANTEE HOUSING SAFETY’ FOR MILLIONS OF RENTERS

The Minns Labor government has implemented significant modifications to rental regulations that will impact over 2.2 million residents in New South Wales, aiming to ensure housing stability while balancing the needs of renters and property owners. A key change is the prohibition of no-grounds evictions, which will safeguard renters from housing instability by making it more challenging for landlords to evict tenants without valid reasons.

These reforms also provide landlords with clearer guidelines on when they can terminate a lease. Rent hikes will be limited to once a year under the new laws, and charging tenants fees for background checks during rental applications will be banned. Property owners must offer free payment options, such as bank transfers. Premier Chris Minns emphasised that renters have been overlooked in NSW for too long, and these changes aim to create a fairer environment for millions of renters.

The new laws, which were approved by parliament on Thursday evening, not only benefit tenants but also ease the process for keeping pets in rental properties, with changes to be enacted following amendments to the Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019 in early 2025.

Minister Anoulack Chanthivong stated that limiting rent increases to once a year, banning no-grounds evictions, facilitating pet applications, and eliminating hidden fees for rent payments are historic reforms that will significantly improve the rental experience for tenants in NSW.

The Minns Labor government has implemented significant modifications to rental regulations

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CAMPBELL NEWMAN CITES DAVID CRISAFULLI’S FAILURE TO ADDRESS ABORTION FEAR CAMPAIGN AS CAUSE FOR CLOSE ELECTION RACE

Campbell Newman, former Queensland Premier, has asserted that LNP Leader David Crisafulli’s reluctance to address Labor’s abortion scare tactics has allowed Premier Steven Miles to gain ground in the polls. Newman noted that Miles is currently outperforming expectations in the election campaign, despite starting from a disadvantage.

Newman, who faced a significant defeat in 2015, expressed frustration at Miles’s resurgence, indicating that it has been quite surprising. According to the latest Newspoll, while Crisafulli is predicted to secure a two-seat majority, Miles has narrowed the lead considerably.

The poll, commissioned by The Australian, shows the Opposition leading Labor 52.5% to 47.5%, indicating a notable 5.7% swing since 2020, which could result in Labor losing 13 seats. In terms of preferred Premier, Miles’s support has surged to 45%, surpassing Crisafulli, who has dropped to 42%.

Newman remarked that the upcoming election is expected to be closer than anticipated, expressing hope that Crisafulli and his team will succeed despite the growing momentum behind Miles, who has effectively leveraged the abortion debate. He believes Crisafulli’s recent pro-choice statement could be pivotal in shifting the dynamics of the race.

Campbell Newman, Former Queensland Premier

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“GONE TO AMERICA”: JOHN JARRATT SLAMS CHRIS AND LIAM HEMSWORTH FOR NOT USING AUSTRALIAN ACCENTS

John Jarratt, an Australian actor, has fiercely criticised fellow actors Chris and Liam Hemsworth, asserting that the local film industry has largely shifted to America, with the Hemsworths rarely using their native accents in films. He expressed these views during an interview on 104.5 Triple M Brisbane’s The Rush Hour, emphasising the need for a revival of Australian cinema and a focus on local talent.

Jarratt, who has over 40 years of experience in the film industry, highlighted the trend of Australian stars pursuing careers in Hollywood since the inception of Australian cinema with the 1906 film ‘The Story of the Kelly Gang’. He called for a return to Australian films and actors, criticising the dominance of superhero movies.

Despite his concerns, Jarratt is set to appear in upcoming projects, including a new instalment of ‘Wolf Creek’ and an Australian gangster film titled ‘Double or Nothing’, which will debut at the Brisbane Film Festival. His remarks follow Chris Hemsworth’s recent performance in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, where he was praised for using an Australian accent.

The local film sector has faced significant challenges, especially due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has further complicated the landscape for Australian filmmakers and actors.

Australian actor John Jarratt

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