Fw: Sat.23.1.21 daily digest
  Roderick Smith

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Subject: Sat.23.1.21 daily digest


Roderick

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Sat.23.1.20 Metro Twitter
Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Buses replace trains Burnley / South Yarra - Caulfield until the last train of Sun 24 Jan (works). Take any train to Burnley to connect with express buses.
Buses replace trains on sections of the Frankston line until the last train of Sun 24 Jan (works).
- Trains are resuming between Mordialloc and Frankston after an operational incident at Frankston. First trains: 5.07 ex Moorabbin; 5.42 ex Moorabbin.
- 6.41 Thankfully happened on the down side, blocking only the Stony Point line tracks.  Both platforms at Frankston remained still in use on Friday until the salvage effort took place.
- Buses continue to replace trains Frankston - Stony Point (track-repair works at Frankston), taking an extra 25 minutes.  It is ex[ected that trains will resume after 3pm.
16.33 Lilydale/Belgrave lines: Major delays (an equipment fault near Ringwood). Trains will be held at available platforms.
- 16.48 & 17.12 Some [ie all] trains will terminate/originate at Blackburn. Consider alternatives.
- 17.33 Are these delays continuing?
- Delays are ongoing. Technicians are on-site at Ringwood effecting repairs to infrastructure, however there is still limited movement. Where are you travelling from? We can assist with alternative transport planning.
- I will drive to Blackburn based on previous update. I presume that is worth doing?
- If you're travelling towards the city, driving to Blackburn and picking up a train from there would be the best option.  If you're at stations between Ringwood and Nunawading, you can also consider SmartBus 901 along Maroondah Hwy.
- If I had tapped on I could have jumped on a train to city.  I was busy trying to hear what announcement was made, saw a train coming, went back to tap on, and missed it.
- 18.00 & 18.10 Buses replace trains Blackburn- Mooroolbark/Belgrave.  Buses ordered, ETA 45min. Consider alternatives.
- 18.20 Buses ETA 30min.
- 18.40 & 18.50 Buses ETA 15min.
- 18.58 Trains resuming, with major delays.  First trains:  18.09 ex Flinders St; 18.39 ex Lilydale.
16.49 Werribee/Sunbury/Craigieburn/Upfield lines: Major delays through North Melbourne (an 'operational incident'). Trains may run direct North Melbourne - Flinders St.
17.06  Sandringham line: All trains will run direct to/from Flinders St (an equipment fault near Richmond). Passengers for Southern Cross or loop stations change at Flinders St for trains from pfm 1, 2 or 3.
- 18.32 Sandringham line: Trains have resumed via the loop.  The first: 18.10 ex Sandringham.
18.41 Werribee line: Major delays (an ill passenger requiring ambulance assistance at Williams Landing). Trains may run direct Laverton - Newport.
- 18.49 clearing.


COVID-19 IN AUSTRALIA Data updated 11.46am on Jan 23, 2021
4 New cases (Jan 23)    157 Active cases    25961 Recovered    909 Deaths    View full Australia and global data


No more Google searching? Big tech and publishers reach for their guns Tony Wright January 22, 2021. 17 comments
If the internet is the modern Wild West, Google has emerged as the tough town of Tombstone, and Facebook as Dodge City.
Google’s gunslingers have gone so far as threatening to send their own Australian search engine on a one-way trip to the Boot Hill graveyard if the Australian government doesn’t back down from an attempt to force them to pay up.
“It’s not a threat. It’s a reality,” said Google Australia’s managing director, Mel Silva, when asked about her declaration that if the government’s proposed laws went ahead, Google would disable its search function for all of Australia.CREDIT: ALEX ELLINGHAUSEN
In short, it is applying that old standby: blackmail. And Facebook is doing the same.
The government wants to make Google and Facebook pay for the news content they merrily extract for free from Australian news publishers such as Nine Entertainment (publisher of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald), News Corp, Guardian Australia, the ABC and all the rest.
Facebook says if the government was given the whip hand under current proposals, it would make sure all its 17 million Australian users were prevented from sharing any form of Australian news reports on their posts.
‘It’s a reality’: Google threatens to stop search in Australia due to media code
Google went full rogue and declared, eye-poppingly, that it would close access to its search engine to all Australians.
Type in a query, and you’d get a message telling you to rack off, or words to that effect.
Of course, these measures were no more than a “worst-case scenario”, the representatives of both Google and Facebook tried to reassure inquisitors on a Senate inquiry, part of which, rather deliciously, was run virtually, via the internet.
Why, they would love to strike a deal with Australian publishers, they said. It was just that the Australian government’s legislation forcing them to do so was not acceptable.
And blackmail? Not a bit of it, the people from Google and Facebook insisted.
Side by side, they gunned together: News Corp’s Campbell Reid (left), AAP’s Emma Cowdroy and Nine’s Chris Janz during Friday’s Senate hearing.CREDIT:ALEX ELLINGHAUSEN
“It’s not a threat. It’s a reality,” said Google Australia’s managing director, Mel Silva, when asked about her declaration that if the government’s proposed laws went ahead, Google would disable its search function for all of Australia.
And Facebook’s vice-president of public policy (Asia-Pacific), Simon Milner, said his company was not making threats, but was simply explaining the “potential consequences” of the government’s decision making.
And yet, both representatives of these immensely powerful and wealthy tech companies dismissed the worth of Australian news content on their platforms as piffling.
Queries for news stories on Google amounted to about 1.25 per cent of total searches in Australia, Ms Silva informed the Senate committee.
News content made up less than 5 per cent of material viewed by the average Facebook user, said Mr Milner, and revenue was next to nothing.
Regardless, both agreed their business models would be in grievous danger if the Australian government set the rules on paying publishers for news content and mandatory methods of arbitration.
This fascinating exercise in creative argument raised eyebrows among senators on the inquiry, who were unkind enough to suggest it was really all about Google and Facebook fearing that Australian legislation could become a precedent, leading to governments around the world deciding to tighten the screws.
The attitude of the tech giants, and the thirst for a more level playing field in a digital advertising market massively skewed towards Google and Facebook, had the unusual side-effect of uniting rival media companies News Corp, Nine Entertainment and Guardian Australia, with the ABC, SBS, Free TV Australia, news agency AAP, and the chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, all joining in.
Side by side, they gunned together, rather like Wyatt Earp and his brothers and sidekicks gathering at the OK Corral in Tombstone.
We’ll bring you the outcome of this gunfight in due course. You’ll know what’s happened if you dial up Google and discover a message telling you to rack off, or words to that effect.
RELATED ARTICLE Melanie Silva, Google Managing Director and Vice President of Australia and New Zealand, appearing via videoconference, during a Senate hearing on the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code Bill, at Parliament House in Canberra. Media bargaining code
RELATED ARTICLE Facebook and Google are facing a government crackdown. 'Time is running out': Nine, News lead push for Parliament to make tech giants pay
<www.smh.com.au/national/no-more-google-searching-big-tech-and-publishers-reach-for-their-guns-20210122-p56w8j.html>

Train fares to be reduced by 30 per cent during off-peak times as workers return. Grace McKinnon January 23, 2021 Melbourne City News
Some metro train fares will be reduced by 30 per cent for three months to “stagger” passengers returning to the CBD. Find out when to touch on.
Discount public transport will be offered in Melbourne starting next week. Picture: David Crosling
Melburnians can soon enjoy discounted public transport as 450 new weekly services are added to Victoria’s train network.
From January 31 metropolitan travellers will receive 30 per cent off their fare when travelling in off-peak times for the next three months.
Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll made the announcement last month and said the discount would encourage commuters to “stagger their trips” and stay covid-safe.
“We know covid-normal will see people travelling differently than in the past — working from home arrangements, more services and a discount for off-peak travel will make it easier for people to stagger their trips,” he said.
Anyone touching on and off using a myki between 9.30am and 4pm or after 7pm on weekdays would instantly receive the discount.
The staged return to work began this week with the City of Melbourne estimating 90 per cent of workers want to come back to their CBD offices.
The council estimates the recession is the worst in more than 100 years, with the CBD experiencing the greatest loss.
In December foot traffic was down 65.5 per cent on the same time last year and more than 13 per cent of inner Melbourne jobs have been lost compared to six per cent across the state.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said Melbourne businesses were eagerly waiting for workers to return.
“Our message to workers returning to the city is that we’ve missed you, welcome back,” she said.
“We want Melbourne businesses to thrive again because they are a vital part of what makes our city great.
“The research shows people miss the benefits of working face-to-face, including the increased collaboration and socialising, along with the atmosphere and buzz of the city.”
The train timetable has been reworked to include 280 new metropolitan Melbourne services and 170 regional services in a bid to reduce overcrowding as the state maintains low coronavirus numbers.
During peak hours trains on the Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston, Werribee, Williamstown, Upfield, Craigieburn and Sunbury line will have increased capacity.
To see the changes to your train, coach and bus timetable, visit ptv.vic.gov.au/more/the-new-timetable-for-victorias-train-network/
More Coverage How to get into Melbourne’s secret barsCall for ‘cruel’ detention practice to end as refugees releasedHow vouchers will help boost CBD foot traffic
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/train-fares-to-be-reduced-by-30-per-cent-during-offpeak-times-as-workers-return/news-story/16ee455c6ae19087b24c7e40820ea618>
* "90% of workers want to return to their CBD office", I don't think so. Out of all my friends and work colleagues, the figure is closer to 20%.
* Yes my employer loves it when I start my 45 rail commute after 9:30 am. Pretty impractical advice. But if you’re a politician you don’t live in the real world so understandable why they push this.
* Big deal. How about reduced or free travel for all school kids returning to school next week
* Reduce your fares by 100% .. Don’t travel by public transport, stay safe people !
* Get rid of the mask rule on public transport - the other states have done that
* They could be free and the service is still useless: trains every 30 minutes offpeak don't match today. Trains every 20 minutes in the peak are hardly peak, and won't qualify for the cheaper fare anyhow. Clearly, the minister who spouts 'turn up and go' doesn't use trains.  The improvements are miniscule, camouflaged by quoting services per week.  We need substance, not spin.
* The city will never be as busy as it was , now with all office workers working from home 2 or 3 days a week
* There’s a much simpler way! Be like many thousands and don’t pay at all!
* It would be useful if they defined peak as directional also. Those going to sports at night have no choice but to board trains before 7pm, but this would be on low utilisation inbound services.


Flinders Street Station: Trio of teens arrested after overnight stabbing. Erin Lyons January 23, 2021 NCA NewsWire
Three teenagers have been arrested after another teen was stabbed at one of Melbourne’s busiest train stations.
Three teenagers arrested after a stabbing at Flinders Street Station. Picture: AAP
Three teenagers have been arrested following an alleged stabbing at Flinders Street Station in Melbourne overnight.
Officers arrested the trio – a 17-year-old from Mont Albert North and two 18-year-old boys from Balwyn North – just before 4am.
They are currently being questioned by police.
An 18-year-old has been taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Investigations are ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/breaking-news/flinders-street-station-trio-of-teens-arrested-after-overnight-stabbing/news-story/ae706dd83e4a6a96910bd68c01d9ce78>


Sat.23.1.21 Melbourne 'Herald Sun' SINGING ON THE OUTSIDE CAMERON ADAMS
Jimmy Barnes busks in Melbourne's CBD on Friday night. Picture: MARK STEWART
JIMMY Barnes surprised city goers with two pop-up busking gigs on Friday night.
The Aussie rock icon played surprise shows in the Bourke St mall and the Evan Walker Bridge in Southbank, announcing on his social media just 15 minutes in advance.
He’s the latest to perform pop-up shows for Melbourne’s Music in the City series, which has seen Tones And I, Vika and Linda and Daryl Braithwaite surprise pedestrians.
Barnes has been eagerly awaiting a chance to return to Victoria and start playing COVID-safe concerts. He plays Rochford Wines in the Yarra Valley on Saturday night with the Teskey Brothers and Vika and Linda, then All Saints Estate in Rutherglen on Monday with Daryl Braithwaite and Deborah Conway.

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