AU Edition - Today's top story: Can data centre company Firmus live up to its blockbuster $43 billion listing value? Why some investors doubt it October 8, 2026 AU Edition   It’s not often a new company listing on the stock exchange makes headlines. But data centre builder Firmus, which is about to launch the largest new listing since Telstra in the late 1990s, is attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. First, there’s the eye-watering valuation of up to $43 billion, which has almost tripled in a matter of months despite a lack of financial information. We should get details about revenues and debt levels later today, but so far Firmus has built only 5% of its promised data centre capacity. More importantly, Firmus encapsulates the deep divide between AI true believers and those who worry about a potential bubble, fuelled by the close relationships between investors, suppliers and customers. As Marta Khomyn explains, who’s right will matter for all of us with savings in Australia’s super funds.   Victoria Thieberger Business and Economics Editor   Today's newsletter supported by Melbourne Connect   Can data centre company Firmus live up to its blockbuster $43 billion listing value? Why some investors doubt it Marta Khomyn, Adelaide University The October 23 listing could be Australia’s biggest in three decades. Many workers look set to own a piece of Firmus via their super – whether they want to or not. Colonisation, not climate change, first primed these forests to burn Michael-Shawn Fletcher, The University of Melbourne; Anthony John Romano, The University of Melbourne; Russell Mullett, Indigenous Knowledge For more than 800 years, frequent cultural burning kept this land as stable, open woodland. The migration debate has a big blind spot: much of regional Australia is shrinking Stewart Lockie, James Cook University; Nick Osbaldiston, James Cook University; Rana Dadpour, James Cook University Limiting our attention to short-term workforce needs ignores a much bigger conversation about what it will take for regional Australia to thrive in the future. Why a Greens’ plan for 624 public supermarkets to take on Woolies and Coles just doesn’t add up Flavio Menezes, The University of Queensland Inspired by New York, a Greens’ research thinktank is proposing a new national chain of public supermarkets. An economist explains the gaps in its $25 billion cost. What happens to language when machines start talking back? Celeste Rodriguez Louro, The University of Western Australia AI systems tend to focus on the person speaking – but the listener plays just as big a part in communication. Why most health apps are biased even before their first lines of code are written Mahima Kalla, The University of Melbourne; Noushin Nazarian, The University of Melbourne Apps and wearables are often built on invisible assumptions that might not be relevant to you. A new study shows how we can change that. Our research found a new reason to keep teachers happy – it’s linked to how well students do Theresa Dicke, Australian Catholic University New research has linked teachers’ wellbeing to students’ motivation and academic performance. Beige tones and knit throws? No, we’ve got Scandinavian design all wrong Nina Hillenberg, Torrens University Australia Scandinavian design is rooted in a philosophy that seems to make life easier. But it’s been turned into a bland colour palette. Politics + Society Yemen is spiralling into another civil war that could swiftly engulf in the entire region Amin Saikal, Australian National University; The University of Western Australia; Victoria University Turkey and Pakistan are poised to send troops to Saudi Arabia, but so far the Trump administration has avoided getting involved. Republicans continue to slide in US polls, four weeks before midterm elections Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne Americans are deeply unhappy with the Iran war and inflation, and the president and fellow Republicans are paying the price. NZ election poll watch: Opportunity holds as potential kingmaker in tight race Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne One poll gives the left bloc its first lead in any poll since June, but another has the right bloc still in front. Opportunity has an opportunity. Education ‘I’m harmed and I don’t think the person who did it knows’: we looked at different responses to uni sexual assault Meredith Rossner, Australian National University; Janet Hope, University of Canberra; Lorana Bartels, Australian National University; Miranda Forsyth, Australian National University; Sally Eales, Australian National University Restorative justice is an alternative pathway that focuses on repairing harm, rather than on criminal penalties. Environment + Energy Electric long-haul trucks could become a reality sooner – if there’s no driver Anthony Wiskich, Australian National University Smaller electric trucks are already on Australian city streets. As battery prices fall, bigger trucks will become viable – especially if there’s no driver. Conservationists are discovering ‘bright spots’ around the globe. Here’s why they matter Bing Lin, University of Sydney; Joshua Cinner, University of Sydney A new study examines ecosystems and species that are thriving against the odds. We analysed 30 years of debate on genetic modification. This is what’s been missing Sylvia Nissen, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Alexandra Palmer, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Raven Cretney, Lincoln University, New Zealand A new analysis tracking three decades of public discussion about GM finds economic arguments have increasingly crowded out cultural and ethical questions. Science + Technology It’s true, Australia won’t ban ‘sock puppet’ accounts on social media. Here’s why Daniel Angus, Queensland University of Technology; Timothy Graham, Queensland University of Technology A ‘sock puppet’ online is a false identity deployed deceptively, but that’s not how researchers use them. Arts + Culture Microdramas are booming. AI could make it even harder to stop binge-watching Johnny Chan, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Ultra-short digital content can now be produced, tested and recommended to viewers faster than ever before. What the Australian government’s apology to LGBTQ+ Defence personnel and veterans means Shirleene Robinson, University of Technology Sydney; Noah Riseman, La Trobe University The apology, with the news that personnel and veterans can apply to have historical homosexual convictions wiped from their records, are a well overdue step. Avant-garde abundance: the deeply infectious art of Australian artist Justene Williams Chari Larsson, Griffith University For over two decades, Justene Williams has developed a distinctive visual language. Her survey show, Once We Were Mudskippers, is now at the Queensland Art Gallery. Eliza, a theatrical thriller about the first chatbot, feels emotionally distant. That’s the point Kat Henry, The University of Melbourne Tom Holloway’s play uses the real-life story of 1960s chatbot ‘Eliza’ to explore the tension between humans and AI. Books + Ideas In a society desperate for distraction, a woman performing starvation overcommits Julian Novitz, Swinburne University of Technology Catherine Chidgey’s novel The Starving Bride is a disturbing and bleakly funny portrait of a society attempting to distract itself from mounting disasters. Your Say Thank you for the informative story on what’s happening in everyday retail and service transactions following the banning of card surcharge fees. What I find strange is that no business factors the cost of using cash into its pricing. Requiring employees to handle cash means less safety for them – our local café was held up a few years ago, to the great distress of its young employees, and went cash-free as a result. But cash also adds transaction time: the time taken for the customer to produce and count out the money, for the employee to count out the change, to count the cash in the till at the end of the day, to take the day’s cash to the bank, and to fill the till each morning with the cash float. On top of that, most banks charge fees for depositing cash. With wages making up the bulk of most business costs, why should those paying by card, which usually takes only a few seconds per transaction, have to subsidise all these daily costs? — Cathy Stewart, Milton NSW Read the article Thanks for traveling to Turkey for the [UN climate] summit, and for asking what I’d like to know about the meeting. With Australia a main negotiator I’m wondering how we will be explaining the fact that we’re not only not meeting any climate goals but instead keep allowing new fossil fuel projects. The government approved more than 35 new or extensions of coal, oil and gas developments and we’re not even sorry about this. Keeps me guessing what the Australian government actually fails to understand in the simple calculations of cause and effect. Best regards and good luck for Turkey. — Julica Jungehuelsing Read the article   We'd love to hear from you. Each day we publish an edited selection of your views on our stories. Email us     Featured Events, Courses & Jobs View all Brisbane Writers Festival 8 - 11 October 2026 • New Farm Canberra Writers Festival 15 - 18 October 2026 • <