Australia Blog
News and notes from Google Down Under
Doonside students learning skills of the future
Monday, February 18, 2019
Ever wanted to eat cupcakes with a robot? Ok us either... But more than 600 students from seven schools gathered at Doonside Technology High in Western Sydney and had the chance to do just that. They weren’t just bonding over the baked goods, they were learning skills of the future like STEM and computer science.
A recent report from
Alphabeta
highlighted the changing nature of work due to developments in technology and automation and looked at the skills the Austrailan workforce will need to thrive in the new economy.
We were delighted to join Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy, Ed Husic in partnering with nonprofit organisation
Schools Plus
to support a STEM-themed school program and Robotics Club at Doonside Technology high that will see seven schools - Crawford Public School, Doonside Public School, Doonside Technology High School, Evans High School, Marayong South Public School, Plumpton High School and Walters Road Public School - receive support to significantly expand students’ access to digital technologies and STEM learning activities.
We’re providing $45,000 in funding as well as mentoring and professional development with some of our amazing Google colleagues to introduce more STEM education for students.
This is the third project Google has funded with Schools Plus, taking our total contributions to over $100,000 including Balga High School (WA) and Madison Park (SA).
We've long been supporters of computer science and STEM education in Australia - supporting over 12,000 teachers through
Google Educator PD grants
, reaching new students across the country and giving them access to a
world class robotics program
with FIRST robotics, and delivering
professional development training
to over 35,000 teachers (and counting) across Australia through our collaboration with the CSER team at the University of Adelaide. Future innovations and inventions in Australia will come from students gaining skills in computer science today, and blending that with other disciplines to solve challenges the world faces now, and in the future.
Thanks to
Schools Plus
for bringing this exciting opportunity to us and we can’t wait to work with students and teachers in Western Sydney to do great things with technology.
Posted by Sally-Ann Williams, Engineering and Community Outreach Manager, Google Australia
An updated Safety Centre for Safer Internet Day
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Making technology for everyone means protecting everyone who uses it. For more than 20 years, Google has been building useful products to help make people’s lives easier. From the beginning, we’ve recognised that not everyone uses the Internet in the same way and that’s why we offer tools to keep your family safer online, and it’s why we’re continually cracking down on bad actors whose actions make the web worse for all.
In the lead up to
Safer Internet Day
, we have launched an expanded
Google Safety Centre
. We’ve updated our resources and pulled even more tools,
easy security tips
and information into one site dedicated to educating and empowering people on important topics like
data security
,
privacy controls
and
how to use technology in a way that is right for your family
.
The
Google Safety Centre
educates kids and helps their parents and teachers support them to explore the internet and use our Google products safely. With
Family Link
, we empower parents to set digital ground rules by managing their Google Accounts, device, and app usage. Family-friendly products, like
YouTube Kids
, provide a safer online experience for discovery. Beyond our own products, we also help kids learn how to be safer, more confident explorers of the online world through our investment in programs such as the
eSmart Digital Licence
.
As technology continues to change the way we live, work, and play, our commitment to keeping you safe and secure remains top of mind and the updated Google Safety Centre is part of that commitment.
Posted by Samantha Yorke, Senior Counsel Public Policy, Google Australia and New Zealand
Advancing Cancer Treatment Research with Artificial Intelligence
Monday, February 4, 2019
One in four Australians are diagnosed with cancer during their lives. Even when correctly diagnosed, the best cancer treatments achieve only a 48 percent success rate over three years.
1
A key to better predicting patient treatment outcomes for cancer sufferers lies in finding and interpreting the patterns and genes of significance in the genomes of patients who have responded best to previous treatments.
This World Cancer Day, we’re proud to share the inspiring work that Brisbane-based machine learning consultancy,
Max Kelsen
, is doing with artificial intelligence (AI) to better predict patient responses to cancer treatments such as immunotherapy.
Their Immunotherapy Outcome Prediction (IOP) has the potential to change the lives of millions of cancer patients worldwide. Working alongside
genomiQa
,
QIMR Berghofer
,
BGI
, and
QLD Health Metro North Hospital and Health Service
, Max Kelsen plans to integrate AI and whole genome sequencing into cancer research and clinical practice and putting us one step closer to fully personalized, highly effective treatment plans.
Through access to
Tensor Research Cloud
from Google, Max Kelsen is combining whole genome analysis with AI to help predict the effectiveness of cancer treatments at scale.
Learn more
about their work, and show your support for the global community that’s leading in a fight for a cure this #WorldCancerDay.
1
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Phase 3 Study Evaluating Yervoy® (Ipilimumab) for Melanoma in an Adjuvant Setting Meets Primary Endpoint of Recurrence-Free Survival
Posted by Rebecca Wong, Communications Manager, Google Cloud APAC
Say G’day to WA’s National Parks with today’s Google Doodle
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Today means different things for Australians around the country. Whether you’re reflecting, protesting or celebrating, what shapes and binds us as a nation is our love for our nature. Our land is like no other, so today we’re honouring its wild and wonderful ways.
Through Google Street View, we’ve been mapping natural landmarks around Australia – from
Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef
to
Victoria’s Twelve Apostles Marine National Park
. Today’s Doodle takes us to Western Australia to celebrate the magnificent
Fitzgerald River National Park
of which the Southern Noongar and Wagyl Kaip people are the Traditional Custodians. The park offers diverse terrains – rolling plains, colourful breakaways, rugged peaks, headlands, stunning bays and inlets. With guidance from Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, today’s Doodle celebrates this unique landscape, as well as the flora and fauna of this spectacular spot.
Fitzgerald River National Park is one of the largest and most botanically significant national parks in Australia. More than 1,800 plant species grow in the park — 75 of these, including the iconic
Royal Hakea
, cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The park is also home to more than 200 bird species, 41 reptile species, 12 frog species, and 22 mammal species, including the
honey possum
featured in today’s Doodle. These mouse-sized marsupials, also known as “Noolbenger”, have tails that are longer than their bodies, pointed snouts, and long tongues covered with bristles to help them drink nectar from native flowers like the Banksia (also featured in the Doodle). Tiny but thirsty, the honey possum can drink the equivalent of its body weight in nectar per day! They also help the plants reproduce by spreading pollen as they feast.
Royal Hakea, seen along East Mount Barren
In the background, the Doodle depicts a grand vista of rock formations and the Barrens coastal range, which is perched on the edge of the Southern Ocean. The range is characterised by uplifted and tilted grey quartzite rocks (once sediments on an ancient sea floor) and magnificent multicoloured cliffs of spongolite.
However you spend today, we invite you to
explore
the trails and jagged coastline of Fitzgerald River National Park. Start your adventure by heading down the
Hakea Trail
to enjoy the spectacular views at
Quoin Head
.
Posted by Camilla Ibrahim, Communications & Public Affairs Manager, Google Australia
YouTube Music Unveils its First-Ever 'Artists to Watch' in Australia and New Zealand
Monday, January 21, 2019
Singers such as Kaiit, Bene and Didirri, and rappers including the Triple One crew and Kwame, feature in the Top 10 Australian and New Zealand acts predicted to break through in the next 12 months
YouTube Music today released its top 10 Artists To Watch in Australia and New Zealand for 2019. Some are already building impressive reputations locally but we believe all of them have the talent to go significantly further this year, both at home and overseas.
In alphabetical order, the 10 Artists To Watch from Australia and New Zealand in 2019 are:
Bene
(Auckland, New Zealand)
Didirri
(Melbourne, Australia)
G Flip
(Melbourne, Australia)
- pictured above
JessB
(Auckland, New Zealand)
Kaiit
(Melbourne, Australia)
Kian
(Castlemaine, Australia)
Kwame
(Sydney, Australia, via Auckland, New Zealand)
The Kid Laroi
(Sydney, Australia)
Triple One
(Sydney, Australia)
Tyne-James Organ
(Melbourne via Sydney, Australia)
YouTube Music compiled its Artists To Watch for 2019 using factors including YouTube views, engagement from global music fans and YouTube Music analytics.
Melbourne’s all-singing, all-drumming indie firecracker G Flip, real name Georgia Flipo, says she is “stoked” to be one of YouTube Music’s Artists To Watch.
“I think it’s so cool they are championing breaking artists and I'm honoured to be chosen as one of them,” she said.
Her fellow Melburnian, sunny troubadour Didirri, describes his inclusion as “an absolute honour”.
“I think it’s time we bring some positivity back into the limelight this year,” Didirri adds. “Hoping to bring a bunch of us together and share the music.”
That would include Sydney hip-hop trio Triple One, as they brace themselves for a huge 12 months, saying, “We've come into the new year with something to prove. 2019 will be our biggest year yet and our biggest evolution as a group.”
And when soulful Kiwi Bene heard she had made YouTube Music’s Artists To Watch list, she said, “So much luv, can't wait to show you more of ma shtuff.”
Burgeoning singer-songwriters Kaiit, Kian and Tyne James-Organ, and talented rappers JessB, Kwame and The Kid Laroi round out the chosen ones.
Head to
YouTube Music
to further explore these Artists to Watch and enjoy a brand-new
YouTube Music playlist
featuring our top 10 artists and the longlist, as well as an in-app spotlight, featuring audio and video content.
Posted by Ruuben van den Heuvel, Head of Music Content Partnerships (South East Asia, AU/NZ), YouTube
GNI YouTube innovation funding: supporting 87 news organisations in 23 countries to build video capabilities and innovate with new formats
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
In July, as part of the Google News Initiative (GNI), innovation funding to help newsrooms and publishers strengthen their online video capabilities and experiment with new formats for video journalism was
announced
. Hundreds of organisations submitted proposals through an open application process and today, we can reveal the 87 recipients.
From 23 countries around the world, they represent a diverse array of broadcasters, traditional and digital publishers, local media, agencies and creators, but all share a commitment to quality journalism and a spirit for innovation.
Many projects seek to enhance video operations and incubate new ways of reporting news through video - from adapting formats to better resonate with younger audiences on the internet to exploring live and fact-checking formats. Other projects focus on improving the sustainability of news organisations, including work on new business models and programs to support a healthy news ecosystem.
There are two Aussie recipients, including:
Junkee:
One of Australia's fastest growing and most innovative new media companies, Junkee will push boundaries even further and experiment with new ways of informing audiences.
Tim Duggan, Publisher at Junkee Media said:
“We’ve always been at the forefront of innovative new content formats, which is why we’re so thrilled that YouTube’s funding will help us push the boundaries even further and experiment with new ways of informing our audience about news they really care about. We’ve got so many exciting ideas we’ve been itching to test out, and this funding will enable us to create them on YouTube in a really meaningful way. We can’t wait to get stuck into it and share our learnings with the rest of the journalism community.”
Nine News:
Dedicated to delivering the latest news and headlines from Australia and the world, Nine’s strategy is to create premium content, distribute it broadly and engage audiences. Now, the outlet will experiment with reaching global audiences and distributing Australian news content more broadly.
“Nine’s strategy is to create premium content, distribute it broadly and engage our audiences. The YouTube Innovation project gives Nine the opportunity to experiment with a global audience distributing Nine’s great Australian content more broadly while evaluating various commercialisation models,”
said a Nine spokesperson.
And here is a sample of some of the projects funded from around the world:
Advance Local (United States):
US publisher Advance Local will build out a new format for local news storytelling, enabling them to connect more deeply with their communities across the country. They will start in Michigan, where MLive Media Group (Mlive.com) will connect directly with its viewers, providing avenues for action on topics of important local interest, giving viewers the information they need to have their voice heard on issues of the day.
The Economist (United Kingdom):
British publisher The Economist will strengthen its video production facilities and expertise, enabling it to launch a weekly video format that will explore the true story behind trending news topics. Through live streaming and audience engagement tools, viewers will be able to interact with the story along with the producers, their processes and sources. The new format aims to give viewers the tools to spot misinformation, analyze news sources and join the conversation.
HugoDécrypte (France):
A top French news creator, HugoDécrypte will staff and train a production team to create a studio-based live news show. The show will form an on-screen meeting place for HugoDécrypte’s YouTube community to learn about and debate the key news issues of the day. It will consist of regular segments including news bulletins, fact-checking and interviews with well-known political figures and subject matter experts.
La Nación (Argentina):
One of Argentina’s leading newspapers, La Nación will enhance their video operations at large. In business since 1870, La Nación has a rich history in print journalism, which they are extending to video. This funding will be used to grow their video team, improve digital video skills and increase output, enabling them to deliver engaging content, including behind the scenes snapshots of their hard-hitting investigative journalism and fresh takes on news of the day through video digests.
Narasi TV (Indonesia):
Independent Indonesian journalist Najwa Shihab’s media company will mobilize its community across the country’s 34 provinces. It will host workshops to train budding citizen journalists on visual storytelling, news video production and media literacy, encouraging more Indonesians to become credible content creators as well as critical consumers of media. Meanwhile, Narasi TV’s own investigative journalism team will staff up their video team to produce more in-depth reports, particularly in hotly contested parts of the country in the run-up to Indonesia’s general elections.
Thairath (Thailand):
The digital arm of one of Thailand’s oldest news publishers, Thairath, will create a rights management platform for Thailand’s freelance journalists. This platform will help Thai “stringers” more easily manage their footage rights from media companies. By protecting and promoting the important work of independent Thai journalists, the effort will support both the Thai media ecosystem and global news agencies seeking news about Thailand.
Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to supporting a strong future for news video. Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing insights gained from the projects and giving newsrooms the opportunity to benefit from the learnings, as we work together to support the development of long-term, sustainable news video businesses.
For more information about YouTube’s work with the news industry, please visit our
website
. We look forward to seeing how our partners across the globe push the boundaries of video journalism.
Posted by Timothy Katz, Director of News Partnerships, YouTube
Year in Search 2018: Here’s what Aussies searched for this year
Friday, December 14, 2018
From Barnaby to the Badgelor, ball tampering to the blood moon – our searches were a kaleidoscope of curiosities.
As 2018 comes to a close, it’s time to look back and take stock of the moments that had Aussies searching for answers, wondering about the world – and scratching their heads. It was the year we tuned into the royal wedding, looked up listeria and gazed up at the beaming, blood moon. We jumped on the keto bandwagon, celebrated our Commonwealth Games and fell in love with Freddie Mercury all over again. From the Wentworth by-election to the US midterm elections, the Hawaiian volcanoes to the Thai cave rescue, our Searches went far and wide. We grappled topical questions about our health records, and pondered perennial ones... like how to win the lotto.
To rediscover the events, people and topics that defined 2017 around the world, watch our global
Year in Search video
.
Here's a summary of five themes that defined Search in Australia in 2018:
Happy and sad endings
This year we were mesmerised by Meghan Markle as she made her royal entrance down the aisle. The Duchess of Sussex topped the list of global figures, while “Royal wedding” landed the top spot in the list of news events. We watched the Thai cave rescue unfold, and celebrated when the boys were returned to safety. However, 2018 was not all fairytale endings, as we mourned and said goodbye to Avicii, Anthony Bourdain, Aretha Franklin, Jessica Falkholt and Eurydice Dixon.
Sports scores and scandals
Aussies were watching, cheering and tracking scores for all kinds of sport this year, including soccer, tennis, rugby, AFL and more. We were gripped with World Cup fever and celebrated our Commonwealth Games, with both events taking the top two searches overall. We followed David Warner and the ball tampering scandal, searched for State of Origin – and looked for Socceroo Tim Cahill when he was off the field and then left the game.
Health check-ups
Aussies were hungry for health related information this year, spanning nutrition, weight loss, disease and personal data. The top ‘How to…?' search was “How to opt out of my health records” followed by “How to lose weight fast” and “How to lose belly fat.” Aussies also read up on listeria following the outbreaks – and we wondered about a fictional disease called ligma (made up by a Fortnite streamer).
Keto is king
It seems Aussies were ready to throw out the sweet stuff this year as "Keto recipes” topped the list of recipe searches. Desserts are also noticeably absent in the top food related searches which, in contrast to previous years, include only savoury dishes and ingredients. 2018’s menu includes hearty classics such as corned beef and chicken curry – along with vegetarian ingredients including eggplant, tofu, beetroot, and couscous.
Techy topics
Bitcoin remained a subject of great intrigue for Aussies, landing in three lists – including overall, "How to…?" and "What is…?" searches. We also wrapped our head around blockchain, questioned our social media activity – and wondered why our internet connection is so slow.
To dive into the data, check out Australia's full trending* lists for 2018:
Overall
World Cup
Commonwealth Games
Meghan Markle
Avicii
Coinspot
Anthony Bourdain
US Open Tennis
Mac Miller
Bitcoin price
Black Panther
News events
Royal Wedding
Thai cave rescue
Wentworth by-election
My health record
Beaumont children
Hawaii volcano
California fires
Listeria
US midterm elections
Blood moon
Global figures
Meghan Markle
Demi Lovato
Freddie Mercury
Khloe Kardashian
Logan Paul
Tristan Thompson
Hailey Baldwin
Sylvester Stallone
Khabib
Travis Scott
Aussies
Barnaby Joyce
Scott Morrison
Peter Dutton
Billy Slater
Craig McLachlan
Vikki Campion
David Warner
Chopper Read
Nick Cummins
Andrew Gaff
Loss
Avicii
Anthony Bourdain
Mac Miller
xxxtentacion
Stan Lee
Kate Spade
Aretha Franklin
Burt Reynolds
Jessica Falkholt
Eurydice Dixon
How to...?
How to opt out of my health record
How to watch World Cup in Australia
How to win Powerball
How to delete Instagram
Google Arts and Culture face match how to
How to buy bitcoin
How to lose weight fast
How to screenshot on iPhone X
How to delete Facebook
How to lose belly fat
What is…?
What is bitcoin
What is listeria
What is ligma
What is hazing
What is a mud room
What is the capital of California
What is open on Good Friday
What is Diwali
What is blockchain
What is ball tampering
Why is…?
Why is State of Origin on Sunday
Why is it called Good Friday
Why is Russia OAR
Why is Australia Day Jan 26
Why is Tim Cahill not playing tonight
Why is ANZAC Day important
Why is Australia Day celebrated
Why is my internet so slow
Why is Nick Cummins called the honey badger
Why is my poop green
Recipes
Keto recipes
Beef stroganoff recipes
Chicken curry recipes
Frittata recipes
Gnocchi recipes
Risotto recipes
Chicken soup recipes
Fried rice recipes
Omelette recipes
Beef stew recipes
How to cook…?
How to cook corned beef
How to cook eggplant
How to cook tofu
How to cook silverside
How to cook beetroot
How to cook rice in the microwave
How to cook corn
How to cook couscous
How to cook crayfish
How to cook barramundi
* Trending Searches:
What was hot in 2018?
The "trending" queries are the searches that had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2018 as compared to 2017.
Posted by Camilla Ibrahim, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google Australia and New Zealand
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