šµ BMX Bandits
Plus: Ku-ring-gai turf wars, Lane Cove bushwalks, and GANGgajang frontman Mark Callaghan on AI music
Huw Bradshaw
December 10, 2025
ā±ļø The 66th edition of our newsletter is a five-minute read.
Morning all,
Iāve been writing a lot about e-bikes this week. When I was interviewing Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby about the issue on Monday morning, she spoke specifically about teenage cyclists roaming coastal suburban roads in large groups. This is something she claims āteenagers have done foreverā.
What better argument is there for that than to simply sit down for a rewatch of the classic 80s Australian film BMX Bandits ā one of Nicole Kidmans first roles ā in which hundreds of kids swarm the gang of villains on their bikes. Unfortunately, I canāt seem to find the exact scene on youtube, but hereās another good one of Kidman showing off her skills.
Apart from the block colour outfits and crazy 80s hair, thereās one other thing separating these new kids from Kidman: 1000 watt batteries capable of driving their bikes up to 60km/ph. This is what politicians like Scruby are taking issue with.
Anyway, letās get into the rest of the news.
HEARD THIS WEEKš
š“ Why does Sydney have such a big e-bike problem, and how do we fix it?
Over the past few years, illegal e-bike usage in New South Wales has proliferated.
The Sydney Childrenās Hospital Network has issued warnings to parents, with e-bike related injuries having increased by a third in the last year.
Following the death of an e-bike rider last week, Premier Chris Minns announced changes to the law are on their way. The NSW Liberals have followed suit, declaring their own suite of proposed reforms on Monday. But will either of these schemes do enough to seriously combat illegal e-bike use?
Read the full story below.
ā½ļø Ku-ring-gai āturf warā returns to Lindfieldās Charles Bean Oval
Ku-ring-gai has waded into yet another debate around synthetic and natural turf, with the upper North Shore council announcing both options are on the table for Charles Bean Oval.
What happened: A report commissioned by Ku-ring-gai Council in 2022 found the current synthetic pitch at Charles Bean Oval was no longer up to FIFA standards, and recommended surface renewal in the near future.
These standards include the fieldās shock absorption, infill depth, how a ball rolls on it and general wear and tear.
Three years after the report was commissioned, council is seeking public comment on whether the turf should be natural or synthetic grass.
Read below.
š„¾ Lane Cove's best trails and bushwalks for summer
Reporter Amelia Akonnah walks us through the many pockets of beautiful native bushland to walk this summer in Lane Cove.
Whether youāre going for a relaxing morning walk during your Christmas break, or looking to get lost in a hike of the natural landscape, here are the best trails in the area for you.
Read the full guide below.
LOOKING NATIONALLY š
šļø āThe biggest copyright theft in historyā: GANGgajangās frontman says more needs to be done to protect music from AI
GANGgajang frontman Mark Callaghan has a warning for anyone who will listen: musicians are being exposed by tech companies as they train artificial intelligence systems on massive libraries of music without compensating the artists who created it.
āIt is the biggest copyright theft in history, because they have stolen absolutely everything,ā he told the National Account.
The āSounds of Then (This is Australia)ā singer told the National Accountās Archie Milligan a key solution would be a system allowing artists to opt-in for their work being used by AI: both the input (how a model is trained) and the output (when their sound is replicated).
Watch Archieās interview with Callaghan below.
Thatās all from me.
Got a story tip? An unsolved mystery? A notable local? Hit reply or reach out at [email protected].
Cheers,
Huw
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