🔵 The best events on the North Shore this June

Plus: Laxale on mining tax breaks, flying foxes and jobs in the regions

Author

Huw Bradshaw
June 05, 2026

⏱️ The 110th edition of our newsletter is a nine-minute read.

Morning all,

I spoke this week with Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale about tax breaks for mining companies.

Laxale is an interesting figure in the 48th Parliament of Australia. Where many formerly safe Liberal seats flipped independent at the 2022 election, Bennelong went red, electing the tall, French-speaking former Mayor of Ryde.

After absorbing a large parcel of Tink Country from the former electorate of North Sydney, he enjoyed a 13-point swing in 2025.

While he’s certainly no Ed Husic, he has shown he’s willing to stick his neck out on issues the rest of his party might shy away from. In our interview, he was willing to say a lot more on the topic of tax breaks handed out to mining giants than many of his colleagues in the party.

What really matters is whether he is able to effect change at Labor’s forthcoming national conference.

You can read the full piece here.

Jerome Laxale wants Labor to come down harder on mining giants. Can he make that happen?

“It’s cheaper for these companies to keep on using diesel and buying carbon offsets instead of electrifying."

🗞️ Anyway, let’s get into the rest of the news.

HEARD THIS WEEK👂

🍡 What’s on this June?

Here are some of the best events across the North Shore in June.

Did we miss something? Let us know and we’ll update! Just email [email protected].

Highlights include:

  • Maru Street Festival

  • Sydney Film Festival @ the Orpheum

  • Gai-mariagal Festival

Read the full piece below.

What’s on this June

First Nations history, film festivals at the Orpheum, and matcha in Crows Nest.

🛝 Ultimate guide to the best playgrounds on the North Shore

For those with little ones — with the school holidays approaching, here is a list of some of the best playgrounds across the North Shore region.

If you’d like to suggest your favourite local playground to add to our list, feel free to send us an email at [email protected].

Read the full list below.

Ultimate guide to the best playgrounds on the North Shore

Sandpits, jungle gyms, flying foxes and merry-go-rounds: keep an eye out for these top-notch fun zones.

🔥 Burning fossil fuels to power AI? 🔥 

It’s already a reality in the United States, and some data centres companies are keen to see it happen here.

If you missed our story in the last newsletter, watch our full breakdown video here.

LOOKING NATIONALLY 👀

🎤 Our first Press Club question

Archie Milligan over at the National Account got in his first question at the National Press Club. He asked about job opportunities in renewable tech for young people in the regions.

See the full clip below.

That’ll be all from me today.

As always, if you have a hot tip, an idea for a story or think there’s something I should be covering, hit reply to this email or reach out at [email protected].

Cheers,

Huw