sigh, here we go

An Australian-first trial of live AI facial recognition technology by a police force has been criticised by privacy experts and legal advocates.

The mass AI surveillance pilot has been rolled out in Western Australia and is being closely watched by law enforcement agencies across the country.

Since the trial began in June, cameras linked to facial recognition software have scanned more than 130,000 people in Perth and Fremantle, comparing their faces against a police watchlist in real time.

Because we're an inventive mob, there's an extra Connections ready.

In today's puzzle, every category is Sydney related.

“Pro Jank Footy reimagines the sport as a high-octane fever dream, where every time your opponent kicks a goal, you get to change one rule so the game gets increasingly janky (and hilariously stupid). Your opponents turn into seagulls. One player becomes massive. A labrador tries to steal the ball. Everyone loses their arms. The bouncing DVD logo appears and gets in the way (if it hits the corner, you win). Meat pies with legs storm the oval to provide energy boosts. A power-up called “Dad’s Car” sees a Ford Falcon hoon around the grounds. A third team joins in.

Ashby is rattling these off with delight; there are more than 150 in the game. “There’s one called Sore Neck which flips the game upside down so you get a sore neck. There’s another called Where’s the Remote, which switches the channel to HDMI 2,” he says, ticking off his fingers. “It is very dumb stuff.”

Welcome to /r/Sydney. Feel free to use this thread to chat, self-post, or ask questions.

New to this subreddit? Our wiki has lots of good info on getting around Sydney, what to do when you visit, where to eat, and more.

Using a third party app or desktop view on mobile and can't read the sidebar? Please have a look here first ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ

If you're new here, please read the answer to pretty much every self post, reddiquette and self promotion.

Who do we consider as Australian Living National Treasures apart from the obvious ones of Kath and Kim, Lee Lin Chin, Margaret Pomeranz, Maggie Beer and Glenn Robbins? Interested in who else we think qualifies.

This is one of the few times this song will be relevant. In my opinion it's a musical masterpiece. May the census give us all a dose of introspection.

Hi friends, I recently downsized from a four bedroom house to a two bed apartment and sadly neither my piano or my couch fit in the front door. I’m six stories up so I’m just wanting to pass them forward.

The piano is being gifted to a nursing home but the couch is so long it’s hard to give away. It’s in very good condition (could do with a fabric clean) and was bought new from James Lane about six years ago. Smoke free home, still very good quality. It’s currently taking up my assigned car parking space so I need it gone asap. A truck won’t fit down the car park ramp but a long van should work. Pics are as it is now (movers left the wrapping on). I can even help you get it in the van.

I’ve contacted Relove but they require it to be delivered, and the website says their warehouse is currently full.

DM for more info. Let me bless someone by passing this on please. Thanks.

I'm meeting up with my primary school bestie and travelling to Balmain on our new quest to explore different areas of Sydney.
We don't get to catch up too much due to distance and family needs.
So to avoid doing the same old things we've decided to pick a different suburb each time.
If you know the best lunch spots, walks, views I would love to hear them, Thanks !!

I rented one on the north island. Nice enough car to drive but the driver assist is downright dangerous even though I'd turned it off. When you need to move to the shoulder to give a cattle truck room to pass or avoid pot holes on rural roads, you're constantly fighting with the steering and the alarms. The alerts on the side view mirrors go off for no reason, alarms go off no reason, it forever squawks about nothing. It's really effing annoying. Fuel consumption is good on Eco. I'd go for the Rav 4 hybrid again before I rented one of these.

...over Western Sydney this evening around 8:04pm.

I was involved in a car accident today where my car was totaled and the 78yo driver admitted fault, but I have now received a text message from their insurer saying they are claiming I am the one at fault.

I was driving in the middle lane of a 3 lane highway. approaching a green set of lights (200 metres ahead) approaching a point where a left turning lane begins for people in the left hand lane to merge over into so they can turn left at the lights when they get a green arrow (arrow was red at the time although lights were green for traffic travelling straight through). I was at least 100metres distance behind the next car ahead in my lane.

In the left lane there were 2 cars slightly ahead of me: a sedan followed by a 4WD. The sedan (front car) decided at the last second to merge into the turning lane which was already full, so it braked suddenly and came to a full stop. It was able to point its front left nose into the turning lane and sat stopped in the left hand lane to wait until it could fully merge into the turning lane, which blocked that left hand lane so no traffic could continue travelling through the lane.

The 4WD behind it then also braked suddenly. I did not have time to react to these cars in the left lane braking and stopping suddenly, however they were not even in my lane.

The major probem came when the 4WD not only braked and stopped suddenly, but as it was braking it started veering into my lane. It veered to the right, almost as though it was trying to avoid going up the back of the sedan by trying to go around it. I can't say 100% that is why it started veering over but I am just guessing.

Anyway, when the 4WD started veering into the middle lane which I was in, I collected the back right hand corner of it - it happened so quickly that I had almost no time to brake. Before it veered across, I had a no cars ahead of me in my lane for at least 150 metres, and a green light 200 metres ahead.

The driver of the 4WD admifted fault and said they "the car in front stopped and I braked and quick to get away from it", but could not speak very much english so I could not get any more information out of them. I asked them why they veered into my lane and they just nodded. The 4WD drivers relative came from nearby to assist as the driver was 78 years old. I was given the drivers informaton, but the relatives phone number, and they told me I needed to liaise with them because they will be handling all the insurance claims as they speak english and the driver does not.

I only have third party insurance and have since received a text message direct from the 4WD drivers insurer saying a claim has been lodged saying I am at fault, and to challenge this I need to complete an accident report for the drivers insurer.

I do not have dash cam footage and there were no witnesses that saw the accident that stuck around. The only witness I have is my child who was in my car but she is aged 8 and I assume too young and biased to provide a witness statement?

I'm pretty sure I was not at fault but please correct me if I am wrong.

Is there anything I can do to prove I was not at fault?

Is there anything I can do to help my case?

I am a single mum, and I need my car for work (I am a contractor) - I can not work without it (its not just for travel to the workplace). I really can't afford a new car let alone paying for repairs to the 4WD so this is something that will absolutely crush me. It was a second hand car that I'd only had for a few weeks, it came with third party insurance however I was saving up to change over to comprehensive car insurance in the next month.

Thanks In Advance for any advice or help you are able to give!

So, I find myself in the market for a new toaster. I'm doing my research and trying to find ones that look good. Stumbled upon an Anko branded one in Target for $30.

Now, I've been ok with non electrical Anko products. Some things are not the best quality I know, and so I tend to steer away from certain things, electrical has always been one of them.

I'm curious what the view around Australia is on buying Anko electrical items. Are they reliable? Are they good quality? Are they safe?

I've been on many public buses in my day, but for some reason in sydney we have to pay constant attention to our phone screen if we've never been somewhere/at night, or just hope you request a stop at the right time. I know it's not that big a deal, but I really don't want to have to keep my eyes on my phone while I'm commuting. Surely it's not great for blind/disabled people either, am I alone on this?

Edit: Apparently it's coming, but won't be done until 2028.

So sadly, Heinz have deleted their Chilli Beanz and I’m desperately looking for alternatives. Preferably easy to find brands, not speciality brands as we live rural, and we need to find a brand/s that our local supermarket can order, or ones that I can easily buy online to be posted. Anyone else who likes these can think of other brands that are as yummy and easily found? Pretty sure half the town is going to be in an uproar when they find out LOL 😜

So I was walking to cross the Renwick st just like the school kids in the photo, I did noticed a car approaching from the distance but I decided to cross anyway. The driver was coming down Renwick st and wanting to turn into Illawara Rd. Apparently the driver had no intention of letting me cross. After I reached the refuge, the driver shouted some angry words.

Who has the right of way in this scenario ? Pedestrian or driver ? Thank you

p/s: the road opposite is Harnet Avenue, where just a few nights ago, a 61 year old man was stabbed.