Virtual Labs and Designer Bugs - Generative AI, Synthetic Biology and National Security.

AI technologies can pose a major national security concern. AI programs could be used to develop chemical and biological agents which circumvent existing protective measures or medical treatments, or to design pathogens with capabilities they do not naturally possess (gain-of-function research). Although Australia has a strong legislative framework relating to research into genetically modified organisms, the framework requires the interaction of more than 10 different government departments, universities and funding agencies. Further, there are few guidelines about the responsible use of AI in biological research where existing laws and policies do not apply to research that is conducted "virtually", even where that research may have national security implications. This article explores these under-scrutinised concepts in Australia's biological security frameworks.

"Dealing with the Drink": A Case for Reviewing Gradual Regulation of Teenagers' Access to Alcohol.

Alcohol has long been a part of the social fabric of Australian culture ­ a fact almost irreconcilable with the finding that alcohol has been the causal factor in 5% of deaths and hospitalisations over the past decade. Although some links exist between the availability of alcohol and density of supply, the findings are not as determinative as one would hope. That reform is necessary in this area has been universally accepted by scholars, but how is it best to achieve this in a political system that favours liberalisation and deregulation, and an industry that fights against anything that would reduce their market share? This article proposes a gradual legalisation of alcohol consumption, backed by parental supervision and education, that balances individual autonomy and development into adulthood against the risks of rapid overexposure to alcohol.