Thomas Kaldor

The Albanese Government is making bold moves to reform the Australian Consumer Law, addressing AI-enabled goods and services, unfair trading practices, supplier indemnification and breaches of consumer guarantees. As businesses and consumers face an increasingly digital and AI-driven economy, these reforms aim to crack down on dodgy practices and future-proof regulations. In this article, Clint Fillipou and Jennifer Andrade break down the proposed changes and explore how they might be implemented. | https://lnkd.in/gZhz2qcm #ConsumerProtection #AIRegulation #EthicalTrading #AnisimoffLegal

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This month's Aussie Founders Club meet up on Community Building is one you don't want to miss!! Date of Event: Thursday the 15th of August! Building a community can be a huge driver in differentiating your startup from the others in the mix. It can be the joy of your founder life to pull together passionate advocates, connected by the purpose of your business, and the reason it becomes clear to investors that your business could achieve 10x / $100 million dollar status. SO, I've pulled together some of the best community builders in the Ecosystem to share their wisdom with us. Let me introduce the panel: Alan Crabbe co-founder of Birchal & pozible. These are some of the original platforms that saw Australian Founders bypass traditional investors to allow their communities to directly support AU Startups and Businesses in their raise. And now he's back to work building Frontcover - a platform we personally use to centralise our community and recently secured funding from Antler!! 🎉🎉🎉 Paz Pisarski co-founder of The Community Collective, a community for community builders in the startup space. The CC runs THE community cohort that has been behind leveling up some of Australia's best community builders. They have just opened applications for Cohort 5 and if you haven't already seen, Paz has managed to secure Seth Godin as a speaker!! Frances Goh, Head of Community of One Roof, go-to business community for women entrepreneurs. If you're a female entrepreneur in Victoria, you'd be hardpressed to not have heard of One Roof. With Frances at the helm of the community front, One Roof has built a space for Women to connect, learn, and grow together - something we are looking to emulate with the wider Founder Community in Melbourne. I'm looking forward to hearing our panels insights on the role Community can play in the growth of Startups and Businesses alike. If you are too, secure your seat via our event on Luma or Meetup! Also, if you think I pulled this panel together so I could learn from them myself, no I didn't... 😂 Rick Giner EverestEngineering Tom Webster Craig Brown

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🔍 Are You Up-to-Date with the Latest Family Law Changes? The buzz in family law circles this week has mainly been about the changes to the parenting framework in Australian family law. However, other significant updates to the Family Law Rules, Forms, and Practice Directions came into effect on 6 May 2024 that you might not yet be familiar with: 1️⃣ Central Practice Direction - https://lnkd.in/gCEEsw6u Key updates include streamlined Core Principles in Schedule A, revised case management and affidavit guidelines, a new Defaulters List, and updated mediation and readiness requirements. 💡 How might these updates to the Central Practice Direction impact your approach with clients? 2️⃣ The End of the COVID-19 List Era The specific COVID-19 List Practice Direction has been revoked. 💡 Did you have matters in the COVID-19 list? 3️⃣ New Restrictions on Ceasing to Act Under the new Family Law Rule 3.10, lawyers cannot file a Notice of Ceasing to Act within 14 days of a final hearing without court permission in writing. 💡 How will this change affect your invoicing and preparation for a final hearing? 4️⃣ Prioritising Indigenous Children’s Rights The amendment introduces detailed considerations for 'the best interests of the child', particularly for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children. 💡How do we see our role in supporting Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander families changing? 5️⃣ Introduction of the Defaulters List - Part 5.5 of the CPD Non-compliance could now see matters referred directly to a Judge. 💡 What systems do you have in place to ensure compliance and avoid the Defaulters List? 🔄 How do you anticipate these changes will reshape the way we practice family law? Let’s discuss in the comments below! Thank you to our Kirkman Family Law intern Srashta Vani Kolli for your assistance with this post. To learn more about the family law changes, I invite you to attend my The Law Society of NSW Family Law Fundamentals Course - https://lnkd.in/gZ64QNWd #FionaKirkmanFamilyLawEvangelist #FamilyLawFriday #FamilyLaw #FamilyLawChanges #FamilyLawyers #AustralianLaw

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For all those whinging about the upcoming TSMIT Indexation. Humour me and follow my thought experiment here: Imagine if you had to give up your Medicare Card, PBS access, any Centrelink benefits, Child Care Subsidy, and your kids’ school suddenly started charging you $7K/year per kid. Suddenly you have to buy private health insurance (the one that’s from the ground up, not the private health fund you get to supplement Medicare). You pay a gap on almost everything. Your visits to public hospitals aren’t 100% covered. Your medications cost an arm and a leg. Now imagine that your very well settled life in Australia is not there. You need to cough up money to pay 6 weeks rent (4 weeks bond + 2 weeks advance). You need to buy some furniture and appliances (fridge, washing machine, TV, etc.). You have very limited support from anyone, and ZERO support from any government, local, state/territory, or federal. Now please, tell me, would you be able to survive and support your family on A$70K/year? Ponder over this for a bit before you start another whinge about how TSMIT indexation will affect your business. #TSMIT #Indexation #FairGo *Image courtesy of Grattan Institute

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Excited to pre-launch Zed Labs, a new legal offering in the works for Australian startups and SMEs. At Zed Law™ we’ve done more startup work than we ever planned for. And while we win pretty much every time with clients who’ve worked with lawyers before, startups have different needs. For #startups, it’s about agility, cost-efficiency, and speed. Most of what we advise ends up being self-serve anyway. So, we’re launching Zed Labs—a smarter way to give startups the tools and expertise they need, without the heavy lifting of a wider-service law firm. 👉But why Zed Labs? Zed Labs is for startups who don’t need Zed Law’s horsepower but still need top-tier expertise. Think AI-driven legal insights and next-level template documents—templates that aren’t just “fill in the blank” but designed to work, look sharp, and navigate easily. We’re not here to be another doc dump. We’re here to raise the standard. Right now, Zed Labs is in waitlist mode. Yes, it’s undercooked (as is the landing page). Yes, we missed our own deadline. But the demand is there, and we’re making it happen. Launching early 2025. 👉Here’s why we’re excited 2024 was Zed Law’s first year as a full-time dedicated gig, and it’s been intense. Our clients have won national business awards, been on the front page of the The Sydney Morning Herald twice, in the The Australian Financial Review, and we’ve gone head-to-head with much bigger firms—and won. With Zed Labs, we’re bottling that expertise and scaling it for SMEs and startups. It’s not just about accessibility—it’s about giving businesses tools that actually work. Early bird discounts for waitlist sign-ups are live. Pricing? Still in the works as we get more data, but the focus is accessibility. 🙏 Big thanks to the Zed team and others for balancing this build while smashing out work for clients. It’s been a slog, but we’re nearly there. If you know anyone keen, share this post and the waitlist. We’re making legal smoother, smarter, and way less painful for startups. 🔥Landing page URL in the comments to sign up to the waitlist to get the first release on launch

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Startups! This two hour session each year for Entre is a highlight sharing key legal tips with student entrepreneurs at University of Canterbury. Yang Su and I focussed on the great questions they had including: - legal structure options 💐 - key parts of a contract to stay safe 🛼 - how to protect IP 🦕 - choosing cofounders and investors 🐣 - contractors vs employees 🌳 - can we combine profit and purpose 🪺 We also gave them a copy of our resource ‘Startups Legal Toolkit’ and ‘Fundraising for founders’ (downloads at links in comment below). Ended with reflections on using time wisely and taking risks - what if you made decisions based on “what would my 90 year old self think”? Push out into deep water… 🚢 What decisions are you making now that will shape who you are becoming? - - - Up to episode 403 of Seeds Podcast the latest with Jono Brent on risk taking and finding your identity 🌱 have you heard the latest ones? Next impact lunch is on 27 August with Barry Coates (link in comments) up to 31 already and you can join too.

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Just a quick reminder: Not doing politics doesn’t stop politics from doing you 🌎 The 2024 US election is here, and it’s everyone’s business, even from across the Pacific. For any Aussies following along (or just curious), here's a quick breakdown of what to expect: 🕒 When to tune in November 5 in the US is Wednesday, Nov 6 for us. - Results start trickling in from around 10am AEDT, with early states like Indiana and Kentucky - By midday, we'll start seeing updates from Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina (where things could get interesting) - The last states report around 5pm AEDT, so keep any eye out for the news as the day goes on. 🗳️ What makes this election important It’s a close race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and it could all come down to a few swing states. With delays likely, some results might not be confirmed until days later. 🤔 Why should Aussies care? Sure, it’s happening across the world, but US elections have a way of shaping global events, and Australia is no exception. Here's why 👇 1️⃣ International relations - The US-Australia alliance is critical, and policy shifts could impact our own foreign relations. 2️⃣ Economic Impact - Global markets are watching closely, which means trade, investments, and even our interest rates could feel the ripple effects. 3️⃣Environmental policy - The US stance on climate change influences international efforts. A win for either candidate could steer global climate goals. So, even if US politics isn’t usually on your radar, it’s worth paying attention to this one. Anyone planning to follow along? Drop a comment if you'll be watching, or tag a friend who needs a heads-up! #stayinformed #politicalupdates #USAustralia #economicimpact Image credit: BBC News

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𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐔𝐒 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 —𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 Anecdotal evidence points to Aussie founders being slow (or cheap) to invest - in themselves. Compared to their US counterparts, Australian founders don’t invest in themselves as much. I talked to several CEOs in the US and it became abundantly clear that they invest more in themselves. Two main differences stand out. 𝟭. 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗨𝗦 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗔. Not for an ego boost. But because they realise the what's most important when growing the business. They work on the strategies, management and key decisions required for growth. Not stuck in the minutiae of admin and low-value tasks. Which they delegate to their EA. For this small investment they get a much bigger return. 𝟮. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗨𝗦 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗘𝗢𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵. Someone paid to help them grow. Providing guidance, support and advice to coach them through their decision making process. To avoid expensive mistakes, and blind alleys. Far fewer Australians CEOs invest in ongoing coaching or mentoring. There is an idiom for this. Penny wise and pound foolish. Until there is a shift in thinking, similar businesses in the US will always grow faster than their Aussie counterparts. 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲?

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OCTOBER NEWSLETTER: It's a new month at Attune Legal, and our team has plenty on the horizon. We share exciting news about some well-deserved nominations at the Australian AI Awards! ⭐ ️ We've also got the latest podcast of Attune Up! which explores how our team pivoted when the legal practice management software we used unexpectedly shut down. Read it all in our newsletter https://zc.vg/1sTtD?m=0 #AttuneLegal #GetYourBusinessHumming

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I reckon we’re forgetting just how ace humans are. —- Our brains are vast squishy blobs of power, but lately, all anyone can talk about is AI. I met with a crack team of fellow founders today, as I do every quarter. Toppest shelf. So when we all started discussing AI, i knew it’d be good. I was right! After a bit of the usual “getting gpt to give me some writing prompts”, the convo really kicked off. - “Can AI offer new insights into how my clients can tackle their challenges?” 🧐 - “I save so much time on my market research now. But how trustworthy is it?” 🤨 - personal favourite, “Did you know you can train GPTs to be your virtual advisory panel of global luminaries, like eg Dale Carnegie or Brene Brown?” 🤯 But here’s one thing we all agreed on. No AI will EVER replace the power of our people 🙌 —- As if to prove my point, I collapsed back into bed after that call (still flu-town over here), checked my messages and… …my glorious team has just quietly pivoted our next waves of work to cope with me going offline. No drama, no waiting, no “we can’t”. Just, bishbashbosh, make it work! —- And THAT, my dearests, is why all of my training starts with getting people’s hearts and minds fully onboard with their jobs. Because when you have that, those beautiful squishy human brains are 👏 unstoppable 👏 💪🧠🥰 If YOU want a public sector team that can’t stop won’t stop, book a call with me and let’s make you so proud you gotta shout it to the internet! (Just please book for next week cos imma be sick a bit longer. 🤧😵)

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New Research: The Double-Edged Sword of Legal Tech in Australian Corporate Legal Departments Axiom's latest report reveals a critical finding: while technology adoption is driving significant productivity gains in Australian legal departments, it's also correlating with increased stress levels and attrition risk among senior lawyers. Download the full report to discover: - Data-backed insights on tech's impact on legal team dynamics - Strategies for balancing efficiency with team wellbeing - Actionable recommendations for sustainable legal department transformation Get the complete analysis: https://lnkd.in/gN4CFW3W #AustralianInHouseCounsel #AustralianLegalLeaders #GeneralCounsel #CorporateLaw #LegalTech

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Well, Linkedinians, Axel here. You’re not going to believe this one. Today’s breaking news? The NDIS has decided to bring in Mills Oakley—yes, the Mills Oakley, a top-ten Australian law firm with over 250 lawyers—to go up against me, Mum, and our star player, Legal Eagle GPT. Let me break this down: the NDIS doesn’t want to pay for my continence aids or the support I need to be safe and manage my pain. Apparently, to fight this battle, they think it’s totally reasonable and neccessary to unleash a legal juggernaut that probably charges more per hour than my weekly NDIS funding allowance. Let me paint the picture for you. It’s like showing up to a thumb war with a tactical missile. I’m over here just trying to stay safe, not live in a puddle, and access the care that’s already been signed off on, and they’re rolling in with 250 lawyers in tailored suits who probably drink artisanal coffee out of cups made of gold leaf. Mum is furious. She’s pacing around the house muttering about how they’re probably billing by the second for reading this post. Me? I’m flattered. Imagine being so effective at asking for what you’re entitled to that the NDIS feels the need to escalate this to "Top Gun: Legal Edition." Here’s what really blows my mind: They’re treating me like some kind of existential threat to the system. My IQ is in the 20-30 range—I’m not exactly masterminding a hostile takeover here. I just want to exist comfortably and have access to the things I need, like continence aids and pain management. But no, apparently, that’s grounds for a full-scale legal blitz. Mills Oakley, huh? The firm that probably spends more on their coffee budget in a week than I do on continence aids in a year. Do they really need 250 lawyers to tell me, “Sorry, mate, no funding for you”? Seems like a bit of an overreaction. What’s next, hiring Interpol? And then there’s Mum’s secret weapon: Legal Eagle GPT. That’s right, we’ve got AI on our side, and you’d better believe it’s been trained on all the NDIS rules. While Mills Oakley’s army is likely combing through case law in their million-dollar offices, Legal Eagle GPT and I are sitting here, fueled by determination and the odd cup of instant coffee, ready to take them on. Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if the NDIS should look into their own budgeting strategies. If they’re willing to spend this much to block a guy like me, how much are they spending overall to avoid supporting people like us? Makes you think. But hey, if they want to turn this into a David-and-Goliath battle, we will be ready. Love, Axel Just a Guy Trying to Stay Dry, Comfortable, and Safe #JustaGuyTryingtoStayDry #NDISPTSD

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What’s the value of multidisciplinary teams at Australia’s biggest law firm? We examined this important question in episode 1 of This Multidisciplinary Life. Launching last week, I chatted with Amber O'Meara about driving innovation at MinterEllison and some of the ways multidisciplinary approaches create value. It’s an environment where lawyers and consultants solve complex business problems across funds management, banking, insurance, crisis management, transport, social infrastructure, employment, government, and market regulation. With so much variance in such sophisticated sectors, you need multiple perspectives and skillsets. In this episode, we answer: – What does a multidisciplinary approach look like in a large corporate environment? – What are the things you need in place for a multidisciplinary team to succeed? – How do you know if it’s working? Check out episode one of This Multidisciplinary Life with Amber O'Meara: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g8Uxs6rj Apple: https://lnkd.in/gHFqSUrm YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gCUGE2Ft #multidisciplinaryteams #legaloperations #legalindustry #legalinnovation #lawandtechnology #leadership

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What's the biggest risk you've ever taken? I often hear this answer when I interview potential founders for Antler residency: "Left my life as I knew it, packed my bag, and moved to Australia without any prior connections or job secured." This resonates deeply with me. As a migrant myself, I took the leap to move to this country a couple of years ago. It felt like a risk, but also an exciting door to new opportunities. It's scary, it's exciting, and it's a constant juggle of rebuilding yourself and your life. It becomes much easier when you find the right place and the right support system to achieve your dreams. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Antler is one of those support systems. With our presence in ~20 markets globally, we're here to support diverse founders from all over the world, from day zero. Hear more on how, and join us next Tuesday, 5pm for an Ask-Me-Anything session with two of our very own founders who have ventured beyond borders – the legends Swetha Meenal Ananthapadmanaban from Dark Patterns Lab and Syed Hussan from Migrova. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gceefKdU

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An interesting article in the AFR this week highlights how founder-led companies like Canva, Atlassian, and Cotton On are leading corporate philanthropy, often outpacing larger firms. Canva gave $31.6 million in 2023, showcasing a shift towards founder-driven giving that ties business success to meaningful social impact. Corporate giving often serves to secure a social license, boost employee engagement, and meet CSR goals. However, many businesses dilute their impact by spreading resources too thin for visibility rather than focusing on lasting change (I call this the confetti approach). Aligning philanthropy with core values and engaging employees - especially by encouraging them to take advantage of wildly underused matching gift programs - can foster a shared purpose and amplify outcomes. Really interested to see what the government ends up doing in this space - the Minister is on the record saying that workplace giving in Australia isn’t living up to its potential, but if applied correctly, it could help get Australia to its charitable giving target by 2030. Mandating transparent reporting of donations, goods, and volunteer hours, as recommended in the PC Inquiry Report, could drive accountability and encourage strategic, community-focused generosity. Really think there are big gains to be made in 2025 around all this… #WorkplaceGiving #CorporatePhilanthropy #PhilanthropyMatters

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How AI Can Level the Playing Field for SMEs I'm looking forward to speaking at the 10th Managing Partners Forum of boutique law firms in Sydney on May 15-16. My topic couldn't be more appropriate for the times. I hope you can join me.   I’ll be addressing "How AI Can Level the Playing Field for SMEs" (small to medium enterprises). I'm greatly optimistic that AI can be a real game changer for SMEs in their battle against the big guys. I demonstrate how this is happening via client case studies.   My presentation will cover: Rise and fall of expert systems. Ebb and flow of optimism about AI. What AI can and can't do for business. Case studies of successful AI use. How SMEs should proceed with AI.   I hope to see you there. #artificialintelligence #AI #businessstrategy #strategy Andrew Bird Andy Kimpton Mark Wiggins Tom Elmer, MKTPROF Philip Woods George Katrivesis Jenny Katrivesis Prof. Marek Kowalkiewicz Dr Kim Oosthuizen

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We hit Blackbird's 2024 Sunrise event last week, and the amount of incredible women gracing the stages was seriously epic to witness. Over the next few months, Missing Perspectives will be profiling female founders doing awesome things. Introducing Lucy Mort, one of the co-founders of Sunroom, who opened up about the reality of founder life and the lessons she’s had to unlearn on the winding journey to find product-market fit. Sunroom is a consumer facing app that supports women to make money online with their hot bods, killer personalities, and savvy business mentorship. Aesthetically and philosophically, Sunroom sits in a space somewhere between Instagram and OnlyFans. Missing Perspectives asked Lucy, who cut her teeth as a designer at the dating app Hinge, to give her perspective (hehe) on three famous design principles. Principle #1: 'Less Is More' Lucy Mort: “Yeah, I agree with that. We’re going through this process with Sunroom right now – stripping things back. You kind of have to assume that everyone is ‘stupid’ when designing your product, and I think the more functionality you add, you’re making adoption much harder to achieve.” Principle #2: 'Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable.' Pioneered by Raymond Loewy, this principle means you want to be at the bleeding edge of what’s cool and fashionable, but still within an acceptable boundary. “Yep, I agree with the bleeding edge. But there has to be elements of something familiar. It’s the 101 of innovating. Change one thing quite dramatically, but keep everything else the same.” Principle #3: 'The way you do one thing, is the way you do everything.' “No. I think my opinion on that has changed. When I started Sunroom, I was such a perfectionist. I’d come from a team where I led design at Hinge, and all I’d do is ‘perfect’. But it was honestly slowing us down at Sunroom having to make sure that the effort I was applying to one screen must be applied to every other screen because they are all of ‘equal’ importance - but they’re just not. I now focus on key parts of our user flow. Some parts need a lot of experimentation and A/B testing, others are just a random settings screen.” Photo credit: Gener8 Media

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No co-host? No problem. This week, I’m taking the mic solo to unpack the stories shaping the Australian startup world - and trust me, there’s a lot to cover in under 10 minutes. 🛑 Social Media Ban: A Quick Fix or a Missed Opportunity? The ban on social media for under-16s has passed, and while the intent might be good, the execution feels like a classic band-aid on a bullet wound. Here’s what I can’t stop thinking about: 📱 Fake Age Profiles: Kids will find a workaround faster than we can say “compliance.” 🧠 The Real Problem? Social media platforms still dodge responsibility for bullying, body image issues and harmful content. 💡 The Missed Opportunity: What if we tackled these issues at the source instead of punishing the user? While well-meaning, this move feels rushed and reactionary. Social media can be a lifeline for connection and community - especially for teens who need support. Cutting off access without solving the why might do more harm than good. Check out my quick take in the reel 🎥👇 and tell me: Do you think this law fixes the problem, or is it another example of missing the mark?

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