An internal review into John Barilaro’s controversial appointment to a lucrative trade role in New York has cost taxpayers $73,000 and is overdue.
Key points:
An internal review into Mr Barilaro’s appointment has cost taxpayers $73,500
The Premier has received part of a draft section of the report
Mr Barilaro will reappear before a parliamentary inquiry on Friday
The former NSW Public Service Commissioner Graeme Head was asked to conduct the review after it was ordered by Premier Dominic Perrottet last month.
New documents have been released publicly through a parliamentary order revealing that the fee set for the review was $73,500.
The documents suggest that when Mr Head was first engaged in late June the completion date was set at July 15, which gave the former Commissioner three weeks to undertake it.
But another document reveals it was extended to August 5.
The review is understood to be funded by the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
In the new tranche of documents, there is also the official letter from the Secretary of the Department Michael Coutts-Trotter to Mr Head which sets out the terms of reference.
It includes inquiring into “details and outcomes of all recruitment and selection processes that were commenced in relation to the role of Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas”.
Mr Coutts-Trotter added “including arrangements for managing actual and perceived conflicts of interest” in the letter.
The Premier has received part of a draft section of the report which prompted him to force trade minister Stuart Ayres to resign last week.
At the time, Mr Perrottet said the draft section raised concerns that Mr Ayres had breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct but it wasn’t in the remit of Mr Head’s review to investigate if such a breach had occurred.
Yesterday the Premier asked for Bruce McClintock, SC, to conduct a legal review into whether there was a breach of the code.
Mr Perrottet has promised to make both the reviews public once he receives them.
Mr Barilaro has withdrawn from taking the New York job.
The former deputy premier told a parliamentary inquiry on Monday that he had been interviewed as part of the Head review.
Mr Barilaro will reappear before the parliamentary inquiry investigating his appointment on Friday.
If former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani can’t fly to Atlanta for court-ordered testimony before a grand jury investigating Donald Trump, he’d better find another way to get there, a judge suggested Tuesday.
Giuliani had been ordered to appear to testify Tuesday before Fulton County’s special grand jury investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, but on Monday filed an emergency application to postpone his appearance. His lawyers cited a doctor who said Giuliani is unfit for air travel following a heart stent operation earlier this summer.
Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney, who is overseeing the special grand jury, held a hearing on the request Tuesday and ordered Giuliani to appear for grand jury testimony on Aug. 17.
“The very limited information I have from a doctor, from a very fancy hospital, is that air travel is not compatible with Mr. Giuliani’s condition right now. And so that’s why I’m saying is don’t do it by air. That’s plenty of time to make the trip — 13 hour drive,” McBurney said during the hearing.
Giuliani was among Trump’s closest advisers as he attempted to fight his loss in 2020’s presidential election. His work by him for Trump included a December 2020 appearance before the Georgia State Senate in which he made unfounded claims of fraud and misconduct among state officials.
Prior to Tuesday’s hearing, attorneys for Giuliani and District Attorney Fani Willis had sparred over claims he could not travel due to his health. But McBurney made it clear from the start of Tuesday’s hearing that he intended to get Giuliani to appear in Atlanta.
“John Madden drove all over the country in his big bus from stadium to stadium,” McBurney said, referring to the football legend who famously avoided air travel. “So one thing we need to explore is whether Mr. Giuliani could get here without jeopardizing his recovery and his health from him, on train or a bus or Uber, whatever it would be.”
The special grand jury was paneled in January at Willis’s request. The investigation stems from a Jan. 2, 2021 phone call between Trump and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which Trump said, “All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”
Raffensperger is among dozens of state officials and Trump associates who have been subpoenaed sinceMay.
Giuliani is described in court documents as a material witness to investigationbut his attorney said Tuesday that the district attorney has not responded to questions about whether Giuliani is also a target.
“That inquiry that I have not yet received a response to will dictate certainly how counsel addresses this matter with my client. It will dictate how things go here,” said William Thomas, Giuiliani’s attorney.
Graham Kates
Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at [email protected] or [email protected]
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has almost doubled its profits in 2021-22 to a record $US760 million ($1.1 billion).
The US-listed company owns News Corp Australia, as well as numerous mastheads in the US and Britain, alongside book publisher HarperCollins and a majority stake in real estate advertising company REA Group.
Net income increased 95 per cent on the previous year, while revenue for the year ended June 2022 reached another record at $US10.4 billion, an increase of 11 per cent.
The unprecedented result was driven by the company’s news media division, where profits more than tripled to $US217 million through digital advertising revenue expansion and record digital subscriber numbers.
“The overuse of superlatives really is unbecoming,” chief executive Robert Thomson said on a call to investors.
“But the past quarter and the full year have created so many unprecedented records that reflect well on all of News Corp and we believe have created a platform for future performance and enduring returns.”
In an ebullient presentation, the company said it had enjoyed seven years of uninterrupted double-digit growth, the result of acquisitions and digital transformation.
In the most recent quarter, overall revenues were up 7 per cent to $US2.67 billion, while net income was back in the black at $US127 million, compared to a net loss in the fourth quarter the previous year.
Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journalhad the highest revenue since its acquisition by News Corp in 2007, driven by record advertising and growing digital-only subscriptions.
Fourth-quarter profitability at Dow Jones soared 54 per cent to $US106 million, leading to a 30 per cent increase for the year to $US433 million.
The New York Post also turned a profit for possibly the first time since Alexander Hamilton founded the paper in 1801, Mr Thomson said.
The company’s US media assets were the single largest contributor to its improved profits, he told investors, with the company overall becoming more dependent on recurring and circulation-based revenue and less reliant on advertising dollars.
Mr Thomson flagged further increases in top-line revenue growth in 2022-23 despite predicted modest growth in capital expenditure, macro economic uncertainty and foreign exchange volatility.
He predicted persistent supply chain and inflationary pressures, notably in freight and manufacturing at HarperCollins, as well as news printing costs and wage inflation, but said he was confident News Corp could continue to cut costs.
In the book publishing division, the acquisition of HMH books and media was one factor behind revenues climbing 10 per cent, with consumer spending above pre-pandemic levels.
Mr Thomson predicted the HMH backlist, which includes JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, should pay dividends with the upcoming release of the Rings of Power series on Amazon Prime.
But the popular pandemic series Bridgerton was a blemish on its results sheet, with lower sales of the bodice-ripper resulting in a $US16 million hit.
At Foxtel, declines in broadcast viewing were offset by streaming revenues from Kayo and Binge, with more than 2.8 million streaming subscribers in total.
Digital real estate division revenues, including results for REA Group and Move, grew by a quarter.
Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two has talked about how it wants Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) to be an industry-wide benchmark upon release.
Take-Two reiterated the development status of Rockstar Games’ next major title in an earnings call from yesterday (August 8), with CEO Strauss Zelnick outlining the precedent the company wants the game to set.
“With development of the next entry in the GTA series well underway, the Rockstar Games team is determined to once again set creative benchmarks for the series, our industry, and for all entertainment, just as the label has done with every one of their frontline releases,” said Zelnick (via pc gamer).
Whilst there’s no release date for Grand Theft Auto 6 as of yet, Rockstar did say back in February that the title was in “active development”, with around 200 new jobs suggesting a pivot towards the project as well.
Grand Theft Auto 5. Credit: Rockstar.
A report from last month also indicates what setting and protagonist the game will have: players will reportedly explore a fictionalized version of Miami with two main characters, one of which will be the series’ first female lead. The two leads are allegedly going to be influenced by famous bank-robbing couple Bonnie and Clyde.
Rockstar’s own efforts to tackle the crunch culture in its studio have also apparently impacted GTA 6‘s development. To make sure it releases earlier, the studio will apparently update the game with new missions and cities regularly post-launch. The title is also “at least” two years from release.
The developer has already removed transphobic content from grand theft auto 5 and GTA Onlinewhich reflects an apparent effort in the next game to not “punch down” on marginalized groups.
In other news, less than one per cent of Netflix’s 221million subscriber base is playing the games that come with the service.
HEndrika van Genderen first came to the internet’s attention during the early days of the pandemic, after videos of her shopping at a pretend Coles went viral. Her son de ella Jason and his wife de ella, Megan, along with their four children de ella, built the cardboard supermarket so that their mother and grandmother – who they all called Oma – could do her regular food shop at home. Having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, it was crucial that her routine was not disrupted.
Oma’s shopping trip was featured on The Late Late Show with James Corden and Good Morning America, and received more than 100m views worldwide. Oma’s various social media pages (run by Jason) received hundreds of thousands of new followers, all eager to hear her story and follow her progress. But it wouldn’t always be a heartwarming ride.
Jason van Genderen, a film-maker on New South Wales’s Central Coast, didn’t realize when he started filming his mother’s life that the resulting footage would be so exposing and heartwrenching. Initially, he says, “it was a way of capturing moments that we could share with Oma, so she could remember things”.
But the footage morphed from being a memory aid to a documentation of his mother’s increasing struggle and the toll it took on his family life. In his new documentary, Everybody’s Oma, we see Jason and Megan fight over whether Oma should keep her cat de ella, Oma becoming increasingly frail and having falls, and the 24/7 reality of being a carer.
“What we were wanting to achieve with this film was not always pretty. But what we wanted was for the audience to feel that they were living in our house. We were diarising the evolution of the family at that time,” says Jason. “We didn’t know what was going to happen to Oma and what was going to happen with our marriage.”
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Oma moved in with Jason and his family in 2017, nine years after her husband died of cancer. Living independently in the family home, she began falling over and forgetting appointments. “Dementia starts very subtly. We realized she was very isolated,” says Jason. “She couldn’t drive. Her reliance on others was increasing. We thought, ‘It can’t hurt to have her with us’ – and she was really keen. We underestimated how lonely she had been.”
The family moved out of their rental and found a place to buy with a granny flat out the back. At first “it was fun,” Jason says. “Oma was independent enough to be on her own during the day. She made her own meals and joined us several times a week to eat. It felt like a nirvana at the start, living in a multi-generational household.”
‘It felt like a nirvana at the start, living in a multi-generational household’ … Oma, Levi and Jason van Genderen. Photograph: PR
In the beginning, both Megan and Jason could still leave the house and go to work, but in 2020, Megan says, “Routine went out the window. We couldn’t use carriers. Her independence from her decreased, and as we were at home all the time, she relied on us more.
Gradually Oma’s care became overwhelming. Jason closed down his production company so he could assist Megan and care for his mother de ella full-time. The pair were sandwiched between generations, with a toddler and three older children who also needed them.
“Oma became our central priority in the home – we couldn’t leave the home. We knew one of us leaving the house would cause her such anxiety,” Jason says. He still can’t get the picture out of his mind of Oma at the window, looking distressed as his car pulled out of the driveway.
Over the years, all these small moments of joy, caring, distress and stress were being filmed, with editor Gavin Banks sifting through more than 300 hours of iPhone footage to make a feature-length film. Footage was shot by Jason, Megan, their son Levi and later Banks, who moved into the family home to capture footage when Oma’s need for round-the-clock care was becoming acute.
As Jason uploaded clips of Oma to her social media channel, Oma’s Apple Sauce, the mood also shifted. Having become an internet sensation following her de ella home shopping clip de ella, when Jason posted clips showing the family’s struggles, the backlash was intense. Jason was berated online for how he spoke to his mother de ella, accused of neglecting her and not feeding her properly.
“I get the trolling – I didn’t enjoy it, but I get that people are passionate,” he says.
Oma had returned from a hospital trip, which had had a discombobulating effect on her. “We documented it and shared it to say ‘this is how difficult it is when her routine is disrupted’. But people who only saw that video and not the whole story got upset.”
Megan was less engaged with the commenters, “My lens with social media is that we had a real opportunity to do some good because our story resonated,” she says. “I got very overwhelmed by the amount of people interested in us. ‘You guys are amazing’ – neither of us need to hear that. When we were trolled, it didn’t really affect me because I knew we were looking after Oma with love and care.”
Oma died in February 2022, at the age of 89.
While the intimacy of Everybody’s Oma is one of its greatest strengths, it also raises questions about consent. As Oma was losing her cognitive abilities, was she truly able to consent to being filmed?
“At all times I would be making her aware of the filming, and where we would share it – and always making her aware that storytelling was happening,” Jason says. “She always loved the films I made. And she was always abundantly happy to be filmed. She really enjoyed it. There was a lot of touching base. Consent became increasingly important for us as she declined.”
Jason and Megan developed three criteria they’d use to judge whether they should film something: “Was it made with love? Was it educational? And what would my mum think of that when she was fully cognisant?”
Hypothetically, if he had dementia how would he feel if his children decided to make a film of his final years? Jason pauses for a moment.
“I guess I would be comfortable to be the subject. If my kids wanted to turn it around on me, I would be OK with that,” he says.
Daniel Ricciardo will reportedly seek a $21 million payout from McLaren in order to make way for fellow Australian Oscar Piastri at the Woking-based team.
Ricciardo has what appears to be a watertight contract for 2023, meaning McLaren will need to convince him to step aside in favor of Piastri.
If Ricciardo is able to secure a drive elsewhere for next season, any amount he earns would then be deducted from the McLaren payout.
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McLaren would be expected to reject Ricciardo’s initial demand, with negotiations over a final price likely to take place in the coming weeks.
Australia’s last world champion, Alan Jones, wrote in his Wide World of Sports column on Tuesday that Ricciardo would “certainly” not be at McLaren in 2023.
“There’s no way in the wide world that’s going to happen,” Jones wrote.
It’s also been reported that Piastri never had a contract with the Alpine F1 team, only with its academy, meaning the deal was never lodged with Formula 1’s Contract Recognition Board (CRB).
Daniel Ricciardo in action for McLaren. (Getty)
The CRB therefore accepted Piastri’s McLaren deal as it did not conflict with any other F1 contract. However, that does not mean the deal between the 21-year-old and the Alpine academy is not enforceable in a court of law.
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer has already flagged the possibility of legal action if Piastri does not drive for the team next year.
“I expected more loyalty from Oscar than he is showing,” he told Spanish publication El Confidencial.
“I started in 1989 in Formula 1 and I’ve never seen anything like this. And it’s not about Formula 1, it’s about integrity as a human being.”
Oscar Piastri after his F2 win at Monza in 2021. (Getty)
“We have a contract with Piastri, which he signed in November, we have spoken to our lawyers and they have told us that this is a binding contract, so part of that contract allows us to put Oscar in one of our cars in 2023. “
The tug of war between McLaren and Alpine for Piastri’s services shows how highly the Melburnian is rated in F1 circles, despite the fact he’s yet to make his grand prix debut.
“The way it’s unfolded is something completely new, they’re having a major fight over somebody they’re hoping will turn into a great Formula 1 driver,” Jones wrote.
“All the signs point to the fact he will be, but until you’ve actually started a race there’s a little bit of a question mark.”
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Incredible exhausts: The worst crashes in motorsport history
A police probe is underway into whether a woman was chasing two teenagers who were riding an allegedly stolen motorcycle through Perth’s north before a fiery crash that left three people in hospital.
Key points:
The fiery crash occurred in the early hours of Monday morning
Three people were hospitalized after the incident, one in critical condition
Police are investigating whether a woman involved was chasing two teenagers
The WA Police Commissioner today confirmed it formed part of the investigation into the crash, which happened at the intersection of Hepburn Avenue and Amalfi Drive on the border of Hillarys and Sorrento in the early morning hours of Monday.
A car and two off-road motorcycles were stolen in the early hours of Monday morning, according to police.
Shortly after, authorities were called to a major crash between a car and one of the motorbikes and an 18-year-old man riding the bike was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. A 17-year-old boy, who was also on the bike, was taken to hospital in a serious condition.
A 49-year-old woman driving a Toyota Kluger also suffered serious injuries in the crash, after her car rolled and caught fire.
Police commissioner Col Blanch said the focus of the investigation was specifically on finding out whether the woman was chasing the two teenagers.
The blackened wreckage of a Toyota Kluger that was involved in the crash. (ABCNews)
He also confirmed the two bikes were from the same home the woman resided in.
“[The focus will be] how those motorcycles were stolen, who else was in company of the two males who are now in hospital and how the Toyota Kluger came to be there and the manner in which it was driven prior to the crash,” he said.
“I would give a strong message to the community that nothing is worth dying over when it comes to property,” he said.
Col Blanch says the investigation will probe the manner the Toyota Kluger was being driven in prior to the crash. (ABC News: Greg Pollock)
“Often you’ll find the people who’ll put their lives at risk can result in tragedy for other members of the community, they themselves who are taking chase, and I’m not talking about this matter, I’m saying in general , members of the public that chase offenders in circumstances, we have seen it many times … these can end in tragedy for everyone involved, and my view as police is that it’s not worth it.
“Call the police.”
Mr Blanch said any further charges would be laid once evidence is found.
“We have strong oversight from the CCC [Corruption and Crime Commission] in all our investigations and when we have the evidence, we’ll make the appropriate decisions at that time,” he said.
Police at the scene of the horrific crash on Monday. (ABCNews)
The 17-year-old boy has been charged with three offenses including aggravated home burglary and stealing.
He appeared in court via a bedside hearing in hospital on Tuesday.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.), one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump last year, has conceded in her tough primary contest against Joe Kent. Kent is a Green Beret endorsed by the former president and is expected to advance in Washington state’s all-party primary.
Herrera Beutler conceded her race Tuesday evening, with Kent leading the incumbent by less than 1,000 votes at the time.
“Thank you, Southwest Washington, for entrusting me six times with the privilege of representing you in Congress. Ever since I was first elected to this seat I have done my very best to serve my home region and our country. Though my campaign came up short this time, I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together for the place where I was raised and still call home.”
The Associated Press had not officially signaled that Herrera Beutler would not advance to the general election as of Tuesday evening. But if Kent ultimately advances, he will face Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D), an auto repair shop owner who got the most votes on the Aug 2. primary, the Associated Press projected. A close race kept the outcome in doubt for an extended period.
In saying the contest was too early to call, AP cited the small margin of Kent’s lead, 0.42 percentage points among a total of 217,626 ballots counted Tuesday evening, and the fact that Washington state allows automatic recounts if a contest is within 0.5 percentage points. As of the time of Herrera Beutler’s concession, there were about 10,000 votes left to be tallied.
See full Washington state results
Herrera Beutler, who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, would be the third such House Republican to lose in a primary this year, joining Rep. Peter Meijer (Mich .), who was defeated last week and, Rep. Tom Rice (SC), who lost last month. Two Republicans have advanced — both from all-party primaries: Rep. Dan Newhouse (Wash.) and Rep. David G. Valadao (Calif.). Four others decided not to seek reelection.
The final House Republican to face a primary is Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), who will go before voters Aug. 16. She faces a challenger running to her right who is backed by Trump.
Here’s what happened to the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump
Kent, who had never run for office before, raised more than $2.2 million and held town hall meetings across the 3rd Congressional District, which stretches from the Pacific coast to central Washington. He has embraced Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election.
He is in a position to prevail despite a divided anti-Herrera Beutler vote, getting national attention when he flew to Washington, DC, to rally for people he called “political prisoners” who were jailed in connection with the Jan. 6 attack.
“Whether you have questions about the election, whether you question voter procedures, or whether you’re a parent who shows up for a school board meeting, you can be labeled a terrorist or insurrectionist by our national security state,” Kent told voters during to stop last month.
National Democrats did not spend in the primary, after repeatedly targeting the district and losing to Herrera Beutler. In an interview before the primary, Perez called Kent a “horrifying” extremist, seeing a path to beating him even in a place that Trump had carried by single digits in 2020.
“This is Washington state, for Pete’s sake, and we are putting forward a man that thinks we should arrest Anthony S. Fauci, impeach [President] Biden, end legal immigration? Perez asked. Last year, Kent called for a “moratorium” on legal immigration, as work continued to halt illegal immigration.
A property company exposed celebrating a $225 per week rental price rise as an “achievement” in an email to clients has apologized.
In a statement to Nine from its spokesperson, property management firm Ironfish said it accepted “that the tone of the update was insensitive.”
Last week, a renter shared a screenshot of an email update from Ironfish, releasing its numbers for June.
“Achievement in June: Biggest rent increase – $225 per week,” the flyer said.
Below the details is a photo of kids pillow fighting on a bed.
The user posted the email to Reddit with the comment: “My rent just went up $400 a month and the agency sent me an email bragging about it…”
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The full screenshot on Reddit, by a user who identified themselves as a tenant. (reddit)
The email also told recipients the average weekly rental increase is almost $100 a week, and revealed comparative increases in asking prices: “July 2021 to December 2021: $393. January 2022 to June 2022: $460”.
The Reddit thread exploded in response.
A spokesperson for Ironfish told Nine an email apology has been sent to recipients, and the business recognized the hardship within the housing market.
The spokesperson said Ironfish had “kept tenants and owners informed of support measures for those experiencing financial distress” and advised owners of properties with tenants facing financial difficulty to offer rental discounts.
The rental increase referred to in the original email was applied at the end of a tenancy agreement, following a discount period during the pandemic, the spokesperson said.
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Tight national vacancy rates have made the rental market very competitive. (Supplied)
“Ironfish has apologized for a recent email newsletter which highlighted rental price increases, sending an apology to recipients,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“We know that many of our clients, tenants and owners, have experienced intense stress and financial hardship during the Covid-19 pandemic and accept that the tone of the update was insensitive.
“We will ensure our future content is more carefully considered and provides greater insights for all of our clients. The update highlighted a rent increase of $225 per week – in context, this was due to a new tenancy and an adjustment from a previously Covid discounted rent, returning to normal and current market rates.
“The pandemic was a difficult time for tenants and also for owners, as lockdowns hit and vacancy rates emerged.
“Recent rental adjustments follow substantial decreases in the past two years, and median rents in Melbourne’s CBD remain below pre-Covid levels.
“Since the start of the pandemic, Ironfish has kept tenants and owners informed of support measures for those experiencing financial distress. We advised owners to engage with tenants facing financial difficulties and offer rental discounts. We facilitated many substantial rent reductions and also assisted owners and tenants in compiling and lodging applications for Covid relief support packages.”
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The Reddit responses to the original email included some from landlords (not associated with Ironfish).
“Landlord here, it’s not justified. It shouldn’t even be legal to increase the rent that much for the same tenant. Different if new tenants come in but that’s an outrageous amount,” one user commented.
Another said: “I have been a landlord for a couple of years, and will not be putting up the rent (to the annoyance of the Real Estate Management company) – tenants have been there 12 years and keep the place immaculate, always pay on time. They got young kids, both working in low paid jobs, doing the best they can.”‘
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One tenant called the email “cringe” and a landlord remarked: “I received the same email and had the same disgusted feeling, and I’m an owner (just not with them).”
Data from large national real estate agency Ray White shows that advertised rental prices have increased by almost 14 per cent, outpacing CPI rental price rises of 1.6 per cent.
At the same time, the national vacancy rate this month has tightened to a record level of less than 1 per cent, according to Domain.
A lack of listings has increased competition, and rising interest rates – with costs being passed on by landlords to tenants – plus inflation, has continued to squeeze the rental market to a crisis point.
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VR headsets certainly aren’t for everybody, but if you have thought about picking one up, you’ve likely thought about either the Meta Quest 2 or the HTC Vive Pro 2, two of the leading choices.
But which one is the right pick? I can assure you that they’re very different, although they achieve the same goals.
As someone who has now had the pleasure of trying both, recently reviewing the HTC Vive Pro 2 and using the Meta Quest 2 for over a year, here’s how these two leading headsets compare.
The Meta Quest 2 vs the HTC Vive Pro 2
While a basic glance at these two headsets might determine that they’re quite different in scope, I can assure you this is not the case.
VR, as it stands today, is a niche market, no matter how you look at it. In the vein of entertainment, VR exists mainly as an extension of gaming: it’s a genre of its own that has the user immersed in a virtual world that they can actively interact with and walk around in.
Outside of gaming, the applications of VR are few and far between. It’s unlikely that a business case will ever be made for conference calls using VR technology given that video calling is so easy, so right now practical business cases for VR are limited to fields like architecture, where you can have a user immersed in a project without it being physically built.
So when we think about this, we consider that the Meta Quest 2 and the HTC Vive Pro 2 (along with similar headsets) are for two specific markets: gamers after the VR experience and specialty businesses (sorry metaverse diehards).
Which one is the best for you, however? Well, let’s determine that.
Image: Zachariah Kelly/Gizmodo Australia
Is the HTC Vive Pro 2 better than the Meta Quest 2?
The HTC Vive Pro 2 has a major display advantage over the Meta Quest 2 in this field, capable of rendering at a 5K resolution on an LCD panel. The maximum resolution of the Meta Quest 2 is 1080p, however that’s on an OLED panel, capable of rendering darkness in much greater quality.
Having used both, I did notice a difference between the quality of each headset, leaning in the Vive’s favour, however, it never actually became too important for my gaming experience. As long as the framerate was high and the experience felt natural, I was satisfied, and it’s high on both headsets (90hz on the Vive and 120hz on the Quest).
Performance
Because the HTC Vive Pro 2 is more demanding specs-wise, you’ll likely need a more powerful computer to run games at their maximum specs.
In testing both headsets on F1 2022 through SteamVR, I noticed a performance difference between them, with the Meta Quest 2 providing a more consistent framerate and allowing me to use higher graphics settings than the HTC Vive Pro 2.
This is also a good moment to mention that the Meta Quest 2 can function entirely internally. Although internal games are limited to the Oculus Store (of which F1 2022 isn’t a part), owned by Meta, there is a decent assortment of games available if you don’t want to connect your headset to your PC. Just keep in mind that they’re typically less powerful games than what you’d find on Steam.
tracking
The HTC Vive Pro 2 uses tracking base stations (“lighthouses”) to translate your movements and your hands (via the controllers) through to the game. These lighthouses work best when placed above you at a slight tilt in a wide space, in opposing corners of the room.
This requires meticulous planning, needing a dedicated VR play space. As a renter I took issue with this, as I’m unable to do permanent modifications to the walls of my home, however, there are moveable stands available.
The Meta Quest 2 doesn’t need these lighthouses: tracking is all internal, which means that it’s a better solution if you’re after simplicity. This also means that there’s less to take with you if you’re bringing the headset on a trip.
The space in which I tested the HTC Vive Pro 2. It wasn’t a big space, but it was what I was able to do as a renter. You can see the two lighthouses on the left and right. Image: Zachariah Kelly/Gizmodo Australia
Computer connectivity
Both headsets connect to a PC to leverage performance power and use PC applications (unless you’re using the Meta Quest 2’s inbuilt OS).
The HTC Vive Pro 2 comes with a cable that does this, which connects to a Display Port on your graphics card (like a monitor would). The Meta Quest 2 doesn’t come with a dedicated streaming cable (though it does come with a charging cable), but Meta does sell the additional cable for $125. This connects to a USB-C 3.1 port on your PC.
Wireless connectivity isn’t necessary for VR headsets, but I would consider it important if you’re after the best immersion possible.
The Meta Quest 2 comes with inbuilt “Air Link” connectivity, allowing you to seamlessly connect to your PC over a LAN connection, provided your modem-router is up to the task.
The HTC Vive Pro 2 is also capable of this, if you spend $599 on the wireless adapter. You’ll also need an available PCIE port on your computer motherboard.
Build quality
The HTC Vive Pro 2 is a much heavier headset than the Meta Quest 2, but it also feels a lot heavier duty, with stronger plastics and a better head strap. Both headsets come with inbuilt speakers and microphones, although I didn’t notice a big difference between them.
I’d say the build quality of the Vive Pro 2 and its controllers are better than that of the Meta Quest 2. They feel stronger and harder to break.
The Vive Pro 2 controllers are also charged via USB-C, whereas the Meta Quest 2 controllers are powered by AA batteries.
Controllers
The controllers of the HTC Vive Pro 2 are ambidextrous, with each controller capable of use in each hand, whereas the Meta Quest 2 controllers are made for left and right hands on purpose.
This is a minor point, but it’s important to some, especially if you’re after a replacement.
Additionally, the Vive Pro 2 controllers use touchpads for analog movement, whereas the Meta Quest 2 controllers use joysticks. I prefer the joysticks as it provides more tactile feedback, but I didn’t have many problems with the touchpads of the Vive Pro 2 controllers.
The controllers of the HTC Vive Pro 2 (left) and the controllers of the Meta Quest 2 (right). Image: Zachariah Kelly/Gizmodo Australia
Does Vive technology work with the Quest 2?
Nope. HTC Vive Pro 2 and Meta Quest 2 each have their own walled garden, relying on different systems, hardware and software. The tracking of both headsets is different and reliant on their own proprietary technology, as are the controllers (despite having similar layouts).
The good news is that a PC that can run the HTC Vive Pro 2 will also run the Meta Quest 2, with both headsets capable of running games through SteamVR.
Price
Though the Meta Quest 2 was subject to a recent price rise, it’s still relatively cheap at $630 (plus $125 for the PC link cable), especially when compared to the HTC Vive Pro 2, which costs $2,199 for the full kit, plus the $599 wireless adapter.
Is the HTC Vive Pro 2 better than the Meta Quest 2?
It’s difficult to say that the Meta Quest 2 isn’t a better deal than the HTC Vive Pro 2.
With a price more than three times lower than that of the HTC Vive Pro 2, packed with internal tracking and access to internal gaming, the Meta Quest 2 is far more capable, far more portable, and brings to question how hardcore your needs would be were you to consider a more expensive alternative.
If you’re after better graphics, then the Vive Pro 2 might be the best solution for you, but I would encourage you to think about how important this is for what you want to do with it.
You can buy the HTC Vive Pro 2 from HTC for $2,199. You can buy the Meta Quest 2 from Amazon for $630.
