Month: September 2025

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

Rob Heferen, Commissioner of Taxation
Melbourne 4 September 2025
(Check against delivery)

Introduction

Thank you Scott for that kind introduction, and thank you to The Tax Institute for having me again this year, for my second Commissioner’s address.

I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land that we meet on, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people here in Melbourne, and the Traditional Owners of the lands of those joining virtually.

I pay my respects to the elders past and present, and extend my respect to any First Nations people here today.

I, of course, reiterate the Assistant Treasurer’s sentiment about the Tax Institute’s role as a strong advocate, and a thoughtful and constructive partner – one that helps to shape the way taxpayers interact with the tax system.

Having been in the Tax Commissioner role for over 18 months, and having the privilege of a unique view of the tax system a number of things stand out, but I want to mention 2.

First, the community as a whole is largely compliant with their obligations in the system as it stands.

Second, while there is a lot of public debate about fundamental tax change, my sense is that as the system administrators, we need to work with what we have and deliver accordingly.

So that suggests some areas of focus, and I will touch on those today.

ATO’s vision and purpose

When I commenced as Commissioner last year it was apparent to me pretty quickly that the ATO was a high-performing agency with dedicated and skilled staff.

It had been over 25 years since I worked at the ATO (though I was fortunate to work closely with ATO colleagues during many years at Treasury), and throughout that time I have been genuinely impressed by how the agency has risen to meet the needs of the government and Australian community, time and time again.

In particular, and indeed over the last 5 years alone, the ATO has become increasingly agile in its administration of the tax system.

So where are we now, where are we headed, and what do we need to focus on to get there?

In considering these questions, the ATO Executive and I agreed it was important for us to revisit and refresh our purpose and vision – to make sure we’re focused on what really matters.

As Stephen Covey puts it: The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.

Our purpose is simple: we collect tax so the government can fund services for the Australian community. That’s our core job. Everything else we do supports that.

And when we do that well, we’re working towards our vision: an Australia where every taxpayer meets their obligations because:

• complying is easy
• help is tailored, and
• deliberate non-compliance has consequences.

We’re not just tax administrators – we’re stewards of a system that ensures we have a properly funded, and therefor properly functioning, society.

That means being proactive, adaptable, and staying connected to the people and professionals who work with us – including those of you in the room today.

Our vision defines where we want to be, and our strategy and actions will define how we get there.

Our performance evolution

Late last year, the Australian Public Service Commissioner reviewed the ATO as part of its broader push to lift capability across government. The reviewExternal Link showed we’re a high-performing agency – thanks largely to the dedication and skill of our people.

But it also pointed out areas where we can improve. We recently launched Our performance evolution – our plan to build on our strengths, sharpen our focus, and lift our capability even further.

It’s about aligning our efforts across the ATO so we’re ready for today’s priorities and tomorrow’s challenges. We will:

• think bigger
• act bolder
• and deliver together.

Corporate plan 2025-26

Our performance evolution is also front and centre in our current corporate plan, which we released last month.

Our corporate plan also lays out our focus on:

• improving payment performance and debt collection
• strengthening fraud prevention
• rolling out Payday Super, and
• making the tax experience simpler and more digital for small businesses.

These are big, complex challenges with real impact – not just for the tax system, but for the broader community.

Being transparent and accountable

As we deliver on these challenges, we must be transparent and accountable about our performance. This is key to maintaining trust with government and the community.

From time to time there are criticisms about a lack of transparency in our processes and actions. I would argue that this isn’t quite fair. But then again, I would.

Probably best to examine our record.

Annual reporting

Each year, in line with the PGPA Act, we release our annual report.

Now, you would be forgiven for not downloading the report for some light reading in October each year.

But this document holds the information the government, and the community, needs in order to determine how or indeed whether we are delivering on our stated commitments.

Included in our annual report are:

• Our annual performance statements – a detailed breakdown of our results against all of our performance measures.
• Our annual financial statements – official and verified reports of how our budget has been managed over the financial year.
• And importantly, as the nation’s principal revenue collector, an extensive breakdown of our revenue collection.

In addition, our annual report also includes an extensive range of data capturing everything from:

• our workforce profiles and salaries
• the tax debt owed
• the number of disputes that have occurred over the year
• the number and value of settlements, and
• the value of voluntary disclosures.

Pleasingly, our upcoming annual report will show strong progress towards our vision.

Transparency doesn’t begin and end with our annual report, however. It extends to those areas that are of greatest interest to the community.

Australians rightly expect that our largest taxpayers will also be transparent about meeting their obligations.

Corporate tax transparency

For our part, we report our findings on the tax obligations of corporate entities through a range of tax transparency reports, including the annual Corporate tax transparency report, and reports on the tax performance of the Top 100, 500 and 1000 business taxpayers.

We also report on the amount claimed in Research and Development tax incentives, and the industries claiming them.

These reports ensure we are delivering on the Government’s intention to improve awareness and increasing community confidence that most corporations are paying their fair share.

We are getting ready right now to release our eleventh annual Corporate Tax Transparency Report.

The report will provide information on over 4,000 large public and private companies and their total income, taxable income and tax paid for the 2023–24 financial year.

The report will show that the ongoing scrutiny and oversight of the Tax Avoidance Taskforce continues to have a positive impact on collections.

This oversight, together with increased engagement from many corporates, is helping to maintain large corporates as one of the most compliant taxpayer groups in Australia.

There are still a small number of multinationals that we are concerned are engaged in profit shifting and tax avoidance practices and we will continue to challenge these arrangements.

However, in the main, strong collections over a number of years should provide confidence that most large corporates are sustaining high levels of compliance.

Our gap work confirms this with our latest tax gap estimates for large corporates for 2022–23 showing that 94.1% of tax is paid on lodgment of returns, this further improves to 96.3% after ATO compliance activity. These estimates show improvement year on year.

Tax gap

Tax gap estimates the difference between what we expect to collect, and the amount that would have been collected if every taxpayer was fully compliant with the law.

Australia is one of 25 countries that has established a team to estimate tax gaps.

Most countries use their tax gap estimates internally to understand the overall performance of the tax system and to guide the design of tax administration interventions that are aimed at reducing the tax gap.

Australia is one of only 8 countries in the world that shares its estimates publicly. And we’re one of just 2 – alongside the UK – that does this comprehensively every year.

So why do we do it? Because we believe in transparency. Tax gap estimates help us explain to the public how well the tax system is working – where things are going right, and where there’s room for improvement.

We currently estimate 19 different tax gaps across various markets and types of taxes. Like other countries, we use a mix of approaches to do this.

To make sure our work is robust and credible, we’re supported by an independent advisory group.

This group includes 5 experts – researchers and academics – who bring deep technical knowledge and a critical eye to our methods, ensuring our estimates are sound and reliable.

The latest published tax gap estimate was released in October 2024, and relates to the 2021–22 year. For that year, we estimated a net gap of 7.5%, or $44.5 billion.

It is important to note that the largest 2 tax gaps relate to the income tax of small businesses (including individuals carrying on a business) and individuals.

These 2 gaps alone account for more than 60% of the total $44.5 billion.

For this reason, we like to look at the trends for each of the underlying gap estimates, as not all gaps move in the same direction as the headline measure.

The insights gained from our tax gap work guide us in determining priority risks and developing strategies (including administrative design, help and education, and audit).

These aim to both reduce the tax gap and improve voluntary compliance, and also to prevent any deterioration in tax performance.

I just mentioned our soon-to-be-released large corporates tax gap estimate and we will publishing our broader suite of 2022–23 estimates soon.

Welcoming challenge and scrutiny

In addition to being transparent, we need to be open to check and challenge. We need to welcome scrutiny.

Legislative interpretation

We know the tax system is complex, and we look to help navigate this complexity including through our advice and guidance, explaining how the rules work.

Sometimes, though, how we think the rules work is contestable, and often these cases will eventually end up in court for the arbiters to make a call.

Our disputes in the High Court, irrespective of the outcome, continue to play a vital role in effective tax administration by clarifying those aspects of legislation that are contested.

It is worth noting though, that even when cases do make it to a judgement in the highest court, there can be a narrow margin splitting the views of those making the final decision, like we saw in Commissioner of Taxation v PepsiCo.

Which is further evidence of the contestability of complex law interpretation and a demonstration that on matters of interpretation in these areas, reasonable minds differ.

And, as an aside, a case as finely balanced as PepsiCo is very informative for the ATO and taxpayers alike in understanding where the High Court draws the line between legitimate management of tax affairs and impermissible tax structuring.

As a large government agency with extensive powers, we must be open to the prospect of having our views and decisions challenged and reviewed.

And, in fact, we need to actively seek that review.

We are currently consulting on proposed amendments to the test case litigation program, a program aimed at supporting judicial consideration of contested precedential issues and to provide clarity for the tax system.

The proposed changes include adding new expectations to explicitly include cases in the ART as well as consideration of taxpayers’ capacity to pay litigation costs as well as emphasising the funding of small business clients where eligibility requirements are met.

We are appropriately subject to scrutiny in many forms. And we welcome that scrutiny, particularly from those sources whose expertise is essential to unearth areas for genuine improvement.

Tax Ombudsman

The Tax Ombudsman plays an important role here.

We have a positive and productive relationship with the Tax Ombudsman, Ruth Owen. Ruth is helping us understand where there are opportunities to improve the system and provide better outcomes for taxpayers.

Recent reviews (around identifying and managing financial abuse within the tax system, ATO letters, and an upcoming review of the ATO registered agent phone line) are all providing insights and supporting the direction of our change initiatives.

The Tax Ombudsman’s recent letters review observed the effort required to balance technical accuracy with plain language, while retaining clarity and tone.

The report acknowledged there is room to improve how we strike this balance, which is in line with our broader plan to improve our interactions with taxpayers.

Our services

The services we provide are critical in supporting the tax system, our taxpayers and tax professionals. We know that this is an area we have under invested in over the last few years.

The ATO Executive recently endorsed a plan to improve our digital services and drive opportunities to self-serve and integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technology into our business.

We have heard complaints from agents about the consistency, quality and timeliness of advice, and we’ll be piloting how we can use AI to improve communications in our contact centres.

We are already seeing improvements in our services.

In the 2024–25 financial year we answered 678,000 additional calls compared to the previous year – that is, up from 6.2 million to 6.9 million – and had a 21% reduction in general call wait times – from about 21 minutes to 16 minutes.

We also know that one of the most common complaint topics for tax professionals relates to the timeliness of processing requests.

Pleasingly we ended the financial year with about 180,000 processing items, the lowest backlog of processing for the last four years, with a 41% reduction on previous years.

Tax Time 2025

This tax time, as of 24 August, we’ve had over 6.1 million tax returns lodged and have issued over 4.5 million refunds, totalling $12 billion – with an average refund of $2,639.

One of the interesting things this tax time has been the drop in agent calls by 15%.

Contributing to this reduction are enhancements to our management of compromised identities. We have overhauled how we treat comprised identities to resolve and remediate accounts more quickly, not just financially but in restoring digital access.

Which means you as tax practitioners can spend more time with your clients and less time on the phone with us.

We have also improved the experience for tax agents, with improvements to prefill information.

We also continue to enhance services available via the ATO app. The myDeduction tool can help your clients organise their tax records, storing them onto their device and ready for upload when they see you at tax time.

Recently we updated the ATO app, providing functionality to send notifications where there might be suspicious activity on an account, this is a huge step forward in our ability to deal with identity fraud.

We are encouraging people, whether or not they use a tax agent, to do 3 simple things:

• get a myID (as strong as possible)
• use the myID to link their myID to their ATO account, and
• download the ATO app and register their device.

These are steps people can take right now to protect not only themselves from fraud, but also others.

Improving tax performance of small business

We’re also focussed on continuing to improve on the tax performance of the small business market for the benefit of all taxpayers and the community.

We know that most small businesses do the right thing. Just under 70% of small businesses pay their tax obligations on time.

And generally, small businesses who successfully manage their tax affairs and avoid getting into debt are digitally enabled, keep good records and have the support of a trusted advisor.

Where liabilities are not paid on time we want to support taxpayers – we know that leaving debts unchecked and unmanaged for prolonged periods of time often impacts the future viability of a business.

In our recently launched corporate plan, one of 5 enterprise priorities is implementing a small business digitalised tax experience to help small businesses get their tax obligations right from the start, and stay on track.

We’re exploring ways to integrate tax administration into small businesses’ natural systems to reduce errors and strengthen system integrity.

We’re expanding our pilots of simplified instalment calculation in accounting software products to modernise Pay As You Go Instalments (PAYGI) for small businesses.

We’re looking at how to better use third-party data to support small businesses in finalising their tax returns.

And the introduction of Payday Super will further support small businesses in meeting their superannuation obligations in real time.

And as we continue our journey towards integrated and real-time interactions, it’s not hard to imagine the possible improvements and benefits for small businesses.

By way of example, in the mid-90s it was estimated that individual taxpayers with simple tax affairs spent on average 8.5 hours to do their tax return using TaxPack.

In 2024 taxpayers in similar circumstances took less than 15 minutes to lodge their tax return using myTax. That was for around 2.4 million people.

Imagine if we were able to replicate that experience for small businesses. Ultimately, meaning they are able to think less about tax, and focus more on their business.

These important enhancements will contribute to our vision to make sure complying is easy.

Our approach to debt management

As outlined in our corporate plan, the ATO is focused on reducing unpaid tax and bringing down the $50 billion collectable debt book through our approach to debt management.

This debt is not disputed, most of it has been self-reported, and a significant portion is made up of amounts that have been withheld from employees’ wages, or collected from consumers as GST – but not passed on to government.

While the majority of tax is paid on time – about 90%, in dollar terms there is a significant amount that isn’t.

On multiple occasions I’ve made it clear that we need to do more to meet our obligation to recover this $50 billion of debt.

We have a comprehensive strategy to encourage on-time payment behaviour, with 4 key principles underpinning it:

• being firm, consistent and clear on the principle that those who can pay, must pay on time
• supporting those who have capacity to pay, but are struggling, to get back on track
• applying firmer actions for those who are choosing not to engage with us or are deliberately not paying their debts
• and supporting those who do not have capacity to pay to exit the system.

As an immediate first step, we’re directing our firmest efforts toward the 22,000 taxpayers who owe $11 billion – that’s just 1% of debtors, but they account for 20% of the total collectable debt.

It’s a significant priority for us, and we’re using every tool available to recover what’s owed from those 22,000 – using statutory demands for payment, wind up processes, director penalty notices, garnishee notices, and departure prohibition orders.

It’s always worth clarifying that the government will not be financing anyone’s ski trip to Colorado through unpaid tax obligations.

Again, in line with our vision, this debt approach will ensure that deliberate non-compliance has consequences.

Review of selected taxpayer relief provisions

We have heard concerns around fairness and consistency on General Interest Charge (GIC), and so this year we have initiated a review of:

• payment plans
• deferrals, and
• remission of GIC and failure to lodge penalties.

In tax administration, there is always a tension between consistency and discretion tailored to the individual circumstances – both desired goals but hard to balance in practice.

With my economist hat on, I would say that consistency inevitably means moving to a corner solution – likely very different to the posture we adopted during COVID.

The inconsistency inevitably arises when humans have a discretion to make a decision, and the review aims to achieve a framework that is sustainable, is more transparent, and importantly, supports those in genuine need.

Just this morning, we published some draft principles around our approach to these taxpayer relief provisions. I encourage you to have a look at those and consider any feedback you may have.

These principles are intended to support consistent decision making within the law, and to help ATO staff understand the relevant factors in making decisions.

We recognise that as tax professionals, you have a role to play in helping your clients navigate their tax obligations, and sometimes that means supporting them in times where something’s gone wrong.

Your feedback is invaluable in helping us shape and improve our processes to ensure we get this support right.

We are closely looking at our guidance material, our processes and workforces managing GIC remissions. We’re considering the best way to manage the volumes of requests while we focus on fairness, greater transparency, better communication and consistency on our decision making.

Regardless, we will be making our stance around these taxpayer relief provisions more transparent so that taxpayers and their advisers can be more confident in knowing the range of potential outcomes prior to engaging with us.

We also look forward to the upcoming review by the Tax Ombudsman on our management of GIC remission.

Vulnerability Framework

While we become increasingly firmer on our collection of debt, we recognise that that not everyone experiences the tax system the same way, which is why we have been developing a Vulnerability Framework (PDF, 242KB)This link will download a file.

Many have challenges, including:

• health issues
• financial literacy constraints
• language and accessibility barriers
• family and domestic violence
• financial hardship and financial coercion.

The ATO’s Vulnerability Framework – due for release next month – is designed to enhance our support for individuals experiencing vulnerabilities.

It outlines a commitment to fostering more inclusive and consistent interactions with the community, ensuring those in vulnerable situations receive appropriate assistance when dealing with their tax matters.

We share a goal with tax professionals to increase transparency, provide clear guidance, and facilitate constructive engagement with taxpayers.

As we implement this framework, we will endeavour to be clear about what is possible and not possible. Where the law provides the Commissioner with discretion, we will be transparent about how circumstances will be considered.

And while the framework cannot change existing tax obligations – that is, the law does not allow us to waive debts – it will serve as a guiding approach for how we listen, communicate, and connect individuals to the right support.

The framework aims to address gaps in understanding and accessibility, ultimately leading to a more supportive environment for those in need.

In implementing this framework, we are further embedding our vision to ensure that help is tailored.

Tax professionals as complexity brokers

There have been significant changes across the administration of the tax system in recent years. Changes not lost on this audience of tax professionals, I’m sure.

And as our role has changed, so too has yours.

As the 2025 financial year came to a close, there were more than 27,000 registered and active tax agents and more than 11,000 registered and active BAS agents.

With more than 19 million tax returns lodged each financial year, tax agents lodge more than 62% of returns for individual taxpayers, and more than 90% of trust, partnership, superannuation and company returns.

While these figures haven’t fluctuated significantly over the last few years, we understand that the environment in which you operate has changed.

The profession is shifting which requires new skills and tools, especially driven by technology.

While your role will continue to change, one constant is that the tax system is complex. Which is why the role of agents and intermediaries is so important.

Your role as the tax system’s primary complexity brokers will remain.

You take the intricate, often-changing rules of the system and help people to translate them into something they can act on.

That’s not easy. And it’s becoming more important than ever.

As the tax system evolves, simple tax affairs become just that – simple. Particularly for individuals.

And as this happens, the role of tax professionals becomes even more critical for those taxpayers with more complex affairs who need extra support.

We will continue to actively engage with the tax profession on administrative and implementation changes via our dedicated forums and stewardship groups.

Some of the key areas we’re currently engaging with the profession on include:

• implementation of the Payday Super regime and Division 296
• non-deductibility of General Interest Charges and Shortfall Interest Charges
• Client-to-Agent Linking for individuals and sole traders
• visibility of debts on hold, and
• lodgment of Not-for-Profit self-review returns.

Your input is valuable, and we are listening.

We see you as shared stewards of the tax system, and appreciate you working with us on our common goals.

Closing

As I’ve outlined today, the ATO is focused on delivering a tax system that is fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the community.

We are lifting our capability, strengthening our services, and facing into the challenges that come with complexity, digitalisation, and change.

And we’re doing this with a clear purpose and vision.

That vision is not just aspirational – it’s directional. It guides our decisions, our investments, and our partnerships.

Together with the tax profession, we are not just administering the system – we are shaping it.

Through shared stewardship, we are evolving the system to better serve Australians today and into the future.

Thank you for your continued engagement, and your commitment to making the tax system work for all Australians.

Images

Rob Heferen, Commissioner of Taxation (JPG, 1.8MB)This link will download a file

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

Households with a fibre to the node (FTTN) NBN connection are more likely to experience underperforming download speeds than any other fixed-line connection type, the ACCC’s latest Measuring Broadband Australia report has found.

FTTN connections with plan download speeds of 50 or 100 Mbps accounted for 86 per cent of all underperforming connections measured in the report during May 2025. Underperforming services very rarely, if ever, achieve at least 75 per cent of their plan download speed.

Nearly all of the underperforming FTTN connections measured in the report were also impaired. This means that the household cannot access their plan download speed because it exceeds the maximum attainable download speed that can be reached on their individual connection.

“We are concerned that there is a growing divide in the download speeds that Australians can access depending on their NBN connection type,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

“There remains a cohort of households with FTTN connections that rarely, if ever, achieve download speeds close to their plan’s download speed.”

The report found that FTTN connections with a plan download speed of 100 Mbps achieved an average download speed of 88.2 Mbps, compared to 104.4 Mbps on fibre to the premises (FTTP) connections and hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) connections on the same plan.

Further, FTTN connections with a plan download speed of 50 Mbps achieved an average download speed of 47.6 Mbps, compared to 52.1 Mbps on FTTP connections and 52.3 Mbps on HFC connections.

However, the report found that FTTN connections with a plan download speed of 25 Mbps tend to deliver the plan speed, achieving an average download speed of 25.7 Mbps.

“Retailers must make customers aware if their NBN FTTN connection is not able to reach their chosen plan speed so that the customer can make an informed decision about which plan offers the best value for them,” Ms Brakey said.

Figure 1. Average download speed per plan and fixed-line access technology

The number of households with FTTN and fibre to the curb (FTTC) connections is declining as more households become eligible to upgrade their connection type. NBN is currently carrying out an upgrade program that will transition all FTTC connections and 95 per cent of households still on an FTTN connection to FTTP by 2030.

“We encourage consumers experiencing slow internet speeds or frequent outages on FTTN and FTTC connections to contact their broadband provider to see if they are eligible for a NBN connection upgrade, or what other options may be available,” Ms Brakey said.

Separately, the report found that HFC connections were the most prone to outages and were the most common connection type to record more than one outage per day on average.

Background

Data for the Measuring Broadband Australia program is provided by UK-based firm SamKnows using methodology based on speed testing programs delivered in the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand.

The report defines “Underperforming services” as those that reach above 75 per cent of plan speed in no more than 5 per cent of download tests. The report defines “Impaired services” as FTTN services where the maximum attainable download speed measured by NBN Co is below the plan download speed.

NBN services may exceed their maximum plan download speed due to overprovisioning. This is generally where NBN Co provides a slightly higher data rate than the wholesale plan download speed to accommodate for the portion of a connection’s data rate lost in retrieving information that enables a download to occur. NBN Co does not currently overprovision the uplink for NBN fixed-line connections.

Source:

Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks for coming along this morning.

Today is Early Educators’ Day, and can I take this opportunity, like I do very often, to thank the hundreds of thousands of people who work in our early education system right across the country. Over the course of the last few months parents in Victoria and elsewhere across the country have been living the nightmare of the revelations that have allegedly happened in Victoria.

The people who work in our centres have been living that nightmare, too. They’re hurt by everything that’s been revealed, allegedly revealed, and I want to use this opportunity to again thank them, our early educators, for the work that they do. The truth is they’re our best asset in keeping our children safe. So today and every day I want to thank our early educators.

While I’ve got this opportunity can I give a quick plug for an event that’s happening at Parliament House tonight – it’s the Schools Plus Teacher Awards. There are no jobs more important than the work that our teachers and our early educators do, and that event in the Great Hall tonight is an opportunity to shine a light on our fantastic school teachers right around the country.

I’ve brought you here today to talk about bullying in our schools. And bullying in schools isn’t just what happens in the playground. It can happen outside as well. It’s not just the push and shove in the playground and stealing lunch money; bullying today can follow you home. And the internet means that you can be bullied now day or night and that everyone can see it and it can last potentially forever.

In the world of AI it can be even worse. And we’ve seen examples of that over the last few months with the use of AI where a student might crop a head of another student and put that on a naked body and use that to hurt and humiliate and harm other students and, in some cases, school teachers as well. This leaves scars that you can’t see and scars that sometimes never heal. The result is that sometimes teachers will leave the job that they love. And in the worst of all worlds, it sometimes means that students take their own lives, and we’ve seen evidence of that.

I want to thank the Minister for Communications for the action she’s taken around some of these AI apps that can be used maliciously to hurt and harm students and teachers. And I want to thank schools for the work that they’re already doing in this area, but there’s more that we can do. And earlier this year in February education ministers across the country agreed to commission a rapid review of bullying in our schools – what do schools do really well, what can they do better, what sort of best practice should exist to help schools grapple with bullying right across the country.

And we appointed Dr Jo Robinson and Dr Charlotte Keating to lead that work for us, and they’ve been very busy over the last few months. They’ve received about 1,700 submissions from mums and dads, from teachers, from students, and they’re criss-crossing the country at the moment talking to ministers, talking in some cases to mums and dads who’ve lost their children because of bullying, talking to everybody that wants to be heard here to make sure that we get this right.

And they’re here at Parliament House today to talk to members of parliament who I know worry and care as deeply about this as I do, as the whole country does. And after Question Time today we’re organising a cross-party briefing for all members of parliament on the work that they’re doing.

Very soon, next month, they’ll present their findings and their recommendations to Education Ministers. But I thought it would be a great opportunity for Jo and for Charlotte to talk to the media today about the work they’re doing, what they’ve found so far and what comes next. So I’ll hand over to Jo and then I’ll hand over to Charlotte.

JO ROBINSON, EXPERT CO-CHAIR, ANTI-BULLYING RAPID REVIEW: Thanks, so much, Minister. Thanks, everybody.

As the Minister said, we have been very busy since we were appointed back in February to do this work. And we’ve conducted over 110 consultations with a whole range of different stakeholders. So we talked to education professionals, we talked to families, we talked to young people. And we are extremely grateful for the time that everybody has given us. We’ve had over 1,700 submissions to the online submission process, and we’ve heard a whole range of things.

We’ve heard certainly that bullying is a very complex and pervasive problem. We’ve heard that it is often amplified by things like the broader societal pressures that families are experiencing across our diverse country. But they are also amplified by the online world. And, again, as the Minister said, we are seeing those impacts of bullying occurring and they don’t just occur in the school playground anymore – they can follow you home and they can be hard to escape from.

So we’ve heard a lot about the complexity of bullying and its nature, but also that some of those solutions don’t necessarily need to be as complex as we might think. So we’re certainly very grateful to all the people that have contributed to the review and who have shared their stories with us, in particular, those young people and families who have experienced those very tragic consequences where young people have ended up taking their own lives in connection with bullying.

I suppose some of the other things that we’ve heard is a really strong support for national leadership and guidance around this issue. So the work that we’re doing will lead to some recommendations around what a national standard could look like for bullying across the country. And, again, all those stakeholders that we’ve spoken to, we’ve heard really strong commitment to tackling this problem but also towards the development of that national standard and what the commonwealth government can do in terms of providing guidance and leadership but whilst also allowing for schools and school systems to implement those recommendations, I suppose, with some flexibility and some nuance given the context of the local schools and local communities.

So I might just wrap up by thanking all of the people – thanking you, of course, but thanking all of the people that have contributed to the review, particularly those people that have shared those terrible personal stories. Thank you.

CHARLOTTE KEATING, EXPERT CO-CHAIR, ANTI-BULLYING RAPID REVIEW: Thank you very much, Minister. We have heard what is actually working well and what we tend to hear is when schools manage to balance policies, procedures and a warm school environment, that tends to go very well. When students, they’ve told us their voice is heard, that can be very important, and when they are responded to. Parents clearly want to feel that there is transparency and communication when something is reported. And teachers dearly want to feel equipped to be able to respond in a way that can be helpful as well.

As Jo said, we’d just like to express our sincerest gratitude to all of those people who have made, incredible contributions to help us inform the work that we are now in the process of developing. So thank you very much.

CLARE: Thanks, Charlotte.

JOURNALIST: Minister, could I ask: do you have a view or a sense of the appetite amongst your state counterparts for how far reaching the national standard should be? Is everyone [indistinct] different places or different ways of implanting whatever the findings are?

CLARE: First, a quick shoutout to the Sunday Telegraph who played a critical role in the decision that the government made here initially and thank you for your focus on this really important work, because this is an issue that I think millions of Australians care about, and millions of mums and dads worry about. It’s really important.

So a lot of things cross my desk – we were talking about this earlier – that are important but don’t necessarily impact people’s daily lives, this does. Particularly if you’re a parent and you’re worried about whether your child is going to come home that day and tell you that something terrible happened in the playground or something terrible about them is now on the internet. Or if you’re a parent and you’re told by the school that your child is that child that’s the bully. What do you do, how do you fix it, how do you make sure that it doesn’t happen again?

I think that’s a view that’s shared by all education ministers across the country. That’s why they agreed to do this work. more generally, if you want to drive real reform in education and school education, then it’s important that I as the federal Education Minister work co-operatively with my state colleagues. They run the schools, they employ the teachers, they’re at the ground level. And so, the work that Charlotte and Jo are doing right now isn’t just reform; it’s with the state education ministers. They’ve met with about a handful of them already. There was a briefing at the last education ministers meeting in June to all ministers. And they’re criss-crossing the country at the moment taking them through their draft recommendations and ideas about what needs to change. And it’s also an opportunity for ministers to say this is where we think you’ve got it right, this program works in our system, it could work in other systems.

But if your question is do you think there’s an appetite to do something meaningful here to help schools, to help principals, to help teachers, to help parents and to help our children, the answer is yes.

JOURNALIST: And realistically then, when could we see this change or these standards come into place?

CLARE: The first step is the meeting that education ministers will have in Queensland on October 17. That’s when the recommendations will be presented to ministers and that’s when I’m hopeful because of the good work that Jo and Charlotte are doing and as well as the consultation they’re doing right now that ministers will agree to those recommendations. And then we’ll have to set out the plan for how we implement them.

JOURNALIST: Out of those consultations so far, what have stakeholders said about what is and isn’t working when it comes to cyber bullying specifically?

CLARE: Maybe if I ask Charlotte to talk a little bit about that.

KEATING: The issue of cyber bullying actually and the issues that the minister raised before around AI, deep fakes and pornifying apps came up really early on. I think when things work well it is generally when schools do feel equipped to tackle a problem and when they’ve got good policies in place and they feel able to implement those policies. I think one of the challenges with technology is it’s moving fast and it’s often moving faster than policies can keep up with. We’ve been working closely and talking closely with the office of the eSafety Commissioner because we recognise that there’s a lot of parallel work that’s going on in the technology area as well, so we’ll certainly be leveraging examples of good practice that have been happening, you know, in other areas of government as well.

But I think certainly when you’ve got a culture in the school where young people feel able to share what’s happening for them to report bullying including cyber bullying and when it happens and when they feel heard and listened to and when the school feels equipped to respond, that’s when things work well.

JOURNALIST: Either for Jo or Charlotte, with all of these conversations you’ve been having about possible solutions, what’s the biggest concerning trend that you’re seeing with bullying specifically?

ROBINSON: I think that probably the most concerning trend for,parents, young people and teachers would be, again, the evolving space of technology, AI, deep fakes. There’s a real challenge in trying to stay ahead of what’s required in order to be able to respond effectively to it, and that work with the eSafety Commissioner on the development of opportunities for collaboration will be continuing.

JOURNALIST: And is it more – is it mainly you’re hearing about that from the kids’ perspective or is there a growing number of teachers as well as getting caught up in that?

ROBINSON: I think it is a really growing concern from the teachers that we heard from throughout our consultations across states and territories. And it’s also a challenge for young people as well, but certainly for teachers it’s a growing concern.

JOURNALIST: How much of the work that you’re doing is looking at the sort of response and management of incidents of bullying versus early intervention and education potentially [indistinct]?

ROBINSON: That’s a really good question, and I think across all of the consults that we’ve been having we’ve been hearing about the importance of prevention as well as response and what are those really important factors that you can provide for young people early on in their education to set the foundations for positive relationships, those skills that they need to navigate challenges, as they will arise, just as much the need to respond to incidents that occur and that support that’s needed for both the young person who might have experienced being bullied and, of course, the young person who may be engaging in bullying as well.

JOURNALIST: And could I ask you: some of the work you’re doing is more focused on – around the digital space, particularly more focused on high school, or are you also developing plans in the later years of primary schools as well?

ROBINSON: That’s a really good question. There are certain recommendations about when phones should be had and when certain apps should be had relative to age and readiness. But certainly we have heard throughout, you know, consultations across the lifespan of kids that it can be a challenge; it’s not just in high school.

JOURNALIST: You mentioned the need to stay ahead —

CLARE: It might be helpful. Because we caught up earlier before the press conference, we were talking about students in year 5 and 6 and some of the feedback they gave you. That was very, very helpful.

KEATING: Yes, one of the highlights for this has been – certainly for me, has been talking to some of the young people, including year five and six students in some of the different schools that we’ve gone to. And, in fact, if I might be so pertinent, we did ask them what they would do to redress bullying if they were the Education Minister for the day, and they had some terrific suggestions which we managed to communicate to the Minister.

But we also asked them about this issue around what they understood bullying to be and what they would do to address it in their school. They certainly talked about the issue around digital literacy, and there’s certainly a need, and we’ve heard that loud and clear, for digital literacy to start in the very early years of primary school and to then follow students in a developmentally appropriate way all the way through school. So we certainly heard that.

The other thing that we heard from students loud and clear was about student voice and around how students can be involved in shaping some of the solutions to this problem. They really recognise that bullying is complex and that young people engage in bullying behaviours for all sorts of different reasons, including because the bullies themselves have got difficulties going on in their personal lives. So they were were very smart about this issue, but they did also have some good suggestions about student-led initiatives and how we might work hard to create safe spaces and supportive environments for students and also for [indistinct]. So that was a terrific contribution from our youngest contributors.

JOURNALIST: And you mentioned staying ahead quite a fair bit. How far behind are we for schools to catch up in practical terms?

KEATING: The technology?

JOURNALIST: Yeah, well, you mentioned staying ahead.

KEATING: I think that really cropped up for us when it came to talking about technology and this piece around the technology moves way faster than, unfortunately, evidence can be generated and policies can be developed. So I think we do need to really foster collaboration around that issue.

I don’t know that I would say that we’re terribly far behind. I think we’re working terribly hard to keep up, and I think some of the initiatives that the government is kind of developing are going to really help. But I think we do need to keep our kind of foot on the pedal there.

JOURNALIST: Can I ask one on another topic, Minister?

CLARE: Just before we leave it, just to let you know, at that Education Ministers meeting in October, Julie Inman-Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, will also brief us. And we’ve asked Julie to come along to that meeting so she can give advice to ministers about the impending changes to social media, the social media ban for young people, and what the impact of that might be for students in schools. So education ministers are very keen to get briefed on that as we prepare for the changes that will take place in December.

JOURNALIST: Thank you. Just on migration, permanent migration figures, the figure that was released by the government yesterday, the Opposition has been asked where they would put the figure. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said migration – your migration policies put pressure on – in her words – our way of life. Do you have a response to that?

CLARE: I would just say that Australia is the best country in the world. And one of the reasons that we’re the best country in the world is because we’re made up of people from all around the world who come to Australia and live here in harmony. And that sends a message to the rest of the world. My mother and father-in-law are refugees. They fled Vietnam. They didn’t know each other when they got here. They met on a blind date at Bondi Beach. Fell in love, got married, had kids, set up a business and there are stories like that all around Australia and they make us a better country. Go to their house and you’ll find their citizenship certificate framed and on the wall in the lounge room. They’re proud of it, and it’s stories like that that make us the best country in the world.

JOURNALIST: So, are her words not helpful, especially considering the rallies we saw over the weekend?

CLARE: I’m not going to get into the politics of this. I think for all of us around the country we should recognise what’s so great about Australia and embrace it.

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC has outlined its preliminary competition concerns with Insurance Australia Group Limited’s (ASX: IAG) proposed acquisition of RAC Insurance Pty Limited (RACI) from the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia Inc in a Statement of Issues published today.

IAG and RACI both supply motor insurance and home and contents insurance in Western Australia. The proposed acquisition would result in IAG underwriting motor insurance and home and contents insurance under the RAC brand.

The ACCC’s preliminary view is that the proposed acquisition is likely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in both the supply of motor insurance and the supply of home and contents insurance in Western Australia.

“RACI is the leading provider of both motor and home and contents insurance in Western Australia and has a significantly larger market share in each compared to any other insurer,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.  

“RACI competes strongly in Western Australia with its well-recognised brand and focus on customer service. It also appears likely to continue to compete strongly in the future, if the proposed acquisition does not eventuate.”

“We are concerned that the acquisition would increase concentration in an already highly concentrated market,” Dr Williams said.

The ACCC is concerned that the reduction in competition may enable IAG to increase premiums and reduce the quality of its own and RACI’s motor insurance and home and contents insurance products in the future.

The ACCC is also concerned that the proposed acquisition may enable IAG to limit rival insurers’ access to quality and cost-effective repairers in Western Australia or increase rivals’ costs of acquiring repair services in the state.

Accessing repair services, such as smash repairs, windscreen repairs and home repairs, is a key aspect of providing insurance, and restricting access to such services would likely reduce the competitiveness of rival insurers in Western Australia.

The ACCC invites submissions in response to the Statement of Issues by 18 September 2025. Parties can contact the ACCC via mergers@accc.gov.au.

More information including the Statement of Issues is available on the ACCC’s public register here: IAG Limited – RAC Insurance Pty Limited | ACCC.

Background

IAG is an ASX-listed (ASX: IAG) general insurance company operating in Australia and New Zealand. IAG provides a range of personal and commercial insurance products in Australia directly under its owned brands, including NRMA, Swann Insurance, ROLLiN’, Cylo and Lumley Special Vehicles. Through its joint venture business, Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Limited, IAG provides personal lines insurance in Victoria distributed by its joint venture partner RACV.

In addition, IAG provides intermediated insurance through brokers, authorised financial representatives, institutions and agents under the CGU and WFI brands. IAG also underwrites insurance products distributed by financial institutions, including Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, People’s Choice Bank and, since 2023, ANZ Bank.

The Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) is a Western Australian based member-owned mutual association that provides roadside assistance, general insurance products, and other ancillary services to its members. RACI underwrites motor insurance and home and contents insurance for RAC.

RAC distributes other personal lines of general insurance underwritten by third party insurers. Namely, RAC distributes travel insurance underwritten by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. RAC also has arrangements in place for the supply of health insurance underwritten by HCF, life insurance underwritten by NobleOak Life Limited and pet insurance underwritten by RACQ Insurance (RACQI). 

The Proposed Acquisition does not involve the acquisition by IAG of RAC’s roadside assistance business or its other operations including RAC’s auto servicing and repair services, finance, retirement living, home security, batteries, tyres, travel and tourism operations.

Source:

04 September 2025

A new study shows that piloting a light aircraft remains an inherently risky business, accounting for over 90% of aviation-related fatalities*.

Private air travel – termed ‘general aviation’ as opposed to commercial flights or freight operations – has a poor safety record, with significantly higher accident rates compared to commercial aviation.

In a review of 46 studies exploring fixed-wing general aviation accidents, aviation researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) have shed new light on persistent safety challenges facing general aviation pilots, highlighting a disproportionate number of fatalities.

The study, published in the Journal of Air Transport Management, found that human factors and training deficiencies are the leading contributors to fatal general aviation accidents and warrant urgent attention.

Lead researcher Emma Sheffield, a UniSA PhD candidate and aviation tutor, says general aviation is the foundation for future airline pilots – where all civilian pilots begin their journey.

“It is not just a recreational sector, but an integral part of Australia’s aviation system, yet the data consistently shows a poor safety record when compared with commercial airline operations,” Sheffield says.

Human factors were cited in more than half the studies reviewed. These include pilot error, poor decision-making and reduced situational awareness, especially in poor weather and while flying at night.

“Flying into conditions where visibility is severely reduced – such as cloud, fog or heavy rain – requires pilots to fly solely by reference to instruments. Without proper training, that can be fatal as pilots often lose control within minutes due to spatial disorientation.”

Flights conducted in poor visibility are seven times more likely to lead to fatal crashes. Spatial disorientation is common among less experienced pilots and night operations compound the danger, with accident rates up to eight times higher than those during the day.

The study identified specific flight phases (take off, landing and low-altitude manoeuvring) as particularly hazardous because there is little margin for error and many fatal accidents occur due to stalls or loss of control in these critical moments.

The review found that a lack of recurrent training, particularly in emergency procedures such as engine failure recovery and decision-making under pressure, was a critical safety gap.

Co-author UniSA Associate Professor Paul Lee, says that private general aviation pilots may fly infrequently, maintaining only the minimum number of flying hours to be considered legally current.

“While recent requirements ensure legal currency, they are not a guarantee of proficiency. Previous studies have shown that skills decline sharply after long breaks from flying” says Assoc Prof Lee.

“We need to normalise ongoing, hands-on training, whether in the air, in simulators, or through the use of emerging technologies.”

The researchers have called for more affordable and accessible methods of delivering recurrent training.

“In-air training can be costly, Sheffield says, “so expanding the use of tools such as flight simulators provides general aviation pilots with the opportunity to practise emergency scenarios and build decision-making skills in a safe and cost-effective way.

“Emerging technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence also hold potential for developing alternative training methods that are more accessible to pilots.”

Researchers also highlighted a gap in mental health research focused on general aviation.

A recent industry report* on culture and wellbeing in the Australian GA workforce found that 76% of current workers are concerned about poor mental health in the industry, with many citing negative impacts from excessive workloads, fatigue, financial stress, and toxic workplace culture.

These findings suggest mental health may be a hidden contributing factor in some general aviation accidents, highlighting the need for further investigation.

While most aviation safety improvements rely on analysing past incidents, the authors argue for more proactive measures, using real-time flight data to identify risky behaviours before they result in accidents.

“General aviation doesn’t have to accept its poor safety record. We know where the risks are and it’s time to act on that knowledge,” according to co-author UniSA Aviation Professor Shane Zhang.

“A systematic review of general aviation accident factors, effects and prevention’ is published in the Journal of Air Transport Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2025.102859

Notes for editors

*Aviation Occurrence Statistics 2010 to 2019

*Navigating Aviation, & Bastion Insights. (2025, August 11). National general aviation culture and wellbeing survey: Final report. Navigating Aviation. https://www.navigatingaviation.com/research-and-resources

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Fatal crash – Campania

Thursday, 4 September 2025 – 9:28 am.

Sadly, a person has died following a serious crash at Campania this morning.
About 6.40am today, emergency services responded to reports of a crash on Fingerpost Road involving a prime mover and a Volkswagon Golf.
Sadly, the driver of the Volkswagon, a man in his 50s, died at the scene. 
The driver of the truck was not physically injured and as is standard practice, they are assisting police with their enquiries and will be subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
Fingerpost Road remains closed to all traffic between Colebrook Road and Tasman Highway until further notice. 
Anyone with information in relation to the crash, is asked to contact Sorell Police on 131 444 and quote ESCAD 32-04092025.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers Tasmania at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the crash.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Source: Ministers for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched the second funding round of the $1 billion Solar Sunshot program, building on the momentum of Round 1 to establish a resilient solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing sector in Australia. 

Round 2 has $150 million available to extend support to critical segments of the solar PV supply chain, including framing, solar glass, junction boxes and deployment technologies.  

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the Solar Sunshot program represented a pivotal opportunity for Australia to secure its place in the global solar industry.  

“Australia has the opportunity to build high-quality products across the solar PV supply chain. Although we have a very small production capability today, we have the skills, partnerships and raw materials to establish a strong base that can be built on over the next decade,” Mr Miller said. 

Round 1A, now closed, dedicated up to $500 million to support module manufacturing. Round 1B, with up to $50 million available for feasibility and engineering studies, has been extended until November 2026. 

Through these initial rounds, ARENA supported pioneering Australian companies, including up to $46 million for 5B to expand manufacturing capacity of its Maverick solar deployment system, $34.5 million to Tindo Solar to boost domestic production of solar PV and $11 million to three feasibility studies for upstream solar manufacturing. 

Solar Sunshot plays a key role in ensuring Australia can make the most of its natural resources across the entire value chain – from mineral extraction to module manufacturing. A cornerstone of the Government’s Future Made in Australia ambitions, the program supports innovation, scale and diversity in solar manufacturing and our renewable energy superpower ambitions. 

ARENA is delivering the $1 billion Solar Sunshot program to grow Australia’s solar PV industry by supporting innovation, scale and diversity in solar manufacturing. 

The program will help Australia make the most of its abundant solar energy and expertise, creating diverse, secure and resilient supply chains that support thriving green energy industries. 

Round 2 will open for submissions on 23 September 2025. Details on eligibility, funding mechanisms and timelines are available on the ARENA website.  

ARENA media contact:

media@arena.gov.au

Download this media release (PDF 174KB)

Source: Mental Health Australia

More people will get the chance to experience the spectacle of Sydney’s world-famous New Year’s Eve fireworks from one of the city’s most iconic vantage points – the Cahill Expressway.  

Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray said the ballot for free tickets to ‘NYE on the Cahill Expressway 2025’ opened at 9:00am today.  

“We’re excited to welcome even more guests to see out the year with us on the Cahill Expressway, with nearly 8,000 tickets available to NSW residents,” Mr Murray said.  

“That means a thousand more people than in 2024 will get the chance to attend this fantastic family-friendly event.  

“The Cahill Expressway has been part of Sydney’s New Year’s celebrations since 2000. It’s a great night – and best of all, it’s free.  

“With stunning views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the city skyline – and of course the fireworks – these are some of the hottest tickets in town – with 60,000 people entering the ballot last year.”  

The celebration includes two sessions for the 9pm and midnight fireworks, each hosting around 4,000 guests. A dedicated accessible viewing area will accommodate up to 300 people.

Gates open around two hours before each display, giving guests time to enjoy food trucks, live entertainment, and optional add-ons like hampers or picnic table seating.

As a Sunflower-friendly event, attendees with hidden disabilities are encouraged to wear their lanyards so trained staff can offer extra support.

Mr Murray said planning was already underway across Transport to help revellers safely get to and from New Year’s events around Sydney.  

“Behind the scenes, our Transport teams are already working to ensure everything runs safely and smoothly for the city’s celebrations—from public transport and road closures, to on-water safety. It’s a huge effort, and we’re proud to play a key role in helping Sydney see out 2025,” Mr Murray said.  

Entries in the ballot will close Friday 3 October at 11:59pm, with people invited to enter the draw to attend one of the two sessions.  Ballot entrants can nominate their preferred session and request up to five tickets.  

Successful applicants will be notified via email by early December 2025.

For information and ballot entries visit https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/nye-on-the-cahill-expressway-2025 

Source:

September not only marks the start of spring, it also marks Youth Fest, an annual celebration that champions young people and amplifies their voices.

Submitted by	CFA Media