AU Engine

Source: Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions

NORRIS CARTER: The sky’s the limit today for Hobart Airport, with the opening our newly strengthened runway. We’ve finished this project safely, on time, on budget and with minimal impact to flight operations. It’s a testament to the work of all the crew who have worked on it. It’s been over 200,000 hours, laid more than 103,000 tonnes of asphalt, and over 200 truckloads of concrete. 

This means that now we can have wide-body international flights take off from Hobart Airport and land in Hong Kong or Singapore without having to stop on the mainland of the region, saving hours and dollars. This is great news for Tasmanians travelling overseas, great news for tourists visiting Tasmania, great news for our agricultural exporters and great news for our Antarctic gateway. It’s also worth real money to the Tasmanian economy, $122 million in additional economic activity per year and over 1,200 new jobs.

I want to particularly acknowledge the support of the Federal Government, who’ve contributed $60 million to the project for our $130 million overall cost. Without them, it wouldn’t have been possible.

JULIE COLLINS: It’s terrific to be here at Hobart Airport with Norris Carter, CEO of Hobart Airport, but also of course my parliamentary colleagues, my good friend, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King, and my colleague Richard Dowling. We’ve also got Amy Hills here from Tourism Tasmania.

I think what this shows is just what great news this is for Tasmania today. The fact that this election commitment to upgrade the runway here at Hobart Airport has been completed is great news for Tasmania. As Norris has pointed out, it’s great news, not just for Tasmanians who travel, but importantly, it’s great news for our Antarctic sector and the fact that we can remain Australia’s Antarctic gateway and get those flights to Antarctica coming in and out of Hobart. And it’s terrific for our agricultural projects. It’s terrific for Tasmania’s farmers and producers to ensure that they can get fresh produce off the island faster and direct to some of those lucrative Asian markets, and they can demand a premium price for great Tasmanian produce.

We all know that Tassie has some great produce. We also know that Tasmanian farmers are some of the most productive across the globe and we want to make sure that they are able to access those markets. So this is terrific news and it’s terrific news for tourism and importantly for the economy of Tasmania. This $60 million was an election commitment and I’m really pleased it’s been delivered on, and I’m happy to hand over to Minister King to talk more about the project.

CATHERINE KING: Thanks very much. It’s so lovely to be back here at Hobart Airport, and I thank Norris for his hospitality but also to my parliamentary colleagues, the new Senator for Tasmania, and also my friend and colleague Julie Collins, the Minister for Agriculture. Well, back in 2022 when Hobart Airport came to us in opposition to put the case for why the runway needed to be strengthened it was a no-brainer for us. We felt really clearly that in order to help the Tasmanian economy get produce to market, make sure that the Antarctic flights can absolutely be secured, that investment was needed. So back in opposition, we saw the vision for Hobart Airport. We knew that investment was absolutely critical. And today, this is the Albanese Labor Government delivering on that commitment and delivering on that promise that we made to the Tasmanian people that we would strengthen and build this runway.

Sixty million dollars of federal investment has gone into this $130 million project to strengthen the runway, and of course there are many hours that go into the actual work and construction of the runway, and I want to thank the workforce for doing it so efficiently and with such minimal disruption to the airport and to flights itself.

But of course it’s really what the airport– what the runway brings and delivers to the economy of Tasmania. When we made the announcement, Julie and I made the announcement actually in one of the seafood warehouses on the airport, because this is what it’s all about, bringing that amazing Tasmanian produce that Australia knows– and bits of the world know how amazing it is, but we want more of the world to experience the fantastic produce of Tasmania, and we want more Tasmanians to be able to fly to the world and we want more people from the world to be able to fly straight into Hobart. Being able to strengthen the runway means more flights– more wide-bodied flights can come in, more passengers can come in and more freight can come in. So it’s a great win for Tasmania and I commend Hobart Airway for the way in which they’ve delivered this project and thank them very much for their work.

[Airport announcement]

I’m happy to take questions once the announcement is finished!

JOURNALIST: Can you explain how vital the upgrades are when we do think about Tasmania’s produce and also the gateway to Antarctica?

CATHERINE KING: Well, we know two things. I mean, the gateway to Antarctica is really important, not just for the economy but also for our environment, our engagement with– actually the protection of one the most important parts of the world. But in terms of being able to actually grow the economy of Tasmania, this is really one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure that we could have invested in. This was a commitment, as I said, we made from opposition in 2022. When Norris came to me with that proposition backed by now-Minister Collins, it didn’t take me very long to make this decision. This decision, really, it was a no brainer. You could see that if you didn’t invest in a runway, if you didn’t make that investment, then there was a whole lot of economic activity that would be denied. So getting that freight out– getting those wide-bottom planes in, which means you could get more freight in and out, is really, really critical for the Tasmanian economy.

JOURNALIST: Would you like to see international flights start to kind of, I guess, make it worth it?

CATHERINE KING: Well, I think it’s already going to show that it’s worth it. We’ll start to see passenger numbers increase, and I’d certainly– I know Julie, Minister Collins, has been a long, strong advocate for getting international flights here into Hobart. We’re seeing demand is there. Australians are flying everywhere at the moment. That demand in international aviation is coming up. We are starting to see more inbound passengers as well, and Hobart and Tasmania absolutely should be part of that path.

JOURNALIST: Have you crunched the numbers with how much we’re projected to benefit from an upgrade like this?

CATHERINE KING: Certainly, obviously, there’s the immediate benefits to the economy of construction and then obviously much of the material comes locally as well and I’ll pause for the announcement…

[Airport announcement]

CATHERINE KING: That’s the challenge of media conferences in airports.

So, of course, there’s the immediate construction jobs and other small businesses that benefit from the work that’s done to actually undertake this work. But it’s the long-term benefits you’ve heard Norris talk about. Over 120 million dollars of additional economic activity on annual basis that can come from the services. But I might also ask the Tasmanian [inaudible] to have a bit of a chat about what it means for tourism for the Tasmanian people.

AMY HILLS: Well, thank you Minister and thank you to our strong partners of Hobart Airport. On behalf of the entire Tasmanian tourism industry, we’re really excited to welcome the finishing up of the works on the runway strengthening and associated works. For the tourism industry, this really does signify a step change for our industry, and for our industry, we’re all about taking our experience to the very next level. And for us, our access gateway being the Hobart Airport right here is so critically important to future proofing our visitor economy. So for us to have the collaboration between the Hobart Airport, which supports our visitor economy, and the Australian Government really seeing the future and the vibrancy in our visitor economy is really welcomed by our industry. The reality is that we employ one in six Tasmanians. That’s one in six Tasmanians that are being supported by the visitors that are coming through this gateway. So, investing in intergenerational infrastructure such as this and future-proofing our visitor economy is completely vital.

CATHERINE KING: Other questions?

JOURNALIST: When would you like to see international flights?

AMY HILLS: Of course, on behalf of our operators and as a tourism industry, we’d love to see them coming as soon as possible. We also understand that it’s a journey to go on and it’s about relationship-building. But the important thing is that the markets that are being looked at really do have an interest and demand in Tasmania. We know we have an incredibly strong brand and the types of visitors that will be coming from some of these destinations will be really eager to come travel around our state, spend time in our state, and spend money, and that’s important because it’s supporting those Tasmanian jobs and travelling regionally as well. So as an industry, we’ll do everything possible to support Hobart Airport and the government to get those international flights here as soon as possible. But importantly, it’s also future-proofing our airport for Tasmanians as well because we know when tourism benefits, Tasmania benefits.

JOURNALIST: Can I ask Julie about produce and freight? How much of a boost is this for your sector?

JULIE COLLINS: Well, this is terrific for Tasmanian farmers and Tasmanian producers because it means that they can get fresh produce faster, particularly to the Asian markets where they’re receiving premium prices for some of their products. This means that they’ll be able to get the product here sooner and it will be in a fresh condition allowing for premium prices. But particularly, for our seafood and some of our berries and some of our fruit, that will benefit particularly from this, being able to go straight to Asia directly from Hobart.

JOURNALIST: We’ve seen some of those flights in recent years straight to Hong Kong. Is that an initiative you’d like to see expanded?

JULIE COLLINS: Of course, I would like to see a lot more flights– international flights from Hobart Airport. We need to be realistic about what the market is and how we test that. But certainly talking to Tasmanian producers and some of the peak industry bodies in Tasmania, there is great demand, particularly for that freight to go under the bellies of the aircraft, and I’m sure there’s plenty of demand from Tasmanians that want to fly into Asia as well.

JOURNALIST: And what sectors are you expecting to benefit the most here?

JULIE COLLINS: As I said, the fresh produce, particularly seafood, and particularly some of our fruit, being able to get to Asia faster and be in a premium condition will allow them to get a premium price for some of their product.

JOURNALIST: I might just chat to Norris to ask some questions. How many extra flights will this open up, Norris, and how many extra people can we see coming into Tasmania?

NORRIS CARTER: The potential is huge. We see about 2.8 million passengers through the airport at the moment. We’re expecting that to increase to 3.5 million by 2030, and a lot of that growth can be international. So, huge potential there. And the number of flights depends on the size of the market.

JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]… can you talk us through your efforts to secure a service from an Asian hub?

NORRIS CARTER: Yeah, so we’ve been talking to airlines for a number of years now around the potential to fly to Hobart. They have been limited by the runway, and that’s why we invested in this project. Now that we’ve built the runway, we’ve got that proof of concept that we actually are serious and can do it. So we’re hopeful that we’ll see those new flights within the next few years.

JOURNALIST: You’ve got a new runway. You’ve got a new terminal being built as well. [Indistinct]…

NORRIS CARTER: That’s quite a lot to bite off at the moment, so we’re very excited about our $130 million runway. We’re partway through our $200 million terminal upgrade, which will double the space of the terminal, provide more space, more food and retail options, and more jobs for Tasmanians. It’s a very exciting time for Hobart Airport.

JOURNALIST: Can you just give us an update on when that’s expected to finish? And what’s that building just straight outside?

NORRIS CARTER: So the building you can see outside is the new terminal, so we will expand into that space. We’re pretty excited the first part of that, which is the new security screening area, will open in early September. So, we’re only weeks away from that. And we think Tasmanians are going to like what they see when we open it. The whole project itself will take us through until late 2027.

JOURNALIST: And how vital is the upgrade to the runway in terms of our defence aircrafts too? 

NORRIS CARTER: It’s great for that. It’s one of the things that provides additional capability for the defence aircraft. The first thing is the flights to Antarctica. They support our bases in Antarctica, but for any Southern Ocean activity, it gives them a good access point.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Are there other issues?

JOURNALIST: The administrators in charge of Rex have been in place for a while now. Are you hoping that a long-term solution will be found for that airline?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, well, obviously, we’ve stepped in fairly heavily to support the continuation and guarantee so that people keep booking on Rex. The Government’s been working with the administrators pretty closely. The administration has now been extended until December. The Federal Court did that recently, and we’re obviously hopeful for a commercial solution to ensure that Rex keeps flying and continues to be a really significant part of the regional airspace.

JOURNALIST: What was the need for it to be extended?

CATHERINE KING: Obviously, the administrators requested more time at the federal court to reach that conclusion.

JOURNALIST: Do you know what the hold-up is, why a buyer hasn’t been locked in yet?

CATHERINE KING: That would be a question for the administrators. The company is in administration and they are undertaking the sale process.

JOURNALIST: What’s your goal when it comes to finding a permanent home for Rex?

CATHERINE KING: Well, we want a viable regional airline, and that’s basically what the Australian Government has said really clearly. We know that Rex has been an important player in the delivery of regional services across the country. It is too important to fail. It is why when it went into administration, we said very clearly we’d like to see, in the first instance, a commercial outcome, and we’ve worked to support that. But if that is not the case, then we stand willing to step in. We’re still hopeful that there is obviously a commercial buyer for Rex.

Thanks everyone. 

Source: Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions

The Albanese Government’s commitment to greater connectivity will see up to 300,000 homes and businesses have faster and more reliable broadband through new technology deployed 600km above Australia.

A historic agreement signed between NBN Co Limited and Amazon Project Kuiper will bring city-quality broadband to Australia’s hardest to reach places. 

This nation-building agreement is another step towards Australia becoming the most connected continent and is targeted to help rural and remote areas of Australia.

NBN Co’s agreement with Project Kuiper will deliver broadband internet services via a constellation of Low Earth Orbit Satellites (LEOSats), about 600 kilometres above the Earth.

This represents a major change in technology from NBN Co’s existing Sky Muster satellite services and will ensure continuity of high-speed internet for people living and working in regional and remote areas. 

NBN Co will consult with retail partners and regional stakeholders regarding the timing of upgrading users of Sky Muster satellites to Project Kuiper’s services. Access to existing Sky Muster services will continue until the transition to the new service is complete. 

Today’s announcement complements the Government’s continued investment in the NBN to upgrade premises currently using outdated fibre to the node technology, and the expansion of the fixed wireless footprint.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, Anika Wells: 

“It is critical that a country as vast as Australia prioritises connectivity regardless of postcode.

“Providing better broadband from the cities to the regions is a key element of our plan to make Australia the most connected continent. 

 “Our Government embraces new technology, particularly when it helps to deliver essential services.

 “The agreement between NBN Co and Project Kuiper will boost access to reliable, fast and affordable broadband internet across Australia.

“This will improve public safety, provide resilience during natural disasters and improve quality of life for all Australians, especially in regional and remote communities.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Finance, Senator Katy Gallagher:

“Right now, too many Australians in regional, rural, and remote areas don’t have access to fast and reliable internet, and the Albanese Government is focused on fixing this.

“This agreement between NBN Co and Project Kuiper will help to address this longstanding issue, boosting opportunities and driving productivity for workers and businesses across the country.”

 Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Andrew Charlton:

 “Adopting new technology is essential in ensuring our digital economy keeps pace with the world.

“People throughout Australia deserve access to world-class technology that lifts living standards and creates more opportunities.

“The Albanese Labor Government will continue to invest in technology in a way that captures the economic opportunity, ensuring the benefits are spread equitably.”

Source:

Thanks to critical infrastructure funding from the Albanese Government, local roads across the country will receive more than $63 million for life-saving upgrades. 

This significant investment will help fund 23 new projects in regional and rural Australia under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP), including: 

• $22.4 million for eight projects in New South Wales 

• $19.5 million for seven projects in Victoria 

• $15.6 million for five projects in Queensland 

• $4.8 million for two projects in Tasmania 

• $1.4 million for one project in Western Australia 

In Greta, NSW, the Cessnock City Council will receive $1.4 million to design and construct the replacement of the Wyndham Street Bridge.

The Ararat Rural City Council will receive $5 million to reconstruct, widen and seal Buangor-Ben Nevis Road in Bayindeen, Victoria. 

In Kalkadoon, Queensland, the Mt Isa City Council will receive $3.4 million to design and construct a heavy vehicle wash bay and facilities on the Barkly Highway.

All 23 projects will be delivered by local governments and will receive funding for upgrades including: 

• improving road safety with the realignment of roads, shoulder sealing, rumble strips, safety barriers and median changes

• widening and sealing roads for heavy vehicle access

• new or upgraded heavy vehicle rest areas

• replacing and/or strengthening bridges, culverts and causeways

• upgrading/raising roads to improve flood resilience, and  

• additional road links between communities to reduce risk of isolation during an emergency.

These improvements will help deliver significant benefits for road users by alleviating traffic congestion, reducing travel times and increasing road safety. 

SLRIP is part of the Albanese Government’s commitment to strengthen investment and support the delivery of safer and more productive roads across Australia. 

For more information and the list of funded projects, visit Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.

Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“The Albanese Government is working with local governments to deliver and maintain transport infrastructure that increases productivity and makes our communities safer.

“We have increased funding under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program to make sure we continue to invest in better, safer local roads across all states and territories.  

“This funding will enable local councils to improve road safety in a way that reduces the burden on them, cutting red tape and administrative burden to allow more money and time to be spent directly on projects.”

Quotes attributable to Regional Development, Local Government and Territories Minister Kristy McBain: 

“From Cape York to South Cape Bay, the Albanese Government is investing in safer roads right across the country.

“Local governments are the key driver and delivery partner in maintaining and upgrading road infrastructure and our government is supporting them to deliver these priority upgrades.   

“The Albanese Government is firmly committed to ensuring all Australians have access to essential services and come home safe at the end of the day.” 

Source:

The Albanese and Allan Labor governments are delivering safer and more reliable journeys for motorists across Geelong and Victoria’s south west, announcing FCC Construction Australia and BildGroup will deliver the first part of the $318 million Barwon Heads Road Upgrade – Stage 2. 

The first part of Stage 2, to be delivered by the two construction partners, will involve the addition of new lanes along the 3.5-kilometre stretch between Reserve Road in Charlemont and Lake Road in Armstrong Creek.

The project will also upgrade key intersections at Warralily Boulevard, Central Boulevard and Precinct Road, install traffic lights at Newport Drive and Boundary Road, and build signalised pedestrian crossings near Build Street and the northern end of Harriot Road.

New shared walking and cycling paths and dedicated cycling lanes to improve safety and traffic flow will also be delivered as part of the upgrade.

In this year’s Federal Budget, the Albanese Government committed an additional $68.2 million towards the project, bringing the Australian Government’s total commitment to $193 million.

This will ensure full delivery of the project, including the next section of the upgrade between Lake Road and Lower Duneed Road.

Over the past month, crews have been undertaking utility relocations and site office works, paving the way for major construction to begin in the coming weeks.

Motorists are already enjoying the benefits from the first stage of the Barwon Road Upgrade, which was completed in 2023 – with the project duplicating four kilometres of Barwon Heads Road and delivering four kilometres of new shared walking and cycling paths, along with dedicated on-road cycling lanes.

The Barwon Heads Road Upgrade – Stage 2 (Reserve Road to Lower Duneed Road) is expected to be completed in late 2028.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“This important project needs to be delivered in its entirety for the Bellarine community and the many visitors who use it and the adjoining roads.

“Our additional commitment this year will ensure this happens and will mean the thousands of people who rely on Barwon Heads Road every day get to where they need to go sooner and safer.”

Quote attributable to Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams:

“Greater Geelong is one of the fastest-growing places in regional Victoria, which is why we’re delivering this vital project to improve journeys for the people who live and work here.”

Quote attributable to Federal Member for Corangamite Libby Coker:

“The Barwon Heads Road Upgrade will cut congestion for locals that depend on these roads every day.”

Quote attributable to State Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney:

“This project will improve safety across Charlemont and Armstrong Creek – creating better journeys for motorists.”

Source:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Anne Brown as the Chairperson of the Board of Airservices Australia for a term of three years.

Ms Brown brings a wealth of experience to the role, having been a member of the Airservices Board for over five years, including serving as deputy chair since December 2024. 

With a background in Australian and international financial markets, risk management, governance and regulatory environments, her skill set complements the existing board in delivering and upholding Australia’s world-class aviation safety standards.

Ms Brown will be the 7^th Chair of Airservices Australia and the first woman to hold the role. 

Airservices provides air traffic management and aviation rescue and fire-fighting services to the nation, and is responsible for is responsible for 11 per cent of global airspace.

Ms Brown’s appointment comes at a crucial time for the board as Airservices Australia continues to deliver major transformation and modernisation programs. 

Airservices are modernising Australia’s air traffic control systems through OneSKY in partnership with the Department of Defence, and establishing Digital Aerodrome Services to airports like Canberra and Western Sydney International.

The organisation is also working to upgrade Australia’s aviation firefighting capability through the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting NexGen, with a fleet of plug-in hybrid firefighting vehicles due for delivery at Western Sydney International later this year. 

I would like to thank Mr John Weber – who recently completed his tenure as Chairperson – for his significant contributions to aviation safety and for leading Airservices Australia through a period of both significant change and unparalleled opportunity

Source:

ANDREW CLENNELL: On 10 December the world will change for millions of Australians when the Federal Government introduces a ban on under 16s using social media. Tens of thousands of parents will have to explain to their teenagers why their social media accounts have been shut down and the tech companies will face fines of up to $50 million if they don’t make a proper effort to instantly shut down the Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook accounts of their teenage customers. It is revolutionary stuff and shapes as a big story to come over the summer. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese even declared last week he wanted to encourage other countries to take up this ban when he addresses the UN General Assembly in September.

The Communications Minister, Anika Wells, joined me a short time ago and we began by discussing her announcement today of more access to the NBN for people in regional communities in a partnership with Amazon. But you’ll see here, we soon turn to the social media ban and the implementation of it. Social media companies won’t have to use facial recognition technology to put it in place, the Minister says. They can mine their own data to block the accounts of young people.

[Excerpt]

ANDREW CLENNELL: Anika Wells, thanks so much for your time. You’ve made an announcement this morning concerning faster and more reliable broadband through the NBN, a partnership with Amazon. Take us through that. I think it’s improving things for people in regional areas, but the NBN has some competition there with Starlink, doesn’t it?

ANIKA WELLS: Well, do you remember the originating purpose for the NBN Co was doing what the market could not, which was providing high speed, high quality broadband to every Australian. There are still some gaps out there. People in rural and remote Australia in particular don’t experience the kind of high-quality high-speed access that they need and deserve. So, today’s deal will provide 300,000 homes and businesses with quicker access and services to things like telehealth, real-time apps, online gaming, health, education services that they need and deserve where they live. And you know, the Prime Minister’s credo is no Australian left behind. Today’s deal is another important contribution to that.

ANDREW CLENNELL: So what areas will this affect?

ANIKA WELLS: So, this will be – the NBN Co will work with Amazon, Kuiper now on the rollout of this. But what NBN Co would tell you is there are 300,000 homes and businesses that will be able to experience quicker, higher quality NBN connection as a result of this. This is that LEOSat technology rolling out. So, at the moment, the latency with which you interact with your services online, this will be a quicker way for homes and businesses to get high quality services that allows them to run a regional business from their home or their business in remote Australia, allow your kids to get better, quicker access to educational services, telehealth, online gaming, as is their right. And we look forward to this rolling out broadly across the country.

ANDREW CLENNELL: Are you happy with the average internet speed of Australians? Do you have other plans to improve internet speeds?

ANIKA WELLS: Well, this is exactly- this is a major milestone on that journey to high quality, high-speed broadband. We’re on a redemption journey after the old coalition copper delayed things, cost a fortune. We’re still fixing that error. And you would have seen me in the parliament last week talking about the steps that we are taking to improve those services for another 600,000 more Australians this year as part of the second term Albanese Government agenda. Today’s deal with Amazon Kuiper is another really important step in that journey to make sure that everybody in Australia, no matter which postcode you are in, is not left behind.

ANDREW CLENNELL: Well, first time I’ve spoken to you in your new portfolio, and the opportunity to talk a bit about the social media ban for under 16s now. Day one of that is 10 December. What happens on day one?

ANIKA WELLS: Under the law the onus is on the platforms to make sure that they have identified any social media accounts that are held by under 16s and that on day one those social media accounts are deactivated. They’ve also got to take reasonable steps to make sure that no new accounts are activated, that anyone trying to get around the system, they’ve taken reasonable steps to try and stop that from happening and to clean up errors as we go because anything that’s world leading, anything that we’re trying to do, we’re trying a big swing, it’s going to look a bit messy on the way through. That’s certainly what I found in aged care reform, but this is too important not to do.

You would have seen last week in the parliament we had bereaved parents who did the very best that they could with their kids and that wasn’t enough. So, we are stepping up and supporting those parents to give them another weapon in the battle of kids using the internet safely.

ANDREW CLENNELL: So, a kid who’s 14 currently has an Instagram account. That account, your expectation would be that the social media companies would be able to identify that it’s a 14-year-old using it and shut it down. How do you expect them to identify it?

ANIKA WELLS: Well, these social media companies know nearly everything about us. They can target us with deadly accuracy when it comes to their advertising and when it comes to promoting their advertising for revenue streams. So, if they know where you are, what you’re doing, whom you do it with, at what time you do it, there’s a very good chance that they know how old you are. And by the same token, for people who are over 16, if you’ve had a Facebook account since 2009, Andrew, they know that you’re over 16 as well.

ANDREW CLENNELL: And what’s occurring with this age verification trial then? Because it seems like initially the plan was to have this sort of technology where I look at my phone and you can see what age I am. Is that not ready yet? What’s the report into that saying? And do you expect social media companies to be using that? We’ve had reports people have used it and it said they’re 15, 17 and in their 30s. What’s the latest on that?

ANIKA WELLS: So, the age assurance trial, we have yet to receive the final recommendations and the final report. When I do receive them, I will publish them so that everybody can have a look at that and see the same evidence that I’m looking at to work with the eSafety Commissioner on how this roll out. You would have seen that there has been encouraging steps the initial- there was some reporting a few weeks ago about the initial recommendations, but whilst we wait for the final recommendations, I’ll just say that it looks promising, but it will be- there will be an onus on social media platforms to take reasonable steps and to work with the eSafety Commissioner around that, and also that there will be $49.5 million penalties for anyone found to be systemically breaching those obligations.

ANDREW CLENNELL: Yeah, so, just on that, from 10 December, would you expect the social media companies to use that age assurance technology or could it be you’re relying on what you alluded to earlier which is them sort of mining all the data they have to say, look, this kid’s 14, shut him or her off?

ANIKA WELLS: Andrew I think it’s fair to say that this will look a little bit different for every different platform or app, and that’s their right. They have proprietary technology, they have the right to build their own apps and systems around meeting their legal obligations. You would have seen this last week, there was some discussion around social media platforms needing to provide an alternative to asking their users to upload photo identification. They will need to provide an alternative, so that’s not the only mode of establishing someone’s age. But again, this innovative space. Big tech is booming and meetings I’ve had with executives of platforms have been asking me, how do we build something that gives us what we need and gives you what you need under the law. And I look forward to continuing that work together.

ANDREW CLENNELL: So, you’re offering them this technology if they want it but otherwise they can find their own way of policing this. Is that the case?

ANIKA WELLS: Well they’ll need to satisfy the eSafety Commissioner that they have taken reasonable steps. And reasonable steps is a relatively common test under the law. I think, as you would have heard the Prime Minister say Andrew in the previous term, social platforms currently need to do that as a social responsibility. But we’re also committed to delivering the digital duty of care so that soon – once we do that, once we review the Online Safety Act and deliver a digital duty of care – they will have a legal responsibility to do that under the law as well.

ANDREW CLENNELL: When could you envisage – I mean, you talk about the fines up to 45 million, I think you said, I’ve read 50 million and the reasonable steps test – what…

ANIKA WELLS: 49.5 million.

ANDREW CLENNELL: …49.5, there you go. Close enough to 50, isn’t it? It’s a lot. What circumstance can you see where companies would be fined? Like, would it be a situation where they didn’t just have the odd under 16 on there but they had, as you said, systemically, like, thousands of them? Is that what we’re sort of looking at?

ANIKA WELLS: That’s right. A systemic breach where, I think, the eSafety Commissioner takes a view that they have not taken reasonable steps to uphold the Australian law. And I think that that’s reasonable. I mean, can I remind you, Andrew – I know you’ve got kids yourself – the current law says that kids should not hold social media accounts if they’re below 13. 

So, we’re talking about moving that age from 13 to 16, giving kids 36 more months to build online resilience, for us to build up their education about navigating the internet safely, for them to forge their own connections, you know, in sports teams or social areas that they’re interested in, their own hobbies outside the internet. Given that the current age is 13, we’re talking about delaying that for 36 months to give kids every right to find out who they are before these platforms assume who they are.

ANDREW CLENNELL: Well, it’s funny you should mention it. One of my children turns 16 11 days after your ban comes in, so I assume she’ll welcome the date of the ban relatively. But how much of this is about a signal as opposed to actual enforcement – a vehicle for parents to be able to tell their kids, hey, that’s not legal until you’re 16?

ANIKA WELLS: That’s exactly right, Andrew. I think this is about the chilling effect that a national law, which is a world-leading law, will have on the culture of social media account usage in our kids. And, like you say, your daughter will turn 16 10 days after the ban comes into place. My kids are younger. They will have always experienced social media accounts as something that is only available to them after 16. It’s about changing that culture. 

And in the same way that you can’t smoke until you’re 18 or you can’t drink until you’re 18 and there’s still kids who will smoke or drink before 18 because they want to, they’ll get around the laws. There will be these instances. Like, God bless them, that’s how kids are. But also, plenty of kids – I have heard from parents who are relieved about this – are not currently signing up for a social media account because they know that they’re going to be banned. Lots of law-abiding kids out there too. 

But overall, we’re about changing the culture and we’re doing things to build up awareness and better safety for our kids online.

ANDREW CLENNELL: I see this as the difficulty though, this kind of roadblock of, you know, millions of Australian kids, probably, who have social media accounts under – certainly hundreds of thousands, who have them under 16, between say 13 and 16. And that’s going to be more difficult than, say, if you’ve got a six-year-old now and, you know, who’s never seen the thing. Would you acknowledge that?

ANIKA WELLS: Absolutely. We’ve been acknowledging that the whole time and we’re sort of working with not just parents, but teachers and principals, people who are influential on a child’s life during that time about how we support them through that process. But at the moment, if you are a parent and you’ve decided that your kid who’s 14 you don’t want them to have an Instagram account. At the moment, because all 14-year-olds are able to do that, you are making a choice that might make them feel socially isolated.

These laws will mean that nobody who is 14 meant to be on Instagram. It will have a cultural impact and it will mean that people and parents don’t face blame for socially isolating their children for trying to do what is demonstrably the safest thing for them, which is to keep them off social media until they’ve got more development, more resilience, more connection in their real life.

ANDREW CLENNELL: And what’s the latest on any legal action in the wings on this?

ANIKA WELLS: Nothing from what we discussed last week in the Parliament.

ANDREW CLENNELL: So, you’ve got a letter from Google, didn’t you? Is that correct? That that’s a suggestion they might take action, but that’s not occurring. Where are we at?

ANIKA WELLS: Well, that’s right. The last we had was a letter from Google saying that if we did remove their exemption they would be considering their next steps. They argued that under-16’s have an implied right to freedom of political communication under the Australian Constitution. We haven’t had anything further since we chose to remove the YouTube exemption last Wednesday. Sorry, I made the decision last Tuesday, we announced it last Wednesday.

ANDREW CLENNELL: I mean, that has been controversial. Why did the Government decide to include YouTube? Because it’s only a ban on having an account. Kids could actually look at YouTube for hours and hours without an account, right? So, what practical effect does it have?

ANIKA WELLS: It means that YouTube is being treated the same as all other social media platforms. It means that YouTube is not being treated differently to its peers as social media platforms. I mean, YouTube would argue that it’s a video streaming service, but YouTube also self-identified as a social media platform when working with the eSafety Commissioner on industry codes, which industry led in February earlier this year. 

So, it’s about treating all social media platforms the same and it’s about upholding the spirit of the law. Which is that we want kids to be off learning to play netball or having a go at little athletics or doing something with their friends in people’s backyards, rather than on a social media account. 

And like you said, there is a utility for social media. It has its place. There is no place for predatory algorithms, and removing the YouTube login is about those predatory algorithms that occur within a login, whilst noting that parents, teachers have utility for YouTube. You can still access Numberblocks on a link that your teacher sends home if your kid needs to do that for their homework. We’re trying to get the balance right here. It’s about balance.

ANDREW CLENNELL: Have you got any further plans in the, sort of, misinformation bill space? We’ve seen a rise in the deepfake stuff going on the internet, images of the PM announcing things he hasn’t announced, even Sky presenters saying things that aren’t true. What other action are you considering there?

ANIKA WELLS: Look, in terms of my priorities, absolutely we are working towards delivering the social media ban come 10 December. Everybody’s had 12 months’ notice and we’ve got four months to go. And I’m also working on our review of the Online Safety Act and delivering a digital duty of care. I think that’s an important next step on the road to online safety and making the internet as safe as we possibly can for all of its users.

ANDREW CLENNELL: And finally, on the Peter Murphy gambling reforms, these really seem to have been shelved – a limit on ads to two an hour, for example, and around football matches. Will you be revisiting that proposal? Do you think – is it possible age assurance technology could be used in relation to online gaming advertising?

ANIKA WELLS: Since becoming the Communications Minister I have had quite a few meetings in that space about that work from people who represent all different sides of that question and I really look forward to continuing to work with them on trying to deliver something.

ANDREW CLENNELL: And when do you think we’ll see that something?

ANIKA WELLS: As soon as I can manage it.

ANDREW CLENNELL: Anika Wells, thanks so much for your time.

ANIKA WELLS: Such a pleasure. 

[End of excerpt]

ANDREW CLENNELL: Anika Wells there and, boy, has she got a lot on her plate.

Source:

Source: New South Wales – News

Between about 4.45pm on Wednesday 6 August and about 1am this morning Thursday 7 August, the police assistance line 131 444 received 251 calls of a menacing and harassing nature from a male suspect.

About 1.30am this morning police attended at a Paradise home and arrested a 45-year-old man.

He has been charged with use a carriage service in harassing or offensive way.

He will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.

Police would like to remind the public that this type of behaviour places the community at risk and the calls placed to 131 444 services saves lives and used for police assistance only.

These calls consume a considerable amount of resources and put other members of the community at risk in the event of a real emergency.

Source: Tasmania Police

Issued: 6 Aug 2025

The death of a juvenile cassowary near Innisfail has prompted safety reminders for people to avoid feeding cassowaries and to dispose of fishing waste properly.

Wildlife Rangers had been monitoring an adult male cassowary and its three juvenile offspring that had started approaching people for food in the Coquette Point area for several weeks.

On 27 July 2025, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation received a report that one of the juvenile cassowaries had a length of fishing line dangling from its beak.

Wildlife Ranger Stephen Clough said the bird was captured and sedated for assessment but despite the best efforts of local veterinary staff, the cassowary died from injuries.

“We believe the baited fishing hook was discarded as rubbish near the Johnstone River, and then picked up by the bird,” Mr Clough said.

“Discarded hooks fishing line are well-documented threats to sea birds and can also harm species like cassowaries.

“People are asked to remove bait from hooks after a fishing session, and discard and unwanted fishing tackle properly into a bin.”

People can report injured, sick or orphaned cassowaries by calling 1300 130 372. People are asked to Be cass-o-wary at all times in the Wet Tropics region.

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

At today’s Investor Roundtable I released the Council of Financial Regulators’ (CFR) review into small and medium‑sized bank competition and the government’s response to the review.

This review looked into ways to help create a more dynamic, diverse and resilient Australian banking sector.

A more diverse banking sector is good for competition, good for consumers, good for industry and good for the economy.

This is all about supporting smaller banks to drive stronger competition.

The review focused on the role small and medium sized banks play in providing competition in the sector and the regulatory and market trends affecting them. The CFR undertook the review in close consultation with the ACCC.

It makes nine recommendations for the Government and sets out nine actions for regulators.

The Government accepts in‑principle eight recommendations and welcomes all nine actions from regulators. We will seek feedback on the final recommendation for APRA to introduce a lighter touch framework for very small banks, accompanied by adjustments to the Financial Claims Scheme.

The Government will work with the CFR agencies and the ACCC on these actions and recommendations, including through further targeted consultation.

The release of the Review follows a broad consultation process, which involved 27 submissions, including 4 confidential submissions, as well as discussions with stakeholders from the banking industry, industry associations, other market participants and individuals.

The response to this review is another important part of the Government’s substantial competition policy agenda, including:

• Merger reform;
• Promoting competition in the financial system;
• Revitalising National Competition Policy with the States and Territories;
• Improving competition in the supermarket sector; and
• Cracking down on non‑compete clauses.

The full review is available on the Council of Financial Regulators website.