December 09, 2025

Australia launches world-first social media ban for under-16s as RBA holds rates, minister faces expenses scandal

10 minutes

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Here’s what else you need to know to get going and get on with your day.

Australia became the first nation Tuesday to enforce a blanket social media ban for children under 16, with platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook removing millions of teen accounts. The world-first legislation kicks in as the Reserve Bank held interest rates at 3.60% for another month, leaving Australian households paying $1,800 more monthly in mortgage costs than three years ago. Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien warned the next interest rate move could be up, not down, blaming government spending for keeping inflation at 3.8%—well above the RBA’s target.

Communications Minister Anika Wells championed the social media ban as “game-changing” for kids and parents, even as she referred herself to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority for an audit. Revelations emerged this week of $100,000 in last-minute UN flights, family ski trips to Thredbo, and a nearly $1,000 Commonwealth car charge for a seven-hour wait during the 2023 Australian Open. The Opposition is calling her “air-miles Anika” and demanding she stand aside during investigations, with the scandal threatening to overshadow the government’s signature tech policy achievement.

Deadly bushfires killed a 59-year-old firefighter and destroyed at least 40 homes across New South Wales and Tasmania over the weekend, with authorities warning the summer fire season is only beginning. More than 60 fires burned across NSW Tuesday, fueled by 42-degree temperatures and gusty winds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese activated disaster relief and warned “this summer, like all summers it would appear in recent times, is going to be a difficult one.” The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts temporary relief with cooler weather and possible rain, but long-term conditions remain dangerous with 2024 marking Australia’s second-hottest year on record.

Energy bill rebates that have cushioned household electricity costs throughout 2024 and 2025 will end December 31st, Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed Monday. The $300 annual rebate plus an additional $150 provided since July will not be extended into 2026, leaving families to absorb the full impact of energy prices that have jumped 40% since Labor took office. Opposition Treasury spokesperson Ted O’Brien called the decision inevitable but slammed Labor for spending $6.8 billion “papering over their failed energy policy” rather than addressing root causes. Chalmers said future support would be “targeted” rather than universal, suggesting means-testing is coming.

The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook drops next week, where Chalmers will need to address mounting pressure on Australian households facing higher energy bills, stagnant interest rates, and warnings of potential rate hikes heading into 2026. Whether the government announces spending cuts, extends cost-of-living relief, or leaves families to navigate rising costs on their own remains the question dominating Canberra as summer intensifies and political pressure mounts on multiple fronts.

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