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12 June 2026, SUN EXTRA - Social media case study. Social media ban. Six months in, is it working? Lara is a high school student who was kicked off social media.  Photo: Ruby Alexander.

Australia banned under-16s from social media. The world is split on whether to follow

No platform has been fined and the rift between regulator and minister is in the open. How are our world-first social media laws faring?

  • David Swan and Bronte Gossling

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Sports and Communications Minister Anika Wells.

Wells repays $10,000 of travel expenses after husband’s AFL grand final trip

The minister was embroiled in an expenses scandal after spending $190,000 on a trip to New York last year.

  • Nick Newling and James Massola
Anika Wells with the prime minister in December.

‘Dodgy lotteries’ facing ban as Albanese moves to shut down new betting front

After teal MPs assailed the government for failing to put a blanket ban on wagering advertising, Anika Wells dismissed the group of independents as irrelevant.

  • Paul Sakkal
Communications Minister Anika Wells.

New rules force Telstra to shrink coverage maps by 1 million square km

The telco giant must delete about a third of its claimed coverage under new standards backed by rivals, the ACCC and emergency groups.

  • David Swan
Apple and Google could be forced to pull porn apps, eSafety warns

Apple and Google could be forced to remove sexualised apps

The eSafety Commissioner won’t just chase offshore porn companies – she’ll go after the platforms that distribute apps that can expose children to sexually explicit content.

  • David Swan

Anika Wells seeks urgent meeting with Roblox over predator claims

The popular online platform was carved out of Australia’s social media bans even though police have said it has been used by sadistic gangs and extremists.

  • Michelle Griffin
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Dressed as Bad Bunny, Richard Paris, of Puerto Rico, dances as fans make their way to Levi’s Stadium.

Robert Irwin, AFL executives descend on San Francisco for Super Bowl

While it was Robert Irwin grabbing headlines ahead of the Super Bowl, the Australian contingent was heavy with AFL and other sporting administrators on the ground.

  • John Buckley and Stephen Brook
Sports Minister Anika Wells

The sports minister’s summer of no sport

Anika Wells has skipped every major sporting event this summer and stayed home in Brisbane after her expenses scandal.

  • James Massola
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended ministerial use of travel perks, insisting he does not make the rules before backing down following weeks of pressure.

Senior politicians to be stripped of uncapped family flights after expenses scandal

A review into MP entitlements reveals most do not regularly fly their families around the country, but some high-profile claims from senior politicians has led to the perks being curtailed.

  • Brittany Busch
Wyatt Thompson, 11, who lives in Broken Hill, has lost access to YouTube

The world watched as Australia kicked under-16s off social media. The results are in

Almost 5 million accounts have been deactivated since Australia’s ban came into effect five weeks ago. So why are some parents still finding their kids on age-restricted platforms?

  • Bronte Gossling