Labor has described Payman's linking of a Haines-style attack to staffing allocation as outrageous. Payman has asked whether the Prime Minister is waiting for what happened to Helen Haines to happen again. Shoebridge has called for ethical Australian AI after a cyber threat warning. Lambie says Hanson has not personally apologised over a cartoon. A former Rio Tinto boss is set to lead a defence procurement watchdog, and the Farrer independent spent $1.7 million on a byelection campaign.
Almost half of more than 460,000 comments on the social media accounts of 22 Labor politicians were classed as abusive between July and October, according to data from an AI tool called Areto. Of the 2,497 threats and 2,487 comments using violent language, examples included calls for a politician to be shot and hanged. Facebook carried about 94 per cent of the comments, and 51 per cent of those were abusive. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the abuse was having a chilling effect on community engagement, while Housing Minister Clare O'Neil criticised platforms for profiting from it.
Four young men describe how manosphere content reached them through social media algorithms, often starting with gym videos. Several say the messages moved from self-improvement into misogyny and pressure over money, status and appearance. One Melbourne man says he posted a controversial video that went viral, and later was hospitalised and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Others describe leaving social media or steering younger relatives away from these influencers.
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At least nine MPs will have security upgrades for their electorate offices brought forward, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has confirmed. The move follows an alleged attack last Monday on independent MP Helen Haines outside her Wangaratta office. Haines was struck repeatedly by a four-wheel drive and has lost both legs. She remains in a serious but stable condition in a Melbourne hospital, and police are examining the motive. Gallagher also urged social media companies to act on threats posted on their platforms against women in public life.
A new Instagram page called CanberraAIBoycott is prompting debate over whether small businesses and charities should be judged for using AI in their advertising. Its creator, Audrey Taylor, says AI posters and flyers look generic and clash with the community. Marketing figure Adam Gill argues AI is a cost-effective tool for organisations that cannot afford designers, provided it is used with skill and honesty. He says audiences notice fake-looking content and may disengage from it.
Royal Darwin Hospital has apologised after confidential medical information about about a dozen pregnant patients was allegedly shared on Instagram. The posts, from an account linked to an overseas trained doctor who was a medical observer, reportedly included patient names and diagnoses, and reached 28,000 followers. The doctor said she cannot confirm how the images were posted and did not intend to disclose patient information. Her attachment to NT Health has since been terminated. Health Minister Steve Edgington said stricter background checks and induction processes will be introduced for medical observers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has appeared in a comedy video for online duo Swag On The Beat, joking that he would reinstate his HECS debt if a boyfriend hurt his daughter. Griffith University communication expert Dr Susan Grantham says such projects help politicians appear authentic and reach people they would otherwise miss. A study she led of 564 political creator posts before the 2025 federal election found creators shared four times more election content than regular media. Focus group participants did not say these posts changed how they voted.
Local female politicians say they have faced online abuse, false rumours and threats for some time. The discussion follows the alleged attack on independent Member for Indi Helen Haines outside her Wangaratta office. Police allege Brendan Nugent deliberately struck her vehicle, pinning her between two cars. She survived but has had both legs amputated and remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition. Nugent has been charged and remanded in custody, and his lawyers say he has a history of mental illness.
A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay a $25 billion fine for violating consumer protection laws linked to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The state had alleged the company misled users about how it handled their data. Meta says the ruling makes it nearly impossible to do business in the state and plans to appeal. Experts say the fine would give Meta only a mild sting, given the company is worth around $1.7 trillion. Legal pressure may grow as evidence becomes public and litigation shifts towards artificial intelligence.
Staff of independent MP Helen Haines say they have been moved by public kindness as they prepare to reopen her electorate offices. Haines remains in critical condition after a car allegedly struck her outside her Wangaratta office on Monday, and both her legs were amputated. Brendan Nugent, 43, is accused of deliberately driving into her. A charity appeal in her honour has raised more than $730,000. Police, federal agencies and state leaders are reviewing security for politicians, and parliamentarians in several states have received briefings.
New research surveyed 142 young men aged 16 to 25 across Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States about masculinity content on social media. Participants said such material can offer practical self-help, from discipline and fitness to financial and dating advice, though many found it superficial and harmful. Several criticised manfluencers, including Andrew Tate, for exploiting insecurities and promoting misogyny, violence and risky health behaviour. Participants said they engaged selectively, taking useful lessons while rejecting harmful messages, yet many still tolerated misogyny in exchange for the advice they valued.
Celebrities such as Dave Hughes, Karl Stefanovic and Kyle Sandilands have become more involved in Australia's political debate. Social media allows them to influence people without formally backing a party. Commentators note they use humour and criticism to tap into frustrations over cost of living and housing. Surveys from the University of Canberra and Griffith University suggest many Australians, particularly young people, trust creators for news. Researchers say the greatest effect may be on which issues people notice rather than how they vote.
Victoria's government media communications do not always meet legal requirements to be apolitical, a watchdog has found. The Victorian Auditor-General's Office said political content was published on the Premier of Victoria website, a government survey asked people to rate government performance, and the Suburban Rail Loop Authority supplied content for ministers' personal social media posts. The office made three recommendations, including stronger guidance for public servants and better compliance by the premier's media centre. It also found that laws and guidance have not kept pace with digital and social media use.
Federal minister Catherine King has said politicians and the wider community must lower the temperature of political debate. She said threats and personal abuse, particularly online, have escalated and that a national conversation is needed. King also said Qatar Airways will operate new international flights from Western Sydney International Airport, after the federal government extended an air services agreement with the airline in May. The airport opens on Sunday with its first domestic passenger flight.
Communications Minister Anika Wells says the under-16 social media ban has seen five million accounts deactivated, but enforcement is still under way. She said the eSafety Commissioner is investigating five platforms and may take them to court. Wells introduced the Digital Duty of Care Bill last week, which would require online platforms to protect Australians from seriously harmful and illegal content. She said the bill is not about what people say online.
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Meta has said it will defend itself vigorously against a class action in Australia's Federal Court. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of eight applicants, alleges that addictive design features on Facebook and Instagram harm children and teenagers. It seeks compensation for users exposed to harmful content or who developed a social media addiction. The Federal Court in Sydney has issued a suppression order over details of the claim and the applicants' identities. Separately, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay US$25 billion for misleading consumers, a ruling the company says it will appeal.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says social media platforms should have a responsibility to remove death and rape threats. His comments follow an attack on independent MP Helen Haines, after which parliamentarians of all parties shared details of threats they had received. Several said they would support stronger security around electorate offices. Albanese pointed to Labor's proposed digital duty of care, but admitted the government had not achieved what it wanted. He said the government would listen to security agencies and work with parliament to keep people safe, calling the level of threats completely unacceptable.
