Global Scans · Australia · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Australia will no longer be known for being as dependant on the export of natural resources over the next half century as in 2012. The need for new infrastructure to meet the strong population and economic growth of Australia will continue to be a priority for the medium term. There's no doubt the aftermath of China's credit boom poses a much bigger economic threat to Australia than Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. The Growth rate for Australia is expected to be stronger, although still below the long-term trend.

• [New] The Australian social media ban might be more effective in preventing or delaying access to social media in children under eight, rather than restricting access to adolescents who already use it. The Guardian
• [New] The southern annular mode - a climate driver that can influence rainfall and temperature in Australia - might bring more cold fronts. The Guardian
• [New] More structurally, the European Commission is reportedly considering AWS for designation under the Digital Markets Act, which could force operational changes and weaken its client lock-in model. / Australia Heatmup
• [New] Australian cardiologists tend to support more targeted measures, citing the costs of mass screening and prevalence of false positives which could lead to anxiety, unnecessary follow-up testing and lifestyle restrictions. The Guardian
• [New] From today, millions of Australian workers will see a real boost to their pay with the minimum wage rising above $1,000 a week for the first time. Prime Minister of Australia
• [New] Heatwaves are a significant hazard in Australia. AdaptNSW
• [New] More than 4.56 million new cancer cases are projected to be diagnosed in Australia between 2020 and 2044, placing a significant burden on the health system. Cancer Council Australia
• [New] The Reserve Bank of Australia has outlined additional monetary policy tools for use when interest rates are low and economic shocks occur, which it says will make it better prepared to respond to crises. Central Banking
• [New] Australia will provide $35 million in budget support to support Solomon Islands' response to recent natural disasters and the energy and economic shocks associated with the US-Israel war with Iran. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
• [New] Intelligence agencies for the United States, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand are warning that advanced AI models capable of wreaking havoc in the cyber domain are months away from being publicly available. Cyberscoop
• [New] Australia could help protect native species by boosting wildlife resilience. The Guardian
• [New] The Australian Government is investing $1.3 billion in the Indigenous Rangers Program (2021-2028), with a goal of doubling the number of rangers by the end of the decade. AIHW Indigenous HPF
• [New] Under Closing the Gap Targets 15 A and 15 B, Australia aims for a 15% increase in land and sea areas subject to First Nations legal rights by 2030. AIHW Indigenous HPF
• [New] More than 1,700 species and unique habitats are considered threatened in Australia. The Guardian
• [New] Australia will grant its online safety watchdog more powers and increase the maximum penalty for breaches of its world-first social media ban, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying big tech companies are not doing enough to comply. financialpost
• [New] Australia says it will double fines on social media companies that fail to keep children off their platforms, accusing Big Tech of dodging the spirit of its under-16 ban. Al Jazeera
• [New] The Five Eyes intelligence grouping (the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) is warning governments and businesses to act now to shore up their cybersecurity, noting that frontier models are rapidly exceeding industry expectations. Peterson Technology Partners

Last updated: 10 July 2026