Higher crime closure rates little comfort for some
Legal actions for reported car thefts, burglaries and robberies have doubled in NSW since 2009, a Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research report found.
Improvements were also seen for assaults, including those related to domestic violence, though closure rates for sexual assault cases have declined.
The report, released on Wednesday, follows concerns about crime rates in several states including anti-Semitic attacks, gangland wars and violent youth crime.
Growing anger about crime prompted Opposition Leader Peter Dutton this week to pledge a $750 million crime package, targeting knife and tobacco offences.
But police closing more cases was nothing to celebrate, according to victims' advocate Howard Brown.
Improvements could be attributed to more access to technology such as CCTV since 2009, he said.
"You talk to the 450 families of unsolved homicides and you talk to the thousand families of missing persons where there's been no resolution," he told AAP.
"Then a report comes and says we're doing a much better job.
"Tell that to the people who are still waiting and who have been waiting 20 years for results in the death of their loved one.
"This type of thing is insulting."
Fellow homicide victims advocate Peter Rolfe congratulated the police on the historic high rates, but questioned why murder didn't see an increase.
The report found the rate of solving murder cases was stable at about 65 per cent.
"I'm sick and tired of waking up and seeing so many people shot - drugs are the cause of these actions," Mr Rolfe told AAP.
"I've got friends whose son disappeared 20 years ago and police haven't solved what happened to him."
The bureau's executive director said the reason for the stable rate was likely not in police control.
"I suspect the characteristics of individual cases are most influential in whether a murder is solved, rather than factors that are at the discretion of police," Jackie Fitzgerald told AAP.
She said it should be of comfort to victims and the community that the risk of arrest for criminals was "undoubtedly higher than ever before".
"The increased risk of being caught may also have contributed to the large decline in property crime over the past 15 years by deterring offending," Dr Fitzgerald said.
Of the 11 offences examined, nine showed a significantly higher legal action rate in 2023 compared with 2009, the report found.
About one in eight motor vehicle thefts are solved, up from one in 20.
Rates for solving domestic violence-related assault have risen from 60 per cent to 67 per cent.
Sexual assault was the only offence with a significant decline in the legal action rate, dropping from 10 per cent in 2009 to seven per cent in 2023.
It follows a surge in people reporting sexual assaults over the past 15 years, including through an online reporting tool launched by police in 2016.
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Cheers at last for Olympians who defied Moscow boycott
Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics. The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal. "When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP. "I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go. "There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on." Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics. "We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP. "I wasn't even voting age." But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister. While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past. The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45. Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate. Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union. After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain. "When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament. "Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments. "Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation." While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord. Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham. "For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives. "The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so. "That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete." The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address. None applauded at its conclusion. Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors. He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys. "Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP. "I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle. "I'm so proud of him." Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics. The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal. "When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP. "I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go. "There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on." Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics. "We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP. "I wasn't even voting age." But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister. While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past. The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45. Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate. Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union. After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain. "When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament. "Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments. "Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation." While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord. Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham. "For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives. "The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so. "That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete." The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address. None applauded at its conclusion. Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors. He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys. "Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP. "I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle. "I'm so proud of him." Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics. The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal. "When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP. "I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go. "There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on." Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics. "We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP. "I wasn't even voting age." But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister. While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past. The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45. Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate. Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union. After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain. "When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament. "Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments. "Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation." While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord. Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham. "For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives. "The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so. "That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete." The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address. None applauded at its conclusion. Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors. He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys. "Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP. "I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle. "I'm so proud of him." Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics. The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal. "When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP. "I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go. "There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on." Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics. "We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP. "I wasn't even voting age." But on Wednesday, almost 50 years after the games, the once-reviled Olympic team was recognised by the prime minister. While this has brought some relief and vindication, for many it does not erase the past. The boycott was the largest in Olympic history, with just 80 countries competing in the games after they were snubbed by 45. Though many countries, including the United States, Japan and West Germany took part in a full boycott, Australia opted to support the action but allowed athletes to make the final call over whether they would participate. Yet many of the young sports stars felt they had been forced to cop the backlash from Australia's protest, while Malcolm Fraser's Liberal government continued to trade with the Soviet Union. After most Olympic Games, Australia has celebrated its triumphs and welcomed its athletes with open arms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday acknowledged their participation and their pain. "When you choose to wear the green and gold, you should draw strength from knowing that the whole nation is with you," he told parliament. "Yet the returning athletes were met only by cold silence or cruel comments. "Today, we fix that... you have earned your place in the history of the game and our nation." While Mr Albanese's address was met with emotion, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley struck a different chord. Though she acknowledged the athletes in the chamber and said they should not have been subject to personal attacks, she also gave credit to those who abided by the boycott including sprinter Raelene Boyle and swimmer Tracey Wickham. "For many Afghan Australians who immigrated here and are now part of our Australian family ... this boycott mattered," she told the House of Representatives. "The decision made by prime minister Malcolm Fraser to support the US-led boycott was the right one - and history has judged it so. "That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete." The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address. None applauded at its conclusion. Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors. He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys. "Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP. "I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle. "I'm so proud of him."
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Leftist media ‘pushing' anti-Israel narratives in the US
Filmmaker Ami Horowitz discusses new polls showing a shift in public opinion against the Israeli government, attributing the change to leftist media promoting anti-Israel narratives. 'It's a problem, it's not good, let's be honest about it,' Mr Horowitz told Sky News host Rita Panahi. 'There's been a dramatic shift in public opinion in the US, and Israel needs the US, it's their number one ally … you cannot afford to lose the American people. 'While those numbers are real, it's CNN and the other players in the mainstream media that are pushing these anti-Israel narratives, which have led to the decrease in support in the US.'
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5 hours ago
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'Gaping hole' in social media ban as YouTube plugged in
Australian children will be barred from having YouTube accounts under an incoming social media ban, but experts are warning of inadequate tools to enforce the measures. The video-sharing website was initially spared from the world-first national ban for under-16s as part of an exemption for health and education services. But after receiving advice from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, the federal government decided to include the platform as part of the social media ban. Under the changes, children won't be allowed to have YouTube accounts that allow users to watch age-restricted videos. Children will still be able to access YouTube Kids or view any videos accessible while not logged into the platform. Social media expert Tama Leaver from Curtin University said there was no evidence that the planned tools would be good enough to verify users' ages, although a final report into measures to enforce the ban was still due to be released. "There is a gaping hole in this policy," he told AAP. "We should have the technical road map for how this is expected to work. "The government should have been able to say to platforms, 'these are things that we believe are reliable enough'." Swinburne University media expert Belinda Barnet said YouTube wasn't a "special case" as the company had been arguing, with the platform presenting the same risk of harm as any social media site. "We can expect there's going to be a very difficult period where the platforms make 'first pancake' mistakes in Australia and there's an adjustment period," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged parents who had lost their children to suicide following social media abuse and thanked them for their courage in speaking in favour of the ban. "Their stories are felt by countless other parents and by communities right across the country," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. Mia Bannister, who lost her 14-year-old son Ollie in 2024, said parents had been advocating for greater protections for young people. "It wasn't the result of one voice, but the power of many united in purpose, driven by hope and committed to protecting our kids," she said. YouTube said it shares the government's goal to reduce online harm but argues that it differs from others and is not a social media platform. "We will consider the next steps and will continue to engage with the government," a spokesperson said. YouTube also says it is often used as an educational resource by teachers in the classroom. The platform's inclusion was foreshadowed after the online safety watchdog in June cited research that found children were exposed to harmful content on YouTube more than on any other platform. It will join other platforms, such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, which were included under the ban when legislation passed parliament in 2024. Communications Minister Anika Wells said social media platforms had been "on notice" since December and were given 12 months to develop verification processes. "We can't control the ocean, but we can police the sharks, and that's why I will not be intimidated by leaving threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids," she said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh described the backflip on exempting YouTube as a "blatant broken promise" to Australians. "We are concerned that the eSafety Commissioner is testing boundaries which are moving beyond what Australians are comfortable with," she said. YouTube's parent company Google has already threatened to sue Australia on the grounds that a ban would restricts the implied constitutional freedom of political communication. Educators can continue to use school-approved educational YouTube content through their own accounts. Under the legislation, age-restricted social media platforms will face fines of up to $49.5 million if they fail to prevent people younger than 16 from creating accounts. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Australian children will be barred from having YouTube accounts under an incoming social media ban, but experts are warning of inadequate tools to enforce the measures. The video-sharing website was initially spared from the world-first national ban for under-16s as part of an exemption for health and education services. But after receiving advice from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, the federal government decided to include the platform as part of the social media ban. Under the changes, children won't be allowed to have YouTube accounts that allow users to watch age-restricted videos. Children will still be able to access YouTube Kids or view any videos accessible while not logged into the platform. Social media expert Tama Leaver from Curtin University said there was no evidence that the planned tools would be good enough to verify users' ages, although a final report into measures to enforce the ban was still due to be released. "There is a gaping hole in this policy," he told AAP. "We should have the technical road map for how this is expected to work. "The government should have been able to say to platforms, 'these are things that we believe are reliable enough'." Swinburne University media expert Belinda Barnet said YouTube wasn't a "special case" as the company had been arguing, with the platform presenting the same risk of harm as any social media site. "We can expect there's going to be a very difficult period where the platforms make 'first pancake' mistakes in Australia and there's an adjustment period," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged parents who had lost their children to suicide following social media abuse and thanked them for their courage in speaking in favour of the ban. "Their stories are felt by countless other parents and by communities right across the country," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. Mia Bannister, who lost her 14-year-old son Ollie in 2024, said parents had been advocating for greater protections for young people. "It wasn't the result of one voice, but the power of many united in purpose, driven by hope and committed to protecting our kids," she said. YouTube said it shares the government's goal to reduce online harm but argues that it differs from others and is not a social media platform. "We will consider the next steps and will continue to engage with the government," a spokesperson said. YouTube also says it is often used as an educational resource by teachers in the classroom. The platform's inclusion was foreshadowed after the online safety watchdog in June cited research that found children were exposed to harmful content on YouTube more than on any other platform. It will join other platforms, such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, which were included under the ban when legislation passed parliament in 2024. Communications Minister Anika Wells said social media platforms had been "on notice" since December and were given 12 months to develop verification processes. "We can't control the ocean, but we can police the sharks, and that's why I will not be intimidated by leaving threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids," she said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh described the backflip on exempting YouTube as a "blatant broken promise" to Australians. "We are concerned that the eSafety Commissioner is testing boundaries which are moving beyond what Australians are comfortable with," she said. YouTube's parent company Google has already threatened to sue Australia on the grounds that a ban would restricts the implied constitutional freedom of political communication. Educators can continue to use school-approved educational YouTube content through their own accounts. Under the legislation, age-restricted social media platforms will face fines of up to $49.5 million if they fail to prevent people younger than 16 from creating accounts. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Australian children will be barred from having YouTube accounts under an incoming social media ban, but experts are warning of inadequate tools to enforce the measures. The video-sharing website was initially spared from the world-first national ban for under-16s as part of an exemption for health and education services. But after receiving advice from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, the federal government decided to include the platform as part of the social media ban. Under the changes, children won't be allowed to have YouTube accounts that allow users to watch age-restricted videos. Children will still be able to access YouTube Kids or view any videos accessible while not logged into the platform. Social media expert Tama Leaver from Curtin University said there was no evidence that the planned tools would be good enough to verify users' ages, although a final report into measures to enforce the ban was still due to be released. "There is a gaping hole in this policy," he told AAP. "We should have the technical road map for how this is expected to work. "The government should have been able to say to platforms, 'these are things that we believe are reliable enough'." Swinburne University media expert Belinda Barnet said YouTube wasn't a "special case" as the company had been arguing, with the platform presenting the same risk of harm as any social media site. "We can expect there's going to be a very difficult period where the platforms make 'first pancake' mistakes in Australia and there's an adjustment period," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged parents who had lost their children to suicide following social media abuse and thanked them for their courage in speaking in favour of the ban. "Their stories are felt by countless other parents and by communities right across the country," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. Mia Bannister, who lost her 14-year-old son Ollie in 2024, said parents had been advocating for greater protections for young people. "It wasn't the result of one voice, but the power of many united in purpose, driven by hope and committed to protecting our kids," she said. YouTube said it shares the government's goal to reduce online harm but argues that it differs from others and is not a social media platform. "We will consider the next steps and will continue to engage with the government," a spokesperson said. YouTube also says it is often used as an educational resource by teachers in the classroom. The platform's inclusion was foreshadowed after the online safety watchdog in June cited research that found children were exposed to harmful content on YouTube more than on any other platform. It will join other platforms, such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, which were included under the ban when legislation passed parliament in 2024. Communications Minister Anika Wells said social media platforms had been "on notice" since December and were given 12 months to develop verification processes. "We can't control the ocean, but we can police the sharks, and that's why I will not be intimidated by leaving threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids," she said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh described the backflip on exempting YouTube as a "blatant broken promise" to Australians. "We are concerned that the eSafety Commissioner is testing boundaries which are moving beyond what Australians are comfortable with," she said. YouTube's parent company Google has already threatened to sue Australia on the grounds that a ban would restricts the implied constitutional freedom of political communication. Educators can continue to use school-approved educational YouTube content through their own accounts. Under the legislation, age-restricted social media platforms will face fines of up to $49.5 million if they fail to prevent people younger than 16 from creating accounts. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Australian children will be barred from having YouTube accounts under an incoming social media ban, but experts are warning of inadequate tools to enforce the measures. The video-sharing website was initially spared from the world-first national ban for under-16s as part of an exemption for health and education services. But after receiving advice from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, the federal government decided to include the platform as part of the social media ban. Under the changes, children won't be allowed to have YouTube accounts that allow users to watch age-restricted videos. Children will still be able to access YouTube Kids or view any videos accessible while not logged into the platform. Social media expert Tama Leaver from Curtin University said there was no evidence that the planned tools would be good enough to verify users' ages, although a final report into measures to enforce the ban was still due to be released. "There is a gaping hole in this policy," he told AAP. "We should have the technical road map for how this is expected to work. "The government should have been able to say to platforms, 'these are things that we believe are reliable enough'." Swinburne University media expert Belinda Barnet said YouTube wasn't a "special case" as the company had been arguing, with the platform presenting the same risk of harm as any social media site. "We can expect there's going to be a very difficult period where the platforms make 'first pancake' mistakes in Australia and there's an adjustment period," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged parents who had lost their children to suicide following social media abuse and thanked them for their courage in speaking in favour of the ban. "Their stories are felt by countless other parents and by communities right across the country," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. Mia Bannister, who lost her 14-year-old son Ollie in 2024, said parents had been advocating for greater protections for young people. "It wasn't the result of one voice, but the power of many united in purpose, driven by hope and committed to protecting our kids," she said. YouTube said it shares the government's goal to reduce online harm but argues that it differs from others and is not a social media platform. "We will consider the next steps and will continue to engage with the government," a spokesperson said. YouTube also says it is often used as an educational resource by teachers in the classroom. The platform's inclusion was foreshadowed after the online safety watchdog in June cited research that found children were exposed to harmful content on YouTube more than on any other platform. It will join other platforms, such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, which were included under the ban when legislation passed parliament in 2024. Communications Minister Anika Wells said social media platforms had been "on notice" since December and were given 12 months to develop verification processes. "We can't control the ocean, but we can police the sharks, and that's why I will not be intimidated by leaving threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids," she said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh described the backflip on exempting YouTube as a "blatant broken promise" to Australians. "We are concerned that the eSafety Commissioner is testing boundaries which are moving beyond what Australians are comfortable with," she said. YouTube's parent company Google has already threatened to sue Australia on the grounds that a ban would restricts the implied constitutional freedom of political communication. Educators can continue to use school-approved educational YouTube content through their own accounts. Under the legislation, age-restricted social media platforms will face fines of up to $49.5 million if they fail to prevent people younger than 16 from creating accounts. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
