The Senate sent the government's bill to double penalties under the under-16 social media law to an eight-week inquiry, delaying it until late August after the Coalition and Greens combined to refer it.
The national minimum wage passed $1,000 a week for the first time on July 1, one of a set of federal changes that also cut the lowest tax rate for more than 14 million people, extended paid parental leave to six months, and raised the tax on superannuation balances above $3 million.
The federal government will raise maximum penalties for non-compliant platforms from $49.5 million to $99 million and grant the eSafety Commissioner expanded enforcement powers. A British Medical Journal study found 85 per cent of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the world-first ban took effect.
The two independent MPs announced the new political party at Parliament House in Canberra on June 25, with plans to register by October and contest Senate seats, though several other teal-aligned independents declined to join.
The Greens agreed in late June to support the 2026-27 federal budget after securing an eight-week Senate inquiry extension into NDIS cuts, clearing a path through the upper house for $63.8 billion in savings that include $37.8 billion from changes to the disability scheme.
The South Australian Legislative Council passed the Family First bill 10 votes to 9 in what was the first time such legislation had cleared the upper chamber, before the House of Assembly defeated it decisively 36 votes to 9 in the same evening, with a disputed voice vote adding to the drama.
The Fair Work Commission handed down its 2026 Annual Wage Review on June 2, awarding a 4.75 per cent increase to the National Minimum Wage, lifting it to $1,004.90 per week. About 2.7 million workers on award rates benefit directly.
