Auction clearance rates continue to hover under 50% – as it happened

Australia's social media ban for users under sixteen came into effect in December, but according to federal cabinet minister Murray Watt, tech giants aren't pulling their weight on enforcement. The government says it needs stronger powers for its safety commissioner—including authority over age-assurance tools—to ensure the platforms are actually complying. Watt acknowledged the laws are unprecedented: no other country has attempted this scale of regulation. The administration is weighing tougher measures, betting that government action on digital safety will resonate with voters frustrated by rising costs of living and political anger.

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