Weekly Wrap Up – 12 December 2025
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The substance of this week ought to have been focused on two things: the social media ban and AUKUS. In what was meant to be a ribbon tying week on both the domestic and foreign policy fronts, was instead steamrolled by a little-known entitlement – family reunion travel – and a decision taken years ago to have a rolling declaration of parliamentarians’ expenses.
Firstly, the Australian Government’s move to ban under-16s access to certain social media platforms has now officially come into effect. While it’s clear that some tech-savvy kids have already gotten around the ban, the normally reform shy Government should be applauded for taking a significant step on an issue that is of serious concern for parents across Australia.
Secondly, on the foreign policy front, Richard Marles and Penny Wong returned from Washington reaffirming that Australia remains “all-in” on AUKUS and hosting US nuclear-powered submarines from 2027. The ambition is huge – and so is the scale of the challenge: upgrading infrastructure and training a qualified workforce, all while navigating intense geopolitical pressure and accelerating strategic expectations abroad.
In any other week, this would have been considered a strong end to the year. But the political gremlins would not let the Albanese Government have its day. Instead, the political class is embroiled in an embarrassing and growing snafu related to travel-related expense claims.
What started out as some raised eyebrows around the cost of flying Anika Wells to New York to tout the social media ban has turned into a rolling crisis that threatens to drag politicians of all stripes into answering some awkward questions about family travel. A combination of easy to access data, some bored opposition research teams, and possibly some strategic leaks has conspired to drag this story along. Where this lands remains to be seen, but you’d expect at a minimum a tightening of the rules for family reunion travel.
To be fair, politicians have incredibly demanding jobs, and the cost on families can be high. Knocking the rough edges off those demands ought to have some impact on encouraging more people to put their hand up.
Top talking points
Energy Rebates: Jim Chalmers confirmed[paywall] that current energy bill rebates will not be extended beyond 31 December 2025.
Cash Rate: The RBA Monetary Policy Board kept the cash rate unchanged at 3.6 per cent.
Expenses Scandal: Anika Wells continues to face media and political scrutiny on a series of taxpayer-funded travel and expense claims.
Triple Zero Inquiry: The inquiry heard that a second death in Wentworth Falls, NSW, may be linked to a failed triple zero call from an older Samsung phone.
Barnaby Update: Barnaby Joyce joined One Nation and plans to run as its lead candidate on the NSW Senate ticket at the 2028 Federal Election.
Making headlines this week
Smooth launch?
AUKUS Reaffirmed
Australia and the US reaffirmed their defence partnership, signalling a renewed push to deepen cooperation under AUKUS. Richard Marles and Penny Wong, alongside US counterparts, underscored shared security priorities and a strengthened commitment to stability in the Indo-Pacific. Both sides agreed to expand the US’s military presence in Australia, including pre-positioning US military assets, boosting air cooperation at bases in Queensland and the Northern Territory, and advancing broader AUKUS initiatives. Marles acknowledged the significant challenges ahead in meeting the ambitious AUKUS submarine timeline, noting that Australia must rapidly build the workforce, infrastructure and capability required to stay on track.
Things to watch
16 December: the AusPayNet Summit will be 
17 December: the ABS will 
17 December: MYEFO will be released.
18 December: the ABS will 
Next week: the Coalition is expected to release its immigration policy.CSLR, Unemployment, and Payments Inquiry Developments
A special levy on parts of the financial services industry will be imposed in order to meet the CSLR’s funding shortfall. Consultation will also commence on post-implementation reforms and consumer protections for the superannuation industry.
Unemployment remained steady at 4.3 per cent in November, while the number of employed people fell by 21,300. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate rose by 0.4 per cent to 6.2 per cent.
A new parliamentary inquiry will examine emerging technologies in card payment schemes and digital wallets, assessing whether the payments landscape is fair for consumers, payment providers and small businesses.
Ministerial Visits, Defence Procurement, and PNG Updates
Richard Marles travelled to Japan to meet with his counterpart, Minister for Defense Koizumi Shinjiro. Discussions focused on the 2022 Australia-Japan Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation and outcomes of September’s Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
The Australian Government announced it will invest $1.4 billion to advance collaborative air capabilities, transitioning the MQ-28A Ghost Bat into a fully operational war-fighting asset for the ADF.
Don Farrell announced that Export Finance Australia will provide PNG’s Air Niugini Limited a US$35.8 million loan to Air Niugini to buy six new Airbus A220 100 planes. The measure aims to support bilateral trade and tourism.
AEMO, Queensland’s Energy Roadmap and National Food Strategy Moves
AEMO released its draft Integrated System Plan, warning Australia’s electricity grid will need to triple by 2050 to meet rising demand. The plan outlines a major expansion of wind, solar, storage, and transmission, costing roughly $128 billion. Australia’s remaining coal-fired power stations will close by 2049, 11 years later than previously forecast.
The Queensland Parliament passed the Energy Roadmap Amendment Act 2025, repealing Queensland’s renewable energy targets. The reforms advance CopperString, update investment and infrastructure frameworks, and keep existing generation assets in public hands.
Australia’s National Food Council met for the first time to advance the National Food Security Strategy. The council reviewed consultation feedback, identified priority areas, and confirmed that a national co-design process will begin in early 2026.
NSW Planning, Sydney Tolls, and Brisbane Olympics Updates
The NSW Government released three draft planning documents, including the Draft Sydney Plan, A New Approach to Strategic Planning, and the Statewide Policy for Industrial Lands. The move aims to guide Sydney’s growth and reform planning, including a new three-tiered framework, seven statewide land-use priorities, and updated industrial land policy.
The NSW Government will make its $60 per week toll cap permanent for Sydney motorists, funded by new two way tolls on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and tunnel from 2028.
The Queensland Government released 5,200m² of development-ready land in Brisbane’s CBD for housing, hotel, or office use, aiming to revitalise Brisbane’s northern edge ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Preschool Reform, Gender Equality and NSW Workers Compensation Moves
The Preschool Reform Agreement with Australian States and Territories has been extended to the end of 2027. As part of a national effort to improve preschool participation and outcomes, children now have access to 15 hours a week, or 600 hours a year, of quality early education in the year before school.
The Australian Government allocated $28.5 million to extend the Advancing Gender Equality in Gender Segregated Industries grant program for two years, enabling continued support for employer and employee organisations to address gender inequality at the workplace, occupation and industry level.
Following negotiations with the Coalition, amendments to the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme will see insurance premiums frozen at the current rate for 18 months and the whole person impairment threshold increased to 25 per cent.