Australia’s vehicle fleet is getting cleaner, but new data shows the country still trails far behind global leaders on emissions and electric car uptake, leaving policymakers and fleets under pressure to accelerate the transition.

Australia enters 2026 with a suite of landmark legal changes touching work, family life, the environment, digital platforms and foreign policy, reshaping daily life for millions and signalling a more interventionist role for the law in emerging social debates.

Australian authorities are warning young people that offers of “easy cash” to carry drugs in their luggage could cost them their freedom, after a global crackdown seized 280kg of illicit substances bound for Australia in just six months.

Queensland Police have issued more than 2,100 fines in a major statewide crackdown on unsafe and unlawful use of e-mobility devices, as the state government continues its push to improve community safety and road compliance.

Australia’s under-16 social media ban is disrupting how multicultural teens stay connected across borders, but evidence from psychology, public health and history suggests it may ultimately protect their mental health and open richer, more grounded ways of growing up and engaging with community.