Australia is heading into 2026 as a country that is not only growing to 28 million people, but also re-examining how culture, connection and community are shared with and by First Nations peoples.

As war, geopolitics and online conflict spill into daily life, experts warn that Australia’s multicultural framework still struggles to see harms that arrive as narratives, not just incidents a blind spot shared with other Western democracies.​

In a major move to comply with Australia’s new social media age restriction law, Meta has removed access to nearly 550,000 accounts belonging to users believed to be under 16 years old across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

The Crisafulli Government has approved a 150-site ecotourism-style tourist park at Coochin Creek on the Sunshine Coast, pitching it as a job-creating

Whole towns in Victoria’s north-east are reeling after out‑of‑control bushfires, fanned by a brutal heatwave and “catastrophic” fire danger, destroyed homes, a school and community facilities in the tiny township of Ruffy and surrounding districts.

A new guided Highlights Tour at Queensland Museum Kurilpa is turning a casual visit into a deep dive into dinosaurs, First Nations histories and cutting-edge science and it is completely free to join.

Australia’s latest inflation figures have cooled more than expected, easing pressure on the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to deliver another interest rate hike in February, but price growth remains above the bank’s comfort zone and a move cannot yet be ruled out. Economists are split, with some arguing the softer numbers justify a pause while others say sticky underlying inflation still points to further tightening in 2026.​

Australia’s January 2026 skilled migration round has delivered 344 invitations to skilled workers, with health professionals and engineers again emerging as the big winners under South Australia’s General Skilled Migration program.

Gold Coast Council has launched a new real-time water quality tool for 25 of the city’s most popular swimming spots, promising residents and tourists faster, clearer advice about when it is safe to get in the water – but also warning that heavy rain and pollution can still turn beaches and creeks unsafe at short notice.

Nationals leader David Littleproud has accused the Albanese Labor government of dragging its feet on key supermarket transparency reforms and “letting shoppers down” during a cost‑of‑living crisis, as Labor counters that it has already delivered a tough mandatory supermarket code and is now moving on wider consumer protections, including a national crackdown on online “subscription traps”.