Australian news and politics live: Albanese lands in South Africa, Ley questions ‘part-time’ Bowen

Communications Minister Anika Wells says the Government has a “genuine desire” to legislate a digital duty of care in 2026 but insists there must be a balanced approach.

Ms Wells on Friday reminded Australians to take part in consultation to help design the digital duty of care within the Online Safety Act by the survey’s December 7 cut off.

The proposal has been called for by online experts but Ms Wells has said the Government planned to roll out its world-first social media ban for under-16s before tackling the further protections.

“The Albanese Government is reviewing our response to the online safety act to look at things like a digital duty of care to increase safety for Australians who are going online,” she said on Friday.

“It is ultimately a balance between free speech and doing what we can to reasonably protect Australians online.”

She said the Labor government has a “genuine desire to hear from Australians about what a digital duty of care should look like”.

“As the minister in charge of drafting good national public policy, my mind is on our response to the online safety act review, the digital duty of care and what do Australians reasonably expect of their government and the safety commission by way of policing a space which has been the wild, wild west for so long,” she said.

Ms Sloane says becoming Liberal Leader for NSW was “not on my bingo card” for 2025, describing herself as a “reluctant recruit”, however, is now committed.

“I did what a lot of professional women do and thought of all the reasons why I shouldn’t and couldn’t before I thought I should and I must,” Ms Sloane said.

“I think that time came this week when it was apparent that Mark’s leadership was unsustainable.

“I had a number of colleagues come to me and say, ‘Kellie, it’s time’.

“If you think you can do the job, it’s time to put your hand up.

“I had a conversation with Mark who I respect and admire tremendously. It was a really friendly conversation, it was a tough conversation, but friends can have those tough conversations.”

In Kellie Sloane’s words, she is authentic and ready to do a better job.

“I bring my own personal style to leadership. I’ll be consultive, I’ll try to remain myself, be authentic, listen to people,” Ms Sloane said.

“We’ve got to do a better job of telling our story and reminding the people of New South Wales what we stand for.

“Mark did a great job. I’m in the role now and I’m forward-focused on families in New South Wales, cost-of-living pressures, housing, transport, health - all the nuts and bolts of state government that we should be delivering that we’re not seeing in this state.”

Ms Sloane has started to outline her vision for NSW, hitting out at the Labor Minns Government, which she labels “uninspiring”.

“We (NSW Liberal Party) are committed to a positive, to a bold and an ambitious vision for New South Wales and New South Wales deserves that,” she said.

Ms Sloane acknowledged the party is made up of diverse experiences and new faces, like hers, saying she is ready to bring “new ideas”.

The first-term MP for Vaucluse said she wants young people, and their families, to be able to “dream big” in NSW.

“You know, this state used to be the engine room of the country and now we have got builders leaving to go to Queensland,” she said.

“My commitment is pretty simple - that the Coalition under my leadership will work relentlessly for families. Families will be at the heart of everything we do, no matter what your family looks like or where you live. Families must be at the heart and the Liberal Party has always understood that strong families mean we have a strong state.”

Newly appointed NSW Liberal Party Kellie Sloane has spoken after being elected unanimously to lead.

“I’m enormously grateful to my colleagues for their trust, for the faith they have in me and for their commitment as we work relentlessly to hold Labor to account and provide a clear choice to the lead-up to the 2027 election,” Ms Sloane said.

Turning to her ousted former leader Mark Speakman, Ms Sloane acknowledged he had a “difficult job”.

“I’d like to start by acknowledging Mark Speakman and thanking him for his incredible service. He took on a really difficult job at a very difficult time and he has led us with integrity and with purpose and with tenacity and we owe him a great debt of gratitude.”

Livestreaming gaming app Twitch has been the latest platform put on warning ahead of Australia’s impeding under-16s social media ban.

Twitch will join nine other platforms — Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube — included in the world-first legislation.

Within gaming and messengering apps are exempt, Australia’s eSafety commissioner revealed on Friday the Amazon-owned platform was included due to its online social interaction features.

Twitch will now be required to take reasonable steps to deactivate all accounts held by under-16s in Australia and block them from starting a new one or face fines of up to $50 million.

“Following Twitch’s own self-assessment, eSafety assessed Twitch as meeting the criteria for ‘age-restricted social media platform’, because it has the sole or significant purpose of online social interaction with features designed to encourage user interaction, including through livestreaming content,” the eSafety Commission said in a statement published on Friday.

Read the full story.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has dodged questions about whether the Coalition’s performance federally is hurting the Liberal party’s prospects at a state level.

This week, the Victorian and New South Wales Liberal parties have dumped their leader, while there is growing speculation that Ms Ley could also face a challenge soon.

“I want to thank Mark Speakman for his leadership of the NSW Liberals and say that Kellie Sloane will do an outstanding job with the team there,” Ms Ley told reporters in Adelaide.

“It’s important that state liberal parties go about their business as they do every day of the week.”

“It’s important for us, it’s important for me as the Federal Liberal leader to talk to Australians about our serious, compelling, credible policy alternative in the lead up to the next election and central to that is the cost of energy.”

NSW Liberal Leader Kellie Sloane, who was elected unopposed on Friday morning, has thanked her colleagues for the privilege of leading the party after Mark Speakman was forced to resign.

Ms Sloane said being appointed leader was: “an incredible honour, huge responsibility, one I don’t take lightly”.

“I’m ready to work for New South Wales.

“I thank my colleagues for the faith and the trust that they placed in me today.”

Ms Sloane said she would have “more to say” at a press conference later on Friday.

First-term Liberal Kellie Sloane has become the new NSW Liberal Leader after former NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman resigned on Friday.

Ms Sloane, Member for Vaucluse in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, entered the NSW parliament in 2023.

Since winning her electorate, Ms Sloane has played a prominent role in the party.

The new Liberal Leader for NSW is expected to speak shortly.

Anthony Albanese has landed in South Africa, the first Australian Prime Minister to travel to the country since 2014.

Mr Albanese is expected to hold high-level talks with other world leaders and attend a Wreath Laying and Memorialisation of Australians on the Wall of Names.