Child support system reforms to protect families from domestic violence
Tanya Plibersek and Katy Gallagher have announced plans to close gaps that have allowed family and domestic violence perpetrators to continue causing harm through the child support system.
The new rules will scrap legal requirements that any information provided by one parent be shared with the other parent, stopping situations where sharing that information could put children or a parent at risk.
Families will also be supported to recover more unpaid child support debts when they move into official arrangements, and new rules will be created to remove the harm that can arise from family tax benefit debts caused by child support payers against their former partners.
In a joint statement, the social services minister and the finance minister said:
There is almost $2 billion of unpaid child support in this country.
There are almost 100,000 parents and carers in the child support system who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing family and domestic violence. Australian children deserve better.
This is the first stage of the most significant reforms to child support in decades, helping create a system that is safer, simpler and more effective for Australian families.
Australia rises to eighth in global gender gap ranking
Australia has broken into the top 10 of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, ranking eighth out of 148 countries – its highest ranking ever.
The 2026 report marks a significant climb for Australia, moving up 35 places from 43rd since the Albanese government took office.
The government credits this historic high to improved political representation (including a majority-female cabinet), expanded paid parental leave, wage increases in female-dominated sectors and new investments in women’s health.
Anthony Albanese said in a statement that the ranking “slipped to an all-time low of 50th under the previous Coalition government” and acknowledged that the work must continue:
The job is not done and we will continue to focus our efforts on lifting wages, ending gender-based violence, increasing female representation in workplaces, investing in women’s health and more.
The minister for women, Katy Gallagher, said the record ranking was “not by accident”, also recognising areas for improvement:
We know there is more work to do across our priorities of ending violence against women, valuing care, improving women’s economic empowerment, improving women’s health outcomes and strengthening women’s leadership and representation – this is just one measure that shows Australia is moving in the right direction.
Katy Gallagher. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Immigration overhaul to restrict family visas for international students
Foreign students will face tough restrictions on the ability to bring family members into Australia under big changes to the country’s immigration system.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, will reveal the changes today at the National Press Club, after plans for a speech more than a month ago were derailed.
Burke’s plan is designed to bring down net overseas migration while doing the least damage to the economy.
His speech is titled: “The work of managing the migration program: Who arrives, who stays, who leaves”.
The plan will shift some rules for visa categories away from demand-driven settings, introduced during the Howard government, allowing more control on the numbers of people coming into, and departing, the country.
Labor plans to use legislation to gain more control over arrival numbers but could rely on regulation and directives to departmental officials if it cannot find agreement in parliament.
In parliament yesterday, Burke gave a preview, stating: “We do need to get net overseas migration down. We need to make sure that we deal with the numbers overall, and do so in a sensible, a targeted way that provides the easiest pathway through the Australian economy.” His speech at the National Press Club is scheduled for 12.30pm today.
