In Melbourne, two monuments dedicated to figures considered linked to the country's colonial past were vandalised, a statue of Queen Victoria and one of Captain James Cook, who led several voyages of exploration in the Pacific Ocean in the 18th century

Labor Party has announced plans to cap donations to prevent billionaires from buying elections; no draft legislation has been made public, but plans would limit donor spending to AUS$20.000, or USD12.500 per candidate/year and cap campaign budget

New law to ban social media for children under 16 passed after days of heated debate; Australia set a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech

For a study on the gut health of the population, the Australian government agency responsible for scientific research asked citizens aged 14 and over to collect data on their flatulence via an app called Chart Your Fart