AustraliaGovernment

The federal government has warned it will redirect a $23 billion hospital funding boost toward its own health priorities if states refuse the offer, amid escalating tensions over the National Disability Insurance Scheme and rising healthcare costs.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls for publicly labeling the funding offer inadequate, saying the disclosure undermined efforts to negotiate in good faith.

US-based internet forum Reddit has filed a High Court challenge against Austraila's recent social media ban for users under 16, citing "serious privacy and political expression issues for everyone on the internet," a company spokesperson said.

In court filings lodged on Dec. 12, Reddit argues the ban infringes the country's implied freedom of political communication, restricting children from engaging in online political discourse—a factor that, the company contends, informs the views of parents, teachers, and future voters.