The ACT government says children under the age of nine will not yet be removed from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as it begins to roll out the Thriving Kids program.

ACT Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Minister Suzanne Orr announced Thriving Kids would begin to operate in the ACT from October 1, ahead of its official start date in January 2028. All states and territories have opted in except for Queensland, but there are concerns it could mean some children will lose vital support.

The first stage of the model centres on identification, where delays or support needs could be identified by a family member, a school or a health professional. The next stage connects families to the appropriate support, and the later stages focus on providing that care depending on the individual needs of the child.

Some children will fall into categories deemed to be “low”, “moderate” or “low to moderate” need. Children with “significant permanent disability” will remain eligible for the NDIS. Those on the scheme before 2028 will stay on it, subject to the usual reassessment criteria.

Autism Awareness Australia chief executive Nicole Rogerson said they still knew little about what the Thriving Kids program would deliver. She added that with children able to access it without a diagnosis, the service would likely be overwhelmed.

Private colleges have issued nearly 3,000 last-minute enrolments to a diploma course that is being cancelled after allegedly being “misused” by non-genuine students, as Labor threatens to suspend providers that are manipulating new rules.

Guardian Australia revealed in September that private colleges were offering discounts to rush students into the graduate diploma of management (learning) ahead of its deregistration on 5 October, which the government says was being used by some non-genuine students to remain in the country. The assistant minister for international education, Julian Hill, said at the time the system had been “misused”.

The regulator says since the ban was announced on 4 September, more than 1,300 new enrolments had been issued and more than 1,500 students have had their future enrolments brought forward. Some immigration education agents have offered promotions for the month of September, including in WhatsApp messages and texts, encouraging students to join the course or those who have a future enrolment to study now. Several ads promote discounted course fees or a free certificate of enrolment to join immediately.

As part of the rule changes, students who have “packaged” a lower-level vocational course with the graduate diploma will need to enrol on to a higher-level course to meet their visa requirements. By fast-tracking the start date of the graduate diploma, that could mean studying two courses at the same time.

The Department of Home Affairs has issued letters of concern to several providers asking them to explain their behaviour and practices. Hill also stated he was prepared to use powers not previously exercised on colleges that have breached the rules, preventing them from being able to recruit new students.

US President Trump is considering banning diesel exports as his domestic support wavers following record-high fuel prices amid the war in Iran.

It comes after the president called for a ban ahead of a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright have both confirmed the administration is examining the proposal.

Diesel prices have reached record highs in both the US and Europe as the war in Ukraine and Iran cut exports from some of the world’s biggest products such as Russia and Saudi Arabia.

In Australia, which consumes the most diesel per capita, the price of diesel has risen by seven per cent to nearly $3 a litre, according to the federal government’s latest fuel data. Australia does not directly import diesel from the US, instead relying on refineries in the Asia-Pacific, such as South Korea, Japan and Singapore.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said a ban would be “a very concerning development for the global economy”. The government also faces questions on whether it would reintroduce its fuel excise cut, which was ruled out by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles who said the government was not considering the policy.