The ACT government will introduce what it describes as “the single largest package of reform in Australia” to try and reduce harm caused by poker machines.

The changes include establishing mandatory account-based cashless gaming across all venues, bans on EFTPOS and ATM withdrawals for pokies in venues, and reducing the time that gaming machines can operate across a week by 15 hours. For anyone to play the pokies in the ACT, they will need to have an account with a venue and an accompanying player account card.

As part of that required account, a player will have to set a maximum loss limit. All clubs will also be required to enforce patrons to take a 15-minute break after every hour of continuous play on a poker machine.

The ACT Minister for Gaming Reform Marisa Paterson said the changes are aimed at making long-lasting improvements. But the government will not introduce a central monitoring system (CMS) as part of the cashless gaming set-up, that would link all gaming venues across the ACT.

A Queensland man has lodged a human rights complaint over the latest national fitness-to-drive standards, calling the guidelines “demonstrably ableist”.

Casey Archbald, who is autistic, has held his licence for about 30 years without any issues. He only became aware that he may have to notify the state transport department about his autism after reading a 2023 ABC News story. The ABC has reviewed the 2012 and 2016 editions of the transport departments’ documents, and found that neither document contained the phrases “autistic”, “autism”, or “autism spectrum disorder” (ASD).

People with medical conditions likely to affect their ability to drive must report them to the state or territory authority with a medical certificate. Doctors determine a person’s eligibility to drive based on the medical standards and guidelines provided in the Assessing Fitness to Drive (AFTD). The previous editions have mentioned neurological conditions such as dementia, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis; autism wasn’t included until 2022.

Mr Archbald therefore lodged a human rights complaint with the Queensland Human Rights Commission against the Queensland Transport Department over it earlier this year, describing that the law is wrong, irrational and possibly illegal. University of Wollongong’s Associate Professor Amanda Webster also said there was nothing in the “identified symptomatology or characteristics” that are common to autism that would be associated with impaired driving.

A National Transportation Commission (NTC) spokesperson said “neurodevelopmental conditions” have been included in the standards for more than 14 years. Though in a statement they admitted TC and Austroads further clarified that an autism diagnosis alone does not determine whether a person can drive safely, and the commission has undertaken further engagement, including working with autism and health representatives to develop clearer public information and engaging with licensing authorities about the language used in their communications.

The Suburban Rail Loop Authority is proposing to shift its construction boundary in Box Hill to conserve more of a popular public park, instead displacing residents and businesses.

Original Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) planning for the new Box Hill station in eastern Melbourne was set to reduce the size of the Box Hill Gardens by 25 per cent. Revised plans reduce the impact to about 10 per cent and instead, 10 more properties and a laneway will be compulsorily acquired.

On Monday night, Whitehorse City councillors voted unanimously to support conservation of the park and oppose further construction encroachment elsewhere in Box Hill. The SRLA spokesperson said the authority expected the formal acquisition process for the additional properties to start in late 2026. But Whitehorse City Council Mayor Kirsten Langford said there had been little community consultation over the proposed changes.

Box Hill’s small business owners are frustrated at already having to move their businesses, due to the construction of the Suburban Rail Loop. Whitehorse Ratepayers Association members also said construction work had smothered the vibrancy of the retail precinct.