Portfolio — 28 May 2026

Minister King released on two separate policy fronts on 28 May, combining a major consumer-protection instrument with a substantial regional infrastructure commitment. On scam prevention, the Government designated banking, telecommunications and key digital platforms as the first sectors covered by the Scams Prevention Framework, and released draft rules and sector codes for public consultation [TA-260528-infras-374f09817c07:m00AMR].

The framework sets a 31 March 2027 deadline for affected sectors to implement stronger anti-scam systems and introduces automatic reimbursement for victims with verified losses below $3,000 — a concrete redress mechanism that goes beyond the compliance obligations placed on industry. Submissions close 25 June 2026. The designation of three high-exposure sectors as the opening cohort signals a sequenced rollout approach, with other sectors presumably to follow once the initial codes bed down.

On infrastructure, the Australian Government committed $114 million to Stage 2 of the New Richmond Bridge project over the Hawkesbury River, with NSW contributing a further $29 million, lifting total project investment to $658 million [TA-260528-infras-e094a8b289b1:m00AMR]. Stage 2 delivers a new four-lane bridge built 10 metres higher than the existing crossing for flood resilience, road widening, intersection upgrades, a southern bypass, and upgraded pedestrian and bicycle connections [TA-260528-infras-e094a8b289b1:m00AMR].

The existing bridge converts to a dedicated active-transport crossing. The flood-resilience design element is notable given the Hawkesbury River's history of inundation events and aligns the project with broader climate-adaptation objectives within the infrastructure portfolio.

Across both announcements, the minister's operating pattern is consistent: federal funding anchored by state cost-sharing on the infrastructure side, and industry consultation with a firm regulatory deadline on the consumer-protection side. The Scams Prevention Framework work also carries a cross-portfolio dimension — the designation of the telecommunications sector places obligations on carriers that intersect with Communications policy, while the banking sector designation touches Financial Services regulatory settings.