Portfolio — 1 June 2026

Minister King used two media releases on 1 June to signal action across distinct but thematically consistent portfolio fronts: digital consumer protection and major regional infrastructure delivery.

On communications, the Minister announced that the Australian Communications and Media Authority will launch the SMS Sender ID Register on 1 July [TA-260601-infras-334438e2bd8f:m00AMR]. The Register requires businesses to register their sender IDs; messages from unregistered senders will be labelled 'Unverified' when they reach consumers. The Minister framed the measure directly: "Each year, SMS scams rip off hard-working Australians to the tune of millions of dollars – and we want to put a stop to it" [TA-260601-infras-334438e2bd8f:m00AMR].

The release also referenced Australia's broader Scams Prevention Framework and the government's characterisation of its legislative approach as among the world's toughest anti-scam laws — signalling that the Register sits within a wider ecosystem strategy to prevent, detect, disrupt, and respond to scams across banks, telcos, and digital platforms.

On infrastructure, the Minister reported active construction progress on the $2.20 billion Coffs Harbour bypass, a 14-kilometre project that will cut travel times by up to 12 minutes [TA-260601-infras-876004c8245a]. Work on the final bridge — the Luke Bowen Pedestrian Bridge — has commenced, with traffic changes underway this week. The Minister said: "Work on the final bridge has begun, and it is incredible to see how quickly the Coffs Harbour bypass is taking shape" [TA-260601-infras-876004c8245a].

Opening is targeted for later in 2026.

Across both releases, the Minister's messaging pairs a near-term regulatory activation date (1 July for the SMS Register) with a near-term infrastructure milestone (2026 opening for Coffs Harbour), reinforcing a portfolio posture of visible delivery. No parliamentary activity is recorded for this date.