WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Australia has introduced 10 new laws in 2026 turning seniors into criminals.
OUR VERDICT
False. The laws do not exist.
AAP FACTCHECK - Australia hasn't introduced 10 new laws targeting senior citizens in 2026, despite claims made in a disinformation video.
None of the supposed laws, including digital proficiency licences and aged care noise restrictions, have been proposed or passed in federal, state or territory parliaments in 2026.
The claims appear in a YouTube video, published by an account known for posting false claims about government policies, which has since been shared on Facebook.
First law: Digital proficiency licence
The video claims new regulations require Australians to obtain a "digital proficiency licence" to access government services online and that "assisting someone without a licence to navigate government platforms is now considered a potential privacy violation" (timestamp one minute 33 seconds).
However, no legislation or regulation matching this description exists in federal, state or territory records, and the Commonwealth government's MyGov webpage makes no mention of any such requirement.
Second law: Aged care CCTV
The video claims a second law mandates 24/7 video monitoring in all Australian aged care facilities, including bedrooms (timestamp 2:38).
There is no record of such a federal law or mandatory video surveillance rules under the Aged Care Act 2024.
Government guidance on aged care compliance monitoring makes no mention of mandatory surveillance.
Third law: Driving restrictions
The video claims a third law mandates drivers aged 75 and over "to undergo mandatory medical review" (timestamp 4:40).
However, NSW, Queensland, South Australia (page 2) and the ACT already require annual medical assessments for drivers aged 75 or over under longstanding rules.
In Victoria, drivers must renew their licences every three years after turning 75, rather than the usual 10-year period, while Western Australia mandates annual medical checks from age 80.
Tasmania and the Northern Territory have no age-based medical assessment requirements, though all drivers in the NT must undergo a vision test at each licence renewal.
Fourth law: Misinformation laws
The video claims a fourth law "makes it an offence to share or post information deemed misleading or unverifiable, especially in areas like health, politics and finance" (timestamp 6:38).
There is no record of such a law. Australia has recently introduced age-verification requirements for certain online activities, but they do not cover the posting or sharing of misleading or unverified content.
Fifth law: Housing tax
The video claims a revised "Co-habitation and Property Use Act" means older Australians who allow family members to live with them rent-free may be classified as "informal landlords", facing "new tax liabilities, Centrelink payment reductions and even legal audits" (timestamp 9:08).
There is no law called the Co-habitation and Property Use Act and no such legislation exists.
Sixth law: School loitering
The video claims new legislation has introduced "anti-loitering zones" outside schools, creating "restricted zones around schools during certain hours" (timestamp 10:55).
"While aimed at deterring suspicious behaviour, the law makes no clear distinction between a potential threat and a retired grandmother sitting on a bench near the gate," the voiceover said.
There is no new 2026 legislation matching this description.
NSW, Victoria, WA, Tasmania and the NT already have longstanding laws banning sex offenders from loitering outside schools.
Specific school trespassing laws are also in force in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA, WA, the NT and the ACT.
These existing laws include carve-outs and provisions for family members picking up children.
Seventh law: Water restrictions
The video claims that new water restrictions in NSW, Victoria, and SA carry fines of up to $1200 for using too much water or watering gardens outside 6am and 7am, three days a week (timestamp 13:20).
Water restrictions are common and longstanding in Australia, but the specific restrictions described in the video do not match those in the named states.
Victoria and NSW's 128 local government areas permit garden watering during broader windows than the video claims.
SA has some restrictions, but they also apply during a broader window than claimed.
Eighth law: Gifts and financial transfer
The video claims a new, so-called "Assets and Income Reporting Act" limits how much money pensioners can give away, "whether it's helping their child with a house deposit, paying for a grandchild's education or giving birthday money" (timestamp 14:50).
It claims that giving away more than $10,000 in a single financial year or $30,000 over five years triggers "Centrelink payment reductions, audits and even accusations of asset deprivation".
There is no new law called the "Assets and Income Reporting Act".
However, the Services Australia website explains that gifts and financial transfers have long been taken into account in age pension asset tests.
Ninth law: Mobility scooters
Another supposed law mentioned is a 6 km/h speed limit for mobility scooters.
"If a scooter exceeds that, even accidentally while going downhill, it can now be classified as a motorised vehicle, bringing with it road rule penalties, fines and even the need for a special licence," the video claims (timestamp 16:30).
There is no 6km/h limit in Australia.
There has been a longstanding 10 km/h limit for mobility scooters on level ground across states and territories, according to an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare analysis (p2)
Tenth law: Noise regulations
The video also claims a new national regulation enforces strict noise limits inside retirement villages and aged care facilities, with "ordinary sounds like laughing grandchildren, daytime TV, music or even chatting with neighbours" subject to monitoring and fines (timestamp 18:10).
However, there is no national legislation regulating noise levels at such facilities.
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