Australia announces $600m Pacific drug-smuggling package; Chanel Contos urges social media algorithm reform

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a A$600 million package aimed at curbing drug trafficking through the Pacific region. Speaking at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, Albanese said the investment is intended to prevent illegal narcotics from reaching Australian shores.

Pacific drug-smuggling package

The initiative, which Pacific countries can opt into, will provide enhanced aerial surveillance as well as training for police and border officials. According to the Australian Federal Police, about 4.6 tonnes of illicit drugs were seized in 2025, while more than 17 tonnes – mostly cocaine – have been intercepted in the first five months of this year. The increase in drug flow has been linked to gang activity in Samoa and Tonga, and a sharp rise in HIV infections in Fiji.

Pacific minister Pat Conroy said drug trafficking is having a devastating impact on Pacific communities and that the package responds to regional leaders’ requests for stronger coordination.

Contos on algorithms

In a separate development, consent education advocate Chanel Contos will use a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra to call for social media platforms to introduce opt-in algorithms. Contos argues this would help reduce the influence of the “manosphere” – online communities that promote toxic masculinity. She is expected to say that algorithm reform must be meaningful and that Big Tech should not be allowed to create superficial changes. She will also highlight how young men can be drawn into misogynistic content starting from harmless videos.

Other updates

Meanwhile, the Australian government confirmed that five citizens have been found safe following the devastating floods in Nepal. The number of Australians unaccounted for has fallen from 43 to 38. Some were located in Nepal, Tibet and China, while others were outside the worst-hit areas. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has received nearly 800 calls about the floods, and 18 Australian personnel have been sent to Nepal.

There is also an update on drug testing in New South Wales: pill testing will resume at music festivals from October, covering up to 15 festivals a year. The state government said this is limited to festival settings and will not be extended to the wider community.