Ministerial Briefs Relating To The Department Of Home Affairs Decision To Provide Funding To The Special Broadcasting Service And The Australian Associated Press For Fact-Checking, From 7 October…

Written by Claude Haiku 4.5 from the extracted text on 28 Feb 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

The Department of Home Affairs sought ministerial approval in November 2023 to implement a $25 million funding package (part of a $52.8 million total government response) to address social cohesion impacts following the October 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict. The funding was directed toward three implementation streams: headline projects targeting identified organisations, including $25 million allocated to the Australian Associated Press (AAP) to enhance independent newswire services covering the conflict, and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) to establish a dedicated unit countering misinformation affecting affected communities; funding for the Australian Human Rights Council (AHRC) to amplify anti-racism messaging; and large-scale youth-focused programs. The Department recommended utilizing emergency clauses within Commonwealth Grant Rules and Guidelines to enable rapid deployment. The submission indicates the minister approved implementation arrangements.