Face Forward provides free real-time protection from technology-facilitated gender-based violence for women and gender-diverse people in public life across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. The second report marks a significant expansion of the initiative and a deepening of the patterns observed the previous month.

This report establishes the baseline for how online abuse is shaping public life for women and gender‑diverse people in public life across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. This first dataset for May 2026 shows Facebook dominates both volume and harm and identity-based hostility is clear.

Political deepfakes are AI-generated digital content that depict a politician doing or saying something they did not do or say. This paper outlines the potential adverse impacts of political deepfakes, summarises New South Wales reforms, and examines legislative developments in other jurisdictions. It also discusses other measures that can be used to combat political deepfakes.

The issue of targeted disinformation and harassment of local elected representatives is a local manifestation of broader societal trends. This report considers how harassment of local elected representatives is enabled by new technologies and capabilities to manipulate information. It recommends enhanced regulatory protections, including a holistic response model.

This report examines representation in Australia’s 48th Federal Parliament and analyses gender, Indigeneity, cultural background, education, age and employment. It provides a statistical snapshot of members at the opening of the 48th Parliament, outlines pathways into politics, and highlights where parliamentary composition reflects or diverges from broader society.