WHAT WAS CLAIMED
The Australian federal government is introducing new rules for older drivers.
OUR VERDICT
False. The claim is based on fake news articles.
AAP FACTCHECK - Australian drivers aged 60 and over will not be subjected to a night curfew or new medical tests, despite misinformation circulating online.
The claims are based on fake news articles, targeting older drivers, that have likely been created using artificial intelligence (AI).
"Over 60??? From 1 Oct 25 you are not permitted to drive between 10pm and 5.00am in Australia!!!" one Facebook post caption reads.
The post shares a link to an article on a website called GK Spatios, supposedly written by a reporter named James Bair.
"The Australian government announced today adding a new traffic update: a night-driving restriction for drivers 60 and older," the article reads.
"This policy is focused on improving safety for older drivers, who are a group at elevated risk while driving at night. As of October 1, 2025, the law will apply to all states and territories."
No further details or references are provided, and at certain points the text is nonsensical.
A similar claim appears in a Facebook video.
"I think it's very important that people are aware of the new level of government overreach that they're trying to bring in," the man on screen says (timestamp 25 minutes 50 seconds).
He goes on to read from a piece of paper with the title "Australia Traffic Rules- 3 Warning Over 60 Drivers Shouldn't Ignore", which lists a number of supposed new changes, including medical evaluations once drivers turn 60.
Other social media posts claim the government is introducing laws requiring drivers over 62 to display a "senior licence badge", as well as a new $5000 fine for hitting wildlife.
A search for the text online leads to multiple articles written by James Bair on various websites with designs and branding identical to the GK Spatios site.
However, there are no credible news reports or announcements from the government regarding these changes.
AAP FactCheck contacted the websites for evidence to support the claims, but did not receive a response.
A spokesperson for the federal transport department told AAP FactCheck the claims are incorrect, adding that road and traffic laws are managed by the states and territories.
Spokespeople for Transport NSW, the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning and Queensland Transport and Main Roads told AAP FactCheck the claims are false.
In an online statement, the WA Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure debunked claims about a nighttime driving curfew.
Dan Halpin, the chief executive of cyber investigations firm Cybertrace, said the content appeared to be AI-generated and designed to attract attention and drive web traffic.
He said it is now common for AI "content farms" to produce such material on a massive scale.
"The challenge is that AI can generate huge volumes of content that look legitimate, making it far easier for false claims to spread and far harder for people to tell what's real," he said.
Mr Halpin warned the risks extend beyond commercial motives, with state actors increasingly capable of using the technology to manipulate political agendas
"In some cases, it's not just about clicks and ad revenue, it's about undermining trust in government or shaping political views," he added.
Toby Walsh, an expert in AI at the University of NSW, said the fake articles are designed to commoditise people's attention.
"AI can generate fake content like this easily and cheaply that will attract eyeballs," Professor Walsh said.
"And eyeballs equate to money."
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