Mitsotakis to visit Australia in 2026 as leaders unite on child online safety

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to visit Australia successful aboriginal 2026, according to Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.
The two leaders met astatine Australia’s lawsuit Protecting Children successful the Digital Age, held during High-Level Week of the 80th United Nations General Assembly successful New York.

Mitsotakis was accompanied by his wife, Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki, and Albanese by his partner, Jodie Haydon.

“I look guardant to welcoming Prime Minister Mitsotakis to Australia aboriginal adjacent year arsenic an authoritative impermanent of the government,” Albanese told journalists successful New York aft the event.

“And I americium assured that while helium is there, we will prosecute further connected this contented (protecting children successful the integer age), due to the fact that it is not a substance confined to Australia alone.”

Anthony Albanese, Jodie Haydon, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki perceive to the speeches.
Photo: DIMITRIS PAPAMITSOS/PM’s Press Office/EUROKINISSI

Minimum property for κοινωνικά media lauded by leaders

The Albanese government’s determination to acceptable a minimum property for κοινωνικά media use received the backing of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Greek premier minister.

From December 10, Australia will prohibition children under 16 from accessing κοινωνικά media platforms, with work placed connected technology companies to forestall access.

At the event, Emma Mason spoke astir the decease of her 15-year-old girl Tilly, who took her ain beingness aft online bullying.

Social media tin origin existent harm to our kids, exposing them to risks and pressures they’re conscionable not acceptable for.

Labor wants each kid to get the champion start successful life, and that means supporting parents to support them harmless online.

That’s why we’re taking bold action, banning social… pic.twitter.com/qCdsao7Gtt

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) September 24, 2025

Describing it arsenic a “death from bullying enabled by κοινωνικά media,” the parent and lawyer elaborate the harassment Tilly suffered earlier the tragedy and explained what happened connected the time she died.

“Police aboriginal confirmed that her telephone past was filled with Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok videos related to suicide, decease and intelligence illness.”

“This was a termination owed to bullying, but it was facilitated by κοινωνικά media.”

“Please clasp my Tilly and each the mislaid children successful your hearts.”

“Since she died … I person met galore parents similar me, due to the fact that there were galore ‘Tillys’ successful society… Now I inquire you to support my Tilly and each the children we person mislaid successful your hearts and bash each you tin to alteration the communicative crossed the world for their sake… due to the fact that however galore much ‘Tillys’ indispensable die?”

Photo: X/@AlboMP

Also read: Australia pitches κοινωνικά media property prohibition to world leaders

Social media prohibition called a bold determination by Von der Leyen

Von der Leyen said she was “inspired” by Australia’s “bold” determination to present the ban.

“It is evident that this is elemental communal sense,” she said, noting that galore European countries are moving to walk akin laws.

“As a parent of 7 children and grandma of five, I stock their view,” she added. Albanese said helium was “shaken.”

“The truth is our authorities is the absorption the world is taking,” helium said.

He praised Mason’s courageousness and efforts to bring the harms of κοινωνικά media to the forefront of the planetary conversation. He added that if helium had the powerfulness to bestow Orders of Australia, “I would person walked onto the stage and fixed 1 to Emma connected the spot.”

Delivering remarks astatine The Union League Club successful New York, with U.S. and Greek flags successful the background. Photo: DIMITRIS PAPAMITSOS/PM’s Press Office/EUROKINISSI.

He praised Mason’s courageousness and efforts to bring the harms of κοινωνικά media to the forefront of the planetary conversation.

He added that if helium had the powerfulness to bestow Orders of Australia, “I would person walked onto the stage and fixed 1 to Emma connected the spot.”

In his speech, the premier curate noted that “we each value the benefits the nett has fixed us. However, we besides cognize that contempt the transformative benefits of connectivity, it poses risks to our children.”

He besides acknowledged the work being done by the 36 Months inaugural and News Corp’s Let Them Be Kids, done which, helium said, helium had the “humbling responsibility” of spending clip “with parents who person felt the full, devastating interaction κοινωνικά media tin have.”

Australia’s premier curate addresses a UN High-Level Week lawsuit connected kid information successful the integer property successful New York, arsenic delegates, including EU officials and the Greek delegation—look on. Photo: DIMITRIS PAPAMITSOS/PM’s Press Office/EUROKINISSI.

Στην εκδήλωση που διοργάνωσε η Αυστραλία, με θέμα «Protecting Children successful the Digital Age», στο πλαίσιο της Εβδομάδας Υψηλού Επιπέδου της 80ής Γενικής Συνέλευσης των Ηνωμένων Εθνών, στη Νέα Υόρκη. https://t.co/wAlK9nBwbN pic.twitter.com/qmEMnPDyBj

— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) September 24, 2025

Mitsotakis thanked Emma for sharing her story and stressed that, “it indispensable person taken large courageousness to transform your idiosyncratic symptom into this very almighty telephone to action.”

Then helium thanked Albanese “for your enactment connected this issue.”

“I judge we will each watch very intimately however you instrumentality this important decision, which will person planetary ramifications.”

“If we cognize the grounds is overwhelming, then arsenic leaders we intelligibly person to bash something astir it. First, we request to assistance parents, due to the fact that this should not beryllium their work alone. I cognize however hard it tin beryllium for a single genitor to inquire their kid to disconnect from κοινωνικά media when everyone other is doing the same.”

He referred to measures already taken successful Greece and said, “We are acceptable to take a step further and earnestly see banning κοινωνικά media use by mounting a integer property of bulk akin to what you person implemented.”

“As you pointed out, Prime Minister, it won’t beryllium perfect, but we cannot mention implementation challenges arsenic an excuse for inaction.”

“We person a work not lone to work with tech companies but besides to marque it wide who sets the rules. Tech companies marque plentifulness of money; they bash not request to nett from the vulnerability of our children.”

Commenting connected the lawsuit and the Albanese–Mitsotakis meeting, Australia’s ambassador to Greece, Alison Duncan, wrote connected LinkedIn:

“Australia and Greece are taking planetary enactment connected the request to support children from online harms … Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Kyriakos Mitsotakis met astatine the United Nations successful New York to sermon measures for kid information successful the integer age. It’s wonderful to beryllium working with Greece connected this important issue.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses the 80th league of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) astatine the UN office successful New York, United States, Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Photo: AAP/Lukas Coch

Mitsotakis to visit Australia

Mitsotakis’s had besides been invited successful '22 by Albanese, during a meal connected the sidelines of the NATO Summit successful Madrid, but the trip did not take spot contempt various dates circulating publicly.

Last November, Victoria’s premier, Jacinta Allan, extended an invitation for the Greek premier curate to visit the state. The missive was delivered to Mitsotakis by Bill Papastergiadis, president of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM). Now with the invitation from Albanese astatine the UN successful New York, it whitethorn go a reality.