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Australian news: federal and state politics, the economy, courts, weather and the stories that matter across the country.
2089 articles · page 25 of 44
Interest rates are up again and recession talk is building, but Guardian Australia columnist Greg Jericho argues the Reserve Bank of Australia is ignoring half of its formal mandate. In a column published this week, he says the RBA's enabling legislation requires it to pursue both price stability and full employment, yet in practice the 'full employment' aspect appears to be overlooked.
· 2 sourcesPrivate colleges have issued nearly 3,000 last-minute enrolments to a diploma course that is being cancelled after allegedly being misused by non-genuine students, prompting a warning from the assistant minister for international education that providers must not try to game the student visa system.
· 2 sourcesVictorians are being urged to prepare for potentially deadly thunderstorm asthma as health experts warn of an intense hay fever season following a wet and warm winter. The warning comes on the 10th anniversary of the world's largest thunderstorm asthma event, which killed 10 people and caused breathing issues in thousands of others.
· 2 sourcesThe Australian Taxation Office's 10th corporate tax transparency report reveals that almost 30 per cent of large companies paid no income tax in the 2024-25 financial year, though this represents the lowest proportion since reporting began in 2013-14.
· 2 sourcesAustralian house prices have dropped for the sixth consecutive month, with Cotality's Home Value Index falling 1.1 per cent in September to bring cumulative declines to 5.2 per cent below the March peak. Experts warn the market could see further falls of 10 to 15 per cent as higher interest rates and changes to housing tax breaks weigh on values.
· 5 sourcesColumn 8 readers have welcomed the return of the bogong moth to New South Wales, from leaf-blown flyscreens in the Blue Mountains to jammed pipes at a Bathurst cathedral, while nature sightings and a quiet celebrity encounter round out the week's column.
· 2 sourcesThe Brisbane Times and The Sydney Morning Herald have published their daily "Best of cartoons" gallery for October 1, 2026, featuring a six-image collection of editorial cartoons.
· 2 sourcesBrisbane Times and The Sydney Morning Herald have published their latest "Cartoons of the week" gallery, a 14-image collection of editorial cartoons covering the past week in Australian federal politics. The collection, published on September 30, 2026, includes work credited to cartoonist Dionne Gain.
· 2 sourcesThe first phase of the federal government's Thriving Kids program, an early intervention system for autistic children under nine with low-to-moderate support needs, has launched this week. Queensland remains the only state or territory refusing to participate, leaving families uncertain about their children's support pathway.
· 3 sourcesA new roundup of luxury homes for sale showcases five coastal properties across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, each promising open-plan living, ocean proximity and high-end finishes. The list includes a Sorrento home with natural stone and French oak, a Stanwell Park property with panoramic Pacific views, a second Sorrento residence with a pizza oven and heated pool, a new-build in Byron Bay with solar panels, and a Benowa Waters waterfront designed by Stuart Osman.
· 2 sourcesOlufemi Komolafe has been stripped of this year’s Stawell Gift title and his $40,000 prizemoney after testing positive for a banned substance. The sprinter has apologised, saying the breach was inadvertent and stemmed from ADHD medication. Sport Integrity Australia cut his suspension from four years to 12 months following his full cooperation. Runner-up Jake Ireland will be retrospectively awarded the title.
· 2 sourcesIn a personal essay published on September 30, 2026, writer Emma Babbington reflects on how growing up as an only child shaped her approach to friendship, saying it made her 'greedy for more friends' and pushed back against stereotypes about only children.
· 2 sourcesGreater Western Sydney has opened the door to trading contracted defender Lachie Whitfield, requesting a first-round draft pick as Carlton and Melbourne express interest in the 32-year-old running defender.
· 2 sourcesSpecialist crews using heavy machinery, including an excavator and a truck, moved in on Wednesday afternoon to begin removing a 31-tonne humpback whale carcass that has been beached at South City Beach since Monday.
· 2 sourcesQueensland Treasurer David Janetzki has shifted blame for the Reserve Bank's interest rate rise onto the federal government, rejecting claims that the state's own spending is contributing to inflation. His comments came as the RBA lifted the cash rate to a 15-year high of 4.6 per cent and warned of further increases.
· 2 sourcesA psychologist with more than 45 years' experience has described the difficulty of raising voluntary assisted dying with close friends who have progressive illnesses, saying he worries such conversations may be perceived as pressure.
· 2 sourcesIn an opinion column published in Brisbane Times and The Sydney Morning Herald, Kayla Olaya recounts an encounter at a fitness camp in Thailand where a 24-year-old Polish coder told her he wanted a 'trad wife' to stay home and look after the family. When she said she would hate relying on someone financially, he responded resolutely. The piece has sparked discussion about generational expectations around gender roles.
· 2 sourcesBenjamin Clementine, the 37-year-old British-born musician, composer and actor, will tour Australia for the first time in October, bringing a career shaped by a childhood in which instruments were forbidden to audiences here.
· 2 sourcesDavid Shoebridge has been elected federal leader of the Greens, vowing to lead a “red hot fight” against One Nation and the “top 1%” as he seeks to revive a party that has stalled in the polls despite a favourable political climate.
· 6 sourcesThe Sydney Roosters enter Sunday’s NRLW grand final against Brisbane with an undefeated season, having trailed for only 70 of 840 minutes of football, a run players attribute to an intuitive on-field connection.
· 2 sourcesA near-collision between two aircraft at Sydney Airport in July was one of the most severe runway conflicts since record-keeping began more than 20 years ago, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found, with fatigue flagged as a risk factor for air traffic controllers.
· 2 sourcesWestern Australia's Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce has confirmed he remains interested in converting the Bullsbrook quarantine centre into a prison, telling reporters on Wednesday that 'nothing's off the cards' when it comes to finding extra space for the state's growing inmate population.
· 3 sourcesThe NSW Early Learning Commission has ordered the permanent closure of a Bathurst childcare centre after recording 126 breaches over a 12-year period, citing ongoing non-compliance and safety risks.
· 2 sourcesThe National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) cut more than $2.8 billion from participant plans between July 2024 and March 2026, according to documents released under freedom of information laws, with quarterly plan reductions hitting a new high and increases falling to their lowest level.
Police have accused a man of murdering a 79-year-old neighbour and then, two weeks later, killing a 59-year-old relative who arrived at the same property to settle the estate. The accused, Nicholas Scott, has faced court.
· 2 sourcesWallabies coach Les Kiss could be forced to field an untested centre pairing in October's Bledisloe Cup series after Hunter Paisami received a four-match suspension for his high tackle against South Africa last Sunday. The Reds centre will appeal the decision at a SANZAAR Disciplinary Committee hearing on Wednesday night.
· 2 sourcesPat Cummins has suggested Mitchell Marsh could return to Test cricket as soon as the South Africa series, a move the Test captain described as a "scary proposition". Marsh, 34, last played a Test in December 2024 and retired from first-class state cricket last summer, but has not retired from the Test arena. His strong ODI form on the current tour has intensified the debate over whether Australia should prioritise youth or stick with experienced performers.
· 2 sourcesFrom October 1, Victorian real estate agents must disclose property sale prices within seven days and make the information publicly available for at least 18 months, under new laws aimed at improving transparency. However, home buyers and sellers remain uncertain about where to access this data, particularly for off-market sales, and the reporting requirement to Consumer Affairs Victoria will not begin until December 2027.
· 3 sourcesAustralia's big four banks are expected to follow Macquarie and pass on the Reserve Bank's quarter-percentage-point rate rise to homeowners, adding $122 in monthly repayments on a standard $800,000 mortgage. The increase, which takes the cash rate to 4.6 per cent, adds to borrowers' pain following three rate rises earlier this year.
· 6 sourcesThe Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating whether staffing gaps at Sydney airport contributed to a series of safety incidents, after a review found runway incursions and near misses were 20 percent above national averages.
· 2 sourcesA New South Wales man has been sentenced to five years in prison for aggravated dangerous driving causing the death of his ex-partner, Justine Hammond, in a crash near Orange on February 9, 2025. The non-parole period of three years and seven months will expire on May 12, 2029.
Western Australia's environmental regulator failed to adequately track or manage thousands of contamination cases, leaving more than 1,200 possibly contaminated sites awaiting assessment for over five years and hundreds of files assigned to staff who no longer worked there, a scathing audit has found.
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has approved an extension for Hunter Valley Operations, allowing the coal mine near Singleton to continue until 2045. The decision is estimated to preserve 1,500 jobs, but comes with conditions aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions and has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups.
· 7 sourcesThe latest interest rate rise has deepened financial pressure on Tasmanian households, with new analysis showing an extra $81 a month on an average-sized mortgage and some homeowners saying they may need to sell their homes if rates keep climbing.
· 2 sourcesForrestania Resources has updated its mineral resource estimates for the Lady Ada and Lady Magdalene gold deposits in Western Australia, collectively known as "The Ladies", delivering a combined 285,700 ounces of gold at a grade of 1.82 grams per tonne. The deposits are located near Aztec Mining's historic Bounty gold mine and 80 kilometres from the company's Lake Johnson processing plant.
· 2 sourcesFederal eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has suggested she may not seek a second term when her appointment ends in early 2027, arguing that artificial intelligence giants have demonstrated an unwillingness or inability to regulate themselves. Speaking in Brisbane on Wednesday, Inman Grant described a power imbalance between digital platforms and regulators, and said new leadership would be appropriate for the coming era of a digital duty of care.
· 2 sourcesThe Age, Victoria's most widely read masthead, is seeking aspiring and early-career journalists for 12-month traineeships in its Melbourne newsroom, with applications closing on Sunday, October 18. The program, which begins in February, offers participants the chance to work alongside award-winning reporters and editors with a strong focus on breaking news and digital skills.
· 2 sourcesResidents of Clermont in central Queensland are being urged to conserve water after both pumps at Theresa Creek Dam failed, triggering emergency water restrictions for a second day. Isaac Regional Council has replaced one pump and is carrying out short-term repairs on the other, while divers investigate the cause of the failure.
· 2 sourcesAustralians bought a record 157,957 new electric vehicles between January and June, an increase of 117% on the same period a year earlier, according to a new report from the Electric Vehicle Council.
· 4 sourcesInflation has surged following a recent interest rate hike, while the Reserve Bank of Australia prepares for further tightening amid a labour crunch and a 60-year building surge, according to reports.
· 4 sourcesThe Sydney Morning Herald is seeking applicants for its 12-month journalism traineeship program, with applications open until October 18. The program offers aspiring journalists the chance to learn from experienced reporters at Australia's oldest continually published newspaper.
· 2 sourcesA near miss at Sydney Airport has been assessed as a Category A runway incursion, the most serious level on an international scale, as the Australian Transport Safety Bureau reveals predictions of elevated fatigue risks for staff at the time of the incident.
· 2 sourcesNewcastle hooker Harrison Graham will start Sunday's NRL grand final against the Sydney Roosters, filling the No.9 jersey vacated by suspended teammate Phoenix Crossland, despite having started only four games in his NRL career.
· 2 sourcesAustralia's inflation rate rose to 4 per cent in August, a four-month high, a day after the Reserve Bank raised official interest rates to 4.6 per cent – a 15-year peak – casting doubt on whether the tightening cycle has ended.
· 6 sourcesJurors in the NSW Supreme Court trial of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon have been shown crime scene photographs revealing a fired bullet beneath the kitchen floor of the Paddington terrace where Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies were allegedly shot dead in February 2024.
· 5 sourcesSydney Roosters superfan Thomas Hayes has taken his lifelong support to a new level, buying the team's sponsored BYD Shark ute and winning a small patch of the club's home ground, which now sits in his Engadine backyard.
· 2 sourcesAustralian federal politicians are the most prolific users of artificial intelligence in speeches among English-speaking legislatures, according to an analysis by The Economist. A random sample of speeches delivered in the House of Representatives between September 2025 and September 2026 found that more than 20 per cent were flagged as AI-generated or AI-assisted by the detection tool Pangram, with just under 15 per cent of Senate speeches similarly identified. The finding has renewed debate about how MPs should use the technology.
· 2 sourcesBrazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has offered high praise for Tony Popovic's Socceroos, describing them as 'a really good team' after a 4-2 victory in Brisbane on Tuesday night, while noting a clear tactical evolution from Australia's World Cup campaign earlier this year.
· 2 sources