Australia
Work
Australia Housing Supply Improves but Demand Remains Strong Amid Population Growth
New construction activity lifts housing stock, but immigration-driven demand continues to outpace supply in major cities.
Work
Regional Australian Property Prices Continue Rising Despite Interest Rate Hikes
Mid-size and regional areas see sustained price growth while Sydney and Melbourne cool, reflecting different demand drivers.
Geopolitics
Australia's Fuel Crisis Deepens as Albanese Takes Emergency Powers
The ACCC says average diesel hit 303.5 cents a litre. Unleaded is 252.2 cents. Some stations in Sydney and Melbourne are charging $3.15.
Geopolitics
RBA Forecasts Inflation Peak at 4.2% by Mid-2026 Before Gradual Easing
Reserve Bank expects underlying inflation to reach 3.7% and headline 4.2% mid-year, with return to 2-3% target band not expected until mid-2028.
Work
Cyclone Narelle Knocks Out Two-Thirds of WA Gas Supply
Category 4 storm exposes fragile energy security as Chevron, Woodside, Santos shut down operations.
AI
Nvidia-Backed Reflection AI Seeks $25 Billion Valuation in AI Infrastructure Race
The startup is in talks to raise $2.5 billion, underscoring the staggering capital requirements of building AI infrastructure at scale.
Work
OECD Slashes Australia's Growth Forecast as Iran War Drives Global Inflation Spike
Australia's 2026 growth rate has been cut to 1.3%. Half of last year's figure, as oil supply disruptions test the resilience of the global economy.
Geopolitics
Australian EV Sales Surge 20% as Fuel Crisis Converts Sceptics Into Buyers
Dealers report buyers walking in ready to purchase as petrol hits $2.50 a litre and diesel approaches $3. Even self-described car enthusiasts are making the switch.
Geopolitics
Meta and YouTube Found Liable for Addictive Design in Landmark Child Safety Verdict
A California jury awarded $6 million to a plaintiff who argued that Instagram and YouTube's design features caused mental health harm, opening social media companies to a new category of product liability claims.
Work
ABC Staff Walk Out for First Time in 20 Years Over Pay and AI Protections
Close to 1,000 ABC workers struck for 24 hours after rejecting a 10% pay offer that fails to match inflation. Unions want safeguards against AI replacing journalists.
Geopolitics
Treasury modelling puts inflation at 5% as Chalmers seeks worse scenarios
The Treasurer says previously released Treasury scenarios are 'pretty conservative now' and has requested new modelling for a prolonged Middle East conflict.
Guides
Australia's hidden silica crisis: Why nine common chemicals are still killing workers
Safe Work Australia recommended lowering exposure limits for nine dangerous chemicals back in 2019. Seven years later, the limits haven't moved, and doctors are sounding the alarm.
Geopolitics
AEMO pushes gas shortfall forecast to 2030 as battery boom eats into demand
Australia's looming gas supply crunch has been delayed another year, with accelerating electrification and 30 GW of battery storage in the pipeline cutting deeper into gas consumption than expected.
Geopolitics
RBA Hikes Cash Rate to 4.10% as Bullock Warns of Recession Risk
The second rate rise of 2026 passed by a single vote, with the Governor pointing to sticky inflation and oil price shocks.
Work
Qantas Bets on AI for On-Time Performance as Project Sunrise Nears
CEO Vanessa Hudson says technology is already improving reliability, while confirming Singapore stopovers will stay.
Geopolitics
Victoria Park to close as Brisbane's $3.8b Olympic stadium build begins
Queensland's government has issued closure notices for Victoria Park, with early site preparations set to begin on June 1 ahead of the 63,000-seat Brisbane Olympic stadium.
Finance
Philip Lowe's new job: rewriting the rules for how ASX companies are run
The former RBA governor is chairing a panel that wants to simplify corporate governance rules for 2,200 listed companies by the end of the year.
Geopolitics
Food bills set to spike as diesel crisis leaves farmers stranded
Diesel topped $3 a litre in every capital except Darwin last week. Farmers in Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria say they can't get enough to run their machinery.
Geopolitics
EU and Australia seal trade deal worth $6.9 billion a year after eight years of talks
The deal eliminates 98 per cent of EU tariffs on Australian goods. Wine, dairy, wheat, barley and seafood all get duty-free access.
Work
Your commute just got $150 more expensive this month
As petrol hits 220 cents per litre and diesel crosses 245, ordinary families are being forced to choose between filling the tank and filling the fridge.
Geopolitics
China's $120 Billion Critical Minerals Play Is About Security, Not Hostility
A new report reveals China has invested $120 billion USD into global mining since 2023. Australian headlines call it a threat. Beijing calls it risk management.
Geopolitics
Southeast Asia's Energy Scramble and What It Means for Australia
As dominoes fall across the region, Australia sits at the end of a broken supply chain
Geopolitics
Super Contribution Caps Rise July 2026: A Four-Month Window Worth $510,000
Higher caps create a rare opportunity to contribute $510,000 in under four months. Here's how the numbers work, and what you should do before 30 June.
Geopolitics
Australia's China Trade Surplus Shrinks to $19 Billion as Import Dependence Deepens
The bilateral surplus has collapsed from $45 billion to $19 billion in four years. Australia keeps buying Chinese manufactures while China quietly diversifies its iron ore sources.
Geopolitics
IEA Chief: World faces worst energy crisis in decades
Fatih Birol tells National Press Club the Hormuz closure has cost 11 million barrels per day, more than both 1970s oil shocks combined