At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s housing market appears to be in a temporary holding pattern, with many buyers delaying property purchases while waiting for greater certainty, according to the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia. The organisation says mortgage brokers are seeing strong demand for advice, but fewer people are submitting home loan applications. Many investors are taking extra time to asse

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Telstra has apologised after a nationwide network outage disrupted voice and data services, affecting customers across Australia's major cities. The company said around 90% of affected services had been restored by Wednesday, but some users continued to experience intermittent issues. Telstra said there is currently no evidence the outage was caused by malicious activity, with investigation

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian businesses are facing increasing pressure from rising costs, higher taxes and expensive energy bills, with calls for stronger government support for local industries. Federal independent MP Dai Le said many long-running family businesses are struggling to survive, with some owners even working without taking a wage to keep their companies operating. She warned that without more s

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. A suspected arson attack has damaged multiple businesses in Melbourne’s inner east, prompting fresh concerns over a series of recent firebombings. Emergency crews responded to a major fire on Victoria Street, Richmond, shortly after 4:15am on Monday. More than 80 firefighters and 30 fire trucks worked to bring the blaze under control after flames

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A rare weather event in Tasmania has triggered the icy conditions being felt across south-east Australia this week. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded a mean sea level pressure of 1044.5hPa at Ouse, Tasmania, setting what is expected to be Australia’s highest recorded atmospheric pressure, surpassing the previous record set in 1967. The record was caused by a powerful high-pressure system c

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Tighter bail laws are being introduced in Queensland to crack down on youth crime, after the state government said it was getting “fed up” with repeat offenders being released on bail only to then reoffend. Repeat offenders who commit serious crimes while on bail will be charged under a brand new offence, under the next phase of the Adult Crime, Adult Time plans. The new offence will have a

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian borrowers may have to wait until 2027 for interest rate relief, according to a new survey of leading economists. The latest Australian Financial Review poll found that more than half of the 32 economists surveyed believe the Reserve Bank’s cash rate has already peaked at 4.35 per cent, making another rate rise less likely. However, most economists do not expect rate cuts any time

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Department of Home Affairs has increased visa application fees for most visa categories, with the new charges applying to applications lodged from 1 July 2026. Some of the biggest increases include: Visa Category & Description Subclass Previous Fee (AUD) New Fee (AUD) Increase (AUD) Increase (%) Student and Student Guardian visas 500, 590 $2,000 $2,500 $500 25.0% Skilled Migration visas 189

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A tropical low near the Solomon Islands could become a rare winter cyclone this weekend, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology. The Bureau says there is a low chance of cyclone formation between late Friday and Monday, with the risk peaking at around 10% from Saturday to Monday before dropping again. Even if the system does not strengthen into a cyclone, it is expected to bring hea

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian footwear retailer Betts has entered administration and will shut more than half of its stores as it shifts toward an online-first model. The company, founded in Western Australia over 130 years ago, currently operates 35 stores nationwide. Around 20 stores will close, including major locations across SA, NT, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and WA. At its peak, Betts had more than 200

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s property market has entered its ninth downturn in three decades, with Sydney and Melbourne expected to experience the biggest falls. New analysis from Domain forecasts house prices could drop 7 per cent in Sydney and 8 per cent in Melbourne over the next financial year as higher interest rates, tax changes and weaker buyer confidence weigh on the market. More affordable markets

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Millions of Australians will see changes to their pay, taxes, superannuation and everyday costs from July 1 as new federal and state reforms come into effect. Here are some of the key changes: National changes Minimum wage increase The national minimum wage will rise by 4.75 per cent, increasing pay to $26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 a week for a 38-hour working week. Award wages will also incr

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s housing market slowdown is spreading, with home values recording their largest monthly decline in more than three years. Property data firm Cotality reported national dwelling values fell 0.4 per cent in June, led by sharp drops in Sydney (-1.2 per cent) and Melbourne (-1 per cent). Brisbane and Perth continued to grow but at a much slower pace, while Adelaide remained unchanged

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Almost one million higher-income Australians could be hit with an extra tax bill for not holding private hospital insurance. New analysis shows the number of people paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) is rising as more Australians move above the income threshold. For the 2025–26 financial year, the surcharge applies to singles earning more than $101,000 and families earning above $202,

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Amazon is facing legal action in the Federal Court after Australia’s consumer watchdog accused the company of using unfair contract terms to introduce ads on Prime Video without offering refunds to affected subscribers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) claims Amazon changed the service for more than 850,000 annual Prime subscribers in 2024, moving them to an ad-supp

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. More Australians are choosing to go without private hospital insurance and pay the Medicare levy surcharge instead. New figures from the Australian Taxation Office show the number of people paying the surcharge has increased by 15 per cent in the past year and 74 per cent over three years. The surcharge applies to higher-income earners who do not have private hospital cover. It adds an extr

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Western Australia is preparing for a wet and windy end to the week as a cold front brings heavy rain, storms and strong winds. After a short period of clear weather, conditions are expected to turn on Friday morning, with further rainfall and windy weather continuing into the weekend. Meteorologists say a low-pressure system linked to the cold front will bring cooler temperatures, showers a

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. The Australian Government has confirmed the permanent Migration Program planning level will remain at 185,000 places for the 2026–27 financial year, unchanged from the previous year. More than 70 per cent of places (132,240) will be allocated to the Skilled stream, focusing on migrants who can support Australia’s workforce and long-term economic needs. The government will also prioritise mi

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australians could face further mortgage pressure after new inflation data showed price growth remains higher than expected. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported annual inflation slowed to 4 per cent in May. However, underlying inflation closely watched by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increased to 3.6 per cent, remaining above the RBA’s 2–3 per cent target range. Economists ha

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. New Zealand is considering a nationwide visitor accommodation levy to help fund tourism infrastructure and support long-term growth in popular destinations. The proposal comes from Regional Tourism New Zealand, which represents 31 regional tourism organisations. The group says the levy could provide extra funding for projects such as infrastructure upgrades, events and community facilities.