At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s inflation rate eased slightly in the year to April 2026, offering some positive signs for households and financial markets. New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show annual inflation slowed to 4.2 per cent, down from 4.6 per cent in March. However, underlying inflation closely watched by the Reserve Bank of Australia edged up to 3.4 per cent from 3.3 per cent. Th

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A new university alliance has been launched in Australia with a major goal helping 80 per cent of working-age Australians gain a tertiary qualification by 2050. Known as the 2050 Alliance, the group brings together nine universities from metropolitan, regional and outer suburban areas across the country. It replaces the former Innovative Research Universities (IRU) network. The alliance was

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Victoria residents will soon pay half-price fares on public transport under a major temporary travel discount announced by the state government. From 1 June 2026 until 1 January 2027, fares on trains, trams and buses across Victoria will be reduced by 50 per cent for all passengers. The discount applies automatically statewide, including for concession card holders, whose already reduced fa

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Millions of Australians are set to receive some relief on their electricity bills, with energy prices expected to fall in several states from July 1, 2026. The Australian Energy Regulator has confirmed lower default electricity prices for households in NSW and south-east Queensland. NSW customers are expected to save between 3.4 and 5 per cent, while bills in south-east Queensland will drop

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Heavy rain and stormy weather are expected to affect every Australian state and territory over the coming days, with south-eastern regions likely to see the heaviest falls. According to Weatherzone, a combination of low-pressure systems and colder upper-level air is creating unstable conditions across much of the country. Rain, thunderstorms and strong winds have already impacted South Aust

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Melbourne has invited the Sri Lankan community and friends of Sri Lanka to join its official Vesak 2026 commemorations. The event will celebrate the sacred Buddhist festival of Vesak, bringing Sri Lankan cultural and spiritual traditions to Victoria. The main programme will be held on Saturday, 30 May 2026 at

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, the Hon. Vijitha Herath, will host an open community dialogue with Sri Lankans in Melbourne this coming Sunday, 31 May, at Springvale City Hall. The event, scheduled from 2.30 PM to 5.00 PM, is being held at 18 Grace Park Ave, Springvale, and is open to members of the Sri Lan

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s immigration debate is back in focus, with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor proposing a plan to link migration levels to the number of new homes built each year. The idea has drawn comparisons to Australia’s long history of population planning, dating back to the post-war “populate or perish” policy introduced by former immigration minister Arthur Calwell in 1945. Under the Coaliti

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australians are becoming more cautious about taking risks, with fewer people changing jobs, starting businesses or moving for new opportunities. Recent economic data shows job mobility has dropped sharply over the past few decades. In 1989, nearly one in five workers changed jobs each year. Today, that figure has fallen to about one in 13 workers. Experts say rising living costs, large mort

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. International military officers are continuing to strengthen regional defence ties through joint training at the Sri Lanka Army War College in Buttala. Australian Army Major Martin Hadley, Pakistan Army Major Muhaymin Maneka, and Maldives National Defence Force Captain Hassan Rasheed are currently taking part in the Junior Officers Course alongsid

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. North Sydney Council is planning to introduce new fees for weddings, gender reveal parties, pop-up picnics and large gatherings held in public parks. Under the proposal, event charges could range from $10 to $2000 depending on the location, group size and type of event. The changes would apply to 23 council-managed parks and reserves from July 1 if approved next month. Popular harbourside s

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. South-eastern Australia is set for a burst of winter weather next week, with forecasts warning of heavy rain, strong winds, thunderstorms and possible snow. Weather experts say two cold air systems moving across southern Australia will bring a major shift after several calm days. The first system is already moving through parts of Western Australia and South Australia before reaching the so

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian drivers could face higher petrol prices from July, with the federal government yet to decide whether it will extend the temporary fuel tax cut. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government will review the measure closer to June 30, when the current fuel excise reduction is due to end. The temporary cut has lowered petrol prices by around 26 cents per litre since April, sav

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia may be one of the world’s wealthiest countries, but many households are still feeling financial pressure. Economists say rising household debt is a major reason why many Australians feel financially stretched, despite the country’s strong economy. Australia currently has one of the highest household debt levels globally, mainly driven by expensive housing and large mortgages. Aver

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Several Victorian roads will soon be part of new 30km/h speed limit trials under the state government’s road safety program. Melbourne’s famous Chapel Street is among the locations set for lower speed limits, with Stonnington Council receiving $331,000 to roll out the trial along Chapel St, Ewart St and Osborne Ave. An additional $64,000 has been allocated for a broader 30km/h trial across

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s top medical body is urging families to check their diphtheria vaccinations as the country faces its largest outbreak in decades. More than 220 cases have now been confirmed across the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia. One person in the NT has died, with investigations continuing into the exact cause. The Australian Medical Association warned

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. The Albanese government may need Greens support to pass its major housing tax reforms, but the minor party says the changes do not go far enough. Greens Senator Barbara Pocock said a parliamentary inquiry into housing inequality heard strong evidence that younger Australians are still being locked out of the property market, while older generations continue to benefit from existing tax sett

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A loophole in the federal government’s negative gearing reforms could allow millions of Australian homeowners to still access property tax benefits after the rules change in 2027. Under the new policy, negative gearing will mainly apply only to newly built homes, super funds, and properties purchased before budget night. However, existing owner-occupiers who bought their home before the ann

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian businesses are becoming more cautious about hiring as economic pressure and rising costs continue to weigh on employers. New research from Employment Hero shows job growth stalled in April, with overall employment slipping slightly after three months of steady gains. At the same time, casual work is rising rapidly, increasing 11 per cent over the past year more than double the p

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia has secured three additional diesel shipments equal to 900,000 barrels to strengthen fuel supplies across several states. The deliveries will support South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria as the government works to protect fuel availability amid global uncertainty. The shipments were arranged through partnerships involving the federal government, Export Finance Austra