At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Sri Lanka Tourism has stepped up efforts to attract more visitors from Australia and New Zealand through a major business networking and roadshow programme held across five cities. Organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), the 2026 Sri Lanka Tourism B2B Networking and Roadshow brought together Sri Lankan tourism businesses and travel industry representatives to strengthen

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian businesses may start offering discounts to customers who pay with cash after new rules banning card payment surcharges take effect on October 1. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s surcharge ban will remove extra fees currently charged for many credit and debit card payments. The change is expected to save Australian consumers about $1.6 billion a year. However, small businesses that

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s major banks are moving ahead of an expected interest rate increase by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), with lenders already raising some home loan rates. All four major banks expect the RBA to lift the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.60 per cent at its September meeting. ANZ is also forecasting another increase in November, which would take the cash rate to 4.85 per

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian households are facing renewed financial pressure as higher fuel prices, rising interest rates, inflation and electricity costs combine to squeeze household budgets. Inflation has already prompted three interest rate increases this year, with the Reserve Bank of Australia expected to consider another rise at its next meeting. The Middle East conflict has also disrupted global oil

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Diesel prices across Australia are approaching $3 a litre, as disruptions to global oil routes and refineries continue to push fuel costs higher. The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for around 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, remains effectively closed amid escalating conflict. Australia’s national median diesel price has reached $2.88 a litre, up 1.67 cents.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Five major road projects worth a combined $3 billion are moving ahead in Western Sydney, with construction expected to begin later this year. The joint Australian and NSW government projects will upgrade key roads and intersections across the rapidly growing region, with the aim of improving traffic flow, safety and access. The largest projects are the Mamre Road and Elizabeth Drive upgrade

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia will expand efforts to deal with visa overstayers, but Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the changes will not lead to US-style immigration raids. The government plans to establish a 100-person Border Force team to locate and manage people who remain in Australia without valid visas. Around 77,000 visa overstayers are currently estimated to be in Australia. The government will

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Eastern Australia is facing a growing bushfire risk as a strengthening El Nino pattern combines with an unusually dry winter. Weather forecasters are warning that the coming weeks could bring challenging conditions, particularly across parts of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Rainfall was well below average across many areas during winter. El Nino has weakened the trade winds that

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Two of Australia’s major banks have increased fixed mortgage rates just days before the Reserve Bank’s next interest-rate decision. ANZ and NAB raised their fixed home loan rates by 0.20 percentage points on Thursday, taking their lowest advertised fixed rate to 6.49 per cent. The moves follow ING, which lifted fixed rates for both owner-occupier and investor loans by the same amount a day