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 Lankan swimmer Akalanka Peiris has produced an outstanding series of performances at the Australian Nationals, setting three new Sri Lankan national records in two days. On Thursday, October 1, Peiris broke the national record in the Men’s 50m Backstroke twice in the same day. He first clocked 24.45 seconds in the heats, improving his own prev

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

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 total export earnings have exceeded US$12 billion during the first eight months of 2026, according to the Export Development Board (EDB). Export revenue from January to August increased by 4.26 per cent compared with the same period last year. Sri Lanka earned US$11.52 billion from exports during the first eight months of 2025. The lat

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 economy expanded by 4.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, slowing from the 5.0 per cent growth recorded during the same period last year. The latest economic data shows mixed performance across key sectors. Industrial activity grew 7.3 per cent and the services sector expanded 2.7 per cent, while agriculture contracted by 2.3 per

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 Government has introduced a multi-purpose loan scheme for Sri Lankan migrant workers, allowing them to use their overseas earnings for housing, education, business and other financial needs. The scheme, implemented through the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), is available to Sri Lankans working overseas who can provide proof of

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. At least 160 people have died and hundreds remain missing after devastating flash floods swept through villages along the Nepal–Tibet border. Satellite images suggest the flooding may have been triggered by a large section of Himalayan glacier ice breaking away and sending huge amounts of ice and debris into a river. Australia’s Foreign Minister P

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. Veteran Sri Lankan singer Nanda Malini has died at the age of 82, according to family sources. She passed away at her home in Nawala. Born on August 23, 1943, in Lewanduwa, Aluthgama, Nanda Malini showed her musical talent from an early age and went on to become one of Sri Lanka’s most respected vocalists. She began her musical journey after movin

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian drivers are facing sharply higher car insurance premiums, but many say insurers are not clearly explaining why prices have increased. A new report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) found motor vehicle insurance premiums rose by 8 per cent in the 12 months to July 2025. This followed a rise of more than 42 per cent between 2019 and 2024. ASIC reviewe

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage Wins Commonwealth Gold for Sri Lanka after 20 years

Every phone in Australia will sound a 10-second siren today in the first AusAlert test. Times by state, what to expect, and how to prepare your family.

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. ජනප්‍රිය ශ්‍රී ලාංකීය වේදිකා නාට්‍යයක් වන "ගරු කටානායකතුමනි" (Honourable Speaker) සඳහා ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාව පුරා ඉහළ ප්‍රතිචාරයක් හිමිව ඇති අතර, සංචාරය වෙනුවෙන් මේ වන විට ප්‍රවේශපත්‍ර 2,000කට ආසන්න සංඛ්‍යාවක් අලෙවි වී තිබේ. ප්‍රවීණ නාට්‍යවේදී උදයසිරි වික්‍රමරත්න විසින් රචනා කර අධ්‍යක්ෂණය කරන ලද මෙම දේශපාලන හාස්‍ය නාට්‍යය ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාවේ වෙසෙන ශ්‍රී ලාංකික

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Melbourne Airport will open a new $500 million Pick Up and Drop Off hub in October, designed to reduce congestion and improve passenger access. The new T123 Transport Hub will more than double the airport’s current pickup and drop-off capacity, replacing the existing roads that have struggled to handle decades of passenger growth. Located within the T123 multi-level car park, the new facili

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. 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. 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. NSW motorists are set to receive cost-of-living relief, with private vehicle registration fees to be cut by up to $100 under the state budget. The $435 million measure will apply to around 4.4 million vehicles, while motorcycle owners will receive an $80 registration discount. Caravans and trailers are not included. The government is also reducing the weekly toll cap from $60 to $50 for 12

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s migration debate should focus not only on how many people arrive, but on how many are given the opportunity to build a long-term future in the country, according to a new analysis of the nation’s migration system. The report argues that Australia has shifted from a settlement-based migration model to one increasingly reliant on temporary visas. While permanent migrants made up t

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport is set to welcome its first passenger flights on 25 October 2026, with four airlines confirmed as launch carriers. Jetstar will operate the airport’s first commercial passenger service, flying from Western Sydney to the Gold Coast. The airline will also offer regular services to Melbourne and Brisbane. Qantas is scheduled to begin operations from W

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

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