At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s fuel reserves are running critically low — with less than a month’s supply of petrol, diesel, and jet fuel left — sparking fresh national security concerns. New government data shows the country currently holds 28 days of petrol, 24 days of diesel, and 20 days of jet fuel. With only two operating refineries, Australia relies heavily on imports from Singapore, South Korea, and Japan, leaving it exposed to global disruptions. Former senator Rex Patrick warned the nation is in an “awful situation,” blaming years of government inaction. “If a major conflict disrupts supply routes like the Strait of Hormuz or Singapore, we’d be in real trouble,” he said. Patrick warned the biggest threat isn’t just to motorists — but to essential services. “Diesel keeps trucks, trains, supermarkets, and hospitals running,” he said, adding that supermarkets have around 10 days of dry food, and hospitals only three days’ worth of drugs. However, Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s office insists Australia is “fuel secure,” claiming reserves are now at their highest level in 15 years when including fuel in pipelines and ships. Despite that, an International Energy Agency report shows Australia holds just 48 days of oil imports, far below the 90-day minimum required under a 1974 treaty — a standard the country hasn’t met since 2012. Patrick criticised the government for prioritising expensive defence projects over fuel security. “Twenty-four days of diesel is simply not enough,” he said. Experts agree — unless stock levels improve soon, a supply disruption could bring Australia’s transport, supermarkets, and hospitals to a standstill. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s jobless rate climbed to 4.5% in September, up from 4.3% in August, marking the highest level since November 2021, according to new data. The number of unemployed Australians rose by nearly 34,000, while total employment increased by 14,900, as more people entered the workforce. The participation rate lifted slightly to 67%. Economists say the data confirms the labour market is cooling, with job growth no longer keeping pace with population growth. “Employment demand has clearly slowed,” said BetaShares chief economist David Bassanese, adding that the job market can “no longer be described as tight.” Some economists believe the slowdown could push the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates next month, though others argue the current cooling remains gradual, not severe. Indeed’s Callam Pickering noted that employment growth in 2025 has been modest — just 116,000 jobs so far this year, compared with 323,000 during the same period in 2024. Despite the rise in unemployment, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the job market remains resilient, with unemployment still low by historical standards. Experts say the RBA will likely revise its forecasts in November, as the latest figures align with earlier predictions that unemployment would reach 4.5% by the end of 2025. Australia’s labour market, they agree, is cooling — but far from collapsing. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Sydney is on track for its hottest October on record, with average maximum temperatures hitting 27.2°C in the first half of the month — well above the usual 22.2°C. The city has already seen four days above 30°C, driven by warm westerly and north-westerly winds pushing hot inland air toward the coast. Rainfall has also been scarce, with just 4.2mm recorded so far, compared to the monthly average of 78mm. More heat is on the way. The Bureau of Meteorology expects highs of 32°C on Friday, before a brief cool change and rain on Saturday. Temperatures will rebound to 33°C on Monday and 31°C on Tuesday. If the warm streak continues, Sydney’s October average could reach 26.5°C, breaking the previous record from 1988. Meanwhile, Melbourne is soaking up a brief spring heatwave, reaching 31°C today before cooling to 19°C on Friday. Warmer weather will return Sunday with a top of 28°C. Up north, Brisbane is set for a sunny weekend, climbing to 28°C on Friday and 31°C on Saturday. Australia’s summer heat is arriving early — and it’s only October. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. With the festive season fast approaching, Australia Post is urging everyone to send gifts and cards early to make sure they arrive in time for Christmas. The company has released its official cut-off dates for both domestic and international deliveries, as it gears up for its busiest time of the year with thousands of extra staff joining the team. “Planning ahead is the best way to make sure your gifts reach loved ones,” said Australia Post’s Gary Starr. “We’ll do our best with late parcels, but we can’t guarantee pre-Christmas delivery.” Domestic Deadlines Same-state parcels: Send by Dec 22 (Express by Dec 23) Interstate parcels: Send by Dec 19 Cards & letters: Send by Dec 18 (same state) or Dec 16 (interstate) Add a few extra days if posting from WA, NT, Tasmania, or regional areas. International Deadlines Economy Air: Between Nov 21 – Dec 5 Standard: Between Nov 28 – Dec 12 Express: Between Dec 5 – Dec 18 Plan ahead, post early — and keep the Christmas cheer right on schedule. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Extreme heat is on the way for South Australia, with forecasters warning temperatures could soar to 45°C this Sunday — possibly challenging state records. A mass of hot air moving from Western Australia is driving the heatwave, pushing temperatures above 40°C across several inland regions. Weatherzone says the North West Pastoral District will feel the worst of it, while Adelaide will stay milder, peaking at 31°C on Sunday. The hot, dry and windy conditions are also expected to increase bushfire risk across southern Australia. Other capitals will feel the heat too — Sydney is set to reach 32°C on Friday and 33°C on Monday, before storms and rain bring relief midweek. Melbourne will touch 31°C on Thursday, while Canberra will see similar highs on Monday. Australia’s October heat record still stands at 46.9°C, set in Port Hedland back in 2002 — but forecasters say this weekend could come close. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Virgin Australia passengers will soon be able to carry more weight in their hand luggage — but fewer bags. From February 2, economy travellers can bring one carry-on bag up to 8kg, instead of the current two bags totalling 7kg. A small personal item like a handbag or laptop will still be allowed. The airline says the change will make boarding faster and simpler, improving the onboard experience. Business Class, Economy X and Velocity elite members will still be able to carry two bags (up to 14kg total), plus a personal item. Virgin Australia has also expanded its pet-friendly flight program, allowing passengers to redeem Velocity Points to book seats for small cats and dogs. These flights — Australia’s first to welcome pets in-cabin — begin October 16, operating between Melbourne, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast. A smoother start for passengers — and now, their furry friends too. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Workplace burnout is pushing millions of Australians to consider quitting their jobs in the next year, new research by Allianz Australia has found. The study revealed that nearly 80% of employees and two-thirds of managers believe their organisations fail to promote healthy work habits or boundaries. Managers blamed the issue on limited resources, poor technology, and conflicting priorities, while 59% of employees reported work-related mental distress — often caused by heavy workloads, meeting overload, and unrealistic expectations. Australians also say they waste over three hours a week on “unnecessary” work and struggle to take proper breaks. Despite new right-to-disconnect laws, many still find it hard to switch off due to technology and cost-of-living pressures. An estimated 2.7 million workers are now thinking about leaving their jobs within the next 12 months. Allianz data also shows a 28% jump in mental distress claims since 2021, with employees taking an average of 81 days off per claim. Experts say prevention is key — calling on employers to design healthier workloads, encourage breaks, and set clear boundaries after hours. “Burnout isn’t just part of the job,” said Helen Lawson Williams, co-founder of anti-burnout program TANK. “It’s about recognising the signs early and speaking up before stress takes over.” Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A historic moment for the Sri Lankan cinema community in Australia has arrived, as the film 'Moda Tharindu' becomes the first-ever Sri Lankan movie to reach the official box office in Australian cinemas. Distributed by Mega Live Events in Australia, this milestone marks a significant step for cinematic representation and access for Sri Lankan movie lovers across the continent. A Supernatural Comedy with Heart Moda Tharindu is a supernatural comedy-drama that tells the compelling story of a young man caught in a whirlwind of family expectations, romantic love, and the complex bonds of friendship. Blending humour with heartfelt drama, the film is designed to appeal to a wide audience. The movie is helmed by director Thisara Imbulana and written by Thisara Mangala Bandara. It features a talented main cast, including: Kaushalya Fernando Surya Dayaruwan Shanudrie Priyasad Shehani Kahandawala Dhanuka Dilshan Tickets and Release Dates Moviegoers can prepare for the premiere, as the film is set to officially open on November 1st in both Australia and New Zealand. Tickets will be available for advance booking online and via phone through HOYTS starting from October 16th. We extend our sincere congratulations to Malaka Yapa and The Mega Live Events team for achieving this phenomenal box office milestone, paving the way for future Sri Lankan films. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka for all the upcoming showtimes and venue updates. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව (CBSL) විසින් නිකුත් කරන ලද නවතම දත්ත වලට අනුව, 2025 දී ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට විදේශ සේවක ප්‍රේෂණ සැලකිය යුතු ලෙස ඉහළ ගොස් තිබේ. 2025 සැප්තැම්බර් සඳහා ප්‍රේෂණ ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 695.7 ක් වූ අතර එය පසුගිය වසරේ එම මාසයේ වාර්තා වූ ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 555.6 සිට ඉහළ ගොස් තිබේ. මෙය වසරින් වසර 25% කට ආසන්න වර්ධනයක් සනිටුහන් කරයි. සමුච්චිතව, 2025 ජනවාරි සිට සැප්තැම්බර් දක්වා සේවක ප්‍රේෂණ ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 5,811.7 ක් වූ අතර එය 2024 වසරේ අනුරූප කාලපරිච්ඡේදය තුළ ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 4,843.8 ක් විය - එය 20% ක පමණ වැඩිවීමකි. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ බාහිර අංශයේ ස්ථාවරත්වය සහ විදේශ විනිමය සංචිත සඳහා සහාය වීම සඳහා විදේශ ප්‍රේෂණ ප්‍රධාන කාර්යභාරයක් ඉටු කිරීම දිගටම කරගෙන යන බව ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවේ දත්ත පෙන්වා දෙයි. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Sri Lankans .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Human trafficking cases in Australia have reached their highest level on record, with authorities warning the figures may only show “the tip of the iceberg.” According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), there were 420 reports of human trafficking in 2024–2025 — a jump of 382 cases compared to the previous year. The most alarming rise was in exit trafficking, where victims are coerced or deceived into leaving Australia. Reports doubled from 35 to 75 cases. Alerts for forced marriage, sexual servitude, and modern slavery also increased. AFP Commander Helen Schneider said more people are recognising and reporting trafficking, especially in vulnerable communities. “Over 90% of exit trafficking victims are women, showing how gendered this crime can be,” she said. While fewer reports were made for forced labour and debt bondage, authorities remain deeply concerned. Schneider urged Australians to stay alert, noting that victims can come from any background. Common warning signs include restricted movement, fear or anxiety, and loss of control over personal documents or income. She emphasised that understanding and reporting these signs is key to helping victims and fighting modern slavery. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Australians .

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka , your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans  in Australia and beyond. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පුරාණතම ගුවන් තොටුපළ වන රත්මලාන ගුවන් තොටුපළ, නවීන තාක්ෂණික පහසුකම් සහිත නව ගුවන් පාලන සංකීර්ණයක් (Air Navigation Complex) ඉදිකිරීමට සූදානම් වේ. අමාත්‍යාංශ මණ්ඩලයේ අනුමැතිය ලැබ ඇති මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතිය, රුපියල් බිලියන 3.04ක පිරිවැයකින් Sanken Constructions (Pvt) Ltd. සමාගමට ලබාදී ඇති අතර පැරණි ගුවන් ගමනාගමන පාලන ගොඩනැගිල්ල ප්‍රතිස්ථාපනය කරනු ඇත. මෙම නව Air Navigation Complex මගින්, නව පරම්පරාවේ Air Traffic Management (ATM) තාක්ෂණය දියුණු කිරීම සිදුවන අතර, ඉහළ මට්ටමේ ස්වයංක්‍රීය පද්ධති, නව සන්නිවේදන හා නිරීක්ෂණ තාක්ෂණ, සහ වැඩි පාලක තනතුරු ඇතුළත් කර ඇත. ව්‍යාපෘතිය සම්පූර්ණ වූ විට, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට කලාපීය හා ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන් යානා ගමන් බහුලතාව වැඩි පිරිවැය සහ ආරක්ෂාව සමග කළමනාකරණය කිරීමට හැකි වේ. මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතියේ විශේෂාංගයකි 360-අංශක දර්ශන බලපෑමක් සහිත බහු තට්ටු නව පාලන කුලුණ — රත්මලානට මෙය පළමුවැනියි. වර්තමාන පාලන කුලුණේ පාරිභෝගික දෘශ්‍ය සීමා ගුවන් ආරක්ෂාවට බාධා වීමට හේතු වී ඇති අතර, නව කුලුණ එම අවදානම් සම්පූර්ණයෙන් ඉවත් කරමින් වේගවත් හා ආරක්ෂිත ගුවන් මෙහෙයුම් සඳහා අවකාශ සලසනු ඇත. මෙම පහසුකම මගින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ විශාල ඉහළ ගුවන් අවකාශය කළමනාකරණය කිරීමේ ධාරිතාව වැඩි කරනු ඇති අතර එය ජාතියේ භූමි ප්‍රමාණය මෙන් 27 ගුණයක් පුරා පැතිරී ඇති අතර දිනකට ගුවන් යානා 300 කට වඩා ගමන් කිරීමට සහාය වනු ඇත. මෙම වැඩිදියුණු කිරීම විදේශ විනිමය ආදායම වැඩි කළ හැකි අතර, එය දැනට අධික සේවා ගාස්තු වලින් වාර්ෂිකව ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 11 ඉක්මවයි. Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka  – the leading platform for news for Sri Lankans .

At AusNewsLanka , we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. After two years of intense conflict, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in fighting and a hostage-prisoner exchange, marking the most significant breakthrough since the war began in October 2023. Under the deal, Hamas will release all remaining hostages, while Israel begins a gradual withdrawal from most of Gaza. The agreement, brokered with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, has sparked both relief and cautious optimism across the region. The war has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives, left Gaza in ruins, and displaced countless families. Despite the agreement, Israeli airstrikes continued Thursday, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting 11 deaths and 49 injuries in the past 24 hours. In Tel Aviv, families of hostages celebrated the news with tears and joy, while in Khan Younis, Palestinians expressed mixed emotions — mourning their losses even as they welcomed the ceasefire. Trump said the released hostages would “return home by Monday,” adding that he plans to visit the region soon. Though key questions remain — including who will govern Gaza and how Hamas will disarm — this truce offers a rare moment of hope in a war that has caused immense suffering and global unrest. Visit the Aus News Lanka homepage   for more updates.