News

Australia's upcoming election presents a crucial choice for its foreign policy direction, with both Labor and Coalition leaders outlining contrasting visions for navigating the complex global landscape and the looming shadow of Donald Trump. Key areas of divergence include defense spending, the Middle East, and foreign aid, leaving voters to decide whether to continue on the current path or embrace the changes proposed by the opposition.

America's pharmaceutical giants have been lobbying the US government to impose trade sanctions on Australia in an attempt to dismantle the country's Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme (PBS), which provides affordable medicines to its citizens. The industry claims that the PBS is "egregious and discriminatory" and "undermines American competitiveness, jobs, and exports," but these claims are largely unfounded.

E-scooters have temporarily disappeared from the streets of Yarra after major operators Lime and Neuron withdrew due to a significant fee increase by the council. Despite the inconvenience, the council remains confident that a new e-scooter provider will be secured through a tender process in September.

The Suburban Rail Loop's first stage faces viability concerns due to cost escalation, unrealistic funding assumptions, and an incomplete business case, according to Infrastructure Australia. The opposition calls for pausing the project, while the government maintains its commitment, emphasizing its transformative potential.

Queensland's new Health Minister, Tim Nicholls, has confirmed the continuation of the Capacity Expansion Program (CEP), which aims to deliver 2,200 extra hospital beds by 2028, despite concerns over cost and timing blow-outs. The program includes the construction of a new 120-bed hospital in Bundaberg, which has faced delays and funding uncertainties.