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Internal Liberal Party polling suggests female voters are returning to the Coalition, with leader Peter Dutton seen as more palatable to women than his predecessor Scott Morrison. However, Labor remains the favored major party with female voters, and some within the Liberal Party remain unconvinced that the party has truly changed its approach to women's issues.

Belgian authorities have arrested multiple individuals suspected of involvement in a corruption scheme within the European Parliament, allegedly involving Chinese company Huawei bribing EU lawmakers to promote its interests. The investigation, which follows a similar scandal in 2022, raises concerns about the vulnerability of the EU Parliament to corruption and the potential influence of foreign actors.

Residents in southwest Queensland face skyrocketing insurance premiums of up to 300%, forcing many to forgo coverage and raising concerns about affordability and fairness in the insurance market. The region's councils argue that insurers are not factoring in their investments in mitigation structures, while the industry blames escalating natural disaster costs and outdated flood maps.

Energy ministers have urged the Australian Energy Regulator to reconsider its proposed power price hike, citing concerns about the impact on cost-of-living pressures and the need to scrutinize retailer costs before passing them on to consumers. The ministers believe further investigation is necessary to ensure the price increase is justified and does not unfairly burden households.

Victoria has transitioned from contributing to benefiting from GST revenue distribution, receiving an extra $3.7 billion due to population growth and lower revenue capacity. Meanwhile, Western Australia continues to benefit greatly from an existing government-mandated GST floor agreement, which economists criticize as costly and unfair.