News

Australians are embracing solar batteries at an increasing rate, driven by declining feed-in tariffs and rising power bills. This shift is fueled by the economic benefits of storing excess solar energy, with industry experts urging the government to implement national subsidies to further incentivize adoption.

Australia's top spy boss, Sir Charles Spry, lobbied his counterpart in Washington to keep secret an investigation of anonymous phone calls to the US embassy in Canberra around the time of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. The documents, declassified by the Trump administration, reveal that the CIA had been investigating a potential Canberra link to the plot against JFK in 1963.

NSW emergency departments are experiencing a surge in patients leaving before receiving treatment, with over 67,000 patients departing in the last quarter of 2024, a 33% increase compared to 2019. This concerning trend is attributed to a combination of factors, including increased patient load, insufficient resources, and long wait times for both emergency and elective care.

American pharmaceutical giants are urging President Trump to impose tariffs on Australia due to the country's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), which they claim undervalues American innovation and threatens billions in lost sales. The Australian government has vowed to protect the PBS and will not change it due to pressure from other countries.

More than five million Australians receiving social security payments will see an increase in their payments starting March 20, 2024, due to the latest indexation which takes place four times a year to offset the rising cost of living. The amount of the increase will vary depending on the type of payment and the recipient's circumstances.