News

The Australian government has expanded its Help to Buy housing program with an $800 million investment, aiming to help more first home buyers enter the market with lower deposits and smaller mortgages. The program will see increased property value and buyer income caps, allowing an estimated 40,000 Australians to purchase their first home.

A new report by Choice reveals that the average grocery basket at Woolworths is becoming more expensive, while the same items at Coles and Aldi have become cheaper. This marks the first time there has been such a clear difference in pricing between Coles and Woolworths, with the price gap widening to $1.79.

The Queensland government is considering privatizing a new multi-billion-dollar rail and bus network on the Sunshine Coast to get it built before the 2032 Olympics. Instead of trains running from Birtinya to Maroochydore as promised, the government will now build an express bus system along a dedicated corridor that will extend further to the Sunshine Coast Airport.

Former South Australian opposition leader David Speirs pleaded guilty to supplying drugs, with the offences occurring around the time of his resignation from the Liberal leadership in August 2024. Speirs is scheduled to be sentenced in April after his lawyer and prosecutors agreed to have the case dealt with by a magistrate.

The Australian political landscape is heating up with the upcoming election, with the Coalition proposing a temporary fuel excise cut and the Labor government maintaining previously legislated tax cuts. Both parties aim to address cost-of-living pressures, but their approaches differ in terms of immediacy, duration, and potential economic impact.