Chalmers says inflation largely driven by Middle East crisis
Jim Chalmers, the treasurer, is speaking after the inflation figures this morning showed inflation had jumped 4% in the year to August from 3.5%.
Chalmers said Australia is not immune from the oil crisis in the Middle East, saying the conflict is “overwhelmingly” the reason for the figures. He said:
These numbers confirm that the overwhelming reason why inflation went up in August in headline terms was higher global oil prices. In fact, all of the increase in annual headline inflation was from a combination of higher fuel costs and the unwinding of last year’s energy rebates.
Chalmers went on to say amid “heightened global instability” he was encouraged to see “underlying inflation moderate in the month-to-month figures”.
Inflation is still too high in our economy. That’s why it is so important that we are managing the budget in a responsible way.
Key events
Jim Chalmers says hasn’t met new Greens leaders before
Jim Chalmers wished the Greens’ outgoing leader Larissa Waters well and said he hasn’t met the new leaders before. He said no party has the numbers in the Senate on their own, “so we engage in good faith with all parts of the Senate crossbench” and he expects that to continue.
[It’s] very sad to hear that she’s been unwell, and she’s dealing with this condition. Larissa seems to me to be a really wonderful person, and I wish her well as she deals with the challenges in her health.
When it comes to the new leadership of the Greens, I haven’t met the new leaders of the Greens before.
Chalmers went on:
I’m told that [Shoebridge] was particularly focused on the Labor party in his introductory remarks. I think it’s really important that we focus on the risks posed to workers and to our economy by One Nation, the Liberal party and the National party. …
The government for its part is focused on delivering on its agenda, delivering real change, dealing with these pressures and challenges in our economy, and in the course of that work, we’ll play the cards that we’re dealt in the Senate and engage in good faith as we have been to this point.
Achol Arok
Shoebridge promises Greens will deliver ‘material change’ under his leadership
David Shoebridge has promised the Greens will pursue “material change” under his leadership.
He said people were “desperate for material change” and wanted more than gradual policy shifts from the major parties. He said:
If you travel around the country, the call I’m not hearing is: ‘What do we want? Gradual change! When do we want it? In due course!’
That is the dead politics of Labor. It’s the dead politics of the Coalition. And when you really test it, it’s the dead politics of One Nation. They don’t want another meaningless message being delivered by some Labor hack that they know is not going to change their lives.
Newly appointed deputy leader Steph Hodgins-May echoed the promise, pointing to the pressures facing Australian families.
We have families who are desperate for secure housing. We have families who cannot afford to send their child to childcare. We have families who are deeply anxious about the climate crisis and are watching this Labor government wave through new coal and gas projects at this critical moment in time,” she said.
I am here to say: ‘no, not on our watch’. I am here with David to bring a bold vision to Australia, to grow our movement.
No ‘objective observer could contest’ oil prices behind inflation spike: Chalmers
Jim Chalmers is pushing back against multiple questions about the cause of the inflation increase.
He said:
We can see in today’s inflation figures that the overwhelming reason why annual headline inflation has come up in August compared to July is because of the impact of higher global oil prices flowing through to oil prices in Australia. That’s not an opinion. It’s a fact.
Chalmers went on to say there will be “all sorts of commentary made” but he didn’t think “any objective observer could contest that after today’s figures”.
Chalmers says inflation largely driven by Middle East crisis
Jim Chalmers, the treasurer, is speaking after the inflation figures this morning showed inflation had jumped 4% in the year to August from 3.5%.
Chalmers said Australia is not immune from the oil crisis in the Middle East, saying the conflict is “overwhelmingly” the reason for the figures. He said:
These numbers confirm that the overwhelming reason why inflation went up in August in headline terms was higher global oil prices. In fact, all of the increase in annual headline inflation was from a combination of higher fuel costs and the unwinding of last year’s energy rebates.
Chalmers went on to say amid “heightened global instability” he was encouraged to see “underlying inflation moderate in the month-to-month figures”.
Inflation is still too high in our economy. That’s why it is so important that we are managing the budget in a responsible way.
Former deputy Mehreen Faruqi ‘disappointed’ after Greens leadership vote
Former Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi has expressed her disappointment her party room did not appoint her leader in the ballot.
In a statement on social media, Faruqi said: “Of course, I am disappointed the party room chose another direction, and know many others will feel the same way”.
I did not stand again for Deputy Leader today because, on reflection, I believe I can best play my part in that action outside the constraints of the leadership team.
Faruqi said she had long advocated for Greens leaders to be elected by members “with enough time for thoughtful deliberation on who is best to grow our party”.
I share members’ frustration that the opposite happened this week. Without a member vote, we cannot call ourselves a grassroots party.
I call on the new leadership team to set a timeline for one member, one vote.
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David Shoebridge speaks after being elected new Greens leader
Achol Arok
Senator David Shoebridge has thanked his party for its support following the unexpected leadership change in the Greens.
Speaking in Sydney, Shoebridge said:
If you’d asked me earlier this week would we expect to be here, I would have said no. Our party was rock-solid behind Larissa.
But I can’t tell you how much of a joy it is going to be over the next 18 months – a lot of hard work – but what a joy it is going to be working with my colleague Steph. This is a moment where, between us, we are going to share the load. We’re going to cross the country.
We’re going to deliver that sense of hope and opportunity that Australians are begging for and we are also going to meet the climate crisis.
Shoebridge also paid tribute to outgoing leader Larissa Waters.
She led with compassion, led with principle, showed what collective leadership can do. We were privileged to be led by Larissa.
David Shoebridge elected new Greens leader
Tom McIlroy
NSW senator David Shoebridge will become the new Greens leader, replacing Larissa Waters.
Shoebridge, who ran on a joint ticket with Victorian Steph Hodgins-May, defeated Sarah-Hanson Young and outgoing deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi.
A party announcement is due at noon. It comes during a two-day meeting of Greens MPs in Sydney.
Inflation climbs to 4% in year to August
Patrick Commins
Inflation has jumped to 4% in the year to August, from 3.5%, as underlying price pressures remained stubbornly high amid worries the Reserve Bank may have to hike again.
High and rising fuel prices drove the big rise in headline inflation, which was a little lower than anticipated.
Underlying inflation, which trims out the more volatile prices, was unchanged at 3.6%, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Both measures remain far above the RBA’s official target of 2.5%.
Oaka the rescue dog finds a new job as a koala protector, replacing Bear
When Bear, the world-famous koala detection dog, entered retirement, his trainers feared the koolie’s little red fireground boots might never be filled.
But now AAP reports Oaka – a two-year-old girl of the same breed with the same hyper-fixation on play – has entered the role, where she is tasked with smelling koalas not by their droppings, but by their fur, often metres above ground level.
“It felt like we had struck gold twice,” said Josey Sharrad, the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Oceania programs head. “The qualities that make dogs not a great family pet are often the qualities that make them become a detection dog.”
The two-year-old was quickly adopted and now lives on the Sunshine Coast, training alongside a number of fellow detection dogs. Alongside drones and human spotters, she will be trained to spot koalas cut off from food and water following bushfires, floods and cyclones.
While she will not be deployed until she is field-ready, the approach of what is expected to be another devastating bushfire season has added urgency.
“Our koalas will need all the help they can get, whether it comes on two legs or four,” Sharrad said.
More on Bear here:
Adeshola Ore
NSW police investigating desecration of Islamic graves in Sydney
NSW police are investigating the alleged desecration of Islamic graves in Sydney’s south-west.
Images show multiple graves at the Al Nur cemetery in Narellan have been damaged.
The Lebanese Muslim Association, which owns and manages the cemetery, said the incident was “an act of hatred directed at Muslims”:
There is something particularly vile about targeting the dead. These graves belong to mothers, fathers, grandparents, sons and daughters. They were Australians of Islamic faith who deserve the same dignity and respect as every other Australian.
After the Bondi shooting, pigs’ heads were thrown onto graves at the Al Nur cemetery.
A NSW spokesperson confirmed to Guardian Australia that police were notified about the incident on Monday and that investigations are ongoing.
Albanese defends government’s efforts on cost of living
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is answering questions in Melbourne, a day after the Reserve Bank lifted interest rates.
Albanese said the Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock, made it clear yesterday that there are inflationary pressures in the economy that have been made worse by the war in the Middle East. But he said the government has and will remain focused on cost of living measures. He went on:
People are doing it tough. People are under pressure. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve looked for savings in the budget.
The PM said the Coalition had opposed many of those efforts: “You can’t say, ‘We want more savings,’ and then oppose every saving which is put forward.”
Albanese went on to say the Coalition had promised new spending and the repeal of tax measures without speaking about how they would be paid for.
How can you say you’ll repeal the measures that were put in place, such as the changes to capital gains tax and to negative gearing, which were put forward – and then say that you’re going to have a fiscally responsible policy?
‘And that’s finance’: Alan Kohler to retire from the ABC after 31 years
Alan Kohler will retire from the ABC at the end of this year, capping a three decade-tenure at the national broadcaster.
Kohler joined the ABC in 1995 as a business correspondent and has been the lead finance presenter for the 7pm news since 2002. His trademark sign off – “And that’s finance” – has greeted viewers for years.
He said in a statement:
I love the ABC, always have, even more so after I joined it.
I find it very hard to imagine this wonderful place not being part of my life, but I’m 74 and it’s time to spend more time with my family, including the six grandchildren.
His last report will be 16 December.
NSW police allege shooting of Sydney student ‘hired guns’ linked to organised crime
NSW police are holding a press conference after two men and a teenage boy were charged in relation to the alleged mistaken identity shooting of Sydney student Marco Tapia.
Three people, aged 22, 23 and 16, were arrested in Junee, near Wagga Wagga, yesterday. They were charged with a series of offences: murder, two counts of special aggravated break and enter and committing a serious indictable offence – weapon and possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm.
Two others were previously arrested in relation to the shooting and charged with murder, boys aged 14 and 16.
Det Supt Joe Doueihi said police will allege they were contracted as “hired guns” by organised crime groups to commit the shooting. He said Tapia was a “completely innocent party” in the shooting and alleged there was an intended target who resided on the same street. The alleged target has links to organised crime groups, Doueihi said.
He went on:
These investigations are complex and take some time to go through the evidence. There are thousands and thousands of hours of CCTV, telecommunication information, download, and reviews of communication devices, forensic evidence, canvassing witness statements.
Once we have the opportunity to go through all of that and put it all together, we were able to identify that there was a strong case [allegedly] implicating these three males in this offence.
Six Australian universities in top 100 in global rankings
The University of Melbourne is the top Australian university in the Times Higher Education rankings this year, one of six local institutions in the top 100.
Melbourne Uni clocked in at No 34 on the rankings, which evaluate teaching environments, research, contributions to industry and innovation and international outlook.
The others who ranked highly were:
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The University of Sydney at 51
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Monash University at 61
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The University of Queensland at 73
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UNSW Sydney at 75
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Australian National University at 77
The rankings said Australia bucked a larger trend of western universities falling in the rankings, remaining “relatively stable”. A release accompanying the news said:
Although Australia’s overall score declined slightly as a result of falls in research productivity, doctorate-staff ratio, student-staff ratio and research strength, there were improvements in research and institutional income, along with reputation and citation impact.
Overall, the University of Oxford ranked No 1 for the 11th year in a row.
‘Give and take’ relationship with AI giants, Australian Signals Directorate chief says
Abigail Bradshaw, the director general of the Australian Signals Directorate, said Australia is beholden to AI companies that are willing to give the country access to sophisticated models, but added partnerships work “both ways”.
Bradshaw spoke to RN Breakfast this morning after the OpenAI breach of a Medicare website, saying Australia has “unique insights” to offer such companies that are valuable for technology giants. She said:
It’s a give and take here. And I think what’s important also is to look at the content of that apology. It’s not just the headline. The apology is important. We shouldn’t miss that moment.
But actually, look at the content of what OpenAI have set out there. That is not insignificant. They are agreeing actually to sharing, for example, preliminary findings. They have taken a really significant step in slowing down the release of the next model to ensure that guardrails and sufficient safeguards are put in place. They have given an offer of practical support.
And in fact, that is consistent with our experience, with our engagement with not just OpenAI, but the other labs, Anthropic and others, over the last six months … And I think that’s a really important precedent for the way this relationship proceeds into the future.
Donna Lu
Why are there so many bogong moths, and how can you safely remove them?
Skies over parts of New South Wales have been aflutter in recent days as swarms of bogong moths begin their annual migration, travelling up to 1,000 km from their breeding grounds in different parts of the country to a small number of cool caves in the Australian Alps.
Sightings of the endangered moth have increased over the last two years, but reports to the citizen science program Moth Tracker this September alone have exceeded 2025’s total figures, according to Zoos Victoria, which runs the platform.
What do the burgeoning insect numbers mean for their recovery, and what should you do if you find bogongs inside your home?
Laneway festival releases 2027 lineup
Laneway festival just dropped its lineup for next year’s event, and there are some heavy hitters from both the international scene and Australian shores.
Irish rock darlings Fontaines D.C. are headlining alongside Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams. In pop land, Slayyyter and Adéla join the deeply fun Kim Petras and Muna.
Australia’s own Ninajirachi, Ecca Vandal and Swapmeet are on the bill, too, as are many more acts bound to make a good time.
Check out the lineup below:
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David Shoebridge and Steph Hodgins-May confirm Greens leadership tilt
Josh Butler
As we brought you earlier, senators David Shoebridge and Steph Hodgins-May have now confirmed they will stand for leadership positions in the Greens’ party room ballot.
In a statement posted to Shoebridge’s Instagram, the pair said they would be a “fresh leadership team”.
We do not seek to reform Labor, but to replace them,” the statement reads, potentially signalling a bolder stance on how they would deal with the government and push for reform.
The answer to the rise of One Nation and the far right is giving people hope, and making people’s lives better with real economic and environmental security.
They cited “a meal before school” for children, “no new coal and gas”, and “holding back the wave of US billionaire tech bros and their vampire AI data centres” in the pitch.
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Shoebridge and Hodgins-May also said the Greens needed to be “a bigger mass movement” and expressed support for the idea of former MP Max Chandler-Mather for ordinary party members – not just the parliamentary wing – to have a say in electing the leader. No details on how that would work, but the pair said they would “work with the party on this”.
Jane Hume says Reserve Bank had no choice but to raise interest rates
Jane Hume, the deputy opposition leader, said the Reserve Bank “of course” had no choice but to raise interest rates yesterday, laying blame on the Labor government’s spending.
Hume spoke to RN Breakfast this morning, touting the Coalition’s proposed petrol price “shield” to cut the fuel excise at a certain threshold. But she added:
The real issue here is whether your economy is resilient enough to be able to handle those international shocks. My concern here is that this particular rate rise, which we know has taken the cash rates to its highest level in 15 years, has demonstrated that Jim Chalmers has been found out as the emperor, he has no clothes. …
He has been unable to control the domestic factors using the fiscal levers. That means that Michelle Bullock, as the independent governor of the Reserve Bank, has had to pull the monetary policy levers that much harder.
Hume said there was “so much more” the government could do, claiming Labor had “frittered away” windfall gains and spent them, adding to inflation.
Then we wonder why there’s domestic strains, domestic capacity issues. That’s what Michelle Bullock is referring to. She’s too polite to point the finger directly, but there is no way that she should take the blame for having to raise.
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