Catch up on this week's editions
Australian families now need 50.9% of their income to cover the mortgage each month, smashing past the 30% mark the Bureau of Statistics calls stress.
3.6 million Australian households went without enough food this past year, up 100,000 on the year before, and almost 7 in 10 of them were new to the problem.
Aldi has dropped mandatory bag checks at self-serve checkouts after nearly 97% of its checkout staff reported being abused or threatened, mostly over those very checks.
THE WEEK'S BIG STORIES
The government has announced a Cash Is King bill to broaden existing cash mandates, lifting the limit to $2,000 and extending compulsory cash acceptance to major retailers and Commonwealth agencies. LINK
David Jones owner Anchorage Capital has entered urgent talks with landlords and suppliers that could see stores close after Christmas. LINK
The Star Entertainment Group was ordered to pay a $260M Federal Court penalty for widespread AML/CTF breaches linked to junket dealings, after AUSTRAC originally sought $400M. LINK
The government has moved to recalibrate its student visa crackdown as new international student commencements at public universities were projected to fall 18% this year, wiping about $2B from revenues. LINK
Woolworths warned at its annual general meeting that many Australians face a "tighter Christmas" as cost-of-living pressures bite, even as quarterly sales rose 4.7% to $19.4B. LINK
Self-represented cases in the Federal Court rose to 861 in the 2026 financial year, up 80% in a year and 150% in two, a surge the court has tied to lawsuits drafted with AI. LINK
At least 68 people are dead after a high-speed train slammed into the back of a stationary train 140km south of Madrid, one of Spain's worst transport disasters. LINK
AUSCORP EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SURVEY 2026
Two jobs can pay the same and feel completely different once you add up the parental leave, the super, the bonus, the WFH days and what your manager is like. We are comparing what Australian companies offer, and we need your help to do it.
It takes about 5 minutes and most of it is already filled in, so you won’t need to dig out your contract. There’s also a section on culture where you can tell us what your workplace is really like. It’s anonymous, and the results go straight back to the community.
STORY OF THE WEEK
Australia’s inflation rate rises to 4.3%, fuelling fears of 5th interest rate hike this year
Petrol prices jumped 9.4% in September and housing costs rose 5.2% over the year as Australia's headline inflation rate accelerated to 4.3%, up from 4.0% in August. The Reserve Bank's preferred measure, the quarterly trimmed mean, rose 1.0% in the 3 months to September, well above the 0.8% the RBA had forecast 3 months ago and taking annual underlying inflation to 3.7%.
Housing was the largest contributor to annual inflation, driven by new dwelling costs up 4.7% as builders passed on higher materials and labour costs, and rising electricity prices. Transport was the second-largest contributor, with automotive fuel prices up 23.6% over the year as world oil prices climbed. Market pricing for another 25-basis-point cash rate increase at the RBA's 3 November meeting surged to 85% after the release, which would lift the cash rate to 4.85%, its highest level since 2011.
ONE MORE SCROLL
Editor’s Pick: Myer just abolished work from home as Victoria tries to legally protect it.
Doctor’s Pick: What to eat for younger-looking skin?
Odd Pick: A British garden packed with 97 deadly plants just won a Guinness World Record.
FLAT WHITE
Why you didn't get that pay rise
NAB is cutting up to 2,500 jobs to save money as more customers fall behind on their loans. The other big banks are doing the same, and together they’ve cut more jobs last year than ever before. Flat White lands every Tuesday. Get it here.
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