The Australian Medical Association (AMA) welcomes the commitment made by the federal government of an additional $8.5 billion in funding for Medicare and general practice, which follows years of campaigning by the AMA on the need to urgently invest in Australia’s primary care system.AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said general practitioners are the cornerstone of Australia’s healthcare system and equitable access to affordable GP care is essential.”This is the second significant package of funding for general practice from the government and follows a $5.7 billion investment in 2023 to support patients and address growing concerns over the viability of many general practices,” Dr McMullen said.“Through our Modernise Medicare campaign, we have highlighted the neglect of Medicare, which included years of frozen and inadequate indexation by successive governments,” Dr McMullen said.“In 2023, our analysis of the impact of that freeze and years of inadequate indexation found close to $4 billion had been stripped from general practice, and it would be further compounded without reform and investment. The neglect of Medicare by successive governments means the patient rebate no longer bears any relationship to the actual cost of providing high-quality services to patients.”Dr McMullen said the government had taken the AMA’s calls for more investment in general practice very seriously; however, more work was still needed to address issues relating to the growing complexity of general practice care.“This funding package will help address affordability issues for many vulnerable and disadvantaged Australians who do not currently qualify for bulk billing incentives. But greater support for patients with more complex needs can’t afford to be ignored.“We need a rethink of Medicare rebates to ensure today’s patients who have increasingly complex needs get the care they require. Today’s patients have more chronic disease, more mental illness, and our population is aging. Australians need more time with their GP, but the structure of Medicare encourages shorter consultations, meaning many patients face out-of-pocket costs."The AMA has proposed a generational reform to Medicare that would introduce a new seven-tier general practice consultation item structure that is fit-for-purpose and designed to meet the challenges of the growing burden of complex and chronic disease.“While bulk billing incentives will now be available for all patients, it is important for the public to understand that general practices will still need to set their fees based on an assessment of the costs they face in running a modern medical practice.”Dr McMullen welcomed funding to grow Australia’s GP training places to 2000 by 2028.“Only recently, in our 2025–26 budget submission, we highlighted the need for additional training places to address an impending and disastrous shortfall in GP numbers, with our 2022 report showing Australia is facing a shortage of more than 10,600 GPs by 2031.“The government has also responded to AMA calls for funding for additional training rotations in general practice for early career doctors and funding to improve and equalise employment conditions for GP doctors-in-training. This will make a significant difference to attracting more doctors into general practice, helping to improve accessibility.“The government announcement today is important. As we approach an election campaign, we look forward to hearing from the Coalition which has yet to articulate its policies for improving access to general practice.”

The Federal Government will provide tax relief for Australia’s distillers, brewers and wine producers. Currently brewers and distillers get a full refund of any excise paid up to $350,000 each year. The Government will increase the excise remission cap to $400,000 for all eligible alcohol manufacturers. The Government will also increase the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) producer rebate to $400,000. Adjusting the taxation arrangements will back an important local industry as well as supporting regional tourism, investment and job creation. Currently, around 1,500 brewers and distillers and 3,000 wine producers access these tax incentives. The proposal will apply from 1 July 2026. In addition to the tax relief, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) will be providing Australian distillers, brewers and wine producers with additional support to help them grow their exports in high priority overseas markets. This support includes the opportunity to join in trade missions, expert advice and connections to help our small and medium-size exporters tap into fast-growing markets, including in Southeast Asia and beyond. The tax relief is estimated to decrease tax receipts by $70 million over five years from 2024-25. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “To build Australia’s future, we need strong small and medium-sized businesses generating jobs and economic opportunity for Australians. “This common sense measure will back thriving local industries and open the way for growth.” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said, "We're pleased to have found room in a tight budget to provide some tax relief for a really important industry creating jobs and opportunities around Australia. "Brewers, distillers and winemakers play a large role in many local economies and this support will help them invest and grow." Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell said, “Supporting small distillery, brewing and wine businesses is not just about producing exceptional products – it's about creating jobs, fostering local economies, and building a better Australia. “By boosting our export support for these businesses, we are helping fast-track their success in international markets which will create even more jobs at home.”

The NSW Government has passed three new bills to ensure the community is protected from racial hatred, offensive Nazi symbols, and desecration and harassment at places of worship.The Government’s package of legislation was developed in response to a series of unacceptable antisemitic attacks that caused community division and fear.The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Racial and Religious Hatred) Bill 2025, Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025, and Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025 all passed the Parliament overnight.The legislation will create new offences and provide for tougher penalties for existing charges.It will soon be a crime to:Intentionally block, impede or hinder a person from accessing or leaving, or attempting to access or leave, a place of worship without a reasonable excuse.Harass, intimidate or threaten a person accessing or leaving, or attempting to access or leave, a place of worship.Such conduct is punishable by a fine of $22,000 or two years imprisonment, or both.It will also be a crime to intentionally and publicly incite hatred towards another person, or group of people, on the grounds of race – with an exception for directly referencing religious texts during religious teachings or discussions.The incitement of racial hatred will attract a maximum penalty for an individual of two years imprisonment, fines of up to $11,000, or both, while corporations can face fines of $55,000.Our legislation also:Clarifies that graffiti is a “public act” for the purposes of the offences of threatening or inciting violence and displaying Nazi symbols;Provides for tougher sentencing for displaying by public act a Nazi symbol on or near a synagogue, the Sydney Jewish Museum or a Jewish school; andAggravates sentences when a person’s conduct is partially or wholly driven by hate.The laws send a clear message that we take racial hatred and antisemitism seriously, and we are prepared to act quickly and decisively to protect the community.NSW Premier Chris Minns said, “The Government has acted quickly in response to disgusting acts we have seen in our state.“Our package of legislation is a strong response to recent antisemitism, but it will also protect people of all races.”Attorney General Michael Daley said, “This package of legislation will protect members of our community in a variety of ways.“When we drafted these laws, we were mindful of preserving protest rights and freedom of political expression while also ensuring adequate community protection.“In today’s environment, this legislation sends a strong message that hatred will not be tolerated.”

The Australian Medical Association today called for the establishment of an independent national health workforce planning agency to ensure Australia’s medical workforce is distributed where it’s needed, improving access to healthcare for all Australians.  AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said building a sustainable medical workforce was essential to future-proofing Australia’s healthcare system.  “There are many regions across Australia where access to healthcare remains a challenge due to the maldistribution and shortages,” Dr McMullen said.  “This leads to Australians facing prolonged wait times for appointments, delayed diagnosis and a backlog of care, which adds up to substandard patient health outcomes.”  Dr McMullen said health workforce planning stalled when Health Workforce Australia was abolished in 2014, and the Department of Health and Aged Care had too many competing priorities to properly tackle the issue. “The impact of the loss of this agency can be seen in the workforce issues we are facing now. Thorough, evidence-based planning, coordination and policy advice is needed on workforce to ensure the healthcare needs of Australians can be met in the future.” The AMA's pre-budget submission on Australia’s healthcare workforce provides costed solutions to current workforce shortages, which are leading to more Australians struggling to receive timely care. The submission proposes a $182.6 million commitment to create an independent workforce planning agency. This aligns with the recommendations of the 2021–2031 National Medical Workforce Strategy that calls for a joint medical workforce planning and advisory body with sufficient authority and expertise to advise and make recommendations on the size and structure of the medical workforce. AMA Council of Doctors in Training Chair Dr Sanjay Hettige said Australia is faced with a situation where no-one knows how many medical students are needed to meet future community need.  “Policy development is happening in a vacuum, and we are seeing a growing number of doctors in training unable to access a specialty training place,” Dr Hettige said. “A national health workforce planning agency would ensure Australia has a health workforce with the right skills, in the right locations, to meet future community needs and demand.”  Dr McMullen said the release last year of a Department of Health and Aged Care workforce study into general practice, which confirmed the results of an earlier AMA’s analysis showing that Australia faces significant GP workforce shortages, means there is now a much more informed discussion about GP workforce numbers taking place. Read the AMA’s pre-budget submission.

From tailored Netflix recommendations to personalised Facebook feeds, artificial intelligence (AI) adeptly serves content that matches our preferences and past behaviours. But while a restaurant tip or two is handy, how comfortable would you be if AI-algorithms were in charge of your medical expert or new hire?Now, a new study from the University of South Australia shows that most people are more likely to trust AI in situations where the stakes are low, such as music suggestions, but less likely to trust AI in high-stakes situations, such as medical decisions. However, those with poor statistical literacy or little familiarity with AI were just as likely to trust algorithms for trivial choices as they were for critical decisions. Assessing responses from nearly 2000 participants across 20 countries, researchers found that statistical literacy affects trust differently. People who understand that AI-algorithms work through pattern-based predictions (but also have risks and biases) were more sceptical of AI in high-stakes situations, but less so in low-stakes situations. They also found that older people and men were generally more cautious of algorithms, as were people in highly industrialised nations like Japan, the US, and the UK. Understanding how and when people trust AI-algorithms is essential, particularly as society continues to introduce and adopt machine-learning technologies. AI adoption rates have increased dramatically with 72% of organisations now using AI in their business. Lead author and human and artificial cognition expert, Dr Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos, says the speed at which smart technologies are being used to outsource decisions is outpacing our understanding to successfully integrate them into society. “Algorithms are becoming increasingly influential in our lives, impacting everything from minor choices about music or food, to major decisions about finances, healthcare, and even justice,” Dr Marmolejo-Ramos says. “But the use of algorithms to help make decisions implies that there should be some confidence in their reliability. That’s why it’s so important to understand what influences people’s trust in algorithmic decision-making. “Our research found that in low-stakes scenarios, such as restaurant recommendations or music selection, people with higher levels of statistical literacy were more likely to trust algorithms. “Yet, when the stakes were high, for things like health or employment, the opposite was true; those with better statistical understanding were less likely to place their faith in algorithms.” UniSA’s Dr Florence Gabriel says there should be a concentrated effort to promote statistical and AI literacy among the general population so that people can better judge when to trust algorithmic decisions. “An AI-generated algorithm is only as good as the data and coding that it’s based on,” Dr Gabriel says. “We only need to look at the recent banning of DeepSeek to grasp how algorithms can produce biased or risky data depending on the content that it was built upon. “On the flip side, when an algorithm has been developed through a trusted and transparent source, such as the custom-build EdChat chatbot for South Australian schools, it’s more easily trusted. “Learning these distinctions is important. People need to know more about how algorithms work, and we need to find ways to deliver this in clear, simple ways that are relevant to the user’s needs and concerns. “People care about what the algorithm does and how it affects them. We need clear, jargon-free explanations that align with the user’s concerns and context. That way we can help people to responsibly engage with AI.”

The Minns Labor Government’s Low and Mid-Rise policy is set to deliver 112,000 homes across New South Wales over the next five years as the next stage of the policy comes into effect.The new reforms change planning controls within 800 metres, or 10-minute walk, around 171 town centres and stations to allow dual-occupancies, terraces, townhouses and residential flat buildings across metropolitan Sydney, the Central Coast, Illawarra-Shoalhaven and Hunter regions.Without these changes, New South Wales risks becoming a state without a future because it’s simply too expensive to put a roof over your head.The Low and Mid-Rise housing policy will reintroduce housing choice and diversity back into our communities, filling the “missing middle” between high-rise apartments and greenfield development.Terraces, townhouses and residential flat buildings have a long history in NSW urban planning, but over recent decades have effectively been banned across local government areas.Currently, only two of 33 councils in Greater Sydney allow terraces and townhouses in low-density (R2) zones, and residential flat buildings are prohibited in 60 per cent of all medium-density (R3) zones.The NSW Government’s changes will remove the restriction on developing terraces, townhouses and low-rise residential flat buildings on R1 and R2 zoned land, while also removing the restriction on delivering medium rise residential flat buildings on R3 and R4 zoned land in these areas.These changes still allow councils to assess important development conditions including parking, light access and minimum frontages.Allowing these housing types to be permissible again will boost housing supply around transport and town centres, improve affordability, maintain the character of an area and build better communities.Sites were selected considering the following criteria:·       Access to goods and services in the area·       Public transport frequencies and travel times·       Critical infrastructure capacity hazards and constraints·       Local housing targets and rebalancing growthThese planning reforms will further enable the rollout of the NSW Pattern Book, so those families, young people and downsizers who select these architecturally designed low and mid-rise designs will be able to build them in areas now zoned for low and mid-rise housing.The Low and Mid-Rise policy has been consulted on extensively, with the NSW Government publicly exhibiting the policy and carefully considering feedback from councils, town planners, architects, developers, Government agencies, and community groups.Due to the extent of bushfire and flood hazards, the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Wollondilly Local Government Areas have been excluded from stage 2 of the reforms.Similar to the Transport Oriented Development sites, the planning controls will apply in heritage conservation areas with council assessment and approval, however not on heritage items.This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with a greater choice of homes, so young people, families and workers have somewhere to live in the communities they choose.The policy will come into effect on 28 February 2025.For more information, visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/low-and-mid-rise-housing-policyPremier of New South Wales said, “These types of homes have played a really important part in delivering homes over the last century but recently councils have effectively banned them, this reform changes that. “Housing is the single largest cost of living pressure people are facing and these changes will deliver more homes for young people, families and workers.“The homes built under these reforms will be close to transport, open spaces and services that people need, creating better connected and more liveable neighbourhoods by making the most of existing critical infrastructure.”Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said, “This policy fills a gap in new housing supply. Allowing low and mid-rise housing in more locations will help increase the number of homes in our state, improve affordability for renters and buyers and give people a choice on the type of home they want to live in.“Housing choice and diversity is at the heart of the Minns Government’s planning reforms – a choice of where they want to live, what kind of home they want to live in and when they want to make that move. “There has been increasing demand for well-located, medium-density housing. These reforms build on the reforms introduced on 1 July 2024, which allowed dual occupancies and semi-detached homes to be built on nearly all low-rise residentially zoned land in NSW.“This will unlock the huge potential of the NSW Pattern Book, with the new patterns being allowed in the areas where these planning controls apply. Those that use the Pattern Book will be able to build in these areas and gain access to a fast-tracked planning approval.”

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 per cent in January, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).Bjorn Jarvis, ABS head of labour statistics, said: “With employment rising by 44,000 people and the number of unemployed increasing by 23,000 people, the unemployment rate rose to 4.1 per cent.“The rises in both the number of people employed and unemployed saw the participation rate rise by 0.1 percentage point, to a new record high of 67.3 per cent. This was 0.8 percentage points higher than a year ago and 1.8 percentage points higher than March 2020.“The number of employed people grew by 0.3 per cent in January 2025, the same pace as the average monthly rise in 2024, but higher than the average monthly population growth of 0.2 per cent during 2024.“Most of the rise in both employment and unemployment in January reflected rises for women, with female employment rising by 44,000 and unemployment by 24,000. In contrast, male employment and unemployment both changed by less than 1,000 people.” Some of the increase in unemployment reflected more people than usual with jobs in January who were waiting to start or return to work. More information on this can be found in an article in this release.“As in the past three Januarys, in January 2025 we again saw more people than usual who had a job but were waiting to start or return to work,” Mr Jarvis said. The employment-to-population ratio rose 0.1 percentage point to a new record of 64.6 per cent. This was 0.8 percentage points higher than a year ago and 2.4 percentage points higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. This change was underpinned by an increase in the employment-to-population ratio for women.“With a relatively large increase in female employment in January, their employment-to-population ratio rose 0.3 percentage points, to a record high of 60.8 per cent. This was 0.7 percentage points higher than a year ago and 2.9 percentage points higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.“The rise in the number of unemployed women in January also saw their unemployment rate rise to 4.1 per cent, in line with the unemployment rate for men,” Mr Jarvis said.Hours workedSeasonally adjusted monthly hours worked fell by 0.4 per cent in January 2025. This again reflected a higher than usual number of people working reduced hours in January, but less so than in recent Januarys. This is explored further in an article in this release.“The fall in seasonally adjusted hours worked in January 2025 is the smallest we’ve seen over the past five Januarys, and much more in line with what we have seen in the past, before the pandemic,” Mr Jarvis said.Underemployment and underutilisationThe underemployment rate remained at 6.0 per cent in January 2025. This was 0.7 percentage points lower than January 2024, and 2.7 percentage points lower than March 2020.The underutilisation rate, which combines the unemployment and underemployment rates, rose 0.1 percentage point to 10.1 per cent. This was 3.8 percentage points lower than March 2020. The last time it was around 10 per cent, before the pandemic, was just before the Global Financial Crisis in 2008.Underlying trend dataThe trend unemployment rate remained at 4.0 per cent in January. It has been within a relatively narrow range of 3.9 and 4.1 per cent for the past 12 months.In trend terms, employment grew by around 34,000 people (0.2 per cent), which was at the same rate as the 20-year pre-pandemic average (0.2 per cent).Monthly hours worked grew slightly slower than employment, rising by 0.1 per cent.“The employment-to-population ratio rose marginally to a new record high of 64.5 per cent in January, while the participation rate remained at a record high of 67.2 per cent,” Mr Jarvis said.The underemployment rate remained at 6.0 per cent and the underutilisation rate fell slightly to 10.0 per cent.More information, including regional labour market data, will be available in the upcoming January 2025 issue of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, on Thursday 27 January 2025.The ABS would like to thank Australians for their continued support in responding to our surveys.

The NSW Government has changed the law to make it easier to convict prison staff who have sexual relationships with inmates.Under the change, all sexual relationships between prison staff and inmates will be illegal, with staff facing criminal liability, including a potential prison sentence.The Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 passed the NSW Parliament last night and removes a requirement to prove that a sexual relationship between a member of staff and an inmate poses a risk to the safety and security of the prison.The strengthening of the misconduct offence was recommended by the Special Commission of Inquiry into Offending by Former Officer Wayne Astill at Dillwynia Correctional Centre.The inquiry found multiple failings in the management and culture at Dillwynia Correctional Centre and across the Corrective Services NSW system.The NSW Government accepted all 31 recommendations of the Inquiry, in full or in principle, as a commitment to lifting standards and restoring confidence in our prisons and improving safety for both staff and inmates.The change is one of a number of amendments introduced in the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Amendment Bill 2024 to strengthen processes, enhance transparency, and improve Corrective Services NSW’s operations.The Government is rebuilding trust in the NSW corrective services system through:Installing hundreds of new CCTV cameras and a network-wide capacity to store and access footage for at least 90 days so that serious matters can be reviewed.Establishing a new Sexual Misconduct Reporting Line and new advocacy service to ensure inmates can voice concerns.All uniformed staff at Dillwynia Correctional Centre who work with inmates now have body-worn cameras.Mandatory training for all new Corrective Services staff working in female correctional centres.Corrective Services NSW has been elevated to a stand-alone agency directly accountable to the Minister and the Government.Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong said, “Corrective Services staff engaging in sexual conduct with inmates is utterly unacceptable and a total abuse of authority, which is why it is now a crime in any circumstance.“Such behaviour indicates a deplorable abuse of the staff’s position and a breach of their duty of care to the inmate.“While the majority of our Corrective Services staff do the right thing, for those that don’t, the days of receiving a slap on the wrist are over.“We have provided $30 million for priority reforms so far in response to the Astill Inquiry, including setting up a sexual misconduct line to provide a free and confidential avenue for inmates to report illegal behaviour.“We’ve also increased the number of CCTV cameras in our prisons and boosted our capacity to store and access footage for at least 90 days, to enable serious matters to be reviewed more effectively.” 

The NSW Government is taking steps to bring forward the date of the 2027 NSW State general election by two weeks to 13 March 2027 due to a clash with Easter.The next NSW State general election is due to fall on 27 March 2027, the end of the Government’s four-year term. However, this date coincides with the Easter public holiday weekend (Good Friday, 26 March – Easter Monday, 29 March 2027). To bring forward the election date, the Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) permits the Governor to dissolve the Legislative Assembly up to two months prior to the end of its fixed four-year term if the election would otherwise clash with a public holiday.The proposal to bring forward the polling day by two weeks to avoid an Easter clash is informed by consultation with the Opposition and the NSW Electoral Commission.The Special Minister of State told NSW Parliament today that, subject to finalising consultation, the Government intends to recommend to the Governor, in due course, the making of a proclamation to dissolve the Legislative Assembly early, to achieve a 13 March 2027 election date.Usually, the NSW state election is held on the fourth Saturday in March after a Government has served a four-year term.The 2027 Election is the first time that the election has fallen on the Easter weekend since four-year term parliaments were approved by NSW electors at a referendum in 1995.Special Minister of State John Graham said, “Bringing the NSW election forward two weeks is a commonsense move. With so many people away on holiday, asking voters to get to polling booths over the Easter long weekend would create a logistical challenge for voters, but also a significant operational challenges for the NSW Electoral Commission in conducting the election.“There is no politics in this decision, it is a simple matter of reviewing where dates fall and what is a feasible and legal solution to working around the Easter break and public holiday period.”

The NSW Government will introduce legislation to Parliament today to confront hate speech and antisemitism by establishing a new criminal offence for intentionally inciting racial hatred.The Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025 responds to recent disgusting instances of antisemitic conduct and hate speech, and makes clear that inciting racial hatred has no place in NSW.The legislation will make it a crime to intentionally and publicly incite hatred towards another person, or group of people, on the grounds of race. The bill will establish a new section, 93ZAA of the Crimes Act 1900, with a maximum penalty for an individual of two years’ imprisonment, fines of up to $11,000, or both, while corporations can face fines of $55,000.The proposed offence will contain the following elements:It must be a public act;The public act must incite hatred;The incitement to hatred must be intentional; andThe intentional incitement to hatred must be on the basis of race.To ensure the implied freedom of political communication is protected, the new offences have been drafted to apply to specific conduct.The new section includes an exception for directly referencing religious texts during religious teachings.Criminalising the incitement of racial hatred is the latest measure taken by the NSW Government to respond to acts of racial violence and hatred. Other actions include:Introducing a new offence in the Crimes Act to ensure people of faith can attend their place of worship in safety and provide police with associated move on powers;Introducing a new offence in 93ZA of the Crimes Act directed to the display of a Nazi symbol on or near a synagogue or place of worship, Jewish school or the Sydney Jewish Museum;Amending existing graffiti offences to make it an aggravated offence to graffiti a place of worship; andEnsuring that hatred or prejudice as motive for an offence will be an aggravating factor on sentence regardless of the presence of other motives.The Minns Labor Government also increased funding for the NSW Engagement and Hate Crime Unit, the Safe Places for Faith Communities Grants (led by Multicultural NSW), and the NSW Local Government Social Cohesion Grants Program.This package of measures helps crack down on the recent escalation of troubling graffiti, racial hatred and antisemitism in the community.It also builds on the work of the NSW Police Force, with Operation Shelter conducting more than 300 proactive patrols daily, while Strike Force Pearl has doubled its fulltime dedicated detectives from 20 to 40.With these reforms, the NSW Government is sending a clear message about how seriously it takes racial hatred and antisemitism.Premier of NSW Chris Minns said, "Racial hatred and antisemitism have no place in our society, and we are making it clear with this law."These are strong new laws because this disgraceful behaviour must stop."NSW is a multicultural state. The people of NSW already stand against racial hatred, and we are making it criminal with this law."While this package confronts recent antisemitism, the new laws will apply to anyone, preying on any person.”Attorney General Michael Daley said, “Racial hatred is unacceptable – and under this new legislation, it will be a crime to publicly and intentionally incite racial hatred.“It is important for members of our community to be protected from conduct that causes them to fear for their safety, or to fear harassment, intimidation or violence.”

The Reserve Bank of Australia delivered long-awaited financial relief to mortgage holders, cutting interest rates for the first time in more than four years.The widely expected move to lower the official cash rate target by 25 basis points to 4.1 per cent on Tuesday was immediately followed by lenders vowing to pass the decrease on in full.The cut marks the start of a much-anticipated monetary easing cycle following 13 rate rises since May 2022, which left interest rates at their highest level in 15 years.(The Reserve Bank's highly anticipated decision will provide relief for the nation's homeowners. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)In its post-meeting statement, the board struck a hawkish tone, which will bolster economists' expectations of a shallow easing cycle."Some recent labour market data have been unexpectedly strong, suggesting that the labour market may be somewhat tighter than previously thought," it said."While today's policy decision recognises the welcome progress on inflation, the Board remains cautious on prospects for further policy easing."The rates market had priced in a 90 per cent chance of a cut ahead of the meeting, following a softer-than-expected underlying inflation print for the December quarter.But economists were less certain. Of the 32 economists polled by AAP, 22 per cent expected a hold.Sean Langcake, head of macroeconomic forecasting for Oxford Economics Australia, expected the bank to tread lightly from here on, delivering only two more cuts in 2025."This is an unusual economic environment for the RBA to be cutting rates in," he said."The labour market is beyond capacity, services inflation is running above 4 per cent, and momentum in consumer spending is improving."But the weaker-than-expected Q4 CPI print was enough to outweigh these factors and spur the RBA to cut."Mortgage holders have been struggling to keep up with high interest rates, with mortgage arrears rising steadily from the record low of one per cent in mid-2022.If lenders pass the cut on in full, borrowers with an average home loan of $641,416 can expect to save over $100 per month, according to financial comparison site Finder.The big four banks - Westpac, ANZ, NAB and the Commonwealth Bank immediately announced they would be passing on the rate cuts in full to variable rate home loans, effective February 28.Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the rate cut was very welcome news for millions of Australians."This is the rate relief Australians need and deserve," he said.(Jim Chalmers says it's the rate relief "Australians need and deserve" but there's more work to do. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)"It won't solve every problem in our economy or in household budgets but it will help."This is the soft landing we have been planning for and preparing for but we know there's more work to do."The RBA in its Statement on Monetary Policy, released alongside its rate decision, said it had underestimated how tight the jobs market would be.As a result, it expected underlying inflation to remain above the midpoint of its two to three per cent target range for longer than expected.

For the first time since 2017, there has been an annual increase in the proportion of students staying at school from Year 7/8 until Year 12. The proportion rose from 79.1 per cent in 2023 to 79.9 per cent in 2024, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).Growing even more was the proportion of students staying at school from year 10 until year 12, up 1.2 percentage points to 79.9 per cent between 2023 and 2024.The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students staying at school from Year 7/8 to Year 12 increased from 55.9 per cent in 2023 to 56.7 per cent in 2024 (0.8 percentage points). Cassandra Elliott, ABS head of education statistics, said: “The overall growth in the proportion of students staying from year 10 until year 12 was largely driven by students at government schools, which was up 1.3 percentage points to 74.3 per cent in 2024. This compared to a 0.9 percentage point rise to 88.1 per cent for students at non-government schools.”Rise in full-time equivalent teachers improves student-to-teacher ratiosAustralian schools had 320,377 full-time equivalent teaching staff in 2024, a 2.8% rise from 2023.“With a rise in the number of teaching staff, the average student-to-teacher ratio across Australian schools fell to a new low since 2006 of 12.9 students to one teacher,” Ms Elliott said. “Independent schools had the lowest student-to-teacher ratios with 11.7 students to one teacher. Meanwhile, government and Catholic schools had 13.1 and 13.3 students to one teacher respectively.” 4.1 million students enrolled in schoolTotal school enrolments reached over 4.1 million across 9,653 schools in 2024, a rise of 1.1 per cent since 2023. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school student enrolments continued to grow, up 3.7 per cent from the previous year. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students now make up 6.6 per cent of all school students. 

Nine road trips have been equipped with strategically located charging stations allowing drivers of electric vehicles to experience the best of NSW, free of range anxiety.These curated routes take EV drivers through some of NSW’s most popular destinations, from pristine beaches and rugged mountain ranges to national parks and charming regional towns.To make EV travel easier for NSW drivers, EV charging stations are strategically located along each route, ensuring seamless recharging and eliminating any concerns about range anxiety.There are at least two fast-charging plugs and one destination charging plug per 100km. On average, modern EVs can now typically travel 400km on a single charge.Each route varies in length and highlights a mix of unique local attractions with something for everyone, including unique regional towns, gourmet food and cultural experiences.The nine EV-friendly road trips are on the Visit NSW website www.visitnsw.com/evroadtrips:Central Coast and Hunter Valley – a U-shaped 257km trip from Newcastle to Maitland Grand Pacific Drive – a 200km journey along the coastline from Sydney to Jervis Bay Greater Blue Mountains Drive – a 283km round trip from Sydney to the Blue MountainsSouthern Highlands to the South Coast – a 210km journey through the highlands and coastKosciuszko Alpine Way – a 171km drive through the Snowy MountainsSouthern Tablelands – a 100km trip taking in Goulburn and surroundsClassic Country – a 422km drive through the Southern and Riverina Murray tourism regionsLegendary Pacific Coast – an 819km, multi-day journey along the Pacific HighwaySydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive – a 406km trip through Australia’s southeastern cornerEach road trip has its own webpage which breaks the itinerary into stages and shows not just the EV charging options, but also the tourist attractions available along the route.The Minns Labor Government is investing $199 million to support the installation of thousands of publicly-available EV charge ports across NSW. This includes ultra-fast charging stations, destination and kerbside chargers. The NSW Government has awarded funding for more than 3,000 charge ports at more than 1,100 sites, with many more to come.These chargers give EV drivers confidence to travel to regional areas and give people living in the regions the freedom to choose an EV as their next vehicle.The EV Council awarded NSW 10/10 for the rollout of public charging infrastructure in its 2024 State of EVs report.Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe said, “We are committed to making the state a leader in electric vehicle adoption and sustainable tourism.“Driving electric is not only better for the environment, but it’s also the most budget-friendly way to hit the road. Lower running costs means EVs offer significant savings for drivers.”Minister for Roads and Tourism, John Graham, said, “NSW offers world-class road trips along magnificent coastlines, beautiful countryside and stunning alpine ranges. These new EV chargers will mean all drivers can enjoy these epic journeys.   “The installation of EV chargers across regional NSW ensures our regional visitor economies can attract the growing number of EV drivers.”

The public is invited to have its say on two new schemes that fulfill election commitments and build on the NSW Government’s delivery of gaming reforms to address gambling harm and money laundering while supporting a thriving hospitality industry.From today, the community can give feedback on consultation papers for a proposed third-party exclusion scheme and proposed mandatory facial recognition technology to support a statewide exclusion register for NSW hotels and clubs with gaming machines.  Facial recognition technology will support gambling harm minimisation by removing the guesswork of staff identifying excluded patrons, often in crowded venues. There would still need to be human interaction to verify the match made by the system. Currently, the list of excluded patrons and images that venue staff need to memorise can be difficult to manage.The Government is building strict parameters into the reforms to protect people’s privacy to ensure hotels and clubs can only use facial recognition for the purpose of identifying excluded patrons. Venues will be prohibited from using the technology for customer tracking, surveillance and marketing purposes.The Government is also delivering on its election commitment to introduce a third-party exclusion scheme that would allow family, friends and venues to apply to ban someone experiencing significant gambling harm.Research estimates that more than a million Australians experienced harm in the past year because of another person’s gambling.It is proposed the minimum period for an exclusion order would be 12 months, with a maximum period of two or three years, with a temporary exclusion of 21 days while an application is considered.In addition to the consultation papers, the Government has also developed a draft facial recognition Code of Practice that gives pubs and clubs already operating the technology guidelines to support identification of self-excluded patrons.The code has been developed over several rounds of consultation with government, industry and community stakeholders, including cyber security and privacy experts.The Independent Panel for Gaming Reform provided advice on considerations for third-party exclusion and facial recognition technology in its Roadmap Report. The issues raised in this advice were incorporated in both discussion papers.   These measures are the latest in a suite of reforms introduced by the NSW Government to reduce gambling harm, delivering more in 22 months than the previous government did in 12 years, including:reducing the cash input limit from $5,000 to $500 for all new gaming machines;reducing the state-wide cap on gaming machine entitlements by approximately 3,000;banning political donations from clubs with electronic gaming machines;banning external gaming-related signage, and internal gaming-related signage that can be seen from outside the venue;requiring that venues with more than 20 gaming machine entitlements have a Responsible Gambling Officer on duty while poker machines are in operation;mandating that venues keep an updated Gaming Plan of Management and a Gaming Incident Register;banning the placement of any signage or advertising relating to gaming machines either on, or visible from an ATM or EFTPOS terminal with cash withdrawal facilities;announcing a ban on gaming advertising from public transport; andestablishing the Independent Panel for Gaming Reform and commissioning its roadmap report, which the Government is considering.The Third-Party Exclusion Consultation Paper is available here: https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/third-party-exclusion-pubs-and-clubs and Facial Recognition Technology in Pubs and Clubs Consultation Paper is available here:  https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/facial-recognition-technology. The consultation period will close on 14 March 2025.Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said, "The Minns Labor Government is committed to addressing gambling harm through evidence-based policy and it’s important that we get the balance right. “Third-party exclusions are designed to help those experiencing gambling harm and their loved ones when other avenues to seek help may have failed.“It recognises the physical, psychological, emotional and financial flow-on effects of gambling on a person’s family and friends.“This is complex reform which is why we are seeking feedback on a range of issues.“Facial recognition will also be an important harm-minimisation tool by providing another way to identify excluded patrons in crowded venue environments, which can often be challenging for venue staff.“I encourage everyone to have their say on these important harm-minimisation measures.”

The NSW Government has announced the Energy Security Corporation's first Investment Mandate, which outlines how the corporation will co-invest with the private sector in renewable energy projects for our state. The Energy Security Corporation is seeded with $1 billion to help build a more reliable energy system. It will work with the private sector to plug investment gaps in the market, ensuring NSW homes and businesses can enjoy the benefits of renewable energy. The key priorities for investment include short to long-duration storage projects that capture excess renewable energy, to maximise use of electricity generated from solar and wind.It will also cover projects that will upgrade infrastructure to ensure smooth operation of the grid coordinate and consumer energy resources in households, businesses and the community (such as virtual power plants).The Investment Mandate is a key milestone in establishing the Energy Security Corporation, allowing it to begin investigating investment opportunities throughout NSW.Mr Paul Peters has been appointed as interim Chief Executive Officer to kick-off the Energy Security Corporation’s activities. Mr Peters brings significant experience in investment and financing, as well as developing energy and infrastructure assets and industrial decarbonisation projects.The NSW Government will shortly appoint the inaugural Board.Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said, “NSW will invest $1 billion in critical projects to deliver more affordable, clean and reliable energy to homes and businesses across the state.“After a decade of privatisation, the Energy Security Corporation gives the people of NSW the chance to invest in their energy system.“I congratulate Mr Peters on his appointment, and I am looking forward to the Energy Security Corporation supporting projects throughout NSW.”Further information:The Energy Security Corporation will co-invest with the private sector on energy storage projects such as:Large-scale batteriesLarge-scale batteries store surplus energy generated by renewable sources like wind and solar, and release it when renewable generation is low or when demand for energy peaks.Community batteriesA community battery is a shared battery installed in a central location within a neighbourhood that can store excess solar energy generated from homes in a community.The stored energy can then be shared with other homes in the community when demand is high, like in the evening or when its cloudy.Pumped hydroHydro energy uses the force of moving water to create electricity. Hydro energy is capable of rapidly providing power on-demand, to supply electricity to consumers when it is needed.Virtual Power Plant (VPP)A Virtual Power Plant is a network that can connect your rooftop solar and battery to other participating homes and coordinate them, allowing them to work together.This means that if there’s a shortage of energy supply in the grid, the virtual power plant can draw on the collective energy to fill the gap. This can earn participating homes a profit from their excess energy.Many small projects, when connected and coordinated, can be as impactful as a whole power station.

Australian researchers are designing a global real-time monitoring system to help save the world’s coral reefs from further decline, primarily due to bleaching caused by global warming.Coral reefs worldwide are dying at an alarming rate, with 75% of reefs experiencing bleaching-level heat stress in the past two years. The World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef (GBR), considered the jewel in the crown of coral reefs worldwide and one of Australia’s most significant ecological and tourism assets, has been decimated by severe bleaching events since 2016, exacerbated by ongoing crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and coastal development. A collaborative project led by the University of South Australia (UniSA), with input from Queensland and Victorian researchers, is integrating remote sensing technologies with machine learning, artificial intelligence and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to monitor and hopefully stall the damage to the world’s most fragile marine ecosystems. A multimodal platform will distil all research data relating to coral reefs, including underwater videos and photographs, satellite images, text files and time-sensor readings, onto a central dashboard for real-time global monitoring. UniSA data analyst and lead researcher Dr Abdullahi Chowdhury says that a single centralised model will integrate all factors affecting coral reefs and provide environmental scientists with real-time predictions. “At the moment we have separate models that analyse substantial data on reef health – including bleaching levels, disease incidence, juvenile coral density and reef fish abundance – but these data sets are not integrated, and they exist in silos,” Dr Chowdhury says. “Consequently, it is challenging to see the ‘big picture’ of reef health or to conduct large scale, real-time analyses.” The researchers say an integrated system will track bleaching severity and trends over time; monitor crown-of-thorns starfish populations and predation risks; detect disease outbreaks and juvenile coral levels; and assess reef fish abundance, diversity, length, and biomass. “By centralising all this data in real time, we can generate predictive models that will help conservation efforts, enabling earlier intervention,” according to Central Queensland University PhD candidate Musfera Jahan, a GIS data expert. “Our coral reefs are dying very fast due to climate change – not just in Australia but across the world – so we need to take serious action pretty quickly,” Ms Jahan says. Coral reefs are often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea”. They make up just 1% of the world’s ocean area but they host 25% of all marine life. The technology will bring together datasets from organisations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) and Australia’s CSIRO. “The future of coral reef conservation lies at the intersection of technology and collaboration. This research provides a roadmap for harnessing these technologies to ensure the survival of coral reefs for generations to come,” the researchers say. The study has been published in the journal Electronics.  A video accompanying this release is available at: How can we save our coral reefs from dying?

The NSW Government is committing $3 million to improve health outcomes for patients, carers and families with end-of-life and palliative care needs in NSW.The funding for The End of Life and Palliative Care Research Grant Program aims to translate research projects into practical benefits and support collaboration between NSW Health, research institutes, community organisations, non-government organisations and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.Eligible agencies will receive up to $300,000 over three years for smaller-scale research projects and up to $600,000 for larger-scale research activity.Recipients of the funding will conduct research in the following priority areas:Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management for patientsCollaborative care models to improve experienceCulturally and socially inclusive care for Aboriginal, culturally and linguistically diverse, and LGBTIQ+ patients, carers, families and communities Psychosocial support for grief, loss and bereavement for patients, carers, families and communities. The Program will run a competitive application process to identify research projects. Expressions of Interest applications open on 14 February 2025 and will close on 23 March 2025.More information can be found on the NSW Health website here: NSW Health End of Life and Palliative Care Research Grant Program.Minister for Health Ryan Park said, “The Minns Labor Government is committed to improving the comfort and experience of people with life-limiting illnesses during what is an extremely challenging time for patients and their families.“I am proud to announce this initiative, which reaffirms our commitment and aims to translate projects into tangible benefits for people with end of life and palliative care needs in NSW.”Minister for Medical Research David Harris said, “I am pleased our Government is committing funding for research and innovation that is so critical to improving the experiences of palliative care and end of life patients and the community. “I appreciate all the hard work and collaboration efforts to implement this fantastic initiative.“Importantly, these priority research areas have been informed through extensive consultation with the NSW palliative care sector, including clinicians, policy managers, academics and advocacy groups.”

More support is being provided into North Queensland, with more than $100 million in extraordinary grants now available for flood-affected primary producers, small businesses and not-for-profit agencies across flood-affected areas. The grants are the next round of disaster assistance activated by the Albanese and Crisafulli Governments to support recovery and resilience for North Queensland communities impacted by recent flooding.The package activated today includes:$72.7 million grants package for flood-affected primary producers in North Queensland.$25 million grants package for small businesses and not-for-profit agencies impacted by the North Queensland floods.$2.4 million Rural Landholder Grants for owners or lessees of at least 10 hectares of flood-affected land.$1 million Emergency Fodder Support for eligible primary producers.Grants of up to $25,000 are available to flood-affected primary producers, small businesses and not-for-profit agencies impacted by the North Queensland floods.In addition, grants of up to $10,000 are available to rural landholders or lessees of at least 10 hectares who sustained direct damage but are not eligible for other DRFA primary producer assistance.This assistance is available to eligible applicants in the local government areas of Burdekin, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Hinchinbrook, Palm Island, Townsville and Yarrabah.Primary producers in the Burdekin, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Charters Towers, Flinders, Hinchinbrook, Palm Island, Townsville and Yarrabah local government areas will have access to an Emergency Fodder Support Package with up to $1 million available for the purchase and transportation of fodder to sustain livestock and mitigate the impacts of flooding.These extraordinary assistance grants are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under Category C and D of the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).For grant applications, contact QRIDA on 1800 623 946 or via www.qrida.qld.gov.au.Primary producers wishing to access the Emergency Fodder Support Package should contact the Department of Primary industries on 13 25 23.More on DRFA assistance is available at www.disasterassist.gov.au or www.qra.qld.gov.au.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “These are tough times, but North Queenslanders are tougher. “My Government is making sure we’re providing whatever resources are required, right now and into the future as these communities recover.”Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said, “Our focus is getting North Queensland back on its feet – fast.“We’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those affected by the disaster to ensure they can recover quickly and come back stronger than ever.”Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Small Business Julie Collins said, “These grants will help reduce clean up and recovery costs for North Queensland small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations who were impacted by recent flooding.  Grants like this can make all the difference in helping to ensure impacted North Queensland farmers and small businesses can get back on their feet faster.  “Farmers and small businesses are at the heart of local communities so this funding is critical.” Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said, “Farmers, businesses and not-for-profit organisations are central to the North Queensland community, and we know that heavy rainfall and severe flooding has made operations very difficult.“The grants activated today will support businesses and farmers as the region moved to recovery, it will help farmers feed stock, and repair damage. “Recovery can take time. Our government is here for the long haul. The Albanese Government will continue working hand in glove with the Queensland Government to support communities in Far North and North Queensland.”Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said, "Small rural landholders in North Queensland would not be left to fend for themselves on the road to recovery.“Rural Landholders that have suffered direct damage from the event can also access grants of up to $10,000 to speed up their recovery,” Queensland Minister for Regional and Rural Development Dale Last said, "The Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority is well prepared, with staff on the ground ready to assist.“These grants are being administered by QRIDA who have dedicated people ready to speak to primary producers, small businesses, not for profits and rural landholders about their applications and provide help where needed.”

With red roses and flowers being delivered by florists in the tens of thousands on Valentine's Day tomorrow, Australia Post has revealed its top ten picks for the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts this year.Based on 2024 delivery data1, wine deliveries saw the largest increase in the lead up to V-Day, with some cellar doors seeing a spike of up to 7000%, with Australians predicted to wine, not dine, their loved ones this year - or drown their single sorrows.  Along with enjoying a nice glass of vino, Australia Post predicts the top ten picks for the most loved-up V-Day gifts this year will be:  Wine Fashion clothing Lingerie Skincare Romantic novels Craft sets Health and wellbeingJewellery Music Hampers  Over 10 million parcels are expected to be delivered nationally in the two weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day this year. However, for a lucky few, their love will burn extra hot when they receive a firefighter calendar following last year’s delivery boom for these products, with a surge of over 500%. Where is the love? Across Australia, only one state can claim the title of the country’s love capital, and this year Cupid’s arrow is expected to hit the Northern Territory, taking the crown as the most romantic state according to last year’s data. Inspired by their deep red deserts and pink sunsets, Territorians were left swooning on Valentine’s Day as parcel deliveries spiked by 25% in the two weeks prior.  Tasmania and Queensland came in second and third place for most romantic states, seeing an 8% and 7% increase respectively.  Meanwhile, over in Western Australia, couples will have a lot of making up to do this year as the least loved up state saw an unusual 2% decrease in parcel deliveries in the lead up to Valentine’s Day last year, leaving many lovers out in the cold.   Australia Post Executive General Manager Parcel, Post and eCommerce Services Gary Starr said the nation’s love for Valentine’s Day continues to reach new, thoughtful heights.  “This is one of our favourite dates in the calendar at Australia Post, and we are expecting another busy delivery period in the lead up to Valentine’s Day.  “We love how Valentine’s Day gifts continue to evolve as customer habits shift, and that romantics might be more inclined to share a glass of wine with their loved one this year, or surprise them with their favourite romantic novel.  “For gifts that require an element of surprise, we remind customers to consider directing gifts to their nearest Parcel Locker,” he said.  Most loved-up states – full list:  NT – 26% increase in parcel deliveries in the two weeks to Valentine’s Day 2024TAS – 8% increase  SA – 7% increase  QLD – 6% increase  ACT – 5% increase NSW – 4% increase  VIC – 3% increase WA – 2% decrease