At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian businesses are facing increasing pressure from rising costs, higher taxes and expensive energy bills, with calls for stronger government support for local industries. Federal independent MP Dai Le said many long-running family businesses are struggling to survive, with some owners even working without taking a wage to keep their companies operating. She warned that without more support, Australia could become increasingly dependent on imported goods as local manufacturers and retailers continue to close. Businesses are dealing with higher insurance costs, increased supply expenses and rising energy prices. Ms Le said many companies believe their actual cost increases are much higher than official inflation figures suggest. The concerns come as several major retailers collapse or restructure. Shoe retailer Betts has entered administration and announced plans to close 20 stores, while Barbeques Galore, Lincraft and Glue Store have also faced closures or financial difficulties. Ms Le is calling for more government investment in Australian-made products, including a proposal requiring at least 30% of goods used in Commonwealth projects to come from local suppliers. She also criticised the federal government’s $22.7 billion Future Made in Australia plan, arguing that traditional industries such as manufacturing, textiles and footwear need greater support. She said protecting local industries is essential to maintaining jobs, skills and Australia’s manufacturing future. Source : News.com Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. A suspected arson attack has damaged multiple businesses in Melbourne’s inner east, prompting fresh concerns over a series of recent firebombings. Emergency crews responded to a major fire on Victoria Street, Richmond, shortly after 4:15am on Monday. More than 80 firefighters and 30 fire trucks worked to bring the blaze under control after flames spread through at least 10 businesses. Police believe offenders rammed a vehicle into a tobacco shop before setting it alight and fleeing the scene. No injuries have been reported, but nearby properties were also damaged. Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly described the repeated attacks as a serious concern, saying the growing number of firebombings is creating fear among local businesses and residents. The incident is the third suspected firebombing in Richmond within six weeks, following similar attacks on Bridge Road and Swan Street. Authorities closed Victoria Street between Church Street and Hoddle Street, suspended several tram services, and issued a smoke warning for the surrounding area. Victoria Police have established a crime scene and are urging anyone with CCTV, dashcam footage or information to contact investigators. Source : SBS News More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A rare weather event in Tasmania has triggered the icy conditions being felt across south-east Australia this week. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded a mean sea level pressure of 1044.5hPa at Ouse, Tasmania, setting what is expected to be Australia’s highest recorded atmospheric pressure, surpassing the previous record set in 1967. The record was caused by a powerful high-pressure system combining with a deep low-pressure system over the Tasman Sea, creating stable but exceptionally cold conditions. The weather system has brought frosty mornings and chilly temperatures across several states. Melbourne dropped to 3.2°C on Monday and is expected to remain cold throughout the week, while Hobart is forecast to see overnight lows of around 3°C. Canberra is also set for several freezing mornings, with widespread frost expected over the coming days. Some of the coldest temperatures were recorded in Coldstream, Victoria (-2.7°C) and Liawenee, Tasmania (-8.1°C), highlighting the intensity of the cold snap. Source : 9 News Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Tighter bail laws are being introduced in Queensland to crack down on youth crime, after the state government said it was getting “fed up” with repeat offenders being released on bail only to then reoffend. Repeat offenders who commit serious crimes while on bail will be charged under a brand new offence, under the next phase of the Adult Crime, Adult Time plans. The new offence will have a minimum mandatory sentence for these repeat offenders, and will come into effect by the end of 2026, the Crisafulli Government said. Premier David Crisafulli said Breach Bail, Go to Jail for Adult Crime, Adult Time, would continue making Queensland safer, and build on the progress already turning the tide on youth crime. “Breach Bail Go to Jail is the next phase of Adult Crime, Adult Time, which is holding youth offenders accountable for the first time in a long time,” he said. “We’re heading in the right direction and we’ve heard from Queenslanders who are telling us to keep going, and we will with reforms to Labor’s weak bail laws. “If a Court gives a youth criminal bail and they reoffend with a serious crime, that youth criminal will get a minimum mandatory sentence behind bars, under these reforms. “ The new laws mean if you breach bail you will go to jail, the Premier said. “We promised to make Queensland safer and while we know the monumental task this is, we know our Adult Crime, Adult Time plan is working and we’re going to continue rolling out stronger laws to restore safety,” he said. Meanwhile, Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said the changes are much needed, and have been “a decade in the making”. “Labor’s weak laws and fewer police created a Youth Crime Crisis which left Queenslanders in fear and youth offenders walking free,” she said. “Labor cultivated a generation of untouchables and left Queenslanders victim to skyrocketing crime. “We are turning the tide and Adult Crime, Adult Time is making a difference, with victim numbers down 7.2 per cent in the first year, trending down for the first time in a decade. “Overwhelming Queenslanders are telling us our stronger laws are working and they want us to keep going, we are continuing to drive this forward. “Bail is a privilege, not a right and if repeat offenders are breaching it, they should and will go to jail under this next phase of Adult Crime, Adult Time. “In contrast Labor voted against Adult Crime, Adult Time and have already announced they want to wind it back and raise the age of criminal responsibility so youth criminals can’t be held accountable for their heinous crimes.” Source : News.com Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. ශ්‍රී ලංකා රේගු දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව (Sri Lanka Customs Department) විසින් වසරේ පළමු අර්ධ වසර සඳහා නියමිත ආදායම් ඉලක්කය ඉක්මවා රුපියල් බිලියන 1,373.7ක ආදායමක් උපයා ඇති බව රාජ්‍ය ආයතනය නිකුත් කළ නිවේදනයක සඳහන් වේ. මෙම කාලසීමාව සඳහා රේගු දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවට නියම කර තිබූ ආදායම් ඉලක්කය රුපියල් බිලියන 1,060.5ක් වූ අතර, ඒ අනුව ඉලක්කය රුපියල් බිලියන 313කින් ඉක්මවා ඇති බවද වාර්තා වේ. 2026 වසර සඳහා රේගු දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවට පවරා ඇති සමස්ත ආදායම් ඉලක්කය රුපියල් බිලියන 2,206කි. රේගු මාධ්‍ය ප්‍රකාශක සහ ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ අධ්‍යක්ෂ චන්දන පුංචිහේවා මහතා පවසන්නේ, පවතින ප්‍රවණතාව සැලකිල්ලට ගනිමින් පසුගිය වසරේ වාර්තාගත රුපියල් ට්‍රිලියන 2.5ක වාර්ෂික ආදායමද මෙම වසරේදී ඉක්මවා යා හැකි බවට විශ්වාසය පවතින බවයි. ජූලි මාසය සඳහා නියමිත ආදායම් ඉලක්කය රුපියල් බිලියන 192.4ක් වන අතර, මාසයේ පළමු දින දෙක තුළදීම රුපියල් බිලියන 31ක ආදායමක් දැනටමත් උපයාගෙන ඇති බවද ඔහු සඳහන් කළේය. කෙසේ වෙතත්, මෝටර් රථ ආනයන සීමා හේතුවෙන් වාහන අංශයෙන් ලැබෙන ආදායමේ පහළ යාමක් දක්නට ලැබෙන බවද චන්දන පුංචිහේවා මහතා වැඩිදුරටත් ප්‍රකාශ කළේය. Source : The Morning News More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian borrowers may have to wait until 2027 for interest rate relief, according to a new survey of leading economists. The latest Australian Financial Review poll found that more than half of the 32 economists surveyed believe the Reserve Bank’s cash rate has already peaked at 4.35 per cent, making another rate rise less likely. However, most economists do not expect rate cuts any time soon. Almost all respondents said the RBA is likely to keep rates on hold until at least 2027, with many predicting cuts will not begin until the second half of the year. The Reserve Bank left interest rates unchanged at its June meeting, citing slower consumer spending, rising unemployment and a cooling housing market. However, Governor Michele Bullock has made it clear that further rate increases remain an option if inflation stays too high. Economists are also closely watching global developments, including tensions in the Middle East, which could keep inflation elevated and delay any move to lower rates. While ANZ, NAB and Commonwealth Bank believe rates have reached their peak, AMP and Westpac are forecasting up to two more rate hikes, potentially lifting the cash rate to 4.85 per cent by the end of the year. Higher borrowing costs continue to put pressure on Australian households. More than 1.5 million mortgage holders are estimated to be experiencing mortgage stress, while over 65,000 people have already contacted the National Debt Helpline this year, with mortgage repayments remaining the leading concern. Source : 9 News Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Department of Home Affairs has increased visa application fees for most visa categories, with the new charges applying to applications lodged from 1 July 2026. Some of the biggest increases include: Visa Category & Description Subclass Previous Fee (AUD) New Fee (AUD) Increase (AUD) Increase (%) Student and Student Guardian visas 500, 590 $2,000 $2,500 $500 25.0% Skilled Migration visas 189, 190, 491, 494 $4,910 $6,135 $1,225 25.0% Temporary Graduate visa 485 $2,300 $5,750 $3,450 150.0% Partner visas 309, 100, 820, 801 $9,365 $11,710 $2,345 25.0% Employer-sponsored SID visa 482 $3,210 $4,015 $805 25.1% Employer Nomination Scheme visas 186, 187 $4,910 $6,140 $1,230 25.1% The offshore Visitor visa (Subclass 600) application fee has also increased from $200 to $250, while the onshore Visitor visa and Citizenship by Conferral application fees remain unchanged. The updated fees apply only to visa applications submitted on or after 1 July 2026. Source : Visaenvoy Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing El Niño conditions, with weather officials warning that the country could face a mix of extreme weather over the coming months, including reduced rainfall, floods and possible drought. The Department of Meteorology says there is a 63% chance of a strong El Niño and a 33% chance of a weaker event. Officials expect below-average rainfall in August, followed by increased rain during October and November, which could raise the risk of flooding in some areas. Early next year, conditions may turn much drier, with drought likely to affect water supplies, agriculture and other key sectors. The potential impacts of El Niño were discussed at a special government meeting chaired by Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi. The committee, appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is preparing short-, medium- and long-term plans to strengthen food security, water management and energy conservation. Government agencies have been asked to submit action plans within two weeks, while the Department of Meteorology will remain the official source for all public updates on El Niño. Source : Daily Mirror News More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A tropical low near the Solomon Islands could become a rare winter cyclone this weekend, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology. The Bureau says there is a low chance of cyclone formation between late Friday and Monday, with the risk peaking at around 10% from Saturday to Monday before dropping again. Even if the system does not strengthen into a cyclone, it is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Forecasters do not expect any direct impact on mainland Australia. Cyclones in the Australian region are most common between November and April, making any July cyclone highly unusual. Records dating back to 1970 show only four regional cyclones have occurred in July, and some were identified only after later analysis. If this system reaches cyclone strength, it would be among the rarest winter cyclone events recorded in the region. Source : 9 News Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australian footwear retailer Betts has entered administration and will shut more than half of its stores as it shifts toward an online-first model. The company, founded in Western Australia over 130 years ago, currently operates 35 stores nationwide. Around 20 stores will close, including major locations across SA, NT, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and WA. At its peak, Betts had more than 200 stores across Australia, making it a familiar name in shopping centres nationwide, including flagship sites in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Administrator Pitcher Partners said weak retail conditions and falling in-store traffic had made many locations unsustainable. The business will now focus on strengthening remaining stores and expanding its online operations. Large clearance sales will begin Friday, with more than 120,000 pairs of shoes and accessories to be heavily discounted as stock is cleared. Betts is the latest in a growing list of struggling retailers, following recent collapses including Barbeques Galore, Lincraft, and fashion chain Glue Store. Earlier closures also included well-known names such as Rivers and Jeanswest. The closures highlight ongoing pressure on brick-and-mortar retailers as consumer spending shifts further online. Source : 9 News Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond. World Bank Group has upgraded Sri Lanka to Upper Middle Income status, after the country recorded about 5% real GDP growth in 2025. This marks a step up from its previous Lower Middle Income classification. The change reflects a stronger economic recovery and improving growth momentum following a challenging period. The World Bank classifies economies into four income groups: Low Income, Lower Middle Income, Upper Middle Income, and High Income. The system is based on gross national income per person and is updated every year. Sri Lanka’s latest upgrade signals an improved position in the global economic ranking, driven by its rebound in 2025. Source : Newswire More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Australia’s property market has entered its ninth downturn in three decades, with Sydney and Melbourne expected to experience the biggest falls. New analysis from Domain forecasts house prices could drop 7 per cent in Sydney and 8 per cent in Melbourne over the next financial year as higher interest rates, tax changes and weaker buyer confidence weigh on the market. More affordable markets such as Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide are expected to continue seeing growth, supported by stronger demand and lower entry prices. The current slowdown follows three interest rate increases, changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing rules, along with broader economic uncertainty. However, previous market cycles suggest downturns are usually temporary. All eight past declines were followed by recoveries, with property prices eventually reaching new highs. Historically, housing downturns lasted around eight months on average, with prices falling about 2.9 per cent. Recovery periods have typically been longer, delivering average growth of around 32 per cent. Domain economist Nicola Powell said interest rates, borrowing capacity and buyer confidence would determine how quickly the market improves. Major banks are also predicting further price falls. NAB expects Sydney and Melbourne to record declines, while other banks including CBA, ANZ and AMP forecast a national slowdown over the next year. Despite the pressure on homeowners, economists say the correction is unlikely to trigger a wider economic downturn. AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina said slower property growth could reduce household spending but may also help ease inflation pressures and support future interest rate decisions. Source : 9 News Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.