At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Fresh data suggests an El Niño is forming in the Pacific, increasing the chance of a warmer and drier winter across much of Australia. According to Weatherzone, ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific have risen in recent weeks. Seas warmed by 0.5°C over the past two weeks, including a 0.3°C jump in just seven days. El Niño occurs when ocean waters become unusually warm, disrupting typical weather patterns. Forecasters say this year’s event could be particularly strong, possibly reaching “super” levels. However, conditions need to persist for several more months before it is officially declared. Atmospheric signals are also starting to align. The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), which tracks air pressure changes, has dropped below key thresholds. At the same time, trade winds in the Pacific are weakening another early indicator. If El Niño develops, eastern Australia typically sees less rainfall and higher temperatures during winter and spring. This can increase the risk of drought, reduce snow levels in alpine areas, and shorten the ski season. Cooler mornings are also possible due to clearer skies. Despite these signs, experts stress the outlook is not certain. Even a strong El Niño does not guarantee major impacts, and conditions can still shift in the months ahead. 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. The Albanese Government is set to consider major tax changes in the upcoming May 12 budget, with reforms to negative gearing and capital gains tax still under discussion. The focus is on steering property investors toward building new homes, rather than buying existing ones. Keeping both measures on the table signals a broader push for tax reform in the government’s second term. 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. Opposition MP Harsha de Silva has questioned the legal status of the government’s “Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund,” claiming it has not been formally created. In a post on X, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP challenged remarks by Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando, who said the fund remains secure. De Silva argues there is no legal basis for the fund, as it has not been established through an Act of Parliament. He noted that under Sri Lanka’s programme with the International Monetary Fund, only legally approved statutory funds can operate. According to him, repeated queries to the government have been met with responses that the fund is still “in progress,” suggesting it is not officially in place. Despite this, the government says money has already been deposited. Deputy Minister Fernando stated that as of April 24, 2026, the fund holds Rs. 9,583 million and is secure. He also said Rs. 500 billion has been allocated through a supplementary budget for post-disaster recovery following Cyclone Ditwah, though much of it has not yet been spent. The fund will be used as needed, he added. The minister rejected criticism, accusing some opposition figures of spreading misleading claims. He said more detailed information about the fund will be released after the financial year, while investigations into related concerns are ongoing. Source : Daily Mirror & News.lk More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Rail workers in Queensland are set to take industrial action over the next two weeks after pay talks broke down. The Rail Tram and Bus Union confirmed rolling stoppages will go ahead after failing to reach a wage deal with Queensland Rail during talks at the Fair Work Commission. The union says the latest offer was too similar to a previous proposal that workers had already rejected. Limited progress was made, but not enough to secure an agreement. The action will involve selected groups, including maintenance crews and signal staff. The union says it does not plan to fully shut down train services, but disruptions remain possible. Commuters could feel the impact, especially with the busy NRL Magic Round approaching in mid-May. The event typically draws large crowds and adds pressure to the transport network. Queensland Rail says it has planned extra services for the event but warns industrial action may affect reliability. The operator maintains its offer is fair and is urging unions to return to negotiations. Passengers are advised to expect potential delays and check for updates. 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. In 2024, the transition was moving fast. The state backed seven solar and wind projects and seven storage developments, adding 3,202 megawatts equal to about four mid-sized coal plants. It was a record year for clean energy investment. But things changed after the 2024 election, when the Liberal National Party led by David Crisafulli came to power. The new government scrapped renewable energy targets and introduced a more coal-focused plan. State-owned coal plants are now expected to operate until at least 2046 about a decade longer than previously planned. Approvals for some renewable projects have also been paused to review local community support. Broader decarbonisation plans have been delayed by several years. Industry leaders say the policy shift has slowed investment. In 2025, only two projects reached financial close, delivering just 510 megawatts a steep drop from the previous year. The Clean Energy Council says uncertainty around policy and approvals has made investors cautious, with some funding moving to other states seen as more stable. The government says its approach ensures fairness and community backing. Critics argue it risks delaying the state’s clean energy transition. Source : Guardian 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. At dawn this morning, a quiet gathering was held at the Liveramentu Commonwealth War Cemetery to mark ANZAC Day. Attendees paused to honour the men and women who served and lost their lives in the pursuit of peace and freedom. Their sacrifice remains deeply remembered. The ANZAC values of courage, mateship, and selflessness continue to inspire communities, including those in Sri Lanka. 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. Rising Sri Lankan squash talent Sithumli Mendis has delivered a stellar performance on the international stage, securing two prestigious podium finishes during her April 2026 tour in Melbourne, Australia. Representing Sri Lanka, the young athlete captured third-place finishes in the Girls' Under-17 category at both the Australian Junior Open and the Oceania Junior Open Squash Championships, cementing her status as a formidable competitor in the region. Competing against a highly competitive 32-player draw at the Australian Junior Open, Mendis showcased her resilience and tactical prowess. Her campaign opened with a thrilling five-set victory over New Zealand’s Maebh Manning, followed by a commanding straight-sets win against Australia’s Chelsea Paule. In a major tournament upset, she then dispatched top seed Olivia van Zon in the quarterfinals. Mendis ultimately sealed the Second Runner-Up position with a decisive victory over New Caledonia’s Agathe Buchon-Laynaud. Mendis carried her exceptional momentum into the 2026 Oceania Junior Championships, held from April 17th to 19th. Navigating a massive tournament field of over 400 participants, she consistently outperformed heavily favored opponents. Her remarkable run featured high-profile victories over the reigning Australian Junior Open U17 champion, Isabella Wilcox, and Australia’s 3/4 seed, Kayla Clarke. After advancing to the semifinals, Mendis secured her second bronze of the tour by overcoming Australia’s No. 2 ranked player, Ruby Foo, in the third-place playoff. Sri Lanka Squash commended Mendis for her outstanding achievements. Securing two international podium finishes in a single, highly competitive overseas tour is a rare feat that underscores her talent, determination, and commitment to athletic excellence. As she continues to develop her game and conquer higher-seeded opponents, Sithumli Mendis is rapidly establishing herself as a promising ambassador for Sri Lankan sports on the global stage, bringing immense pride to her country. More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. The ANZAC Day long weekend brings commemorations and strict trading rules that vary by state. Essential services like pharmacies, petrol stations and cafes mostly stay open. But many large retailers face limits, especially on April 25. Here’s a simple breakdown: Saturday, April 25 – ANZAC Day NSW Most big retailers must stay closed all day. Small shops and essentials (cafes, chemists, petrol stations, florists) can open. Victoria Shops must stay closed until 1pm. Smaller and essential stores can trade earlier. Tasmania Non-exempt stores cannot open before 12:30pm. Fines may apply for breaches. Staff must agree in writing to work. Queensland Major retailers are closed all day. Small and essential businesses can open from 1pm. Alcohol sales are restricted before 1pm unless served with meals. South Australia Rules depend on location. Some large stores (like in Adelaide CBD) can open from 12pm to 5pm. Small shops and essentials can trade freely. ACT & Northern Territory No major trading restrictions. Businesses can operate as usual (standard alcohol rules still apply in NT). Western Australia Large retailers must stay closed unless specially approved. Small and essential shops can open as normal. Monday, April 27 (Public Holiday in some states) NSW, WA, ACT No trading restrictions. Most businesses can open normally. Some may reduce hours. Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA, NT No public holiday. Business resumes as usual. Expect limited shopping options on ANZAC Day morning, especially at major stores. Smaller businesses and essential services are your best bet if you need something. Source : 9 News Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Sri Lankan community informed with timely updates. ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු රජයට ගෙවිය යුතු ගෙවීම් සම්බන්ධයෙන් සිදුවන අක්‍රමිකතා පිළිබඳව තමන් දන්නා බව කොළඹ ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු මහ කොමසාරිස් කාර්යාලය X හි පළ කරන ලද නිවේදනයක දැක්වේ. ශ්‍රී ලංකා බලධාරීන් මේ වන විට මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් විමර්ශනය කරමින් සිටින බවත්, විමර්ශනයට සහාය වන ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු නිලධාරීන් සමඟ සම්බන්ධීකරණයෙන් කටයුතු කරන බවත් මහ කොමසාරිස් කාර්යාලය පැවසීය. පරීක්ෂණ දිගටම කරගෙන යන විට ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාව ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ණය තිරසාරභාවයට නැවත පැමිණීමට සහාය වීමට කැපවී සිටින බව නිවේදනයේ තවදුරටත් සඳහන් වේ. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශය පවසා ඇත්තේ අනවසර ප්‍රවේශයක් ලබාගෙන විදේශ මුදල් ගෙවීමක් සම්බන්ධ සොරකමක් සිදු කළ සයිබර් හැකර්වරුන් විසින් විදේශ සම්පත් දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ පරිගණක පද්ධතිය හැක් කර ඇති බවයි. මුදල්, සැලසුම් සහ ආර්ථික සංවර්ධන අමාත්‍යාංශය බදාදා පැවසුවේ සොරකම සම්බන්ධයෙන් නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක කරන ආයතන සහ අනෙකුත් අදාළ ආයතන වෙත දැනටමත් පැමිණිලි කර ඇති බවයි. Source : Daily Mirror More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. A developing El Niño in the Pacific Ocean could bring warmer and drier conditions to much of Australia in the months ahead. Forecasters say this event has the potential to become a “super” El Niño, driven by a large pool of unusually warm water sitting deep below the central Pacific. Some areas are already recording temperatures more than 6°C above normal beneath the surface. If this warm water rises, it could trigger a full El Niño event. Global forecasting models also support an increased chance of it forming later this year. Typically, El Niño leads to less rainfall and higher temperatures across eastern Australia during winter and spring. Clearer skies can mean cooler mornings, but overall conditions tend to be drier. These patterns can increase evaporation and raise the risk of drought in some regions. Alpine areas may also see reduced snowfall, shortening the ski season. However, experts caution that impacts are not guaranteed. Even strong El Niño events don’t always bring severe conditions, while weaker ones can still have significant effects. 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. ඕස්ට්‍රේලියානු ණයක් ලෙස ගෙවන ලද ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 2.5 කට (ආසන්න වශයෙන් රු. මිලියන 800) වැඩි මුදලක් අතුරුදහන් වීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් විමර්ශනය කිරීම සඳහා මුදල්, සැලසුම් සහ ආර්ථික සංවර්ධන අමාත්‍යාංශය විසින් පස් දෙනෙකුගෙන් යුත් තාක්ෂණික කමිටුවක් පත් කර ඇත. අමාත්‍යාංශය විසින් නිකුත් කරන ලද නිවේදනයකට අනුව, කමිටුව භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ නියෝජ්‍ය ලේකම්වරුන් දෙදෙනෙකුගෙන් සමන්විත වන අතර ඒ. එන්. හපුගල සහ එස්. එස්. මුදලිගේ සම සභාපතිත්වය දරනු ඇත. ජාතික සැලසුම් දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් කේ. ටී. අයි. ප්‍රේමරත්න, නීති කටයුතු දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ අතිරේක අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් ඒ. කේ. ඩී. ඩී. අරන්දර සහ තොරතුරු තාක්ෂණ කළමනාකරණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ සහකාර අධ්‍යක්ෂ ඊ. ඩී. ශිරන්ත යන අය අනෙකුත් සාමාජිකයින් වේ. ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාවට ප්‍රේෂණය කරන ලද අරමුදල් අතුරුදහන් වීමට හේතු විය හැකි විද්‍යුත් තැපෑල හරහා ලැබුණු වංචනික ගෙවීම් උපදෙස් පිළිබඳ අවදානම විමර්ශනය කිරීම කමිටුවට පැවරී ඇති බව අමාත්‍යාංශය පැවසීය. සිද්ධිය සම්බන්ධයෙන් පුළුල් පරීක්ෂණයක් පවත්වා එහි වාර්තාව හැකි ඉක්මනින් ඉදිරිපත් කරන ලෙස කමිටුවට උපදෙස් දී ඇත. Source : Daily Mirror More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.

At AusNewsLanka, we aim to keep the Australian community informed with timely updates. Westpac has lifted its fixed home loan rates, adding pressure on borrowers amid rising global uncertainty. The bank increased fixed rates by 0.15 percentage points for both owner-occupiers and investors. The change applies to all new fixed loans and customers switching from variable to fixed rates from today. Westpac said the move reflects higher funding costs and keeps its rates in line with market conditions. Its lowest fixed rate now sits at 6.39%. The update follows a recent warning from the bank that interest rates could climb further, potentially reaching their highest level in nearly two decades by 2026. According to Westpac’s outlook, borrowers may face up to three more rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of Australia. Rates have already risen from 3.60% at the end of 2025 to 4.15% after two increases this year. The revised forecast is linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which are expected to disrupt fuel supply and slow recovery. Westpac now anticipates a longer period of economic pressure than previously expected. Source : 9 News Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.