Australia desk · 06:40 AEST
Australia, Clearly Reported
National decisions have local consequences. S&C Freelance Reporter follows the people, policies and places shaping Australia.
Read the national brief
Politics · Lead story
Treasurer Flags Structural Budget Deficit as Commodity Prices Cool
The budget outlook is tightening as export receipts soften. Economists are watching spending promises and the next set of forecasts.
How we report
A national view with a Perth desk
Our reporters track Canberra decisions, state services and the people affected by both. We name the source, show the evidence and separate confirmed facts from forecasts. Perth is our base, so Western Australian voices stay in the frame when a national story is told.
Meet the newsroomA New National Energy Framework
A bipartisan roundtable has put grid reliability, household bills and regional jobs at the centre of a proposed framework.
Follow the updateRegional Aged Care Faces a Staffing Squeeze
Providers in smaller communities say rosters are thinner, travel costs are higher and residents feel the gaps first.
Canberra dispatch
What happened in Parliament this week
18 June · Grocery pricing inquiry
Public hearings open this week, with supermarkets, suppliers and consumer groups called to give evidence.
17 June · Tax changes face pressure
A crossbench meeting has sharpened questions about the proposed changes and their effect on small operators.
14 June · Committees return
Senate committees have set new deadlines for submissions on housing and regional transport.
NSW
Sydney Metro Opens Early
The extension begins services ahead of schedule, linking more outer suburbs with the city.
VIC
Melbourne Night Network Returns
Late services are set to return after a five-year break, with safety and staffing under review.
QLD
Cairns Prepares for Cyclones
Emergency teams are running drills before the wet season, with evacuation routes checked across the region.
Our changing country
The Reef's Sixth Mass Bleaching Event
Coral stress is being measured alongside the choices coastal communities face. Our explainer follows the science, the policy response and the work already under way.
Read the climate explainerRenewable share in a regional WA data snapshot
Reader voice
A bank closure changed one town overnight
"The branch was where people checked in on neighbours, paid a bill and asked for help. When it closed, the nearest counter was a two-hour round trip. We sent our records and spoke to residents before publishing what changed."
— Alekeiser Bunn, regional NSW
"Specific reporting makes big policy easier to follow."
— Nailde Ramsden
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Newsroom Calendar
Our next reader briefing covers grocery prices and the Senate inquiry.
Thursday · 6:30 pm AWST
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