![\"Luca](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790062811_564_Luca_Ittimani.png\")
Luca Ittimani<\/p>\nRBA governor says migration responsible for economic growth, not inflationLuca Ittimani<\/p>\n
The Reserve Bank governor has said migration is holding up Australia\u2019s economic growth, not adding to inflation, as the government defends its plan to tighten the immigration intake.<\/p>\n
Michele Bullock said Australia\u2019s weak economy and lack of efficiency gains mean immigration and bigger populations are responsible for higher activity, at a CEDA lunch in Sydney. She said:<\/p>\n
double quotation markIt\u2019s fair to say that, the extent [activity] has been growing over the last few quarters, it\u2019s been growing due to population growth.<\/p>\n
Bullock rejected the idea that immigration just meant more people entering the country and pushing up prices. She said:<\/p>\n
double quotation markThe point is it also adds to supply because a lot of those people come in and they work. And therefore, when we think about it, we typically think that it probably is much of a muchness.<\/p>\n
She said the housing market was the exception, as new immigrants did not immediately generate new housing supply.<\/p>\n
double quotation markWhere it bites is the housing market, because the housing market can\u2019t respond \u2026. That\u2019s where you tend to see pressures arise.<\/p>\n
Updated at\u00a001.17 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Mother charged after alleged stabbing leaves child dead and two critically injured in Blue Mountains<\/p>\n A New South Wales mother has been charged after allegedly fatally stabbing one child and seriously injuring two others in the Blue Mountains.<\/p>\n Emergency services responded to reports of a stabbing at a property on Waratah Road, Valley Heights, at about 12.45pm on Sunday.<\/p>\n A five-year-old child died at the scene, despite witnesses providing first aid while waiting for emergency services.<\/p>\n Two other children, aged one and three, were taken to hospital and are in a critical but stable condition.<\/p>\n The woman, who is in her 40s, was also found at the property with critical injuries.<\/p>\n She has been charged with murder and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder. She was refused bail and will remain in custody until her next court appearance next month.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Jetstar staff to waive extra baggage and seat fees as industrial action escalates<\/p>\n Jetstar staff will escalate industrial action this week, with union members expected to waive extra charges for passengers during a busy travel period.<\/p>\n The Australian Services Union (ASU) confirmed that protected industrial action will commence at 12.01 am on Wednesday and run until midnight on Thursday. The timing coincides with the Victorian and Queensland school holidays and precedes the AFL Grand Final.<\/p>\n While workers will assist passengers as normal, they won\u2019t collect extra fees on the airline\u2019s behalf, waiving or recording excess baggage<\/a>, seat selection and late fees as $0.<\/p>\n ASU national assistant secretary, Scott Cowen, said the dispute is about fair pay, highlighting Jetstar\u2019s recent annual results showing domestic earnings up 15% and international revenue up 14%.<\/p>\n double quotation markOur members are still turning up to look after passengers, but they won\u2019t be collecting extra fees on Jetstar\u2019s behalf until Jetstar shows that it is serious about its workforce. The ball is now in Jetstar\u2019s court.<\/p>\n Members voted in favour of protected action following a ballot in late August, seeking wages aligned with other Qantas Group employees, higher penalties, improved leave, weather protections and job security.<\/p>\n A Jetstar spokesperson said operations will not be impacted by the action and that it is \u201ccommitted to working constructively towards an outcome\u201d.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019ve put a comprehensive and fair offer on the table that includes pay increases, improved penalty payments and allowances, as well as more flexibility in rostering.<\/p>\n This is a great package for our people which also allows us to keep investing in our fleet and grow our network while keeping fares low, despite escalating fuel costs impacting the industry.<\/p>\n Photograph: Edgar Su\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.35 EDT<\/p>\n Victoria confirms state\u2019s first cases of bird flu in fur seals Victoria has confirmed two new cases of deadly H5 bird flu in fur seals on the state\u2019s coastline.<\/p>\n A long-nosed fur seal was found dead at Gabo Island in East Gippsland, while an Australian fur seal was reported at Rye back beach on the Mornington Peninsula. Both animals were identified about a week ago through community reports, with tests now confirming the presence of the virus.<\/p>\n The state\u2019s chief biodiversity officer, James Todd, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markTimely reports from the public are helping our teams respond quickly, investigate cases and build a clearer understanding of where the virus is present.<\/p>\n The cases followed news on Monday of four Australian sea lions, including one pup, testing positive for bird flu, at the Pages islands near Kangaroo Island in South Australia.<\/p>\n Victoria\u2019s environment department reminded members of the public to stay at least 30 metres away from marine mammals that appear unwell, and to keep children and pets well clear. People can report sick or dead wildlife to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.<\/p>\n A long-nosed fur seal. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.17 EDT<\/p>\n Peter Greste says Trump media protest should serve as warning for press freedom in Australia<\/p>\n Alliance for Journalists\u2019 Freedom executive director, Peter Greste, has warned that attacks on press freedom in the United States should serve as a warning to Australia.<\/p>\n His comments came after major US television news outlets agreed to suspend their video coverage of Donald Trump<\/a> after the administration barred journalists from several outlets from entering the White House grounds.<\/p>\n Speaking to the ABC\u2019s Afternoon Briefing, Greste said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe need to be very careful about not normalising these kinds of behaviours.<\/p>\n This is the latest in a fairly long history, a long period of attacks on press freedom and freedom of speech and all sorts of ways by the Trump administration so I think what it shows us is unless we stand up and take note and speak out, whenever these things happen, we do run the risk of these kinds of assaults being normalised and treated as part of a new normal. It is very dangerous for democracy and we have to stop it.<\/p>\n Greste said the developments should serve as a warning to Australia, pointing to domestic examples such as One Nation<\/a> recently barring Guardian Australia and ABC journalists from its press conferences.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe example of the United States shows that we can see press freedom being chipped away at the edges. The fact that we are at this particular point I think tells us here in Australia that we cannot take press freedom for granted, and the US has always been held up as that bastion of freedom of speech and freedom of the press because it has the first amendment protected it in its constitution.<\/p>\n We don\u2019t have anything like that here in Australia so I\u2019m concerned that if we do not heed the warning from the United States, if we do not recognise the press freedom in Australia is in fact extraordinarily vulnerable, we risk finding ourselves in a very difficult place.<\/p>\n Peter Greste. Photograph: Mike Bowers\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.47 EDT<\/p>\n Rohan Dennis\u2019s lawyer warn of \u2018personal affront\u2019 risk for presiding judge<\/p>\n A judge who warned former Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis he could expect to be jailed if he drove while banned might feel personally affronted that Dennis had breached the ban, his lawyer has told a court.<\/p>\n Dennis, 36, received a suspended 17-month jail term and a five-year driving ban in 2025. It followed a guilty plea over the events leading up to the death of his Olympian wife Melissa Hoskins.<\/p>\n Despite the suspended sentence over his head, Dennis was allegedly caught driving with two children as passengers on 11 June.<\/p>\n AAP reports that in the South Australian district court on Tuesday, Dennis\u2019s lawyer, David Edwardson told Judge Ian Press that it would be inappropriate for him to deal with the matter from every perspective.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe perception that Your Honour … might be personally affronted at the fact that \u2013 having given an opportunity to a man by way of a suspended sentence and having given the caution or warning of the potential consequences \u2013 that that of itself carries with it almost the inevitable outcome.<\/p>\n The prosecutor opposed the claim, stating there was nothing inappropriate about a defendant receiving a standard warning about the consequences of not abiding by a good behaviour bond.<\/p>\n Rohan Dennis (centre) enters the district court of South Australia in Adelaide on Tuesday. Photograph: Abe Maddison\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.34 EDT<\/p>\n Suspension extended for Royal Australasian College of Physicians director<\/p>\n A director of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians has had her suspension extended by the charities regulator until early December.<\/p>\n In May, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) suspended Dr Sharmila Chandran, the president-elect of one of Australia\u2019s oldest medical colleges, until 20 September for allegedly contravening a direction<\/a> from the NSW work health and safety watchdog. It followed months of conflict within the RACP\u2019s board, which culminated in an extraordinary general meeting in April to which police were called<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prior to her suspension as a responsible person of the RACP, which is a registered charity, Chandran had been due to become president and board chair at an annual general meeting on 29 May.<\/p>\n On Friday, the ACNC decided to extend Chandran\u2019s suspension until 4 December, noting that \u201calthough the RACP has made progress in addressing the governance and workplace safety issues identified by SafeWork NSW, it has sought an extension of time to comply\u201d with an improvement notice. Chandran said:<\/p>\n double quotation markI have been suspended as a director by the ACNC for simply writing emails to the senior leadership team, emails which in my opinion were always respectful and professional \u2026<\/p>\n In my view the regulatory process to date reflects, among other things, retaliatory targeting and victim-blaming of a whistleblower, racial discrimination, bullying and harassment, and institutional bias.<\/p>\n Asked for comment, an ACNC spokesperson said:<\/p>\n double quotation markBy law the ACNC cannot speak publicly about the circumstances of any charity, apart from referring to information published on the Charity Register, or unless an exception applies in limited circumstances.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>RBA: AI could be a bubble and is boosting inflation but not efficiency Michele Bullock has said the AI investment boom could be a bubble, with no sign that it is improving efficiency and every sign it\u2019s adding to inflation.<\/p>\n AI stock prices are soaring again after Facebook owner Meta debuted a new AI agent and saw its shares rise 11% on Monday. The Reserve Bank governor said it\u2019s not yet clear whether share markets\u2019 strength will be sustainable. Speaking in Sydney, she said:<\/p>\n double quotation markAll central banks are a little bit worried about that. It might not be a bubble but it might be and if it unwinds in a disorderly manner then that could have implications for the financial system and also for real economies \u2026<\/p>\n Some people think it\u2019s a bubble, some people don\u2019t. I don\u2019t have a particular view one way or the other, but it\u2019s a risk that I think we\u2019re watching.<\/p>\n She said the RBA and top central banks all agreed AI was \u201cthe great white hope\u201d to make economies more productive but there was little sign it was yet to happen, with rapid adoption and investment in datacentres just adding to inflation instead. She said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019ve got this awkward sequencing event at the moment where, in Australia at least, we are in a situation of excess demand and the AI boom is adding to that demand, ahead of any potential supply impacts that it might have going forwards.<\/p>\n RBA governor Michele Bullock speaks in Sydney on Tuesday. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.58 EDT<\/p>\n RBA governor says migration responsible for economic growth, not inflation The Reserve Bank governor has said migration is holding up Australia\u2019s economic growth, not adding to inflation, as the government defends its plan to tighten the immigration intake.<\/p>\n Michele Bullock said Australia\u2019s weak economy and lack of efficiency gains mean immigration and bigger populations are responsible for higher activity, at a CEDA lunch in Sydney. She said:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s fair to say that, the extent [activity] has been growing over the last few quarters, it\u2019s been growing due to population growth.<\/p>\n Bullock rejected the idea that immigration just meant more people entering the country and pushing up prices. She said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe point is it also adds to supply because a lot of those people come in and they work. And therefore, when we think about it, we typically think that it probably is much of a muchness.<\/p>\n She said the housing market was the exception, as new immigrants did not immediately generate new housing supply.<\/p>\n double quotation markWhere it bites is the housing market, because the housing market can\u2019t respond \u2026. That\u2019s where you tend to see pressures arise.<\/p>\n RBA governor Michele Bullock speaks during a CEDA lunch. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.17 EDT<\/p>\n That\u2019s all from me. Achol Arok will take things from here. Take care!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.27 EDT<\/p>\n House price slide is in \u2018lower range of downturns\u2019, RBA governor says<\/p>\n The Reserve Bank governor said house prices are falling lower than other recent downturns in the market but from a \u201cpretty unaffordable\u201d level.<\/p>\n Michele Bullock has said the drop in prices \u201cdoesn\u2019t look entirely out of line\u201d with past experience, at a CEDA lunch in Sydney. She said:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s a slight dip down after a very long run up. And I think there was a feeling, certainly for this most recent correction, that housing was in effect becoming pretty unaffordable. \u2026<\/p>\n You can see that the downturn is sort of in the lower range of downturns in the past, but it\u2019s certainly not out of the ballpark, of the sorts of downturns we\u2019ve seen in the past.<\/p>\n Bullock said the downturn was due to interest rate rises, with only 5% of mortgages on fixed rates. The government\u2019s tax reforms had \u201cvery directly\u201d impacted the market as well, she said.<\/p>\n double quotation markHousing approvals for investors have just dropped. They\u2019ve dropped for everyone but they\u2019ve really dropped a long way for investors, so it has changed the dynamic for investors, whether it\u2019s worth investing in housing or not.<\/p>\n She said economic activity would be hit as slower home sales meant fewer people buying new furniture and fittings, while lower house prices would leave some people feeling poorer and less likely to spend.<\/p>\n Auction sign outside a property for sale in Sydney. Photograph: Bloomberg\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.18 EDT<\/p>\n Political fight over gun buyback after boy, 11, shot in the face and neck in Sydney apartment<\/p>\n The shooting of an 11-year-old boy in Sydney\u2019s north-west was a \u201ctragic reminder\u201d of the danger of guns, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has said while the opposition defends \u201cbackflipping\u201d on a gun buyback.<\/p>\n NSW premier Chris Minns. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi\/AAP<\/p>\n The Liberal opposition voted with Labor in support of a buyback last year, but on Saturday pledged it would scrap Labor\u2019s firearm ownership caps for primary producers.<\/p>\n The NSW opposition leader, Kellie Sloane, instead proposed a commission of inquiry into gun laws and a freeze of any buyback. Caps for farmers and professional shooters would also be scrapped.<\/p>\n The police minister, Yasmin Catley, called the Coalition\u2019s plan a \u201cstunning backflip\u201d and said it would leave more guns in circulation.<\/p>\n Read more here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.56 EDT<\/p>\n NSW police investigating possible organised crime links after 11-year-old boy shot in Sydney apartment<\/p>\n NSW police are holding a press conference after an 11-year-old boy was shot in the face in Sydney yesterday.<\/p>\n Supt Naomi Moore said officers found the boy with the injury on arrival. He was treated at the scene and taken to hospital, where he remains in critical condition. Moore said there were a number of people in the unit at the time, and officers have spoken to some of them and are looking to speak to others.<\/p>\n Some of those present at the time of the shooting \u201care not currently cooperating with investigators\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n Three men, all 18, were arrested last night. Two have been released pending further investigations, and one was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence and had bail refused.<\/p>\n Moore said several of those in the unit were known to police, adding:<\/p>\n double quotation markI want to reassure the community this shooting at this stage does not appear to be linked directly to current conflicts. However, a number of individuals that were inside the unit at the time are well known to NSW police, and their association with organised crime is being considered by investigators.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.50 EDT<\/p>\n Taylor says idea to use super to help with housing purchases \u2018not our policy\u2019<\/p>\n Angus Taylor said shadow housing minister Andrew Bragg\u2019s idea to use superannuation as collateral for housing purchases is \u201cnot our policy\u201d.<\/p>\n Taylor was asked about Bragg\u2019s idea earlier today. The opposition leader had this to say:<\/p>\n double quotation markSuperannuation is Australians\u2019 money. It\u2019s Australians\u2019 money. They should have choice in it, that\u2019s why we strongly support self-managed super funds. But the proposal you\u2019re talking about there is not our policy.<\/p>\n As we reported earlier, Bragg said the \u201cgeneral idea\u201d behind the proposal \u201cis we want to have a country where more people are retired homeowners, and one of the most worrying trends we have is the growth in retired renters\u201d. Bragg added:<\/p>\n double quotation markThat doesn\u2019t seem to be the best outcome for all people, which is why we\u2019re having this debate, because we want to be a nation of homeowners.<\/p>\n Opposition leader Angus Taylor. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.54 EDT<\/p>\n Australian shares edge higher after shaky start<\/p>\n Australian shares have already handed back most of an early lead after optimism about the AI boom didn\u2019t translate into significant upside for the local exchange, AAP reports.<\/p>\n The S&P\/ASX200 rose 0.24% as the broader All Ordinaries gained 0.3%.<\/p>\n The top-200 spiked almost 49 points at the open after a tech-led rally on Wall Street overnight, but an unconvincing bounce from under-pressure mining stocks and a lack of follow-through for bank stocks left it on track for yet another flat session.<\/p>\n Local energy stocks weighed heavily on Tuesday, as hopes of US-Iran talks sent Brent crude down to $US101.10 a barrel, while diesel prices in the US and Europe have hit record highs.<\/p>\n The Australian dollar is buying 71.05 US cents, down from 71.28 US cents on Monday at 5pm.<\/p>\n ASX headquarters in Sydney. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.30 EDT<\/p>\n Man linked to suspicious death charged with bribing public officials in Bangladesh<\/p>\n A man has been charged with bribing public officials in Bangladesh to stop police linking him to a suspicious death, in a first in Australia\u2019s courts, AAP reports.<\/p>\n An Australian-Bangladeshi woman\u2019s death was deemed suspicious by local authorities when her body was found in Bangladesh in September 2024.<\/p>\n The Australian federal police began investigating the death due to the woman\u2019s dual citizenship status, seizing international transaction records from banks in Sydney and Brisbane.<\/p>\n Police allege a 51-year-old man known to the woman conspired with people in Bangladesh in the two years after her death, transferring about $90,000 to bribe public officials to remove his name from police records.<\/p>\n Raids were carried out on Monday at homes in Goodna and Redbank Plains, in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, where authorities seized an electronic device and arrested the 51-year-old.<\/p>\n He was charged with bribing a foreign public official, an offence which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail.<\/p>\n Any attempt to corrupt investigative processes, whether in Australia or overseas, was a serious criminal matter, AFP Cmdr Stephen Jay said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue to work closely with our domestic and international partners regarding this investigation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Redbank Plains man is scheduled to appear before Brisbane magistrates court later on Tuesday.<\/p>\n It is the first time the AFP has put an allegation of foreign bribery of a public official for personal advantage before the court.<\/p>\n Bangladeshi police are conducting their own investigation into the woman\u2019s death.<\/p>\n Brisbane magistrates court. Photograph: Dan Peled\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.01 EDT<\/p>\n Solar and wind generation meet record 80% of power demand on Australia\u2019s national grid<\/p>\n Sunshine and wind met 80.4% of demand on Australia\u2019s main power grid on Saturday, setting a new high bar for renewable electricity.<\/p>\n Solar panels on rooftops provided more than half of the power used in the national electricity market, the grid that supplies the eastern states, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, for 30 minutes around lunchtime. This was complemented by solar and windfarms, and a small amount of hydro (1%). Fossil fuels, coal and gas, contributed 20%.<\/p>\n The energy minister, Chris Bowen, said the milestone meant there was \u201cmore clean, cheap, sovereign energy powering our homes and businesses than ever before\u201d.<\/p>\n Read more here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Coogee shark attack survivor Stewart says skin graft has failed<\/p>\n Leah Stewart, who was bitten by a shark at a Sydney beach, says a skin graft has failed as she continues her recovery.<\/p>\n The 34-year-old mother and school teacher was attacked while swimming at Coogee beach in Sydney\u2019s eastern suburbs on 13 June.<\/p>\n As part of her treatment, doctors took skin from her right thigh and grafted it on to her injured left thigh.<\/p>\n In a social media post, Stewart said she was \u201cdevastated\u201d after doctors confirmed the operation has failed.<\/p>\n double quotation markUnfortunately, this is not the post I was wanting to do, but I had my graft checked yesterday and it was confirmed that it failed.<\/p>\n Feeling pretty devastated, had quite a few tears. And now, I\u2019m not really sure where to go from here.<\/p>\n Stewart said despite the failure, the operation had offered her some reprieve from using a vacuum-assisted closure machine.<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s been three and a half months and my leg is still open. I guess the only good thing is we\u2019re trying something different, having a little break from the vac machine, which means I can move a little bit more freely.<\/p>\n Allow Instagram content?<\/p>\n This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click ‘Allow and continue’.<\/p>\n![\"RBA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5987.jpg\")
RBA governor Michele Bullock speaks during a CEDA lunch. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Ima](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Ima_Caldwell.png\")
Ima Caldwell<\/p>\n![\"Petra](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790062813_596_Petra_Stock.png\")
Petra Stock<\/p>\n![\"Donna](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Donna_Lu.png\")
Donna Lu<\/p>\nLuca Ittimani<\/p>\nLuca Ittimani<\/p>\n![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nick_Visser.png\")
Nick Visser<\/p>\nLuca Ittimani<\/p>\n![\"Caitlin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Caitlin_Cassidy.png\")
Caitlin Cassidy<\/p>\nPetra Stock<\/p>\n![\"Achol](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790062815_852_Achol_Arok,_L.png\")
Achol Arok<\/p>\n