The Reserve Bank keeps the cash rate at 4.1 per cent. An out-of-control bushfire in Victoria's east more than triples in size. And In AFL, Carlton's Sam Walsh wins the AFL coaches' award as the player of the finals series.
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TRANSCRIPT
- The Reserve Bank keeps the cash rate at 4.1 per cent.
- An out-of-control bushfire in Victoria's east more than triples in size.
- Carlton's Sam Walsh wins the AFL coaches' award as the player of the finals series.
Australia's central bank has left the cash rate on hold at 4.1 per cent for the fourth month in a row.
Today's board meeting is the first under new governor Michele Bullock who took over from Philip Lowe.
The decision to leave rates unchanged is in line with market expectations, despite inflation rising to 5.2 per cent in August.
The RBA hasn't ruled out future increases to try to bring inflation down.
And the bank wants unemployment to rise to 4.5 per cent by the end of next year as part of its plan to get inflation to between 2 and 3 per cent.
An out-of-control bushfire in Victoria's east has more than tripled in size with authorities warning people to leave.
The fast-moving blaze at Briagolong in the Gippsland region covered 5,000 hectares on Monday but strong winds have fanned the flames, with the fire now stretching across about 17,000 hectares.
Emergency warnings have been issued for the surrounding areas, with people in neighbouring Stockdale and Stratford told to leave before conditions become too dangerous.
Those in Briagolong have been urged to take shelter because it's too late to leave.
Wind gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour are making if difficult for more than 650 firefighters who are trying to contain the blaze,
Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says there's nothing wrong with his office's $3 million dollar flight bill.
Documents obtained by Greens Senator David Shoebridge revealed the high charges made by the office since April last year, laying out expensive RAAF Special Purpose Flights by Mr Marles and others, including several MPs.
Mr Marles has defended the expenditure.
"A lot of people travel on those flights. So my direct component is a fraction of the number that's been reported. Everywhere I have gone, everything I have done has been on behalf of the Australian people on the duties that I do in that regard."
The minister's office has pointed to previous spending by other former defence ministers and deputy prime ministers, such as Peter Dutton and Barnaby Joyce, saying their costs were comparable.
Peter Dutton says the spending by Richard Marles is excessive.
"If you go back through social media, he ripped into Bronwyn Bishop at the time for spending $5,000 I think it was on a helicopter. So there is a double standard that's operating here."
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says he's not ruling out the introduction of free pill-testing at music festivals.
His comments follow the deaths of two men after they left a dance music festival at Sydney Showgrounds on Saturday.
Mr Minns says pill testing at festivals would not be a perfect solution when people are taking drugs like MDMA in hot conditions where they can severely dehydrated.
He called that a "toxic and extremely dangerous mix".
A tax on vacant residential land in Victoria will be broadened to try to force owners to develop their land or sell it to someone who will.
Victoria's Treasurer Tim Pallas says legislation will be introduced to expand the vacant residential land tax to all of Victoria, including regional areas.
The tax currently applies to residential properties across 16 Melbourne metropolitan councils that are unoccupied for more than six months a year.
The change will come into effect from January 2025.
In AFL, Carlton's Sam Walsh has won the AFL coaches' award as the player of the finals series.
Walsh polled 23 votes over three games, including in Carlton's preliminary final loss to the Brisbane Lions.
