Here is a look at what is making news around the country today.
Today’s national news includes Australia Day, celebrated across the country; Murdoch’s News Corp misleads Parliament; it could face legal action; temperatures are soaring across Australia; and consumers are tipping more amid escalating prices.
Nation
Murdoch’s News Corp misleads Parliament; could face legal action
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has been accused of misleading the Australian Parliament by claiming that Foxtel pays millions in taxes, Asia Pacific Report said. However, an investigation revealed that Foxtel’s parent company, NXE, paid zero income tax over five years from 2019 to 2023 despite earning $14 billion. This discrepancy emerged while the company was lobbying Parliament to change laws in its favour, particularly as it faced competition from Netflix, which pays minimal taxes.
Australia Day celebrated across the country
SBS News reported that thousands of Australians participated in peaceful protests on Invasion Day while others celebrated becoming new citizens. Australia Day was marked with traditional barbecues and beach outings. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in a national speech, called for unity and recognized the “richness” of the country’s history. Demonstrations across major cities highlighted Indigenous issues alongside celebrations of Indigenous culture. Established as a public holiday in 1994, Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. Still, it is seen by many, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, as a day of mourning, often referred to as Invasion Day or Survival Day.
Regions
Temperatures soar across Australia
High temperatures are anticipated to hit large areas of southeastern Australia on Monday, prompting authorities to issue warnings about extreme fire risks, News.com.au reported. Melbourne is set to face scorching heat of 42°C on Australia Day, with similar spikes expected throughout much of Victoria and South Australia. Port Augusta in South Australia may reach 43°C, while Mildura in northwestern Victoria is predicted to reach a sweltering 44°C. Additionally, wind gusts could reach up to 80 km/h. A total fire ban will be enforced on Monday across Victoria’s Mallee, Wimmera, South West, Central, and North Central regions.
Business
Consumers tipping more amid escalating prices
In 2024, Australians increased their tipping, with the average tip rising to $25.20, a 25 per cent increase from the previous year, The Sydney Morning Herald has reported. Metropolitan areas, particularly Melbourne and Brisbane, saw the highest tips, while regional areas experienced a decline. Victorians tipped more than twice as much as those in New South Wales. Although fewer than 1 per cent of transactions included a tip, this represented a 13 per cent increase from 2023. Increased tipping comes as Australians faced persistent inflationary pressures in 2024 when prices rose above 3 per cent for most of the calendar year. High inflation kept the cash rate at 4.35 per cent, the highest level since 2011, during 2024.
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