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Insurance Premiums, Aussie Toddlers and Apple's New MacBooks
A trade dispute over Tay Tay, WiseTech's $300K program for students, and Card surcharges are costing Aussies US$1B annually.
Pick & Scroll News
March 06, 2024
One Read, All Perspectives
Australian News
The Australian government has approved a lower-than-requested health insurance premium increase of 3.03%, set to commence on April 1. LINK
Australian farmers are set to lose 15% in agricultural output, totalling $80 billion, due to dry conditions and falling grain prices. LINK
Over 800,000 Australian renting households risk displacement as rising rents push them out of their suburbs, with those in the lowest socio-economic brackets feeling the most significant impact. LINK
Australian toddlers spending three hours daily on screens are missing out on crucial language development opportunities, depriving them of over 1,100 adult words each day. LINK
A significant reduction in overseas travel and consumer goods imports has helped avoid an economic contraction for Australia in December. LINK
The Australian EV industry faces a skills shortage, with fewer than half of electric vehicle technician jobs filled. LINK
Australians are losing $1.5 billion annually to card surcharges, a situation the Reserve Bank aims to mitigate through the wider adoption of least-cost routing by mid-year. LINK
Australia's national vacancy rate has dropped to a record low of 0.7%, driven by a population surge and a shortfall in housing supply. LINK
Australian Council of Social Services finds that 80% of Australians have suffered illness due to high temperatures in their homes, with 60% struggling to afford energy bills. LINK
Despite artificial intelligence becoming ubiquitous in everyday applications, only 22% of AI jobs globally are held by women, with Australia having only 7% of women trained in AI. LINK
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a $2 billion fund aimed at bolstering trade and investment in South-East Asia. LINK
Global News
Russia is threatening Germany over a leaked call revealing discussions on using Taurus missiles in Ukraine. LINK
China targets a 5% economic growth for the year despite facing significant challenges such as a deepening property crisis and deflation. LINK
Singapore's deal to be the exclusive South-East Asian location for Taylor Swift's concert has sparked trade dispute accusations among ASEAN members. LINK
Company News
The ACCC will not challenge the Australian Competition Tribunal's decision allowing ANZ to acquire Suncorp's banking business for $4.9 billion, accepting the merger's negligible impact on market competition. LINK
Apple unveils new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops featuring its latest M3 chip, improved 1080p webcams, faster Wi-Fi support, and up to 18 hours of battery life, starting at US$1,099 and US$1,299 respectively. LINK
Integrated Trolley Management Pty Ltd enters voluntary administration following a NSW Court of Appeal decision on payroll tax liabilities for independent subcontractors. LINK
Australian superannuation funds are heavily invested in AI and tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet, with AustralianSuper's stake in Amazon alone valued at approximately US$1.9 billion. LINK
The EU fines Apple more than 1.8 billion euros for antitrust violations related to restricting access to cheaper music streaming services. LINK
WiseTech's founder Richard White expands the "earn and learn" program, offering students $300,000 to study and work at WiseTech in a bid to address Australia's tech skills shortage, with eligibility now extended to all companies. LINK
This Week’s Top Picks
House prices in upscale suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne surged by up to $242,000 in three months. LINK
New house approvals in Australia dropped to their lowest in nearly 12 years due to rising costs. LINK
Telecom operators are progressing towards the next stage of mobile internet, "5.5G" or "5G Advanced", before even finishing their 5G rollout. LINK
Chartered Accountants ANZ faces scrutiny for failing to uphold professional standards. LINK
Western Australia has become the first state to ban single-use, non-compostable coffee cups to prevent millions from ending up in landfill, with South Australia following suit. LINK
A carbon dioxide shortage is impacting soft drink supplies in supermarkets, with major supplier BOC prioritising medical, safety, and water treatment customers. LINK
Mortgage stress rates surged at the fastest pace in nearly two years, with non-bank lenders shifting focus to investor loans. LINK
Australians distrust AI, with significant regional disparities in opinions on integrating artificial intelligence in government services. LINK