🗞️ Tomatoes tomatoes

Good morning. Forensic testing has found Leggo's, Coles and Aldi are selling tomato products labelled Australian or Italian that are actually from China.

Around 80% of the Leggo's paste products tested failed, despite packaging that says "Australian grown".

The brands have rejected the results, but it means shoppers may be paying a premium for local produce that isn't, while actual Australian growers compete against it.

All the headlines and more below...

400,000 HOME BATTERIES INSTALLED IN 12 MONTHS AS COMPLAINTS JUMP 107%

More than 400,000 Australian homeowners installed a home battery in the past 12 months, driven by government subsidies and the promise of lower power bills. Victoria's energy safety regulator reported a 185% rise in complaints in the first six months of the federal program.

Complaints to the consumer watchdog rose 107% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, covering dodgy sales tactics, faulty products and non-existent after-sales support. Customers are reporting high-pressure sales, batteries that fail soon after installation, and companies that vanish or become unreachable once the system is fitted.

The subsidy scheme accelerated household battery uptake but the pace has outstripped quality control. The spike follows a familiar pattern in the solar and battery sector, which has cycled through boom periods that attract what the industry calls cowboys and dodgy dealers, leaving battery owners with systems that underperform or fail outright and no recourse when the installer won't answer calls.

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

• Anthony Albanese has ruled out extending the reduced fuel excise as petrol and diesel prices surge amid global oil disruptions and looming US$100-plus Brent crude. LINK

• GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are reshaping fashion retail as supermarkets push higher-protein foods and clothing chains see more frequent purchases in smaller sizes. LINK

• The Trump administration imposed a new 12.5% tariff on Australian exports, replacing a 10% levy, citing alleged failures to curb forced labour despite Australian government objections. LINK

• Victoria has emerged as a major drag on Australia’s economy as its unemployment rate climbs to 5.1% compared with the national 4.4%, accounting for 200,000 jobless people. LINK

• Soaring petrol prices above $2.50 a litre and 2 RBA rate hikes in early 2026 have cut a typical mortgaged family’s monthly spending power by $450. LINK

• The federal government has introduced a 30% CGT "top-up tax" on self-funded retirees on zero tax rates, disrupting long-standing retirement investment and tax planning strategies. LINK

• Fruit and vegetable farmers secured agreed price rises from Woolworths and Coles that cover about 33% to 40% of soaring input costs as fertiliser prices double and diesel jumps more than 50%. LINK

• Unions have secured government support to expand same job, same pay laws, strengthen collective bargaining, curb employer lockouts and explore an AI-driven “time dividend” for Australian workers. LINK

• The boom in listed technology stocks in the US and emerging markets has driven top “growth” super funds such as UniSuper to returns up to 12.3% and cumulative 4-year gains of 44%. LINK

DISABLED WORKERS CAN BE PAID $3.31 AN HOUR UNDER A WAGE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FROM 1994

Around 17,000 Australians with significant disability work in specialist disability enterprises, where the Supported Wage System reduces pay based on assessed productivity compared to non-disabled workers.

That wage can be cut further, to as low as $3.31 per hour, through the Supported Employment Services Award, which sets a base rate of $8.32 per hour. The Supported Wage System applies not just in disability enterprises but to disabled workers in any workplace. The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour as of July 1.

Most of the workers affected are employed part-time in packaging, manufacturing, cleaning, gardening, laundry and recycling roles. Many have been in these workplaces for years.

COMPANY NEWS

• Canva has unveiled Canva Grow 2.0, an AI-driven ad engine that automates campaign creation and optimisation across Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn after acquiring MagicBrief for $22.5M. LINK

• KPMG expelled former chief operating officer Eileen Hoggett after an Allens investigation confirmed she hid and shared confidential Lendlease board documents to help win audit work. LINK

• CBA and other major banks are urgently overhauling cybersecurity playbooks as AI-empowered criminal threats and powerful tools such as Mythos expose flaws and outpace traditional incident responses. LINK

• Incoming Macquarie chief executive Greg Ward has been urged by investors to prioritise overhauling the group’s governance and culture after lucrative $24B and US$40B data centre exits. LINK

• Penfolds has halted China-bound orders of its Bin 407 label from July to early October as Treasury Wine Estates targets grey market importers undermining price stability. LINK

• The Fair Work Commission ordered Uber to reinstate a driver banned over 12 misconduct complaints after finding the company relied on unverified allegations and mishandled new gig worker laws. LINK

• Coles has partnered with Evie Networks to install fast electric vehicle charging stations at dozens of supermarkets over the next 2 years to attract convenience-focused shoppers. LINK

• American Express expanded its annual Shop Small campaign in Australia by committing an initial US$1M for 50 grants of US$20,000 and a potential additional US$1M funded through matched card member spending. LINK

• Intel issued a stronger-than-expected Q3 revenue forecast of US$15.8B to US$16.8B as Q2 revenue rose 25% to US$16.13B and net income reached US$2.2B. LINK

• Nvidia, Microsoft and more than 20 other tech groups have urged lawmakers to avoid early restrictions on open-source AI models as they warn limits could stifle competition and innovation. LINK

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CHART OF THE DAY

ONE MORE SCROLL

Editor’s Pick: Samples from the far side of the moon found asteroid impacts declined gradually from about 4.33 to 1.13 billion years ago.

Draft Pick: Lando Norris has taken his and McLaren’s first 2026 victory.

Odd Pick: Is sugar or fat worse for you?

TRUE OR FALSE

1. High heels were originally designed for men to wear.
2. Vikings commonly wore horned helmets into battle to intimidate their enemies.
3. Humans share roughly 60% of their DNA with bananas.

Answers below

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ANSWERS

1. True
2. False
3. True

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