Each morning we post a selection of our favourite news stories from the day’s news. These posts also give you a chance to see how we can summarise news for you.
Chinese spy fears tossed in the boot: more EV choices for MPs
Original article by Ben Packham, Elizabeth Pike
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Apr-26
Special Minister of State Don Farrell has added Chinese-made electric vehicles to the list of taxpayer-funded cars that are available to federal MPs and senators for their private use. The revised list includes six vehicles made by BYD and one made by MG; the Toyota Prado and four utes are the only internal conbusion engine cars among the 22 on the list of approved vehicles. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess has previously raised concerns about the potential security concerns associated with Chinese-made vehicles, warning that conversations of a classified nature should not be held in them due to the potential for eavesdropping. The US is set to to ban the installation of Chinese software in electric vehicles.
CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION
ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence increased 3.5pts to 67.8 in late April – highest for over a month
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26
ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 3.5pts to 67.8 in the week to 26 April, although this is still the seventh-lowest Consumer Confidence reading of all time. Consumer Confidence is now 15.6pts lower than a year ago (83.4), and 4.8pts below the 2026 weekly average of 72.6. Analysis by State shows that Consumer Confidence improved significantly in Victoria and South Australia, was up slightly in New South Wales and Queensland, but down in Western Australia.. Now 17% of Australians (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 54% (down 3ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 20% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 44% (down 1ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Only 4% (unchanged) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 48% (down 5ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 17% (up 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 51% (unchanged) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ
ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations were at 6.6% in late April – up 0.3% points from the month of March
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26
The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations increased in the month of March 2026 and have continued to increase in April as the US and Israel war on Iran has continued, and are now at 6.6% for the week of 20-26 April (up 0.3% points from the month of March). Inflation Expectations have averaged 6.1% over the first 16 weeks of 2026. However, a look at monthly Inflation Expectations for March shows the measure at 6.3% for the month (up 1% point from the prior month of February, and 0.2% points above the current average for 2026). Looking back over the last six months, since mid-October 2025, weekly Inflation Expectations have averaged 5.8% over this extended period. The data for the Inflation Expectations series is drawn from the Roy Morgan Single Source, which has interviewed an average of around 5,300 Australians aged 14+ per month over the last decade, and includes interviews with 4,115 Australians aged 14+ in March 2026.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ
Albanese Government maintains large two-party preferred lead while One Nation and the Coalition are tied on primary
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26
A Roy Morgan survey shows that primary support for the ALP was virtually unchanged at 30% last week; the L-NP Coalition was also virtually unchanged at 22.5% (Liberals 19% and Nationals 3.5%). One Nation gained support (up 1% to 22.5%), while support for the Greens was 14% and support for Independents/ Other Parties was 11%. On a two-party preferred basis (based on how electors said they would ‘vote’ their preferences) the ALP was on 54.5% (down 1%), but still well ahead of the L-NP on 45.5% (up 1%). When preferences are allocated based on how Australians voted at the 2025 Federal Election, the ALP on 54% (down 0.5%) leads L-NP on 46% (up 0.5%). If a Federal Election were held now the ALP would be returned to Government with a clear majority under either method. This Roy Morgan survey was conducted from 20-26 April, with a representative Australia-wide cross-section of 1,587 electors.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY
King champions AUKUS, NATO in historic speech to US Congress
Original article by Vanessa Marsh
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26
King Charles III has emphasised the defence, intelligence and security ties between the UK and the US in his address to a joint session of Congress. King Charles noted amongst other things that the two nations are co-operating on the F-35 jet fighter program and the AUKUS submarine alliance; he received a standing ovation from some members of congress when he mentioned AUKUS, of which Australia is also a member. King Charles stressed the importance of the NATO alliance, which has been criticised President Donald Trump since the Iran war began, while he said that he hopes the close ties between Britain and the US will continue. Trump was not present for the King’s speech due to protocol.
CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION
Donald Trump names former Republican congressman as new US ambassador to Australia
Original article by Stephen Dziedzic
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26
The Trump administration has nominated David Brat as the next US ambassador to Australia, a post that has been vacant since late 2024. Brat was part of the so-called Tea Party movement and was elected to Congress in 2014, but he lost the 2018 election. The free-market economist has frequently expressed Christian nationalist views and commented on issues such as the Ukraine war and free trade. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has released a statement saying that the federal government has "welcomed" the nomination of Brat, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he will work with whoever becomes the next ambassador. Brat’s appointment must be confirmed by the US Senate.
CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET
Status quo has shifted, union tells big miners
Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 29-Apr-26
The Mining & Energy Union’s Western Australian state secretary Greg Busson contends that major iron ore miners in the Pilbara have had the upper hand in negotiations with unions for too long. He claims that the big miners cannot handle the push to re-unionise the Pilbara via the industrial relations reforms that were enacted during the current federal government’s first term in office. BHP is already dealing with industrial action by high-voltage workers who are members of the Electrical Trades Union, while the need to negotiate with unions over changes to its Pilbara rail fleet has stalled the rollout of battery-electric locomotives.
CORPORATES
MINING AND ENERGY UNION, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION
Big tech hits back at Labor government’s Media Bargaining Incentive plan
Original article by Clare Armstrong
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26
The draft legislation for the federal government’s proposed Media Bargaining Incentive was released yesterday, and immediately attracted criticism from Meta and Google. The MBI aims to ensure that media companies are fairly compensated by technology giants that use their content; Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it will prevent digital platforms from sidestepping their "obligations" under existing rules such as the News Media Bargaining Code. They will incur a tax of 2.25 per cent on their Australian gross revenue unless they make deals with news publishers to pay for use of their content. A Meta spokeswoman has described the MBI as a "government-mandated transfer of wealth", while Google had questioned why LinkedIn owner Microsoft is among the companies that will be exempt.
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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, META PLATFORMS INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, MICROSOFT CORPORATION, LINKEDIN CORPORATION
Risk of mortgage stress up 1.9% points in March after the Reserve Bank raised interest rates for second straight month
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Apr-26
New research from Roy Morgan shows that 26.8% of mortgage holders were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in the three months to March 2026, up 1.9% points from February. This is equivalent to 1,447,000 people (up 130,000 on a month ago). However, the number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress is virtually unchanged on a year ago after the Reserve Bank cut interest rates in May and August 2025, and then raised them in February and March 2026. Meanwhile, the number of Australians who are considered to be ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 1,020,000 (18.9% of mortgage holders); this is significantly above the long-term average over the last two decades of 16.3%.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA
Aussie dollar to fly as RBA goes it alone on rates
Original article by Grace Lagan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 29-Apr-26
The US Federal Reserve, its British and Canadian counterparts and the European Central Bank are widely tipped to leave official interest rates on hold this week. In contrast, the Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to increase the cash rate next week, for the third time in 2026; inflation data for March is likely to strengthen the case for another rate rise. Foreign exchange strategies note that the Australian dollar and local bonds are likely to benefit from the widening gap between domestic and international interest rates.
CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA
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