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.
More than 2.6 million Australians will be living with cancer diagnosis by 2050
Original article by Melissa Cunningham
The Age – Page: 6 : 18-Aug-26
Researchers have for the first time used scientific modelling to estimate the future prevalence of cancer in Australia. Nearly 1.7 million Australians either currently have cancer or are in the post-treatment phase of the disease; the researchers have predicted that the total number of Australians living with cancer will rise by 57 per cent by 2050, to more than 2.6 million people. About 44 per cent of them are expected to have an incurable cancer that will require ongoing treatment. The study predicts that breast cancer will be the nation’s most prevalent cancer in 2050, followed by prostate, melanoma, colorectal and kidney cancer. However, the researchers have predicted that cancer survival rates will improve in the future due to factors such as earlier detection and advancements in treatments such as immunotherapy.
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Warning bells ring out as business survival rate falls to decade low
Original article by Matthew Cranston, David Tanner
The Australian – Page: 4 : 19-Aug-26
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that there was a net increase of just 85,000 businesses nationwide in 2025-26. Some 460,000 businesses were created during the financial year, while 375,000 ceased trading. Analysis of the data shows that just 61.9 per cent of new businesses survive for at least four years; businesses in the agricultural sector have the highest four-year survival rate, at 60.2 per cent, followed by healthcare and social assistance businesses (59.2 per cent). CreditorWatch’s chief economist Ivan Colhoun notes that a lot of new businesses are sole operators, and many of them do not survive.
CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, CREDITOR WATCH PTY LTD
Controversial NDIS bill passes Senate with substantial amendments as Labor and Coalition strike deal
Original article by Sarah Basford Canales
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 19-Aug-26
Independent senator David Pocock says the federal government’s amendments to its National Disability Insurance Scheme reform bill have improved the legislation. However, Pococks adds that he still does not support the bill, due to measures such as a reduction in funding for NDIS participants’ social and community participation. The Senate passed the bill last night without Pocock’s support, after the Coalition agreed to back the government’s amendments. The bill will be put to a final vote in the lower house today, while legislation to repeal the so-called ‘widow tax’ is also expected to be passed; the Coalition had previously stated that its support for the NDIS reforms was conditional on removing the controversial tax.
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Costello’s formula to fix sickly Victoria
Original article by Anthony Galloway
The Australian – Page: 6 : 19-Aug-26
Former federal treasurer Peter Costello will address an Institute of Public Affairs summit in Melbourne today. Costello will contend that although Victoria is in a "sickly" state, its financial position is "very serious" but not "hopeless". He will urge the winner of the election in November to adopt a " back-to-basics" approach to government, with a focus on core responsibilities such as roads, policing, schools, hospitals and affordable energy. Costello will also state that it will take at least several four-year terms in government to fix Victoria’s problems, and budget repair must be a priority for the next state government.
CORPORATES
INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LIMITED
Coalition and One Nation to win narrow majority in Victoria’s upper house, new Roy Morgan poll finds
Original article by Patrick Hannaford
News24 – Page: Online : 19-Aug-26
A new SMS Roy Morgan poll shows that the Victorian government would lose six of its 15 seats in the state’s 40-seat upper house at the election in November. The Greens’ representation in the upper house is projected to fall from four seats to just two. The poll also shows that the Coalition would be unable to reach an upper house majority in its own right at the election, with the Liberal and National parties projected to win a combined 11 seats. One Nation is in turn projected to win 10 seats, which would give the Coalition a narrow two-seat majority with One Nation’s support. Meanwhile, legislation to abolish group voting tickets passed the upper house last week, which will result in the number of minor and macro parties falling dramatically; they will also no longer be able to dictate the flow of preferences.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS
ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence up 1.5pts to 76.5 – highest rating since early March after RBA leaves rates unchanged
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Aug-26
ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rose 1.5pts to 76.5 in the week to 16 August; Consumer Confidence is still 12.9pts lower than a year ago (89.4), although it now 4.4pts above the 2026 weekly average of 72.1. Analysis by State shows a consistent theme, with Consumer Confidence increasing in all five mainland States. Now 18% of Australians (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 49% (down 2ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 25% (up 2ppts) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 36% (down 4ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Only 6% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 38% (up 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 17% (down 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 41% (down 3ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ
Tax changes will hurt the poorest, developer says
Original article by Michael Bleby, David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 19-Aug-26
Data from Cotality shows that the median weekly asking rent for dwellings in Sydney rose by 0.7 per cent in the three months to July, while Melbourne recorded growth of 1.2 per cent. Darwin recorded the biggest growth in asking rents, at 4.4 per cent. Meanwhile, listed residential developer Aspen Group notes that the poorest 40 per cent of Australian households can only afford 10 per cent of advertised rental properties at present; the company has warned that this will worsen due to the federal government’s capital gains tax and negative gearing reforms, which will result in wealthier tenants seeking out more affordable rental housing.
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COTALITY, ASPEN GROUP – ASX APZ
BHP shrugs off Pilbara strikes
Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 15 & 21 : 19-Aug-26
BHP has reported a 2025-26 net profit of $US9.83bn ($13.8bn), which is nine per cent higher than previously. CEO Brandon Craig says it was a "strong year" for the resources giant, and he notes that copper is now the main driver of its earnings. The copper division’s EBITDA topped $US18.2bn, eclipsing the iron ore arm for the first time; the latter’s full-year EBITDA of $US14.5bn was broadly in line with the previous financial year. Meanwhile, Brandon says the recent industrial action at BHP’s Port Hedland iron ore export hub has had no material impact on its Pilbara operations to date. Unions rejected BHP’s latest pay offer during negotiations yesterday.
CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP
McDonald’s, KFC, Hungry Jack’s, Domino’s Pizza and Subway are Australia’s favourite restaurants
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Aug-26
New research from Roy Morgan shows that 19.2 million Australians aged 14+ (82.5%) ate takeaway food in an average six months in the 12 months to June 2026. This is up by 1,204,000 (+6.7%), since 2021-22 when 18 million Australians ate take away food, although it is equivalent to an 85% share of the population. Analysing the leading quick service restaurants by generation shows that Millennials are the biggest customers of all three of the leading fast-food outlets – McDonald’s, KFC and Hungry Jack’s – narrowly ahead of the younger Generation Z. Older generations have fewer customers of fast-food outlets, but McDonald’s remains the leading choice for Generation X, Baby Boomers and the Interwar generation, while the ubiquitous hamburger restaurant narrowly has the edge amongst the youngest Gen Alpha. The research also shows that on average Australians make 3.8 visits to quick service restaurants in an average four weeks, up slightly from 3.7 times a year ago.
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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, McDONALD’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED, KFC, HUNGRY JACK’S PTY LTD
Roy Morgan forecasts Australian Retail Sales to hit $40 billion a month for the first time in August
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Aug-26
New forecasts from Roy Morgan shows that monthly Australian Retail Sales are set to reach $40 billion in August, up 6% on a year ago. The three categories driving growth are Household Goods (forecast to grow 8.8% to almost $6.7 billion), Hospitality (set to grow 6.2% to over $5.9 billion) and Other Retailing (projected to grow 7.5% to over $7 billion). The Clothing category is forecast to grow 5.7% to over $3 billion, while the slowest growth is predicted for Department Stores, up 2.3% to $1.66 billion. The largest category is Food with expected sales of over $15.6 billion in August, up 4.6% on a year ago and representing 39% of all forecast retail sales in August. The fastest retail sales growth by State is set to be in Western Australia with an increase of 7.2% on a year ago to total retail sales of over $4.8 billion in August, just ahead of South Australia, up 6.4% to over $2.6 billion.
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ROY MORGAN LIMITED
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