Guardian AU
SA banned donations to political parties. Now experts fear powerful lobby groups could pick up the tab and dominate the discourse
South Australia's ban on political donations may have created an unintended consequence: powerful lobby groups operating outside the traditional party system could now dominate election spending with little transparency. Third-party organisations are not required to disclose their expenditure until after the state election, leaving voters in the dark about who is bankrolling the political conversation. Experts warn the reform has effectively shifted influence from parties to special interest groups, undermining the spirit of the original legislation.
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Labor appears set to reform capital gains tax discount after parliamentary inquiry findings
Australia's Labor government is signaling a significant overhaul of the capital gains tax discount ahead of the May budget, following a parliamentary inquiry that found the Howard-era policy is deepening intergenerational inequality in the housing market. The 50% CGT discount, introduced in 1999, has long been criticized for inflating property prices by making investment in existing homes more attractive than new builds. Any reform would mark one of the most consequential shifts in Australian tax policy in decades, with direct implications for housing affordability and investor behavior.
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Sydney Morning Herald
Australian importers look to Africa, US, for oil as refineries cut back
Australia is scrambling to secure oil imports from Africa and the United States as domestic refinery capacity continues to shrink. The supply pressure has grown acute enough that the Albanese government refused to rule out fuel rationing, even as the opposition raised alarms about a potential shortage over the Easter period. The situation underscores the country's deepening vulnerability to global supply disruptions as it loses self-sufficiency in fuel production.
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'A tipping point': Why Israel's invasion is pushing Lebanon to the brink
Israel's military buildup in southern Lebanon is intensifying fears of a prolonged occupation that could push an already fragile state past the point of no return. Experts warn that further destabilization risks unraveling Lebanon's precarious political and economic foundations, which have been eroding for years. For a country still reeling from financial collapse and the 2020 Beirut explosion, a sustained Israeli presence could prove existential.
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Australia news live: regulator summons fuel giants over prices; RBA interest rates meeting today
Australia's competition regulator has summoned major fuel companies to explain pricing practices, as the energy minister warns it will take time for increased fuel supply to reach regional areas. Separately, the Reserve Bank of Australia meets today in a closely watched interest rates decision. Meanwhile, two men have been charged with murder following a gangland-linked fatal shooting at a Sydney apartment complex.
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