Latest news with #StateoftheStates


West Australian
12 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
Rita Saffioti 10 Things: Excitement levels at all-time high as AC Milan in Perth for pre-season friendly
1. Excitement levels are at an all-time high this week with so much happening in sport. We had the western derby, two Australian Cup soccer games at Olympic Kingsway, AC Milan in town for a pre-season friendly with Perth Glory and of course West Coast Fever playing their grand final against the Melbourne Vixens this Saturday. 2. WA has claimed top spot once again in the latest CommSec State of the States report. It's the fourth consecutive quarter WA has topped the list with strong growth in retail, housing, and business investment. It shows our experienced Government is doing the right thing to ensure WA remains the best place to live and do business. 3. And to keep our economy strong and ensure WA continues to be a key contributor to the entire country, we want to put West Australians first and ensure we aren't short-changed. That's why our Government is getting on the front foot and preparing for the upcoming Productivity Commission review into the GST arrangements. We know the Albanese Government supports our GST deal, but it's important to let the eastern State commentators know just how unfair it would be to wind back any deal. 4. We have been spending a record amount on road infrastructure and yesterday we announced another record investment in two road safety programs. A total of $57 million will be invested across the two programs, delivering critical road safety upgrades at more than 100 locations around the State. 5. In case you missed it, the remainder of the Armadale Train Line including the 8km extension to Byford will open on Monday, October 13. We'll be holding a community open day on Sunday 12 to celebrate. Mark the day in your diary! 6. We also announced the proposed new terminal locations for the expanded ferry service on the Swan River. Metronet on Swan will see a new ferry stop at Matilda Bay to service UWA and a new stop at Applecross. It's an exciting milestone as we work to increase accessibility across the river. 7. Back to sport — best of luck to the West Coast Fever on Saturday. The whole of WA is behind you. The club is hosting an official watch party at BrewDog in Perth if you want to watch the game with some fellow supporters. 8. A big congratulations to Olympic Kingsway beating Melbourne Victory 4-3 in a hard-fought David and Goliath battle. 9. AC Milan touched down in Perth on Sunday night and the next day the players visited Perth Children's Hospital to surprise and lift the spirits of some brave young patients. As the hosts of AC Milan's only game in Australia this year, I'm pumped for tonight's match against Perth Glory. We're going all out with an Italian Village at HBF Park before the game, so make sure you get down to enjoy traditional Italian food, a spritz bar and entertainment before the Rossoneri take to the field. 10. While we're talking about elite international athletes, how fantastic that we now get to prepare to host the Matildas, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, India, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan for the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026. I can't wait!

Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Victoria dives in CommSec's State of the States report as Western Australia secures #1 for fourth consecutive quarter
Weakness in the jobs market has plagued Victoria as the state slumped from second to fourth place in a fresh report that measures each states' economic activity. CommSec on Monday released its latest State of the States report which monitors each state or territory's economy through eight indicators and compares this against averages over the past decade. The report found Victoria was the second-best state for retail spending but was held back by weakness in relative unemployment – which is the state's jobless rate compared to the decade average. Victoria's relative unemployment rate is 10.3 per cent less than its decade average as the nation's jobless rate continues to hover near historic lows. It ranked above NSW (8.8 per cent below average) and the ACT (6.7 per cent below average) amid a slump in public spending and weak business investment. Tasmania was the best for relative unemployment, sitting almost 30 per cent below the average, while Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia and the Northern Territory all sat between 20 and about 25 per cent below the average. Meanwhile, Victoria ranked third for construction work and economic growth and reported one of the highest population growths. The state also dipped from third to fifth in CommSec's analysis of the annual growth rate despite above-average net overseas migration. It follows the state rising from fourth to second in the April report. Western Australia was ranked the best state in the report for the fourth quarter in a row, with a strong performance across an array of categories securing it the top spot, according to chief CommSec economist Ryan Felsman. 'Western Australia led across several economic measures, taking first place in retail trade, housing finance, and business investment,' Mr Felsman said. 'Meanwhile South Australia ranks first on two indicators – construction work and dwelling starts. 'Overall, the economic performance of Australia's states and territories is being supported by a combination of slowing inflation, falling interest rates, rising real wages, robust government spending and a solid labour market. 'But economic growth has moderated, held back by slowing public investment, population growth and household spending. 'The future path will depend on the resiliency of the job market, further interest rate cuts and US President Donald Trump's trade policies." Australia's economic growth will be the subject of an upcoming roundtable where leaders representing business, unions and government will meet. The nation's lagging productivity, which sits near historic lows, and tax system will also come under the microscope.


West Australian
3 days ago
- Health
- West Australian
Australian news and politics live: Independent MP Chaney to introduce Bill to ban AI child sexual abuse apps
Scroll down for the latest news and updates. Independent MP Kate Chaney will today introduce a bill to outlaw technology that assists in the creation of child sexual abuse material. Under the bill it would be an offence to posess AI tools designed for the sole purpose of creating child sexual abuse material. 'This is a clear gap in our Criminal Code that I think we need to be able to respond quickly on so we can make sure we're keeping kids safe,' she said on ABC. 'Currently, possession of these images is illegal, but it's not illegal to possess these particular types of AI tools that are designed for the sole purpose of creating child sexual abuse material. 'So, it means that perpetrators can generate the material using images of real children, delete the images, and then recreate them whenever they want and avoid detection. 'This bill is focused on making it illegal to download these tools that are designed to create this material.' Ms Chaney said action was needed now. 'The challenge that we have is that we're creating a lot of reports and consultations, and the technology is moving so fast, so I think there's a need for urgent action on this. 'We need to be able to plug the gaps as we go, while addressing the broad issues about how we're going to encourage take-up of AI for its productivity benefits but creating appropriate guardrails so that people can have faith in it.'. Australians will pay no more than $25 for selected medicines for the first time in more than 20 years under a proposal to be brought before parliament. It will be the second cap on medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) introduced by the Albanese government in three years, after it cut the maximum price of PBS prescriptions from $42.50 to $30. 'The size of your bank balance shouldn't determine the quality of your health care,' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. 'My government will continue to deliver cost-of-living relief for all Australians.' PBS medicines would be capped at $7.70 for pensioners and concession card holders until 2030. The bill's introduction is largely a formality, with its passage through the lower house all but assured thanks to Labor's massive 94-seat majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives. Read the story West is best again in economic circles but big gains made on the other side of the Nullarbor have surprised economists and left eastern states languishing. A boost in housing construction has propelled South Australia to second position, above Queensland and Victoria, in CommSec's latest State of the States report released on Monday. Western Australia remains the nation's top performer for the fourth straight quarter with strong returns on retail spending and business investment, but an upheaval could be on the horizon. 'We are seeing Western Australia lose a little bit of momentum,' CommSec chief economist Ryan Felsman told AAP. 'It's been growing at a breakneck speed the last two or three years, and the reason for that is population growth has been the highest for some time.' Read the story A plan to boost the number of fully bulk-billing general practice clinics is likely to fall dramatically short of forecasts, a healthcare directory operator warns. Labor's $7.9 billion plan to expand the Bulk Billing Incentive Program to include non-concession patients projected the number of fully bulk-billing GP clinics to rise to 4800. But healthcare directory operator Cleanbill estimates the number of entirely bulk-billing clinics will rise by just 740 to 2081 because incentive payments will not cover consultation costs for certain clinics. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler slammed the report as inaccurate and fundamentally flawed. 'This is a headline-grabbing phone poll conducted by a private company whose own website says their data is not 'reliable, accurate, complete or suitable',' Mr Butler said in a statement. 'For the first time, Labor will expand bulk-billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient.'


Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
West is best economically as eastern states left behind
West is best again in economic circles but big gains made on the other side of the Nullarbor have surprised economists and left eastern states languishing. A boost in housing construction has propelled South Australia to second position, above Queensland and Victoria, in CommSec's latest State of the States report released on Monday. Western Australia remains the nation's top performer for the fourth straight quarter with strong returns on retail spending and business investment, but an upheaval could be on the horizon. "We are seeing Western Australia lose a little bit of momentum," CommSec chief economist Ryan Felsman told AAP. "It's been growing at a breakneck speed the last two or three years, and the reason for that is population growth has been the highest for some time." The report ranks Australian states' economic performance based on eight key indicators including economic growth, retail spending, unemployment, population growth and dwelling commencements. Some states, such as WA and Queensland, have natural resource advantages over the others, while smaller jurisdictions such as Tasmania and the Northern Territory have naturally lower economic capacity due to their smaller populations. The report gauges how each state economy is performing relative to its long-term average. Leading the nation in construction and dwelling starts propelled SA past the eastern states, where housing affordability problems continue. Dwelling investment in NSW, Victoria and the ACT remains roughly the same as it was a decade ago, but Mr Felsman said general improvements in the economy should improve prospects nationwide. "Heavily mortgaged households are feeling the benefits of two interest-rate cuts, with more on the way," he said. "If you add to that better real wages growth, cost-of-living pressures are easing and that should lead to a pick-up in household consumption." Queensland maintained its third-place standing but its growth was hampered by reduced coal and agriculture exports due to the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Higher relative unemployment pushed Victoria from second to fourth, while Tasmania, NSW, the ACT and the Northern Territory rounded out the rankings respectively. STATE OF THE STATES RANKINGS 1st: Western Australia, unchanged 2nd: South Australia, up from fourth 3rd: Queensland, unchanged 4th: Victoria, down from second 5th: Tasmania, unchanged =6th: NSW, down from equal fifth =6th: ACT, up from seventh 8th: Northern Territory, unchanged * All changes compared to the CommSec April quarter report


India Today
22-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Jaganmohan Reddy attacks TDP, says Chandrababu Naidu behind 'real liquor scam'
31:17 Speaking at India Today's State of the States: Sikkim at 50, Bhaichung Bhutia pointed out that India's FIFA ranking has dropped from 96 in 2017 to 127 in 2024 — a sharp decline that has occurred during Kalyan Chaubey's tenure as AIFF President. The regression reflects deeper structural issues that continue to plague Indian football.