Sydney desk

Filed from the Sydney desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Finance · 6 days ago

BlueScope’s Tariff‑Tied Triumph: Trump’s Steel Surcharge Sends Aussie Iron to the Moon, While the Economy Sinks

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Trump’s steel import tariffs gave BlueScope a windfall, but they also pushed up construction costs and added pressure to the Australian economy.

Finance · 6 days ago

RBNZ Holds Rate at 2.75%, Kiwi Dollar Slides a Cent in Minutes

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand kept the official cash rate at 2.75% after a split vote, and the New Zealand dollar fell almost a cent against the U.S. dollar within minutes, prompting amused commentary from market w…

Politics · 6 days ago

Bluey cartoon sparks parliamentary squabble as ABC urges One Nation to yank the violent sketch; AFP warns hate may step off screen

Mabel Crowe, Sydney desk

The ABC has asked One Nation to remove a cartoon that pits the beloved Bluey against former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, while the AFP cautions that online vitriol may soon leave the internet. The clash has turned a…

Politics · 6 days ago

Reserve Bank faces Cup Day rate‑rise pressure as inflation spikes to 4.3%

Rex Blister, Sydney desk

Inflation jumped to 4.3% – the biggest monthly rise since March – putting the Reserve Bank under intense pressure to consider another rate increase at its meeting next Tuesday, just as Cup Day approaches.

Sports · 6 days ago

Starc Spins South Africa into a Six‑For Whirlwind at Leeds

Doug Kettle, Sydney desk

Mitchell Starc’s six‑wicket haul ripped through South Africa’s 140‑0 lunch stand in Leeds, bowing them out for 329 on day one of the third Test and setting up a tense second day for the hosts.

Finance · 28 October 2026

RBA’s Cup‑Day Rate Rumble: Inflation’s New Showstopper

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The Reserve Bank of Australia, in a move as dramatic as a steeplechase, set to halt inflation once more on Melbourne Cup day, sparking speculation that interest rates might rise. Market participants are bracing for a sho…

Environment · 28 October 2026

NSW Government backs off coffee cup ban, lets cafés serve disposable cups to dine‑in patrons

Doug Kettle, Sydney desk

The NSW government has reversed its recent plastic‑cup restrictions, now permitting cafés to serve dine‑in customers in disposable coffee cups.

Sports · 28 October 2026

Raiders Players Find Contract Extensions Have Legs, Walk Off Table, And Perhaps Toward Rabbitohs

Frank Bollard, Melbourne desk

Sam Walker and Hudson Young are currently in search of new homes after their contract extensions were spectacularly withdrawn from the negotiating table.

Finance · 28 October 2026

ASX Eyes a Modest Rise as Tech Stocks Roar, Boeing Takes a Swooping Detour

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The ASX is set to edge up ahead of inflation data as AI‑driven tech shares lift Wall Street, while Boeing shares tumble.