Latest / NewsCard® Australia Daily News / RBA warns inflation too persistent, Trump signs voluntary AI safety deal, Taiwan arms sales unchanged
Transcript
- [warm] This is NewsCard Daily for Thursday October 1, 2026 ... the biggest stories from Australia and around the world in just minutes. — — [serious] We begin in Canberra where the Reserve Bank is warning inflation remains too persistent ... and households are feeling the pressure. The cash rate is now four-point-six per cent, its highest level in fifteen years, after the fourth increase this year. Borrowers face higher repayments, while the bank says further rises remain possible if price growth does not ease. — — [serious] New data shows why the pressure continues. Australia’s annual inflation rate rises to four per cent in August, up from three-point-five per cent in July. Fuel costs jump sharply, while electricity and new-home prices also climb. The RBA’s preferred measure of underlying inflation holds at three-point-six per cent ... leaving families and businesses waiting for clearer relief. — — [curious] In federal politics, the Greens choose NSW Senator David Shoebridge as their new leader, with Senator Steph Hodgins-May as deputy. The change comes as the party tries to sharpen its challenge to Labor ... and as polling shows growing support for One Nation. The result adds pressure on both major parties over migration, living costs and climate policy. — — [serious] Across the economy, household spending is flat as Australians cut back on food, clothing and recreation. More money is going into fuel, but less is being spent elsewhere. That squeeze is unfolding alongside falling house prices and rising construction costs ... a difficult combination for families, retailers and people trying to enter the housing market. — — [urgent] Overseas in the United States, President Donald Trump says he and major artificial-intelligence companies have signed a voluntary agreement for internal and external reviews of powerful AI systems. The deal is intended to improve safety without new mandatory rules ... but critics question whether voluntary commitments will be enough as the technology develops rapidly. — — [curious] Now to Asia, where Taiwan says American arms sales remain unchanged, despite a fourteen-billion-dollar package still being held up. The dispute matters beyond Taiwan itself ... because military support for the island is closely watched by China and has become a major test of regional security and the US commitment to its allies. — — [warm] That's NewsCard Daily. For more top stories and quick summaries that keep you informed in minutes, download NewsCard ... available in the App Store.