Latest news in Australia? September 3rd, 2026

Disaster Response in NepalAustralia is deploying a 15-person Disaster Assistance Response Team, including specialist drone operators from New South Wales and Queensland, to assist rescue efforts following catastrophic flooding in Nepal. Over 30 Australians remain unaccounted for in the affected regions, and the federal government has lifted its humanitarian assistance to $11 million. SBSFederal Politics and Tobacco PolicyThe federal Coalition has proposed an 80% cut to the tobacco excisereducing the tax on a standard 20-pack from roughly $30 to $6in an effort to undercut the booming black market run by organized crime. Labor and public health organizations strongly rejected the proposal, warning that slashing prices would reverse decades of smoking reduction efforts. SBS+ 1Pacific Engagement and Climate FundingWrapping up attendance at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Palau, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed a $16.4 million battery storage upgrade for Palau’s electrical grid to curb reliance on diesel, alongside a $25 million regional package targeting Pacific climate and environmental initiatives. SBSEconomic Indicators and Rate PressuresFresh Australian Bureau of Statistics figures revealed labour productivity fell 0.2% over the year to June, with drag centered heavily in publicly funded sectors like health and aged care. Coupled with resilient domestic demand shown in recent GDP figures, financial markets continue to factor in the potential for further interest rate pressure from the Reserve Bank. CommBank+ 1SportAustralian tennis player Alex de Minaur secured a place in the second round of the US Open following weather-related scheduling delays in New York. The Guardian