Overseas migration to Australia has eased as arrivals fall below 2019 levels even though more migrants are staying on.
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics today showed about 563,500 people arrived in Australia by migration in 2025. That was 32,000 fewer than in 2024. lower than every year after 2018, when there were 534,400 arrivals, except for 2020 and 2021 which had pandemic border closures.
Migration departures fell by 2,700 people, to 262,700, in 2025 from the previous year. That saw net overseas migration slide from 330,400 people in 2024 to 301,000 in 2025.
In the May budget. the Albanese government forecast net overseas migration would fall to 295,000 in the year to June 2026, then 245,000 over the subsequent 12 months.
Migration accounted for most of Australia’s population increase, with natural increase adding 111,500 people. Australia recorded about 300,000 births in 2025, 10,000 more than the previous year, while 188,400 people died. The population was 27.8 million by the end of the year. is projected to have passed 28 million since then.
Mo Touré’s parents on the struggles that paved way for a Socceroos career
Amara. Mawa Touré – the parents of Socceroos striker Mo Touré – were children when war broke out in Liberia in 1989. “Everything went helter-skelter, and every Liberian started running for their life,” Amara says.
Amara, his little brother and adult sister walked for 18 days to make it to the border with Guinea. They survived on ripening wild fruit and vegetables, with a warning to avoid anyone they came across. “It was a scary time,” he says.
double quotation mark But now when I reflect on it. it would have been even scarier if I knew the ramifications of what we were going through. Because it was life or death.
Their first son. Al Hassan, was born, followed by Mohamed – now better known as “Mo” – before they travelled to Australia on humanitarian visas. Both brothers have become Socceroos.
That’s all from me. Cait Kelly will take the reins from here. Take care!
Sydney’s UNSW overtakes University of Melbourne in global rankings for first time
The University of New South Wales has overtaken the University of Melbourne for the first time in a prestigious world university rankings list.
UNSW ranked 19th in the QS World University Rankings, an improvement of one place for the University of Sydney on last year’s result. 30 places since 2017.
UNSW was particularly commended for its employment outcomes, sustainability, reputation and international research partnerships.
The University of Melbourne continued a downward trajectory. however, falling from 19th to 22nd in this year’s iteration, after falling seven spots from 2024’s ranking of 12th.
Overseas migration to Australia has eased as arrivals fall below 2019 levels even though more migrants are staying on.
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics today showed about 563,500 people arrived in Australia by migration in 2025. That was 32,000 fewer than in 2024. lower than every year after 2018, when there were 534,400 arrivals, except for 2020 and 2021 which had pandemic border closures.
Migration departures fell by 2,700 people, to 262,700, in 2025 from the previous year. That saw net overseas migration slide from 330,400 people in 2024 to 301,000 in 2025.
In the May budget. the Albanese government forecast net overseas migration would fall to 295,000 in the year to June 2026, then 245,000 over the subsequent 12 months.
Migration accounted for most of Australia’s population increase, with natural increase adding 111,500 people. Australia recorded about 300,000 births in 2025, 10,000 more than the previous year, while 188,400 people died. The population was 27.8 million by the end of the year. is projected to have passed 28 million since then.
Ebike thefts soar in NSW as Victoria’s crime rate drops for first time in four years
Victoria has recorded its first drop in crime in four years. fewer young people are offending, but a surge in theft is bucking the trend – mirroring concerns in New South Wales, where a sharp rise in ebike theft has helped drive stealing rates higher.
The Victorian Crime Statistics Agency on Thursday released data for the 12 months to March 2026. which showed there were 625,426 criminal offences recorded in Victoria – a decrease of 1,524 or 0.2% on the previous 12 months.
The crime rate, which factors in population growth, also decreased by 1.9% compared with the previous 12 months. It marked the first drop in the crime rate since 2022.
In New South Wales, data released on Thursday by the Bureau of Crime Statistics. Research showed crime has mostly remained stable in the state over the past two years, with the exception of shoplifting and stealing offences.
The data showed shoplifting increased by 9.1% in the two years to March 2026. other stealing offences increased by 3.1%.
The rise in shoplifting was driven by a 17% increase in the theft of clothing. footwear and a 13% increase in the theft of alcohol, while the rise in stealing was driven by a 27% increase in the theft of ebikes, which accounted for more than a third of the 2,080 incidents.
Meanwhile. the number of adults facing court in NSW increased by 10% in the two years to March 2026, with a third of the growth related to domestic violence.
‘Can’t wait to beat them’: Socceroos up for US showdown
The Socceroos have spent months listening to Americans talk the talk. Now they can finally get their chance to answer the way they want to, AAP reports.
Australia have been talked down. written off over and over again since they were drawn in the same group as the United States back on 6 December.
“I’m really excited for the US game,” the Socceroos defender Jordan Bos said ahead of the tournament. “Because I’ve heard a lot of chatter and stuff like that. So I can’t wait to beat them, to be honest.”
The former US forward Landon Donovan labelled coach Tony Popovic “smug” and tipped Australia to finish bottom of their group.
Popovic has laughed off the punditry, while for their part, US players have spent much of this week attempting to hose down the commentary. stress their respect for the Socceroos.
“At the end of the day, the talking’s done on the field,” the Socceroos defender Aziz Behich said.
“It’s all something to laugh at, it’s a bit funny,” he said.
Younger women with children overtake women over 55 as fastest-growing cohort of homeless
A report from Australians Investing In Women. Per Capita has revealed the gender gap in Australia’s housing crisis, showing younger women with children have overtaken women over 55 as the fastest-growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness.
The report also reveals it takes women three years longer to save a deposit than men,. that men are 22% more likely to own an investment property than women.
Women account for 55% of social housing residents and 59% of people accessing Specialist Homelessness Services.
Julie Reilly, the chief executive officer of AIIW, said:
double quotation mark Australians across the country are deeply feeling the effects of our unprecedented housing crisis,. in reality, the housing crisis is not experienced equally.
To treat the housing crisis as gender neutral is to actively ignore structural factors shaping housing outcomes, including the gender pay gap, lower retirement savings, caring responsibilities. the ongoing impacts of gender-based violence.
Through meaningful investment. awareness of the structural challenges women face to get a foot in the housing market, we can design a housing system that works for everyone. That’s real equity.
The report called for a net increase of at least 170,000 social homes by 2030. restoring social housing to 5% of Australia’s housing stock.
Treasury details planned CGT carve-out for ‘genuinely’ innovative startups
Investors in “innovative startups”, including founders. their employees who are paid in shares in the business, will have the choice of keeping the existing 50% discount on capital gains tax, as part of a carve-out from the government’s tax reforms.
Treasury’s consultation paper released this morning proposed an “innovative business CGT concession”. or IBCC, saying it was important that the shift to an inflation-linked CGT discount did not discourage entrepreneurship.
“Start-ups. scaling firms will often have products or hold intellectual property that are difficult to value at early stages,” the paper says, echoing concerns from the startup community.
Under the proposal, early-stage investors in innovative businesses will need to have held their shares for at least five years to be eligible for the concession,. there will be a lifetime cap of $10m on the total capital gain, and an equivalent $2.4m cap on the tax benefit.
double quotation mark Once the cap is exceeded, taxpayers would be taxed according to cost base indexation. the minimum 30 per cent tax.
A firm issuing would generally need to have been around for less than a decade for any new equity to be considered for the exemption.
Treasury noted that the carve-out for “genuine innovative activity” echoed a similar exemption for investors in new home builds. who are also able to choose at the time of sale whether to receive the flat or inflation-linked CGT discount.
My colleague Luca Ittimani has more on Qantas. its Project Sunrise, which will eventually see direct flights from Sydney to London.
Long story short: it’s been delayed again.
The federal parliamentary press gallery committee has issued a statement strongly objecting to threats made by One Nation yesterday to ban journalists.
The committee, which represents journalists who work in Parliament House in Canberra, said it “always welcomes the opportunity for professional. respectful engagement with politicians, candidates and political parties”.
The Guardian Australia journalist Sarah Martin was subjected to a personal. unfounded attack by the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, yesterday at the National Press Club.
The committee said the ability to scrutinise and question politicians is one of the fundamental functions of journalists:
double quotation mark Against this backdrop, the Gallery Committee strongly objects to threats made by One Nation – or by any political party – to ban certain journalists. organisations from doing their jobs as important observers and interpreters of federal politics.
Journalists have an essential role to play in a free. open democracy, and such restrictions would undermine and ultimately weaken Australia’s political system.
Earlier, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance issued a statement in support of Martin.
Chalmers flags CGT carve-outs for ‘special case’ entrepreneurs
Jim Chalmers says businesses with zero or very low startup costs are “special cases”. deserve “different treatment” under the proposed changes to the capital gains tax.
Entrepreneurs have complained long. loud that a founder who started a successful business built with nothing but hard work would be harshly treated under an inflation-linked CGT discount model.
Chalmers says a paper to be released today will “set out our preferred position”,. the government will be seeking feedback in coming weeks.
“We do consider there to be a special case for businesses with low or no startup costs,. that necessitates this different treatment in the tax system,” he says.
Chalmers says details around excluding testamentary trusts from the proposed 30% minimum tax would be in a separate consultation paper,. this possible amendment will not be part of the “first tranche” of legislation before the Senate.
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