Global Scans · Australia · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Australia will no longer be known for being as dependant on the export of natural resources over the next half century as in 2012. The need for new infrastructure to meet the strong population and economic growth of Australia will continue to be a priority for the medium term. There's no doubt the aftermath of China's credit boom poses a much bigger economic threat to Australia than Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. The Growth rate for Australia is expected to be stronger, although still below the long-term trend.

• [New] Higher domestic interest rates can provide support through yield differentials, but weaker Australian growth and deteriorating global risk sentiment can work in the opposite direction. Vantage Australia
• [New] Australia - which supplies over a third of Japan's energy needs - is managing the change the bilateral relationship needs as both countries aim for net zero emissions by 2050. The Australian National University
• [New] At a time of great uncertainty, risk and contestation, the Albanese Government recognises that Australia cannot afford to be a passive observer of the profound changes occurring around us. Islands Business
• Australia will face a 12.5% tariff. SG Hiscock & Company
• Australia Post supported the sustainability of its Licensed Post Office network during FY26, including through increased commissions to licensees of $635.1 million and exploring opportunities to provide additional services where there is customer demand. Mirage News
• The new Australian Electoral Management System will be a modern and flexible platform better able to accommodate the increasing size and complexity of Australia's federal elections. Australian Electoral Commission
• The Australian government has pledged $8 million to multilateral and non-government partners and will deploy humanitarian specialists to assist with relief efforts. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
• Taking a common cholesterol-lowering medication can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke for people aged over 70, with a low risk of serious side effects, a world-first clinical trial led by Australian researchers has found. The Guardian
• The Australian Energy Regulator will be required to consider every application, with state or territory governments obliged to prove a non-renewables option is cheaper. The Guardian
• BP's geographic strategy for its sustainability portfolio shows a clear pivot away from regions with policy uncertainty, like the UK, toward markets with more stable regulatory frameworks and tangible opportunities, such as the United States and Australia. EnkiAI - Find the right insight
• First Ministers agreed Australia remains at Level 2 of the National Fuel Security Plan, in recognition of potential for ongoing volatility in global fuel markets. Prime Minister of Australia
• Following the Commonwealth's world leading action on artificial intelligence (AI) to develop national laws by early 2027, First Ministers agreed the emerging technology represents a generational opportunity for Australia if properly harnessed. Prime Minister of Australia
• New funding will fuel company expansion across Australia, New Zealand, and the US. AgFunderNews
• Almost every taxi ride in an Australian capital city will be driverless within a decade, reckons the Melbourne designer who created the world's first purpose-built robotaxi. The Sydney Morning Herald
• The Vuvale Union Treaty will focus on broader economic, security and people-to-people ties, backed by more than $1 billion (US$ 706 million) in Australian investment over 10 years. Islands Business
• 33% of consumers expect at least 10% of their purchases to be AI-driven within a year, with interest at 67% in the US, 62% in Australia and around 58% in the UK. Growth Centr
• The magnitude and endless maritime trafficking of illicit drugs to, and through the Pacific, has become a serious national security threat for the Pacific and Australia. Mirage News
• As a middle power with diplomatic finesse, Australia will have opportunities to contribute to the future of global methane policy. Lowy Institute
• The Australian Government is making Australia one of the world's most cyber secure nations by 2030. Mirage News
• The UK and New Zealand will have limited relevance in various Taiwan conflict scenarios; Australia might well be heavily involved in a US-led effort; Singapore might well be forcibly drawn in; and Malaysia will do all it can to sit it out completely. Hudson Institute
• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, whose members are smaller powers, will become increasingly irrelevant as its ability to regulate great-power competition diminishes, causing member states to seek unilateral or minilateral non-ASEAN pathways to cooperation. / Australia Hudson Institute
• There will thus be little genuine strategic cooperation or coordination between middle powers such as Australia and the smaller Southeast Asian powers. Hudson Institute
• The federal government's Capacity Investment Scheme has been expanded to a 40 GW target by 2030, alongside the Rewiring the Nation program and state-level Renewable Energy Zone commitments across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia. Fuse Recruitment

Last updated: 18 September 2026