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The increase from 4.5 per cent in July was relatively small, but it comes at a time when the Reserve Bank of Australia is closely watching the labour market for signs that inflationary pressure is easing. The figures also showed that the labour force grew by 67,700 people during August.…

Karen McDonald, Accountancy Insurance   Most discussions about cyber risk focus on prevention. Stronger passwords. Multi-factor authentication. Employee training. Security software. All these measures are important, and every accounting firm should take cyber security seriously. However, recent events across Australia highlight an uncomfortable reality; even businesses with security measures in…

The broader All Ordinaries also declined by 1.04 per cent, while 10 of the 11 market sectors finished lower. Major Australian banks and mining companies were among those affected, while the Australian dollar slipped to around US72.14 cents. The immediate market reaction reflects concerns that higher energy prices could add…

The RBA left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35 per cent at its August meeting. However, annual inflation eased only from 3.8 per cent in June to 3.5 per cent in July, remaining well above the 3.2 per cent forecast. The result caused three banks to revise their expectations and…

The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.2 per cent following a 0.5 per cent decline on Wednesday. The Australian dollar weakened to US70.48¢. Commonwealth Bank shares fell 2.2 per cent as investors took profits following its strong annual result. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto declined 3.6 per cent after securing government support for the…

Sydney dwelling values dropped by 0.5 per cent over the past seven days, and 1.4 per cent over the past 28 days. Sydney home values are now 5.1 per cent below their recent peak, and the market could fall more than 10 per cent before the end of 2026. These…

Developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have prompted traders to reassess supply risks. This has pushed benchmark crude prices up by more than 10 per cent. The latest surge follows escalating military action between the US and Iran. The Hormuz carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports,…

National home values declined by 0.4 per cent during June, with revised figures indicating the market reached its recent peak in March. Sydney and Melbourne remain at the centre of the correction. Both cities experienced declines during the month, reflecting increased housing supply, reduced demand and sensitivity to higher interest…

1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026   Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and government revenue authority review activity continues to be shaped by increased funding, expanding data matching capabilities and a growing focus on risk based reviews. Recent Federal Budget measures have provided significant additional funding for ATO review programs,…

Karen McDonald, Accountancy Insurance   There have been a few questions raised about whether our Professional Indemnity PI Shield provides cover in relation to the new Anti‑Money Laundering (AML) laws.The answer is yes. Cover is available under the Statutory Liability section of the policy, subject to a sub‑limit of $250,000.…