☕️ Increase in unemployment rate

It’s a huge Friday for TDA – today is the last day for TDA’s Head of Commercial, Tara O’Reilly. She’s off to explore the big wide world and see what this whole ‘New York’ thing is about.

Tara was TDA’s first employee, back in 2021. It was her job to figure out how to make a cent, and then to actually make that cent. Not only did she achieve that in a way that has always kept the heart, soul and editorial values of TDA as the first priority, but she is the reason the company was able to hire more people, and the reason TDA is now a sustainable media company.

To work with Tara is to adore Tara. Lucy, one of TDA’s editors, once said that Tara is the person you want around when you break an arm. It was the perfect way to describe Tara’s ability to be calm and reassuring, and SO skilled, in all situations.

We love you Tara. You’re simply the best.

“The days of dog whistle politics are well and truly over. When people want to play cards designed to divide people, everybody hears them. It's no longer a dog whistle, it's a set of bagpipes you can hear from the other side of the hill. People are onto it, and when individual communities are singled out, they hear exactly what's being said.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on the current political climate in an address to the National Press Club.

$1.3 trillion
The projected worth of the sports tourism sector by 2032, according to a new survey of 24,000 respondents from 18 countries. Expedia's Unpack '26 report found sports tourism represents 10% of global tourism spending, with Australians paying an average of $3,330 on flights, accommodation and activities to attend prominent sporting events. The report also found 74% of young Aussie tourists now factor in local sporting events as part of their travel plans.

Reality star and makeup mogul Kylie Jenner released her debut single ‘Fourth Strike’. Under her 2016 persona ‘King Kylie’, Jenner collaborated with pop duo Terror Jr in this sequel to their song ‘Third Strike’.

Property analysis company Domain has suggested national rental prices have plateaued.

Its latest report says the market has “entered a new phase” after recording the longest “period of stability” in a decade.

Rents are still at record levels across most of the country, however, and advocates have warned millions of Australians are struggling to afford rent.

A new report from social advocacy group Anglicare Australia has found essential workers are being priced out of the rental market nationwide.

Its Rental Affordability Snapshot, released this week, analysed more than 50,000 rental listings against 16 jobs.

The report found rental affordability has “gone backwards” across much of the country, with nurses, tradies, and hospitality workers now “locked out of most rentals.”

Less than 2% of available listings were affordable for an aged care worker, a nurse, or an early childhood educator.

Executive Director Kasy Chambers said: “The housing crisis is now hurting the people who hold our communities together. If they cannot afford to live where they work, then schools, hospitals, and aged care homes will struggle to keep running”.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

The NSW Government has introduced a bill to establish a 25 year non-parole period for people convicted of murdering a current or former intimate partner.

If passed, the Government says it would be the first legislated non-parole period specifically for intimate partner homicide (IPH) in Australia.

NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley said in a statement: “A 25-year standard non-parole period reflects the community’s deep sense of outrage and the lasting harm these crimes cause.”

IPH occurs when a person murders their current or former spouse.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, it is the most prevalent form of domestic and family violence homicide, and usually involves a female victim.

NSW Government data shows that between June 2020 and June 2025, 59 people were murdered by their current or previous intimate partner. The majority of victims were women and the majority of perpetrators were men.

In NSW, the majority of murder convictions carry a minimum non-parole period of 20 years.

The bill would add five years, making the non-parole period for IPH 25 years.

A non-parole period is the minimum amount of time an offender must spend in prison before they can be released.

In a statement, the Government said the increase “align[s] intimate partner murder with other offences… such as the murder of a child”.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman told TDA: “I support a higher standard non-parole period for intimate partner murder. Murder is the worst of all crimes and penalties should reflect the community’s condemnation.”

Domestic Violence NSW senior policy officer Angie Gehle told TDA the bill “recognises the horrific nature of this crime and aims to strengthen accountability for those who choose to use violence.”

1800 Respect

Call: 1800 737 732

Text: 0458 737 732

Video: 1800RESPECT.org.au

Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.

Fast & Filling Brekky Made Easy.

A protein and fibre-rich breakfast helps you feel fuller for longer and steadies your blood sugar, says leading nutrition scientist, dietitian and Chobani Yogurt health spokesperson Dr Joanna McMillan.

One of the best ingredients naturally packed with protein is Chobani Natural Greek Yogurt with 13g per serve.

🍊 The fallout from the AFL Trade Period. And what you need to know.
🍊 R360 responds to NRL’s plan to issue 10-year bans. More details here.
🍊 Ariarne Titmus announced her retirement from swimming. What she said.
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: cricket, soccer, and more…

Organisers received more than 60,000 entries from around the world for this year’s competition. South African wildlife photographer Wim van den Heever captured the overall winner with his picture of a rare brown hyena outside an abandoned town in Namibia. van den Heever said the shot took him “10 years to finally get... in the most perfect frame imaginable.” It’s estimated less than 10,000 brown hyenas are left in southern Africa. The species is listed as “near threatened”.

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

The Tawny frogmouth has been named Australia’s 2025 Bird of the Year in the Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll.

More than 300,000 Aussies placed votes online for their favourite bird.

All sorts of birds were featured in the competition, including the willie wagtail, the laughing kookaburra and even magpies .

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took part in voting and backed what he called a “great Australian icon” – the ibis, aka the bin chicken.

Baudin’s black cockatoo was the runner up and the gang-gang cockatoo came in third place.

Reporting by Annabel Whitehouse.

Sometimes we tackle the big economic stories shaking up the nation. But today, we're looking at something that's hitting closer to home: your morning matcha order.

If you've noticed your matcha latte costing significantly more than it used to, brace yourself - global retailers say Japanese matcha prices have jumped between 30% and 75% in 2025 alone.

On today’s podcast, we're going to explain why this is happening and whether the great matcha price hike will continue.