Michael Pascoe
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The Summertime of Our Dreams author, @TheNewDailyAu contributing editor, winner 2022 Kennedy Award Outstanding Columnist, speaker, rugby, prefer to be skiing
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Articles by Michael Pascoe
Officials wash hands of divisive Labor election grants
October 8, 2026 11:05 | News A half-billion-dollar election splurge that included a controversial golf club grant has driven a wedge between senior ministers and public servants. The $560 million Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program has drawn sharp criticism from good-governance groups for funding promises made at the 2025 election.
Greens vow New York-style state-owned supermarket trial
October 8, 2026 11:06 | News Essential grocery items would be 30 per cent cheaper under a vision for publicly-owned supermarkets in one state. The Victorian Greens have vowed to committed $350 million to trial 10 state-owned supermarkets should they secure an unlikely victory at the November poll. The move is inspired by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pledge to establish a public grocer in each of the city’s five boroughs.
‘Grounds for hope’ even as wildlife numbers dive
October 8, 2026 10:54 | News Nature is in “freefall” across the world, but recoveries in species from tigers to tuna provide hope for reversing declines, conservationists have said. Conservation charity WWF has unveiled its latest Living Planet report, which shows that wildlife populations have declined globally by nearly three-quarters since 1970.
Big bank, real estate site in lockstep on house prices
October 8, 2026 10:40 | News House prices are likely to continue to fall in the coming months, Australia’s largest residential and commercial property listings site says. REA Group’s outlook is similar to the nation’s biggest home loan lender, Commonwealth Bank. Chief executive Matt Comyn said this week he doesn’t expect the housing market to bottom out until well into 2027.
Labor has ‘real concerns’ over ATO credit card ban
October 8, 2026 09:12 | News The tax man doubling down on blocking credit card payments has prompted accusations of a double standard and sounded alarm bells within the government. Australians will no longer be able to pay tax with credit cards from December, after the ATO declared on October 1 it could not absorb the credit card surcharges it was now banned from passing on to taxpayers.
Banks could join forces to save regional branches
October 8, 2026 05:00 | News Bank branches could return to forgotten corners of regional and rural Australia under an industry plan to save face-to-face services. The industry’s peak body wants the competition watchdog’s blessing to trial banking hubs, basically multi-bank branches, in country Australia. The plan includes a funding model to share costs of supporting bricks-and-mortar outlets and other infrastructure across participating banks.
Industry wants visas for skills that ‘really matter’
October 8, 2026 03:30 | News Migration policies delivered by the major parties are being described as a missed opportunity to bring construction apprentices to Australia to help boost desperately needed housing supply. The government, coalition and One Nation have in recent weeks announced much-touted plans to slash migrant intake across the country as it becomes a hot political issue.
Ratings agency warns on record government spending
October 8, 2026 03:30 | News Near-record high levels of government spending could threaten Australia’s fiscal health in the long run if the nation’s economic luck runs out, a major ratings agency has warned. Federal government payments hit 26.9 per cent of gross domestic product in the 2025/26 financial year, which was the highest level in 40 years excluding COVID-19.
Business lobby looks beyond the hype and risks of AI
October 8, 2026 03:30 | News Australian businesses need better practical training on how to use artificial intelligence if it’s to become a bedrock of the nation’s economy, experts say. Business owners are becoming less scared of the technology but they need more understanding of how to use it in ways that generate innovation and income, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will tell a government AI inquiry on Thursday.
Complaining NDIS families face child protection threats
October 7, 2026 17:04 | News Under-pressure families suffering cutbacks to their disability supports are being referred to child protection services if they complain. A parliamentary review into Australia’s disability support scheme has been told that the practice – while not commonplace – takes place across the country.
Asia shares weaker as investors weigh Houthi escalation
October 7, 2026 13:42 | News Asian markets were slightly weaker on Wednesday even though US stocks touched new highs, as oil prices rose with a storm heading for the Gulf of Mexico and tensions escalating between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis. In Asia, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares excluding Japan was down 0.3 per cent after US stocks ended higher. The index is up 1.5 per cent so far this month.
Weather resistant: $3m fund to protect Pacific projects
October 7, 2026 13:28 | News Australia will spend $3 million to buffer Pacific nations against the devastating effects of climate change as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls on more nations to help the region. The announcement at the pre-COP31 event in Fiji on Wednesday will fund four projects in island nations Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and Kiribati, including road and communication infrastructure.
Border blitz to come with coalition’s migration cuts
October 7, 2026 10:12 | News Tens of thousands of unlawful non-citizens could be rounded up and deported under a former home affairs function the coalition insists holds little similarity to US-style crackdowns. The coalition on Tuesday announced it would reduce net overseas migration from its annual level of nearly 300,000 people to about 100,000 in the first year if it won the next election.
Australian shares trade flat, shrugging off US records
October 7, 2026 12:55 | News Australia’s share market is trading flat, after a tech-led rally on Wall Street failed to translate for local stocks. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index rose 0.1 point by midday on Wednesday, and was broadly flat at 8735.8, with the broader All Ordinaries also effectively unchanged at 8903.9. Local shares shrugged off fresh records for the US market’s S&P500 and Nasdaq indices overnight, given the domestic bourse is missing the secret ingredient to the latter’s success.
Paramount wraps up $US110 billion Warner Bros merger
October 7, 2026 12:34 | News Paramount Skydance has completed its blockbuster takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, creating a Hollywood heavyweight that hands CEO David Ellison control of one of the world’s largest entertainment and news businesses. The deal is worth $US110 billion ($A158 billion).
Two years in, 124,000 behind: housing target slips away
Australia’s goal of building 1.2 million homes in five years has slipped further out of reach, even though the number of homes under construction is the highest on record. The nation completed 355,817 dwellings in the first two years of the National Housing Accord, which started in July 2024. By the end of June 2026, Australia needed to have built 480,000 new homes to be on track to hit the target by the end date of mid-2029, meaning the sector is short 124,183 homes.
Local environmentalists trump coal mine in High Court
Australia’s highest court has upheld a first-of-its-kind climate change bid to overturn a major coal mine expansion. MACH Energy sought to extend the life of Mount Pleasant coal mine in NSW by 22 years and nearly double its yearly output. The state planning commission in 2022 approved the plans before local Hunter Valley residents launched a legal challenge. Muswellbrook residents Tony Lonergan and Wendy Wales challenged the mine’s expansion.
Tech companies fight to convince Aussies of benefits
October 7, 2026 03:30 | News Australia cannot afford to wait before it develops its own artificial intelligence capacity, data centre companies have warned. A government inquiry into AI will spend its second day grilling industry giants about how they are managing tech expansion across the country. Technology oversight needs to be spearheaded domestically instead of relying on overseas capability, AI infrastructure firm ResetData said in a submission to the inquiry.
Day of mourning as Australia remembers October 7 attack
October 7, 2026 03:30 | News Jewish-Australians are mourning the worst terror attack Israel has faced while carrying their own scars from the Bondi massacre. On October 7, 2023 about 1200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage by the Gaza-based militant group Hamas. The attack has since taken on a more visceral and immediate fear after the carnage on Bondi beach.
Population growth not stopping ‘recession-like’ economy
October 7, 2026 03:30 | News Australians face “recession-like” conditions as the nation’s increasing reliance on population growth over productivity catches up with policy-makers. The economy is likely to avoid a technical recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction, but it won’t feel like it to Australian households, Deloitte Access Economics partner Stephen Smith says.
Killer drones, rockets on show at contentious expo
October 6, 2026 20:24 | News Missile launchers, rocket systems, killer drones and machine guns are among the latest in high-tech defence equipment on display at a controversial weapons expo. Thousands of delegates have been getting hands-on with the deadly kit at Perth’s Land Forces event, the nation’s largest land defence industry exhibition.
Costs and labour shortage a double blow for regions
October 6, 2026 17:41 | News Labour costs and a skills shortage are among the key pressure points for regional businesses as confidence in the economy drops, a report says. The South Australian Business Chamber 2026 Regional Voice report released Tuesday shows regional business operators are being squeezed by cost pressures relating to wages, energy, insurance and regulation on one end, and by workforce constraints on the other.
Albo’s support down. Could he really lose his seat?
It seems unthinkable, but could a PM enjoying a two-to-one margin at the last election be tossed out of parliament at the next? Michael Pascoe says it is indeed possible, maybe even probable. Little wonder Labor is suffering in the polls when the best defender of its economic management is a former Liberal leader.
Warning El Nino could wipe $13b from Australian economy
October 3, 2026 03:30 | News Higher prices and lower economic growth lie in store as farmers prepare for drier conditions from a strengthening El Nino. Australia’s economy could suffer a hit of about $13.4 billion over the next two years – leaving gross domestic product about 0.45 percentage points lower than it otherwise would be – according to Commonwealth Bank analysis.
Dutch chain bans Meta glasses, over privacy concerns
One of the largest Dutch eyewear retail chains has suspended sales of Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses in the Netherlands and Belgium amid growing privacy concerns, in one of the first such moves by a retailer. “This decision follows the ongoing public and political debate surrounding smart glasses and the questions being raised about the conditions under which this technology can be used,” a spokesperson for the Hans Anders chain said on Friday.
Medibank facing dual court actions over data hack
October 2, 2026 15:17 | News A hacker moved undetected through Medibank’s network for weeks despite multiple warning flags being raised, a court has been told. The health insurer is facing both a class action by impacted customers and civil penalties brought by the privacy watchdog over the 2022 hack. After Medibank declined to pay a ransom, personal data was leaked on the dark web under malicious file names including boozy, STD and psycho.
Big bank dumps scandal-hit audit firm after 57 years
October 2, 2026 14:08 | News A big four bank is ending its relationship with its auditor of nearly six decades in the latest fallout from a whistleblower scandal. KPMG has been ANZ’s auditor since 1969 and while the partners who worked on the audit have regularly rotated, the bank is looking for a new firm. “A tenure of this length is no longer considered appropriate and has been under consideration by the board for some time,” ANZ said in a statement on Friday.
Australian shares lick wounds after savage sell-off
October 2, 2026 12:36 | News Australian shares have staged a modest rebound after soaring bond yields, oil prices and a soft domestic outlook sparked a nearly $60 billion sell-off on Thursday.
Online gaming giants told to lift safety standards
October 2, 2026 11:59 | News Some of the world’s largest gaming companies have been put on notice by Australia’s online safety watchdog for not doing enough to keep children safe on their platforms. The eSafety Commission outlined how the providers of four major gaming platforms had responded to notices it issued in April, in a report released on Friday. It found big gaps in the behaviour of some companies, which could lead to immediate harm for children, commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
Asia shares fall after wild swings in bonds
October 2, 2026 12:10 | News Asian shares fell on Friday as investors grappled with wild swings in bond and currency markets ahead of key US jobs data, while a widening military buildup in the Gulf kept oil prices elevated. Bond markets were again the centre of volatility overnight, with the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yields hitting the highest since 2002 at 5.34 per cent after capping the biggest quarterly rise in 32 years. They later retreated and were steady at 5.2512 per cent in Asia.
Jackie O’s $80m legal fight with ex-boss delayed
October 2, 2026 10:33 | News Radio star Jackie “O” Henderson’s quest to recoup the bulk of her nine-figure contract has been pushed back more than six months. A civil trial between the owner of KIIS FM and its former breakfast star was set to begin on October 12, but a delay in pre-trial proceedings and the filing of documents have caused a mammoth delay.
‘Trust is key’: crackdown on migration lawyers launched
October 2, 2026 10:45 | News Lawyers who lodge visa applications they know are unlikely to succeed will be penalised as part of a federal crackdown on Australia’s migration system. Registered migration agents and unregistered operators have been put on notice over the potential exploitation of vulnerable travellers.
‘Makes my brain explode’: families fear NDIS changes
October 2, 2026 03:30 | News Steven Bugeja still thinks about how different his life would be if as a child he had access to the support his kids receive. “I only discovered that I had autism myself through my own children,” he told AAP. “If my parents knew that, and if they had the support of NDIS … it would have made a huge difference.” “There’s no clarity on where NDIS is heading” and what care will be available, Steven Bugeja says.
Card surcharge ban will take time to work through: bank
October 2, 2026 03:30 | News Australian businesses will need time to adjust to the new ban on card surcharges as the major banks prepare for a potential merchant fees war. The change, driven by the central bank to give consumers transparency at the till, only came into effect on Thursday. Commonwealth Bank of Australia says that from its end, the transition has been relatively smooth, although it has sensed pockets of anxiety.
AGL Energy envisages huge opportunity in data centres
October 1, 2026 14:52 | News Australia’s largest energy retailer views data centres as a major opportunity, its shareholders have heard. AGL Energy chairman Miles George told the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday the company had three energy hub sites with the combination of attributes data centres were looking for.
Australian shares dive as bond market fears take hold
October 1, 2026 12:27 | News Australia’s share market has wiped the previous session’s gains with interest after US bond yields surged, as global borrowing costs and high oil prices continue to sap investor confidence.
Australian rare earth miners in $1 billion tie-up
October 1, 2026 12:53 | News Australia’s leading rare earths miner is acquiring a smaller rival for nearly $1 billion amid surging demand for the metals that are vital to the modern electronics industry. Lynas Rare Earths is buying Meteoric Resources in an all-scrip transaction that values its takeover target at $968 million, a 68.4 per cent premium to Wednesday’s share price.
‘Contained’: home price plunge no big stability risk
October 1, 2026 12:30 | News Less than one per cent of borrowers are estimated to be facing negative equity despite soaring interest rates, the Reserve Bank of Australia says. Mortgage holders, whacked with a 25 basis point rate hike on Tuesday, are realistically capable of absorbing shocks to the market, the bank’s half-yearly Financial Stability Review said. Despite a steep six-month price decline, the bank reported most Australians have sufficient cash flow and savings to mitigate downturns.
‘Like family’: regions get promise on bank branches
Australia’s biggest bank has recommitted to retaining hundreds of brick-and-mortar branches in the regions for at least the next four years. The news gives certainty to the 3000 Commonwealth Bank of Australia workers and tens of thousands of customers linked to the 281 offices in rural areas. “Regional communities are central to the Australian economy and our way of life,” chief executive Matt Comyn said on Thursday.
Asia stocks dip, bonds in focus after torrid September
October 1, 2026 12:01 | News Asian stocks were subdued on Thursday and global bonds remained under pressure after a brutal September as investors weighed a slower-than-expected rise in US inflation in August that lessens the probability of a rate hike later this month.
Former judge selected as nation-first AI probe boots up
October 1, 2026 11:39 | News A former federal court judge will lead a nation-first royal commission that aims to maximise the benefits and minimise negative consequences of the artificial intelligence boom. The South Australian government revealed the inquiry’s terms of reference on Thursday and announced that economist and former Federal Court judge Iain Ross would lead the investigation.
Court gives Paramount green light on Warner Bros deal
October 1, 2026 08:34 | News A US judge has entered an order allowing Paramount to close its acquisition of Warner Bros, ending a months-long holdup, as the company named Mattel’s Ynon Kreiz as co-CEO to help run the combined business. The deal is worth $US110 billion ($A158 billion).
US inflation rises less than expected in August
US consumer prices rose slightly less than expected in August, according to the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation, official data indicates. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose 0.3 per cent from the previous month, following a revised 0.1 per cent increase in July, the Commerce Department said. Economists had expected a 0.4 per cent rise. Compared with a year earlier, PCE inflation stood at 3.4 per cent in August, unchanged from a revised 3.4 per cent in July.
Greens leader branches out as party turns over new leaf
October 1, 2026 03:30 | News Staying on message and mobilising supporters will be the primary challenge facing the Greens as the new leaders brace for their first full day at the helm. Senator David Shoebridge won the leadership and fellow upper house member Steph Hodgins-May was selected as his deputy after an internal party vote during a policy meeting in Sydney on Wednesday. Before the vote, the senators vowed not to “reform Labor, but to replace them”.
House prices in freefall for sixth straight month
October 1, 2026 03:30 | News Australia’s housing downturn is on track to become the deepest of the past 40 years after a sixth straight month of nationwide declines. National property values plunged 1.1 per cent in September, taking the total losses since the March peak to 5.2 per cent, data firm Cotality revealed on Thursday. The median dwelling value fell to $899,236 – essentially back to where it was 12 months earlier.
‘Whistling past the graveyard’: warning on Aussie data
October 1, 2026 05:00 | News Australian businesses have fallen behind their global peers in the race to secure enterprise data lying beyond their home country’s borders, as territorial battles rage across Europe. The war ground is the legal concept of data sovereignty, which accepts that digital data is subject to the laws and government of the country where it is collected, processed and stored.
Advocates search for answers as autism support begins
October 1, 2026 03:30 | News A once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve disability support by removing tens of thousands of children from the NDIS might be bungled, advocates warn. The plan for autistic and developmentally delayed kids to roll off the NDIS – called Thriving Kids – will enter its first phase on Thursday.
No more card surcharge as small businesses cry foul
October 1, 2026 03:30 | News Businesses will no longer be able to charge customers a direct fee for paying by card, in a move spruiked as helping to ease cost-of-living pressures. But many small businesses owners have criticised the change as another hit to their dwindling profit margins.
State takes aim at commonwealth over GST ‘stitch-up’
September 30, 2026 17:26 | News The federal government has been accused of shifting costs to states and territories as well as a GST carve-up that “threatens the fiscal stability of the federation”. Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki on Wednesday took aim at the commonwealth at the first National Press Club event to be held in Brisbane. Mr Janetzki said cost-shifting of long held federal responsibilities or agreements from Canberra was “problematic” and had to be called out.
‘Impossible’: wife slams missing activist terror claims
September 30, 2026 15:35 | News The wife of an Australian human rights activist missing in Cambodia has rubbished claims her husband planned terrorist activities in Vietnam after he was charged by authorities. Democracy campaigner Tran Hiep was due to meet his wife, Chloe Dang, at Bangkok’s airport after travelling to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to meet with human rights defenders. But the 50-year-old Melbourne man never boarded his flight and has not been heard from since September 18.
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