Confidence among Australians fell to a 20-month low after the first official interest rate rise in more than decade, while business sentiment has been jarred by rising cost pressures. Consumer confidence has fallen for four straight weeks, with the latest decline coming after the Reserve Bank...
More than one million students will take part in the latest round of annual NAPLAN testing and for the first time, all the assessments will be conducted online. Students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9 will sit the national literacy and numeracy test across 9500...
What is palliative care? Palliative care is treatment, care and support for people living with a life-limiting illness. A life-limiting illness is an illness that can’t be cured and that you’re likely to die from. Life-limiting illnesses can include: cancer motor neurone disease end-stage kidney disease dementia Palliative care also supports your...
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group is counting on most homeowners and businesses being able to withstand higher interest rates, a day after the Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate from a record low 0.1 per cent. The country’s third largest lender expects competition in the...
Petrol prices are on the rise again, despite the efforts of the Morrison government to curb cost of living pressures at the bowser by slashing fuel excise for six months in the March budget. The Australian Institute of Petroleum said the national average for petrol prices...
If you are one of those people that are looking for opportunities to maximise your super, and claim a tax deduction along the way, there are strategies that may help. However, like most things relating to superannuation, there are some conditions attached. In this blog, I will...
Retail spending hit record highs in March and home lending proved stronger than expected in what could prove to be a last hurrah before rising interest rates start to take their toll. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said retail trade rose 1.6 per cent in March...
Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with the Retirement Standard released by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) each quarter. The Retirement Standard provides a detailed budget of the estimated minimum living cost to support a comfortable and a modest lifestyle for...
Australian farmland prices have seen their highest growth in 27 years with land values increasing by 20 per cent in the past year, according to a Rural Bank report released on Tuesday. The Australian farmland value report which analysed data from 1995 onwards found the median...
When looking for a good deal on a home loan (mortgage), the interest rate matters. A home loan is a long-term debt, so even a small difference in interest adds up over time. Home loans come with different options and features. These can offer flexibility or...