The Bottom Line
Updated Friday 30 October 2026
ABS figures show headline CPI rose 4.3 per cent in the year to September 2026, up from 4.0 per cent in August; the trimmed mean, the RBA's preferred measure of underlying inflation, was 3.6 per cent in September, up from 3.5 per cent in August. The Treasurer said the Iran war was turbo-charging inflation, according to the ABC.
The Treasurer introduced the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 4) Bill 2026, which he said forms part of a package the Government claims will deliver $3.8 billion in tax relief for businesses and start-ups. The Treasurer said the bill introduces a capital gains tax concession for early investors in innovative start-ups, expands venture capital tax incentives from 1 July 2027, and tightens the R&D Tax Incentive from 1 July 2028. tax reforms
The RBA cash rate stands at 4.60 per cent after four rises this year, from 3.60 per cent at the start of 2026, a full percentage point added since the last cut in August 2025. underlying inflation
The Prime Minister said Western Sydney International Airport's first domestic flight took off on Sunday and its first international flight on Monday, marking what he described as the first major new airport to open in Australia in more than 50 years. The Prime Minister said construction supported 13,000 jobs and that more than $500 million has been invested in over 360 Western Sydney businesses since construction began.
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