
Capital Gains Tax discount reform under consideration
Speculation is intensifying that one of Australia’s most controversial tax concessions, the capital gains tax (CGT) discount, may undergo significant reform as a central feature of this year’s federal budget. Senior government ministers have stopped

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews resigns
Premier Andrews has resigned abruptly, stepping down from his role effective 5 pm Wednesday. Having recently surpassed John Cain Jr. as the longest-serving Labor Premier in Victoria’s history in April 2023, Andrews’ decision was celebrated

America’s “unique” relationship with Australia?
The enthusiasm of the members of Albanese’s staff seems to have run away with them. They declared that ‘the Australian-United States relationship is unique in scale, scope and significance reflecting more than 100 years of

A rethink of Australia’s national security
Sam Roggeveen’s basic storyline in The Echidna Strategy – that the China threat is grossly exaggerated, and that Australia should not, and need not, rely on America for our security protection – is causing predictable

Are earthquakes becoming more common in Melbourne?
Approximately 7,000 Victorians were alarmed by tremors at about 1:32am this morning as a magnitude 4.6 earthquake hit 127km east of Melbourne, near Rawson. Victoria has been hit by several quakes recently, including three in

This outrageously expensive subs deal simply caters to the US. Again
In one week the government’s justification for needing outrageously expensive nuclear submarines has shifted from defending the continent to the old 1960s forward defence policy in Asia which lured us into Vietnam – with all

Regular cannabis use now more accepted by Australians than smoking tobacco, study finds
Source: The Guardian Regular cannabis use has become more accepted than smoking tobacco, the latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) has found. The 2019 data, compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

EU–US backed power link shatters Turkey–Libya maritime claims
The Egypt–Greece 3 GW electricity interconnector has received a €9.56 million EU grant to support further studies and implementation. EU–US backed power link shatters Turkey–Libya maritime claims. The European Commission has approved the funding for additional preparatory work on the 3-gigawatt electricity link connecting the power systems of Greece and

Greece and Turkey agree on closer cooperation against organised crime
Greece and Turkey have agreed to significantly strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fight against organised transnational crime, following high-level talks in Istanbul between Greek Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis and Turkish Interior Minister Ali

Mitsotakis unveils major housing, loan and farming measures during Budget speech
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used his address to Parliament during the debate on the State Budget to announce a series of significant policy initiatives targeting housing affordability, Swiss franc loan holders, and farmers. The

Farmers submit demands to government, reject transfer of OPEKEPE oversight to tax authority
Greek farmers have formally submitted a comprehensive list of demands to the government, placing strong emphasis on their opposition to the transfer of oversight and control of OPEKEPE—the agency responsible for agricultural subsidies—to the Independent

Postal voting for Greeks abroad set to expand to national elections
The government has signalled its intention to extend postal voting to Greek citizens living abroad in national elections, marking a significant institutional reform of the country’s electoral system. The announcement was made by Interior Minister

Greece hails Pierrakakis’ Eurogroup victory as a win for the nation — Implications for Australia–EU relations
Greece’s Minister for National Economy, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic welcome from the parliamentary caucus of New Democracy after his election as President of the Eurogroup. His elevation to one of Europe’s most influential

OPEKEPE fraud ring in Crete: Subsidy payments routed through bank account of deceased man
A major agricultural subsidy fraud ring in Crete has been dismantled by the Hellenic Financial Police, revealing a sophisticated yet brazen scheme that channelled public funds into bank accounts belonging even to deceased individuals. Authorities

EU–US backed power link shatters Turkey–Libya maritime claims
The Egypt–Greece 3 GW electricity interconnector has received a €9.56 million EU grant to support further studies and implementation. EU–US backed power link shatters Turkey–Libya maritime claims. The European Commission has approved the funding for additional preparatory work on the 3-gigawatt electricity link connecting the power systems of Greece and

Netanyahu and Trump hail “historic achievement” with Gaza agreement
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump have exchanged congratulations on what they described as a “historic achievement” following the signing of a pivotal agreement providing for a ceasefire in the Gaza

Greece replies to Zakharova’s provocative attack: Moscow aligns with Turkey and the Republic of Skopje against Greece
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has once again adopted an openly anti-Greek tone, reviving Cold War-style rhetoric and backing Turkey and the Republic of Skopje [sic “North Macedonia”] in a direct challenge to Greece

Mitsotakis rejects Christodoulides’s joint EEZ plan fearing Turkey
To avoid potential tensions in the Aegean, the Greek government rejected President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides’s proposal to delimit a joint exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between the two states. Mitsotakis rejects Christodoulides’s joint EEZ plan

Weapons cache found near Tbilisi amid coup plot
Georgia’s State Security Service has announced that during recent waves of unrest in the capital, authorities uncovered a significant, weapons cache found near Tbilisi amid coup plot. Officials claim the arsenal was intended for a

Australian activist alleges abuse in Israeli detention
Australian humanitarian claims physical abuse during Gaza aid mission detention An Australian activist, Surya McEwen, has alleged severe mistreatment while detained by Israeli authorities following an attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. McEwen, from

Tony Abbott urges UK to use Australian-style migration measures
Former Australian PM calls UK migrant arrivals a ‘peaceful invasion’ Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has sparked controversy by suggesting that the United Kingdom should adopt stringent measures similar to those implemented in Australia

