Federal and state politics, policy, and governance
A school student shot during Nepal's youth-led protests in September faces years of reconstructive surgery with no clear funding. As new elections loom, his case symbolises the unfinished business of the Gen Z uprising.
Aisha Khoury 
A proposed development in Concord West that nearly doubled its unit count to 1,300 homes exemplifies how NSW developers are exploiting planning bonuses. The strategy raises questions about whether ambitious housing targets demand unbounded density.
Priya Narayanan 
Universal energy bill rebates ended in January 2026. The policy was economically necessary, but the gap left for vulnerable Australians demands urgent attention.
Liam Gallagher-Walsh 
A Balga family is living with severe mould and flooding issues that officials have declared safe and habitable, raising questions about housing authority standards and tenant protection in Perth.
Darren Ong 
The M12 motorway opens to traffic, providing a toll-free link to Western Sydney Airport ahead of October passenger flights. The infrastructure is part of a $4.4 billion regional development plan.
Zara Mitchell 
Australia's government has ended tax incentives for plug-in hybrid vehicles from April 2025, favoring full electric cars instead. The move reveals a pragmatic shift in transport policy with real consequences for buyers and manufacturers.
Zara Mitchell 
California is suing websites that distribute 3D printed gun files, seeking to block the spread of untraceable weapons. But the case reveals genuine tensions between public safety and digital rights.
Zara Mitchell Australia's new Help to Buy scheme has approved nearly 2,500 first-home buyers in just two months, but the policy faces a critical question: does it help individuals without making the broader crisis worse?
Grace Okonkwo 
A rapper-turned-politician has led Nepal's centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party to a commanding election victory, decisively defeating the incumbent coalition in the country's first poll since violent youth protests forced a constitutional reset.
Marcus Ashbrook 
The National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association is running advertising campaigns urging the government to keep electric vehicle tax incentives as the May budget looms.
Samantha Blake 
Residents in Yallambie expected their local road to reopen after construction work ended. Instead, it will remain closed permanently as the North East Link project reshapes the suburb's infrastructure.
Priya Narayanan HMS Anson's arrival in Perth marks Australia's first nuclear submarine maintenance operation, while a multi-billion dollar investment in Osborne signals the nation is moving beyond design into full-scale delivery of its AUKUS capability.
Aisha Khoury From 1 March 2026, early childhood educators across Australia received their first major wage increase in years following a Fair Work Commission finding on gender-based undervaluation. But families are asking whether support measures go far enough.
Grace Okonkwo Netflix, Kayo, and Apple TV+ have all increased their prices in early 2026. The Australian government is responding with new laws that will force streaming services to make cancellation as simple as sign-up by mid-2027.
Ella Sullivan 
Caitlin Kalinowski, OpenAI's robotics chief, has resigned over the company's Pentagon contract. Her exit highlights uncomfortable questions about governance and trust.
Andrew Marsh 
Indonesia will prohibit children under 16 from major social media platforms starting 28 March, following Australia's world-first ban implemented in December 2025.
Rachel Thornbury 
Britons are deeply worried that AI will strip the human touch from public services, leading to job losses and reduced oversight. Only 23 percent see AI as an opportunity for government.
Zara Mitchell 
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook is moving from his Wellard home to West Perth to reduce his daily commute on one of Australia's most congested roads.
Riley Fitzgerald 
Cory Bernardi stands by controversial comments linking same-sex marriage to bestiality, made 14 years ago. The One Nation lead candidate faces swift criticism from across the political spectrum.
Oliver Pemberton 
At the funeral of Rev. Jesse Jackson in Chicago, former President Barack Obama warned that citizens face daily assaults on democratic institutions and called for continued commitment to justice.
Tanya Birch