Australia

Soaring inflation is leading to sharp interest rate rises around the world, but the consequences could be much worse for Australia because of its staggeringly high levels of household debt. In each month since May, Australia’s central…

Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit Beijing on Tuesday in the first trip by a top Australian diplomat to China’s capital since 2018, a major sign of warming relations between the two countries. The Australian government announced the…

Australia has signed a security pact with the neighboring island nation of Vanuatu, its second defense agreement in the region in two months and a boost in Canberra’s rivalry with China for influence in the region. Foreign Minister Penny…

Australia, Japan, the United States and other nations on Saturday kicked off their first in-person round of negotiations aimed at setting economic rules and standards in the Indo-Pacific amid China's growing clout in the region. The…

Japan and Australia pledged Friday to beef up defense cooperation as the regional security environment has been worsening amid China's rapid military buildup in the Indo-Pacific. During a gathering in Tokyo, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida…

The United States and Australia agreed Tuesday to step up engagement with Japan in military areas, such as by inviting Tokyo to join more of their exercises, amid China's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. Following talks involving…

Australia's parliament on Wednesday censured former Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison, after an inquiry deemed his secret accumulation of multiple ministries during the pandemic "corrosive of trust in government." While it is symbolic…

The Australian government expressed its opposition Tuesday to a recommendation by a United Nations-backed mission that the Great Barrier Reef be added to a list of "in danger" World Heritage sites, warning of the significant impact climate…

Australia’s top intelligence agency reduced the threat level for a domestic terrorist attack to “possible” from “probable”, as it sharpens its focus on interference by foreign governments. This is the first change in the level since 2014,…

During Australia’s regular Covid-19 lockdowns, the deserted streets were suddenly taken over by motorcycle riders with the tell-tale logos of food delivery services as demand for deliveries surged. It has now been more than a year since…