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RBA lifts rates to highest level in 15 years – risking a sharper slowdown of the economy

RBA lifts rates to highest level in 15 years – risking a sharper slowdown of the economy

The challenge is whether the RBA can bring inflation under control without causing a recession.

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The Conversation

Stella Huangfu

OpenAI promises to ‘do better’ and ‘rebuild trust with Australians’

OpenAI promises to ‘do better’ and ‘rebuild trust with Australians’

The company’s Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon will appear before the federal parliamentary committee on Artificial Intelligence’s hearing next week.

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The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Five reasons why Victoria’s new proactive homelessness plan is worth trying

Five reasons why Victoria’s new proactive homelessness plan is worth trying

A new Victorian program is a positive step forward in the state’s battle against rough sleeping.

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The Conversation

Cameron Parsell

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

Four viruses and one bacteria were responsible for 12% of the world’s cancer cases in 2024. Does this mean they’re preventable?

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The Conversation

John la Marca

Victorian DemosAU poll has Coalition’s two‑party lead narrowing, but they remain ahead

Victorian DemosAU poll has Coalition’s two‑party lead narrowing, but they remain ahead

With the Victorian state election two months away, the Labor government has improved in the polls, but remain behind the Coalition.

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The Conversation

Adrian Beaumont

Privatised aid failed the people of Gaza. The world should learn not to repeat it

Privatised aid failed the people of Gaza. The world should learn not to repeat it

New research looking into the US government-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation shows when aid is handed over to corporations, civilians pay the...

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The Conversation

Shannon Bosch

NZ election poll watch: minor parties gain as Labour and National slide

NZ election poll watch: minor parties gain as Labour and National slide

Despite gains for the Greens and slumps for Labour and National, the overall left-right balance remains largely unchanged.

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The Conversation

Adrian Beaumont

One giant clam contains a month‑by‑month diary of the Great Barrier Reef’s climate 200 years ago

One giant clam contains a month‑by‑month diary of the Great Barrier Reef’s climate 200 years ago

The clam fills a crucial gap in our records of what the reef was like before industrial-era global warming.

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The Conversation

Bohao Dong

AI often leaves out minority languages – but some communities are turning it into a lifeline

AI often leaves out minority languages – but some communities are turning it into a lifeline

AI is helping communities own and build vital tools for their minority languages – all without external funding.

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The Conversation

Ekaterina Vylomova

Exercise before surgery improves outcomes and shortens recovery time – new research

Exercise before surgery improves outcomes and shortens recovery time – new research

Pre-surgery exercise has benefits, whether it is supervised or home-based. But professional supervision can help patients achieve higher exercise...

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The Conversation

Kari Clifford

We can finally measure the damage each new coal, gas or oil project will do to people and nature

We can finally measure the damage each new coal, gas or oil project will do to people and nature

For decades, we couldn’t trace the link between new fossil fuel projects and their damage to people and planet. But now we can.

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The Conversation

Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick

Do calorie‑restricted diets work? Or will I just re‑gain the weight?

Do calorie‑restricted diets work? Or will I just re‑gain the weight?

Diets like the Fast 800 or intermittent fasting have become popular ways to lose weight. But they’re not long-term solutions.

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The Conversation

Yasmine Probst

Is it safe to charge your phone overnight?

Is it safe to charge your phone overnight?

The answer is more nuanced than it’s ever been.

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The Conversation

Meena Jha

Year 12 students might feel anxious as exams approach. Here’s what can help

Year 12 students might feel anxious as exams approach. Here’s what can help

While it’s normal to feel some anxiety and nervousness around the exam period, there are signs a student may need extra support.

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The Conversation

Cher McGillivray

Can we predict genocide by listening to what leaders say? Research finds common threads

Can we predict genocide by listening to what leaders say? Research finds common threads

As mass atrocities continue worldwide, finding ways to spot warning signs earlier could help mitigate or prevent future catastrophe.

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The Conversation

Svitlana Chernykh

The exhibition Rome: Empire, Power, People is a tour through our history of looking at ancient Rome

The exhibition Rome: Empire, Power, People is a tour through our history of looking at ancient Rome

Melbourne Museum’s major exhibition tells us as much about how we look at this complicated culture as the culture itself.

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The Conversation

Alina Kozlovski

NZ’s next new MPs face a brutal learning curve. Does it have to be that way?

NZ’s next new MPs face a brutal learning curve. Does it have to be that way?

First-term MPs must learn a complex job under intense scrutiny. Our research suggests giving them more room to find their feet could benefit us all.

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The Conversation

Helena Cooper-Thomas

Larissa Waters steps down as Greens leader due to health reasons

Larissa Waters steps down as Greens leader due to health reasons

The party will decide on a new leader this week.

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The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Jim Chalmers blames likely interest rate rise on Middle East war

Jim Chalmers blames likely interest rate rise on Middle East war

The treasurer says there is near-universal expectation by economists that rates are going up around the world.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Australia’s legacy systems were already a cyber risk. AI agents are raising the stakes

Australia’s legacy systems were already a cyber risk. AI agents are raising the stakes

Most Australian government entities are running outdated technology – and AI systems may reveal their weaknesses, intentionally or not.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Abu Barkat Ullah

A bestselling novel was pulled from a French literary prize after AI accusations – what next?

A bestselling novel was pulled from a French literary prize after AI accusations – what next?

The latest literary AI scandal forces us to question what we expect of writers. Some French authors argue AI is now part of our lives – and...

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The Conversation

Anthony Cordingley

Meet ‘platypus man’ Harry Burrell. He transformed Australian science – and put on quite a show

Meet ‘platypus man’ Harry Burrell. He transformed Australian science – and put on quite a show

A self-described ‘platypoditudinarian’, Burrell figured out how to keep these animals in captivity – which allowed them to be studied.

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The Conversation

Meg Foster

84 cents for every $1: why Indigenous workers earn less in Australia – and what to do about it

84 cents for every $1: why Indigenous workers earn less in Australia – and what to do about it

Across all jobs – from managers and professionals to labourers – a study found Indigenous workers earn an average of 15.9% less per hour than all...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Nareen Young

The joy of song: where songbirds came from and why we should listen to them

The joy of song: where songbirds came from and why we should listen to them

Research suggests all of the world’s songbirds can be traced back to Australia.

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The Conversation

Hollis Taylor

Neoliberalism is in retreat. Viktor Shvets blames the boomers – but it’s not that simple

Neoliberalism is in retreat. Viktor Shvets blames the boomers – but it’s not that simple

In The Twilight Before the Storm, global strategist Viktor Shvets charts the shift from the fractured 1930s to today’s crisis culture.

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The Conversation

John Quiggin

Even the best telescopes have blind spots. This fix can help us build better maps of the universe

Even the best telescopes have blind spots. This fix can help us build better maps of the universe

Sometimes, mapping the whole universe starts with getting thousands of tiny robots to move in exactly the right way.

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The Conversation

Tania Ahmed

What do NZ voters really care about? A global comparison reveals some surprises

What do NZ voters really care about? A global comparison reveals some surprises

Like people everywhere, New Zealanders are worried about living standards, costs and wages. But a global poll reveal some less obvious priorities.

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The Conversation

Dennis Wesselbaum

China’s economy is changing rapidly. It’s no longer Australia’s easy export market

China’s economy is changing rapidly. It’s no longer Australia’s easy export market

Australian exports to China in three key sectors are all slowing. Businesses will need to meet the challenge.

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The Conversation

Christoph Nedopil

Deepfakes are distorting this year’s Victorian election. We found out who’s most susceptible to them

Deepfakes are distorting this year’s Victorian election. We found out who’s most susceptible to them

Voters need to become better at questioning what they see, without automatically disbelieving it.

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The Conversation

Rory Mulcahy

More deaths, less outrage: are we becoming numb to the horrors of family violence?

More deaths, less outrage: are we becoming numb to the horrors of family violence?

52 Australian women have lost their lives to violence this year, including three in recent weeks. How do we make sure we don’t get compassion fatigue?

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The Conversation

Anastasia Powell

Are autistic people more vulnerable to extremist content?

Are autistic people more vulnerable to extremist content?

People with rigid thinking patterns who prefer routine and order may be drawn to extremist groups’ black-and-white solutions. But autism itself is...

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The Conversation

Neophytos Georgiou

How smoking makes Australians poorer – and what we can do about it

How smoking makes Australians poorer – and what we can do about it

A new study suggests making cigarettes cheaper would risk making smoking-related poverty in Australia worse overall, given it could lead to more...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Coral Gartner

From ‘disgrace and pollution’ to ‘pride’: how Australians came to embrace their convict family ties

From ‘disgrace and pollution’ to ‘pride’: how Australians came to embrace their convict family ties

Many former convicts changed their names and hid their past. But over the last 50 years, Australians have increasingly discovered – and embraced –...

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The Conversation

Kristyn Harman

Floating power plants could offer coastal communities a reliable energy source. Here’s how

Floating power plants could offer coastal communities a reliable energy source. Here’s how

These mobile power systems could be a lifeline for remote, island and disaster-prone places.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Tina Soliman-Hunter

What role does high school play in mental health? Feeling connected to other students and staff is key

What role does high school play in mental health? Feeling connected to other students and staff is key

By the time an Australian student is 15, they will have already spent as many as 11,000 hours at school. What happens here matters for their...

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The Conversation

Sarah Stevens

Stripped titles? Compensating rivals? How the Manchester City cheating scandal could play out

Stripped titles? Compensating rivals? How the Manchester City cheating scandal could play out

Manchester City could be facing enormous sanctions for cheating – and the fallout may spread to its 13 teams around the world, from New York to...

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The Conversation

James Skinner

Could an ‘Australian AI’ protect us from being hacked? Cybersecurity isn’t that simple

Could an ‘Australian AI’ protect us from being hacked? Cybersecurity isn’t that simple

News that an OpenAI agent hacked Medicare has prompted calls for Australia to develop its own AI system.

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The Conversation

Niusha Shafiabady

Trump’s US ratings drop to new record low as Democrats become clear favourites in both chambers of Congress

Trump’s US ratings drop to new record low as Democrats become clear favourites in both chambers of Congress

Trump’s net approval is below what any past president since Harry Truman had at this point in their term.

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The Conversation

Adrian Beaumont

Trump wants a diesel export ban. Australia would be uniquely exposed

Trump wants a diesel export ban. Australia would be uniquely exposed

It’s a bid to alleviate cost-of-living pressures in the US and claw back Trump’s voter base.

25.09.2026 7

The Conversation

Robert Monterosso

Are Australians really overeducated? It depends what education is for

Are Australians really overeducated? It depends what education is for

According to a new survey, almost 50% of Australian workers say they are overeducated. But there are more reasons to study than getting a job.

25.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Gwilym Croucher

Card surcharges are banned from October 1. What’s changing at the checkout?

Card surcharges are banned from October 1. What’s changing at the checkout?

Australians use debit and credit cards to pay for almost three out of four payments. Here’s what will soon change for shoppers and businesses.

25.09.2026 6

The Conversation

Vibhu Arya

Heroin used more often, cocaine use up. What new data says about drug use today

Heroin used more often, cocaine use up. What new data says about drug use today

Established drugs – such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine – continue to demand attention. Here’s what else the latest drug trends tell us.

25.09.2026 9

The Conversation

Rachel Sutherland

Are AFL grand finals really the hardest game of the year? We checked the data

Are AFL grand finals really the hardest game of the year? We checked the data

The old cliché about the Grand Final being the toughest test was true – for a while.

25.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Joel Garrett

The English paid off the Vikings for almost a century. But was the Danegeld such a bad idea?

The English paid off the Vikings for almost a century. But was the Danegeld such a bad idea?

It’s easy to say now that paying the Vikings to go away ‘didn’t work’. But this obscures the fact paying off one Viking band didn’t ensure...

25.09.2026 8

The Conversation

Matthew Firth

Australian poetry classics: Les Murray’s The Broad Bean Sermon is inexhaustible food for contemplation

Australian poetry classics: Les Murray’s The Broad Bean Sermon is inexhaustible food for contemplation

The Broad Bean Sermon, while not his best-known poem, shows why Les Murray is considered by some to be Australia’s preeminent poet.

25.09.2026 7

The Conversation

David McCooey

September’s ozone hole was the biggest in 20 years. The warning signs appeared months ago

This spring’s ozone hole is likely to be among the top ten most severe of all time, bringing weather changes to New Zealand and Australia.

25.09.2026 5

The Conversation

Hannah E. Kessenich

Curious Kids: does music affect how plants grow?

Curious Kids: does music affect how plants grow?

Some people may think it’s nice to listen to music with their plants. But is there any truth to the idea that certain music boosts plant growth?

25.09.2026 7

The Conversation

Lily Whelehan

NZ’s supply chains are highly exposed. Could new AI agents make them more resilient?

NZ’s supply chains are highly exposed. Could new AI agents make them more resilient?

AI agents are starting to transform procurement overseas. For isolated, trade-dependent New Zealand, they could offer a powerful tool against...

25.09.2026 20

The Conversation

Ilan Oshri

Grattan on Friday: when rogue AI agent ‘scaled a fence’, it reinforced Albanese’s case for tough guardrails

Grattan on Friday: when rogue AI agent ‘scaled a fence’, it reinforced Albanese’s case for tough guardrails

The timing of the disclosure (and the incident itself) is fortuitous in a political sense, vindicating the government’s recent AI warnings.

24.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Swan Song: Diana’s brother flips the royal family the bird in his scathing new book

Swan Song: Diana’s brother flips the royal family the bird in his scathing new book

Charles Spencer’s book is as much about him as about the sister he claims to speak for. Beneath the score-settling, it’s a story of a brother...

24.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Kate Cantrell