Global Scans · Australia · Weekly Summary

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WHAT'S NEXT?: Australia will no longer be known for being as dependant on the export of natural resources over the next half century as in 2012. The need for new infrastructure to meet the strong population and economic growth of Australia will continue to be a priority for the medium term. There's no doubt the aftermath of China's credit boom poses a much bigger economic threat to Australia than Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. The Growth rate for Australia is expected to be stronger, although still below the long-term trend.

• [New] Australia aims to cut its carbon emissions by 62-70% below 2005 levels by 2035, marking a major step towards its long-term goal of net zero by 2050. Gibson Dunn
• [New] The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast an increased likelihood of above-average rainfall over the next three months in southern South Australia, giving some cause for cautious optimism. pir.sa.gov.au
• [New] Australia would need to commit to a 75% reduction in emissions by 2030. World Socialist Web Site
• [New] Australian household energy bills will halve by 2050 as solar panels, batteries and electric cars and appliances become the norm, reducing pressure on the federal government over living costs and creating room for more climate action. The Guardian
• [New] New and exciting opportunities between the European and Australian space sectors are opening up with Australia announcing this week a mandate to begin negotiations on a cooperative agreement with ESA. ScienceDaily
• [New] Companies involved in rare earth mining and processing outside of China, such as Lynas Rare Earths in Australia or MP Materials in the US, could see a surge in demand and prices for their products as global industries seek to reduce reliance on Chinese supply. FinancialContent
• [New] Westpac expects employment to rise by 15k in September (prev. -5.4 k), which would keep the employment-to-population ratio broadly steady near 64%. / Australia investing.com
• [New] At home, Optus is leading a sovereign satellite project, partnering with Australian universities and defence agencies to launch a low earth orbit satellite by 2028. Melissa McIntosh MP
• [New] The Australian Government has invested in Amazon's Project Kuiper, which will deliver satellite broadband to over 300,000 premises. Melissa McIntosh MP
• [New] Australia is already living the future that climate scientists have warned of. iTWire
• [New] Cross-chain solutions will expand, with protocols like Polkadot enabling seamless swaps across blockchains, while regulatory clarity in Australia and beyond ensures trust. Crypto Nexus Blog
• [New] Australian teams spend an average of 15.9 hours each week investigating alerts that ultimately do not represent real threats, exceeding the global average of 14.1 hours. Insurance Business
• [New] Higher Australian inflation results for July and August have diminished hopes for the RBA lowering interest rates again in 2025. Strive Wealth Solutions
• [New] HIP's plan is to first develop a pilot version based on Tsang's test, which it will call the Immune Monitoring Kit, to test a few thousand people in Africa, Australia, East Asia, Europe, the US, and Israel. MIT Technology Review
• [New] Improved rainfall in Australia, expected in the next three to six months, would slow the flow of cattle to slaughter and thus limit overall availability. Meatingplace
• [New] Australia must confront the reality that its principal security partner, the United States, is facing constraints on its ability to project and sustain power, as influence becomes more dispersed across a growing number of capable actors. Defence Connect
• [New] Australian taxpayers will fund a multi-million-dollar rescue package for mining giant Glencore to keep copper processing facilities operational in Queensland until the end of 2028. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• South Australia leads the world in the uptake of wind and solar - which together accounted for 75% of its local electricity demand over the last 12 months - and has set a world-leading target of reaching 100% net renewables by the end of 2027. no2nuclearpower
• Under AUKUS, Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines for the first time, with total costs estimated between A$ 268 billion and A$ 368 billion by 2050. Caliber.az
• The population of Australia is predicted to increase due to changes in net migration and natural change, standing at a total of 32.1 million citizens by 2040. Euromonitor
• The next phase of Australia Post's sustainability framework will focus on decarbonization across operations and supply chains, reducing impact through smarter packaging, waste reduction and reuse, and exploring how Australia Post can enable Australia's circular economy for customers and communities. Mirage News
• Adnoc has been even more active, with $52 billion in deals including an $18.7 billion bid for Australian producer Santos, a $15.5 billion acquisition of German chemicals group Covestro, and plans to create a $60 billion chemicals company, Borouge Group International. Caliber.az

Last updated: 17 October 2025