Water Policy Backlash: Labor’s water buybacks are being criticised as a “man-made drought” that’s draining Australia’s food bowl by paying premium prices for environmental flows. Housing & Cost-of-Living Pressure: Anglicare says homeownership among 25–34-year-olds has fallen to under 40%—back to 1940s levels—while rents have surged in some areas, leaving younger Australians stressed and squeezed. Online Safety Regulation: Aotearoa NZ’s new online safety bill is welcomed for adding risk assessments and oversight, while campaigners oppose blanket under-16 social media bans. AI Infrastructure Push: SCX.ai and DDN announce a partnership to expand Australia’s sovereign AI inferencing cloud, aiming to keep models and data within Australia. Data Centre Social Licence: Prime Minister Albanese will outline new national obligations for data centres, including energy and water requirements and limits on siting near homes, schools and prime land. Markets & Earnings Watch: ASX is set to edge up as semis weigh on Wall Street; investors turn to reporting season with Coles and Woodside among key releases. Scam & Fraud Risk: Incode warns agentic AI fraud is accelerating, with scams increasingly automated and amplified. Transport & Tourism: Jetstar launches Melbourne–Colombo nonstop flights, adding 50,000+ return seats and reflecting strong Sri Lanka demand.