Morning Mail: Chalmers sells budget as ‘road to reform’, Starmer fights on in UK, why the gothic look is back
Want to get this in your inbox every weekday? Sign up for the Morning Mail here, and finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter
Morning everyone. Jim Chalmers declared in his budget address last night that the “time is right” to tackle some of Australia’s thorniest problems, from housing to intergenerational inequality, and from NDIS blowouts to the cost of living. Our coverage explains and decodes the issues, following the money to assess who gets what.
We also report on the historic decision to rename polycystic ovary syndrome and give hope to millions of women, Keir Starmer’s continuing struggle to remain as UK prime minister, and why Australian gothic is back in fashion.
Hope for millions | After a 15-year global campaign, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed to better reflect the condition’s whole-body symptoms. Patients tell us how the misnomer affected their treatment and we have an explainer on everything you need to know about the condition.
‘Road to reform’ | At a time of strong domestic and global headwinds, Jim Chalmers has delivered the most ambitious and politically risky tax changes since the Howard era in a budget launching Australia along the “hard road to reform”. It aims to do so by scaling back tax breaks for landlords by abolishing negative gearing for new investors and replacing the 50% capital gains tax discount. His officials think the policies will help an extra 75,000 Australians “achieve the dream of home ownership” over the coming decade. Here’s what you need to know about the budget measures, what it means for your generation, and who will be the winners and losers. You can also check out our interactive, along with catching up with a few things you might have missed last night.
Aukus blowout | The budget for Australia’s contentious Aukus deal has ballooned by more than $430m over four years, and the budget papers also warned that Australia would be pushed to the brink of recession if the oil crisis worsens.
Virus warning | As the WHO warns countries to prepare for more cases, four Australians, one permanent resident and one New Zealander on the hantavirus-hit cruise ship are expected to arrive in Australia before a seven-week quarantine.
Share this article
Local News View All →
Budget 2026 live updates: Coalition claims budget will ‘kneecap’ younger Australians; plans for Trump tower on Gold Coast scrapped
May 13, 2026
Capital gains tax and negative gearing benefit the 1% and this chart shows it
May 13, 2026
Don’t reach for the bug spray: scientists find insects may feel pain after crickets nurse sore antenna
May 12, 2026
