News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs.
Below are snippets of all the media releases we received from April 20 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week.

Budget Pressure Bites

Perth, April 20: Finder says most Australians are treading water financially, with 70% reporting they are in the same or a worse position than they were 12 months ago. The survey of 1,011 people found 42% said their finances had stayed the same, while 28% said they had deteriorated.
The comparison site said this equates to about 15.2 million Australians whose financial situation has failed to improve over the past year. Just 26% said they felt financially stronger than a year ago, while 4% were unsure.
Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder, said many families are heading into this fresh economic storm with empty pockets, having had no chance to replenish their savings after years of financial strain.
“Whether it’s a sudden rent hike or an emergency dental visit, even a single unplanned expense is enough to tip many households over the edge.
“A renewed surge in inflation brings the very real threat of prolonged high interest rates, or worse, further hikes that could add hundreds to monthly mortgage payments.”
Megginson said now is time to review your budget and look for opportunities to save.
“Households should double check every expense to try and find savings, specifically by switching service providers. You can end up paying less for the exact same service.
“Finding small wins on energy, internet and insurance can put thousands of dollars back into a family’s pocket over a year and give you a sense of control that you are moving things in the right direction.”

eBay Labels Simplified

Perth, April 20: Australia Post and eBay Australia have launched a new “Print in Store” feature that lets eBay sellers print shipping labels at participating Post Offices using a QR code, at no extra cost.
The new option is designed to make sending easier for sellers who do not have access to a home printer, allowing them to print labels and lodge parcels in the same visit. The service is available from today to eBay’s Australian customer base.
Australia Post General Manager Enterprise & Government, Chelsea O’Reilly said the new offering supports small businesses, side hustlers and everyday sellers by delivering a more cost-effective way to do business and removing friction from the sending process.
“We’re committed to delivering better products and services by listening closely to what customers value most, and we understand that with rising cost-of-living pressures, every saving and point of convenience matters.
“9.8 million Australian households shopped online in the past year according to our latest eCommerce Report, so we know demand for simple and flexible sending options continues to grow. Working closely with partners like eBay allows us to trial and scale practical solutions that make sending easier for customers and ensure our services continue to meet the needs of Australia’s growing eCommerce sector,” said Ms O’Reilly.
eBay Australia Head of Marketplace, Marie Griffiths said, “At eBay, we’re constantly looking for ways to remove friction from the selling journey. Partnering with Australia Post to launch Print in Store is a great example of how we’re innovating together to better support our sellers. By eliminating the need for a home printer, we’re making it easier for more Australians to start selling online and posting their items to buyers anywhere in Australia.”
The rollout follows the earlier introduction of an Extra Small parcel option for items under 250g, trialled with eBay to give sellers more choice and help cut shipping costs.

Healthy Living Costs

Perth, April 20: New research from iSelect has found Canberra is the most expensive place in Australia to stay healthy, while Bundaberg is the cheapest, highlighting sharp differences in the cost of healthy food, active leisure, medical appointments and health insurance across the country.
Capital cities dominated the most expensive rankings, with Canberra topping the list ahead of Albury and Brisbane, while regional centres filled much of the most affordable list, including Bundaberg, Bunbury and Ballarat.
Andres Gutierrez, General Manager – Health at iSelect says, “When household budgets are under pressure, things like gym memberships, regular check‐ups and even healthy food can start to feel like a luxury.
“The research shows that where you live can have a real impact on how affordable it is to eat well, stay active and access medical care. That’s why it’s important Australians understand their options, whether that’s shopping around for local services, finding lower‐cost ways to stay active, or comparing health insurance.”
The index examined Australia’s 30 most populous cities and towns, using data on grocery prices, leisure costs, medical appointments and basic hospital cover premiums to compare the cost of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

UniSuper Cuts Pension Fees

Perth, April 20: UniSuper will halve the asset-based administration fee in its Flexi Pension retirement product from 1 July 2026, reducing the fee from 0.16 per cent to 0.08 per cent for more than 42,000 members.
The super fund said the change will save the average Flexi Pension member about $495 a year, with some members expected to save as much as $625 annually. For a Flexi Pension account balance of $500,000, UniSuper said its total fees and costs would be almost half the average pension fees.
UniSuper’s Chief Executive Officer, Peter Chun said: “With Australians facing increasing cost of living pressures, this is great news for members within our Flexi Pension product. Based on our modelling it means that they could have more than $5,000 extra in their accounts through their retirement thanks to this change.”
“Our ability to offer this significant fee reduction reflects the ongoing growth of our pension products and efficiency improvements driven from within our in-house administrative team.”
“We are incredibly proud of our retirement offer to our members – outstanding investments, access to quality, professional advice and industry leading member services and digital tools. It has always been a high-quality offer and now we can provide it at an even more compelling price.”

Cashback Drives Switching

More than half of Australians would switch household bill providers for a cashback reward, with energy, mobile and broadband among the most popular categories, according to new research from Finder.
A survey of 1,015 respondents found 59 per cent — equivalent to 12.6 million Australians — would be willing to move providers for a financial incentive. Energy plans topped the list at 31 per cent, followed by mobile phone plans at 30 per cent, while 25 per cent said they would switch broadband.
“Many Australians know they can earn cashback on everyday shopping, but now we’re seeing those same rewards applied to the bills that hit households the hardest.
“With the cost of living still front of mind, cashback offers can provide a meaningful incentive for people to reassess whether they’re getting the best deal.”
Finder said it is currently offering around two dozen cashback deals across a range of household bills. The research also found 24 per cent would switch savings accounts, 20 per cent would change health insurers or credit cards, while only 7 per cent would refinance their home loan or move share trading providers.