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 June 1 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week.

Middle East War Derails Aussie Holidays

Perth, June 1 : More than five million Australians have cancelled or postponed 2026 travel plans because of the Middle East conflict, Finder research shows. The comparison site’s survey of 1,019 people found 26% had put trips on hold, with millennials the most affected at 32%, compared to 20% of gen X.
Finder’s Taylor Blackburn cautioned that existing travel insurance policies won’t cover conflict-related disruptions. “Whenever you’re stranded, your first point of contact will always be your airline. Travel insurance can cover additional expenses, but they’ll expect you to have got what you can from your airline first.”
Smart Traveller advises against transiting through most of the Middle East. Blackburn suggested travellers returning from Europe consider routing through the Americas, noting a valid ESTA is required even for US transit.

SBS to Air Tour de France Live From July

Perth, June 1: SBS will broadcast the Tour de France live and exclusively from 5 July, with Slovenian world champion Tadej Pogačar chasing a historic fifth title after victories at Milano-Sanremo and Tour of Flanders.
The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift follows from 1 August in its fifth edition, with 154 riders covering a record 1,175 kilometres across Switzerland and France over nine stages, including a summit finish on Mont Ventoux.
Legendary Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan joins the SBS commentary team this year, bringing experience from his five Tour de France stage wins, including the 2019 Champs-Élysées. He joins returning commentators Matthew Keenan and David McKenzie, who both mark 20 years of Tour coverage, alongside Dr Bridie O’Donnell and Simon Gerrans.
Olympic gold medallist Grace Brown will lead commentary on the women’s race alongside Keenan, McKenzie and former professional Emily Watts.
Ken Shipp, SBS Director of Sport said: “Few sporting events match the scale, drama and emotion of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Every stage tells a different story – from epic climbs and fearless attacks to unforgettable finishes. SBS has been part of that journey for decades, and we’re proud to continue bringing Australians every moment, live and free.”
All stages will be broadcast live on SBS, SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand.

Fair Work Commission Lifts Minimum Wage

Perth, June 2: Australia’s minimum wage will rise to $1,004.90 a week — or $26.44 an hour — from July, after the Fair Work Commission handed down its annual wage decision today. The 4.75% increase affects roughly three million workers on minimum and award wages, with those on the lowest pay rates receiving an even larger 6% bump, covering around 100,000 employees. For the first time, the annualised minimum wage based on a 38-hour week will exceed $50,000.
The decision comes as financial stress grips Australian households. Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker shows 79% of Australians are stressed about their finances, with 56% living paycheck to paycheck and 43% holding less than $1,000 in savings. Groceries are the top stressor, cited by 39% of respondents — rising to 48% among part-time workers.
Finder money expert Sarah Megginson described cracking the $1,000-a-week threshold as “a massive psychological and financial win” for the country’s lowest-paid workers. “For millions of Aussies, this isn’t a bonus — it’s a lifeline,” she said.

TeamViewer Adds AI Video

Perth, June 4: TeamViewer has partnered with Microsoft to bring on-device AI capabilities to Assist AR, its remote assistance solution for frontline workers and industrial environments.
The update uses Microsoft’s Windows AI API for Video Super Resolution to improve video quality during remote support sessions, particularly in areas with weak or unstable mobile connections.
TeamViewer said the technology can reduce video artefacts, sharpen incoming video in real time and optimise bandwidth use, helping remote specialists guide field technicians more clearly.
“TeamViewer is a global leader in Frontline Worker Augmentation and specialises in Remote Guidance. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Microsoft to deliver top-tier video resolution even under challenging network conditions for our users. This collaboration underscores our dedication to addressing real-world issues faced by those who keep operations running,” says Alfredo Patron, Executive Vice President of Global Partner Ecosystem & Channels at TeamViewer.
“At Microsoft we continue to invest in enabling on-device AI capabilities for Windows app developers, and we’re pleased to partner with TeamViewer to enhance remote support experiences for our shared customers using the new Windows AI API for Video Super Resolution,” said Mik Chernomordikov, Head of Windows Developer Relations and Partnerships at Microsoft.
The VSR-enhanced version of Assist AR is now available in closed beta, with general availability planned in the coming weeks on Copilot+ PCs.

Fuel Trap After Long Weekend

Perth, June 4: New analysis from VroomVroomVroom, conducted by Primara Research, suggests the most expensive time to fill up over the King’s Birthday long weekend may not be before the trip, but the day after drivers return home.
Historical fuel price data from last year’s King’s Birthday long weekend showed petrol prices rose six per cent overnight from Monday to Tuesday, reaching 189.7 cents per litre. That was 12 per cent higher than the monthly low recorded at the start of the month.
The data found Thursday before the long weekend was the cheapest point of the week, with prices dropping 2.5 per cent. Saturday was the next best option, with prices falling 2.9 per cent to 177 cents per litre, while Monday remained relatively good value at 178.9 cents per litre.
Wholesale terminal gate prices were virtually flat during the period, with readings sitting within one cent of each other, suggesting the Tuesday spike was driven by retail pricing rather than wholesale costs.
“Retailers weren’t competing for the fill-up before the road trip, they were targeting the one after,” said Hieu Vu, Head of Product at VroomVroomVroom. “Over the weekend, consumers have choice and time to shop around. On Tuesday morning, returning commuters just need to get to work. Last year the data shows retailers held that elevated price for nearly a fortnight. If you’re heading home Monday, fill up before you go to bed.”

Gaming In Classrooms?

Perth, June 4: A new global study by Logitech G has found strong support among Australian Gen Z for formal education pathways into esports and professional gaming, highlighting a generational divide on the issue.
The research found 72 per cent of Australian Gen Z respondents support universities, colleges and specialist institutions offering courses for esports careers, compared with 45 per cent of Australians overall.
The study also found 57 per cent of Gen Z participants believe esports classes should be included in school curricula alongside traditional sports, nearly double the national average of 31 per cent.
Globally, support for esports education was highest in China at 93 per cent, followed by Brazil and Switzerland at 83 per cent, South Korea at 80 per cent, Poland at 67 per cent and Spain at 66 per cent.
“Esports is a major cultural phenomenon that sells out stadiums and has created a range of new careers across sectors,” says Dan Hall, Senior Category Manager at Logitech G ANZ.
“Traditional sporting classes aren’t for everyone but the experiences they provide – camaraderie, leadership, working in a team – should be,” Dan concludes.

British Airways Launches Sale

Perth, June 5: British Airways and British Airways Holidays have launched their June sale, offering discounted flights and holiday packages for 2026 bookings.
The sale runs until June 25, 2026, with return fares including Boston from £459, New York from £529, Washington from £469, Miami from £489 and Bangkok from £599.
Beach destinations are also included, with return flights to St Lucia from £510 and Kingston from £599.
British Airways Holidays is offering package deals including Florida from £629 per person, St Kitts from £649 per person, New York from £699 per person and Sri Lanka from £819 per person.
Short-haul holiday offers include Malta from £319 per person for seven nights, while city breaks to Barcelona, Venice and Nice start from £179 per person for two nights.
The sale also comes ahead of British Airways’ new direct route to Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to launch from October 23, 2026.