Claims extracted
23
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
4%
1 of 23 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans right
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
61/100
The Sydney Morning Herald's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Economy/Business
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
A new survey has painted a grim picture for Western Australia’s hospitality sector, with households in a glum mood about the rising cost of living and readying to tighten their belts even before the Reserve Bank hiked up interest rates to a 15-year high on Tuesday.
asserted
Bank → paint → Tuesday
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA released its September Consumer Confidence survey on Sunday, with almost two in five households surveyed reporting that their expenses outpaced their income each month.
asserted
expenses → release → income
Of the West Australian 1000 households surveyed in mid-August, 20 per cent said they had been unable to pay their bills on time, and about half reported they would cut discretionary spending to offset cost-of-living concerns.
asserted
they → survey → concerns
CCIWA chief economist Dr Daniel Kiely said the hospitality sector would bear the brunt of those discretionary spending cuts.
asserted
sector → say → cuts
“Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed saying they would cut spending on cafes and restaurants over the next six months, which could have a significant impact on the sector heading into the festive period,” he said.
uncertain
he → survey → period
“Many consumers have told us they also planned to reduce spending on socialising, with 55 per cent saying they’d spend less at bars, pubs and clubs.
asserted
they → tell → bars
Six in 10 households surveyed reported that interest rates were weighing heavily on their confidence, Kiely said.
asserted
Kiely → survey → confidence
Their fears were realised on Tuesday, when the RBA board lifted rates to a 15-year high of 4.6 per cent.
asserted
board → realise → cent
The move meant a household with a mortgage of $600,000 would be paying another $91 a month, bringing the cumulative increase from the four rate hikes in 2026 to $364.
asserted
household → mean → 364
Shadow Treasurer Sandra Brewer said every family across the state had less money than they did five years ago.
asserted
they → say → money
Speaking to media on Sunday, Brewer took the opportunity to place at least some of the blame at the feet of the Cook government, saying government expenditure was helping drive up inflation.
asserted
expenditure → speak → inflation
The national consumer price index rose from 3.5 per cent in July to 4 per cent in August, which economists have predicted will keep pressure on the Reserve Bank to push rates higher yet again.
asserted
economists → rise → rates
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported the cost of new dwellings rose 5.4 per cent in the 12 months to August.
asserted
cost → report → August
Meanwhile, high global oil prices and the end of the federal fuel excise cut saw transport costs rise 5.6 per cent, which was the second-biggest contributor to inflation.
asserted
which → see → inflation
“The best thing government can do is to try and bring inflation down, and that’s by reducing demand in the economy,” Brewer said.
“It’s to reduce government spending at a time that the private sector is investing.
asserted
sector → do → time
“So at the moment, last year we had general government expenditure grow by 11 per cent
asserted
expenditure → grow → cent
“In the coming year, it’s forecast to grow at over 8 per cent.
asserted
it → forecast → cent
“And we wonder why we can’t get on top of inflation.
asserted
we → wonder → inflation
It’s because Treasurer Rita Saffioti simply won’t pull back.
asserted
Saffioti → ’ → ?
It’s within her power to do so, but she can’t, and she won’t.”
asserted
she → ’ → power
Brewer took aim at the government’s “pet projects” – the controversial Burswood racetrack and funding for the Perth Bears NRL team to start up in 2027 among them – and even linked the current inflationary environment to the One Nation byelection shock in Secret Harbour.
asserted
team → take → Harbour
“People are angry everywhere,” she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
“I think the recent election result in Secret Harbour showed it doesn’t matter what the government says and tells them what a great economy we have, when people are $128 a week worse off for every full-time worker, they know what that means for them and their family.”
asserted
that → think → them
The Aporia
