{
  "id": 4716753,
  "title": "Live: Voters sent Labor message in WA by-election loss, Wong says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/live-voters-sent-labor-message-in-wa-by-election-loss-wong-says",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T21:10:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-01/federal-politics-live-blog-wong-on-wa-by-election/107098452"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Acting Prime Minister Penny Wong acknowledged the recent WA state by-election loss as voters sending Labor a message. Australia risks missing out on the economic benefits of artificial intelligence unless businesses fully utilize the technology, warned the Treasury. Treasury's latest advice to Treasurer Jim Chalmers revealed that only less than 10% of businesses reported significant adoption of AI. While job losses have not yet materialized, officials are keeping an eye on young and entry-level workers overseas for early signs. The Treasury considers AI as the first credible accelerant of global economic growth in almost two decades, yet Australia is at risk of missing out on its benefits. Treasurer Chalmers expressed confidence that Australia could maximize the economic upside and minimize risks related to AI. In response to the by-election result, Wong blamed the cost-of-living crisis for the swing against the ALP and urged addressing pressing cost-of-living issues. Wong also cautioned that Pauline Hanson's solutions were lacking, emphasizing that voters needed real change. Meanwhile, the Australian property market saw a 0.9% fall in August, marking the fifth consecutive monthly decline, with Sydney leading the decrease and values now 7.1% below their February peak.",
  "summary": "Acting Prime Minister Penny Wong has acknowledged that voters sent a message to Labor in a recent Western Australian state by-election won by One Nation.\n\nThe by-election result comes as property prices continue to fluctuate. According to property data firm CoreLogic, the typical capital city home price has slipped back below $1m.\n\nSydney and Brisbane remain the only capitals with median prices above $1m. Perth's median price passed $1m in March but fell to $999,987 by the end of August, CoreLogic found.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian Australia",
        "title": "News live: capital city house prices fall below $1m; Penny Wong has ‘grave concerns’ for missing Australians in Nepal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/news-live-capital-city-house-prices-fall-below-1m-penny-wong-has",
        "published": "2026-08-31T21:02:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "‘My heart is aching’: Wall of the missing lays bare desperate race to find Nepal victims",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/my-heart-is-aching-wall-of-the-missing-lays-bare-desperate-race-to",
        "published": "2026-08-31T22:56:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "‘My heart is aching’: Wall of the missing lays bare desperate race to find Nepal victims",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/my-heart-is-aching-wall-of-the-missing-lays-bare-desperate-race-to-4734506",
        "published": "2026-08-31T22:56:37.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}