On today's chart 34K views since yesterday

Australia matches Philippines for rate-hike count, Nine reports

Charles Croucher's Today analysis asks why mortgage holders and renters carry so much of the burden of fighting inflation.

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9 News Australia Story of November 1, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of the most watched videos since yesterday, with 33,924 views.

Australia equals Philippines for highest rate increases globally this year | 9 News Australia

Things we can learn from the video

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0:00Nine reports Australia has tied the Philippines for this year's highest number of rate increases, with another expected Tuesday.
0:58Croucher says persistent inflation expectations leave mortgage holders bearing much of the pressure from tighter monetary policy.
1:55State elections make spending restraint politically difficult, Croucher argues.
2:22Outright homeowners and savers are more insulated, while mortgagors and renters carry more of the burden.
4:32Attention turns to Chalmers' mid-year budget update and Reserve Bank meetings before Christmas.

Higher interest rates do not squeeze every household equally. On Today, Nine's political editor Charles Croucher describes a divide between people paying off homes and those who own outright or have savings that can earn more interest.

The segment opens with Nine reporting that Australia has matched the Philippines for the most interest rate increases globally this year, with another rise expected on Tuesday. That comparison concerns the number of increases, not the level of either country's interest rate. Posted today, the video has drawn roughly 34,000 views in its first six hours.

Joining from Canberra, Croucher explains that persistent inflation expectations have left the Reserve Bank trying to slow spending, with mortgage holders bearing much of the pressure. He also identifies renters as part of the smaller group carrying the burden while other households remain more insulated.

The hosts press him on government spending and Anthony Albanese's description of rate rises as a "blunt instrument". Croucher points to the political difficulty of restraining state spending ahead of elections in New South Wales and Victoria, while also identifying the Middle East war as a significant source of inflationary pressure.

For Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the discussion turns to the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook: an opportunity to show how the federal budget will respond, with further Reserve Bank meetings approaching before Christmas.

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