Australia news live: police investigate bomb threat after Anthony Albanese evacuated; university funding warning

PM back at The Lodge after evacuation for security check; report says 40% of universities have spent past five years in deficit. Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s universities are operating on increasingly thin margins, a new report from Universities Australia reveals.The report, titled Critical challenges in Australia’s university sector: securing a sustainable future, found over 40% of universities have spent most of the past five years in deficit.Our universities are not just economic engines – they are places where people build their futures, where talent is nurtured and where opportunity is expanded for the next generation.There’s a myth that universities are awash with money. The numbers tell a very different story. You can’t ask universities to educate more students, deliver more research and drive productivity while steadily reducing funding per student. At some point, the maths catches up. Continue reading...