AU Edition - Today's top story: China's economy is changing rapidly. It's no longer Australia's easy export market September 28, 2026 AU Edition   For two decades, Australia has relied heavily on China as the most important single market for our exports. Our coal, iron ore and education services soared to meet growing Chinese demand. But as the Chinese economy is changing and modernising, we have charted how our most important exports have declined in recent years. Iron ore is down 18% and coal almost 50% as China embraces green steel and renewable electricity. China has invested heavily in innovation and its universities, which now dominate some global tertiary rankings. At the same time, we are making it more difficult for foreign students to obtain visas to study here. As Christoph Nedopil writes, Australia, as a main beneficiary of China’s growth, needs greater ambition to keep up with the rapidly changing market. We need a strategy for what comes next.   Victoria Thieberger Business and Economics Editor   Today's newsletter supported by Canberra Writers Festival   China’s economy is changing rapidly. It’s no longer Australia’s easy export market Christoph Nedopil, The University of Queensland Australian exports to China in three key sectors are all slowing. Businesses will need to meet the challenge. Deepfakes are distorting this year’s Victorian election. We found out who’s most susceptible to them Rory Mulcahy, University of the Sunshine Coast; Aimee Riedel, Griffith University; Asha Worsteling, The University of Queensland; Griffith University; Lucas Whittaker, Swinburne University of Technology; Renee Barnes, University of the Sunshine Coast Voters need to become better at questioning what they see, without automatically disbelieving it. Stripped titles? Compensating rivals? How the Manchester City cheating scandal could play out James Skinner, University of Newcastle; Danny F Hill, Providence College Manchester City could be facing enormous sanctions for cheating – and the fallout may spread to its 13 teams around the world, from New York to Melbourne. Could an ‘Australian AI’ protect us from being hacked? Cybersecurity isn’t that simple Niusha Shafiabady, Australian Catholic University News that an OpenAI agent hacked Medicare has prompted calls for Australia to develop its own AI system. More deaths, less outrage: are we becoming numb to the horrors of family violence? Anastasia Powell, RMIT University 52 Australian women have lost their lives to violence this year, including three in recent weeks. How do we make sure we don’t get compassion fatigue? Are autistic people more vulnerable to extremist content? Neophytos Georgiou, Flinders University People with rigid thinking patterns who prefer routine and order may be drawn to extremist groups’ black-and-white solutions. But autism itself is not the problem. How smoking makes Australians poorer – and what we can do about it Coral Gartner, The University of Queensland; Ara Cho, The University of Queensland A new study suggests making cigarettes cheaper would risk making smoking-related poverty in Australia worse overall, given it could lead to more people smoking. From ‘disgrace and pollution’ to ‘pride’: how Australians came to embrace their convict family ties Kristyn Harman, University of Tasmania Many former convicts changed their names and hid their past. But over the last 50 years, Australians have increasingly discovered – and embraced – convict relatives. Floating power plants could offer coastal communities a reliable energy source. Here’s how Tina Soliman-Hunter, Macquarie University These mobile power systems could be a lifeline for remote, island and disaster-prone places. What role does high school play in mental health? Feeling connected to other students and staff is key Sarah Stevens, UNSW ; Aliza Werner-Seidler, UNSW By the time an Australian student is 15, they will have already spent as many as 11,000 hours at school. What happens here matters for their wellbeing. Politics + Society Trump’s US ratings drop to new record low as Democrats become clear favourites in both chambers of Congress Adrian Beaumont, The University of Melbourne Trump’s net approval is below what any past president since Harry Truman had at this point in their term. Environment + Energy September’s ozone hole was the biggest in 20 years. The warning signs appeared months ago Hannah E. Kessenich, University of Otago; Annika Seppälä, University of Otago; Dan Smale, Earth Sciences New Zealand This spring’s ozone hole is likely to be among the top ten most severe of all time, bringing weather changes to New Zealand and Australia. Science + Technology Curious Kids: does music affect how plants grow? Lily Whelehan, The University of Queensland Some people may think it’s nice to listen to music with their plants. But is there any truth to the idea that certain music boosts plant growth? Books + Ideas Australian poetry classics: Les Murray’s The Broad Bean Sermon is inexhaustible food for contemplation David McCooey, Deakin University The Broad Bean Sermon, while not his best-known poem, shows why Les Murray is considered by some to be Australia’s preeminent poet. Your Say In response to your article about AI use in classrooms, I have the impression that parents are leaving it to others to protect their children. I am a parent of 4 children and 7 grandchildren and I see the solution as simple: do not give your child a smart phone. No child needs a smart phone. If you have safety concerns for your child, provide a simple phone from which they can send and receive phone calls and text messages. Be firm and ignore any tantrums, I've been there many times. — Anne Jolly, Sunnyside TAS Read the article The recommendation made in your article on voluntary assisted dying, that people with dementia should be central to decisions about their care is crucial. However, it was disappointing that the article did not also recommend addressing the serious problem of people with dementia being abused. It is one thing if someone asks for euthanasia because they truly want to die, and quite another if they ask for euthanasia when what they really want, and deserve, is to live free from abuse. — Dr Amanda Tink Read the article   We'd love to hear from you. Each day we publish an edited selection of your views on our stories. Email us     Featured Events, Courses & Jobs View all HERGA 2026 Conference 30 September 2026 • A Room with a View 3 October - 1 November 2026 • Brisbane Writers Festival 8 - 11 October 2026 • New Farm Canberra Writers Festival 15 - 18 October 2026 • Promote your event or course   Contact us here to have your event listed. For sponsorship opportunities, email us here     You’re receiving this newsletter from The Conversation Tenancy B, Level 5 700 Swanston Street Carlton VIC 3053 We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia and Māori as tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand.