The South Australian government has been accused of wasting taxpayer money on a new “spin doctor” but the state's premier claims the new position was meant to be a public sector saving measure.

Australia's inflation rate remained steady in October, with rising prices for food, alcohol, cigarettes and recreational activities keeping it at 2.1 per cent annually.

A deal which would have brought more international flights to the Northern Territory has fallen through, with Darwin Airport blaming its ongoing major runway works.

Researchers and frontline charities are seeing a growing number of Australian children going hungry and missing school, as the twin pressures of a cost-of-living crisis and housing shortages push families to the brink.

Owners of a Queensland business say they were overcharged dozens of times by an automated system, including being charged more than $700 for a single 300-gram parcel.