&

Union takes Qantas to Federal Court over 'heartless' denial of sick leave to stood-down workers

The Transport Workers' Union urges the Federal Court of Australia to find that Qantas is still responsible for paying sick leave to 25,000 workers who have been stood down during the global coronavirus pandemic.




&

Can't get a refund on your cancelled trip? Here's what to do

More than 6,000 people have complained to the ACCC about their travel company's handling of refunds. We've looked into what your options are for getting your money back.




&

Almost half the businesses interested in JobKeeper have not signed up. Here's why

Hundreds of thousands of employers who registered interest in JobKeeper have not signed up for the payment, citing ineligible workers, confusing rules and cashflow problems.




&

'Relax the rhetoric': Businesses open, but coronavirus crackdown has customers 'nervous'

Small businesses in Tasmania struggling to survive amid the coronavirus crisis call for clearer messaging from authorities, saying there is no point trading if customers are too nervous to leave home.




&

Jay wasn't after handouts, but her pantry was empty

For many people like Jay, the COVID-19 pandemic means that for the first time, they're truly struggling to get food on the table.




&

'Coffee, then NAFI': Future of 'crucial' fire-tracking website in doubt

It is one of the most popular and important websites for cattle producers, rangers and carbon farmers in northern Australia, but its funding is about to run out.




&

'A form of self-medication': The limitless power of music during times of crisis

From balconies to lounge rooms, songs of joy and sadness are helping us cope and keeping us connected. And if we look to the past, we'll find that our tendency to turn to music during times of crisis is nothing new.




&

Victoria criticises 'completely inappropriate' independent schools funding offer from Federal Government

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino accuses the Federal Government of using funding to "force" independent schools to undermine the state's strategy on face-to-face learning during the coronavirus pandemic.




&

'Market failure': ACT Government threatens to cap petrol profits if prices don't drop

Fuel prices have plummeted across Australia during the coronavirus pandemic, but the ACT Government says they are not falling quickly enough in Canberra — and they are going to do something about it if prices do not fall to below $1 per litre this weekend.




&

Key points from the PM's press conference

Where coronavirus came from, Australia's relationship with China, and the possibility of being able to jump on a plane to New Zealand were all canvassed by the PM in his latest press conference.




&

Businessman's dairy proposal puts pressure on Government to help struggling farmers

A Victorian businessman has given the Federal Government a detailed plan to help the struggling dairy industry get back on track — and give more money to farmers.




&

Markets surge on Fed's promise to act 'aggressively' to save a stalled economy

The ASX joins a global rally after the Federal Reserve says it will "aggressively" use its "full range of tools" to aid the recovery, as the US economy records its worst slump since the global financial crisis.




&

'Unacceptable' gas fracking in Channel Country should stop, leaked department report told Queensland Government

A leaked expert report shows the Queensland Government was advised to stop further gas fracking in the state's sensitive Channel Country, but a separate department already extended gas exploration until 2030.




&

Energy operator wants to remotely switch off rooftop solar systems amid 'uncontrolled growth'

Australia's electricity grid operator wants the authority to remotely switch off new rooftop solar systems in SA in order to manage their "invisible and uncontrolled" growth.




&

Coronavirus update: China's Hubei province lowers emergency response level

The initial epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak will lower its emergency response level from tomorrow. These are the key coronavirus developments from Friday.





&

Company buys coal mine for $1 and receives $35 million environmental refund. Here's how

A company linked to Labor figures that bought a mine for just $1 enjoyed multi-million-dollar refunds from its environmental bond after concessions from the Palaszczuk Government, documents show.





&

'No going back to everything the way it was': ANZ boss warns of 'slow grind' recovery

ANZ's chief executive warns the Australian and New Zealand economies will be reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and take years to recover from the economic fallout.




&

Key points from the Prime Minister's latest press conference

The Prime Minister and Chief Medical Officer urge people to download the tracing app to speed easing of restrictions, while another large support package to help keep aged care resident safe is announced.




&

Tesla shares tumble after Elon Musk tweets they're too expensive

Elon Musk has seen Tesla's share price falling after a series of unusual tweets, including saying he would sell all his possessions.



  • Business
  • Economics and Finance
  • Science and Technology
  • COVID-19
  • Diseases and Disorders

&

These waters off South Africa have gone quiet, and 'huge alarm bells' are ringing

Care about sustainable seafood? The waters off South Africa's iconic False Bay have "gone quiet", and experts believe it could be linked to your weekend fish and chips.




&

Indonesian zoos facing financial strain could 'feed herbivores to the carnivores' amid pandemic

Some 70,000 animals across Indonesia, including members of critically endangered species, are at risk of starvation as zoos struggle financially due to social distancing restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.




&

In what's left of the Australian TV industry after coronavirus, will the next Secret Life be made?

Some are warning Australia's television industry is facing a crisis that could affect how much viewers pay for entertainment in the future, and whether the kinds of shows that have been hits in the past will continue to be made.




&

In the middle of an economic crisis, one sector is experiencing a surprise 'COVID surge' in jobs

While the economic tsunami of coronavirus shutdowns hammers most sectors, WA's resources industry has jobs created on mine sites where providers of support services like catering, cleaning and maintenance are in high demand to keep mine sites safe.




&

On World Press Freedom Day, Malaysia investigates journalist over 'provocation'

Police in Malaysia confirm they are investigating a journalist over her reporting on mass raids targeting migrants and refugees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.




&

COVID-19 losses just the start of Westpac's woes amid escalating money laundering, tax problems

Westpac joins ANZ in deferring its interim dividend as it braces for the financial impact of COVID-19, but mounting issues around money laundering and tax reporting may cost it almost as much.




&

Majority of shut-off WA businesses 'confident' they will survive pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic is understandably weighing heavily on the business sector, but there are early signs of green shoots as one state begins to open up.




&

Canberra petrol stations to face 'weekly fuel price challenges' as cost drops to $1 per litre

Canberra petrol retailers will need to meet weekly fuel price targets to avoid the ACT Government regulating the market, despite prices dropping to about $1 per litre after the Chief Minister threatened to cap margins.




&

Bank regulator asks ME to explain why it took money from customers' redraw accounts

The financial regulator has asked ME Bank to explain why it has taken cash from accounts linked to its customers' home loans to reduce the risk of mortgage default.




&

Couple's battle for $10,000 luxury holiday refund as hundreds consider class action

James and Victoria Sylvester were refused a refund when their $10,000 holiday to Dubai was cancelled because of coronavirus. Now hundreds of consumers in similar situations are considering launching a class action.




&

Service stations 'on the edge' of collapse despite record petrol profit margins

While oil and wholesale fuel prices have been at two-decade lows, pump prices have not come down so quickly or consistently across the country. But service station owners say they too are struggling to survive the COVID-19 downturn.




&

Work begins on the Gold Coast's $1 billion Pacific Motorway upgrade

Work begins on the Gold Coast's $1 billion Pacific Motorway upgrade, with promises it will benefit motorists and the economy.




&

Security worker jailed for stealing $340,000 from Catholic Church to fund 'indulgent' lifestyle

An Adelaide mother is jailed for stealing from the Catholic Church to pay for expensive overseas holidays and indulgent consumer goods, while a former accountant is also sentenced for stealing from his clients.




&

'They got us a beauty': Farmers speak up about falling victim to tractor ad scam

One WA couple who fell victim to a tractor ad scam wants others to know about the dangers, as NT Consumer Affairs uncovers more than 20 similar sites.




&

COVID-19 checklist released: Here's what NT businesses must do before reopening ahead of May 15

Are you a business that wants to reopen on May 15? The Government has released the COVID-19 Safety Plan checklist you must complete before doing so.




&

Corporate giants warn coronavirus exodus means Sydney's CBD will never be the same again

As the Government begins easing social-distancing restrictions, there are doubts once-bustling workplaces in Sydney's CBD will ever return to the way they were.




&

Women bearing brunt of COVID-19 job losses 'suddenly' stripped of financial independence

New data shows how hard the impact of the coronavirus has been on women's jobs as a leading economist worries about the long-term impact for women in the workforce.




&

Foxtel 'threatened with extinction' within a few years as streaming services cannibalise revenue

Under siege from much cheaper rivals and with lenders unwilling to support it, pay TV operator Foxtel is increasingly looking like a threatened species.




&

The US meat industry has been crippled by coronavirus. Here's why that won't happen here

US meatworks have been epicentres for coronavirus outbreaks and shutting them down has disrupted the supply chain. But Australia is set up differently.




&

Virgin Atlantic lays off thousands of staff as more trouble hits Richard Branson's brand

Just weeks after Virgin Australia goes into voluntary administration, UK-based Virgin Atlantic is forced to lay off thousands of workers as the coronavirus pandemic takes a heavy toll.




&

'A rip-off and a rort': Residents have their say as ACCC questions ‘higher than expected’ NT fuel price

Michael Gunner issues his "first and final warning" to petrol companies to take action as the ACCC puts in its two cents on the NT's comparatively high fuel prices.




&

'There's got to be a better way': Exploration company pushes to reduce plastic bags

A small exploration company drilling for gold in Western Australia's Goldfields wants to change the perception that the resources sector is a "dirty industry" by using biodegradable bags for drill samples.




&

Is anyone buying 'fake meat' during a global pandemic?

It was the first alternative-meat company to debut on the American stock exchange. But how is Beyond Meat coping 12 months on during a global pandemic?




&

'You want $750 a week for doing nothing?': A boss argued his employees should work more hours for JobKeeper

Whether or not employers can demand eligible JobKeeper workers do extra shifts to meet the $1,500-a-fortnight payment is causing confusion and chaos in the hospitality industry.




&

As Queensland's mild winter looms, calls to reopen the state get louder

Regional Queensland communities with no coronavirus cases want to reopen their businesses, saying their local economies should not suffer because of outbreaks in the state's south east.




&

An unthinkable event tore Fremantle's heart out, just as the port city was on the brink of renewal

A major redevelopment was hoped to revitalise WA's historic port city, but the coronavirus pandemic has instead left businesses empty with workers, tourists and locals forced to stay away.




&

Mother's Day visits off the table as Victorian Premier defends coronavirus contact tracing efforts

Premier Daniel Andrews defends the work of contact tracers as 13 more coronavirus cases are linked to a cluster at Cedar Meats in Melbourne's west.




&

ICAC investigating alleged 'improper conduct' by university vice-chancellor

South Australia's Independent Commissioner Against Corruption confirms he is investigating allegations of improper conduct by the vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide.




&

'There's going to be enormous poverty': Research points to big surge in renting

Logic suggests a coronavirus slump may provide a window of opportunity for first homebuyers to enter the market. But a new report suggests the opposite may be true.