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'Couldn't have come at a worse time': Collapsed builder leaves 241 creditors with nothing

Banyan Constructions collapsed earlier this year, and a report from liquidators has now revealed that the $22 million owed to creditors — mostly small, local businesses — will not be paid back.




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Adelaide buildings turn blue for senior police officer killed in car crash

Adelaide landmarks were illuminated with blue light overnight amid more tributes for SA Police Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan and Tania McNeill, who were killed in a three-car crash on Saturday.




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'Look at it fly!': Pentagon releases footage of 'unidentified aerial phenomena'

Videos of unidentified flying objects have been officially released by the Department of Defense after unauthorised distribution in 2007 and 2017.




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Why are some of the world's largest planes being parked in Alice Springs?

The small town in the middle of Australia is hosting a collection of very expensive aircraft, including double-decker Airbus A380s. Why are they being stored here?




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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.




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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.




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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.




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'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.




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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.




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Funeral insurer who sold coverage to babies barred from taking on customers

Funeral insurer Youpla, slammed by the banking royal commission in a previous brand iteration for misleading Indigenous customers, has now been denied a licence to provide financial services and prevented from signing up new customers.




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Lebanon rocked by riots over economic hardship, as one protester dies in Tripoli

A shutdown to fight the spread of COVID-19 has made a dire situation even worse in Lebanon, with its currency plunging in value.




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Surging grocery costs blamed on fires, droughts and COVID-19

Australians have seen a rare rise in inflation, as a series of crises conspired to push up the cost of essential groceries, but economists say consumers should see cheaper prices again now that panic buying has subsided.




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Holiday homes turned long-term rentals add to surge in listings

The major online platforms say rental listings are up 8-10 per cent compared to last year, as thousands of Airbnbs and other short-term rentals are expected to move to the long-term market as coronavirus halts travel.




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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.




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Outback charter companies nosedive as pandemic grounds flights

While the fate of Virgin and Qantas makes headlines, Australia's outback aviation companies say they've been forgotten by authorities.




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Authorities investigate aged care coronavirus cluster as Victoria records seven new cases

Victoria's total of COVID-19 cases rises to 1,361, as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton reveals authorities are investigating three cases linked to a Melbourne aged care facility.




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Metro West plan revealed: Rydalmere station scrapped, 150 properties to be acquired

The NSW Government releases the blueprint for the promised Metro West, revealing it will acquire 154 properties to accommodate the multi-billion dollar project.




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'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.




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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.




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Truck driver involved in Grampians crash that killed one cleared of wrongdoing

After clearing one truck driver, police are still to interview another, following a fatal collision on Wednesday involving a man who died when his ute collided with a truck a carrying multiple vehicles.




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House prices edge higher as both buyers and sellers leave the market during COVID-19 crisis

Despite coronavirus restrictions sending auctions online and seeing many home sales abandoned, CoreLogic figures for April show prices continued to rise for the few properties that did sell.




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Flight Centre stops charging cancellation fees for trips affected by coronavirus

The travel agent chain backs down from charging hundreds of dollars in cancellation fees for trips cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, following pressure from customers and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.




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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.




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As restrictions are lifted in parts of Australia, some states announce more rules to be eased

Children in SA will soon be able to return to playgrounds and in NSW, real estate watchers could be heading to open homes and auctions as soon as next weekend, as some state governments announce further easing of restrictions. These are the key coronavirus developments from today.




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How an elderly island enclave warded off COVID-19 ... without blowing up the bridge

The community of mainly over-60s on St Huberts Island in NSW manages to stare down the threat of COVID-19 with music, exercise and good wine — and a fresh catch of fish delivered by doting grandsons.




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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.




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In the blink of an eye coronavirus has turned the property market upside down

Within the space of a month, the coronavirus pandemic has upended the property market for buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords.




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Fine-dining restaurants turn to takeaway to keep staff employed during virus lockdown

With dine-in service off the table many restaurants struggle to retain staff who are ineligible for JobKeeper payments.




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Transurban pushes West Gate Tunnel deadline out a year, citing contaminated soil dispute

Transurban reports to shareholders that construction on the West Gate Tunnel has been set back, with the project now expected to be completed by in 2023.




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Orange juice the same as diet cola under proposed health star rating

Citrus growers say under a proposed change, the health star rating for 100 per cent orange juice could drop from the current five stars to as low as 2.5 stars.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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RBA expects 1 million Australians to stay unemployed until end of next year

Up to a million Australians may have lost their jobs since social-distancing measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 ramped up, new ABS data suggests, while the Reserve Bank expects the economy to take a 10 per cent hit.




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Hotel industry body calling for pubs to reopen later this month under loosened restrictions

A peak industry body says South Australia's 12-day stretch without any new coronavirus cases has created a "high level of expectation" that pubs will reopen.




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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.




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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.




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With the curve flattened, the PM is focused on getting a million people back to work

While tough coronavirus restrictions have saved thousands of lives, Scott Morrison says the country is now in a position to start clawing back some of the $4 billion lost every week that restrictions continue. Here are the key takeaways from his press conference.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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'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.




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'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.




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Chinese state-owned company buys up water in the Murray-Darling

Companies owned by the Chinese Government have been buying Australian water assets, with concerns raised about the level of scrutiny foreign investment of water is receiving.




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'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.




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Almost 7,000 square kilometres of land to be released for coal and gas exploration in regional Queensland

Almost 7,000 square kilometres of land will be released for coal and gas exploration in central and north Queensland as part of measures to ensure the survival of the resources sector through the coronavirus pandemic, the State Government says.




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Hemp smoothies, muesli among creative uses of first edible organic crop

Australia's largest organic edible hemp crop is being harvested in Victoria's north west with agronomists talking up its food and fibre potential.




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Coronavirus has delivered some scary numbers for Europe, and more are ahead — the financial cost

The collective European economy will contract by 7.7 per cent this year and debt will skyrocket, with Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal among the hardest hit by the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.




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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.




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Gas leak at LG Polymers plant in India kills 11, hospitalises hundreds

At least 11 people have been killed and hundreds more are in hospital after a chemical gas leak at an LG Polymers plant in southern India.



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