Anxious parents express their relief as kids in the Northern Territory head back into the classroom for term two after homeschooling when the COVID-19 crisis first hit.

Queensland's State Development Minister Cameron Dick is warning the NSW Treasurer to "back off" over a move to lure Virgin Australia from Brisbane to Sydney as part of a possible bailout package for the embattled airline.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton reveals theoretical modelling which suggests 36,000 people could have been killed by coronavirus in Victoria if no physical-distancing measures were put in place.

The funding for services like the RFDS will allow them to evacuate coronavirus patients to larger medical centres and fly in medical workers and equipment for regional respiratory clinics.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus tells Hamish Macdonald the Government taps the phones of union chiefs, while economist Gigi Foster causes a stir by saying the coronavirus lockdown may not be worth the cost.

Australian shares drop in the wake of US oil prices falling below zero for the first time, underscoring the chaos the COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed on the global economy.

On this day 50 years ago, WA farmer Leonard Casley "stuck his nose up" at the Federal Government and seceded from Australia, forming the micronation the Principality of Hutt River.

The Federal Government has thrown airline Regional Express a funding lifeline to continue servicing airports in regional Australia during the ongoing pandemic.

What do Barrie Cassidy, Annika Smethurst, Tony Wright and Sean Murphy have in common? They all got their start on country newspapers. And recent mass closures have had a visceral impact on each of them.

Regional centres are concerned they could be badly hit by the potential collapse of Virgin Australia, with higher airfares and less competition.

Virgin Australia's potential collapse has left staff scrambling for jobs, as tourism and aviation industries prepare for the threat of major player leaving the market.

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe warns Australia's unemployment rate is likely to hit 10 per cent by June, and even though Australia will recover, the coronavirus emergency "will cast a shadow over our economy for some time to come".

With the world experiencing "the biggest supply and demand disparity in history", benchmark Brent oil futures fall to their lowest level since November 2001.

The debate over nuclear technology is a controversial one, yet many leaders in the field believe it's time for an open and calm discussion about the energy alternative.

Supermarket and grocery store turnover leapt 22 per cent in March on panic buying of toilet paper and food but sales are expected to fall as stockpiling subsides and major retailers, including Myer, extend shutdowns.

Raymond Barbara gave up his job for "the holiday of a lifetime". Instead he ended up with coronavirus, in mourning for his late mother, and thousands of dollars out of pocket.

The tourism industry warns if Virgin Australia collapses it could deliver a knockout blow to many WA businesses who were already on their knees as a result of coronavirus.

Researchers melt an ice core taken from Antarctica 10 years ago and find dozens of microplastic particles, including polyethylene used to make plastic bags.

Property owners are calling for pet-friendly tenancy laws to be scrapped before they are even enacted in the Northern Territory, as the Parliament prepares to vote on protections for renters during the pandemic.

Australia is ratcheting up pressure on China to look into the health risks associated with wildlife wet markets as the world continues to battle the deadly spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

As numerous laboratories race to develop a coronavirus vaccine, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation warns that it can't just be available to people in wealthy countries.

For Queensland, the pain of a possible collapse of Virgin Australia runs deep, with nearly half of its workforce based in the state.

A new report has ranked disdain for scientific knowledge as one of humanity's biggest threats, alongside climate change, nuclear war, and artificial intelligence.

Nearly half a million Australians have had applications for early access to their superannuation approved, totalling $3.8 billion in early payments, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau releases a preliminary report into the mid-air collision near Mangalore in Victoria that killed four people in February.

A property analyst warns the worst-case scenario could see falls of up to 30 per cent, mainly in Sydney and Melbourne, while the end of the bank's mortgage repayment holidays will bring the real test for the housing market.

An Australian-made ventilator that costs a tenth of the price of existing models is brought to life in just four weeks, which could revolutionise intensive care capability in the fight against COVID-19.

While the price of petrol falls to the lowest point in a generation in Brisbane, service stations are charging 30 per cent more in north Queensland and 75 per cent more in Mt Isa, with a federal MP raising accusations of collusion.

Regional tourism hotspots are closed but if bans on international travel continue local towns and businesses are hoping for a rapid resurgence in business.

Since the 1970s, the Degenhardts dreamed of retiring to Gerroa. Their dream became a reality — but retirement got tougher this month when they were told their supposedly guaranteed monthly income would not be paid until July due to coronavirus.

The Australian share market ends higher, despite Wall Street giving up most of its gains after leaked test results of a potential COVID-19 treatment prove disappointing.

Australian business are presented with a new set of rules on how to manage workplaces during the coronavirus pandemic, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he would "love to see a return to work across the board".

Reports of interference with aircraft radio communications at one of regional Victoria's busiest airports, where a flying school training pilots for Chinese airlines has been operating for about a year, are being investigated.

The decision to give up a well-paid job to learn how to fly planes already seemed risky. But then the coronavirus hit, and my dreams came crashing back to the tarmac, writes Victoria Bryan.

The COVID-19 outbreak may have forced them to close their doors, but some of Sydney's most revered restaurants won't let that stop them from giving their customers the fine dining experience at home.

The coronavirus shutdown has negatively affected so many aspects of the economy, but for these Australians, the closure of pokies rooms has changed life for the better.

Consumer advocates call for a ban on short-term loans because of concerns loan sharks are using text messages to target vulnerable people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

As artists worldwide launch livestream concerts from home, Yolngu musicians in one of the most remote parts of Australia are offering up a unique series of performances from north-east Arnhem Land.

An ANU demographer is "concerned" the coronavirus pandemic will result in an accelerated reduced birthrate and a decline in future taxpayers, affecting Australia's socioeconomic future.

More than two months after the first case of COVID-19 appeared in a small town outside Milan, Italy prepares a staged end to Europe's longest coronavirus lockdown.

In an extremely unusual move, National Australia Bank reports its results to the stock exchange almost a fortnight early as it seeks an extra $3.5 billion of investment from shareholders.

Rod Peters is a real-life Darryl Kerrigan from movie The Castle — he has even extended his house to include uninterrupted views of the runway. And the noise? No problem at all.

Australia's largest flour mill will produce an extra 50 million kilograms by the middle of the year as consumer demand goes through the roof.

Thousands of mum-and-dad investors are being caught out by insurance companies refusing to cover them when they cut rent for tenants under financial stress due to coronavirus restrictions.

An easing of coronavirus restrictions means non-essential shopping has the green light from this weekend, but that doesn't mean all the stores are ready to throw open their doors immediately.

A union for call centre workers in the Philippines claims staff have been sleeping in the office in potentially unsafe conditions to help Telstra and Optus customers, despite the risk of the coronavirus.

Almost a quarter of Australia's fashion labels believe they will never recover from the coronavirus hit — but some are adapting and finding new ways to make money, and a new way of doing business.

The Million Dollar Fish competition was designed to lure fishermen to the Northern Territory. But a consultant's report obtained by the ABC shows registrations have fallen by half in five years.

Today is the deadline for employers to pay superannuation they owe workers for the first quarter, but many may struggle to do so amid the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

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.