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.

Virgin Australia is expected to announce the airline will go into voluntary administration, with Deloitte tipped to help the company restructure about $5 billion in debt and pay off its creditors.

Changes necessary for the Victorian Government to deal with the coronavirus pandemic include plans to hold judge-only trials and giving councils the power to hold meetings online.

Backpacker workers are losing their jobs and being told to "go home" by local community members amid fears they will spread coronavirus.

Australia's troubled second airline, which saw its cash flow collapse because of tough coronavirus travel restrictions, appoints accounting firm Deloitte to act as administrator after the Federal Government rejected calls to bail it out.

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.

One of Adelaide's most historic music venues, which has hosted some of the world's biggest artists, could be forced to close due to a lack of support amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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

The live cattle trade out of northern Australia has its biggest price crash since 2011, with key markets such as Indonesia and Vietnam struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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".

The modelling predicts more than a quarter of a million jobs could be lost in Victoria due to the coronavirus pandemic in what Premier Daniel Andrews says is the perhaps the "biggest economic and employment challenge" in the state's history.

The hit show Tiger King and self-isolation measures boost the world's largest streaming service, which has added millions of new customers so far this year.

Australia will buy fuel from the US at historic low prices to bolster its national stockpile, after criticisms that the Government only holds about 30 days' worth of fuel in domestic storage, far below the 90-day minimum.

As Australians stay at home, and with many bricks and mortar stores closed, more of us are shopping online, placing a huge strain on the postal service.

At a time when the economy is suffering the ACCC is calling on the petrol retailers to pass on the full benefit of the falling oil price to motorists.

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.

Townsville's housing market had been recovering after years of turmoil — now coronavirus is scaring off up to 70 per cent of potential buyers.

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.

The future of Australian aviation is crucial for the wider tourism sector, which is already bleeding because of recent travel bans initiated to stop the spread of COVID19.

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

Kimberley tourism operators brace for "18 months of pain" as COVID-19 decimates the northern tourist season.

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

The company behind the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service says its ships will no longer be docking at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, and will instead move to Corio Quay, north of Geelong.

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.

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.

For Papua New Guineans and tour operators who get their income from the Kokoda track, April is usually their busiest time of year — but coronavirus might be putting a stop to that.

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

The ACCC warns Qantas it will take swift action against anti-competitive behaviour such as attempts to swamp airline routes, artificially push down prices or lock in exclusive deals with airports and suppliers.

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".

Renters in the NT will be protected from eviction for up to four months after more coronavirus emergency legislation passes parliament. But the Opposition and independents say Labor is avoiding scrutiny of its measures, following the suspension of Question Time.

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.

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.

With 100 per cent of the bookings cancelled at his boutique business, a country chef decides to use his culinary skills to help others through the 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.

CommSec's State of the States latest report reveals Tasmania's economy performing stronger than it had for more than 10 years. But that was before the coronavirus crisis hit. What's ahead?

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.

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.

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

Super funds and prominent professional investors warn that the mass withdrawal of funds from superannuation during the COVID-19 crisis risks undermining the whole retirement income system.

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.

Customers will be able to buy multiple packets of toilet paper at the supermarket giants, although a number of other items remain restricted.