Woolies profit down, food prices to rise
Woolworths has posted lower first-half profit while its boss is warning food prices will keep increasing due to inflation.
Economy, Business and Finance
Launceston sparkles in Aussie town award
The Tasmanian city of Launceston has been commended for its natural geography, good food and fine wine.
Costs weigh on Coles first half profit
Coles has delivered a two per cent drop in profit as higher costs and lower convenience store sales hit half-year results.
Palmer cancels speech, gets COVID test
Businessman and United Australia Party founder Clive Palmer has cancelled an address to the National Press Club due to illness.
Limited NSW train service to return
After a day without trains NSW commuters will have limited rail services back on Tuesday as the government and a union battle it out in an industrial dispute.
‘Declare or be aware’ warning for tourists
Border force officers have been told to use the full force of penalties against people arriving in Australia who do not declare potential biosecurity hazards.
breaking_news
economy, business and finance
energy
environmental politics
environmental pollution
politics (general)
Tech mogul ‘remains optimistic’ on AGL bid
AGL Energy has rejected a hefty takeover offer by a consortium helmed by tech mogul Mike Cannon-Brookes, but market experts say it's just a starting bid.
Qld to strengthen electric scooter laws
Queensland is working on reforms to crack down on electric scooter "cowboys" with the government looking to enable police to throw the book at rogue riders.
High-tech military plane facility for SA
A $160 million maintenance facility for high-tech military aircraft will be constructed next to a RAAF base north of Adelaide.
ASX down 1pc as investors watch Ukraine
Investors were having their worst day of the week on the ASX, after shelling began in Ukraine with fears of a Russian invasion.
Magellan raises H1 profit, defies setbacks
Fund manager Magellan has bounced back from turmoil to post a higher first-half profit and is offering an options deal to investors who stayed loyal.
ASX gains slashed after shelling reports
A late fall in ASX trade has followed news reports of shelling in eastern Ukraine and put investors on edge.
Govt anger at NSW power station closure
Closing the country's biggest coal-fired power station seven years early could cause job losses and a spike in electricity prices, the NSW energy minister says.
Crown hopeful it has turned the corner
Crown has delivered another first-half loss and will not pay an interim dividend but is becoming more confident it has "turned the corner".
Star boss reassures on probes, H1 loss
Star Entertainment boss Matt Bekier says a focus on preventing criminal activity at its casinos never wavered as investigations overshadow a first-half loss.
Jobs market proves resilient to Omicron
The unemployment rate held steady at 4.2 per cent in January, but there was a sharp drop in hours worked due to the impact of the Omicron variant.
Fortescue gains workers, H1 profit down
Fortescue Metals has gained better access to workers under relaxed quarantine rules as it tries to keep its $4.6 billion Iron Bridge project on track.
Budget cuts could risk recovery: Treasury
Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy says the Australian economy has proved resilient in the face of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
A long weekend, every week? Embracing the four day work life balance
For most Australians working a standard full-time job – a little more than seven hours a day, Monday to Friday – moving to a four-day work week could occur in two stages.
Qantas extends Darwin-London flights
Qantas has extended until at least June its direct flights from Darwin to London amid continued doubts over when WA will reopen its borders.
New airline Bonza names 16 destinations
New domestic airline Bonza says it will start selling tickets to 16 regional destinations in the next two weeks with its first flight planned in mid-2022.
Wheat farmers take heed of Ukraine tension
Any trade disruption caused by a conflict between Russia and Ukraine would send ripples through the global market, impacting Australian grains farmers.
Crown seals takeover deal with Blackstone
Global private equity group Blackstone has won the battle to take over Crown Resorts for almost $9 billion, barring no better offer emerging.
Rains mock drought-hit Australian farms
For all the recent rain in parts of Australia, some farmers remain firmly in drought.
Commonwealth to help fix Paradise Dam
The Commonwealth has matched the Queensland government's $600 million commitment to upgrade Paradise Dam in the state's southeast.
Brisbane EV firm’s expansion is turbo-charging jobs in Tennessee
Tritium is establishing a new factory in Tennessee that will produce up to 30,000 new electric vehicle chargers a year once the plant is at full capacity. The Biden administration has a target that half of all vehicles sold in the US by 2030 will be battery electric, fuel-cell electric or plug-in hybrid, and has pledged $7.5 billion for deploying a network of 500,000 EV chargers along highway corridors.
East coast restart looms for cruise ships
Cruise ships could return to Australia's east coast over coming months following an agreement between federal, NSW, Victorian and Queensland authorities.
IAG turns H1 profit, cuts dividend
Australia's biggest insurer has used price hikes and taken its NRMA brand to other states to return to first-half profit.
Nth Qld pharmacy trial has doctors worried
Skipping the GP consultation to get a prescription for serious health conditions is not the answer to staff shortages in regional Queensland, doctors say.
New home sales buoyed by end of lockdowns
Sales of new detached houses were buoyant in the three months to January as the end of the Delta lockdowns returned confidence to the market.
Climate change robs Australia of rain
An Australian professor who helps compile the most important international reports on climate change says rainfall and fire threats for the nation are grave.