Freeze on home efficiency standard cops political heat
A coalition plan that would stop changes to energy efficiency standards for buildings over a decade has been criticised for stopping climate change action.
Economy, Business and Finance
Big business blueprint to nail down housing crisis fix
Quicker approvals and slashing red tape are some of the key measures the business lobby has put forward to improve housing affordability and accessibility.
Qantas says sorry as sacked staff seek $200m justice
Qantas has apologised for its unlawful pandemic retrenching of 1700 workers as the transport union pursues the airline for hundreds of millions of dollars.
Grey area: questions over Sunshine State’s green future
Queensland could revert to coal central as calls grow for a power plan from the energised LNP, days out from voters heading to the polls in the Sunshine State.
Billions poured into defence precinct, creating jobs
Billions of dollars will be poured into a new defence precinct in WA, which is being touted as a rival to the mining industry for jobs and economic growth.
CBA chair says ethical principles will govern AI use
Commonwealth Bank has the "best, most capable people" working on the use of artificial intelligence in its business, chairman Paul O'Malley says.
Qantas braces against carbon neutral greenwash claim
Australia's biggest airline has been referred to the consumer watchdog amid accusations it is misleading passengers about its green credentials.
Bulk of CFMEU probe evidence relates to coercion
Dozens of incidents within the embattled CFMEU are being investigated after it was placed into administration following criminal allegations.
Australian shares march back from all-time high
The ASX200 has dropped 0.4 per cent, with every sector except financials losing ground.
Quit stage diving at concerts, insurers tell musicians
Insurance companies want performers to stop stage diving and throwing things at Australian live music events, an inquiry has been told.
Supermarkets tight-lipped on Tim Tam price discrepancy
Australia's major supermarkets say their suppliers are being hit by inflation which is trickling through to prices at the checkout.
Lobster deal not enough as more China trade championed
China's door is back open for Australian rock lobster fishers, but the trade minister wants more producers tagging along too.
Aussies paying more as rents spike across the nation
Australian renters are paying thousands more to keep a roof over their heads as rental costs for units and houses continue to balloon since the pandemic.
Coalition ‘extreme’ for being against US on ceasefire
The federal coalition has been criticised as being "extreme" for its stance against a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, leaving it at odds with Australia's allies.
Australian peacekeepers safe as security reviewed
The Australian Defence Force constantly reviews the safety of its personnel in the Middle East after reports United Nations peacekeepers have been targeted.
Inflation green shoots could spell earlier rates relief
A cooling rental market and slower pay growth hint at a disinflationary pulse some economists hope could deliver borrowers an early Christmas present.
Debit card surcharges could be scrapped in crackdown
Surcharges on debit card purchases could become a thing of the past by 2026, but some groups are warning the fees could be imposed in other ways.
Farmland sales plumb 29-year low as price demands boom
Farmers' asking prices for their land are spooking potential buyers as the number of deals plummets almost 20 per cent in 12 months.
Trial to test if electric vehicles can power homes
Australia's national science agency will team with an electricity retailer to find out whether electric cars can be used to power homes and back up the grid.
Telstra board to reflect on backlash over executive pay
A significant number of Telstra shareholders voted against the telco's remuneration report, in part because of issues related to its enterprise division.
Crown fined $2 million over self-exclusion breaches
Crown Melbourne has been fined $2 million over self-exclusion breaches but the regulator has accepted the failures weren't deliberate or reckless.
Optimism pushes Australian shares to a record finish
The S&P/ASX200 finished 0.8 per cent higher and above 8,300 for the first time, after gains by major miners and the big banks.
Stage three tax cut spending spree yet to surface
Fans splashed out on footy finals in an otherwise slow month for consumer spending, which is yet to show a bounce from tax cuts that came into effect in July.
Fund sent $511k to CFMEU ahead of criminal allegations
APRA dropped an investigation into a super fund that paid over $500,000 to the CFMEU but took action again after reports of the union's alleged criminal links.
Dodgy subscription traps and hidden fees to be banned
A slew of manipulative sales tactics, including subscription traps and hidden fees, are in the federal government's sights.
‘Climate action pays’: call to rev up clean investment
There can be winners in the clean energy race, a group of super funds says, rolling out a campaign to quell community fears and accelerate development.
More pain at the petrol pump as oil prices spike
Conflict in the Middle East is having a flow-on effect for Australian fuel prices but petrol stations have been cautioned not to take motorists for a ride.
Trade war fully thawed as China drops live lobster ban
Australia and China have effectively ended a years-long trade dispute after Beijing agreed to drop an import embargo on live rock lobsters.
New merger laws to shelve ‘damaging’ supermarket deals
The competition watchdog will have to be notified of every supermarket merger to prevent major players from gaining an unfair advantage.
‘Get on with it’: renewables rollout too slow out west
The renewables rollout is not happening quickly enough in WA, a summit has been warned, with leading proponents of clean energy exports calling for targets.
Property market eases past $11 trillion, investors busy
Australian homes are worth more than ever but the annual pace of growth has slowed rapidly in the past three months.