Talkback radio king John Laws dies aged 90
The man known as "the golden tonsils", John Laws, has died aged 90 after a radio career that spanned more than seven decades.
Economy, Business and Finance
War of words heats up amid Liberals’ climate battle
Two Liberals have gone head-to-head over speculation about Sussan Ley's leadership as the coalition prepares to finalise its approach to climate change.
New petrol cars could be outnumbered in two years
Australian drivers are buying more electric and hybrid vehicles than ever and experts say they are forcing down petrol and diesel car sales.
Blues fans to see red when Split Enz headline festival
The pioneering Kiwi band Split Enz will take centre stage as the iconic Byron Bay Bluesfest is resurrected for Easter 2026.
PM leads tributes for nation’s ‘Golden Tonsils’
Veteran broadcaster John Laws has fallen silent but the towering talkback titan has been remembered for his pioneering legacy and distinctive voice.
Ex-ANZ execs lose bonus millions after record fine
The former boss of ANZ and three of his executives have lost multimillion-dollar bonuses as the bank grapples with the cost of serious misconduct.
Australian shares start week higher as miners bounce
A potential end to the longest US government shutdown in history has buoyed investor spirits, supporting a rebound from last week's sell-off.
Gasps as message sent over ‘extreme’ road rage death
A killer driver who dragged another man alongside his moving vehicle before running over him will spend years in jail as a warning to others.
Consumers feeling merry in time for a Christmas splurge
Australian consumers are the most optimistic they've been since early 2022 despite fading prospects of more interest rate cuts.
No smoking gun to link deposit scheme, home price spike
Lower-end homes outperformed the rest of the market in October, but it's difficult to directly connect it to the government's expanded deposit guarantee scheme.
Petrol low as car buyers flock to hybrid and electric
More buyers of new vehicles are opting to save money on petrol with electric cars and hybrid models proving popular in the latest auto industry snapshot.
Ley downplays leadership talk, insists party ‘united’
Sussan Ley has sought to brush aside commentary from Liberal colleagues suggesting her days as opposition leader are numbered ahead of crucial partyroom talks.
Interest rate cuts might have less impact than thought
Mortgage holders were smashed by the fastest interest rate hiking cycle in decades post-pandemic, but a study has found it did little to dampen spending.
Japanese courtyard Queenslander leads design winners
A Queenslander cottage extended around a Japanese-inspired courtyard garden is among the winning designs at the National Architecture Awards.
Loan defaults bad for business as NAB profit takes hit
Business lending is growing for NAB but so is the level of bad debt from that customer segment, pumping the brakes on profits at the big four bank.
RBA drops rates hint as Australia maintains AAA status
Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock has responded to a surprise jump in unemployment as a credit agency gives Australia's finance a tick of approval.
Skies the limit for Aussie hydrogen-powered space drone
An Australian aerospace company is building the world's first reusable, hydrogen-powered hypersonic unmanned aircraft for military and aerospace missions.
Pre-Christmas rate relief dashed after inflation spike
All four major banks predict mortgage holders will have to wait until 2026 for rate relief after a larger-than expected inflation rise.
Top cop eyes ‘crime-influencers’ amid social media ban
Parents are encouraged to have hard conversations with children about online safety even as a world-first social media ban for Australian kids is set to begin.
Don’t forget gas: industry calls for renewable support
More than 50 companies are calling on the Australian government to extend support for renewable gas projects.
Australians lose hope as nation lags on housing targets
Australians aren't confident the housing crisis will be solved and not one state is on track to reach its homes target over the next five years, research shows.
‘Eye off the ball’: Woolies lays blame for limp results
A string of "distractions" are the reason why Woolworths failed to deliver for shareholders, the company's leaders say.
Coles puts heat on Woolworths with strong sales growth
Supermarket giant Coles continues to take market share from key rival Woolworths, posting stronger quarterly sales growth than its bigger competitor.
Workers threatened with weapons as retail crime spikes
Retail crime is worsening with a drastic number of Bunnings and Kmart workers threatened with violence every month, parent company Wesfarmers says.
Mining boss skewers Trump over moves against renewables
Renewable energy is taking over from oil, coal and gas, an Australian mining magnate has told shareholders, and efforts to hold back the trend are misguided.
Retailers ponder quitting ciggies as illegal sales soar
Supermarkets and smaller retailers are feeling the pain of the illegal tobacco trade, posting super-sized drops in revenue in recent reporting.
RBA to reveal interest rate call, economic forecasts
The Reserve Bank is widely expected to keep rates on hold after a spike in inflation, with the bank's updated economic forecasts set to be closely scrutinised.
Optus backs outage acts after keeping officials in dark
Optus leaders took nearly 18 hours to tell authorities deaths had been linked to a triple-zero outage, but they say the company followed the law.
Solutions in short supply as housing market heats up
Slashing the amount needed for a first home deposit might be doing more harm than good for young Australians hoping to get a foothold on the property ladder.
Collect ’em all: call for widespread battery recycling
Australia's voluntary battery recycling scheme will be allowed to continue but with limited uptake, the public could benefit if more devices were collected.
Australian share market pares losses to sneak higher
The local bourse has edged higher on the eve of the Reserve Bank's Melbourne Cup Day meeting, settling after reduced rate-cut hopes weighed on sentiment.