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.
Economy, Business and Finance
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.
Green ideals meet hip-pocket pain as power prices surge
Young Australians are most likely to pay a premium to access renewable energy at home, a study has found, but high energy prices are turning off others.
Qantas fined for selling seats on cancelled flights
A Federal Court judge has approved a $100 million fine, agreed by the consumer watchdog and Qantas, after the airline sold seats on already cancelled flights.
Wanted: $100m investment fund seeks green Aussie tech
A multimillion-dollar venture capital fund, backed by 50 companies including Westpac, is looking for clean energy innovations that could go global.
Hands off: Labor eyes privatisation fight over NBN
The federal opposition has been challenged to reveal its position on the future of the $51 billion NBN after Labor introduced laws to keep it publicly-owned.
Realestate.com.au CEO sees house price growth slowing
REA Group CEO Owen Wilson says the company has had its best September since 2015, and the increased listings should moderate housing price growth.
Hybrids demoted to make way for electric Uber rides
Rideshare giant Uber is making changes to encourage more drivers to adopt electric vehicles, including knocking hybrid cars out of 'green' service.
Aussie shares edge up as Rio seals $10b lithium deal
The ASX200 has finished 0.1 per cent higher, with Rio Tinto announcing after the market closed that it would pay $10 billion to acquire Arcadium Lithium.
Park your car to power your home: study probes EV tech
Electric cars could become energy storage solutions as part of a two-year project launched by the NRMA and university researchers.
Rio Tinto to acquire Arcadium Lithium for $10 billion
Rio Tinto will pay a 90 per cent premium to acquire Arcadium Lithium, adding lithium to its aluminium and copper operations.
Aussie shares gain as Rio makes play for lithium miner
The ASX200 has finished 0.7 per cent higher with gains for retail banks along with lithium miners after a major takeover offer by Rio Tinto.
Woolworths lands apartment tower deal for prime site
A vacant inner-city site bought by Woolworths' development arm in 2020 will become a multi-storey apartment complex anchored by the supermarket.
Big banks leading Aussie shares higher at midday
The ASX200 was up 0.3 per cent at lunchtime, with gains for the retail banks along with lithium miners after a major takeover offer by Rio Tinto.
Devastating bird flu strain ‘on Australia’s doorstep’
Conservation groups are calling for more funding to prepare for the arrival of a deadly bird flu strain believed to have killed billions of animals worldwide.
‘Don’t agree on everything’: leaders divided on nuclear
Queensland is on track for an LNP government but that doesn't mean Peter Dutton would be able to bank on the state's support for building nuclear power plants.