Cost of living, natural disasters impact tourism
Domestic travellers are opting to have shorter, cheaper holidays closer to home as international tourism continues to recover from the pandemic, new data shows.
Economy, Business and Finance
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumer issue - lifestyle and leisure
energy (general)
environmental issue
environmental pollution
road transport
transport
EV owners urged to change charging behaviour for Easter
Charge early and plan ahead: experts are advising electric vehicle drivers to be mindful of others to avoid queues during a record-breaking Easter holiday.
Home builders want training costs reflected in pay call
The minimum wage decision should take into account the cost of training workers to plug skills gaps, a key home building lobby group says.
Inflation holds steady but services prove stubborn
Consumer prices are growing at the same annual pace as last month, with Taylor Swift concerts fuelling a minor uptick in hotel prices in the big cities.
Tech sell-off leads Australian shares modestly lower
The local share market closed down 0.4 per cent, with losses for the technology and telecommunications sectors outweighing gains by oil and gas producers.
Property profits up as prices keep ticking higher
Australia's real estate resilience has kept on keeping on despite higher interest rates and gloomy consumer sentiment.
‘We’re concerned’: states revolt over NDIS cost fears
State and territory leaders are calling for transparency about NDIS costs as they push back against planned reforms, which they say are being rushed.
Middle of the road: compromise for utes, SUVs in rules
Rules to lower vehicle emissions in Australia will involve compromises for utes and some large four-wheel-drive vehicles following industry negotiations.
economy, business and finance
electricity production and distribution
energy
energy and resource
environmental issue
natural gas
oil and gas - downstream activities
oil and gas - upstream activities
politics
‘Deliberate demand destruction’ stinging gas consumers
Western Australia faces an immediate gas supply risk triggered by the rush to run the nation on renewable energy, an audience of business leaders has heard.
Employers, unions at odds on wage call and inflation
Unions and employer groups have clashed on the annual review of minimum and award wages and its likely influence on still-above target inflation.
Wine being chilled to toast possible end to China beef
There is cautious optimism from Australian producers that a landmark visit by China's foreign minister could signal the end of punitive trade barriers.
Renters sweating on rules to cool their homes
It's hotter inside some rental properties than outside for 8 hours a day in summer but renters are increasingly powerless due to cost of living pressures.
Rates on hold but RBA ‘not ruling anything in or out’
Interest rates have been left steady for another meeting and the Reserve Bank has kept its options wide open when it comes to future moves.
breaking_news
coal
economy, business and finance
electricity production and distribution
energy
environmental issue
natural gas
politics
Relief for some as power prices drop, but not for all
Regulators have released draft recommendations on what consumers in Australia's east will pay to keep the lights on. One state will see a big drop.
Calls to heat up competition in nation’s postal sector
A tech start-up is pushing for Australia Post's delivery network to be opened up to private players, in a bid to drive competition and boost regional economies.
States in harmony on GST forecasts, discord on carve-up
Several state treasurers are calling on commonwealth officials to tell them how much GST they can expect for the next four years.
Product price hike fears over supermarket smash-up laws
An unlikely political alliance is stirring to push new laws that punish supermarkets for price gouging but the business lobby is warning of unintended outcomes.
Online shopping is forcing down prices by $1100 a year
Greater competition from online shopping is forcing down the price of some goods, research has found, and could have a bigger impact in the future.
alternative energy
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
energy
energy (general)
energy and resource
renewable energy
research
research and development
road transport
transport
Electric vehicles threaten to overtake hydrogen promise
The popularity of hydrogen cars is dropping in Australia and overseas, leading many experts to question the role it will play in the future of transport.
Australians spend less, more often in online shop surge
Baby boomers are increasingly shopping online but have a way to go before out-spending their millennial children as cost-of-living pressures shrink baskets.
Google and Apple challenged in Epic court showdown
Apple and Google profited from "anti-competitive, unconscionable" restrictions on apps that financially impacted consumers, the firm behind Fortnite says.
Extra paid parental leave welcomed but unions want more
An increase in paid parental leave to 26 weeks from mid-2026 has been welcomed but there are calls to further reform the scheme.
Tabcorp CEO resigns after alleged offensive comment
Tabcorp chief Adam Rytenskild says he doesn't remember making the alleged comment but is stepping down immediately.
Significant failures in youth detention system: report
Queensland's youth detention system is failing with more children behind bars than in the rest of the country, the Child Death Review Board has found.
auto trends
automotive equipment
consumer goods
consumers
environmental issue
environmental politics
environmental pollution
road transport
transport
Electric vehicles double amid calls for faster progress
Almost 100,000 new electric cars hit Australian roads last year but a new report is calling for faster adoption to meet climate targets.
Amazon plans to recruit ‘a handful’ of small businesses
US retail giant Amazon has revealed plans to expand its delivery network in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane using local small businesses.
Myer names ex-Qantas exec Olivia Wirth as its next CEO
The former chief executive of Qantas Loyalty will become the next Myer chief executive when current CEO John King retires in June.
PM denies ‘favourites’ in under-fire GST carve-up
A GST carve-up system lambasted by a state treasurer as "absurd" does not play favourites despite repeat claims of unfairness, the prime minister insists.
Full steam ahead, again, for Palmer’s Titanic dream
Clive Palmer's pipe dream to sail a replica Titanic from the UK to the US is no longer on ice, according to the mercurial mining magnate.
‘No care factor’ as banks abandon remote communities
Business owners are having to fly with bags of cash to city banks after a remote branch closed its doors, amid reports of robberies, scams and elder abuse.
No budget ‘cash splash’ as inflation still main game
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has managed expectations for cost of living relief ahead of the May budget and played down the possibility of a sizeable second surplus.