Insurer profits boom to $6.1b after steep premium hikes
Insurance companies have collectively banked $6.1 billion in annual profit after raising premiums and facing fewer significant weather events.
consumers
Some hybrid cars thirstier than their petrol peers
On-road vehicle tests show some hybrid vehicles are not saving as much petrol as lab tests promise and a two use more than standard cars on highways.
‘No more bills’: why batteries may change energy market
Helping more households capture solar power in a battery could have a market-wide impact, although some could miss out on the biggest savings.
Electric cars to rev up the energy grid, one at a time
Technology that will let drivers use their electric vehicles as giant household batteries is launching in Australia, although its reach is limited.
Refunds for flyers after airline’s overpricing error
More than 60,000 people who booked flights in Australia in the last five years are set to be offered a partial refund after they were overcharged.
Aussies worry about harmful deepfakes but share anyway
Most Australian voters say they are seeing more political deepfakes online and want regulation, but some share suspect content without checking.
Car sales accelerate, with hybrids leading the charge
More drivers are getting behind the wheel of a new car but preferences are changing, with hybrids speeding up and petrol cars slowing down.
Will Tesla’s problems crash Australia’s electric dream?
The brand that has long led Australia's electric vehicle charge is falling out of favour. Can the nation's move to low-emission transport go on regardless?
Hitting the brakes: hybrid sales clouded by tax cut end
A tax concession for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles has come to the end of the road and experts say it could affect future car sales and emissions.
Hearing aids to heart monitors: tech is going healthy
More consumer technology is being approved for medical use in Australia, from earbuds that work as hearing aids to smartwatches that test for heart problems.
Call for household battery help to plug energy concerns
Cutting the price of solar batteries would lower household bills while easing pressure on the energy network, say groups pushing for a national scheme.
Indigenous lands to be put on the map in Australia
Aboriginal place names, protected lands and reserves will be shown on mapping, weather and other apps in Australia as the result of a four-year project.
Watchdog unveils plan to end supermarket shrinkflation
The competition watchdog has resisted calls for powers to break up major supermarkets in a report, while calling for more transparency to tackle price-gouging.
Coles, Woolies guilty of increasing margins: watchdog
Treasurer Jim Chalmers promised a crackdown on major supermarkets following a consumer watchdog report, but warned breaking them up would be counterproductive.
Tesla Cybertruck named the hero of motor show comeback
It is large, futuristic and not ready to drive on Australian roads but Tesla's Cybertruck will be the centrepiece of the first Melbourne motor show in 15 years.
Why electric cars can be uncommonly useful in cyclones
As Queenslanders prepared for a tropical cyclone, an Australian electric car company raced to fulfil an influx of orders to keep lights and fridges working.
Cheaper but smarter: smartphones target budget buyers
Three smartphone makers are launching cut-price versions of their flagship devices but experts say their biggest battle might be over AI features.
New vehicle sales stuck in slow lane, even popular SUVs
Hybrids are among few vehicles to withstand a continuing slowdown in new vehicles sales, with one model racing into the top ten.
Plug-in hybrid car tax breaks about to hit the skids
Drivers have one month left to claim a tax break on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, amid calls for Labor to give the fuel-saving cars more support.
More flights on horizon as airline deal set to take off
Passengers could benefit from more choice and improved convenience as the consumer watchdog provides a green light for a Virgin-Qatar Airways alliance.
‘More gaps, more drop-outs’: rise in complaints post-3G
Telcos have been urged to do better in rural Australia, with continued reports of poor mobile service and new black spots after the 3G mobile network closed.
Big changes needed to connect cars to the power grid
Most Australians want to turn their electric vehicle into a battery on wheels in future but there are still speed bumps to making the technology work.
Origin bets on gas and batteries to keep the lights on
Leading energy retailer Origin Energy says it is "well-placed" to benefit from the energy transition as it bets on big batteries to help keep the lights on.
Small cars show a big thirst for petrol in road tests
Three popular small cars, including a hybrid model, are among the latest vehicles found using more fuel than expected in Australian road tests.
AGL slams nuclear option, doubles down on big batteries
Australia's biggest emitter AGL Energy will build "a whole range of assets", but not nuclear reactors, to support the closure of 50-year-old coal power plants.
The cost of broadband is rising, but so is its speed
Australians are paying more to access the internet but thousands more households are getting access to faster download speeds.
Kerbside charging boost to curb electric car concerns
Hundreds of electric vehicle chargers will be installed on power poles across three states in a bid to remove concerns about swapping to next-gen transport.
How electric cars could drive down Aussie power bills
It's been sold as the technology that could turn your electric car into a money spinner but experts say vehicle-to-grid could be much more than a side hustle.
‘Golden age of gas’: households, manufacturers miss out
Households and manufacturers have been left worse off by the east coast gas bonanza, and exporters face new competition from cheaper sources, a report warns.
Australia tops index as virtual power plants take shape
Australia is poised for virtual power plants that connect households and slash bills but an expert warns nuclear reactors could force users off rooftop solar.
Electric vehicle sales brake as car market slows again
Australians bought fewer new cars in January, with electric car sales more than halving despite growing price competition and new limits on vehicle emissions.