Athletes in Airbnbs: Aussie homes line up for Olympics
Households will be prepared to sleep international athletes, officials and tourists as a hotels crunch leaves Brisbane short of beds for the 2032 Olympics.
economy, business and finance
Taylor faces ‘strategic error’ in seizing on migration
Angus Taylor is set to face one of his biggest challenges as opposition leader when he hands down his budget reply amid a growing challenge from One Nation.
Trump leaves Beijing with few wins, but praise for Xi
President Donald Trump has hailed his "incredible visit" to Beijing despite clinching major deals, while his hosts made their feelings known on Iran and Taiwan.
Coalition’s bracket creep plan to cost tens of billions
The coalition's economic plan for Australia would hand back more money to workers by indexing tax rates to inflation at a cost of tens of billions of dollars.
Shoppers could pay more after Coles misconduct ruling
Supermarket prices could stay higher for longer following a ruling that Coles misled its customers with non-genuine discounts, according to one retail expert.
Bleak outlook for national economy if Iran war drags on
Higher budget spending won't help the Reserve Bank, economists warn, as a prolonged war in the Middle East is forecast to push inflation above seven per cent.
Tax relief for workers and pain for investors in budget
Australians who earn a wage will get $250 in tax relief as part of Labor's budget, but investors and wealthy families could be left worse off.
Budget spending stokes fears of further rate rise pain
An extra $114 billion in federal government spending will be directed off-budget as the treasurer claims a "historically responsible" fiscal update.
Labor tucks away $77b war chest for further tax cuts
A new $250 a year tax offset gives the government an option to return bracket creep directly to working Australians, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says.
Australians move to regions seeking affordable housing
Australians are leaving the cities for inland areas as growing house prices shift migration patterns, bringing positive and negative flow-on effects.
Trump arrives in Beijing for talks with China’s Xi
US President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing for talks with counterpart Xi Jinping that are set to cover the Middle East, trade and Taiwan.
Green groups warn climate courage missing from budget
Budget announcements for green industry and nature protection fall short as climate costs mount and opportunities to extract more fossil fuel income go missed.
Tax, migration and NDIS in coalition’s economic sights
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled a raft of economic policies aimed at winning back voter support and countering the rise of One Nation.
Iran war looms over Trump’s China visit
US President Donald Trump is expected to ask for China's help to resolve the costly and unpopular conflict with Iran, which he launched in late February.
Senate confirms Warsh as chair of the Federal Reserve
The Senate has confirmed Kevin Warsh as chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Mishandling Taiwan could spark conflict, Xi tells Trump
China's Xi Jinping has praised the progress of US trade talks but cautioned President Donald Trump that differences over Taiwan could result in confrontation.
Global glut hits grain handler as farmers hold back
A leading Australian agribusiness has made a relatively small net profit in the first-half of its financial year, down 92 per cent from a year ago.
Unions ramp up minimum wage rise demands as costs soar
Low-paid workers should not go backwards because of Donald Trump's war, the peak union body says, as it calls for minimum wages to be raised to $26.45 an hour.
‘Troubling’ crackdowns no fix to homelessness crisis
Strained by chronic housing supply challenges, a leading researcher has warned councils against forcibly removing their homeless populations.
Gas project model pours cold water on emissions goal
Modelling examining a $30 billion-plus offshore gas proposal has drawn conclusions on the likelihood of a major state reaching a 2050 emissions target.
Rail project axing pulls ‘economic rug’ from regions
The Nationals have urged the federal government not to scrap billions of dollars of funding for the inland rail project ahead of the federal budget.
Last-minute budget pitch to ‘level field’ for young
Labor has made a pre-budget pitch to young Australians on social media as the government shakes up the tax system to help more people buy homes.
Kyle and Jackie O’s former home left counting the cost
"Brand safety concerns" by national advertisers cost the radio station company that ran the Kyle and Jackie O Show about $26.4 million in a year.
Data breach fears grow as suspected ransom note appears
Names, email addresses and school locations are believed to have been compromised in a global data breach affecting Australian education providers.
Grandfather of Inland Rail won’t let project die
The so‑called grandfather of Inland Rail says the half‑built 'train to nowhere' can still be saved, pitching a private plan to finish the route.
‘Need to do more’: Labor to lift lid on housing reform
Australians are under financial pressure and the government cannot "just sit back", the prime minister says, as his treasurer prepares to hand down the budget.
Treasurer downplays property tax windfall from budget
Jim Chalmers is talking down the amount of extra revenue that changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount will add to the budget.
China agreed to co-operate on jet fuel exports: Wong
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says countries need to work together "to keep fuel and goods flowing" during a visit to China.
US Fed holds rates, three members dissent on ease bias
The US central bank is leaving its interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting but signalling it could still cut rates in the coming months.
Batteries undercutting gas, keeping lid on power bills
Batteries are now the primary tool for managing evening spikes in electricity demand, a job previously falling to gas and hydro at greater expense.
Australia’s co-working boom moves from city to suburbs
Flexible workspaces are no longer a peripheral solution and are becoming firmly embedded within Australia's evolving office ecosystem, a report has found.