Record-breaking heatwave sparks catastrophic fire risk
Unseasonably warm weather and strong winds have left the much of the country sweltering in a heatwave with fire warnings closing dozens of schools.
environmental issue
Hybrid electric SUV recalled due to fire risk fault
Drivers of a hybrid electric SUV have been warned about a potentially dangerous manufacturing fault following a series of recent vehicle fires.
Bureau declares double weather whammy for Australia
Australia's weather bureau has finally declared an El Nino event alongside a second driver of dry weather, with communities told to prepare for heat and fire.
‘From mud to concrete’ farmers feeling the El Nino heat
With drier and hotter weather patterns confirmed some Aussie farmers are already in drought.
Bureau declares weather double whammy for Australia
Australia's weather bureau has finally declared an El Nino event alongside a second driver of dry weather, with communities told to prepare for heat and fire.
Heat builds up across NSW as temperature records tumble
Fire authorities are on alert for the risk of increasing winds fanning bushfires as spring heat builds up, with Queensland and NSW set to swelter.
Crackdown on K’gari over human-dingo interactions
More money will be spent by the Queensland government to educate the public about dingoes on K'gari, with concerns growing over the number of interactions.
Electric car mavericks are taking on Tesla and Toyota
Emerging car brands including BYD, LDV and Polestar are challenging big automotive names, with experts saying the competition could bring down prices.
Fire ants invade Qld islands, raising fears for K’gari
There are fears fire ants could invade World Heritage-listed K'gari after 130 nests were found on another large sand island off Brisbane.
Angry rangers fine man for feeding dingoes on K’gari
Frustrated rangers have renewed warnings to tourists not to feed dingoes on K'gari after fining a man for interacting with the animals.
Rare ‘Ringo Starr’ cockatoos drum to their own beat
Male palm cockatoos in far north Queensland chisel individualised drumsticks with their bills to tap out signature beats, a new study shows.
Australia granted more time to address reef threats
The World Heritage Committee has confirmed it won't yet list the Great Barrier Reef as in-danger but Australia's guardianship remains under close scrutiny.
Warning of dire threat to koalas from urban sprawl
Koalas face a sustained threat from urban sprawl and greenfield development in Queensland's southeast, warns a leading conservation group.
BYD aims to shake up car industry with ‘maverick’ store
Australia's second biggest electric vehicle brand is opening "megastores'' around the country to educate motorists about the next-generation technology.
Carbon farm sale lets descendants return to country
A partnership underpinned by carbon farming will enable a big land station to be returned to a local aboriginal corporation in a move described as empowering.
PM urges renewables shift or risk being left behind
The prime minister has told industry leaders they must move towards renewables or watch as the world passes Australia by.
‘Out of control’ varroa won’t be eradicated: beekeepers
Beekeepers say recent detections of the varroa mite show attempts to eradicate the parasite have failed and the industry must learn to live with it.
Aussie invention could turn petrol cars into hybrids
A Melbourne university student has claimed the national James Dyson Award for his kit that could turn petrol cars into hybrid vehicles.
Fire too fast for containment lines near NT town
A fire almost five times the size of the ACT has burst containment lines as Northern Territory authorities scramble to keep up with the fast-moving blaze.
construction and property
economy, business and finance
environmental issue
insurance
politics
real estate
Insurers demand action on risks to stay above water
The financial hit from catastrophes may have dropped over the past 12 months but insurance premiums keep rising, an industry report shows.
Reef used to road-test water quality forecasting system
The CSIRO is testing a new system on the Great Barrier Reef that could one day pump out water quality forecasts, much like weather reports.
No El Nino for now but authorities remain on alert
The prospect of hotter, drier weather has authorities concerned even as the Bureau of Meteorology holds off on declaring an El Nino event.
Coalition won’t be departing from net zero: Dutton
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has slapped down a National Party push to abandon a commitment to net zero emissions.
UN observer slams Australia over toxic threats, climate
Australia has been scolded over contaminated sites, new oil and gas projects and a "reactive" environmental protection framework by a UN investigator.
Croc carcasses scanned for bullets in Qld deaths probe
Wildlife officers have found no bullets in crocodiles they examined in an investigation of reports that several have been killed in Queensland's far north.
Citizen scientists asked to help unpack platypus enigma
Ecologists want Australians to look for platypuses in their local rivers and creeks to help plug knowledge gaps about the declining species.
NT fire still blazing as Tennant Creek smoke eases
A fire three times the size of the ACT is rapidly moving through the Northern Territory outback, threatening towns along the way.
Dan Murphy’s charging deal to top up electric vehicles
One of Australia's largest liquor store chains will see more electric car chargers outside its stores after extending its deal with Evie Networks.
Tennant Creek residents brace for massive NT blaze
A fire three times the size of the ACT is rapidly moving through the Northern Territory outback, threatening towns along the way.
Resources industry report card spruiks ‘climate action’
Mining is more than playing its part in the economy's decarbonisation, according to a progress report issued by the Minerals Council of Australia.
alternative energy
consumer issue - lifestyle and leisure
energy (general)
environmental issue
renewable energy
research
road transport
transport
Why electric car owners may be paid to plug into solar
Queensland university research will investigate whether electric vehicle owners can be enticed to recharge their vehicles during peak renewable energy hours.