me

Superannuation early withdrawal risks collapsing retirement system

Super funds and prominent professional investors warn that the mass withdrawal of funds from superannuation during the COVID-19 crisis risks undermining the whole retirement income system.




me

'Relax the rhetoric': Businesses open, but coronavirus crackdown has customers 'nervous'

Small businesses in Tasmania struggling to survive amid the coronavirus crisis call for clearer messaging from authorities, saying there is no point trading if customers are too nervous to leave home.




me

Stimulus payments leave households better off so far, but analysts warn of looming $60b hit

The Federal Government's stimulus package is supporting Australian households during the coronavirus pandemic, with a surge in unemployment payments more than offsetting the fall in income from job losses, according to the Commonwealth Bank.




me

Coronavirus shutdowns leave expats unable to sell their homes in time to avoid hefty tax bills

Thousands of Australian expats fear they could be hit with large capital gains tax bills because they've been unable to return home due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, before a June 30 deadline that would have allowed them to sell their property to avoid liabilities.




me

Coles gets coronavirus boost, Melco abandons Crown, ASX jumps

Panic buying, unsurprisingly, has led to a surge in Coles' sales, while the Crown Casino has picked up some new owners and Australian shares are having another volatile day.




me

'A form of self-medication': The limitless power of music during times of crisis

From balconies to lounge rooms, songs of joy and sadness are helping us cope and keeping us connected. And if we look to the past, we'll find that our tendency to turn to music during times of crisis is nothing new.




me

Victoria criticises 'completely inappropriate' independent schools funding offer from Federal Government

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino accuses the Federal Government of using funding to "force" independent schools to undermine the state's strategy on face-to-face learning during the coronavirus pandemic.




me

'Market failure': ACT Government threatens to cap petrol profits if prices don't drop

Fuel prices have plummeted across Australia during the coronavirus pandemic, but the ACT Government says they are not falling quickly enough in Canberra — and they are going to do something about it if prices do not fall to below $1 per litre this weekend.




me

Funeral insurer who sold coverage to babies barred from taking on customers

Funeral insurer Youpla, slammed by the banking royal commission in a previous brand iteration for misleading Indigenous customers, has now been denied a licence to provide financial services and prevented from signing up new customers.




me

Surging grocery costs blamed on fires, droughts and COVID-19

Australians have seen a rare rise in inflation, as a series of crises conspired to push up the cost of essential groceries, but economists say consumers should see cheaper prices again now that panic buying has subsided.




me

Holiday homes turned long-term rentals add to surge in listings

The major online platforms say rental listings are up 8-10 per cent compared to last year, as thousands of Airbnbs and other short-term rentals are expected to move to the long-term market as coronavirus halts travel.




me

Renters could find themselves in paradise as a wave of Airbnb homes hit the market

The major online platforms say rental listings are up 8-10 per cent compared to last year, as thousands of Airbnbs and other short-term rentals are expected to move to the long-term market as coronavirus halts travel.




me

Businessman's dairy proposal puts pressure on Government to help struggling farmers

A Victorian businessman has given the Federal Government a detailed plan to help the struggling dairy industry get back on track — and give more money to farmers.





me

About 750,000 customers could pay thousands extra after bank cuts home loan repayments

Commonwealth Bank customers could end up paying tens of thousands of dollars more on their home loans because of changes to repayment levels, a financial expert warns.




me

Metro West plan revealed: Rydalmere station scrapped, 150 properties to be acquired

The NSW Government releases the blueprint for the promised Metro West, revealing it will acquire 154 properties to accommodate the multi-billion dollar project.




me

'Unacceptable' gas fracking in Channel Country should stop, leaked department report told Queensland Government

A leaked expert report shows the Queensland Government was advised to stop further gas fracking in the state's sensitive Channel Country, but a separate department already extended gas exploration until 2030.




me

Coronavirus update: China's Hubei province lowers emergency response level

The initial epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak will lower its emergency response level from tomorrow. These are the key coronavirus developments from Friday.




me

Company buys coal mine for $1 and receives $35 million environmental refund. Here's how

A company linked to Labor figures that bought a mine for just $1 enjoyed multi-million-dollar refunds from its environmental bond after concessions from the Palaszczuk Government, documents show.




me

Key points from the Prime Minister's latest press conference

The Prime Minister and Chief Medical Officer urge people to download the tracing app to speed easing of restrictions, while another large support package to help keep aged care resident safe is announced.




me

Coronavirus update: New York City nursing home reports 98 deaths as FDA approves experimental drug

US President Donald Trump seemingly increases his estimate of possible deaths from coronavirus to 100,000, up from 70,000 earlier in the week, as South Africa, Spain and some American states loosen their restrictions. These are the key coronavirus developments from today.




me

Why this former US Congress hopeful is betting on a small country newspaper

Michael Waite ran for office in Washington and worked for Bill Gates' private investment company, but helping establish a community newspaper could be his toughest challenge yet.




me

As restrictions are lifted in parts of Australia, some states announce more rules to be eased

Children in SA will soon be able to return to playgrounds and in NSW, real estate watchers could be heading to open homes and auctions as soon as next weekend, as some state governments announce further easing of restrictions. These are the key coronavirus developments from today.




me

Goodbye Game of Thrones, hello Normal People: Is the era of gratuitous on-screen sex over?

Sex and nudity is strewn across our TV and cinema screens, but for actors and audiences, there can be a cost. That's starting to change, says Normal People's on-set intimacy coordinator.




me

Coronavirus update: Italy sends millions back to work after two months at home

After two months in almost total lockdown, 4.5 million Italians are allowed to return to work today as the country with the second-highest coronavirus death toll begins to wind back some restrictions.




me

ASX rises as Afterpay surges on Chinese investment, job ads plunge

The Australian share market closes higher, shaking off initial falls, while Afterpay shares surge after revealing investment by Chinese firm Tencent. Job ads fell by 50 per cent in April as coronavirus hit businesses.




me

Trump takes swipe at China, bickers with journalists during virtual town hall meeting

The US President said China tried to cover up the coronavirus outbreak before trying to blame other countries for the ensuing health pandemic.




me

WA shut itself off from the country and the world to prevent coronavirus. The impact is hitting home

The fallout from harsh border closures means many WA tourism businesses will struggle to stay afloat for longer than six months given a huge drop in revenue.




me

Orange juice the same as diet cola under proposed health star rating

Citrus growers say under a proposed change, the health star rating for 100 per cent orange juice could drop from the current five stars to as low as 2.5 stars.




me

Bank regulator asks ME to explain why it took money from customers' redraw accounts

The financial regulator has asked ME Bank to explain why it has taken cash from accounts linked to its customers' home loans to reduce the risk of mortgage default.




me

'They got us a beauty': Farmers speak up about falling victim to tractor ad scam

One WA couple who fell victim to a tractor ad scam wants others to know about the dangers, as NT Consumer Affairs uncovers more than 20 similar sites.




me

Corporate giants warn coronavirus exodus means Sydney's CBD will never be the same again

As the Government begins easing social-distancing restrictions, there are doubts once-bustling workplaces in Sydney's CBD will ever return to the way they were.




me

Women bearing brunt of COVID-19 job losses 'suddenly' stripped of financial independence

New data shows how hard the impact of the coronavirus has been on women's jobs as a leading economist worries about the long-term impact for women in the workforce.




me

The US meat industry has been crippled by coronavirus. Here's why that won't happen here

US meatworks have been epicentres for coronavirus outbreaks and shutting them down has disrupted the supply chain. But Australia is set up differently.




me

A day of fasting, the evening meal, then the entire building went up like a bonfire

Huge flames are filmed shooting up the side of a Middle Eastern residential tower shortly after residents finish their nightly Ramadan meal.




me

Is anyone buying 'fake meat' during a global pandemic?

It was the first alternative-meat company to debut on the American stock exchange. But how is Beyond Meat coping 12 months on during a global pandemic?




me

Calls for State Government to help thousands of local council staff who are without pay

The state's peak body for local councils is calling on the Victorian Government to help more than 5,000 council staff who are without work and ineligible for JobKeeper, amid calls for a rates freeze for property owners.




me

Almost 7,000 square kilometres of land to be released for coal and gas exploration in regional Queensland

Almost 7,000 square kilometres of land will be released for coal and gas exploration in central and north Queensland as part of measures to ensure the survival of the resources sector through the coronavirus pandemic, the State Government says.




me

Coronavirus has delivered some scary numbers for Europe, and more are ahead — the financial cost

The collective European economy will contract by 7.7 per cent this year and debt will skyrocket, with Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal among the hardest hit by the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.




me

In the middle of a global pandemic, a new live-export company emerges

A new player emerges in Australia's live-export industry, with its maiden voyage due to leave Townsville port tonight.




me

Gas leak at LG Polymers plant in India kills 11, hospitalises hundreds

At least 11 people have been killed and hundreds more are in hospital after a chemical gas leak at an LG Polymers plant in southern India.



  • Disasters and Accidents
  • Government and Politics
  • Death
  • Pollution
  • Disasters and Safety
  • Oil and Gas

me

TPG-Vodaphone $15b merger in shareholders' hands after clearing hurdle

Vodaphone Hutchison Australia's boss says the deal is now a step closer to reality and plans are in place to bring the two companies together mid-year.





me

'Nothing changes today': Victorians must wait until Monday to learn when shutdown measures will ease

Premier Daniel Andrews says his Government will explain changes to the state's coronavirus restrictions on Monday, after the National Cabinet agrees to a three-step process of lifting restrictions to create a "COVID-safe economy".




me

SunRice looks to environmental water, subsidies, government intervention as solutions for harvest

SunRice says it will guarantee Australian-grown rice returns to supermarkets in April if the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is changed so environmental water can be used to grow rice.




me

Is your steak safe to eat? Abattoir coronavirus outbreak leaves consumers wondering

A coronavirus outbreak at a Melbourne abattoir has left consumers wondering about food safety — but experts say meat is still very safe to eat, and any risk is "ridiculously small".




me

Banks defer repayments on more than 600,000 loans, Macquarie halves dividend

Australian shares rise, including Macquarie Group, despite slashing its dividend. The Australian Banking Association say a further 100,000 loans were deferred over the past week.




me

Environmental hit as bins fill to the brim with disposable coffee cups

Disposable cups are currently the only option for most cafe owners to provide takeaway coffee to customers, but environmentalists are worried about the consequences.




me

Government delays banking overhaul recommended by royal commission

Reforms recommended by the Banking Royal Commission, which uncovered widespread financial misconduct, will be delayed so the financial industry can recover from the coronavirus crisis, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announces.




me

ME Bank responds to customer outcry over missing cash

After thousands of customers reported missing money from mortgage redraw facilities, the bank apologises for not communicating with customers and promises to do better.