Australian shares recoup earlier losses as retailers and banks rise, after initial falls were spurred by oil prices falling to their lowest value in 18 years.

Australia will buy fuel from the US at historic low prices to bolster its national stockpile, after criticisms that the Government only holds about 30 days' worth of fuel in domestic storage, far below the 90-day minimum.

The senior doctor on board the Ruby Princess tells an inquiry she is surprised passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney last month despite some displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

At a time when the economy is suffering the ACCC is calling on the petrol retailers to pass on the full benefit of the falling oil price to motorists.

Property owners are calling for pet-friendly tenancy laws to be scrapped before they are even enacted in the Northern Territory, as the Parliament prepares to vote on protections for renters during the pandemic.

Australia is ratcheting up pressure on China to look into the health risks associated with wildlife wet markets as the world continues to battle the deadly spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The spread of today's scourge may seem breathtaking in its scale and carnage, but in some ways we are lucky. We could be dealing with a modern-day plague with global deaths measured in their hundreds of millions.

Kimberley tourism operators brace for "18 months of pain" as COVID-19 decimates the northern tourist season.

A new report has ranked disdain for scientific knowledge as one of humanity's biggest threats, alongside climate change, nuclear war, and artificial intelligence.

The Australian share market eases from early gains. US stocks rise on more money from Congress, oil prices bouncing off record lows and more optimistic corporate outlooks.

The company behind the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service says its ships will no longer be docking at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, and will instead move to Corio Quay, north of Geelong.

Nearly half a million Australians have had applications for early access to their superannuation approved, totalling $3.8 billion in early payments, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau releases a preliminary report into the mid-air collision near Mangalore in Victoria that killed four people in February.

A property analyst warns the worst-case scenario could see falls of up to 30 per cent, mainly in Sydney and Melbourne, while the end of the bank's mortgage repayment holidays will bring the real test for the housing market.

An Australian-made ventilator that costs a tenth of the price of existing models is brought to life in just four weeks, which could revolutionise intensive care capability in the fight against COVID-19.

For Papua New Guineans and tour operators who get their income from the Kokoda track, April is usually their busiest time of year — but coronavirus might be putting a stop to that.

Regional tourism hotspots are closed but if bans on international travel continue local towns and businesses are hoping for a rapid resurgence in business.

Since the 1970s, the Degenhardts dreamed of retiring to Gerroa. Their dream became a reality — but retirement got tougher this month when they were told their supposedly guaranteed monthly income would not be paid until July due to coronavirus.

The Victorian Government announces a proposal for a 101-storey building is one of four to be approved amid moves to fast-track development in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Australian business are presented with a new set of rules on how to manage workplaces during the coronavirus pandemic, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he would "love to see a return to work across the board".

Perth Airport is using heavy machinery and company vehicles to block a number of Virgin Australia aircraft from taking off over what it says are $16 million in unpaid debts.

The decision to give up a well-paid job to learn how to fly planes already seemed risky. But then the coronavirus hit, and my dreams came crashing back to the tarmac, writes Victoria Bryan.

The COVID-19 outbreak may have forced them to close their doors, but some of Sydney's most revered restaurants won't let that stop them from giving their customers the fine dining experience at home.

Consumer advocates call for a ban on short-term loans because of concerns loan sharks are using text messages to target vulnerable people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

With 100 per cent of the bookings cancelled at his boutique business, a country chef decides to use his culinary skills to help others through the pandemic.

As artists worldwide launch livestream concerts from home, Yolngu musicians in one of the most remote parts of Australia are offering up a unique series of performances from north-east Arnhem Land.

More than two months after the first case of COVID-19 appeared in a small town outside Milan, Italy prepares a staged end to Europe's longest coronavirus lockdown.

In an extremely unusual move, National Australia Bank reports its results to the stock exchange almost a fortnight early as it seeks an extra $3.5 billion of investment from shareholders.

Rod Peters is a real-life Darryl Kerrigan from movie The Castle — he has even extended his house to include uninterrupted views of the runway. And the noise? No problem at all.

Thousands of mum-and-dad investors are being caught out by insurance companies refusing to cover them when they cut rent for tenants under financial stress due to coronavirus restrictions.

An easing of coronavirus restrictions means non-essential shopping has the green light from this weekend, but that doesn't mean all the stores are ready to throw open their doors immediately.

A union for call centre workers in the Philippines claims staff have been sleeping in the office in potentially unsafe conditions to help Telstra and Optus customers, despite the risk of the coronavirus.

The Million Dollar Fish competition was designed to lure fishermen to the Northern Territory. But a consultant's report obtained by the ABC shows registrations have fallen by half in five years.

Today is the deadline for employers to pay superannuation they owe workers for the first quarter, but many may struggle to do so amid the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

Banyan Constructions collapsed earlier this year, and a report from liquidators has now revealed that the $22 million owed to creditors — mostly small, local businesses — will not be paid back.

The Transport Workers' Union urges the Federal Court of Australia to find that Qantas is still responsible for paying sick leave to 25,000 workers who have been stood down during the global coronavirus pandemic.

Customers will be able to buy multiple packets of toilet paper at the supermarket giants, although a number of other items remain restricted.

More than 6,000 people have complained to the ACCC about their travel company's handling of refunds. We've looked into what your options are for getting your money back.

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.

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.

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.

Fresh support from the Federal Government and several states means the key carrier will be able to increase services across its network.

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.

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.

Samuel Clarke knows withdrawing his retirement savings early is not ideal, but he says the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent loss of business has left him no option.

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.

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.

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.

The ASX joins a global rally after the Federal Reserve says it will "aggressively" use its "full range of tools" to aid the recovery, as the US economy records its worst slump since the global financial crisis.

Victoria's total of COVID-19 cases rises to 1,361, as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton reveals authorities are investigating three cases linked to a Melbourne aged care facility.