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Brent oil futures drop to near two-decade low amid falling demand and storage woes

With the world experiencing "the biggest supply and demand disparity in history", benchmark Brent oil futures fall to their lowest level since November 2001.




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Could smaller nuclear reactors be a possible energy source for Queensland?

The debate over nuclear technology is a controversial one, yet many leaders in the field believe it's time for an open and calm discussion about the energy alternative.




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ASX claws back losses to end flat, oil meltdown deepens

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.




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Netflix adds 15 million subscribers but warns coronavirus lockdown boom won't last

The hit show Tiger King and self-isolation measures boost the world's largest streaming service, which has added millions of new customers so far this year.




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COVID-19 hoarding triggers record surge in retail sales, but a payback is coming

Supermarket and grocery store turnover leapt 22 per cent in March on panic buying of toilet paper and food but sales are expected to fall as stockpiling subsides and major retailers, including Myer, extend shutdowns.




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'Thought my number was up': Tragedy follows horror after man quits job for dream cruise

Raymond Barbara gave up his job for "the holiday of a lifetime". Instead he ended up with coronavirus, in mourning for his late mother, and thousands of dollars out of pocket.




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Australia capitalises on low fuel prices to establish stockpile in US

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.




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Ruby Princess doctor tells inquiry she would not have allowed passengers to disembark

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.




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Many WA businesses already struggling fear they've just been hit with a knockout blow

The tourism industry warns if Virgin Australia collapses it could deliver a knockout blow to many WA businesses who were already on their knees as a result of coronavirus.




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Waiting on a parcel from Australia Post? This is why it's taking so long

As Australians stay at home, and with many bricks and mortar stores closed, more of us are shopping online, placing a huge strain on the postal service.



  • COVID-19
  • Diseases and Disorders
  • Infectious Diseases (Other)
  • Epidemics and Pandemics
  • Health
  • Business
  • Economics and Finance
  • Community and Society

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Scientists discover microplastics in decade-old Antarctic ice core sample

Researchers melt an ice core taken from Antarctica 10 years ago and find dozens of microplastic particles, including polyethylene used to make plastic bags.




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Petrol stations taking 'too long to pass on savings', ACCC says

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.




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'Quite a number of angry phone calls': Thousands sign NT landlords' petition against renters' rights to pets

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.





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Australia calls for independent study of wet market risks in response to COVID-19 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.




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Concerns over who gets access if a successful coronavirus vaccine is discovered

As numerous laboratories race to develop a coronavirus vaccine, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation warns that it can't just be available to people in wealthy countries.




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Virgin Australia's 'haircut' will have a 'domino effect' on jobs

The future of Australian aviation is crucial for the wider tourism sector, which is already bleeding because of recent travel bans initiated to stop the spread of COVID19.




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From patient zero to the world: COVID-19's devastating global journey

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.




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'Severe and long-lasting impacts': Queensland braces for economic fallout amid Virgin administration

For Queensland, the pain of a possible collapse of Virgin Australia runs deep, with nearly half of its workforce based in the state.




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'Wet season, COVID-19, wet season': Coronavirus has left northern WA tourism on the brink

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




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Science denial among top 10 greatest risks to humankind, new report claims

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




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ASX slips as health stocks drag, oil rally boosts energy stocks

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.




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Spirit of Tasmania to move Victorian operations to Geelong

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.




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Hundreds of thousands granted early access to $3.8b in superannuation

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.




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Preliminary report released into plane crash that killed four people

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




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Calm before the storm? House prices tipped to tumble as auction clearance rates slump

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.




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Cheaper Australian-made ventilator offers greater ICU capability option amid coronavirus pandemic

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.




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Petrol stations accused of gouging as some Queenslanders pay 75 per cent more

While the price of petrol falls to the lowest point in a generation in Brisbane, service stations are charging 30 per cent more in north Queensland and 75 per cent more in Mt Isa, with a federal MP raising accusations of collusion.




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'Sad for everyone': Coronavirus may bankrupt Kokoda tour operators

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.





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Competition watchdog warns Qantas against anti-competitive behaviour

The ACCC warns Qantas it will take swift action against anti-competitive behaviour such as attempts to swamp airline routes, artificially push down prices or lock in exclusive deals with airports and suppliers.




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Quest backs down after trying to 'bully' apartment owners into accepting rent holiday

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.




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ASX rises, US markets fall from highs after coronavirus treatment trial results

The Australian share market ends higher, despite Wall Street giving up most of its gains after leaked test results of a potential COVID-19 treatment prove disappointing.




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Australia's tallest building to be built in Melbourne as Government fast-tracks development

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.



  • Business
  • Economics and Finance
  • Urban Development and Planning
  • Government and Politics
  • Building and Construction
  • States and Territories
  • Architecture

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Feeding the needy skilled migrants, students and working holidaymakers

Jobless international hospitality workers deemed ineligible for the Federal Government's JobKeeper and JobSeeker programs are "heartbroken" at their treatment and turning to restaurants providing free meals during the coronavirus pandemic.




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Workplaces warned to be ready to respond immediately if COVID-19 emerges, as restrictions are 'gradually relaxed'

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".




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'Rednecks' racially attacking Chinese trainee pilots and using laser pointers, school claims

Reports of interference with aircraft radio communications at one of regional Victoria's busiest airports, where a flying school training pilots for Chinese airlines has been operating for about a year, are being investigated.




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Cars, excavator used to impound Virgin planes at Perth Airport amid stand-off over 'significant' debt

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.




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NT Government suspends debate as emergency coronavirus legislation rushed through Parliament

Renters in the NT will be protected from eviction for up to four months after more coronavirus emergency legislation passes parliament. But the Opposition and independents say Labor is avoiding scrutiny of its measures, following the suspension of Question Time.




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I took a risk for my dream job — and now I'm grounded on the other side of the planet

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.




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How insulated is Australia's space industry from the COVID-19 crisis?

An Australian company that's set to own the world's largest privately operated rocket test range says the Australian space industry is well protected from the economic downturn caused by COVID-19.




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Top Sydney restaurant delivers fine dining in a $110 takeaway box

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.




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These three people's lives have changed because the pokies have shut down

The coronavirus shutdown has negatively affected so many aspects of the economy, but for these Australians, the closure of pokies rooms has changed life for the better.




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Coronavirus relief loans offered via SMS prompt call to ban payday lenders

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.




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'It takes a village': Tourist town turns to good grub for coronavirus solace

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.





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Demographer warns of the 'missing children' of COVID-19

An ANU demographer is "concerned" the coronavirus pandemic will result in an accelerated reduced birthrate and a decline in future taxpayers, affecting Australia's socioeconomic future.




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What does Tasmania's economy face post-coronavirus?

CommSec's State of the States latest report reveals Tasmania's economy performing stronger than it had for more than 10 years. But that was before the coronavirus crisis hit. What's ahead?




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Italy to fully reopen restaurants, bars from June

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.



  • COVID-19
  • Diseases and Disorders
  • Health
  • Infectious Diseases (Other)
  • Government and Politics
  • Business
  • Economics and Finance

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NAB asks shareholders for $3.5b to protect the bank against 'very uncertain times'

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.