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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.




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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.




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Foxtel 'threatened with extinction' within a few years as streaming services cannibalise revenue

Under siege from much cheaper rivals and with lenders unwilling to support it, pay TV operator Foxtel is increasingly looking like a threatened species.




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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.




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Virgin Atlantic lays off thousands of staff as more trouble hits Richard Branson's brand

Just weeks after Virgin Australia goes into voluntary administration, UK-based Virgin Atlantic is forced to lay off thousands of workers as the coronavirus pandemic takes a heavy toll.




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'A rip-off and a rort': Residents have their say as ACCC questions ‘higher than expected’ NT fuel price

Michael Gunner issues his "first and final warning" to petrol companies to take action as the ACCC puts in its two cents on the NT's comparatively high fuel prices.




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ASX falls, retail sales post record surge

The local share market closes lower, despite some retail stocks rallying after sales surged in March, while the corporate regulator warns of the dangers of day trading for individual investors.




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'There's got to be a better way': Exploration company pushes to reduce plastic bags

A small exploration company drilling for gold in Western Australia's Goldfields wants to change the perception that the resources sector is a "dirty industry" by using biodegradable bags for drill samples.




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Tom Cruise to star in movie shot in space, NASA confirms

Fewer than 250 people have been on the International Space Station but Mission Impossible actor Tom Cruise looks set to become one of them, in part to "inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists".




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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.




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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?




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Historic burnt-out cottage and house overlooking gorge attract $3.2 million price tag

The two cottages are up for sale in a historic part of Launceston but one of the buildings will likely cost hundreds of thousands to repair.




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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.




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Chinese state-owned company buys up water in the Murray-Darling

Companies owned by the Chinese Government have been buying Australian water assets, with concerns raised about the level of scrutiny foreign investment of water is receiving.





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'You want $750 a week for doing nothing?': A boss argued his employees should work more hours for JobKeeper

Whether or not employers can demand eligible JobKeeper workers do extra shifts to meet the $1,500-a-fortnight payment is causing confusion and chaos in the hospitality industry.




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As Queensland's mild winter looms, calls to reopen the state get louder

Regional Queensland communities with no coronavirus cases want to reopen their businesses, saying their local economies should not suffer because of outbreaks in the state's south east.




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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.




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Hemp smoothies, muesli among creative uses of first edible organic crop

Australia's largest organic edible hemp crop is being harvested in Victoria's north west with agronomists talking up its food and fibre potential.




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An unthinkable event tore Fremantle's heart out, just as the port city was on the brink of renewal

A major redevelopment was hoped to revitalise WA's historic port city, but the coronavirus pandemic has instead left businesses empty with workers, tourists and locals forced to stay away.




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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.




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ASX falls, miners rise as iron ore drives record trade surplus

The Australian share market falls but iron ore mining stocks make gains after Australia posted a $10.6 billion trade surplus in March and iron ore exports rose.




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Mother's Day visits off the table as Victorian Premier defends coronavirus contact tracing efforts

Premier Daniel Andrews defends the work of contact tracers as 13 more coronavirus cases are linked to a cluster at Cedar Meats in Melbourne's west.




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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.




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ICAC investigating alleged 'improper conduct' by university vice-chancellor

South Australia's Independent Commissioner Against Corruption confirms he is investigating allegations of improper conduct by the vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide.




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How soon will music festivals return?

Some festivals are pushing ahead with dates for later this year, despite uncertainty around how to safely mingle once public gathering laws are eased and what the spread of the virus will look like in the second half of 2020.




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'There's going to be enormous poverty': Research points to big surge in renting

Logic suggests a coronavirus slump may provide a window of opportunity for first homebuyers to enter the market. But a new report suggests the opposite may be true.




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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

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Commonwealth Bank temporarily closes 114 branches due to coronavirus impacts

CBA says today's closure of 114 branches nationwide is temporary and due to a massive increase in online and telephone banking.




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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.




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Cotton On reviews decisions on hundreds of workers it ruled out of the JobKeeper program

The retail giant Cotton On reverses its decision to exclude 200 staff from the JobKeeper program as it faces uproar from casual workers who say they are being unfairly denied the wage subsidy.





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'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".




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An industry which employs 120,000 people in WA is at an historic low after it was hit hard and fast

The rate of new homes being built in WA falls to a historic low, as the housing industry is hit by the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic just after it was emerging from a five-year slump.




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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.




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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".




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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.





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Queensland's mine minister refuses to resign following Moranbah mine blast

Anthony Lynham is under pressure from the Opposition to "fall on his sword" over the latest mining disaster, which saw four men critically injured in an underground blast at Anglo American's coal mine in central Queensland.




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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.




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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.




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Fifty trains out of service as fault forces Adelaide passengers to 'pack like sardines'

The number of Adelaide rail services has been radically reduced after a mechanical fault, with remaining trains becoming packed with passengers apparently in breach of social distancing.




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South Australia set to reopen as authorities relax social distancing

SA's Premier announces a sweeping repeal of many of the state's current coronavirus restrictions, with outdoor dining at restaurants and cafes to resume from Monday — but caps on gatherings will remain.




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Brazil on verge of economic collapse and food shortages, leaders warn

Brazil's President says steps must be taken as soon as possible to bring Latin America's largest economy out of "intensive care", as controversy continues over the Government's handling of the coronavirus crisis.




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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.




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US economy 'on life support' as unemployment soars to nearly 15 per cent

The US economy lost a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April, the steepest plunge in payrolls since the Great Depression, but President Donald Trump says "all those jobs will be back" very soon.




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Who cops the bill? Students, landlords clash over who's to pay for housing amid pandemic

University students and their landlords are at loggerheads over who should pay for accommodation neither can use after students were sent packing.




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Just 100m separated these similar Sydney homes — here's why the price difference was $200,000

A Sydney home sold just before COVID-19 restrictions came down in NSW for $200,000 more than a similar house around the corner — a real estate agent says online auctions are to blame for the price difference.




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Restaurateurs, publicans say rules to reopen not financially viable with 10-person limit

Many Queenslanders rejoice that some coronavirus restrictions will soon be lifted but what does this mean for the state's restaurateurs and publicans?




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'They're really struggling': Should personal finance be a subject in high school?

Young Australians need to be prepared now for the next major financial shock as the coronavirus pandemic reveals some families do not understand the long-lasting impact of the decisions they are making, experts say.