Australia

Australian news: federal and state politics, the economy, courts, weather and the stories that matter across the country.

2061 articles · page 9 of 43

Australia

OECD chief Cormann warns Australian parties against adopting populist migration caps

Mathias Cormann, the former Australian finance minister and now secretary general of the OECD, will deliver a sharp warning to Australia's mainstream political parties on Saturday night: do not mimic populist policies such as arbitrary migration caps to address cost-of-living grievances. In an address to the Centre for Independent Studies, he will argue that the only reliable long-term solution is boosting productivity to deliver housing, real wage growth and lower energy costs.

·2 min·3 sources
Australia

Wallabies 'better chance' of winning World Cup than Bledisloe, analyst argues after 43-21 sweep

Days after the All Blacks completed a 43-21 Bledisloe Cup sweep in Sydney, a new analysis argues the Wallabies have a better chance of winning next year's home World Cup than reclaiming the trans-Tasman trophy, with Saturday's defeat potentially a blessing in disguise for the tournament draw. Player ratings have delivered a withering verdict on the performance, and former Wallabies greats are split on whether the 24-year drought can be broken.

·3 min·15 sources
Australia

Neil Diamond Musical 'A Beautiful Noise' Sells Out Melbourne, Heads to Sydney and Brisbane

A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond jukebox musical starring Broadway veteran Will Swenson, has become a box office hit in Melbourne, with the Princess Theatre regularly posting 'House Full' signs and welcoming over 100,000 patrons since its Australian premiere in August. The production will finish its Melbourne run on November 7 before opening in Sydney on November 14, with a Brisbane season scheduled for next year.

·2 min·3 sources
Australia

Mass flying fox deaths along east coast threaten forest ecosystems, experts warn

A suspected mass starvation event of grey-headed flying foxes along the east coast of Australia has overwhelmed wildlife carers and prompted warnings that the loss of the keystone pollinator could disrupt entire forest ecosystems. Experts say drought conditions have caused a lack of nectar on flowering trees, forcing bats to seek food closer to the ground and leading to widespread malnutrition and death.

·2 min
Australia

Fire ants re-infest Queensland organic farms after 14-month treatment suspension

Red imported fire ants have re-infested organic farms in south-east Queensland that have gone untreated for 14 months, after baiting was suspended on export-certified properties because the baits contained genetically modified ingredients. The National Fire Ant Eradication Program has confirmed re-infestation across parts of a 1,110-hectare zone, and a newly approved organic-compliant treatment is only now arriving at Brisbane port.

·3 min·2 sources
Australia

Witnesses and victims find a lifeline in court support volunteers across NSW

A vivid scene in a new feature from the October 17 edition of Good Weekend shows the intense anxiety victims and witnesses can face in court, and the critical role of volunteer support officers. Set at Newcastle’s regional courthouse, the story follows Jennifer, a court support officer, as she helps a young woman who is about to give evidence in a sexual assault trial and is visibly distressed by the defendant's presence.

·1 min·3 sources
Australia

Victorian selective school debate heats up as thousands miss out on Mac.Robertson places

Thousands of students miss out on a place at Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School every year, intensifying a political debate over Victoria’s four selective-entry schools that is set to become a state election issue. With only 1000 new spots available across the network each year and thousands sitting the entry exam, the Liberal opposition has promised to establish new selective schools, while critics argue the system entrenches social segregation.

·2 min·3 sources
Australia

Home battery owners cash in as NSW heatwave sends electricity prices soaring

A spring heatwave in New South Wales triggered a dramatic spike in electricity prices on Monday afternoon, allowing households with solar panels and battery storage to earn significant returns by selling power back to the grid. Prices in the National Energy Market (NEM) briefly reached $23,107 per megawatt hour, just shy of the market cap, as a combination of coal plant outages and transmission constraints left the system struggling to meet increased demand.

·2 min·2 sources
Australia

Media owner Antony Catalano appears in court over assault charges, barrister cites 'unusual and delicate' situation

Media executive and ACM co-owner Antony Catalano has made his first in-person court appearance since being charged with assaulting his wife in March, including alleged strangulation and threats to kill. His barrister told Melbourne Magistrates Court that negotiations with prosecutors were continuing and that the alleged victim did not support the charges proceeding.

·2 min