This Month
Anzac Day shopping ban restricts choice, retailers say
Retail trade will be banned on Anzac Day in NSW, giving the state some of the nation’s most restrictive rules in a move to counter “creeping commercialism”.
- Retail Winner
- Sustainability Leaders
Customers love this cool solution to getting rid of old fridges
Winning Group brand Appliances Online has stopped 80,000 tonnes of electronics and appliances from being dumped in landfill, earning the company top spot in the Retail category.
- Special Award
- Sustainability Leaders
This trailblazer turns destructive weed into a replacement for coal
Biomass Projects has plans to build the world’s largest biochar production on a 225,000-hectare Pilbara plot that is overrun with mesquite.
UK results signal Labor threat from Muslim Vote
Labor believes the war in Gaza will boost independents and the Greens, including in the Melbourne electorate of Wills.
Allan snubs Melbourne Airport rail for SRL
Premier Jacinta Allan says Melbourne Airport Rail faces at least a four-year delay before construction begins and has instead prioritised the Suburban Rail Loop.
Ski season finds cold comfort from a slow start
Ski industry operators say soft early snowfalls combined with 13 interest rate rises have led to a slower start to the season. But things can change quickly.
Fault lines: The growing divide threatening our society
Labor senator Fatima Payman’s resignation from the party highlights a schism between Muslims and the major parties. At risk is Australia’s multicultural ethos.
Why Britain’s new PM could hold the key to Jimmy Lai’s freedom
Keir Starmer cut his teeth as a barrister at the same firm as Australian human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, who is fighting for the release of Hong Kong mogul Jimmy Lai.
‘No water equals no milk’: big dry, cold snap hit farmers
Victorian farmers have been hit by a combination of dry and cold conditions as dairy producers also face a 15 per cent cut in farm gate milk prices as of July 1.
Payman suspended because of tax cuts rather than Palestine, PM says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claims Senator Fatima Payman was suspended from caucus because she hamstrung the government’s ability to talk about cost of living relief. Follow updates live.
- Updated
June
Online lectures at double speed: what uni is really like in 2024
Domestic students are being held back and international students aren’t getting what they need, says one expert. Universities know this. Why aren’t they doing more?
Skyrocketing gas prices intensify fears of shortage this winter
There are growing fears the long-forecast shortage in supplies in the south-eastern states will emerge this winter, hitting manufacturers hard.
- Updated
Victoria’s $14b Metro Tunnel has been delayed and will cost more
The bill for Melbourne’s long-awaited Metro Tunnel has spiralled past $12.8 billion, in yet another cost blowout for a major Victorian project.
Gas shortage warning exposes deep energy mess
Low wind power amid a cold snap is threatening to create a gas shortfall – exposing the effect of supply restrictions and jeopardising the Coalition’s nuclear ambitions.
- Updated
Towns at ground zero say if nuclear means jobs, bring it on
People in Morwell and Traralgon, at ground zero of the nuclear debate, say the need for new jobs could win them over to Peter Dutton’s nuclear energy plans.
Locals might prefer nuclear to renewable poles and wires
Peter Dutton’s nuclear energy plan could win support from communities concerned about major infrastructure upgrades needed to get solar and wind power into the grid.
Calls to ban WeChat grow after Canberra clashes
Mandarin-language social media platform WeChat has banned coverage of clashes that broke out between Chinese Australians during Premier Li Qiang’s visit.
CFMEU backs Setka’s 20pc pay deal
Thousands of members have voted for the Victorian deal, which secures 5 per cent annual increases and restores banned conditions such as union vetoes.
Chinese officials block Cheng Lei from shot
Chinese officials have blocked photographers from getting Australian journalist Cheng Lei in the same shot as Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Follow updates live.
- Updated
Jobs are booming in this industry, but the cause is rooted in sadness
A mental health services recruiter says demand for employer assistance programs has skyrocketed since the pandemic as people battle cost of living pressures.