Business

CFMEU defends 5pc per annum pay rise for construction workers

The construction union says a new 5 per cent per annum pay increase deal with Lendlease is warranted by the booming east coast housing construction sector.

Health insurer profits jump, life insurers look sick

Health insurers are raking in the profits, according to the regulator's figures, but life insurers are looking decided more pallid.

Fruit supplier to Coles and Woolworths using illegal foreign workers

An undercover investigation exposes the exploitation of illegal migrant workers on farms supplying Coles and Woolworths, as a Federal Government adviser calls for reforms to stop the "systemic" abuse of foreign labour.

Harvey Norman rejects shareholder claims over lack of transparency

Billionaire retailer Gerry Harvey rejects shareholder claims of a lack of transparency over his franchisees' financial accounts at the company's annual general meeting.

Xi tells Trump cooperation is 'only correct choice' in first conversation

Chinese President Xi Jinping tells US President-elect Donald Trump that cooperation is the only choice for relations between the two countries, in their first interaction since the election.

• Trump picks Priebus as White House chief of staff

Will the share surge end up being Trumped by reality?

After initial jitters, share investors are responding enthusiastically to Donald Trump's looming presidency, but are they seeing only the upside without the risks?

Fears taxpayers may foot clean-up bill at Linc Energy's failed UCG site at Chinchilla

The Queensland Government warns taxpayers could be left with the clean-up bill at a failed UCG site on the Western Downs if liquidators are successful in a court challenge.

Green shoots spark hopes for WA mining sector

There are signs of green shoots in WA's economy, with some big recruitment agencies and job seeking websites reporting an uptick in the number of mining jobs on the market.