RBA holds rates amid fears of negative growth
The RBA kept its cash rate on hold in the lead-up to Christmas, playing down concerns over sliding business investment and a likely collapse in economic growth to keep the rate at 1.5 per cent.
Indonesia calls on Australia to help with Montara oil spill aftermath
One of Indonesia's most senior ministers has called on Australia to help find a solution to the 2009 Montara oil spill which caused lasting negative impacts in one of the country's poorest provinces.
Turnbull government ditches plans for new banking tribunal
The Turnbull government is backing away from its plans for a new tribunal to deal with complaints against the big banks.
Yes, PM, it's business as usual: disunity, ill-discipline and undermining
"This is business as usual," Malcolm Turnbull declared this morning, as he defended the decision to release a set of broad terms of reference for a climate change policy review that has been Coalition policy for years.
'We can't work with him': Pauline Hanson unloads on Rod Culleton
"He's not a team player at all. We can't work with him, you can't reason with him," the One Nation leader says.
Turnbull says he's never supported a carbon tax
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he has never supported a carbon tax, as debate about a climate policy review process threatens new disunity and political strife within the Coalition.
Coalition conservatives furious over climate review
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull faces a fresh outbreak of party disunity over climate policy, with backbench MPs questioning the timing and scope of a formal review of the Direct Action plan.
'Say it ain't so, bro!': Turnbull rues departure of New Zealand PM
Upon hearing the news of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key's impending resignation, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull sent his counterpart a short message: "Say it ain't so, bro!"
Melbourne rides high while rest of state goes backwards
Victoria has become Australia's most divided state as the economic fortunes of Melbourne soar while those in the rest of the state crumble faster than anywhere else in the nation.
Turnbull set to axe Abbott's Green Army environmental program
The Turnbull government is set to kill off the Green Army, Tony Abbott's much-hyped environmental project, as it looks to find savings of more than $350 million in this month's budget update.
'It’s not critical': Adani says it doesn't need $1b government loan
Indian energy giant has seemingly shot its own appeal for public funding in the foot.
Faith in 'laws of war' dangerously slipping, says Red Cross
It's easy to think that war fighting is deteriorating into barbarism. The Islamic State's campaign of terror, Boko Haram's sexual violence and use of child bombers, the razing of Aleppo are all playing out in horrific immediacy on social media.
Darwin youth prison a scene of 'disrepair and despair'
Hanging points, mattresses that could burst into flames, and all-male Caucasian staff who preferred to monitored young Aboriginal prisoners via CCTV rather than interact with them.
'Recipe for extinction': Environment programs being slashed, ACF says
Green Army's demobilisation is just the latest retreat since 2013, ACF says.
UN expert says Australians (and their leaders) have big racism problem
The United Nations' expert on racism says Australia must confront the rise of hard right and racist views or risk them becoming mainstream.
ABC stars speak out as tensions between staff, management escalate
Some of the ABC's most prominent presenters have urged their colleagues not to resist change.
'Dismayed' Tony Abbott slams Turnbull government over Green Army
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has suggested Malcolm Turnbull is caving in to the Greens.
Time for some transparency on the carbon emissions front
Watch out for some 'taking out the trash' of unhelpful climate news.
Turnbull insists US deal to resettle refugees from Nauru and Manus will survive Trump's inauguration
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull maintains he is confident a Trump administration will not torpedo a deal for the United States to take refugees from Nauru and Manus Island as American officials prepared to start vetting people in the offshore detention centres.
Trump may raise temperature with China but it is time some protocols were challenged, experts say
Donald Trump has earned his reputation for recklessness over many months. But not everyone is convinced his bumpy entry into Asian strategy spells dangerous anarchy in Asia.
'Menzies would be ashamed' Leigh takes on Turnbull over unions, home ownership
Women are twice as likely to be underpaid compared to men if they are not in a union. Indigenous Australians are three times as likely to be underpaid.
Power prices, energy security, emissions cuts - and carbon pricing - on the table in climate review
A long-awaited review of Australia's climate policies could recommend a form of carbon pricing for power companies, but will focus on electricity price rises, energy security and cutting greenhouse gas emissions, according to Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg.
Turnbull government eyes $1 billion Adani loan backed by new infrastructure fund
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is expected to speak with the global head of mining giant Adani on Monday amid mounting speculation the government will contribute $1 billion for a railway line to serve the forthcoming Carmichael coal mine.
'Hospitals, housing and dental services ripe for privatisation': report
Public hospitals, social housing and palliative care services are ripe for reforms to inject greater competition and private sector involvement, a Productivity Commission report has found.
Out of exile, Sam Dastyari becomes an author
Sam Dastyari is back - with a book to boot.
Digital govt could become just more cost cutting, warns Internet Australia
Revolving door at digital agency must stop, says Labor.
What our leaders will be reading and watching over summer
Stalin, Churchill, Cicero, Harry Potter, Tintin and Awesome Man are on the reading lists of our federal politicians this summer – if they can find time between bingeing on The Crown, House of Cards and Shameless.
Innovation fund set to turn start-ups into business
The Turnbull government's $200m innovation fund is finally up and running.
Diplomats' allowances on the chopping block as Bishop orders review
Australian diplomats are expected to lose some of their generous taxpayer-funded allowances under a review ordered by Julie Bishop.
Plibersek says no case for cuts to 'over-funded' private schools
There is no compelling case to cut funding to "over-funded" private schools and redistribute the money to disadvantaged schools, Labor education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek says.