Posted
Troubled financial services giant AMP has posted its first full year loss since 2003 amid a continuing crisis in its life insurance and wealth protection divisions. AMP reported a $344 million net loss after last year's write-downs due to pressure in its bread and butter businesses and continuing regulatory scrutiny of banks and insurers. But chief executive Craig Meller says AMP's financial position remains strong. ABC's Peter Ryan discusses the loss.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, australia
Posted
At least one asylum seeker has been removed from the Manus Island detention centre to be deported, according to a lawyer who represents hundreds of detainees. Immigration authorities in Papua New Guinea have previously said they were preparing to deport 163 men whose refugee claims had been rejected.
Topics: immigration, refugees, papua-new-guinea
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The Prime Minister has had another extraordinary spray at the Opposition Leader today, following on from his blistering speech in the Parliament yesterday. Malcolm Turnbull says Bill Shorten is a hypocrite, envious, and a sycophant. The Opposition Leader, who regularly called the PM 'Mr Harbourside Mansion' says Labor is above petty politics.
Topics: federal-parliament, australia
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| UpdatedThe latest South Australian blackout is playing into the political debate in Canberra about national energy policy. The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's again calling on state Labor governments to abandon aggressive renewable energy targets and get behind his government's more modest goals. But the Federal Opposition's calling on Mr Turnbull's Government to give more details about what the national energy regulator did to try and prevent the blackout.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, federal-government, states-and-territories, sa
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The South Australian government says it's lost faith in the national electricity market and has been abandoned by the Commonwealth when it comes to energy. Thousands of customers had power cut last night because of insufficient generation, as the state sweltered through 40 degree plus temperatures.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, government-and-politics, sa
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A jury in London has cleared Australian entertainer Rolf Harris of three charges at his latest trial after 26 hours of deliberation. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a further four counts, and Harris will learn next week if he will face a retrial for those charges.
Topics: sexual-offences, crime, courts-and-trials, united-kingdom
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The Federal Government is waiting for an urgent report into last night's power black-outs in South Australia, which affected 40 000 customers. The state's Energy Minister is laying the blame on the national market operator for what was the latest in a string of black-outs to hit the state.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, federal-government, sa
Posted
Mass protests in Romania have triggered a no-confidence vote in their government, which it has survived. Tens of thousands of protesters have marched in the largest protests the country has seen since the collapse of communism in 1989, over a decree that would have effectively decriminalised official misconduct.
Topics: activism-and-lobbying, world-politics, corruption, romania
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| UpdatedHumanitarian workers in Afghanistan have been killed in a suspected Islamic State attack while delivering supplies to communities affected by recent heavy snow storms. Six workers for Red Cross were killed, and two other members of their convoy are unaccounted for.
Topics: relief-and-aid-organisations, unrest-conflict-and-war, afghanistan
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| UpdatedBarnaby Joyce delivered what has been called a 'spray', at this week's Coalition party room meeting, reminding MPs to not dwell on fringe issues like same sex marriage. He told AM this that recent 'backflips' on Queensland land acquisition, and softening welfare policy show the Government is 'not arrogant' and willing to negotiate. He also defended Malcolm Turnbull's attack on Bill Shorten yesterday as logical response to the Opposition Leader's 'hypocritical' attempts to establish class warfare by calling attention to the Prime Minister's wealth.
Topics: joyce-barnaby, parliament, turnbull-malcolm, australia
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| UpdatedImmigration Minister Peter Dutton responds to the Opposition's claims that he is seeking too much power with proposed reviews of the credentials of long-term visa holders. Mr Dutton says the Opposition did not raise any concerns during the Senate review and the bill would have a public interest element.
Topics: federal-government, immigration, australia
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| UpdatedUnited States President Donald Trump has described his travel ban as simple and beautifully written while speaking to sheriffs and police chiefs. His comments come as an appeals court deliberates on last week's court decision to suspend his travel ban on people from seven Muslim majority nations entering the US.
Topics: world-politics, immigration, courts-and-trials, united-states
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| UpdatedThe Federal Opposition has decided to oppose sections of a new migration bill, which would introduce a system of revalidation checks for long-term visa holders. Labor MPs have told parliament that the proposed powers would allow the Immigration Minister to order any visa holder or 'class of persons' to undergo revalidation, if he thought it was in the public interest. Last year Labor did not issue a dissenting report when the bill was approved by a Senate committee, but in the context of the proposed travel bans in the United States, it's clearly changed its view.
Topics: federal-government, immigration, australia
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| UpdatedThe death penalty handed down to Antonio Bagnato in Thailand yesterday marks the first time in three decades an Australian has faced execution in the country. Bagnato was convicted of kidnapping and murdering former Hells Angels member and suspected drug kingpin Wayne Schneider in 2015. But Thailand hasn't carried out an execution since 2009 and there's a range of appeal options available to the 28-year-old kickboxer.
Topics: prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, crime, international-law, thailand, australia
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| UpdatedOne of Russia's most prominent opposition activists, Vladimir Kara-Murza, is on life support after being poisoned, according to his family.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, health, russian-federation, australia, united-states
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| UpdatedLawyers have launched a fresh legal challenge against the Victorian Government to stop juveniles being jailed in the state's maximum security adult prison. About 20 teenage boys are currently being held in the Grevillea Unit of the Barwon Prison, near Geelong. It's effectively the fourth time the Government's decision to use the prison has been tested before the courts, and the lawyers say they're confident of success.
Topics: australia
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| UpdatedThe Northern Territory Government has announced an $18 million funding boost for youth justice, focusing on diversion programs and early intervention. The youth detention royal commission, prompted by shocking mistreatment of prisoners inside Don Dale and Alice Springs detention centres, will deliver an interim report in March. But the Chief Minister isn't waiting for the inquiry's final report. He says change is needed now.
Topics: prisons-and-punishment, community-and-society, youth, law-crime-and-justice, royal-commissions, nt, australia
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| UpdatedThe families of people killed in Australia in incidents the White House has labelled under-reported terrorist attacks, have labelled Donald Trump's argument as baseless. Five Australian incidents were included on a list issued to journalists that the White House says supports Mr Trump's position. One was a stabbing attack on a backpacker in north Queensland that Police have reasserted was not related to race or religion. The other four were widely reported as having alleged links to terrorism.
Topics: terrorism, media, world-politics, law-crime-and-justice, crime, australia, united-states
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| UpdatedA report by the University of Tasmania has found that the bottom of a Tassal lease in Macquarie Harbour is virtually devoid of all life. The EPA is getting Tassal to move it's fish from the pens, but the Director of the EPA says Tassal has been given several months to move the fish because moving the fish immedietly would have cost the salmon company millions of dollars
Topics: environment, health, fishing-aquaculture, animal-science, tas, australia, university-of-tasmania-7005
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| UpdatedThe Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, has told the child sexual abuse Royal Commission that he doesn't know how many of the priests in his diocese are celibate and he has no right to ask them. Archbishop Coleridge rejected the suggestion that his attitude highlights a failure of the Church in managing its priests.
Topics: royal-commissions, child-abuse, law-crime-and-justice, sexual-offences, australia
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| UpdatedThe fate of the Federal Government's increased spending on childcare, the cuts to paid leave for new parents and welfare, now lies in the Senate where the numbers are delicately poised. With Labor and the Greens up in arms about welfare cuts that they say will affect some of the most vulnerable Australians. The Social Services Minister Christian Porter has a challenging job ahead of him, negotiating with the Senate cross bench.
Topics: federal-government, political-parties, australia
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| UpdatedThe Prime Minister's flayed the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for his past association with the late packaging billionaire Dick Pratt, calling him a 'simpering sycophant' and suggesting he drank French champagne while selling out workers. Labor described the verbal barrage as the sign of a desperate Prime Minister auditioning for the next challenge to his leadership of the Liberal Party.
Topics: political-parties, government-and-politics, parliament, australia
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| UpdatedThose seeking financial counselling are having to wait up to four weeks for help as evidence shows Australia's household debt continues to soar. Australian households are among the world's most indebted, with banks now sitting on more than a trillion dollars worth of mortgages. But the pace of borrowing is showing no signs of falling, or even slowing.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, consumer-finance, industry, housing-industry, australia
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| UpdatedAustralia could soon have its first independent rural health commissioner. The Federal Assistant Minister for Health will introduce legislation into parliament, in what will be the first steps to turn the new office into a reality. The Commissioner will provide advice to government on ways to improve rural and regional healthcare. Rural health groups have welcomed the announcement saying the lives of regional Australians will benefit from the stronger focus.
Topics: federal-government, rural, health-policy, australia
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| UpdatedIn an Australian first, private investors will be sought to help tackle homelessness in South Australia, through a new scheme. The State Government will issue bonds worth $9 million, with financial returns paid out, if shelters see a fall in demand for their services. But some warn while it's a good idea, it's not a silver bullet to solve the nations homeless and housing affordability crisis.
Topics: homelessness, housing, sa