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This morning's decision on penalty rates comes at a time when Australian households are feeling the pressure of slow wages growth which is becoming more out of step with the cost of living. According to the ABS, wages are at a record after posting growth of 1.9 per cent in the year to December.
Topics: economic-trends, australia
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| UpdatedNASA scientists have announced the discovery of seven Earth-size planets with the potential to support life. The cluster of planets, known as Trappist 1, are roughly 40 light years away, with three of them orbiting stars in the so-called 'Goldilocks' or habitable zone.
Topics: planets-and-asteroids, astronomy-space, space-exploration, united-states
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| UpdatedA group of north-east Victoria residents are putting a proposal before the Victorian government to help save Australia's largest timber building- the Mount Buffalo Chalet.
Topics: architecture, 19th-century, mount-buffalo-3740
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| UpdatedForeign Minister Julie Bishop is in Washington on the first ministerial visit to the US capital since the infamous phone call between Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull about the refugee resettlement deal. She told AM she has so far had 'warm and engaging' discussions with Vice President Pence, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about opportunities for the two countries to work together, and has invited both men to visit Australia. She denied that the relationship between the two countries was in need of repair.
Topics: bishop-julie, world-politics, australia, united-states
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| UpdatedThe energy market operator has found that problems, outages and faults with coal and gas plants resulted in hundreds of megawatts of load shedding during the worst of the NSW heatwave. The 10th of February was a very hot day for the state, and the AEMO report reveals the state narrowly avoided larger outages.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, alternative-energy, climate-change, nsw
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| UpdatedRetailers say the Fair Work Commission can stop more retail chains from going out of business by cutting Sunday penalty rates for workers in a decision due today. But the federal opposition says it would be absurd to cut rates with several years of stagnant wages growth already inflicting pain on low income workers.
Topics: industrial-relations, hospitality, retail, regulation, australia
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The life expectancy for people living in the developed world continues to rise, with South Korean women soon expected to live, on average, beyond 90 years. Odds are also good for Australians, with a life expectancy of 84 years by 2030. In Australia, the increase in life expectancy is being driven by a cut in smoking, a lowering of blood pressure, and improvements to road safety. But experts also warn that as people are expected to live for longer, for at least the foreseeable future, that means adequate social and health structures must be put in place.
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South Australia is digesting the news, that once again manufacturing is leaving the state, and with it, jobs. In a shock announcement, Coca-Cola Amatil's Adelaide bottling plant will close by 2019, with the loss of about 180 jobs from the company. In response, concerns have again been raised about the cost of doing business in the state, and how to transition more workers, on top of Holden's closure later this year.
Topics: industry, business-economics-and-finance, food-and-beverage, australia, sa
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Where is the man who ran Clive Palmer's Queensland Nickel? Tomorrow, a Federal Court will consider issuing an arrest warrant for Palmer's nephew, Clive Mensink who was the only formal Director of the collapsed company. His uncle Clive Palmer is accused of acting as a shadow director. Mr Mensink has so far declined to return from overseas to face questions from the special purpose liquidator. The union representing some of the 800 sacked workers has appealed to Mr Mensink to return.
Topics: courts-and-trials, business-economics-and-finance, law-crime-and-justice, australia
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Volkswagen has been accused of pressuring drivers to accept a software upgrade for vehicles implicated in the global emissions scandal, or face the possibility of no compensation. The company asked some drivers to sign waivers if they refused the software fix being offered as part of a voluntary recall. But Volkswagen says the document has been updated to reflect the rights of customers.
Topics: courts-and-trials, business-economics-and-finance, industry, automotive, law-crime-and-justice, australia
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Leaders of Catholic religious orders in Australia have told the child sexual abuse Royal Commission of their shame at the high level of offending among religious brothers. The Commission heard orders including St John of God, the Christian Brothers and De La Salle usually pay the legal fees of those accused of abuse and do not dismiss them from the order.
Topics: royal-commissions, community-and-society, child-abuse, religion-and-beliefs, law-crime-and-justice, australia
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| UpdatedThere's been a new twist in the murder of Kim Jong-nam, brother to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Malaysia's police chief has called two new suspects for questioning. One is Second Secretary at North's Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The other has unspecified links to North Korean Airlines in the Malaysian capital. Police say the two women who attacked Kim Jong Nam with a cloth laced with suspected poison had trained and planned for the murder.
Topics: murder-and-manslaughter, law-crime-and-justice, crime, malaysia, australia, korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of
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| UpdatedIt's hard enough to ask your boss for a raise at the best of times, but now it's become practically impossible. The latest official figures show wages growth remains at record lows. This new era of stagnant wages also seems to have ruffled some feathers at the Reserve Bank, with the governor telling a gathering in Sydney this morning that households were in danger of drowning in debt.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, australia
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| UpdatedQuestions have been reignited about the future of Essendon Airport after yesterday's plane crash that killed five people. Authorities believe the plane's pilot was trying to turn back to Essendon Airport, which sits nestled between homes, businesses, and two major shopping centres. Now as Victoria grapples with its worst aviation accident in three decades, the airport's future has come under a cloud.
Topics: accidents, disasters-and-accidents, australia, vic
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| UpdatedWith further indications the Government is preparing to dump the Medicare rebate freeze, Labor cautioning cuts elsewhere in the health system could be made in its place. Government sources have told the ABC that the freeze is about to be jettisoned due to the political damage Labor's 'Mediscare' campaign caused to the coalition at the last election.
Topics: government-and-politics, health, australia
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The Israeli Prime Minister has criticised two former Australian leaders who are calling for formal recognition of Palestine. Mr Netanyahu landed in Sydney today, and his five day trip to Australia is the first visit ever by a sitting Israeli leader. He dismissed arguments from former Labor PMs Kevin Rudd and Bob Hawke who say that recognising the Palestinian state would encourage Israel to negotiate a two-state solution.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, foreign-affairs, australia
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| UpdatedThe Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set foot on Australian soil and met with Australia's Malcolm Turnbull. The two leaders have discussed security matters and how there can be greater collaboration on cyber security. A joint press conference has just been held where Mr Turnbull has reaffirmed Australia's support of a two state solution.
Topics: international-law, international-aid-and-trade, israel, palestinian-territory-occupied
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For women in film, 2016 was a good year. A new study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film in California has tallied the number of female protagonists in hit films and found 2016 was a record high for women in lead roles. 29 per cent of the top 100 grossing films in 2016 had a female lead, that might sound small but it's up seven per cent from 2015.
Topics: film-movies, arts-and-entertainment, australia
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| UpdatedFrom the stands or the couch it looks like an effortless way to start the game, but AFL umpires say the game's iconic bounce is crippling them. The Umpires' Association says the bounce is extremely taxing on their bodies, leaving many with chronic pain and some even seeking surgery. For years, the AFL's defended the technique, which it says is sacrosanct and here to stay. But umpires say that might mean there won't be any referees left to perform the controversial move in the years to come.
Topics: australian-football-league, health, medical-history, sport, australia
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| UpdatedMalaysian authorities appear to be having difficulty determining the cause of death of the half-brother of North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un. The autopsy results of Kim Jong Nam are so far inconclusive, but the Malaysian Director-General of Health has not ruled out that he was poisoned.
Topics: murder-and-manslaughter, law-crime-and-justice, crime, australia
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| UpdatedThe Trump administration has issued new guidelines designed to make it easier to deport illegal immigrants from the US. Undocumented immigrants arrested for even minor offences, such as traffic violations, will now be targeted, along with those convicted of more serious crimes. The guidelines don't change existing US laws, but take a much tougher approach towards enforcing them.
Topics: immigration, community-and-society, international-law, united-states
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| UpdatedAmnesty International has released its annual report on the state of human rights around the world, and is warning that creeping 'us versus them' rhetoric is generating hate and fear. Australia has been labelled as complacent when it comes to world leaders and politicians accused of creating division and fear.
Topics: charities-and-community-organisations, community-and-society, discrimination, multiculturalism, australia
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There is intense debate in Melbourne today about the operations of Essendon airport. Ambulance aircraft and charter services are based at the site which is close to the large shopping complex and homes. Yesterday, a plane carrying five people crashed into the DFO centre, killing the pilot and a group of American tourists.
Topics: air-and-space, disasters-and-accidents, accidents, air-transport, australia
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| UpdatedSeven West chairman Kerry Stokes and director Jeff Kennett have been criticised by a NSW Supreme Court judge for their public comments that vilified former employee Amber Harrison. Giving his reasons for extending a gag order against Ms Harrison, Justice McDougall said Mr Stokes and Mr Kennett 'has descended into accusation and counter accusation' and that comments from Mr Kennett on Twitter were 'not well advised'.
Topics: courts-and-trials, company-news, australia
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| UpdatedOfficial figures confirm it remains as hard as ever to land a pay rise in Australia. The latest data show wages growth remains at record lows. The data release came just hours after the head of the Reserve Bank warned that households are in danger of getting in over their heads financially, as personal debt levels soar.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, industrial-relations, small-business, unemployment, australia