Insurance contracts 'unfair and complex'

Insurance companies are exploiting an exemption to unfair contract rules and hiding behind complex product disclosure documents, consumer advocates say.

Hardware disaster continues to haunt Woolies

• UPDATED

Woolworths' disastrous foray into hardware continues to haunt the retail giant after law firm Maurice Blackburn revealed plans for a $100 million class action.

Tax breaks need to be examined to cool housing market: Bligh

• EXCLUSIVE

The banking lobby has joined calls for the government to examine tax incentives for property investors.

APRA crackdown won't slow investors: analysts

Will the latest efforts to cool the housing market address financial stability concerns or slow investor lending? Analysts don't think so.

Pressure grows to end tax breaks for investors

• EXCLUSIVE

Ex-CBA chairman says breaks for property investors such as negative gearing need to be addressed to cool down the housing market.

ASIC joins interest-only home loan crackdown

The corporate watchdog has announced targeted surveillance of lenders and mortgage brokers who are inappropriately spruiking interest-only loans.

New rules to cool down real estate

• UPDATED

Banks have been slapped with new limits on interest-only and investor lending as the banking regulator responds to heightened risks of rising housing prices and household indebtedness. 

Banks will have to go it alone in Apple Pay fight

• UPDATED

Australia's big banks will have to go it alone in their wrangle with tech giant Apple over the introduction of iPhone payments in this country.

Melbourne and Sydney housing markets remain 'speculative': BoQ

Bank of Queensland boss Jon Sutton says parts of Australia's housing market remain speculative but couldn't be characterised as a 'bubble'.