Australia’s standard of living has fallen to levels not seen since the 1991-92 recession, despite labour productivity increasing “dramatically” and the nation producing more billionaires than ever before. A report by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) confirms living costs outstripped household incomes “by 2.9 per cent over the last three years”, and Australia is at risk of becoming …

Business alarmed as Shorten flags ‘living wage’ to replace minimum wage The small and medium business sectors have expressed concern after Opposition leader Bill Shorten all but confirmed he will boost the minimum wage to a “living wage” should he win the next election. Speaking to The Australian Financial Review Business Summit at which he declared the election to be …

It was four years of the good life for Rosemary Rogers. A one-month family holiday to Europe worth almost $188,000, where accommodation alone cost $70,000. An ongoing supply of bank cheques worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and prepaid credit cards, one alone worth $37,000. Numerous trips and private helicopter transfers to the exclusive Emirates resort at Wolgan Valley, a …

NSW Labor leader Michael Daley has picked a fight with some of Sydney’s most prominent figures as he attempts to revive his signature election issue. Mr Daley said he did not care if he made “powerful enemies” as he told broadcaster Alan Jones that he would sack the powerful Sydney Cricket Ground Trust’s board if elected. In a fiery exchange …

You could be forgiven for being confused about Labor’s big tax proposals. Depending on which side of politics you listen to, Labor’s plans for negative gearing, franking credit refunds and capital gains tax concessions will either hurt those who can least afford it, or claw back tens of billions of dollars of extra revenue from the relatively well-off by shutting …

A man who says he was molested by George Pell when he was a boy in the 1970s will file a lawsuit against the disgraced cardinal in Victoria’s Supreme Court. The suit, expected to be lodged this week, names Pell, the trustees of the Sisters of Nazareth (formerly St Joseph’s), the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the State of Victoria. …

The promotion of a seventh woman to Cabinet has failed to quell debate about quotas to boost the number of women in the Liberal Party. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he’s committed to boosting female representation in the Liberal Party, as government frontbenchers try to play down debate about introducing quotas. Liberal powerbroker Alex Hawke reignited the debate on Sunday, …

New Matildas coach Ante Milicic has faced the media to name his first squad for the Cup of Nations, saying he was unconcerned about the turmoil that came before his appointment. Milicic announced a 23-player squad for the four-team tournament which begins on February 28. Australia will face Argentina, South Korea and New Zealand in the Cup of Nations, ahead …

Women’s sport, what it represents and some of the perceived inequities involved when comparing it with men’s sport has become a hot discussion point over the last couple of years. But it is important to stop for a moment, put all of that aside and recognise what has been an exceptional period. If some of the recent statistics around TV …

Australian coal producers have suffered another savage hit, with Chinese authorities placing an indefinite ban on imports ahead of a strict new regime of quotas. The Reuters news agency reported customs officers based at the key northern port of Dalian stopped Australian coal imports and would move to cap imports through their harbours at 12 million tonnes a year. The …