Sharon Olalia

Retailers welcomed the second rise in retail figures in two months but many are still worried about Christmas sales.

The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) today called on Fair Work Australia to suspend the protected Qantas industrial action for a period of four months.

Firing another salvo in the home loans banking war, Westpac today announced it is offering $1,000 credit into a Westpac Choice account on new Premier Advantage Package (PAP) home loans over $250,000 until the end of October.

Wesfarmers-owned supermarket Coles has entered into a three year contract for Harvey Fresh to supply its Western Australian private label milk contract.

Active online shoppers are increasingly relying on online product reviews as a key element in their buying decisions, a new survey has revealed.

Australia’s building and construction industry is calling on the government to remove impediments affecting the nation’s supply of housing.

Apple's much-awaited iPhone5 is expected to be released tonight (4am Australia time) at an event held in Apple’s head office in Silicon Valley. Here are issues that may emerge in the announcement, according to Advanced Human Technologies Chairman Ross Dawson, a globally-recognised futurist and technology expert primarily based in Australia:

McCain Foods today condemned the strike action by its food production and maintenance workers after rejecting a 3.5% pay increase a year over three years and other terms and conditions.

Hamilton Reach, the latest project from diversified property group Australand, has struck a chord with buyers with more than 40% of the first release sold since its launch in April this year.

Treasurer Wayne Swan announced on Tuesday the fourth round of the national rental affordability scheme (NRAS) to cover another 17,000 homes across Australia.

Virgin Australia is set to begin double‐daily week day services, subject to regulatory approvals, to the town of Emerald in the central highlands of Queensland from 16 January 2012.

Australian lenders continue to slash fixed home loan rates amid the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to keep the official cash rate steady at 4.75 per cent, where it has sat since November last year.

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to leave interest rates on hold may be a sigh of relief for people with a mortgage, but it makes no headway in terms of making housing more affordable, said Australia’s housing sector.

Australian retailers on Tuesday expressed concerns with the Reserve Bank of Australia’s cash rate decision to maintain the cash rate at 4.75%.

National Australia Bank now offers the best one-year fixed rate among Australia’s largest banks, after it slashed its fixed interest rates by as much as 0.15% on Tuesday.

Global interactive entertainment and licensing company Atari has launched the open beta phase for its new Dungeons & Dragons title on Facebook.

Woolworths is recalling 3 litre Homebrand Full Cream Milk for possible contamination of food-grade dairy cleaning solution. Food products containing cleaning solution may cause illness to some if consumed.

Australia’s largest consumer class action returned to the Federal Court today with Maurice Blackburn representing around 34,000 ANZ customers who have filed against the bank in protest against the bank’s exception fees.

Australian marriage equality advocates have moved to quell fears about same-sex marriages among Australia's Catholic Bishops, saying religious celebrants will not be forced to perform same-sex marriages when these marriages are legally allowed.

Confidence in Australia’s accommodation industry has risen after ABS statistics for the June quarter of 2011 showed "pleasantly surprising" results.

Commonwealth Bank will not be increasing fees for its existing merchant customers amid industry changes to interchange fees beginning Saturday.

Japanese alcohol and soft drinks manufacturer, Asahi, has completed the acquisition of the Independent Liquor Group, which includes Independent Liquor in New Zealand and Independent Distillers in Australia for NZ$1,534million (approximately 98 billion Yen).

Australia's biggest grocery wholesaler Metcash today completed the transaction to acquire the Franklins chain of supermarkets from Pick n Pay Retailers.

The Renewable Energy Target is a critical policy that will help Australia develop natural clean energy advantages and reduce approximately 380 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, Australia’s peak body for renewable energy said on Friday.

Victoria’s building and construction industry has backed calls from the state government for the Commonwealth to delay the introduction of model Work Health and Safety Laws.

The volatile share market has seen self-managed superfunds dumping shares for quality commercial and industrial space in Melbourne’s city fringe following an outpour of deals in the past week.

Facebook’s planned changes from this year’s f8 Developer Conference may risk flooding the site with Twitter-style spambots and an increase in targeted attacks on its users, according to provider of innovative internet security solutions BitDefender.

Australia’s building and construction industry is asking for major reforms in two key areas of the Australian taxation system, which it says have a substantial impact on housing affordability, and the supply of residential housing in Australia.

Leighton Holdings subsidiary John Holland has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the construction of the $400 million proposed Connors River Dam to Moranbah Pipeline in Central Queensland.