Do your holidays always feel too short? Or are you a parent struggling to juggle the demands of school holidays with the leave you’re allowed to take?
On Wednesday, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) launched a major push to give working Australians the right to an extra week of annual leave.
Global oil markets have reacted swiftly to escalating tensions in the Middle East as the United States and Israel continue their assault on Iran.
After oil tanker traffic through a key chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, stopped,
the benchmark oil price, Brent crude, jumped about 6% to over US$77 a barrel. It initially spiked as high as US$82, its highest level since January 2025.
Travellers are being advised not to cancel their tickets for flights through the Middle East and check with their airlines, as airspace remains closed indefinitely.
If travellers cancel a ticket, they may lose some of their consumer rights and ability to claim refunds.
Getty ImagesThe steady embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public and private sectors in Australia and New Zealand has come
Claudio Schwarz/UnsplashYou’re scrolling through an online retailer, like Amazon, Shein or eBay, and spot a shirt on sale for $40. You add it to your cart, but at checkout, a $10 shipping fee suddenly appears. Frustrated, you close the tab.
But what if that same shirt was priced at $50 with “free” shipping? The likelihood that you would have bought it without a second thought is much higher.
Vitaly Gariev/UnsplashAfter just three rate cuts in 2025, interest rates have risen again in Australia this year. It’s unwelcome news for many borrowers – particularly those still struggling with the increasing cost of living.
Yan Krukov/PexelsThe federal Coalition has proposed an alternative to the universal child care system involving vouchers that could be used for long daycare, family daycare, nannies or a combination of these.
VCG via Getty ImagesDiversity programs are a favourite target of right-wing populists who claim they represent a radical left agenda that is politicising workplaces.
Explosions are seen at Fort Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, Jan. 3, 2026. Luis Jaimes/AFP via Getty ImagesThe U.S. military operation in Venezuela and capture of President Nicolás Maduro on Jan.
Getty ImagesGroaning your way back into the new work year? It’s an occupational hazard after the holiday break, of course, but these days there is the consolation (for some) of hybrid working.
For jobs that allow it, hybrid work is the new normal, allowing employees to work both remotely, usually from home, and in the office.
