Australia

Australia’s Sydney Opera House won’t light up for coronation to save costs

SYDNEY, May 6 (Reuters) - A decision not to light up the sails of the Sydney Opera House to mark the coronation of King Charles was a cost saving measure,…

Read More Here

Australia PM says ‘frustrated’ over continued detention of Julian Assange

SYDNEY, May 5 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday he was frustrated for not yet finding a diplomatic fix over the continued detention of Julian Assange…

Read More Here

Australia aims to start making guided missiles within two years

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday it would start domestic manufacture of guided missiles by 2025, two years sooner than expected, in a wide-ranging shakeup of defence arrangements to…

Read More Here

Less rainfall and warmer weather ahead – Australian weather bureau

SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australia is set for a drier and warmer start to winter, with even odds for the El Nino weather pattern, the weather bureau said on…

Read More Here

Australia to overhaul immigration system, smooth entry for skilled workers

SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australia proposed on Thursday overhauling its immigration system to speed up getting highly skilled workers into the country and smoothening the path to permanent residency.…

Read More Here

Australia to prioritise long-range strike capability in defence shakeup

CANBERRA, April 24 (Reuters) - Australia's government will prioritise long-range precision strike, domestic production of guided weapons, and diplomacy - key points of a review released Monday recommending the country's…

Read More Here

Australia says discovery of WW2 shipwreck ends ‘tragic’ maritime chapter

SYDNEY, April 22 (Reuters) - Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Saturday that the wreck of a Japanese merchant ship, sunk in World War Two with 864 Australian soldiers…

Read More Here

Barry Humphries, creator of Dame Edna, dies at 89

April 22 (Reuters) - Barry Humphries, the comedian best known for his character Dame Edna Everage who blossomed from an Australian suburban housewife into a self-described gigastar, died on Saturday,…

Read More Here

Australia introduces vehicle pollution rules to boost EV uptake

By Praveen Menon SYDNEY, April 19 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday it would introduce new standards targeting vehicle emissions to boost the uptake of electric cars, as it looks…

Read More Here

Australia’s northwest braces for strongest cyclone in a decade

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, April 13 (Reuters) - Australia's northwest region, home to the world's largest export hub for iron ore, could be hit by the most powerful tropical cyclone…

Read More Here

Australia tells exporters to diversify from top trade partner China

By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, April 12 (Reuters) - Australia wants exporters to diversify markets and become less reliant on China, because it cannot separate economic and strategic relationships, Foreign Minister…

Read More Here

Australia cancels Binance’s financial services licence amid probe

By Lewis Jackson To close its Australian derivatives business Will not impact Australians using its spot exchange product Also faces regulatory actions in U.S., UK, Japan, Italy and Singapore (Reuters)…

Read More Here

Australia to ban TikTok on government devices – reports

Australia will announce a ban on TikTok on government phones this week, following other countries in barring the Chinese-owned video app over security concerns, Australian newspapers reported late on Monday.…

Read More Here

Australia’s Latitude says nearly 8 mln drivers licence numbers stolen

Repeats to widen distribution Data theft much bigger than flagged on March 16 Drivers license, passport numbers, customer records stolen Shares fall 2.5% By Byron Kaye and Navya Mittal March…

Read More Here

U.S. State Department approves potential sale of Tomahawk missiles to Australia -Pentagon

March 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Australia in a deal valued at up to $895 million, the Pentagon…

Read More Here

Australia, India agree on strengthening economic, defence ties

By Krishn Kaushik NEW DELHI, March 10 (Reuters) - Australia and India have agreed to accelerate a broader economic partnership and to boost their defence ties, Australian Prime Minister Anthony…

Read More Here

Australia expected to buy up to 5 Virginia class submarines as part of AUKUS

WASHINGTONReuters) - Australia is expected to buy up to five U.S. Virginia class nuclear powered submarines in the 2030's as part of a landmark defense agreement between Washington, Canberra and…

Read More Here

Sydney swelters through autumn heatwave, bushfire threat looms

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, March 6 (Reuters) - Parts of Australia's east including Sydney recorded their hottest day in more than two years on Monday with temperatures hitting more than…

Read More Here

Australia plans to limit early access to retirement funds, cut tax breaks

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Australia's centre-left government said on Thursday it would push ahead with plans to change superannuation rules, including restricting early access to funds…

Read More Here

Australian grocer Woolworths says inflation is spurring in-home dining

Interim dividend of 46 Australian cents per share HY profit rises on strong sales, beats estimate Cost inflation above recent history Shares up 2% By Byron Kaye and Sameer Manekar…

Read More Here

Australia employment falls for second month, jobless at 8-mth high

By Stella Qiu SYDNEY, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Australia employment surprised in January by falling for a second straight month while the jobless rate jumped to its highest since last…

Read More Here

Australia to expand rollout of fifth COVID vaccine shot

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will roll out a fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccine later this month to all citizens aged 18 and above who have not contracted coronavirus or been…

Read More Here

U.S., UK and Australia carry out China-focused air drills

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nevada, (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and Australia carried out joint air drills on Wednesday over the Nevada desert and beyond as part of an…

Read More Here

Australia orders checks on Chinese-made cameras in defence offices

By Renju Jose and Stefica Nicol Bikes SYDNEY, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The Australian government will examine surveillance technology used in offices of the defence department, Defence Minister Richard Marles…

Read More Here

Girl killed in shark attack on Australia’s west coast

SYDNEY, Feb 5 (Reuters) - A 16-year-old girl died after being mauled by a shark in a river in Western Australia's state capital Perth after she jumped in the water…

Read More Here

Australia’s radioactive capsule en route to storage as investigation begins

By Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A lost radioactive capsule found after a search along a 1,400 km stretch of the arid Western Australian outback is due to…

Read More Here

Australia to replace Queen Elizabeth’s image on A$5 banknote

SYDNEY, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Australia will replace the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II from its A$5 currency note with a new design to reflect and honour the history of…

Read More Here

Australian Cardinal George Pell’s funeral sparks protests as mourners gather

SYDNEY, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Mourners and protesters faced off in Sydney on Thursday at the funeral service for Australian Cardinal George Pell, a former top Vatican official who was…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Needle in a haystack found: Australia recovers missing radioactive capsule

By Lewis Jackson and Melanie Burton SYDNEY, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Australian authorities on Wednesday found a radioactive capsule smaller than a coin that was lost in the vast Outback…

Read More Here

Emotional Djokovic hails biggest victory of his life

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic said his win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's Australian Open final was the "biggest victory" of his career, as he claimed his 22nd Grand Slam…

Read More Here

WATCH: Australia reiterates Ukraine support after Djokovic’s father poses with Russia fans

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday reiterated Australian support for Ukraine and criticised supporters of Russia's invasion after a video emerged showing Novak Djokovic's father posing at the Australian Open…

Read More Here

China’s Xi says ties with Australia moving in “right direction”

SHANGHAI, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday relations with Australia were moving in the right direction in the latest sign of an improvement in ties…

Read More Here

Kanye West could be denied entry to Australia

SYDNEY (Reuters) - American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, may not be suitable for an Australian visa because of his history of anti-Semitic remarks, a government minister said…

Read More Here

Record-breaking cane toad found in Queensland

A cane toad so giant wildlife officers thought it was fake has been found in a north Australian rainforest. The "monster" specimen is six times bigger than the average toad,…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Qantas flight lands at Sydney airport after issuing distress signal

By Kirsty Needham and Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Jan 18 (Reuters) - A Qantas Airways flight from New Zealand landed safely at Sydney airport on Wednesday after the airline said it…

Read More Here

Australia’s natural disasters bill hits $3.5 billion in 2022, billions more to come

By Lewis Jackson SYDNEY (Reuters) - Floods and natural disasters that hit all but one Australian state and territory in 2022 cost the economy A$5 billion ($3.48 billion) and stoked…

Read More Here

Australian budget airline Bonza gets regulatory nod to begin flights

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Australian budget airline start-up Bonza said it received a nod from the country's civil aviation regulator to fly scheduled passenger flights, marking an entry for a…

Read More Here

Many Western Australia communities isolated in ‘record-breaking’ floods

SYDNEY, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Australia's weather forecaster said on Sunday that record-breaking floods in the country's northwest had now left many communities isolated, as the days-long crisis continued. The…

Read More Here

Western Australia in grip of ‘devastating’ flood emergency, Australia PM says

SYDNEY, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday his government was ready to provide whatever support was needed to residents of Western Australia state as record-breaking floods…

Read More Here

Passengers to be compensated after algae spoils Australia-New Zealand cruise

Viking Cruises will compensate hundreds of passengers on its Orion cruise ship after cruisers were forced to stay on board and miss multiple stops because officials blocked port access due…

Read More Here

China boosts coal production, eases Australia ban to boost energy security

The increasing need to secure energy supplies after easing COVID-19 restrictions has pushed China to gradually resume Australian coal imports and urge domestic miners to boost their already record output.…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Sydney Festival – Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon

Visitors are seen as they interact with artwork during the opening of Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon, as part of the 2023 Sydney Festival, in Sydney, Australia. Via…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Four dead after two helicopters collide on the Gold Coast, Australia

Two helicopters are seen following a collision near Seaworld, on the Gold Coast, Australia, 02 January 2023. Four people are dead and another 13 injured after two helicopters collided before…

Read More Here

Australia to require negative COVID tests for travellers from China

SYDNEY, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Australia said on Sunday that travellers from China will have to provide negative COVID-19 test results from Jan. 5, joining a growing number of nations that have implemented…

Read More Here

Sydney welcoming new year with huge firework display

Sydney is welcoming in the new year (at 1pm UK time) with more fireworks after an earlier display "inspired by the land, sea and sky"in its first restriction-free New Year's…

Read More Here

Australia to ring in 2023 with no COVID restrictions

SYDNEY, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Australia is gearing up to celebrate its first restriction-free New Year's Eve after two years of COVID disruptions, with more than a million revellers expected…

Read More Here

Australia’s tourism body wants to lift working holiday visa age limit to 50

Australia’s peak tourism body wants the working holiday visa age cut-off to be lifted to provide a wider range of skilled workers and professionals. The federal government is conducting a…

Read More Here

‘Asia’s El Chapo’ extradited to Australia to face drug trafficking charges

WELLINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Thursday it had taken the head of a global drug trafficking syndicate, dubbed 'Asia's El Chapo', into custody after…

Read More Here

Australia’s sovereign wealth fund buys gold, commodities as shadow of 1970s looms

Australia's A$200 billion ($134.28 billion) sovereign wealth fund is increasing exposure to gold, commodities, private equity and infrastructure as it warns the future will echo the low-growth, high-inflation era of…

Read More Here

Australia opens up first zone for offshore wind farms

By Sonali Paul MELBOURNE, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Australia on Monday opened up its first zone for developing offshore wind farms in a region off its southern coast, looking to…

Read More Here

Australia foreign minister to visit China as diplomatic ties improve

By Kirsty Needham and Renju Jose SYDNEY, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit China this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday, signalling an…

Read More Here

Australia employment blows past forecasts with surge of 64,000 in November

By Wayne Cole SYDNEY, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Australia employment jumped past all expectations in November while the jobless rate stayed at five-decade lows as more people went looking for…

Read More Here

Australia mourns police officers, civilian killed in gunfight

SYDNEY, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Australia on Wednesday mourned two police officers and a civilian who were killed in a gunfight in a remote property in Queensland state, with landmarks…

Read More Here

Australia to cap prices of coal, gas to drive down energy bills

Gas, coal price caps around 50% below Q3 average prices Gas producers say price caps will backfire Power producers say unclear when bills will fall Coal producers seek more details…

Read More Here

Magic Messi fires Argentina into World Cup quarters

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (Reuters) -Lionel Messi scored his first goal in a World Cup knockout round in his 1,000th match to beat Diego Maradona's tournament tally, as Argentina beat off…

Read More Here

Australia in party mode as Socceroos reach World Cup knockouts

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia hailed Graham Arnold's new "golden generation" on Thursday and fans demanded a national holiday as the country celebrated the Socceroos' unlikely advance to the World Cup…

Read More Here

Australia lowers terror threat level for first time since 2014

SYDNEY, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Australia lowered its terrorism threat level on Monday to "possible" from "probable" for the first time in eight years, citing a reduced risk of attacks…

Read More Here