Vidhya CK

According to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average annual salary for full-time workers in Australia is currently AU$103,812, while the median salary -- the figure that represents the "middle" earnings -- is AU$88,920.

Hawkcoin, trading under the ticker $HAWK, briefly soared to a market value of US$490 million shortly after its launch on Dec. 4. However, a significant sell-off soon followed, dropping its value to just US$26.4 million

The 35-year-old entrepreneur has been hit with nine charges for operating an unlawful lottery. His company, Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, which operates under the brand LMCT+, faces an additional ten similar charges.

At the center of the debate is a retired couple in their 90s, who are concerned about losing their part-age pension due to their AU$895,000 share portfolio, fearing that their growing wealth could jeopardize their pension payments.

While retirees are seeing some financial relief, the ASFA Retirement Standard emphasizes the need for better access to quality financial counsel to help Australians manage rising retirement costs and plan for the future.

The survey, which polled 25,000 Australians and scrutinized 1,000 brands across 27 industries, revealed a clear trend in consumer sentiment.

Located just under an hour's drive north of Melbourne's CBD, Mickleham has seen rapid population growth as young families, priced out of inner-city housing, move to more affordable areas. However, the development has raised concerns among locals and experts alike.

Since Nov. 21, Woolworths was facing an indefinite strike from over 1,500 workers, who have been demanding higher wages and improved safety measures.

The report identified eight groups as being particularly at high risk of multiple deprivation -- JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment, Disability Support Pension, or Youth Allowance, single-parent families, First Nations people, and those renting social or private housing.

Previously, these debts were indexed according to the inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. However, indexation will now follow the CPI or the Wage Price Index, whichever is lower.

The proposed law would require social media platforms to implement age-verification measures, with companies facing fines of up to AU$49.5 million for repeated violations.

Under the Australia Connect initiative, the Bosun subsea cable will link Darwin, Australia, to Christmas Island, which will then connect to Singapore. Additionally, a new interlink cable will connect Melbourne, Perth, and Christmas Island, with Melbourne linking to the Honomoana cable system.

"The legislation will give investors clarity and certainty to invest in Australia's potential to add more value to its natural resources, and help deliver cheaper and cleaner energy," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.

Responding to Elon Musk's criticism, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said, "Our job is not to come up with a social media policy to please Elon Musk. Our job is to put in place the necessary protection for kids online, and that's our motivation. We do that in the face of feedback from all quarters, we listen respectfully to the feedback we get on this policy and indeed on all of our policies, even where we don't agree with it."

BioCatch Trust Australia will be used to assess whether customers of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank (NAB), ANZ Group Holdings, Westpac, and Suncorp Bank were legitimate or fraudulent.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher confirmed in a joint statement that the fund's main goal was to maximize returns, with the growth rate benchmark and risk profile remaining unchanged.

The current gender pay gap is 21.8%, meaning women earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men, resulting in an average annual income difference of AU$28,425 less for women.

The rate of business failure increased to 5.04% in October, the highest level since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when it was 5.08%.

Following the OAIC's report, Bunnings released a video compilation showing incidents where customers threatened staff with weapons and physically assaulted them.

As underlying inflation remained "too high," RBA noted that it wanted to see consistent inflation data before considering a rate cut, to ensure any decline was sustainable.

"Mortgage arrears rates have risen, but they remain low and at similar levels in Australia and the United States," Christopher Kent, assistant governor of Reserve Bank of Australia, said. "This is despite the significant rise in required mortgage payments in Australia."

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, businesses providing essential goods and services, such as groceries, fuel, banks, and utilities or health services, will be required to accept cash, with some exemptions.

Independent MPs Zali Steggall and Kate Chaney were of the opinion that the legislation was favourable to major parties, while limiting competition.

"My focus will be on promoting Australia's national interests, which are about free and fair trade," Albanese told reporters on Friday, adding that strengthening Australia's engagement with economic partners in the region would be a priority.

However, the country maintained its position on final-status issues, including borders, security, and Jerusalem, which must be addressed through negotiations towards a two-state solution.

"We estimate that the average Australian consumer could be eligible for a refund ranging between $200 and $1300-plus, depending on their shopping habits and purchases at these retailers," the law firm's chairman, Gerard Malouf, said.

Under the new Tobacco Amendment (Tobacco Retailer and Wholesaler Licensing Scheme) Bill, which the government plans to pass by the end of the year, individuals found selling tobacco without a license could face fines of up to AU$355,000 or 15 years in prison, while businesses could be fined up to AU$1.7 million.

Rex suspended operations on 11 routes and entered administration in July, after which the airfare, including economy and discount rates, on all major city routes saw a huge spike in the quarter to September, according to the latest domestic airline monitoring report by ACCC.

The dispute was believed to be centered around tax payments and the potential renegotiation of contracts between Resolute and the Malian authorities.