AAP

Australian shares have had their second worst session of August, with national airline Qantas reporting a $4 billion revenue hit from the COVID-19 crisis.

Qantas chief Alan Joyce is confident the Morrison government will extend its support for the aviation sector during the coronavirus crisis.

Booming sales at Bunnings and Officeworks through the pandemic may have been a bright spot in Wesfarmers' full-year results.

The frustration felt by tourism businesses about coronavirus restrictions and border closures is at boiling point, and jobs are on the line, a Senate inquiry has been told.

South Australia has established a task force to put a plan to the AFL to stage some finals in Adelaide including, possibly, the grand final later this year.

Four new coronavirus cases, all related to a family who returned from overseas, have been reported in Western Australia.

A standout profit from CSL, a gratefully-received bank dividend and optimism that a coronavirus vaccine will come to fruition have helped the share market higher.

Western Australia's legal battle with Clive Palmer is set to drag on, with a Queensland judge delaying a key decision until September.

Every Australian could receive a free coronavirus vaccination early next year, if a promising trial proves successful.

BHP and Westpac have shown the scars of the coronavirus pandemic as reporting season continued but investors stayed optimistic and the ASX closed higher.

Two women from South Australia who breached quarantine after being refused entry to Western Australia have been taken into custody.

BHP's full-year profit has slipped four per cent and it expects its major revenue earner, iron ore, will have less demand from China and greater competition from Brazil.

Westpac will not pay a first-half dividend after third quarter cash earnings dropped by 22 per cent, and has been punished on the share market.

Australia's largest steel maker BlueScope has had a 91 per cent dive in full-year profit after a $197 million write-down of its New Zealand and Pacific Islands operations.

Australians who paid the government money through the controversial robodebt scheme have been reimbursed $545 million.

Australia's share market has produced its poorest session of the month at the start of a bumper week of earnings reports.

Entertainment retailer JB Hi-Fi has been buoyed by customers spending more on electronic equipment to supply their home offices during the coronavirus pandemic.

Australia's share market has had its best week since July 3 as the first busy week of a COVID-hit earnings season failed to dampen investor confidence.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged to "move heaven and earth" to defeat the coronavirus as Australia recorded its youngest victim of the pandemic.

Investors believe National Australia Bank's seven per cent drop in third quarter cash profit was not as bad as feared, and have raised the bank's share price.

Western Australia's position is ironclad against future legal challenges, the premier says, after passing laws to stop Clive Palmer claiming damages against the state.

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe expects economic growth to contract by 7 per cent when the June quarter figures are released.

The latest batch of coronavirus-hit earnings reports has contributed to the Australian share market's worst session in August.

Western Australia’s jobless rate has improved by a modest amount, with 19,000 more people in mostly full-time work, while national figures worsened to their highest level in 22 years.

TAFE education injects $92 billion to Australia's economy each year, according to a report that calls for a major increase in funding to the sector.

The state government has passed its extraordinary 'Palmer' Bill through the lower house, as it seeks to head off Clive Palmer's potential $30 billion damages claim.

Australia's top science agency has pledged at least $100 million each year towards helping the nation recover from coronavirus.

Shares have closed slightly lower on the Australian market after Commonwealth Bank's virus-hit full-year result was a rare blight on the financial sector.

Wage increases have shrunk to their lowest level in over two decades and economists fear the worst is yet to come as the coronavirus fuels unemployment.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia boss Matt Comyn says the lender entered the coronavirus pandemic in a very strong position but has been impacted nonetheless.

More than 50 Western Australian nurses will head to Victoria to help with the state's coronavirus outbreak in a volunteer capacity.

Australia's banks have played a major role in helping shares move higher for a second consecutive day.