AAP

The prime minister says increasing the benefit to 26 weeks is worth considering - but budget constraints mean it won't happen immediately.

The local share market has closed sharply lower, with cyclical stocks taking a beating as fears of a prolonged US recession re-emerge.

The once-in-a-generation shift in demand to minerals needed for a cleaner world makes Australia a winner, but miners are also being urged to decarbonise.

The local share market finished Wednesday down 0.16 per cent to close out the month with a 0.6 per cent gain.

National cabinet has agreed to reduce the mandatory isolation period for positive COVID-19 cases from seven to five days.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host national cabinet with his state and territory counterparts to discuss shortening COVID-19 isolation time.

The ASX has recovered a bit of Monday's sharp losses, led by the energy and tech sectors.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed a referendum to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution will not be in the first half of next year.

The local bourse has suffered its worst loss since early June following a hawkish speech by US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.

Workers are likely securing higher pay by changing jobs, new data from SEEK reveals, but driving up real wages remains a problem.

The local share market has finished higher for a third straight day, gaining 0.8 per cent, but marginally lost ground for the week.

Greens leader Adam Bandt has taken aim at the government's decision to approve thousands of kilometres of offshore waters for oil and gas exploration.

The local share market has gained ground for a second session, especially in the energy and mining sectors, on the busiest day of the reporting season.

Woolworths says supply chain disruptions, shortages, absenteeism and flooding led to financial performance that was below the supermarket giant's aspirations.

Qantas has reported an annual underlying pre-tax loss of $1.86 billion as travel restrictions due to the pandemic disrupted air travel.

The ASX200 has snapped its two-day losing streak with strong gains for mining, energy and technology companies.

Work is ongoing to reduce a backlog of visa processing for skilled workers looking to enter Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says.

The local share market has neared a three-week low as sentiment worsens ahead of the Jackson Hole meeting of central bankers in the United States.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has rejected an application to pause works on a contentious West Australian fertiliser plant.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has called for a boost in migration levels to help solve the country's skills shortage.

The local share market has fallen by nearly a percentage point, its biggest drop in six weeks.

The local share market has fallen by nearly a percentage point, its biggest drop in six weeks.

Qantas is rolling out a $50 flight discount as an apology for the poor service and lost baggage in a turbulent post-pandemic return to the skies.

The local share market has finished flat on Friday with a rally in the energy sector balanced by losses in financials, ending the week up 1.2 per cent.

Australia's biggest gold miner Newcrest Mining has posted a drop in full-year profit for 2022 and warns of ongoing global cost pressures and labour shortages.

The Australian share market has finished lower for the first time this week, declining 0.2 per cent as tech, mining and utilities lagged.

Australia's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest in almost five decades with more positions open than jobseekers to fill them.

Qantas' $614 million takeover of resources sector charter flights provider Alliance Airlines could be heading into turbulence.

Amid "an almost unparalleled year" for energy markets, Origin Energy has posted a loss of $1.429 billion, reflecting a $2.196 billion impairment charge.

The local share market has closed higher for a third day, with gains for consumer companies and BHP outweighing losses by CSL and CBA trading ex-dividend.

Parliamentarians are questioning the governor-general's role in Scott Morrison's secret appointment to five additional portfolios while he was prime minister.

Blood products and vaccines supplier CSL has reported a six per cent fall in annual profit and is tipping a slightly better earnings performance in 2022/23.