AAP

Unemployment has fallen to the lowest level since 2013 in Western Australia, with employment of women well above pre-COVID levels.

Australia's banking watchdog has written to the nation's banks, warning there are signs of some increased risk-taking as homebuyers rush to secure loans in a heated housing market.

The federal government will have a close eye on coronavirus hospitalisation numbers during the European summer when it considers a return to opening the border.

Laws to ban serious criminals from accessing secure areas at airports and seaports have passed both houses of parliament.

An urgent push to have Western Australia's former corruption watchdog reappointed to the role has been labelled "arrogance" by the opposition.

Premier Mark McGowan says it was an "oversight" that police had lawful access to data obtained through a contact tracing app.

Australia's share market notched a second consecutive all-time high, but China's continued efforts to lower commodity prices caused mining shares to slump.

Australia's lowest-paid workers will receive a bigger pay rise than last year after the industrial umpire decided on an $18.80-a-week wage increase.

Investors have abandoned the Shaver Shop Group after its full-year earnings forecast failed to match expectations.

Australia's farm production has been forecast to surge past $66 billion with a bumper crop pushing forecasts $400 million higher than expected.

Australia plans to lure more than 10,000 farm workers from South-East Asia under a new agriculture visa farmers have long campaigned for.

Resources giant Rio Tinto is set to trial the use of hydrogen to replace natural gas in a bid to cut emissions from an alumina plant in Queensland.

More Australian beef and lamb will be exported to the UK as import taxes are phased out over a decade under a free trade deal between the two nations.

Commonwealth Bank and CSL shares have helped the Australian share market to a record high but some analysts are tipping the fertile environment will be slowly withdrawn from next month.

The state government will move to protect contact tracing data after it was legally obtained by police to assist a murder investigation.

Australia could take up to four years to start manufacturing cutting-edge coronavirus vaccines like the Pfizer and Moderna jabs.

The Reserve Bank of Australia board believes the economy is transitioning from recovery to expansion with more momentum than previously anticipated.

Australia is not doing enough to reduce carbon emissions and risks being left behind as other countries race to embrace renewable energy.

Clive Palmer's $30 billion battle with the state of Western Australia might finally be resolved when the two parties return to the High Court.

Scott Morrison and his British counterpart Boris Johnson have struck a free trade deal between Australia and the United Kingdom.

GPs have been given the green light to visit people at home or in disability or aged care facilities, in a bid to fast-track the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Scott Morrison is heading to London for talks with Boris Johnson but an Australia-UK free trade deal might not be finalised during his visit.

Australia has become even more isolated on climate change after the heads of the world's largest economies agreed to end government support for coal-fired power stations by the end of the year.

Shares finished the week at a record closing level on the ASX as a fund manager tipped infrastructure assets to give long-term value on increasingly pricey markets.

A judge has approved a $1.2 billion settlement between robodebt victims and the federal government while blasting the scheme for being a "shameful chapter" in public administration.

Premier Investments has raised its full-year retail earnings forecast by about 90 per cent after booming sales this year.

Clive Palmer and Mark McGowan have been ordered to meet "face-to-face" in a bid to resolve the mining magnate's defamation case against the premier.

Medical experts have reassured Australians about the safety of coronavirus vaccines after the death of a 52-year-old woman, and are encouraging people to keep coming forward.

The federal government has announced which hotels, motels and other facilities will share in $10.2 million in funding for energy saving projects.

Australia and Singapore have agreed to work on the conditions for quarantine-free travel during a brief leaders' meeting.

Shares climbed to a record closing high on the Australian market but may tumble on Friday if there is any sign of rising inflation from the US.

Australians have been warned reaching a population-wide vaccination target will not trigger a federal government decision to open international borders.