Business

A sea of red Santa hats on the beach is a common Christmas Day sight in Australia, and a new study pinpoints the exact beaches near you that almost guarantee perfect beachside weather conditions this December 25th 2025.

Bendigo Bank’s 2026 Australian Agriculture Outlook report provides an in-depth perspective on supply, demand, and price outlooks for Australia’s major agricultural commodities for the first half of 2026.

Jenny Pollard. A new vision for Charlton's Christmas decorations has been realised thanks to the innovation and inspiration of a small group named "Community Spark". The volunteer-led team, comprising many "newcomers" to town, has created the impetus for refreshing and renewing the main street décor, along with encouraging local involvement in boosting the festive signature of the township.

Energy Estate Digital is developing state of the art subsea data cable networks between Australia and New Zealand and key global hubs including California, Japan and India. These new networks are designed to support the growth of the AI economy and connect global hubs with new regions with access to the abundant land, energy and water resources.

Australia’s almond sector is entering a new era, as it begins large-scale orchard replanting to enable future growth and satisfy increasing local and global appetite for the popular nut, Rabobank says in a newly-released report. In its Australian Almond Outlook: Replanting for growth beyond 2030, the specialist agribusiness bank’s RaboResearch division says the Australian almond industry is "entering a pivotal transition phase"...

Austinn Lane. A new missile manufacturing facility at Proof Range, south of Port Wakefield, is the only site outside the US authorised to produce the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System ... The facility marks a major step forward in Australia's missile capability, creating around 20 on-site manufacturing jobs and supporting hundreds more ...

After years of uncertainty over what happens to household soft plastics, a new Australian partnership is proving they can be recycled, and reused, locally, and at scale ... ARR.News interviews Matthew Holloway from the Holloway Group and Danial Gallagher from iQRenew.

Cameron Keane explains how mine tyres can be recycled into pretty much free energy and fishing banned in WA? Fiona L Fox delves into this contentious law in your regional news.

“Net zero means we have to completely change everything we do in a single generation, from how we drive, to what we eat and make ... There needs to be new modelling done on what the exact cost of net zero is. In Senate estimates, the government was unable to outline the cost of Australia reaching net zero. That is unacceptable. Australians deserve to know how much this radical proposal will cost them”: Senator Matt Canavan.

The safety of workers and the integrity of renewable energy projects across the state has been called into question last week, after a nationwide audit was launched following the discovery of asbestos in wind turbine components. The finding points to a lapse in compliance with Australian import laws, and has raised concerns the future of planned energy project development in the Hay and Balranald region.

A new report by Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) reveals more than 1,500 people have come to the organisation since 2023 with complaints about social media and other digital platforms. The report, Digital platforms complaints insights, shows 71 per cent per cent of disputes are with the major tech companies Google, Microsoft, Apple, Hubbl, and Meta.

Gippsland Critical Minerals (GCM) will commence work on its Mining and Rehabilitation Demonstration Pit (MRDP) in early 2026 with the workplan formally approved by Resources Victoria, marking an important step forward in progressing the redesigned project ... “It is exciting to get the go ahead to commence this work which will give the community some real insight into our mining methods and how the project has changed”: GCM CEO Michelle Wood.

Quill. Tuesday's mid-week meeting at Donald and District Race Club was one that reminded me of the perks of my job as the local race reporter; what a glorious day ... There was a buzz of excitement around the grounds with Harry Coffey's win total sitting at 997 prior to the first of his eight races on the day.

The owner-operator of the Union Hill Gold Mine and nearby gold processing plant, Kaiser Reef Ltd, held an information session for Maldon residents ... to advise of current and future works planned for its Maldon sites. ... Kaiser Reef Ltd, which is listed on the ASX, has operated in Maldon since 2021 after an acquisition agreement with Golden River Resources Pty Ltd.

The Department of Health has confirmed the first detection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in mosquitoes for the 2025–26 season. The virus was found in a mosquito trap in the Horsham Rural City Council area, as part of Victoria's Arbovirus Disease Control Program.

WFI Insurance today shared concerning rural crime statistics in conjunction with the University of New England Centre for Rural Criminology, revealing 90 per cent of NSW farmers have experienced crime on farms, with around 30 per cent victimised 7 or more times. The crime statistics from UNE’s National Rural Crime Survey were highlighted on a special WFI rural crime podcast which aims to help farmers reduce their risk of being targeted by criminals.

Terry Collins. It's been a huge week for Gosford, with the opening of the long-awaited Archibald Precinct on the site of the former Union Hotel and a hugely successful open day at the new Gosford campus of The University of Newcastle, which is set to open next year. Business NSW Central Coast Regional Director Scott Goold said with more major developments in the CBD well underway, the longed-for reactivation of the regional capital was finally becoming a reality.

An early morning storm combined with less promotion than in previous years probably contributed to the smaller crowd of spectators at the Greenmount Billycart Challenge on Saturday but the enthusiasm of the competitors was as strong as ever. 

Snowy Hydro continues to strengthen its critical role underpinning reliability while enabling Australia's renewable energy transition with the signing of major energy contracts with Aula Energy and TagEnergy, securing new capacity in wind generation and grid-scale battery storage. The long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Aula Energy will see Snowy Hydro procure 120MW of renewable energy from the Carmody's Hill Wind Farm in South Australia.

Gus van Hart. For Kerang operator Michael Sommerville, a four-day visit to Samoa in November showed how a small, family-run business in northern Victoria could build deep ties with Pacific workers and end up advising the nation's Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Fuimaono Maiava Tito Asafo.

Will social media still exist? Will mobile phones still be hand-held? Does anyone carry cash? Will people be catching fast trains from Maroochydore to Brisbane? What did the world make of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games? The best ever? A snapshot of life on the Sunshine Coast in 2025 is captured in time - to be revealed in 25 years - when a time capsule will be re-opened.

Major-brand supermarkets and fuel retailers in bankless towns could be eligible for exemptions from the Federal Government’s proposed cash mandate regulations under exceptional circumstances provisions, an official from Treasury confirmed today during Senate Estimates hearings. The information was obtained by WA Senator Tyron Whitten in a series of questions about regional banking services.