The federal Opposition says it would back swift passage of lawyer Michelle Levy’s controversial plan to deregulate the financial advice sector, saying consumer groups are “dead wrong”.

The Chinese balloon incident highlights the fragility of Australia’s ties with Beijing even when business is booming.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.3 per cent to 7539 points; Nick Scali plunged 13 per cent to $10.80 and Newcrest shares rallied 9.3 per cent to $24.53.

The billionaire publican family headed by Arthur Laundy has taken full ownership of pubs like the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel and Northies in Cronulla.

OPINION: Lidia Thorpe’s defection has implications well beyond the Greens and the Voice.

The British government’s internal consultancy hub the Albanese government is modelling its strategy to reduce spending by $3 billion on has been shuttered.

The fun of betting on uncertain outcomes is not a problem. But addiction, organised crime and ubiquity make excessive gaming a social ill that needs a policy fix, writes Simon Longstaff.

The return of short- and longer-term travellers from China will boost Australia’s moribund apartment sector, but retail faces tougher headwinds, UBS warns.

Australian energy veteran Tom Streitberg and his MO Batteries co-founders are working with South-East Asia fleet operators shifting to electric motorbikes.

Financier Bill Papas scrawled out his elaborate financing scheme in detail on a notebook, the Federal Court heard on Monday.