Trade unions will not have the power to take complete control of workplace
bargaining, the federal government says.

Former NRL star Greg Bird is facing fresh charges over the alleged nightclub assault
on a woman, but his lawyer says new evidence from bouncers may clear his name.

National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB) will cut its dividend for the first time in 18
years and restructure its institutional business to secure the bank against the

He may have fully recovered from concussion but Ben Cousins' head is still spinning.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said Cousins would play a "full four quarters" in

Bushfire survivors whose homes were lost or badly damaged in the deadly Black
Saturday disaster will receive $50,000 each to kickstart their rebuilding process.

The lawyer for rugby league star Brett Stewart says he has not been informed of any
DNA test results, amid reports they do not support the sexual assault charge against

Negotiations between a key crossbench senator and the Rudd government over the
alcopops legislation have become deadlocked.

The sharp rise in unemployment has prompted a call from a major employer group for
significant changes to Labor's Fair Work Bill.

Labor made Peter Costello the star of question time on Thursday and the former
treasurer didn't have to say a word.

A sharp rise in the unemployment rate is evidence the global recession is impacting
on Australian jobs, Employment Minister Julia Gillard says.