AAP

The state government has passed its extraordinary 'Palmer' Bill through the lower house, as it seeks to head off Clive Palmer's potential $30 billion damages claim.

Australia's top science agency has pledged at least $100 million each year towards helping the nation recover from coronavirus.

Shares have closed slightly lower on the Australian market after Commonwealth Bank's virus-hit full-year result was a rare blight on the financial sector.

Wage increases have shrunk to their lowest level in over two decades and economists fear the worst is yet to come as the coronavirus fuels unemployment.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia boss Matt Comyn says the lender entered the coronavirus pandemic in a very strong position but has been impacted nonetheless.

More than 50 Western Australian nurses will head to Victoria to help with the state's coronavirus outbreak in a volunteer capacity.

Australia's banks have played a major role in helping shares move higher for a second consecutive day.

Taxpayer money could be put on the line to support gas projects as Australia recovers from the economic shocks of coronavirus.

Network 10 is axing local bulletins in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane under a major restructure of its news operations.

A "damning" report into the dysfunctional City of Perth justifies the state government's decision to suspend the council, Western Australia's premier says.

Premier Mark McGowan says Rio Tinto's destruction of ancient sites in the state's north should serve as a warning to other mining companies.

Shares have closed 1.76 per cent higher on the Australian market as investors remain optimistic the US can approve an economic aid package.

Qantas has blamed poor takeup of its latest share offer on tightened border restrictions after only 5 per cent of shareholders participated.

Western Australia's hard COVID-19 border closure has deterred 99 per cent of normal eastern states traffic entering the state.

Australia's share market has finished the week higher by 1.3 per cent and above 6,000 points, after earlier gains outweighed today's session which closed lower.

Australia's aged care system will face coronavirus stress tests to avoid deadly outbreaks that swept through Melbourne nursing homes.

Western Australia is at war with Clive Palmer, the state's premier has declared, as the Commonwealth stopped short of backing a new border trial.

Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques faced a Senate inquiry this morning amid continued fallout from the mining giant's destruction of ancient sites in Western Australia.

Western Australia will look into manufacturing wind turbine components as part of a mission towards greater self-sufficiency driven by the coronavirus pandemic.

Gains for miners and energy companies courtesy of rising commodity prices have helped the ASX close higher and recover from a grim economic forecast.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says tighter coronavirus restrictions in Victoria will lead to as many as 400,000 people losing their job or seeing their hours reduced to zero and a 10 per cent national jobless rate by year's end.

Australia's share market has closed lower and hovered around the 6,000 points mark after investors were surprised by a Queensland decision to close its borders.

Housing loan commitments rose in June, as coronavirus restrictions eased and normality returned to auction markets.

The Morrison government will allow other states and territories to join Victoria in accessing $1,500 pandemic payments for workers without sick leave.

Around 3,000 jobs will go at Virgin Australia under a trimmed-down vision of the carrier, which has been hit by turmoil in the aviation market caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Australia's share market closed almost two per cent higher as investors gained confidence from a technology-led Wall Street rally.

The cash rate may have been left unchanged but the Reserve Bank's economic forecast has improved slightly despite a renewed lockdown in Victoria.

Retail sales in Australia fell by 3.4 per cent in the June quarter amid coronavirus lockdowns, which is the biggest drop since the GST was introduced in 2000.

Premier Mark McGowan has accused Clive Palmer of seeking to enter Western Australia so he can promote hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus cure.

Investors sold off the big banks for the second consecutive session as Melbourne braced for a six-week hard lockdown.

The Australian share market has suffered its worst day in five weeks, falling alongside overseas indices after a record contraction in the US economy.

All workers at BHP's Perth headquarters will be able to return to the office full-time from Monday.