Renters are already the weak party at the negotiating table because they cannot ignore their need for a place to live. But a new series of apps that pit renter against renter will only further tip the balance of power in favour of landlords, making it even harder to get a house.

The fierce competition in the rental market often results in renters...

The risk of more severe storms and cyclones in the highly urbanised coastal areas of Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong might not be acute, but it is a real future threat with the further warming of the southern Pacific Ocean. One day a major storm – whether an East Coast Low or even a cyclone – could hit Sydney.

With higher ocean...

Melbourne’s successful bid to host a prestigious international conference on music cities in 2018 has been hailed as a golden opportunity for it to cement its status as “Australia’s music capital”, and “a...