Insights

Dan Savage - advice columnist, author, provocateur and parent, among other things - learnt to stop mincing words a long time ago.

It was an impulsive plan, the abhorrence of which appeared to escape Dylan Deblaquiere in the crudely written text message he sent to his fellow ADFA officer cadet Daniel McDonald.

Italian provedores selling properties

The Uniting Church's plan to sell a popular Williamstown church has faltered after a member of the local congregation filed a lawsuit to block the sale.

One of Melbourne's greenest office buildings has changed hands for $33.55 million.

NOEL HARRISON SINGER, ACTOR, OLYMPIAN 29-1-1924 - 19-10-2013

EMMET COSTELLO, SJ JESUIT PRIEST 22-5-1924 - 15-10-2013

Full-year earnings releases from the National Australia Bank and ANZ will dominate corporate news, while US inflation data and manufacturing data from China will also be of interest.

Global uncertainty, downbeat levels of business confidence and a slowdown in mining investment will continue to place a significant drag on Australia's fragile economy.

In this week's essential reading guide Kohler considers a Chinese free-for-all, Gottliebsen argues Australia can win the milk war, Pickering diagnoses ills in Australia's housing market and Burgess calls time on carbon warfare.

The Abbott government's cutbacks threaten industry assistance to SPC and Simplot, but there are good reasons to rethink the growth potential of their sector.

Despite the digitisation of the music industry, live music continues to thrive, as the economics of touring stack the odds heavily in favour of the artist.

Rio Tinto is poised to sell its share of the Clermont mine.

Buying a share in a star athlete's success presents a whole new ballgame for investors, but a sudden career-ending injury could mean that losing money is just a hit away.

Australia's second bananas Joe Hockey, Chris Bowen and Wayne Swan are fighting for the last word in the fiscal blame game. Who will emerge triumphant?

A polite but unsmiling flight attendant and some spontaneous crowdsurfing are part of the experience on a China Southern flight.