Royal Commission highlights need for mortgage broking reform.

Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn is conceding that the services provided in return for ongoing commission fees charged by mortgage brokers are "closer to none."

Pat McConnell, visiting fellow in the Applied Finance Centre at Macquarie University, says the issue of mortgage broking as a financial activity should be re-thought.

India’s most powerful rocket aced its second orbital flight on Wednesday, preparing for a robotic lunar mission in January.

The Indian Space Research Organization (IRSO) launched the rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center, successfully delivering a communications satellite into orbit.

The world’s first ‘groundscraper” hotel - plunging 88 metres into an old quarry on the fringes of Shanghai - is set to open its doors to the public today.

British Architect, Martin Jochman told Xinhua the quarry pit was the source for his inspiration, that he wanted to build a hotel that integrated with its natural environment.

The construction process was reportedly fraught with delays and challenges, such as drainage and the complicated transportation of building materials.

A workplace health and safety report more than a decade old found no safety breaches in Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride.

During a 10-day WPHS audit, inspector Ian Stewart identified dozens of serious safety concerns. Mr. Stewart told the inquest on this Monday the ride was "poorly maintained" and severely understaffed.

As the inquest enters its sixth week, WPHS officers have become the focus of the inquiry.

The Brisbane City Council has requested consumer metadata from telecoms companies, prompting concerns from the Labour opposition.

The request would include access to details of numbers called by phone users, their location, the length of calls, email addresses, and other information telcos are obliged to keep for two years under national security laws.

A spokesman for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says the information from telecommunication companies will be used to assist police investigations.

A canola oil factory catches fire in Carrum Downs, Melbourne.

It took firefighters more than 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control, and police and fire crews are at the scene investigating the blaze.

The building has been damaged with police treating the blaze as suspicious, there are no reports of injuries.

A police raid in the Dallas suburb of Melbourne this morning has led to the search of three properties at dawn.

The raid has led to the arrest of two men, a 26 and 21 year old, who were alleged to be involved in preparations for a terrorist attack.

While police say there is no current threat to the community, more information will be available to the public from a police press conference at 9am.

A Chinese novelist has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for writing and distributing homoerotic novels.

The female writer, known by her internet pseudonym Tianyi, was arrested following the success of her novel “Occupy”. The book was described by police as depicting “obscene sexual behavior between males” set to themes of “violence, abuse and humiliation.”

Tianyi’s case has gained national attention after being shared online, sparking debate over the production and sale of pornography, which remains strictly prohibited in China.