Good morning,

The Albanese government has signed off on extending the life of four coal mines in Queensland and NSW that employ thousands of workers, under strict environmental conditions and in the face of opposition from green groups.

Meanwhile, the value of Australia’s energy and resource exports will fall substantially over the next 18 months and a possible US-China trade war threatens to extend the pain, according to new government forecasts that will intensify concerns about the outlook for the economy.

And the competition regulator won't allow Catholic Health Australia, whose members provide about a third of private hospital care nationally, to collectively boycott large health insurers , should negotiations for increased hospital funding arrangements fail.

The Australian Business Review morning newsletter will return in early January, but you can keep up to date with the latest in business throughout the holiday period in our afternoon newsletter every weekday.