New normal: knife laws inconvenient, but here to stay
In a move likened to roadside breath testing, police will randomly target areas where violence has previously occurred and wand people for weapons in new laws.
Crime Law and Justice
Man accused of killing ex-girlfriend wants city trial
A man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend wants his trial to be held in Melbourne, away from the regional city of Ballarat where the alleged murder occurred.
Alleged bikie boss arrested after international manhunt
An accused Hells Angels kingpin has been deported to Australia after spending weeks in a Manila airport terminal.
Search for man after targeted fight turns fatal
A manhunt is underway after a man and a woman were shot dead in an early-morning altercation in a suburban home.
Injecting room boss ‘ready to quit’ over drug inaction
Nearly 5000 places hand out free syringes but only two take the next step and supervise drug users, which must change soon, say key reform advocates.
Killer driver to be extradited after days on the run
A dangerous driver who fled interstate just days before he was to be sentenced for killing an off-duty paramedic will return home for sentencing.
‘Russian roulette’: deadly drug alert as imports surge
Federal police are warning commonplace drugs like cocaine and MDMA are increasingly laced with a powerful type of synthetic opioid.
Sacking of cop who tasered 95yo ‘too little, too late’
A senior constable who fatally tasered a 95-year-old woman has been dismissed from the police force less than a week after being found guilty of manslaughter.
Easey Street families stare down alleged double killer
A man charged over one of Australia's most notorious cold case murders has faced court 47 years after the deaths of Suzanne Armstrong and Susan Bartlett.
Drug decriminalisation push nipped in the bud, for now
A broad consensus for treating drug use and possession outside the justice system in a government-run drug summit butts up against current policies.
Rush to pass social media ban angers experts, MPs
As parliament prepares to stop people younger than 16 using social media, the government has been accused of trying to ram through the laws without scrutiny.
Australian offer to help Laos tainted alcohol probe
As friends and family mourn the loss of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, the prime minister has offered federal police to help the investigation in Laos.
‘National shame’: Landmark inquest shines light on DV
Findings on the deaths of four Aboriginal women at the hands of their partners have been handed down by a coroner.
Police in ‘joint criminal enterprise’ to get Mokbel
A judge has accused police of operating a "joint criminal enterprise" to take down drug kingpin Tony Mokbel by using his lawyer Nicola Gobbo as an informer.
Bail for cleaner accused of hiding Isla Bell’s remains
A residential cleaner who allegedly transported the remains of Isla Bell in a fridge and helped conceal her death from police has been granted bail.
Housing policies at lock-up stage with Greens support
Labor has had a breakthrough on its stalled housing agenda after securing Greens support for a federal shared-equity scheme and build-to-rent policies.
Failed cocaine and people smuggler cops hefty sentence
A superyacht operator has been jailed for more than 11 years for his role in a failed drug-smuggling operation that led to the death of a Brazilian diver.
Expansive migration laws to deport, ban entry imminent
A trio of migration bills with sweeping government powers is set to be passed after the coalition backed the amendments amid mounting criticisms of overreach.
Rising rate of jailed Indigenous women rings alarm bell
Domestic and family violence, and insecure housing are among the issues driving up the numbers of Indigenous women in Australia's prison system, advocates say.
Cop who tasered 95yo in ‘terrible tragedy’ faces jail
A serving police officer who fatally tasered a 95-year-old woman is facing jail after being found guilty of manslaughter but will keep his job for now.
Ex-footy star faces court over alleged drunken rampage
A former rugby league and union great is looking to have at least one assault charge dropped following an alleged rampage at a bar.
Govt apologises for suffering caused by stolen wages
The suffering and injustice caused to Indigenous people who worked for little or no wages under discriminatory laws has been acknowledged by the government.
Body-in-bags victim allegedly had ‘fiance’ overseas
A woman allegedly killed and dismembered her husband with a drop-saw before disposing of the pieces of his body in neighbourhood bins.
Indigenous leader locked up for ‘calculated’ $1m theft
Indigenous leader Geoff Clark and his son Jeremy have been sentenced after they were found guilty of stealing almost $1 million from Aboriginal organisations.
University ‘incubator’ for Jewish hatred, inquiry told
Jewish students are "hiding" their religion on campus amid a rising tide of hatred, a parliamentary inquiry into anti-Semitism at universities has been told.
Man extradited and charged over alleged fatal assault
A man will front court charged over the death of another man found lying on the ground outside a home in the middle of the night.
Mass deportations ruled out under immigration powers
The immigration minister is defending a suite of powers making it easier to deport people without valid visas following criticism from human rights groups.
Record cocaine plot dead in water as smugglers hit snag
An alleged plot by a notorious bikie gang to import the largest ever amount of cocaine into Australia has been foiled by police and a broken down boat.
Trial witness opts to testify to avoid murder charge
A witness in the murder trial of a suburban mum says he agreed to testify in his friend's trial so his own murder charge could be dropped.
Deportation bill ‘constitutionally unsound’: inquiry
A senate inquiry has been told more than 80,000 non-citizens could be removed from Australia under a Labor goverment bill.
‘At peace’: teenager’s family confirms methanol death
Holly Bowles has become the sixth person and second Australian to die after a suspected methanol poisoning event in Laos, her family has confirmed.