Drug forum ends on sour note as diversity challenged
Accusations of diversity issues and "sanitised" recommendations have marred the end of a nation-leading forum centred on reducing community drug harms.
Social Issue
Lose the force: call to ban cops from Mardi Gras
A proposal to stop police from marching at Mardi Gras would be a "slap in the face" to LGBTQI officers, a state premier says.
Neo-Nazi kept ‘shrine’ to Third Reich in bedroom
An admitted neo-Nazi who intimidated a Jewish man at a bus stop kept a shrine in his bedroom that included images of German soldiers committing atrocities.
Australia-wide study ordered into school bullying
Bullying in Australian schools will be put under a microscope as the federal government looks to tackle the behaviour in the real world.
Youth detainees abused in care to share $75m settlement
More than 100 former detainees at a notoriously troubled youth detention centre have had a $75 million payout approved for alleged abuses over 63 years.
‘Knee-jerk reaction’ social media ban set to pass
A proposal to ban children from social media is expected to become law despite experts and politicians arguing it may not make the internet safer for kids.
Landmark plan to address ‘systemic, structural’ racism
Australians are being challenged to confront systemic racism and the enduring impacts of colonisation in a landmark report from the Human Rights Commission.
Teen social media ban a step closer despite concerns
A social media ban is looming for Australians aged under 16 after the measure to force restrictions on many platforms cleared its first hurdle in parliament.
Pauline Hanson appeals court ruling she was racist
Pauline Hanson is appealing a court ruling she was racist towards Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi on the basis of alleged errors in the judicial process.
Prison isolation looms for cop after fatal Taser shot
An officer who fatally tasered an aged-care resident is waiting to learn if he will be put into isolation in custody after his manslaughter verdict.
Tech giant concern as social media ban passes
The parent company for Facebook has hit out at a looming ban on under 16s for social media, labelling the process as rushed.
Taser cop devastated by pain of elderly victim’s family
A senior constable who fatally tasered a 95-year-old woman says he remains 'devastated' by her death, after learning his bail will be continued over Christmas.
Nazi salute convictions overturned in key test for laws
Two men accused of displaying Nazi salutes at the 2022 Australia Cup final have been found not guilty on appeal, while a third remains convicted over the crime.
Indigenous kids removed from family at growing rates
Governments must get serious in supporting 'woefully underfunded' community organisations as a report reveals the startling rate of Indigenous child removals.
Anti-corruption boss grilled over robodebt decision
The head of the national anti-corruption watchdog has defended himself before a federal parliamentary committee probing its performance.
Man accused of covering up Isla Bell killing seeks bail
A man accused of assisting in the murder of Isla Bell should have known the teen's body was in a fridge he transported across the city, a court has been told.
Truckie jailed 20 years after boy killed in hit-and-run
Almost 20 years to the day since a "wonderful" six-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run crash, the driver responsible for his death has been jailed.
Australia’s diversity a mark of pride, says Penny Wong
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has revealed the hardship she experienced as an immigrant child after being honoured at the Asian Australian Leadership Awards.
Why Aussie school students are being given an AI grade
An artificial intelligence tool developed in Australia is being tested in classrooms and early results suggest it is helping students improve their answers.
‘Not the frailest I’ve seen’: cop who tasered woman, 95
An elderly woman holding a knife was not meant to die after being tasered for being a threat as she approached police officers and paramedics, a jury has heard.
Task force to tackle crime in Brisbane’s tent cities
A task force has been established to tackle 'anti-social behaviour' at tent cities in Brisbane's parks, as homelessness services buckle under pressure.
Social cohesion holds despite inflation, high migration
Australians are able to disentangle how they feel about higher migration levels from their appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism, research suggests.
Fans say host trampled Dolly Alderton’s Good Material
Fans of Dolly Alderton complain an evening with the bestselling author in Melbourne was dominated by host Hugh van Cuylenburg.
Dutton supports abortion access, hits out at ‘games’
Peter Dutton backs a woman's right to access abortion services, and has hit out at attempts to "play games" with a state-based issue.
Pioneering artist, 80, plays to his biggest crowd yet
Artist William Yang has been taking photographs since the 1970s, and will perform one of his groundbreaking monologues in front of his biggest audience ever.
Bouncy castle safety warning ahead of summer fun
Bouncy castles and other inflatables aren't always properly anchored, putting children's safety at risk, a workplace safety watchdog has warned.
Cops ‘did their best’ by tasering great-grandmother
A police officer who attended a nursing home when a 95-year-old with dementia symptoms was tasered told colleagues that was the best they could have done.
Social media ban nearly past the post as queries remain
A social media ban for children younger than 16 is set to come into effect in 2025 after state leaders signed off on the "world-leading" measure.
Gaza man with possible Hamas links loses fight for visa
A painter fleeing from the Gaza Strip whose visitor visa was revoked due to suspected terrorist links has lost a court bid to be with his family in Australia.
Hanson tweet to Muslim senator ‘ultimate racist slur’
A judge has rebuked Pauline Hanson for being loose with the truth, making racist remarks for decades and telling a Greens senator to return to Pakistan.
Corpse disposal claim against Tyrrell foster mum tested
Allegations William Tyrrell's foster mother hid his body after he accidentally died at a coastal property 10 years ago are being examined by a coroner.