‘Living in cardboard box’: child deaths under review
A report into dozens of child deaths has indicated kids were being lost in a state's residential care system that had "forgotten how to care".
government
Anger in halls of power over ‘unfair’ electoral reforms
Federal MPs have clashed in a Parliament House corridor over political donation laws which loom as a sticking point in minority government negotiations.
Petition to parliament pushes for four-day working week
Greater work-life balances and time with family are just some of the reasons Sunshine State residents are petitioning for a four-day work week.
Cost relief hailed as right prescription for menopause
Women's health specialists say hormone therapy subsidies are a significant step forward in treating the often prolonged and severe symptoms of menopause.
Trump imposes sanctions on International Criminal Court
The US president signs an executive order sanctioning the ICC, accusing it of "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel".
Woman dies in raging floodwaters as deluge continues
A woman is dead after a rescue boat flipped in fast-rising floodwaters as a once-in-a-century deluge prompts evacuation alerts.
Trump considers scrapping FEMA, pledges disaster help
After touring disaster-hit North Carolina and Los Angeles, Donald Trump says he's considering getting rid of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Senate confirms Noem as Trump’s homeland security chief
The Senate has confirmed Kristi Noem as homeland security boss, putting the South Dakota governor in charge of an agency set to clamp down on illegal migration.
Athlete villages for 2032 Games stuck on starting block
Claims of a $3 billion black hole in construction costs for villages to house athletes competing at the 2032 Olympics have been rejected by a former government.
Trump tells Russia to end war, downplays TikTok threat
US President Donald Trump has urged Russia's Vladimir Putin to make a deal to end the "ridiculous" Ukraine war or face new tariffs and sanctions.
Tough on crime ‘myth’ won’t stop youth offending
Young offenders should be rehabilitated and supported to get out of the criminal justice system instead of facing tougher penalties, experts say.
Tax breaks for clean aluminium to foil carbon emissions
Australia's aluminium industry is set to share in billions of dollars of tax credits to help emissions-intensive smelters convert to cleaner sources of energy.
Row erupts as creaking health system poses serious risk
Patient wait times continue to climb while a maintenance backlog poses major threats, an audit report of one state's health system has found.
More women in cabinet but representation worries build
The political representation of women has received a boost after a pre-election cabinet shuffle but concerns remain over the opposition's gender imbalance.
Crossbench kingmakers could hold sway in house divided
Veteran independents say a minority government could get more done but caution crossbenchers against trying to set deals in stone with the major parties.
Australia’s $10m boost for Vanuatu after earthquake
Vanuatu's earthquake recovery is set to be bolstered by a $10 million funding injection from Australia.
‘Too late to leave’: Tourist warning as bushfire burns
A warning has gone out to tourists and locals in a popular holiday region that they are in danger and it's too late to leave as a bushfire burns out of control.
State to appeal two ‘manifestly inadequate’ sentences
A state government has lodged notices of appeal over what they have described as "manifestly inadequate" sentences.
Coalition insists nuclear plan won’t blow up economy
The federal opposition has slammed government analysis that suggests its nuclear energy calculations are based on a shrinking economy in five states.
‘Taking people with you’: leader agrees change is hard
After the Northern Territory's CLP government completed its first 100 days on December 2, leader Lia Finocchiaro has admitted change is sometimes hard.
Countdown to election day as aftershocks rattle Vanuatu
Still reeling from aftershocks, campaigning has begun for a very challenging election in Vanuatu after many polling booths were hit in December's deadly quake.
US Congress approves bill to avert government shutdown
Facing a government shutdown, US Congress has passed a funding package while defying Donald Trump's demand to also greenlight trillions of dollars in new debt.
Julian Assange marks first Christmas since release
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has marked his first Christmas since his release from prison in a rare photo shared by his wife Stella Assange.
Macron taps veteran centrist for French prime minister
Emmanuel Macron's pick as France's new prime minister will likely face the same existential difficulties as his predecessor in steering the nation's budget.
Growing backlog as green tape chokes energy investment
A group of developers has warned of significant delays to the renewable energy needed to power Australian homes and businesses as green tape chokes investment.
New era for post-Assad Syria as the world watches
Syria is waking to its first day of freedom from the authoritarian rule of Bashar al-Assad as Russia grants asylum to the ousted president and his family.
Tongan PM Sovaleni resigns ahead of no-confidence vote
Tonga's parliament must elect a new prime minister following the resignation of Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni after three years in the job.
Travel ban imposed on South Korea’s embattled president
South Korea's defence ministry says President Yoon Suk-yeol is still commander in chief despite the justice ministry banning him from travelling overseas.
New routes to secure internet for Australia, Pacific
New cables will entrench Australia's role as a state-of-the-art connection point for large volumes of data in a global digital ecosystem, project partners say.
Hold the phone calls: digital services may save time
Australians could spend less time on the phone and the government could save money with a greater investment in digital services, a report says.
Laws to end path to treaty fast-tracked in shock move
The Queensland government has been accused of pushing through laws ending the path to treaty and truth-telling without consultation, sparking outrage.