Albanese links new energy plan to cost-of-living crisis
Cost-of-living support in the form of tax cuts and higher pay for minimum-wage workers are among changes to come into effect in the new financial year.
health
Union warning as ‘killer stone’ ban comes into effect
Union members will be "watching like hawks" to ensure companies don't try to circumvent a ban on engineered stone, the CFMEU national secretary has warned.
PM defends ‘real and substantial’ tax cuts for all
The new financial year has ushered in a range of new laws, including tax cuts despite concerns they could add more pain to households by fuelling inflation.
PM spruiks cost of living measures amid Payman row
The new financial year ushers in a range of new cost-of-living measures that the prime minister insists are responsible in light of inflation challenges.
Lovers warned ‘common’ bedroom trend could be deadly
Fear of being labelled "vanilla" in the bedroom and ignorance of the danger are leading young people to consent to an intimate act posing genuine risk of harm.
Doctor admits oversights before toddler’s sepsis death
Reflecting on a two-year-old toddler thought to have died of sepsis in regional NSW, an emotional doctor has said more could have been done before the tragedy.
Indigenous kids ‘suffering in silence’ with ear disease
More than 26 per cent of First Nations children suffer undiagnosed ear disease and one-in-five live with undetected hearing loss.
Incest fears after sperm donor’s 200-plus visits
The damning findings of a Queensland fertility clinic probe has revealed a donor may have fathered hundreds of children, sparking incest fears.
Young people sadder, lonelier since social media onset
Young Australians report worsening mental health since some of the most popular social media platforms entered their lives.
Appetite for sugar tax to fight diabetes and obesity
Calls for a tax on sugary drinks have won the support of a federal parliamentary committee among its recommendations to combat diabetes and obesity.
More funding, workforce boost for abortion services
Women's health services will get a funding boost ahead of new laws allowing nurses and midwives to prescribe an abortion medication.
GPs urge jabs as winter lurgies return with a vengeance
A spike in illness ranging from flu and whooping cough to gastro concerns doctors and health authorities who urge more people to get vaccinated.
World-first laws curtailing vape sales pass parliament
Vapes will only be able to be sold over the counter at pharmacies under world-leading reforms passed by federal parliament.
Nurses say 15 pct pay rise will not hit patient pockets
Nurses have demanded a 15 per cent pay rise and a new report argues the NSW government could achieve it without costing taxpayers a cent.
Ecstasy and agony as pill testing gets another backer
Victoria has become the third Australian jurisdiction to legalise pill testing following a spate of drug overdoses and deaths at music festivals.
Vape ban contested as smokescreen rises over costs
Access to vapes will be made harder under new laws but the banning of e-cigarettes is being criticised as counterintuitive for promoting a black market.
Pharmacy lobby blasts plan for chemists to sell vapes
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has slammed a new plan that would allow smokers to buy vapes at pharmacies without the need for a doctor's prescription.
Alarm as steep rise in youth vaping overtakes smoking
Vaping has increased twofold among young people aged 15 to 29 in the past year despite national reforms to crack down on usage.
Chilly residents wonder why Australian homes so cold
As more residents take to social media complaining about cold homes, experts warn chilly interiors can impact people's health and wellbeing even if they rug up.
Videos helping youth go vape-free for health, Country
A series of animations, co-designed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, are helping to reduce the rate of vaping among Indigenous youth.
Bulk-billing hope with GP deal to end tax stand-off
Fears of shuttered GP clinics or more patients being slugged with gap payments have been allayed, but there's concern over the overall NSW health budget.
Families told missing loved ones had ‘gone walkabout’
Many Indigenous women and children are not taken seriously or criminalised when they go missing and fall victim to crime, stoking mistrust in police.
Hospital set for AI medical scans in ‘Australian first’
Artificial intelligence is set to used to help with medical scans by a Queensland public hospital in what has been hailed as an Australian first.
Three more years for first illicit pill-testing service
Canberra's pill-testing service will remain open for at least the next three years, with the ACT government extending its funding.
Funding plea as health system faces ‘national crisis’
Patients are copping the brunt of a deteriorating health system as state and territory health ministers call on the federal government to help fix the "crisis".
Kate in first public appearance since cancer diagnosis
Princess Kate has attended the King's birthday parade - her first appearance since she was diagnosed with cancer and paused public life to receive treatment.
Infection treatment advance to save thousands of lives
An undiagnosed infected wisdom tooth that nearly killed a young woman when it deteriorated into severe sepsis, has sparked a medical breakthrough.
New health service helps bereaved mums like Cassidy
A new psychological telehealth service will help rural, Indigenous and young mums and their families recover from stillbirth and miscarriage.
How bra fittings are helping save rural women’s lives
A charity that offers free bra fittings to rural women has partnered with health organisations to raise rates of breast screening in Indigenous communities.
Aspiring doctor wants more ‘familiar faces’ in health
After the birth of her second son Kahlie Lockyer knew she wanted to be a paediatrician, following a lifelong passion of helping others.
Fifth case of leprosy reported this year
A case of leprosy has been detected in the Northern Territory for the first time in three years.