Fire threat high despite cool relief as states swelter
Temperatures are starting to ease after a blast of heat sent the mercury soaring past 45C in parts of Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia.
national news
Flowers, reflection for 10th anniversary of Lindt siege
A hostage and a rescuer of the Lindt Cafe siege have opened up about their struggles in the decade since as leaders lay flowers to mark the anniversary.
Push to spark up EV policy to drive net zero ambitions
Misinformation and an early end to state subsidies has slowed electric car adoption and may mean Australia misses its climate goals, a study has found.
Hillcrest families launch class action against state
Families of the children killed and hurt in Tasmania's Hillcrest Primary School jumping castle tragedy have launched a class action.
‘Finally got him’: man guilty of wife’s 2007 murder
Emotion filled a court room as a violent and abusive estranged husband was convicted of Cindy Crossthwaite's murder after more than 17 years.
Fake paramedic convicted as warning to others
A man who falsely passed himself off as a paramedic at several motocross events, including two where children were injured, has been convicted but not jailed.
AI used to target election fraud and criminal deepfakes
Government agencies are teaming up with Microsoft to track disinformation and criminal acts, with plans to use AI to detect attempts to interfere in elections.
Coroner calls for urgent closure of troubled youth jail
The coroner hearing an inquest for an Indigenous teen who fatally self-harmed in a youth detention centre has provisionally recommended the facility close.
Mining giants sued over alleged sexual harassment
Hundreds of women who worked at BHP and Rio Tinto will be contacted as part of a lawsuit over alleged harassment at mining sites.
Push to strengthen hate crime laws and tackle threats
The government should make it an offence to threaten marginalised Australians and set up a national database to help combat hate crimes, a committee recommends.
Value of Australian homes may drop in early 2025
Australian home values could dip in early 2025 but a drop in interest rates is expected to send buyer demand up again.
Liberal leader to ‘keep fighting’ after defamation loss
State Liberal leader John Pesutto is vowing to remain in his role, even after a Federal Court judge found he defamed expelled state MP Moira Deeming.
Early rates cut all but dashed as unemployment dips
Australia's unemployment rate has unexpectedly fallen to 3.9 per cent, bolstering the argument for the Reserve Bank of Australia to keep rates on hold.
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.
Australia’s Gaza ceasefire support splits community
Humanitarian organisations and Palestinian Australians have welcomed Australia's support for a ceasefire in Gaza but the Jewish community has raised concerns.
Bulldogs $6m abuse payout slashed, but verdict upheld
A man abused by a Bulldogs volunteer as a child has had his almost-$6 million payout from the AFL club more than halved, but his lawyers say it is still a win.
Thousands of families could benefit from free childcare
More than 60,000 families would access three days of free childcare while an access test branded punitive will be scrapped under a Labor policy.
PM lashes anti-Semitic attacks as evil and disgraceful
Anthony Albanese has delivered an impassioned call for Australians to unite around common values and respect after two attacks on Jewish communities.
Interest rate relief edges closer as RBA changes tune
Australia's central bank is sounding more confident it can beat inflation in welcome signs for mortgage-holders, home-buyers and the federal government.
Wanted: one million Aussies, Kiwis to learn AI skills
Microsoft wants to train at least one million Australians and New Zealanders in how to use AI tools over the next two years as part of a worldwide push.
Women in immigration detention put beside sex offenders
Male sex offenders in Australian immigration detention centres are being housed next to vulnerable women, human rights inspectors have found.
‘A game changer’: help on way for rural women with endo
Rural women who live with the agony of endometriosis say a scholarship program to train nurses will help improve their quality of life and access to care.
Jewish community reels after ‘cowardly’ graffiti attack
Australia has been diminished as a nation by graffiti and a car fire the prime minister says was aimed at delivering fear to the Jewish community.
Rex directors face grounding for silence over $35m hole
Four Rex directors failed to disclose the troubled airline's financial position after expressing optimism for future profits, the corporate regulator alleges.
Workers protest CFMEU takeover as court battle starts
Blue-collar unionists are rallying against a forced takeover of the construction union, saying the laws strip them of their rights, as a legal challenge begins.
Insurance giant sued over ‘loyalty tax’ on policies
A class action has been filed against NRMA Insurance's parent on behalf of millions of customers allegedly ripped off on home and contents insurance policies.
Myer brings in body cameras, radios to keep staff safe
Mid-market department store Myer is beefing up security in its stores to protect workers and reduce the amount of theft.
Anti-Semitism denied following travel warning for Jews
A rise in anti-Semitism in Australia has sparked a travel warning from a Jewish human rights group as the prime minister vows any such acts won't be tolerated.
Court thwarts Murdoch bid to cement Lachlan as Fox boss
Rupert Murdoch's effort to ensure son Lachlan maintains control of Fox News has been dealt a blow, with a court reportedly ruling the pair acted in bad faith.
Work on ‘safe’ nuclear reactors from day one of victory
A warning it will take "decades" to make coal sites safe for nuclear reactors has been dismissed as polling shows staunch opposition from women voters.
‘Tyranny of distance’ still plaguing remote health care
Thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live more than one hour's drive from basic health care services.