‘No evidence’ to back guilty plea: judge
A Melbourne man has admitted he's guilty of negligently causing his friend's death, but a judge says there's "not one jot" of evidence to back that up.
national news
Ex-Labor minister again found corrupt
Former NSW minister Ian Macdonald has again been found guilty of corruptly awarding a preliminary mining licence, but ex-CFMEU boss John Maitland is acquitted.
Houston grilled whether dad deserved jail
Hillsong founder Brian Houston has faced questions about whether he thought his father should have gone to jail for sexually abusing an underage boy.
PM considers national gun registry reform
The prime minister will ask for a national cabinet briefing alongside state and territory leaders about ways to improve consistency in gun registrations.
Kevin Rudd is Australia’s ambassador to US
Former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd will head to Washington DC next year to take on the role as Australia's newest ambassador to the United States.
Missing teens found in ‘Christmas miracle’
Four teenagers who went missing in waters off Victoria's Mornington Peninsula have been reunited with their families.
Report shows rise in deaths in custody
The Australian Institute of Criminology has released new data showing 106 people died in custody in 2021/22, 23 more than last year.
Penny Wong leaves Canberra for China talks
Australia's foreign minister has left Canberra on a plane to Beijing for diplomatic talks with her Chinese counterpart, breaking a four-year diplomatic freeze.
Power pole network to charge electric cars
Electric vehicle owners will be able to recharge in more places after a major electricity firm pledged to install chargers on power poles around the country.
Plibersek fights Great Barrier Reef in-danger listing at summit
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has lauded Australia's progress from environmental "laggard to leader" as nations agree on a nature protection framework.
Wetlands alive with birdlife after floods
Colonies of ibis, egrets, herons, swans and ducks have been observed breeding in wetlands across eastern Australia after record-breaking floods.
Australian solar car sets world record
With just six minutes to spare, an Australian solar and battery-powered race car has set a world record for distance covered on a single charge.
Wong to visit China for diplomatic talks
Australia's foreign minister has been invited to visit China this week to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Houston calls dad a ‘serial pedophile’
Hillsong founder Brian Houston has told a court he believes his father was a "serial pedophile" and that the extent of his crimes may never be known.
Star seeks ‘urgent engagement’ with NSW
The casino company says it wasn't consulted about a tax-hike plan on its business that NSW Treasurer Matt Kean talked up over the weekend.
Greens ‘still safe’ after spinach recall
A peak industry body is urging Australians to keep supporting vegetable growers in the wake of a recall of spinach, which it says was from a single farm.
Police release images of pitch invaders
Victoria Police say they will be knocking on doors 'very soon' after launching an investigation into violence at the A-League Men match in Melbourne.
Charges laid over soccer pitch invasion
Three men who allegedly injured a player and referee during an abandoned A-League soccer clash in Melbourne have been charged
Weather set to be a Christmas cracker
It's the news we've all been waiting for, the Bureau of Meteorology has released its Christmas Day forecast and the verdict: summer has finally arrived.
Local grains feed the world from new plant
Aussie grains could feed the world in new products as consumers and food companies look for safe, affordable and low-emission alternatives to animal proteins.
Pitch invasion arrests promised ‘soon’
Victoria Police say they will be knocking on doors 'very soon' after launching an investigation into violence at the A-League Men match in Melbourne.
Spinach recall reaches all but one state
Coles has joined Woolworths and Riviera Farms in a spinach product recall that has extended across all states and territories except WA.
Battery boost for National Energy Market
Eight renewable energy batteries will be built to support the National Energy Market and increase storage capacity by about tenfold.
The chips are down for pubs this summer
The cost of a humble pub meal could be on the way up due to a nationwide potato shortage caused by poor weather and supply chain issues.
Feisty, funky and fun tiny Fiat relative
Bystanders will likely hear the Abarth 595 coming before they see it, with the punchy little Fiat prodigy proving that size isn't everything.
Indigenous women, kids at risk in custody
Indigenous women and children are among the most vulnerable and largely over-represented groups in custody, a truth-telling inquiry has been told.
Coles peels back frozen potato chip sales
Coles has imposed a purchase limit on frozen potato chips due to a national supply shortage.
‘Horror budget’ paved the way for robodebt
Successive Liberal government crackdowns on welfare fraud led many on social services to feel like criminals and paved the way for robodebt, an inquiry heard.
COVID wave nears pre-Christmas peak
Health Minister Mark Butler warns Australia's latest COVID-19 wave still has a way to go despite case numbers starting to plateau as Christmas approaches.
Convicted ex-wife killer claims innocence
Adrian Basham continues to maintain his innocence despite being convicted of murdering his estranged wife Samantha Fraser earlier this year.
‘Disgraceful’ administrative tribunal axed
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has announced the government will abolish the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which has been heavily criticised.