Booze and bad attitudes a recipe for holiday violence
Drinking cultures and alcohol regulations are in the sights of anti-violence campaigners amid data showing domestic violence spikes during the festive season.
national news
Brutal murderer jailed for killing wife in axe attack
Wife-killer Dinush Kurera will spend at least 30 years behind bars for murdering his estranged spouse Nelomie Perera in front of their children.
ANZ chief executive forfeits $1.5m bonus after outcry
The CEO of a big-four bank has forfeited a bonus worth $1.5 million after a backlash from shareholders upset about poor behaviour in its trading rooms.
National first as women dominate state cabinet top jobs
Three women will headline Victoria's new cabinet in a first for Australia after Jaclyn Symes and Sonya Kilkenny were elevated to treasurer and attorney-general.
Rape-charged UK rapper admits reckless driving
Rape-charged British YouTuber Yung Filly, whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, has told a court he will plead guilty to reckless driving.
‘Unwanted milestone’: family violence sparks crime high
Police are telling families to be alert in the lead-up to Christmas for signs of domestic violence in the wake of a shocking new report.
Cops accused of ‘victim-blaming’ over baby, dad deaths
Police were wrong to make submissions to an inquest into the deaths of a baby and her "dangerous" dad that could be read as victim-blaming, a coroner says.
More Australians on the way home from quake-hit Vanuatu
Two more defence flights will bring stranded Australians home from quake-hit Vanuatu as rescue efforts continue amid severe damage and looming cyclone threats.
‘Massive divide’: Liberals split on MP’s bid to rejoin
Ousted Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming has declared it's "only a matter of time" before she returns to the party room after a vote split her ex-colleagues.
Christmas comes early as Bali Nine return to families
Five members of the Bali Nine are adjusting to the spotlight after coming home but are excited to spend Christmas with families for the first time in decades.
World famous NYE fireworks show veers off the rails
The threat of cancelling Sydney's famed New Year's Eve fireworks display due to union-led train disruptions has been dismissed as a scare campaign.
Australia boosts Solomons support as China pact stopgap
A security pact between Australia and Solomon Islands will strengthen the Pacific nation's domestic police force and reduce the need for any Chinese assistance.
Retiring backbencher gifts a lump of coal for Christmas
A retiring backbencher known for his staunch opposition of a net-zero carbon emissions target has taken a swipe at his party leader on his way out the door.
‘Cruel’ murderer who breached protection order jailed
Convicted killer James William Pualic will spend up to 24 years and six months behind bars for the "cruel and vicious" murder of his former partner.
Miners have ‘hands tied’ as earnings set to plunge
Mining companies are set to see their earnings plummet as commodity prices fall, resulting in lower tax receipts and bigger government debt.
Train pain ahead of New Year’s Eve fireworks threat
Cancelling Australia's biggest New Year's Eve fireworks display could send businesses to the wall, but the impacts of rail network chaos are already in play.
Australians return home as Vanuatu rescues continue
Defence flights have brought home more than 400 Australians but one man still stranded in Vanuatu says the government's response is "slow and inadequate".
Darwin still marked by Cyclone Tracy, 50 years on
Soaring frigatebirds warned of a cyclone that would be Australia's most destructive and put Darwin on the map for the wrong reasons.
Bali Nine return reshines light on ending death penalty
The execution of two Australians for drug smuggling in Indonesia has refocused a spotlight on how the nation co-operates with countries using the death penalty.
State’s last One Nation member quits over party funding
State MP Tania Mihailuk has quit One Nation over irreconcilable issues with the party's funding arrangements.
Evacuations as fires rage in nation’s east
Evacuation orders are in place for an out-of-control fire in Victoria as blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season.
Pharmaceutical giant sued over ‘ineffective’ cold drugs
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is facing a class action concerning cold and flu medication known to be "ineffective".
Activists want banks’ actions to match words on climate
Activists are heartened that Australia's big banks took steps to limit lending to fossil fuel companies this year, but also have questions.
Shaken Vanuatu hit by new quake as Aussies return home
Vanuatu has been hit by another earthquake as Canberra announced more financial assistance and hundreds of Aussies returned home.
Cost of giving diminishes Christmas joy
As families make cutbacks and sacrifices to save the spirit of Christmas, charities warn that many will face a bleak festive season devoid of celebrations.
Extreme weather scaring off tourists
Threats of floods, storms, bushfires and heatwaves are making summer holidays difficult to plan and navigate for tourists.
Trump says he might demand Panama hand over canal
Donald Trump has threatened the US could retake control of the Panama Canal if it continues to be charged 'ridiculous' fees to use the vital shipping route.
Blazes force evacuations amid rising risk of Xmas fires
Firefighters are working around the clock to prepare for sweltering Boxing Day conditions as warnings for several major blazes are downgraded.
Watching for doves in Reserve Bank’s Christmas reveal
A dovish tilt was detected in the Reserve Bank's last post-meeting comments, so traders will hope for more traces of an upcoming rate cut in its board minutes.
Pesutto facing chop as MPs call second Deeming meeting
Senior Liberals have turned on Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto, calling a meeting after he backflipped on readmitting expelled MP Moira Deeming.
Four-year-old boy dies in WA house fire
A heartbroken Western Australian family is mourning the death of a four-year-old boy who died in a house fire just days before Christmas.