Health spending boost as SA budget slides into the red
South Australia's finances have taken a hit but the government has pressed on with extra health spending ahead of Thursday's state budget.
politics
Flood-devastated homes miss out on buyback: advocates
A Lismore community group has criticised the time government has taken to release the maps that effectively ruled homes in or out of help for flood assistance.
Queensland Speaker steps aside after slurred return
Queensland parliamentary Speaker Curtis Pitt will step aside for a second time amid growing concerns for his health while denying alcohol was involved.
Queensland passes gender fix for birth certificates
New laws will make it easier for people to have their gender accurately shown on Queensland legal documents without undergoing sexual reassignment surgery.
Voice shouldn’t be treated as political issue: senator
Moderate Liberal Andrew Bragg has hit out at opponents of the voice for saying it would bring race into the constitution.
Trump pleads not guilty in federal US documents case
Ex-US president Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to federal criminal charges, with a judge ruling he is not allowed to communicate with potential witnesses.
MPs accused of harming women over Higgins discourse
Peter Dutton has been asked to explain why his party is attacking Labor over the Brittany Higgins rape allegations despite the hurt it may be causing.
GP shortage facing Australia after ‘decades of neglect’
Australia is being warned it may face a GP shortage of 10,000 doctors after years of neglect by successive governments, the nation's peak medical body says.
Qld leads the way as state basks in budget surplus
Australian states and territories are being urged to follow Queensland's lead as the state basks in a historic $12.3 billion budget surplus.
Seatbelt laws back in spotlight after deadly bus crash
The deadly NSW bus crash has rekindled debate about seatbelt laws and a national approach to compliance.
Nationals call for a pause in power lines project
The Nationals and Victorian farmers have called for a pause in the construction of transmission lines through farms, citing a lack of consultation.
Coal royalties fuel cost of living relief in Qld budget
Soaring coal and gas prices have helped fuel a record surplus of $12.3 billion in Queensland, to be largely channelled into relieving pressure on living costs.
PM’s vision for a renewable energy superpower nation
Australia must break new ground and grab opportunities with both hands, the prime minister has declared in a major speech, stressing renewable energy uptake.
Greens hammer demands as Labor pitches housing shift
The government is proposing changes to its $10 billion housing fund but the Greens say Labor is still not moving on its two key needs.
AFP to investigate leaked Higgins messages, recordings
The attorney-general has confirmed text messages and recordings of Brittany Higgins leaked to the media have been referred to the Australian Federal Police.
Call for justice after damning Vic mental health report
The Victorian government has refused to say whether it will accept recommendations from a damning report into the state's flawed mental health system.
Queensland’s Speaker returns after mental health break
Mulgrave MP Curtis Pitt has returned as Queensland Speaker after missing last month's parliamentary sittings, citing mental health.
Minister Gallagher rejects claims she misled parliament
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says she did not reveal private information about Brittany Higgins' rape allegations as she denies misleading parliament.
How climate change became local councils’ core business
The federal minister for local government says councils are being helped to build climate resilience and mitigate the effects of natural disasters.
Opposition attacks ‘flimsy’ Labor defence over Higgins
The opposition insists Labor weaponised Brittany Higgins' rape allegation but government ministers continue to push back on the claims.
Former premier shares national stage with comedy legend
A premier who stamped an indelible mark on an Australian state and a satirist who left generations in stitches feature in the King's Birthday Honours List.
Macklin puts her ‘big heart’ into helping disadvantaged
Former federal minister Jenny Macklin has been named in King's Birthday honours for her work in reforming the welfare and disability systems.
Qld budget to fund 500 social homes by mid-2025
Queensland's budget will include over $320 million for social homes with the government saying it's "pulling every lever" to address the housing shortage.
Greens refine demands on $10 billion housing fund
Negotiations continue over the federal housing fund with the Greens urging Labor to meet them halfway to secure the party's support.
Trump allies cite Clinton in classified records case
If former US president Donald Trump retained classified documents, he could face multiple acts under the Espionage Act, his former attorney general says.
Treasurer tells miners to respect those doing in tough
The mining lobby should "show some respect" to people doing it tough and not complain about paying a little more tax, Queensland's treasurer says.
Billionaire Berlusconi brought burlesque to politics
He didn't make many friends in politics, but four-time Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi enjoyed a colourful career, full of scandal, sex and surgeries.
Hot coal powers record budget surplus, costs relief
Soaring gas and coal prices have led to a record surplus of $12.3 billion in Queensland, to be largely channelled into relieving cost of living pressures.
Support for Indigenous voice slips to losing position
People in favour of enshrining an Indigenous voice in the constitution are in the minority for the first time, according to one survey.
Gallagher denies misleading parliament over Higgins
Senator Katy Gallagher says Labor did not "weaponise" Brittany Higgins' rape claims for political gain and has denied misleading parliament over the case.
Trump blasts charges as a baseless witch-hunt
Former US president Donald Trump is blasting his federal indictment as 'ridiculous' and 'baseless' as he tries to turn his legal peril to political advantage.