Former detainees face tough penalties under new laws
Laws imposing strict visa conditions on ex-detainees, including those with criminal records released from indefinite detention, have passed parliament.
politics
Gillnet fishing ban to protect Great Barrier Reef
Hundreds of fishers will be compensated after the Queensland government moved to phase out gillnet fishing on the Great Barrier Reef by 2027.
Cookie-cutter designs to underpin NSW housing boom
NSW will turn back the clock and develop a cookie-cutter design book like those used in many beloved suburbs in the latest effort to make housing affordable.
War crime whistleblower loses appeal, flags guilty plea
David McBride, who helped expose war crimes allegations and is charged with leaking secret information, flagged a guilty plea after losing a critical appeal.
Infrastructure funding changes ‘abandon’ rural Tasmania
Tasmania has lost just one project as part of federal cuts to infrastructure plans, but says an overall funding shake-up lets down rural areas.
Qld government labels infrastructure cuts ‘outrageous’
The Queensland government has lashed out at federal Labor after commonwealth funding for nine of the Sunshine State's infrastructure projects was axed.
Freed detainee fearful as advocates pan emergency laws
After the High Court found indefinite immigration detention unlawful, freed detainees and advocates are concerned about "knee-jerk" emergency laws.
Albanese welcomes China-US talks on ‘guardrails’
Anthony Albanese says a meeting between the US and Chinese leaders is an important step forward in improving global security.
diplomacy
international (foreign) trade
international relations
politics
regional authority
security
Trans-Pacific trade deal members meet at APEC summit
Officials from the 12 Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership countries have met in San Francisco on the sidelines of APEC.
ACTU push for workplace laws to be fast-tracked
The ACTU is urging the government to fast-track its contentious workplace laws, saying every day that goes by is costing gig workers money they can't afford.
Tough new migration bill passes parliament
Fast-tracked laws subjecting criminals released from immigration detention to ankle tracking and curfews have passed federal parliament.
Biden says real progress, deals in talks with Xi
US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have shaken hands as they met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Billions slashed from rail and road projects
Dozens of state projects have had their funding axed as the federal government scrambles to address a multi-billion dollar infrastructure cost blowout.
Jobs market ‘defies gravity’ but weakening on horizon
The unemployment rate moved higher last month but is still well below historical norms, with more jobs added to the economy than expected.
Labor’s state-owned electricity bill appears doomed
The Victorian government is facing defeat in parliament as it tries to change the state constitution to safeguard its state-owned electricity commission.
‘Unlikely prisoner’ tells remarkable story of survival
Australian economist Sean Turnell became an unlikely prisoner when convicted of being a spy by the Myanmar military but optimism kept hopes of freedom alive.
Labor’s SEC safeguard bill appears doomed to fail
The Victorian government is facing defeat in parliament as it tries to change the state constitution to safeguard its state-owned electricity commission.
Paramedics issue new high stakes threat over pay deal
NSW paramedics have upped the ante in their pay battle, threatening to go 'nuclear' by letting their registrations lapse as the state heads into festive season.
Cyber security chief on leave over workplace matter
Air Marshal Darren Goldie will end his tenure as National Cyber Security Coordinator after being recalled to Defence over a workplace matter.
No public interest defence for war crime whistleblower
David McBride has had a setback after a judge ruled he couldn't claim he acted in the public interest to disclose classified information alleging war crimes.
‘I began to despise teachers’ victim tells abuse probe
Child sex abuse survivors have detailed their experiences at an inquiry into historical abuse at Victorian primary schools.
PM accuses Dutton of weaponising anti-Semitism
Anthony Albanese has hit back at opposition criticism of the government response to the conflict in the Middle East, urging greater social cohesion.
Biden, Xi to meet as US-China tensions grind on
US President Joe Biden and China's Xi Jinping have landed in San Francisco for the APEC summit as they prepared for their first engagement in a year.
Laws flagged to deal with court decision on detention
The government is working on emergency legislation following the High Court's decision that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful.
Social fabric strained amid growing financial pain
Australia's social cohesion is under pressure on multiple fronts, including financial stress and worsening economic inequality.
Cybercrime hits government, business and Australians
Reports of cybercrime have surged in the last 12 months but a government intelligence agency says there are many more instances not reported.
Climate, trade on agenda for Albanese at APEC summit
Anthony Albanese is heading to the United States for the APEC summit where all eyes will be on a highly anticipated meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
Growth forecasts take shine off bumper pay packets
Worker pay packets recorded the biggest quarterly jump in the history of the official wage price index survey, but annual growth is still trailing inflation.
‘Petty’: Greens MP punted from Queensland parliament
A Greens MP has spent a day in the sin bin after breaching the rules of the Queensland parliament, with the party leader also in strife.
Health boss backs hospital over fungal infection cases
Queensland's health chief says he would undergo a heart transplant at a Brisbane hospital after five patients suffered fungal infections at the facility.
Billions of litres to be extracted from NT groundwater
The Northern Territory's largest water allocation plan has been released, angering environmentalists and traditional owners.