‘Drugs are illegal’: premier’s warning over test trial
Drug takers are being warned they could still be arrested despite a state government waving through a pill-testing trial at music festivals over the summer.
politics
Productivity slump worsens Australia’s deficit dilemma
Australia needs to get productivity growth back on track to pay for structural spending increases and avoid endless deficits, economists warn.
Unis split on visa go-slow to curb foreign students
International student visas for tertiary education will be prioritised for a limited number of applicants before being hit with a go-slow to tame migration.
Racism rife at universities as many fear speaking out
Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, racism against foreign students and Indigenous people feeling diminished are under the Human Rights Commission's spotlight.
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy urges EU-US unity to stop Putin
President Volodymyr Zelensky is pleading for the joint help of the EU and the US to fight Russia amid fears Donald Trump could withdraw support for Ukraine.
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.
‘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.
‘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.
Release of Bali bombers ‘reopens old wounds and scars’
Paul Vanni lost six of his best mates in the devastating Bali bombing attacks and the repatriation of two people involved to Malaysia has reopened old wounds.
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.
Live lobsters back on Chinese menus as relations thaw
China has notified Australia the live rock lobster trade can resume, following an earlier agreement and the lifting of final trade barriers on some abattoirs.
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.
Macron swears in angry exchange in cyclone-hit Mayotte
French President Emmanuel Macron swore during a heated exchange with angry residents in cyclone-hit Mayotte.
Canadian PM loses key ally, looks set to be booted
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership is in trouble after a key ally vowed to present a no-confidence motion.
US Congress approves bill to avert government shutdown
Facing a government shutdown, US Congress has passed a funding package while defying Donald Trump's demand to also greenlight trillions of dollars in new debt.
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.
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.
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.
‘John’s cooked’: writing on the wall for Liberal leader
A state Liberal Party could opt for its fourth leader in four years as a backflip by incumbent John Pesutto fails to cool tensions.
Work bans dropped after premier knocks back free fares
A long-running stand-off between a transport union and state Labor government over pay appears a long way from resolution as a peace deal is rejected.
Trump threat to retake control of Panama Canal rebuffed
Panama's president has hit out at Donald's Trump's suggestion the US could take control of the Panama Canal, saying his nation's independence is non-negotiable.
‘A gentleman’: tributes flow for longtime federal MP
Liberal Party stalwart Kevin Andrews has been remembered as "a man of honour in the bear pit of public life" at a state funeral.
Australia to send ex-fighter pilot to Trump-led system
A former fighter pilot's Australian family is considering its options after condemning the "inhumane" approval of his extradition to the US.
Biden commutes sentences almost all death row inmates
President Joe Biden is reducing the sentences of 37 of the 40 death row inmates so they can't be executed when Donald Trump returns to the White House.
‘Greenland is not for sale,’ PM tells Trump
Greenland's leader insists the vast Arctic island is not for sale and has rebuffed fresh comments from Donald Trump that it should be in American hands.
Bangladesh tells India it wants ex-PM Hasina extradited
Bangladesh has sent India an extradition request for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina who fled the country following violent protests against her rule.
Leaders praise Aussie resilience and Christmas spirit
The resilience of Australians has been celebrated by political leaders as communities battle natural disasters over Christmas.
Italy to push ahead with Albania offshore detention
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to push ahead with a controversial plan to detain asylum seekers in centres in Albania.
US House panel finds Matt Gaetz paid for sex and drugs
The US House ethics committee has accused Matt Gaetz of paying for sex and drugs while he was a congressman, in a newly released report.