Spiky sea urchin impact comparable to crown-of-thorns
Scientists say problems posed by invasive sea urchins on Australia's southern reefs are comparable to the crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef.
politics
Expanding lobbyist capture under consideration in Qld
The Queensland Government is taking a cautious approach to crime and corruption recommendations to expand who is captured by the state's lobbying laws.
Morrison’s offshore drilling veto could be overturned
The Federal Court could overturn a controversial call by former prime minister Scott Morrison to veto a gas drilling project off the NSW coast.
Albanese secures state and territory support on referendum
All state and territory leaders have signed a statement of intent to support the referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament.
Bid to cut rising insurance costs in disaster-hit areas
Insurers have met the federal government to come up with a plan to help households with rising premiums and better prepare communities for natural disasters.
Barilaro’s office denied bushfire funds in Labor seats
The NSW auditor‑general's report on bushfire recovery grants has found John Barilaro's office excluded Labor electorates from urgent funding.
New apartments trigger jump in building approvals
A glut of new apartment projects lifted building approvals in December but new house approvals remain subdued, new data shows.
Energy guarantee as Qld sweats toward record demand
Queenslanders have been reassured the energy system is ready to handle an expected peak in demand amid days of high temperatures and stifling humidity.
NT alcohol ban report to be released next week
A report handed to the federal and Northern Territory governments has recommended alcohol bans while management plans are put in place, media reports suggest.
Ambulance call answer times stretch out in Victoria
More than one in three calls for an ambulance in Victoria last financial year were not answered within 10 seconds, new Australia-wide data shows.
Professional misconduct complaint over Lehrmann trial
Bruce Lehrmann has made a formal complaint about the conduct of the ACT director of public prosecutions over the handling of his sexual assault trial.
Liberals commit to further meetings on Indigenous voice
Australians are being called to support a referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament whether or not it is backed by all sides of politics.
Ex-minister says he wasn’t given robodebt legal advice
Former social services minister Christian Porter has told the robodebt royal commission he never received legal advice that raised issues with the scheme.
Union call to widen scope of probe into Lehrmann case
Former Queensland solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff will lead an inquiry into the handling of rape allegations against former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann.
Record month for car thefts drives youth crime debate
Data showing Queensland had a record number of car thefts over the month of December comes as the state prepares to strengthen its youth crime laws.
Australia calls for peace after China war warning
Australia will try to avoid war with China through diplomacy but will continue to build up an arsenal for deterrence, Defence Minister Richard Marles says.
PM eyes immediate response to Alice Springs crisis
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to act as quickly as possible on the recommendations of a report into alcohol-fuelled crime in Alice Springs.
Boost promised for ‘chronically underfunded’ NSW sports
NSW Labor is promising more money for community sport if elected, saying the sector's funding has been effectively frozen since the Sydney Olympics.
Rise in ‘dark money’ as 10 dominate political donations
Political parties' and donors' financial returns for 2021/22 have been made public, with Clive Palmer giving his United Australia Party a record $117 million.
Home values slide further but regions prove resilient
The property downturn is hitting capital cities harder than regions, suggesting higher demand has become permanent for regional markets.
Price pressures may ease but mortgage cliff looms
Inflation is likely to start easing but many mortgage holders face higher repayments once their fixed-rate terms expire, a living costs committee has been told.
Minister denies responsibility for robodebt legal check
Former human services minister Alan Tudge has denied responsibility for his department's failure to check the legality of the robodebt scheme.
Global growth outlook slightly healthier, says IMF
The outlook for the global economy has improved marginally, with inflation likely past its peak and trending down over 2023 and 2024.
Indigenous voice has migrant community backing: PM
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected claims that ethnic groups are gearing up to campaign against a narrowly focused Indigenous voice.
ClubsNSW boss sacked over ‘offensive’ Catholic jibe
The head of the powerful NSW clubs industry body has been sacked after linking Premier Dominic Perrottet's Catholic faith to gaming policy.
Nuclear submarine plan motors on as US repairs docks
Australia is charging ahead with plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines despite concerns about repair docks being taken offline in the United States.
Paid domestic violence leave set to start
Full-time, part-time and casual workers will be entitled to 10 days of paid domestic violence leave at their full-pay rate under new laws to start within days.
‘Historic’ plans to combat child abuse and neglect
Two 10-year national action plans aim to reduce the number of children needing child protection services, improve responses to abuse and help close the gap.
Debate on jets for Ukraine as Russia claims gains
New differences have emerged among Kyiv's allies over aid, with the US's Joe Biden ruling out F-16s but France's Emmanuel Macron saying "nothing is excluded".
Retail trade sinks 3.9 per cent over festive season
Budget-conscious shoppers made the most of Black Friday sales, with retail sales then falling sharply weeks out from Christmas.
Minister asked for files on robodebt whistleblowers
A media adviser to former minister Alan Tudge has told a royal commission he requested the Centrelink files of those who spoke out in the media on robodebt.