Bush maternity decline a red flag for rural health care
Doctors warn the loss of regional maternity services are often followed by the closure of other critical healthcare facilities and pose a problem for everyone.
social issue
Sky-high airfares on the radar to meet emission targets
Net-zero emission targets may ramp up the price of plane tickets as airlines face accusations of wasting capacity, putting an artificial cap on demand.
ABS vows inclusion following human rights complaint
The nation's statistics agency has expressed regret after LGBTQI community members felt invisible and excluded when completing the 2021 census.
Nazi salute banned, jail penalties in Australian first
Tasmania has become the first state to outlaw the Nazi salute, which can be penalised by imprisonment after legislation passed the state's upper house.
Pressure on national cabinet to address renter’s woes
Housing will top the agenda for national cabinet when it meets on Wednesday and government leaders are facing pressure to address a growing rental crisis.
Essential workers stranded amid national housing crisis
As little as one in 100 rentals are affordable for essential workers, and the cost of housing is looming as a key issue when national cabinet meets this week.
Homeless services in demand for Australians on the edge
As the cost-of-living crisis pushes more and more Australians to the brink, homelessness has never been a more real threat to so many.
Homeless services need $450m to meet rising demand
The number of people seeking support from homelessness services has soared, with high rents and record-low vacancy rates part of the problem.
Protesters push to make paper homes bricks and mortar
Victorians have called for action on the housing crisis as Queensland sets out a plan for the southeast and NSW contends with a backslide in housing approvals.
Liberals won’t stand in the way of welfare rise: Dutton
Despite the opposition saying the money would be better spent on incentivising work, it won't stand against a rise in benefit payments for welfare recipients.
Why Australians are moving further away from cities
City-dwellers are drawn to country life for space, wellbeing, affordability and more time, according to research by the Regional Australia Institute.
Jobs and housing remain a drawcard for tree-changers
Australians are moving further away from cities in pursuit of available jobs and housing, as more people leave Sydney than any other capital.
How ‘ambiguous loss’ torments when a loved-one vanishes
Lisa Hayez has lived with ambiguous loss after her cousin Theo's disappearance - and a foundation wants others to understand what people like her go through.
Warning of lingering harm amid rural pediatric squeeze
The children's health charity Royal Far West is warning of worsening complex developmental conditions as families wait years to see specialists.
Australia’s consent laws to be put under the microscope
Sexual assault experts, survivor advocates and support services will appear before a senate committee examining reforms to improve consent laws and education.
Qld plans to ban five dangerous dog breeds
Queensland plans to ban dangerous dog breeds and introduce jail terms of up to five years in an attempt to tackle the increasing number of dog attacks.
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.
‘Praying helps’ make a phone call in regional Australia
Regional and rural Australians continue to endure unreliable mobile and internet reception, but satellites and AI could help address the problem.
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.
Housing affordability, access, top concerns amid crisis
Gaining access to adequate housing has become harder in most states and territories, with the exception of Victoria.
The great escape from Sydney to country Australia
The Regional Movers Index shows Australians continue to leave the cities for the country after COVID-19 lockdowns, but the rush to the regions is slowing.
Escape to the country: how we’re moving after COVID-19
The latest Regional Movers Index shows regional Queensland and Victoria are attracting city residents, as demand for workers drives population movements.
‘No jobs in the bush’ myth busted but housing critical
The regional jobs market is booming at three times the metropolitan rate but the lack of housing, health care and education remains a major barrier.
Grant’s daughter tells of fight against racist ‘filth’
Stan Grant is struggling after being the target of racist attacks and trolling, leading the Q+A host to step away from his role at the ABC, his daughter says.
ANZ closed flood-ravaged rural bank due to $1m rebuild
ANZ executives have been accused of treating regional Australians with "disgust" and paying lip service to government inquiries.
Rural Australians told to look beyond big four banks
Community banking could be an alternative for rural communities, where the big four banks are increasingly shutting their doors.
Banks leaving rural Oz despite billion-dollar future
The inquiry into the closure of bank branches across regional Australia is set to hear from major banks, Queensland farmers and councils.
Labor accused of failing rethink of cashless card
The government has launched an inquiry into draft laws seeking to quarantine parts of welfare payments in a bid to reduce violence in vulnerable communities.
Death in custody a familiar story at Indigenous inquiry
The most recent death of an Indigenous person in Victorian custody has been revealed by the state's corrections minister at the Yoorrook inquiry.
Two arrested at neo-Nazi protest over migration
Police have arrested two men after an anti-immigration rally escalated into violence in Melbourne.
Push to turn COVID facility into homeless shelter
Brisbane's Lord Mayor has pledged $1 million to turn a former COVID-19 quarantine facility into emergency housing.