Sydney news

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy gave up an early lead in the first round of the Australian Open golf championship in Sydney.

WA Commerce Minister Michael Mischin denies the Government is considering dismantling the state's industrial relations system and handing power to the Commonwealth, contradicting one of his Cabinet colleagues.

Plans to redevelop Queanbeyan's river foreshore have been given the green light.

WA Opposition accuses a Liberal fundraising organisation of taking advantage of a "loophole" in political donation laws to channel funds to the party.

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy takes an early one-shot lead in the first round of the Australian Open golf championship in Sydney.

Sydneysiders brace for another day of soaring temperatures with temperatures expected to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius across the city, and fire bans in place for four regions of New South Wales.

While Limestone Coast fishermen may be celebrating strong prices and record hauls, it is not all roses for people further up the supply chain.

Two people are confirmed dead, 13 are in hospital and 16 homes destroyed in a bushfire in South Australia's Mid North. Follow all the latest developments in our live blog.

A 56-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man are dead and five people are in a critical condition in hospital as SA counts the cost of a major bushfire that has destroyed homes.

The Victorian Farmers Federation wants workers travelling to Australia to harvest crops, under the Seasonal Worker Programme, to pay more of their own transport costs.

For more than a decade a group of female cyclists in regional New South Wales has held an annual cooking night, getting their hands dirty making Christmas puddings and sharing "secret women's business".

An NBL fan was ejected from WIN Entertainment Centre for pouring beer over Sydney Kings player Marcus Thornton.

Businesses on Tasmania's west coast join forces to demand the region continue to be part of the fibre rollout for the National Broadband Network.

Snake experts are warning locals to be alert after a fire forced poisonous snakes to move towards popular areas of the Gold Coast.

The Greens are calling for the NSW Government to make public a report into reforms to double-jeopardy laws

Newcastle locals hoping for a morning swim ahead of a sweltering day have been left disappointed, with vandals emptying the city's ocean baths.

The state government's announced an investigation into the running of the Awabakal Aboriginal Land Council.

Peter Siddle says dot-ball pressure might be Williamson's undoing, but Black Caps coach Hesson is confident the star batsman will thrive.

A severe weather warning is in place for damaging winds up to 90 kilometres per hour in Canberra today.

The founding chairman of the Hunter Valley Training Company (HVTC) says he feels blessed to have assisted so many young people gain apprenticeships'.

High winds overnight in Victoria kept the SES busy with 700 calls for help across the state, with most of them in Melbourne.

Hunter region GPs say the community is at risk because of the misuse of antibiotics.

Wagga Wagga City Council (WWCC) has said it has received a lot of interest in a hangar at the airport, built using a controversial loan, and abandoned by Regional Express (REX).

The operators of the Hunter's newest nursing home say the facility will boast 150 staff members who are equipped with the latest dementia support training.

The Federal Government is being accused of mismanaging its plans to store nuclear waste near an historic community in central western New South Wales.

The mayor of Cobar says she hopes expansion plans at a local mine strengthen the case for more government infrastructure funding.

The NSW planning minister says the Hunter regional plan sets out clearly where mining and gas exploration licences are, but acknowledges there may still be land use conflicts.

The company behind a $14 million saleyard complex at Yass says the development is likely to affect surrounding markets.

The operator of the controversial Geelong Star fishing trawler reveals two seals have died during operations in south-east Australian waters since June.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill proposes the Federal Government expand the GST to include financial services in return for state governments abolishing so-called "nuisance taxes" such as stamp duty on insurance.

Police recover the body of a swimmer who drowned in the Hawkesbury River at Windsor, west of Sydney.

Hunter residents are urged to remain vigilant during fire ban.

Nathan Brown says it's important the Knights are active in the community.

Government reveals vision for Central Coast

West Australian Upper House Liberal backbencher Peter Katsambanis confirms his intention to challenge maverick Liberal MP Rob Johnson for the blue-ribbon seat of Hillarys.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reaches out to the business community, stressing the importance of Government and industry "working together".

Warnings for a bushfire burning out of control in Western Australia's Pilbara region are downgraded from emergency to watch and act after rain falls in the region.

Police charge a third man over the suspected murder of 37-year-old Gold Coast father Gregory Dufty.

The Queensland Government cuts the amount of money resource companies must pay to guarantee that mines are properly rehabilitated.

A series of CCTV cameras could be soon used to help crack down on boaties doing the wrong thing on Perth's waterways under a new State Government plan.

Two people have died in a major bushfire north of Adelaide and there are unconfirmed reports of a third death, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill says.

An 11-year-old girl who was handcuffed during an arrest but later ran away, sparking a public plea for help in finding her, is found near Darwin.

Residents tell of the horror of the major bushfire burning in South Australia, with one revealing he had no choice but to leave thousands of animals at a piggery for dead and another describing how his wife was trampled by a horse as she fled.

A young track and field athlete who is hearing impaired is skipping schoolies celebrations to focus on training for the Australian Deaf Games early next year, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Liberal Party appears set to adopt targets to boost female representation at all levels in the organisation, including MPs. And that means even more change in the Federal Parliament to make it more accommodating for women looking to combine a career and raising a family.

The sale of Tasmanian dairy giant Van Diemen's Land Company to an undisclosed foreign buyer remains on hold after a court ruling.

A person is flown to hospital with serious burns, and numerous houses and vehicles are lost in a major bushfire burning in a wide region about 60 kilometres north of Adelaide.

Marlene Tighe bears the horrific scars of domestic violence after a brutal attack two years ago. But this brave woman has decided to tell her story in the hope of sparing others the pain she's endured.

People from city and country Northern Territory show their support for White Ribbon Day.

The NSW Opposition, the Greens and unions join together to slam the Government's $10 billion deal to lease off state-owned electricity business Transgrid to a consortium including several foreign investors.