Sydney news

A maternity ward damaged during a wild storm on the New South Wales north coast may not be worth repairing.

The multi-million dollar Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital in the New South Wales Riverina is set to open on Monday, after nurses voted to transfer over to the new facilities.

Bill Shorten indicates he demanded the resignation of Jamie Clements, accused of sexual harassing a staffer, as senior Labor figures say more work needs to be done to change the party's culture for women.

Australian rider Toby Price extends his overall lead to more than 35 minutes in the Dakar Rally motorbike category with two stages remaining.

Australian college basketball star, Ben Simmons, earns a brief shout-out from US president Barack Obama during a speech at a political rally.

Singing shearer Jeff Gibson says the music came first, but it is shearing that pays the bills.

The ABC Western Plains radio team live in your local community and are proud of the role they play in connecting the community through conversations, news and vital information during emergencies.

Recent test results show that Naegleria fowleri, which causes amoebic meningitis, is not present at Collie's Black Diamond swimming pool.

Mining company Oz Minerals confirms plans to shed about 100 workers from its Prominent Hill site in South Australia over the next few months.

Ongoing delays in the Federal Circuit Court have resulted in a disputing family in the NSW city of Wollongong having to attend court in Queensland to have their cases heard.

Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent says history will be lost when the Federal seat of Hunter is abolished.

Electricity crews have worked through the night to restore power to thousands of homes from Sydney's south up to the Hunter after storms brought down powerlines and trees.

Hunter Valley vignerons are hoping warmer weather will dry out grapes after last week's downpour.

The Bogan Shire says it will bide its time before raising further concerns about cutbacks to court sitting days in the western region.

Funding to better equip Dungog clubs for emergencies is being welcomed by the community.

An environmental law firm says the State Government needs to take action to ensure new air quality standards are met in central Queensland mining communities.

Forget the backyard spa, Tasmanians are being urged to build water features on a much smaller scale in order to encourage local amphibians.

The wet weather has prompted calls for sheep growers on the central tablelands to take precautions agains the threat of a potentially fatal worm.

A Federal Nationals MP has described an overhaul of the electoral boundaries as "awfully unfair" to western communities.

A Newcastle taxi driver has failed in his bid to have his cab licence reinstated, with a new South Wales court noting that he is unfit for the job due to his problem with alcohol.

There are predictions of a spike in mosquitoes in the Hunter in the wake of last week's flooding, prompting fears of mosquito-borne diseases.

Work has started on repairing a busy Hunter Valley road that was damaged in the April 2015 super storm.

A woman who was suing the Catholic Church over sexual abuse she suffered as a young child is awarded an out-of-court settlement.

A former teacher at an elite Hobart private school jailed for producing child exploitation material is appealing his sentence.

The group responsible for reviewing the integrity of scientific research in Australia is set to examine if the University of New South Wales properly investigated high profile cancer scientist Professor Levon Khachigian for scientific misconduct.

A flurry of Chris Lynn sixes and a five-wicket haul for Samuel Badree sees the Heat thump the Stars at the MCG.

A crocodile believed to have bitten off part of a woman's lower right arm, including her hand, is destroyed by authorities in Western Australia's far north.

Bernard Tomic's quarter-final against Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili at the rain-affected Sydney International has been postponed until Friday morning.

The Illawarra Hawks are within touching distance of completing a remarkable 12-month NBL transformation after Thursday night's 87-69 humbling of the New Zealand Breakers.

Graziers struggling with debt in drought-declared north Queensland lash out and break down in front of visiting politicians and economists at a Rural Debt and Drought Taskforce meeting.

More 300-plus scores are on the cards when Australia takes on India on a flat batting wicket at the Gabba, says James Faulkner.

Popstar Gregory Rivers may be famous in Hong Kong but he is almost unknown in his hometown of Gympie, Queensland.

The impact from the disruption of the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service is being felt across Tasmania, with exporters and tourism hit hard.

A woman faces a culpable driving charge in the wake of a New Year's Eve car crash which left a 19-year-old man dead.

A 15-year-old boy who is among five people accused of plotting to target government buildings, including the AFP building in Sydney, in terrorist attacks is released on bail.

A crocodile believed to have bitten off part of a woman's lower right arm, including her hand, in Western Australia's far north is captured by authorities.

A British man living in Western Australia has his passport seized after being charged for possessing and accessing child abuse material.

An Indian man in Melbourne risks being blocked from coming back to Australia if he escorts his dead father's body back to India.

The Bald Hill bauxite mine in Tasmania's Northern Midlands fails to find a buyer for its first shipment and is put into care and maintenance.

The union representing workers at Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery south of Perth says staff put their lives at risk working at the site while a deadly bushfire raged around them.

Working from his wheelchair in the small Victorian farming community of Boort, 70-year-old John Piccoli makes giant sculptures using just spanners.

Mount Schank's $80,000 limestone walking trail has been damaged following a weekend stunt by a horse rider.

A severe thunderstorm hits Sydney, killing one man when a falling tree crushes his car, and causing damage to homes, power and transport networks.

Police charge a couple with assaulting three staff members at the Royal Hobart Hospital after they tried to remove a patient against medical advice.

Diehard Yarloop residents who have been living amidst the charred remains of the South West town since deadly bushfires swept through say they have been told to leave.

The Quilpie Shire Council will not give the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia the $10,000 it requested to lobby for the reinstatement of kangaroo product exports to California.

ABC North Coast's UNTOLD Tabulam project culminated in a live outside broadcast from the village.

Australia crowns a new world champion, with teenager Isabella Nichols taking out the women's world junior surfing title in Portugal.

Canadian Tamara Tatham and American Natalie Novosel live together, work together and play together and they know that when you are thousands of kilometres from home, it can help to have a friend by your side.

A Tasmanian man who allegedly stabbed his partner numerous times before driving them both into the water at Boomer Bay is charged with attempted murder.