Sydney news

Compulsory third party car insurance premiums could skyrocket unless the South Australian Government intervenes, Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire warns.

Tasmanian police say a man whose legs were broken when a wall collapsed on him in Hobart is lucky to be alive.

Australian aid for East Timor's poorest farmers and fishers.

Police and SES crews will search the banks of the Maribyrnong River in Melbourne's west for any sign of missing woman Karen Ristevski.

A national group of researchers is working towards identifying the possible tick speciesand the subsequent bacteriathat may be responsible for causing Lyme-like symptoms in Australians.

Parramatta Eels player Corey Norman is stood down by his club from this weekend's game after being convicted of drug possession.

A local MP is calling for a level crossing upgrade to be fast-tracked after a commuter train and truck crashed near Colac, in Victoria's south-west on Wednesday.

A woman allegedly glasses a police officer in the face at Goulburn overnight after being asked to leave a licensed premises.

An Indigenous teenager from Canberra looks set to secure a basketball scholarship in the United States, Olympian Danny Morseu says.

A group of Sydney property developers are donating thousands of dollars to the ACT branch of the Liberal Party despite appearing to have no connection with the capital.

New South Wales players cop criticism for disrespecting Cameron Smith after winning State Of Origin III on Wednesday night.

The WA Government has laid out its plan to overhaul the servicing of Aboriginal communities, with Indigenous leaders involved in the process describing it as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity for change.

The Blues avoid a dreaded whitewash in the most spectacular way possible. Were those final few minutes a total blur? You're not alone, and it's what makes State of Origin so great.

New South Wales finally get on the board in State Of Origin III, and coach Laurie Daley was not even watching.

The New South Wales side have pipped Queensland at the death to avoid a State of Origin series whitewash thanks to a sensational Michael Jennings try.

New South Wales scores on the stroke of full-time to avoid a Queensland clean sweep to win 18-14 at the Olympic Stadium. Look back at how the action unfolded in our live Origin III blog.

A union warns hundreds of workers at the new Perth Children's Hospital might have been exposed to asbestos, after reports of white asbestos discovered in roof panels.

Can New South Wales save face and send skipper Paul Gallen out on a winning note? Can Queensland complete the sweep? Follow our live blog of Origin III to find out.

Farmers in north-western New South Wales hope recent heavy rainfall will mean a turnaround in their fortunes.

A 31-year-old man is charged with murdering a homeless man found dead on the steps of a church in Northbridge having suffered multiple significant injuries.

A runaway emu is filmed running across Emerald's main street, with the local council's wranglers on the case to nab it.

A man convicted of having sex with a 12-year-old who worked as a paper girl at his Hobart newsagency in the 1990s loses his bid to avoid deportation to Scotland.

A new fire protection systemthe brainchild of a Great Southern volunteer firefighteris headed for the CSIRO for further testing.

Two women appear in court accused of stealing a car from a man at gunpoint in Unley Park, Adelaide.

The Barnett Government revives hopes of delivering the promised Albany-Bunbury Gas Pipeline, with the Premier confirming the Government was considering a private bid to undertake the project.

Prominent Canberra designer and artist Robert Foster dies in two-car crash on the Kings Highway at Bungendore.

Travis Cloke's best performance of the season was overshadowed by a piece of clothing, but the Giants are not complaining.

Six of the world's best junior surfers have been named champions in the Oz Grom Open, but one overcame a unique hurdle to win her crown.

Security vision of the moment a man was shot in the leg from a parked car in Hadfield is released in the hope of solving what police believe may be a case of mistaken identity.

Get advice on who to tip in the AFL this weekend from our team of tipsters

A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a homeless man whose body was found at a Perth church over the weekend.

Former Parramatta Eels chief executive Scott Seward hits back at the club's board, saying they were all aware of the club's use of hidden player payments.

Cattle producer, Frank Hollis, 81, from south-west Victoria, is still working 50 hours every week of the year.

A growing thirst for beer in China is opening opportunities for Australian barley growers to increase their exports, but may also open the door for increased Chinese demand for lower quality feed grade barley.

Conservation group WWF Australia buys a commercial shark fishing licence in an unusual move to protect the predators in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and beyond.

A bushfire risk management program should be funded says an emergency services volunteer.

The wall of a shop in Hobart's CBD collapses, pinning a 32-year-man under the bricks.

Up to 40 reptiles, including snakes, baby freshwater crocodiles and lizards are found dead in a home in Geelong when police responded to a burglar alarm.

A carer accused of abusing a disabled girl told the child's mother "kids like to fantasise", a royal commission hears.

A man convicted of murdering Adelaide teenager Deborah Leach in 1971 loses an appeal against his conviction but plans to take his fight to the High Court.

Are you one of our regular students for Self Improvement Wednesday? Each week, you get to learn something new - that's our Self Improvement pledge.

The Immigration Department has refused to release detailed information relating to the sudden death of New Zealand man Robert Elan Peihopa in Villawood Detention Centre this year .

A South Australian ice-cream company said it will double exports of fresh milk to China by the end of the year.

Golden North exports 3,000 litres of milk a week to Shanghai and has increased ice-cream production to keep up with Chinese demand.

A Warrnambool-bound passenger train hits a truck and derails at Pirron Yallock, near Colac, in Victoria's south-west.

A new light installation on a Docklands apartment tower that interprets the weather is set to bring Melbourne's famed "four season in one day" to life.

A carer accused of abusing a disabled girl told the child's mother that "kids like to fantasise", a royal commission hears.

The Northern Territory is a poorer place following the death of well-known pastoralist William "Billy" Hayes, who was killed in a plane crash yesterday, his family says.

A bus service in Mount Isa is improving access to education, while delivering better grades to a local school.

Renovated terraces at The Marines in Grange.