Sydney news

South Australians currently struggling with sweltering temperatures are now being warned they could face more power cuts, just one day after load shedding led to blackouts for tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

Victoria is sweltering through a heatwave, with temperatures reaching more than 30 degrees Celsius overnight and the mercury tipped to soar to 44 degrees Celsius in the state's north today.

Brace yourself, Australia: it's going to be like an oven out there for large swathes of Victoria, South Australia and south-west Queensland.

The final investment decision is looming for the company which plans to build a $1.9 billion prawn farm near Kununurra.

Essential Energy cuts or relocates 14 finance staff in regional New South Wales in an effort to slash costs.

A Melbourne man who allegedly mistook a police helicopter for a UFO and shone a laser at it is now facing serious charges.

Cricket Australia announces Test batsman Nic Maddinson is taking an indefinite break from the game because of personal reasons and will be unavailable for Sheffield Shield selection until further notice.

Rising star Brandon Borrello steals Carlos Tevez's spotlight by helping Brisbane Roar book a spot in the AFC Champions League's group stage with a stunning 2-0 victory over Shanghai Shenhua in China.

Melbourne City goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis is told he should count himself fortunate he will only miss five A-League matches for repeatedly calling Melbourne Victory's Albanian striker Besart Berisha a "f***ing gypsy".

The Federal Government says it has heard the concerns of struggling farmers, and will move to make it easier and faster to access income support payments.

Gillon McLachlan says the AFL offered support to James Hird during his recent health crisis, and believes the league would welcome the former Bombers coach back.

A Northern Territory tropical fruit farmer says demand has been strong for pomelos during the Lunar New Year.

Victoria is sweltering through its first heatwave of the summer, with temperatures tipped to soar to 44 degrees in northern areas today.

Residents on Perth's south-eastern fringe remain on high alert after an emergency warning was issued overnight for a bushfire that started in Bedfordale, with lives and homes under threat.

An emergency warning is issued for an out-of-control bushfire that is threatening lives and homes in Perth's south-eastern suburbs, with authorities saying the blaze is moving fast in a westerly direction.

The AFL has defended its public silence over James Hird's recent health crisis, saying it offered support privately.

Brumbies chairman Robert Kennedy considered resigning after a year of off-field drama.

West Australian Premier Colin Barnett wants to set up the headquarters for a rural fire service in the state's most marginal seat, Collie-Preston, following the recommendation for one in an inquiry into the devastating Yarloop bushfire.

Canberra's new town crier is lubricating his vocal chords to bellow at official events in accordance with ancient tradition.

  A bush fire emergency warning has been issued for residents around the eastern part of Bedfordale in the City of Armadale near Perth.

The family of a Melbourne woman who was seriously injured by an out-of-control driver have criticised police for not calling off their pursuit.

A suite of measures including boot camps and victim conferencing will be introduced or expanded in the Northern Territory, as the Government responds to growing outrage over a perceived spike in youth crime.

For supposed trash, Fifty Shades Darker offers a fair amount to ponder.

Dean Bouzanis has been handed a five-match A-League ban for calling Melbourne Victory striker Besart Berisha a "f---ing gypsy" during last weekend's derby.

Jeremy Fernandez speaks with West Australian Labor Leader, Mark McGowan.

Pity the poor souls who live in Bourke, Birdsville and Moomba.

As he unloaded on the nearest target, Malcolm Turnbull's colleagues couldn't get enough of him.

The inaugural event will be played at the height of a looming heatwave that will see organisers roll out extreme temperature polices to ensure the welfare of players.

Australia's senior engineering body – Engineers Australia - says the Queensland Government must releases the complete findings from a second inquiry into the controversy-ridden $1.1 billion Petrie to Kippa Ring rail line.

A bushfire is burning in the semi-rural south-eastern Perth suburb of Bedfordale, threatening lives and homes.

There has already been one runaway bride, but if walking away counts there were another three prepared to don their runners after a dinner party with all the couples revealed just how wrong the experts got it.

South Australians sweltering in a heatwave are briefly faced with the prospect of no air conditioning, as demand for electricity forced SA Power Networks to implement blackouts, prompting an angry response from the SA Government.

West Australian Premier Colin Barnett wants to set up the headquarters for a rural fire service in the state's most marginal seat, Collie-Preston, following the recommendation for one in an inquiry into the devastating Yarloop bushfire.

Western Australia's Treasurer and shadow treasurer offer to resign if their parties fail to honour key commitments, as they clash over proposals for a mining tax and an outer harbour at Kwinana.

Anthony Mundine has reportedly lodged an official appeal against his controversial points decision loss to Danny Green in last week's fight in Adelaide.

Deliberately infecting yourself with a parasite seems like an unpleasant thing to do but for people with coeliac disease, it could get them halfway to a cure.

The brother of a man killed at Doncaster shopping centre is now a person of interest to homicide detectives.

Critics who urge the PM to use a progressive issue to win back middle-Australia fail to understand the new reality.

Immigration Minister is seeking what the Labor opposition calls "Trump-like" powers to target foreign nationals and require them to revalidate their visas.

Students are expected to be among the hardest-hit by proposed changes to welfare which make jobseekers under the age of 25 ineligible for the Newstart unemployment benefit.

One Nation is taking on the WA election with a 20-year-old rookie candidate and a focus on jobs and the economy, not immigration.

The ACT government will be continuing the trial of a contraceptive vaccine for kangaroos under a new population control plan released today for public comment.

A new push has been made to promote ecotourism in the ACT and enhance Canberra's reputation as the bush capital.

A $132 million redevelopment of aged-care services in Farrer will help to address increasing demand in the Woden Valley.

Daniel Wells stepped into the cauldron of Collingwood's intra-club practice match on Wednesday evening, and made a scratchy start in sweltering conditions at the Holden Centre.

George Christensen has warned Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce he is preparing to cross the floor and vote against government policy, just days after Liberal senator Cory Bernardi abandoned the Coalition.

Heatwaves across Australia are getting hotter, longer, more frequent and starting earlier in the year, a new report on climate change warns.

The parents of a five-year-old boy were not told by a childcare centre of his alleged indecent assault by a carer at the business, an Adelaide court hears.

With dozens of greatest hits albums released since his death, it was thought that Bob Marley's back catalogue had been exhausted. But a rundown former hotel in an unfashionable corner of north-west London has thrown up a treasure trove of previously lost recordings.

Three-year-old Joseph sparked a massive city-wide search last year when the car he was sleeping in was abducted from his East Victoria Park home.