Sydney news

Usain Bolt usually has a smile on his face, but the Jamaican superstar is left seething after Australia is wrongly given a winning score at the Nitro Athletics in Melbourne.

Museums Victoria shows interest in acquiring parts of Victoria's oldest working pieces of industrial heritage.

Young regional Australians pitch their ideas for change at the Heywire Regional Youth Summit in Canberra.

Only 100 employees remain at the Granites Gold Mine in the Tanami, after wet weather cuts diesel delivery and road access for two months.

The driver of a ute chased 50 kilometres along the Pacific Highway by NSW police after refusing to pull over is killed in a collision with a B-double truck near Macksville, on the mid-north coast.

SA police appeal to swimmers trying to escape the heatwave to be more cautious with flotation devices in the wake of a woman's drowning at Aldinga Beach south of Adelaide, revealing she was trying to rescue a child.

After 47 years on the throne, the self-declared sovereign of Hutt River is due to hand over the reins of Australia's oldest micro-nation to his son in an abdication ceremonybut the Prime Minister will not be there to witness it.

Ecologists once protected a bird habitat from fire, but have discovered the species can thrive in recently-burnt vegetation.

The SA Government has suggested "complete nationalisation" of the electricity system and a new gas-fired power station as two options to secure power supply.

An environmental expert has called on operators of a Mount Isa mine to take responsibility for the safety of children in the city, after a report found the site was a source of "potentially significant" lead pollution.

The technological world may be on the cusp of a revolution, the extent of which is predicted to mimic the take-up of the smartphone in the late 2000s, but some experts call for caution.

ACT emergency service take the unusual step of issuing a 48-hour total fire ban as Canberra is set to reach 41 degrees Celsius two days in a row.

AM has learnt that the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has snubbed a royal invitation - but it's not likely to result in a diplomatic incident. Tomorrow, many oceans away from Buckingham Palace, the self-declared sovereign of Hutt River, Prince Leonard, is ceding the throne. Mr Turnbull was one of several dignitaries on the guest list but has sent his regrets.

East Timor's former finance minister and dual Australian citizen Emilia Pires is fighting to have her name cleared over charges she corruptly awarded a $1 million contract to her husband's company in Melbourne.

Election promises by the major parties and a debate over WA's spiralling debt features on the election campaign trail, with One Nation also gaining a surprise candidate.

Another week, another A-League win for table-topping Sydney FC, who make light work of Wellington to extend their unbeaten record to 19 games.

An Alice Springs man reignites his passion for eating insects after heavy rains in Central Australia brought swarms of hoppers in to feast on the fresh green grass.

Two former salmon industry executives add their voices to concerns raised about the sustainability of parts of Tasmania's $700 million industry.

Asian nations may already be some of Australia's largest trading partners, but a small group of performers now wants to add another commodity to the listlaughter.

A woman pulled unconscious from the water dies at Aldinga Beach despite the efforts by paramedics to revive her.

A new line to Ellenbrook could reduce city commuting times for residents in Perth's north-eastern corridor by up to 30 minutes, WA Labor says while spruiking its Metronet rail system.

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer will close its Adelaide manufacturing plant, which makes and exports a chemotherapy drug, in less than five years, despite plans as little as a year ago to expand the site into a "state-of-the-art" facility.

A new line to Ellenbrook could halve city commuting times for residents in Perth's north eastern corridor, says WA Labor spruiking its Metronet rail system.

While most newspapers are struggling for readers in an online world, Crinkling's circulation is booming.It's a newspaper written for children and has just become a member of the Australian Press Council.

Australia's second largest salmon farmer has launched legal action against the Tasmanian and Federal governments over environmental approvals for expanded salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour.

There are concerns that record high electricity demands from the use of air-conditioners and fans could drain power supplies across New South Wales tomorrow as heatwave conditions hit the state.

Will Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's attack on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten help or hinder Turnbull in the long run?

RBA governor Philip Lowe urges international investors to push back against a return to trade barriers by populist politicians ahead of Friday's statement on monetary policy.

Klaus Neubert, who is accused of murdering his wife at a Hobart intersection, told a prison guard he "snapped" because there was no hope of reconciling his relationship, a court hears.

A police officer thought her colleague was going to be killed when he was punched and thrown through a window while trying to arrest a man at Capalaba, a court hears.

As the SA Government unveils a new campaign aimed at reducing violence in hospitals, nurses call for the right to refuse treatment to aggressive patients.

A driver denies being distracted by a wrestling DVD when he caused a fatal accident on a South Australian freeway, and makes an emotional apology as the crash victim's granddaughter leaves the courtroom.

An Environment Department investigation confirms the contamination near Linc Energy's underground coal gasification plant is much more widespread than previously thought.

Klaus Neubert, who is accused of murdering his wife at a Hobart intersection, told a prison guard he "snapped" because there was no hope of reconciling his relationship, a court hears.

Apple growers across Australia face a tough year in the market place as Western Australia's supply goes into overdrive.

The Darwin Children's Court finds the tasering of a 12-year-old boy who was running away from police "improper and unlawful".

Health Minister John Day has the highest number of fake Twitter followers among WA politicians, while the minor parties are outperforming the majors on social media, according to digital strategy experts.

Northern Territory union members rally against NT WorkSafe, calling for the immediate resignation of its head, after a spate of accidents, including the death of a sailor last month.

An art program in Queensland's north-west is working to rebut claims that students in remote and rural communities suffer locational disadvantage when accessing art.

There are calls to rethink a decision that could see part of a 19th century hospital and cemetery site cleared for development in Maryborough.

Kylie Walker says discrimination and a lack of community awareness about homosexuality contributed to her mental health problems during adolescence, rather than her sexual orientation itself.

Adelaide's back-up power station at Pelican Point is turned on to provide additional capacity this evening in the hopes of avoiding a repeat of last night's blackouts.

Three generations of the Johnson family have known the iconic Tathra wharf since the age of coastal steamers.

The largest wooden boat festival in the southern hemisphere is set to celebrate 375 years since Abel Tasman reached Tasmania.

An analyst predicts canola prices will remain strong, but agronomists warn against being hasty with planting.

SA Liberal leader Steven Marshall is opposed to a nuclear waste dump in the state, but says nuclear energy is a potential solution to the state's energy reliability problems.

Median house prices are up across most of regional Western Australia, but there is more pain for state's north, with Broome's median price falling nearly 13 per cent.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has rounded on Labor after yesterday's power blackout in South Australia, blaming the opposition for 'ideological' support for renewable energy. But Labor says the Government could and should have done more to stop yesterday's blackouts by firing up reserve gas-fired capacity at Pelican Point.

The Lost Plot community garden on the mid north coast is thriving and playing a key role in promoting sustainable living.

Professional Northern Territory crocodile catcher Roger Matthews speaks fondly of his 31-year-old life-saving hunting knife.