Sydney news

A dramatic electrical storm brings lightning and some rain to Perth, as well as parts of southern Western Australia, leaving 7,000 homes without power for part of the night.

The Tasmanian Government is moving to broaden the definition of rape in legislation to be introduced in April, making the charge more gender-neutral and to recognise a raft of non-consensual sex acts.

Police say thieves who stole a beehiveand 50,000 beesfrom a Melbourne backyard could now be suffering from a high number of stings.

A plan which could force more gas into South Australia's energy market to put downward pressure on power costs and improve reliability is flagged by Premier Jay Weatherill.

Biosecurity Queensland confirms a case of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus in a commercially-grown greenhouse cucumber crop in Bundaberg.

Sugar entities Wilmar and Queensland Sugar Limited will not be forced into arbitration after the LNP fails to pass laws in State Parliament to mandate the move.

Canberra has just sweltered through the warmest summer on record for daytime temperatures, according the Bureau of Meteorology, experiencing 53 days above 30 degrees Celsius.

Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark Bailey is referred to Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission over a private email account that has the Opposition questioning if he acted corruptly.

Three people are killed in an overnight fire at an abandoned factory in Melbourne's west, which is known to be occupied by squatters.

The founder of a group that advocates for and supports victims of sexual assault calls for Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse to resign over the relocation of a priest accused of inappropriate behaviour towards children.

Adelaide United coach Guillermo Amor says the Reds will leave China satisfied despite losing 2-1 to Jiangsu Suning on Wednesday night in their Group H Asian Champions League match.

A David and Goliath legal fight ends between the ABC and a community broadcaster over use of the "Radio Adelaide" branding.

Areas around Sydney's Coogee Beach were trashed by drunken revellers in late December, so a temporary alcohol ban was put in place. Now, council's decided to extend that banwith mixed responses.

Wagga Wagga startup founder Simone Eyles

Nearly a quarter of Australian start-ups are founded outside of capital cities, according to a new report from Universities Australia and Startup Muster.

Perth Wildcats are on the cusp of a second straight NBL championship after an 89-77 defeat of the Illawarra Hawks in game two of the grand final series in Wollongong.

For Tennant Creek 13-year-old, Boyd Cook, it was a day he'll long rememberkicking a footy with players from the Collingwood Football Club.

A blame game erupts over who is at fault over the $4.4 billion project to deliver and maintain Queensland Rail's new trains, which have been found to have a plethora of design faults.

Eleven per cent of Australiansboth women and mensuffer economic abuse by a partner, new research finds, but many are not aware they are victims of this subtle form of domestic violence.

A horse trail riding business owner who says he is being "forced out of the forest" is the latest casualty in a battle between the logging industry and environmentalists.

The Newman government slashed oversight of the controversial coal seam gas industry in Queensland despite warnings it would lead to serious non-compliance and to CSG companies "gambling" with safety, cabinet documents show.

Sydneysiders have endured their hottest summer since records began, with official data revealing records across the city were smashed during the 2016-17 season, and NSW had its third-hottest summer.

West Australian cyclist Cameron Meyer returns after a two-month break, aiming for success at next year's Commonwealth Games and the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison joins 7.30 to discuss today's gross domestic product figures, which saw Australia's economy grow by 1.1 per cent.

The Australian Signals Directorate was placed on diesel generators in early February because authorities were concerned about the reliability of the energy grid.

A fisherman who was paid $210,000 to give up his net licence as part of a government buyback is exploiting a legal loophole to keep fishing, stating that the money was not enough to retire on.

Homeowners caught up in the collapse of Victorian building company Watersun Homes will most likely have their houses completed, administrators say, as creditors are owed about $10 million.

Federal Attorney-General George Brandis has again faced a Senate committee inquiring into his involvement in the Bell Group matter, with the committee wanting to know why his recollection of events did not match that of the WA Attorney-General.

Quambatook Group School in northern Victoria will no longer be staffed despite a Facebook campaign attracting many teachers.

A Brisbane father who has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his three-year-old girl locked her in a bedroom using rope while he slept in the day, and would slap her like an adult, his sentencing hearing is told.

A who's who of Australian rugby are among family and friends to pack Sydney University Oval's grandstand and surrounds to celebrate Vickerman's life and mourn his loss on Wednesday.

Malus Island drone footage made by a sporting association shows off the tourism potential of the Pilbara coast.

Federal education regulators were still deciding whether to take action against a problem-plagued Sydney hairdressing college when it closed down leaving 800 students stranded, a Senate estimates hearing hears.

Brisbane homeless program aims to reduces the demand on public services and save the community tens of thousands of dollars.

A multi-agency operation to eradicate a noxious weed from New South Wales is looking into innovative ways to combat the plant, with helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs all part of the fight.

Leaked emails and promises involving animals are the main talking points on the campaign trail today, as the Premier posed with fish and the Opposition Leader cavorted with dogs.

Scientists identify an enzyme that could pave the way to the creation of crops that can withstand the stresses of harsh environmental conditions.

A man is killed after being struck with a metal beam on a New South Wales Government construction site at Barangaroo, near Sydney's Darling Harbour.

Police in Canberra are looking to speak to a woman who allegedly assaulted a man for talking during a Valentines Day screening of the erotic drama Fifty Shades Darker.

Inmates will receive a smaller drug dosage and have to wait longer to get it under changes to the methadone program at Canberra's prison.

A Gold Coast prawn farmer says he will turn his attention to far north Queensland to keep his business afloat after white spot disease wiped out his southern business.

A training program for young mother's is having huge success in Kurri Kurri.

A man is struck by a metal object and killed during a workplace incident on a barge at Sydney's Darling Harbour, one of the city's tourist hotspots and main water traffic areas.

With delivery of 75 new Queensland Rail trains now on hold, what will it mean for commuters who are already suffering from cuts to services from the ongoing driver shortage?

Until this week the South East Regional Hospital had three orthopaedic surgeons - now there are none until next week when just one will return from leave, and a locum will arrive to support him.

The West Australian coroner says he is unable to determine if the care of post-surgical patient Christine Stroner at Fremantle Hospital may have contributed to her death after she was discharged.

A Brisbane father who has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his three-year-old girl locked her in a bedroom with rope while he slept, and would slap her like an adult, his sentencing hearing is told.

Western Australia's biggest wet season on record is coming to an end with just one more weak tropical low forecast for next week.

KPMG urges Australia to get more 'chutzpah' and take risks in developing agtech start-ups to emulate Israel.

Lengthy delays in obtaining psychiatric reports are delaying the finalisation of serious court cases and keeping disadvantaged defendants on remand, South Australian lawyers and judges warn.