Breaking news, politics, business, economy, and current events from Australia.
A Melbourne fashion boss who allegedly held a woman captive and violently sexually assaulted her at his Byron Bay beach villa three years ago has denied the charges on the first day of his trial in northern New South Wales. Warning: this story contains details of alleged sexual offences. Shmuel Tal, 49, is standing trial…
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has harshly criticised some NATO members over defence spending and their stances on the Iran war as he announced a review of US military forces in Europe. “It’s a review that some countries will fail, and others will pass with flying colours,” Mr Hegseth told NATO defence ministers gathered…
The Northern Territory’s main energy retailer has revealed thousands more customers than previously thought have been affected by delays in billing due to the botched rollout of smart meters. Jacana Energy chief executive Jo Conway revealed the scale of the bungle during an appearance at budget estimates in the NT parliament today. Jacana Energy is…
Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has asked a court to order the company behind a film involving Brittany Higgins to hand over raw footage. The application was heard today in Toowoomba District Court, where Mr Lehrmann is expected to stand trial charged with two counts of rape alleged to have occurred in Toowoomba, west of…
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the image and name of a person who has died. Queensland Corrective Services “missed” multiple opportunities to intervene after concerns were raised about Aubrey Donahue’s mental health in the weeks before his death, a coronial inquest has heard. The inquest at the Cairns…
Youth homelessness rates remain stubbornly high in Central Australia and advocates are renewing calls for a transitional housing model for young people to be established to tackle the issue. The NT has the highest rates of homelessness in Australia, with 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census data revealing children and young people, aged under 24,…
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has suggested Queensland should offer some of its islands to trillionaire Elon Musk. Mrs Rinehart was speaking at the National Bush Summit in Townsville today, a News Corp event also sponsored by her company, Hancock Prospecting. During her speech at the event, which attracted high-profile public figures including One Nation leader…
GWS coach Adam Kingsley says he is unfazed by speculation about Toby Greene’s future at the Giants. Giants captain Greene is off-contract at the end of the season and eligible for unrestricted free agency. Geelong has emerged as a possible suitor for the 32-year-old Victorian, who has played all 274 matches in his career at…
Net overseas migration remained above 300,000 last year, fuelling opposition claims Labor has locked in an unsustainable new normal despite the number of arrivals continuing to fall. The figures, released on Thursday, showed 301,000 people landed in Australia in 2025, almost unchanged from the previous year’s net migration intake of 306,000. It is the lowest…
A 68-year-old pensioner living in his car while waiting for social housing says he has “lost faith in the whole system”, as WA government reforms aimed at making the process fairer leave him wondering when help will come. On Tuesday, Housing Minister John Carey announced the first overhaul of the state’s housing waitlist in 70…