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The Western Australian government has announced it will abolish the practice of using good character references during court sentencings, in a move designed to create a fairer and more consistent judicial process. The reform, reported on August 24, 2026, removes a long-standing tradition that critics argued favoured wealthy and well-connected defendants.
Bathla Group, one of western Sydney's largest property developers, has collapsed into voluntary administration, throwing the fate of hundreds of off-the-plan homes into uncertainty. The company and its vast network of entities had been teetering on the edge of financial ruin for more than 12 months, with multiple sources confirming the administration filing on August 25, 2026.
The New South Wales government has announced mandatory facial recognition technology for all gaming rooms and a statewide exclusion register as part of its latest poker machine reforms, while dropping plans for a super profits tax on venues.
Michael McConnaughty, the 30-year-old Perth man labelled the ‘Tinder rapist’ by local media, has told a court he believed the two women he is accused of sexually assaulting were consenting. The alleged attacks occurred in 2019 and 2023 after he met the women through dating apps. McConnaughty is facing multiple charges of sexual assault.
Commuters across Sydney's north are enduring serious disruptions this morning after an overhead wiring fault forced an emergency shutdown of trains on the T1 North Shore Line, triggering major delays and urgent repair work.
The sudden temporary closure of Aradale Mental Asylum, a historic abandoned psychiatric hospital that has become a key tourist attraction for the small Victorian town of Ararat, has been labelled an 'economic catastrophe' by local businesses, who fear a sharp drop in visitor numbers and revenue.
Australia's flagship renewable energy scheme is facing a significant setback, with a pronounced drought of new wind power projects threatening to derail the country's ambitious 2030 green energy targets. Analysts warn that without a rapid acceleration in wind farm development, the phase-out of coal-fired power generation may be impossible to achieve on schedule.
A former New South Wales police officer has come forward alleging she was drugged and raped by a senior male colleague who, she claims, is still serving in the force. The woman told reporters the officer had a known reputation for targeting women, raising fresh questions about the handling of misconduct within the NSW Police Force.
Terri Svoronos is demanding an overhaul of Victorian laws after the driver accused of killing her 16-year-old son in an alleged hit and run was allowed to keep his licence, prompting questions about the state's road safety regulations and victim support mechanisms.
Jetstar has announced a new non-stop route to an Asian destination described as 'one of Asia's coolest', adding 50,000 budget seats per year as Australians flock to the region in record numbers.
Australia's official music charts will no longer include songs created predominantly or entirely by artificial intelligence, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has announced, with the change taking effect from this Friday, August 28, 2026.
For the first time, researchers have converted NAPLAN scores into equivalent years of learning, revealing that disadvantaged students in Western Australia are up to six years behind their more advantaged peers. The analysis, published this week, provides a stark new measure of educational inequality by translating standardised test results into a tangible time-based gap, sparking urgent calls for targeted policy intervention.
The Australian National University has issued an unreserved apology to academic Liz Allen, acknowledging its 'indefensible treatment' of the whistleblower after she accused former chancellor Julie Bishop and two other senior leaders of bullying, threats, and intimidation.
After years of perceived close cooperation with the Labor government, the Australian business lobby is preparing to deliver a blunt message to the Prime Minister over dinner, expressing deep dissatisfaction with Treasury's latest budget measures, particularly the tax changes that industry leaders argue undermine investment and growth.
Australia's major political parties are set to offer voters starkly different visions for immigration, with One Nation, the Coalition and Labor each preparing net overseas migration targets that reflect fundamentally opposing views on population growth, according to a report by Phillip Coorey in the Financial Review. The divergence signals that migration policy will be a defining issue at the next election, with implications for housing, infrastructure and the labour market.
Federal minister Angus Taylor personally organised hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded grants for the Rapid Relief Team, the charity arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, with some of the money flowing to his own seat of Hume, according to government documents seen by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times. The grants were awarded while the charity was a key sponsor of Pollie Pedal, an annual charity bike ride in which Mr Taylor regularly participates.
Three of Australia's largest news organisations — The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Times — published identical cryptic text on Monday morning, leaving readers and media observers baffled. The unusual content, reading "A piece o’ cord for bouncers" followed by "While members keep it magisterial", appeared in each outlet's latest stories section at approximately the same time, with no accompanying context or editorial note.
Youth mental health services across Melbourne's eastern suburbs have been placed on high alert following the deaths of 10 young people over a recent period, yet health watchdogs have so far declined to launch a systemic review into the cluster, raising questions about the adequacy of the response.
One Nation MP for Farrer, David Farley, sparked political speculation on Monday after he gatecrashed a Liberal Party meeting and joked about sitting with the Coalition. While Farley insists his comment was a light-hearted quip, Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie did not rule out the possibility of a future defection, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the major parties and the right-wing minor party.
A mistrial has been declared in the trial of a Cape York Peninsula traditional owner accused of defrauding his community of mining royalties more than a decade ago, after a juror noticed that copies of evidence provided to two fellow jurors contained irregular redacted material that the court had ruled inadmissible. The judge discharged the jury on the spot, citing the risk of prejudice.
Exclusive CCTV footage obtained by ABC's 7.30 program has revealed shocking scenes of violence against Coles workers, including a customer wielding a hammer and a security guard being thrown into a checkout machine, highlighting the growing crisis of retail worker safety in Australia.
Four men have been charged in connection with a violent home invasion in Perth’s southern suburb of Warnbro, where two men were stabbed and seriously injured by masked intruders allegedly wielding axes and machetes.
Beetaloo Energy Australia has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) to plan a 750-kilometre gas pipeline connecting its Northern Territory gas fields to its proposed Beetaloo Digital hub near Darwin, a move that could underpin a major expansion of digital infrastructure in the region.
Jarome Luai has hit back at claims he is the most overpaid player in NRL history, urging critics to 'walk a day in my shoes' after a rival player added his voice to the debate over the Wests Tigers’ marquee signing. The cashed-up Tiger responded on Sunday night, addressing the growing chorus of doubt about his worth on and off the field.
Former acting inspector-general of aged care Ian Yates has condemned the Albanese government's aged care reforms as a failure, accusing officials of downplaying wait lists that he says have blown out to 'unprecedented' levels. Yates is the second former insider to publicly criticise the overhaul, raising questions about the effectiveness of the government's signature policy.
A new report reveals that earning $130,000 a year is no longer sufficient to avoid housing stress in Western Australia, as the benchmark for affordable rent—defined as no more than 30 per cent of household income—becomes increasingly out of reach for even higher-income earners. The findings underscore a deepening affordability crisis in a state where rental prices have surged over the past two years.
A sharp increase in mortgage applications containing AI-generated fake payslips and tax returns has prompted Australian banks to renew their push to replace traditional paper-based income verification with more secure digital alternatives, according to reports from The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Times. The trend, described by analysts as 'frighteningly easy' to execute, is laying bare the vulnerabilities of a lending system still reliant on easily forged documents.
Forrestania Resources has announced a significant upgrade to the gold resource at its British Hill project in Western Australia, revealing a deep 29-metre interval grading 3.91 grams per tonne of gold that extends the known mineralisation and lifts the total resource by 175,000 ounces.
A Stradbroke Island resident has been praised after an impromptu wildlife rescue was captured on video, showing the local lifting a stranded koala out of harm's way on the Queensland island. The incident, recorded by a bystander, highlights the ongoing challenges faced by native wildlife in urban and semi-urban areas.
Nikita Tszyu delivered a series of sarcastic answers during a tense press conference on Monday ahead of his world title eliminator against fellow Australian Ben Mahoney, fueling speculation about the pressure both fighters are under ahead of the pivotal super-welterweight bout.
National Australia Bank has warned that house prices will continue to fall for months as the property market adjusts to newly implemented tax changes, with the bank's chief economist stating the correction is roughly one-third complete and will likely take most of a year to fully play out.
Port Adelaide star Zak Butters has officially informed the club he will depart via free agency, ending months of speculation and confirming his desire to return to Victoria. The 25-year-old midfielder’s decision, announced on Monday, has placed Geelong and the Western Bulldogs as the leading contenders for his signature, though competing AFL rules around free agency compensation and a looming wildcard controversy involving Bulldogs player Ed Richards add layers of complexity to the off-season market.
Wallabies enforcer Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has welcomed the prospect of playing in one of rugby's most hostile environments, saying the team must 'beat fire with fire' as they prepare for their upcoming Test against Argentina in the high-altitude 'mountain cauldron' of Mendoza.
Australia's telecommunications companies have issued new advice on how to contact Triple Zero (000) emergency services, with updated guidance covering text-based options for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired, along with reminders that some older phones may lose connectivity as the 3G network is progressively switched off. Nine's technology expert Trevor Long explained the changes, which aim to improve access and reliability during emergencies.
More than a quarter of Canterbury's NRL squad were kept away from training on Monday after being ruled out with COVID-19, casting uncertainty over Friday's must-win clash against competition leaders Penrith. The Bulldogs, fighting to keep their season alive, now face the prospect of reshuffling a depleted side for one of the most critical matches of the year.
Women working in Australia's Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme are experiencing domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and severe financial hardship due to a visa system that ties their legal right to stay to their employer's approval, according to new research from the University of Melbourne.
New South Wales Education Minister Prue Car has called a roundtable to discuss the alleged sexual assault of teenagers and the proliferation of horrific and hateful online content, signaling a renewed push to tackle the intersection of school safety and digital harms.
Australia has recorded its first case of bird flu in a mammal after a fur seal tested positive for the virus in South Australia, marking a significant development in the country's monitoring of the pathogen's spread beyond avian populations.
A bipartisan push to expand the surveillance and detention powers of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has been blocked by an unlikely coalition of opponents, including two Liberal Party senators who crossed the floor. One of the senators described the proposed legislation as 'oppressive' and vowed to continue opposing similar measures.
Joey Manu, the former Kiwi international and star NRL centre, will return to the NRL with the new Papua New Guinea expansion team, but rival clubs are already on notice that he could be available for a short-term deal before linking up with the PNG franchise. The development marks a major coup for the NRL’s push into PNG, while opening the door for other clubs to secure his services on a temporary basis.
A column published across multiple Australian mastheads warns that government inaction, however well-intentioned, can cause permanent harm to individuals whose lives are disrupted while officials deliberate. Author Sean Kelly argues that the gap between policymakers' extended planning horizons and the immediate crises faced by ordinary people is a systemic failure with real human consequences.
The Bajool explosives reserve, a secretive government-run facility in Queensland that has operated since 1913, has been approved for expansion to meet surging demand from the mining industry. The facility is one of four such reserves in the state, and the expansion signals a renewed reliance on domestically produced explosives as mining operations accelerate across Australia.
Former Sydney Roosters star Joseph Manu has signed with the PNG Chiefs, becoming the seventh player to join the expansion club as it prepares for its debut NRL season. The signing was confirmed on Saturday, marking a significant coup for the franchise as it builds its inaugural roster.
The community of Wildwood, Victoria, has rallied to support the family of Khaled Malas, a man who has been missing since he was allegedly shot in the area. Police are investigating the circumstances of his disappearance, with no confirmed sightings since the incident.
Riverina Water has begun diluting water from two bores in Wagga Wagga after detecting elevated levels of PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – but the source of the contamination remains a mystery, the utility confirmed on Sunday.
Nearly three-quarters of metropolitan Perth voters disapprove of Woodside's proposed Browse gas project and oppose fracking in the Kimberley, according to a survey commissioned by Greenpeace, which also found strong support for policies that prioritise domestic gas supply over new export-oriented drilling.
Republican activist Grover Norquist has branded Australia a “loser country” over its news bargaining code and tech regulations, and also attacked the nation’s local content quotas for streaming giants such as Netflix, escalating a trans-Pacific political dispute over digital platform rules.
The Albanese government’s plan to reserve more natural gas for the domestic market is raising hopes among manufacturers that idled factories can restart and jobs return, beginning with a petrochemical plant that has been shuttered for years. The move, which would divert supplies from export contracts to local buyers, represents a significant intervention in Australia’s energy market.