Plans to carve up the Marrickville Golf Club in Sydney's inner west to create more green space spark "aggressive" debate, as the local council turns to residents to make a final decision.

Book-loving Tasmanians are bucking the trend and turning to libraries in their thousands, less than a year after the state became the first in Australia to abolish fines and processing fees for overdue books.

It's the system they have in London and Chicago, it's being trialled in New York, and soon it will allow people in Cairns, Mackay and Townsville to pay for trains and buses with their credit cards and mobile phones.

A chemical used to control pests in agricultural crops and termites in buildings has been blamed for the death of up to 10 million bees in southern New South Wales.

The father of missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez says unlocking his son's last WhatAsapp messages could be key to find him alive. But a leading expert says the tech giant is incapable of unjumbling the "garbled" encrypted messages.

Police announce a $500,000 reward for information about the rape of an 18-year-old woman in Melbourne's CBD last year, as the victim speaks about the "traumatic" attack for the first time.

Ex-detective Paul Dale tells a royal commission he has waited years to expose "corruption" within Victoria Police over the use of Nicola Gobbo as an informer, and that his sexual relationship with the woman known as Lawyer X has been exaggerated.

The NSW Treasurer delivers a surplus of around half that expected this time last year, but is forecasting blue skies ahead. He's optimistic despite doubts circulating about the domestic and global economies, Ian Verrender says.

More than two decades since Philip Nitschke set fire to the "disgusting, pathetic" bill overturning voluntary euthanasia in the Northern Territory, the region remains in a stranglehold, banned from even debating the issue.

A south-east Queensland council with more than 700 memorabilia items the bulk of which is believed to have been bought with ratepayers' money is asking the community what should be done with the haul.

The Victorian Government prepares to reintroduce a bill which would make it easier for people to alter the sex recorded on their birth certificate to male, female or any other gender descriptor of their choice.

A life-saving surgery seen as a major breakthrough in stroke treatment is only available to Canberrans during business hours, but soon patients will not have to worry about whether the timing of their stroke will affect their care.

WA Liberal MPs distance themselves from their new leader's policy direction, including contentious moves to abandon the Western Power sale and steer away from supporting deregulated trading hours, after strong criticism from the business lobby.

Two brothers charged with intentionally causing serious injury over an alleged attack on a a senior Victoria Police officer displayed aggressive and threatening behaviour and were "attempting to engage in a fight" a Melbourne court is told.

The Health Department confirms a massive spike in the number of influenza cases in Western Australia this year, with 3,000 extra notifications and 14 deaths in the past week alone.

A 27-year-old Canberra man is found guilty of running a major drug operation to fuel a flamboyant lifestyle complete with expensive cars and inspirational quotes played out on Facebook and Instagram.

Kelly says the way police handled the investigation into her alleged assault "has been the most devastating part of it" after she was told her rape kit was destroyed and then never existed at all.

MORNING BRIEFING: Michael Ferguson says union bosses have hit a 'new low' and a court hears that a Launceston man accused of murder said his alleged victim "is going to pay".

At age seven, Lisa Millar was singing the ABC News theme and practising her interview technique on her little sister. After 25 years of reporting in Australia and overseas, she's now looking forward to the challenge of co-hosting a daily morning television program.

Amid plans for a five-star hotel for Canberra's centre, some of the city's biggest music success stories plot to save its nightlife, claiming currently unenforced noise limits could kick into effect and threaten venues when the hotel starts hosting guests.

Dashcam footage shows an out-of-control truck hurtling through a red light at the base of Adelaide's South Eastern Freeway, moments after the vehicle lost its brakes and was forced onto the wrong side of the road.

Police investigating the alleged murder of Kim Chau whose body was found in a luxury Adelaide home say they found a "number of items" of interest during a search for evidence at a rubbish dump.

One of hundreds of victims of an Adelaide chiropractor who indecently filmed clients, including children, says the man took away her "dignity" and "confidence", but has vowed to move on with her life.

Christina Vithoulkas always had a positive outlook on life, but when she crashed her motorbike and broke her spine her positivity only increased.

Police and State Emergency Service volunteers are scouring the park where Shaun Thomas Russell, 36 was killed in Adelaide's southern suburbs.

An arrest warrant is issued for a man and a woman wanted in connection with the fatal bashing of Hackham West man Shaun Russell, whose body was found in a park south of Adelaide.

A man and a woman are arrested in Adelaide's north and will face charges over the alleged murder of Hackham West man Shaun Russell, who was allegedly beaten before he died.

Police investigating the stabbing of a 40-year-old man, who was found lying on the road at Hackham West overnight, uncover a drug lab believed to be used for growing magic mushrooms.

A sustained gastro outbreak on the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth has left more than 100 passengers sick over the past month, including two who had to be hospitalised.

Eliza Bartlett is a diabetic but is does not define her. The 27-year-old walked 4,200 kilometres across Europe to displace the stigma.

Adelaide man Malcolm Walker is found safe and well, but police say they will continue to investigate witness reports he was attacked and then forced into a car.

A man is charged with the alleged indecent assault of an eight-year-old in the public toilet of a venue in South Australia's Riverland region on Sunday.

The family of missing man and suspected murder victim Michael Purse makes an emotional plea for information on his fate, with his mother breaking down as she described her anguish.

Background checks on people suspected of having a history of domestic violence introduced in South Australia last year are already helping to save lives, a domestic violence support service says.

A congestion charge for driving in the CBD during peak hour is once again being pushed, and a new report says it would be easy, cheap and speed up traffic across all major cities.

An Adelaide man, who founded a network which promotes online safety, issues an apology for possessing child exploitation material and exchanging nude pictures with teenagers.

An Adelaide man has been charged with a string of offences after he fell through the roof of a carport while allegedly trying to run away from police overnight. In a separate incident, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a house in Prospect.

Former Sydney Swans player and GWS senior assistant coach Matthew Nicks says he's ready to embrace the challenge as Adelaide Football Club's new senior coach.

Adelaide police say two men turned up to a victim's house with an eftpos machine demanding money after earlier calling him pretending to be from the tax office. The man has told the ABC that he "knew they weren't legit".

The City of Marion backflips on a decision to evict the Cove Football Club from its Hallett Cove premises over sexual harassment and intimidation allegations.

An animal rights group calls for a roadside memorial to be erected for a number of chickens killed in a truck fire on Adelaide's Northern Expressway this morning.

Letters released by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption show he was refused $2 million to fund an evaluation of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

Mystery surrounds an incident in which a man fell from the balcony of an apartment block in Adelaide's CBD this morning, leaving him in a critical condition.