MORNING BRIEFING: A proposal to bring NSW sexual consent laws in line with Victoria and Tasmania is introduced, while a man is rushed to hospital with multiple stab wounds after a two-vehicle crash.

Old rivals Australia and New Zealand produce another netball classic, with the Silver Ferns edging out the Diamonds to take a lead in the Constellation Cup series.

The Qantas flight, which landed in Sydney on Sunday morning, is the first in a series of trials of "ultra" long-haul trips which could become reality by 2022.

Five Dock is divided over the news a new train station will be built in the heart of the suburb with some fearing a repeat of the CBD light rail disruptions, while others looking forward to the economic injection from better transport.

MORNING BRIEFING: Police charge a man who allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.299 during a random breath test last night, and motorsport fans plan to protest against the NSW Government's decision to demolish the Parramatta Speedway.

This organic farming program is turning residential backyards into market gardens to tackle food security, food mileage and social isolation.

Figures released by the Department of Finance last week show the budget is now back in deficit by $4.8 billion. Now some economists doubt the government will be able to reach the projected surplus, including former Treasury advisor Warren Hogan.

Three men, including two sons of a prominent Melbourne barrister, are sentenced to jail for a drunken attack on two men near the MCG after an AFL game. But at least one of the men could still avoid prison after appealing his sentence and being granted bail.

Game fishers are predicting one of the best seasons in 30 years, but are wary about publicising their big catches online due to growing criticism about the sport.

As vulnerable patients arrive at one hospital's psychiatric ward with just the clothes on their back, a support service is ensuring access to free, clean garments of their choice.

The owners of Sydney's troubled Mascot Towers claim new test have revealed a "loss of soil" under the apartment complex's north east corner the same area cracks first appeared before the building was evacuated in June.

MORNING BRIEFING: Commuters and HSC students have been advised to avoid the M1 at Berowra after a road worker was hit by a utility early this morning, causing lane closures, and a man dies in a blaze at a Maitland home.

Royal Life Saving Society Australia is warning parents to limit distractions and be vigilant with water safety, as new data shows one-year-olds are at the greatest risk of drowning compared to any other age group.

The Workers Compensation Commission finds in favour of a former House Rules contestant who claimed she was now unemployable because of the negative way she was portrayed on the Channel Seven show.

In the wake of the construction disasters of the Opal Tower and Mascot Towers, the NSW Government is introducing new laws to Parliament which would mean builders have a duty of care to owners and could be fined upwards of $100,000 for any faulty work.

Billionaire property developer Huang Xiangmo publishes a lengthy and scathing attack at the ATO, which is pursuing him over a $141 million tax bill, and ASIO, which revoked his permanent residency.

Owners of apartments affected by the combustible cladding crisis in Victoria tell researchers of the emotional and financial toll it has taken on them and their neighbours.

Chayse Gannon and his mother, forced to leave dad and baby brother behind, have changed accommodation around Sydney more than 12 times since he was diagnosed in February.

A social media campaign quickly gathers followers as it shines a light on drought-affected towns struggling to maintain their businesses, and encourages people to buy remotely in the lead-up to Christmas.

A seagrass nursery set up to propagate seeds to restore lost seagrass meadows could also be a tool to offset carbon emissions.

MORNING BRIEFING: Plans to sell off the remaining bus routes have been slammed by the unions, and the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition adds colour to the eastern coastline.

Meet John. He's 59, and used to be a teacher. He's also been job hunting for a decade and is one of almost 900,000 people in NSW living below the poverty line, according to a new report.

NSW Police has refused to reveal if defence lawyers are being spied on with electronic surveillance as part of criminal investigations.

Ashleigh Gardner has already suffered five concussions in her short cricket career, but the 22-year-old all-rounder hopes to use the experiences to make her a better player.

The current 5.25 per cent interest rate for reverse mortgages under the Government's Pension Loans Scheme has not fallen despite three official cash rate cuts this year.

A 19-year-old woman is charged with torture and causing the death of an animal after allegedly stabbing a cat 20 times and throwing it from a balcony on Sydney's northern beaches.

A leading international transportation strategist says Sydney can never have a world-class public transport system, despite the NSW Government's record investment in major projects.

A Federal Court judge rules Chinese property developer Huang Xiangmo should declare his overseas assets as the ATO which alleges the billionaire has an unpaid $141 million tax debt closes in.

There are growing calls for a royal commission into the racing industry after the ABC revealed emails proving Racing NSW was told more than a year ago about the unauthorised sale of thoroughbreds for slaughter at a livestock auction.

The NSW Government will discuss establishing a national park south of Sydney to protect the state's last chlamydia-free koala colony under threat by urban expansion.

MORNING BRIEFING: Total fire bans are in place as temperatures are set to rise beyond the mid-30s on Friday, and a man in a wheelchair has fallen down 100 stairs at Macquarie Park Station.

A NSW Police officer accused of tasering a 16-year-old boy and repeatedly bashing him with a baton will continue to serve in the force, despite being charged over the alleged on-duty assault.

The high-end Rockpool Dining Group fronted by Neil Perry is hit by union claims it tampered with digital timesheets as it underpaid workers by up to $10 million, as a former worker enters mediation with the group in the Federal Court.

Phoebe Litchfield is a high school student in country New South Wales, who also happens to be one of the brightest young talents to hit the WBBL.

The first time I saw my baby Billie was in a photo she'd been born 11 weeks early. The next few months brought agony, loneliness and love and sparked lasting friendships with other mums in the intensive care unit.

Extreme winds are churning up dust from Broken Hill to Sydney, with some parts of the central west turning red and forcing residents to eat dinner under bedsheets so as not to spoil their food.

If you think of your favourite British TV shows, one thing that stands out is the great variation in the way the actors sound. So why aren't Australians the same?

Shorebirds are increasingly under pressure around Australia, as the nation's wetlands and coastal estuaries continue to be swallowed by housing.

The body of serial killer Ivan Milat is removed from Long Bail Jail and driven to the NSW State Coroner.