A rise in the number of assaults against local government employees prompts Victorian councils to call for a change in sentencing laws to better protect their staff.

Cardinal George Pell could be released from custody, ordered to face a new trial or sent back to prison when the Court of Appeal hands down its ruling next Wednesday. We explain the possible outcomes and what will happen next.

George Pell could walk from court today or be sent back to prison to serve the rest of his six-year term, depending on the outcome of his appeal against his child sex abuse convictions.

The Prime Minister suggests Cardinal George Pell will be stripped of his Order of Australia honour, as Pell plans to take his rejected appeal against his child sex abuse convictions to the High Court.

As urban sprawl puts pressure on the food bowl on Melbourne's fringes, and as water becomes increasingly scarce, one council has a bold idea that might just catch on.

Working 7 days a week, juggling multiple gigs, all for $28,000 a year this is the life of an Australian artist in 2019.

A judge overturns the convictions of a bus driver who crashed into the Montague Street Bridge in South Melbourne, injuring six people. But Jack Aston will remain in prison while he is assessed for a community corrections order for lesser charges.

A bus driver jailed for seriously injuring six passengers when he crashed into South Melbourne's Montague Street Bridge in 2016 is released after an appeal.

'You don't have to be a scientist to work on them': Vintage tractors, some more than 80-years-old go under the hammer, attracting buyers from around Australia.

Rob Minshull produces Weekends with Warren and is an avid reader.

Rob Minshull produces Weekends with Warren and is an avid reader.

The Storm hold on in a tight encounter against the Dragons to win 16-14 in Wollongong, as both sides struggle to cover for their missing State of Origin stars.

An educator on the New South Wales south coast hopes to have all the region's school children fluently speaking their local Dharawal language in the next 10 years.

Volunteers for Meals on Wheels say the charity is under threat with branches surviving on bequests as Federal Government funding for the service plateaus.

A former ABC journalist, who pressed assault charges after her elderly mother was allegedly hit by a carer, urges Australians with family members in aged-care to install personal surveillance equipment.

The Panthers thrash the Dragons 40-18 to stretch their winning streak to seven matches, while the Warriors enjoy a 19-18 victory over the Sharks in Wellington as the race for the NRL finals heats up.

In March 1996, teenager Matthew De Gruchy bludgeoned his family to death in a "frenzied attack" in NSW. Twenty-three years later, he is set to be released from prison as a 41-year-old man.

St George Illawarra's season is all but over, but a sensational debut from young winger Jason Saab in the team's latest loss may be a sign of better things to come.

Cronulla moves into eighth place on the NRL ladder after a hard-fought win over the Dragons, after the Roosters made light work of the Warriors in an ominous performance ahead of finals.

St George Illawarra player Jack de Belin has withdrawn his legal challenge to the NRL's no-fault stand down policy, with his lawyers telling a Federal Court in Sydney there was "no utility" in proceeding.

A court hears a former NSW Northern Beaches baseball coach allegedly kept torture tallies, diaries naming victims, footage of alleged assaults and was in possession of child pornography.

Locals say a man who died while under attack from a swooping magpie near Wollongong was in a 'bad way' and they tried to resuscitate him before help arrived.

Police evidence presented to Wollongong Local Court reveals allegations of violent physical abuse against a 12-week-old baby.

Daniel Mansbridge was seven kilometres into a 1,000-kilometre charity ride for children's cancer when he was knocked off his bicycle and bashed by a group of teenagers.

Australia's Jillaroos maintain their three-year dominance of New Zealand's Kiwi Ferns with a 28-8 triumph in their Test match in Wollongong.

The rise of drag culture driven by RuPaul's Drag Race is giving a new generation of 'queens' a valuable sense of identity and an exponential rise in paid work.

Harold Martin was among the 22,000 Australian men and women made prisoners of war in 1942 when the Japanese advanced on South-East Asia, and once spent four days stranded on a raft in the South China Sea.

Many Australians look at the gun culture in America in disbelief. But examining our shared histories with guns, it was only a few sliding doors moments that stopped us going down that path.

As most of the world struggles to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, one country which should have been vulnerable is keeping deaths and case numbers extremely low.

Celebrities, cooks and internationally renowned performers offer online masterclasses, as those in coronavirus isolation look to upskill.

Hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren visit the national capital each year to study history and democracy — except, of course, this year.

The family of 19-year-old Sabrina Di Lembo allege the GPs and mental health service involved in her treatment were negligent.

Two Jewish convicts sent to Van Diemen's Land, both named Solomon, would go on to lead very different lives. While one became the inspiration for Dickens' Fagin, the other became rich and "respected" — yet could never leave his convict past behind.

The US Presidential candidate and basketball legend are among those publicly demanding justice after video allegedly shows an unarmed black man being chased down and shot dead.

Erika Freingruber was stuck on the floor of her Beaudesert home, south of Brisbane, for up to five days with a broken hip before police rescue her after a tip-off from the state's newly-formed coronavirus Care Army.

The prosecution in the Claremont serial killings trial withdraws its case that Bradley Edwards was so emotionally upset about the breakdown of his relationship with his wife that he murdered three young women.

Power has been restored to most of the 55,000 homes and businesses in Western Australia that were plunged into darkness when a massive storm hit the southern part of the state.

NASA is calling tonight's full moon a supermoon. Not everyone agrees, but it is a great opportunity to catch a lovely photo.

A council on Sydney's southern outskirts calls for changes to bushfire evacuation planning after thousands of people were left like "sitting ducks" in a 15-kilometre traffic jam, as a major blaze threatened the area.

Coronavirus has been a catalyst for lots of Australians to speak up about their experiences of racism, but what happens when the attention fades away and people are left to deal with lasting psychological trauma?

Recently, there's been a surge in withdrawals, with people scared of selling in an unstable market as a recession looms and job losses hit. Agents like Rufina have never seen anything like it.

Heading into the Top End's dry season, Jawoyn rangers are working to prevent dangerous bushfires from tearing through their country and communities.

If Vincent Uwimana had not started translating important messages about COVID-19, Congolese refugees may still believe hot water and onions could protect them.

COVID-19 has resulted in widespread job losses — so what happens next for those who lost their jobs? ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie says if you're out of employment for more than 12 months, your chances of ever working again fall by 40 per cent. Is she correct?