A bushfire burning north of Hobart could pose a threat to the city's suburbs and critical infrastructure if uncontrolled, a fire officer warns, as Tasmania prepares for hot weather and strong winds over the next few days.

A woman resigned from her job after her employer "expressed disgust and made comments" about her facial hair and another was suspended for shaving her hair to support her cancer patient mother, an anti-discrimination report says.

DAILY BRIEFING: A fire that started north of Bothwell two days ago has been upgraded to emergency level, with firefighters pulling out because it is too dangerous.

DAILY BRIEFING: Firefighters downgrade the alerts for four bushfires which are burning out of control north of Hobart and in a shack area of the Central Highlands.

As bushfire conditions ease around Tasmania this weekend, the firefighter's union wants laws to back volunteers leaving work in an emergency as the bushfire season extends to as long as six months.

The Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania says more private landowners are investigating handing their land back to Aboriginal people, to protect it from development and "to do the right thing".

Parents in Tasmania are struggling to access speech pathology treatment for their children because NDIS funding has caused an explosion in demand for services.

DAILY BRIEFING: An 85-year-old retired GP has been missing in the state's north since Monday, and the Opposition calls on the Government to fix issues within TasWater after a boil water alert is issued for parts of Hobart.

A woman has been left in shock and with a deep distrust of cyber security laws after her ex-boyfriend used an app to control her car and stalk her.

A high school PE teacher cuts his long hair in honour of his mum, as donations of human hair for medical wigs increases.

If you thought it was hot last year, you're not wrong. The Bureau of Meteorology is warning there is little relief on the cards, with 2018's high temperatures and severely dry conditions expected to persist until at least March.

Single dad becomes unsung hero of a photographic exhibition championing men's health that is making a difference

Proposed new powers for South Australia's Country Fire Service volunteers to be able to stop members of the public from operating due to fire dangers has put them at odds with farmers.

High speeds, low altitudes, and "crazy" games of chicken meet two of Australia's most elite pilots, including the first woman to become the national aerobatics champion in more than 20 years.

Make-up course organiser Larissa Jones says parents can't ignore the pressure their children feel to wear make-up and it is better to coach them and let them talk about their insecurities.

From growing agri-tourism to tackling racism, these Trailblazers are taking their big ideas to the country's corridors of power to revolutionise regional Australia.

Some posts and memes on social media want foreign aid cut until Australians get back on their feet after natural disasters. But is this too simplistic?

A South Australian MP is calling for an increase in travel subsidies, coverage of services like Airbnb and Uber, and more flexibility for patients to see their own medical specialists under the state's Patient Assisted Transport Scheme (PATS).

Power is being restored to Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia as authorities consider shutting off power to the Mount Lofty Ranges in response to extreme fire danger conditions in the area.

With no pub or shops in the town, these former city girls started a community-run cafe and it's improving the welfare of local farmers while raising money for charity too.

The Australian birthing kit program sees groups of women get together to help at-risk mothers around the globe and is believed to have helped save nearly 300,000 lives.

A report finds Adelaide's drinking water could be under risk of contamination, leading to outbreaks of gastro, because of the State Government's plan to open up reservoirs to recreational activities.

Two Korean men who organised a cross-country road trip to transport 10 kilograms of ice across Australia are jailed for up to 12 years each, with a judge saying their crime had the potential to "massively harm the community".

Regional Express Airlines says a video of what is claimed to be a rusty propeller shaft on one of its planes does not actually show corrosion, with CASA saying it had "no current issues" with the safety of Rex aircraft.

Last year, Edie Rayner wrote an open letter addressed to all the doctors of Australia. Like many regional towns, her Kimba does not have a permanent doctor but she's looking to change that.

Beach wheelchairs and special matting are finally out of mothballs after two years, thanks to the Whyalla City Council's decision to cover public liability insurance.

At 73, Dr Graham Fleming could be enjoying a quiet retirement. Instead, he's gearing up to be a struggling regional town's first resident doctor in nearly 18 months.

A police officer helps save a worker who jumped into the ocean for his own safety when the Whyalla jetty caught fire on Wednesday afternoon.

An app designed to alert South Australians about bushfires is still not ready as total fire bans were issued amid sweltering temperatures. A watch and act message has been issued for a fire burning near Swan Reach in the state's Murraylands region.

The Barossa Valley is recognised for its wine and tourism, but some bird species are beginning to disappear because of habitat fragmentation and noisy miners.

Two fire incidents in regional South Australia are under control after temperatures soared across the state. A fuel tanker rolled on the Eyre Highway earlier today, and CFS crews have contained a grass fire at Lewiston.

Violent standover man Hizir Ferman may have "progressively suffocated" to death when Victorian prison officers used their body weight to pin him to the ground after forcibly removing him from his cell, an inquest has been told.

IBM is hiring 10 employees with autism at its Client Innovation Centre in Ballarat, joining the growing trend of neurodiversity programs in the workplace.

Thirteen volunteer conservation detection dogs have been trained to detect broad-shelled turtle nests in northern Victoria.

Some people collect cars, mugs or sports memorabilia. Hayden Peters collects jewellery made from the hair of dead people.

The Holland family have hosted thousands of dinner parties in a bus parked in the driveways of complete strangers. It is their way of keeping one foot in urban life while living off the grid.

Former Fairfax Media executive Antony 'The Cat' Catalano strikes a $115 million deal to buy his old employer's regional newspaper group.

Australia will import foreign-grown grain for the first time since 2007, after the Department of Agriculture approved a permit to import bulk wheat from Canada.

After 25 years without a hairdressing salon the locals of Wedderburn in central Victoria finally open their own community enterprise.

Industry experts say consumers are often misguided about what is healthier between alternative and dairy milks, and some say branding is the issue.

Prison officers and nurses could have done more to prevent the death of underworld figure Hizir Ferman, who suffocated to death inside a Victorian prison after a stand-off with guards, a coroner finds.

A Bendigo woman is sentenced to 34 years in prison for killing her partner, who suffered burns to 95 per cent of his body after he was doused in paint thinner and set alight.

Accompanied by police, Premier Daniel Andrews takes part in a sod-turning ceremony at the site of the future Bendigo Islamic Community Centre, declaring goodwill had won out over "some pretty dark views".

At first he thought it was just a rusty bullet case, but further inspection showed it to be worth much, much more.