A 24-year-old Kalgoorlie woman who crashed into an old courthouse building and fled the scene has avoided jail for reckless driving, telling a Magistrate she had "poor recollection" of the incident after hitting her head.

While the focus and support has been on the drought in Australia's east, farmers in WA have been hesitant to rock the boat over their own struggles.

Chinese interest returns to the Ballarat goldfields, which may provide job security for more than 200 people in the town, but there is concern about how new royalties will affect businesses.

A Chinese-Australian family whose home was targeted in a coronavirus-related act of vandalism receives an outpouring of support from neighbours, celebrities and fellow Australians online.

Joining Virginia is Mornings regular and Insiders ABC presenter David Speers, summarizing the top stories of the week and previewing this Sunday's episode of Insiders.

Todd Robinson speaks out about his partner, Constable Glen Humphris — one of the four police officers killed in a fatal crash — saying he was "so proud" to have joined Victoria Police.

Only a few weeks ago Karon Baker was in tears when her local Anzac Day service was called off, but by 6:30am this morning, she couldn't wipe a proud smile off her face.

The number of new coronavirus cases recorded in Victoria remains low, but authorities are still concerned about a growing cluster at a private psychiatric clinic.

A Victoria Police officer, who was killed along with three of his colleagues when they were struck by a truck, is remembered as a "bright light" by his devastated family, who have been left "with a pain that has taken our breath away".

Those who suffered devastating loss in the January bushfires say they didn't have time to rebuild before the coronavirus came along and dealt them another crippling blow.

It's not just the takeaway giants benefitting from a drive-through business model during the coronavirus pandemic, with consumers opting for drive-through businesses to stock up on bread, meat and produce.

The lawyer for truck driver Mohinder Singh tells a Melbourne court his client is deeply distressed by the "tragic consequences" of last week's crash, when the truck he was driving hit and killed four police officers on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway.

A 95-year-old celebrates a win after a decades-long fight for an apology from the Catholic Church in Melbourne for the abuse of her daughter by priest Gerard Mulvale.

A 47-year-old Cranbourne man who was behind the wheel of a truck that hit and killed four police officers on April 22, 2020 was arrested and charged on April 26, 2020.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says plans are underway to test 100,000 people over the next fortnight for COVID-19 in order to make an informed decision on which restrictions could be rolled back after the state of emergency ends on May 11.

The partner of Senior Constable Kevin King, who was killed in last week's Eastern Freeway crash in Melbourne, says her heart is "in pieces" after the loss of her "only love for 35 years".

The Federal Government is ordered to pay $206,000 in legal fees for a two-year-old Tamil girl who has been embroiled in a high-profile legal battle to stay in Australia with her family.

Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter says he has sought final advice from his department on the release of unpublished documents relating to Cardinal George Pell's handling of child sexual abuse complaints.

As people look for new ways to cope with the isolation of the coronavirus lockdown, business is booming at adult retail stores around the country.

Researchers have identified all the immune reactive proteins, then mapped and identified the parts causing chronic wheat ailments, giving growers a path to develop new lines.

A Victorian-New South Wales cross-border community is uncertain when students should return to the classroom, as term two gets underway.

For the first time in its 24-year history, Koroit Irish Festival's search for the region's 'best flaming folk' is to take on a new life online.

The lawyer for asthmatic prisoner Mark Rowson tells a court his client should be immediately released from Port Phillip Prison, if authorities cannot mitigate the risk of a coronavirus outbreak in the prison system.

The sinkhole, measuring 12 metres wide and five metres deep, developed in a broken pipe for stormwater access, the SES says. It came as Melbourne was hit by heavy rainfall ahead of three more days of wintry weather.

Sirens sound four times across Victoria to honour four fallen police officers, exactly one week after they were tragically killed in a truck collision on one of Melbourne's busiest freeways.

There are warnings Australia could experience a spike in drownings if swimming centres are forced to close because of the coronavirus shutdown, with predictions one in five swim schools around the country will close their doors for good.

Victoria's state political reporter Richard Willingham tells of a dramatic week during the COVID-19 pandemic when everything changed, and the particular challenges of reporting a story unlike any other he's covered.

Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor is farewelled as a dedicated "hero" who will always be remembered for making a "huge difference to the community", as Victoria Police officers observe a minute of silence for their colleague.

Across many states and territories, the coronavirus restrictions keeping people at home are finally being relaxed. Here are the things allowed as the country slowly opens back up.

Victorians will never forget the sacrifice made by the four police officers killed in the Eastern Freeway crash, Police Minister Lisa Neville says, as Constable Glen Humphris and Senior Constable Kevin King are laid to rest.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews responds to the state's Deputy Chief Health Officer's tweet comparing coronavirus to Captain Cook's arrival in Australia at a press conference on May 1, 2020.

While statistics suggest workforce participation in the 45–54 age group has been slowly climbing, employment industry experts warn too many mature-aged jobseekers are being shut out.

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos announces that Epping's Meadowglen Primary School will be closed for three days as the state confirms 13 new coronavirus cases.

The Gippsland dairy farming town of Yarram has received a colourful makeover with the addition of 10 new public art murals by a celebrated street artist.

Street mural artist Heesco, project coordinator Wayne Tindall, Yarram resident Eric Greenaway and The Ship Inn motel owner Paul Frost on what the 'Heesco Town' project has meant to Yarram, in South Gippsland.

Shane Fitzsimmons was nicknamed the "nation's father" for his leadership during the catastrophic bushfire season. As he departs his post as NSW RFS chief, he explains how he went from a troubled teenager to a celebrated leader, earning respect and saving lives along the way.

Victoria's health department counsels Annaliese van Diemen over her tweet comparing the impact of COVID-19 with Captain Cook's arrival in Australia, but clears her of breaching the Victorian public sector code of conduct.

Organisers of the national cattle industry expo say it's 'full steam ahead', despite not knowing when the ban on mass gatherings will be lifted

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas says casual public sector workers who have lost their jobs due to coronavirus will receive fortnightly payments if $1500, May 6, 2020.

More than $15 million could have been lost from the Wimmera Southern Mallee economy as a result of events being cancelled because of the coronavirus.

Police investigating the death of 26-year-old Ellie Price in South Melbourne are calling for help from the public to find Ricardo Barbaro, who they want to speak with about the death.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, immunity has never been such a hot topic. It's meant a family-run dairy that produces colostrum is being overrun with enquiries.

Two more Victorian police officers are suspended over the leak of unauthorised photos of former AFL coach and player Dean Laidley in a police station, as the state's corruption watchdog says it will oversee the investigation into the leak.

A Lifeline volunteer counts her work as a privilege and urges more people to volunteer, as calls to the support line jump to record highs.

The Victorian Government launches a new campaign against family violence, as St Vincent's Hospital records a doubling of family violence victims presenting to its emergency department during the coronavirus pandemic.

Transforming a hearse into something resembling a Transylvanian castle on wheels is not something you can Google for instructions, but artist Karl Claydon made it work.

Nestled in bushland on the side of Canberra's Capital Hill, in the shadow of Parliament House's mighty flagpole, is arguably the most ruthless but cohesive party rooms in federal politics.

Another "quite fat" king penguin is spotted on the Tasmanian mainland, with one wildlife officer calling the sighting especially rare "unless you're on a tourist ship going to Antarctica", although no cause for concern.

He's worn many hats in his days, including that of world barefoot mud crab tying champion and Top End buffalo shooter. But Billy Lowery really just wishes he'd worn more hats more often.

It's been a huge week of news stories big and small. How many do you remember? Test that memory in our news quiz.