State of the Nation
Need a national news snapshot first thing? We've got you covered. But also check out what's happening around regional Australia …
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
►BEMBOKA: Two men from Wollongong have been found in NSW bushland after being stuck in a creek since Thursday. Read more
►BERMAGUI: While the ban on greyhound racing in NSW stole the attention of many on Tuesday, another motion was passed, 246 years in the making. The move to acknowledge the Gweagal people as the rightful owners of artefacts kept in British museums passed unanimously on Tuesday afternoon, a first for an Indigenous issue in any Australian parliament. Read more.
►NSW: A run of controversial policy decisions and hospital scandals has seen support for the NSW government crash to leave Labor and the Coalition neck and neck almost 18 months after Premier Mike Baird's 2015 election victory. Read more
►WOLLONGONG: The way emergency services deal with Australian bushfires could be tipped on its head after new research potentially discredits hazard reduction burns. Read more
►WOLLONGONG: At her worst point Emma Stephens-Wood would literally cling on to door frames for dear life if someone tried to make her go outside. Her eight-year battle with severe anxiety saw the Bellambi woman struggle to even leave the house because of an ‘’extreme fear of the unknown’’. Read more
► OMEO: Alan and Noeleen Smith, who farm on Innisfail, on the Cobungra River, are the third generation of his family to grow wool on the property above Omeo. The fourth generation – their daughters Belinda and Jackie – are also heavily involved, working on the farm. Read more.
► MOUNT ISA: Local youth stuck in the justice system often suffer disadvantage through lack of education, mental illness, disability, or because of previous contact in the child safety system. Read more.
► NEWCASTLE: A Merewether home has gone up in flames on Friday night. Firefighters worked desperately to save the home in Winsor Street, extinguishing the blaze about 7.15pm. Read more.
► GOULBURN: An inmate who dropped another inmate on his head at the Goulburn jail has been given more time inside. Read more.
► CLARE VALLEY: There are strong parallels between Australia’s wine industry and that of California 10 years ago, says influential US wine writer Jon Bonné. Read more.
► ILLAWARRA: Every week, the Illawarra feeds nearly $50 million through the pokies. That’s a rate of $158 a week per resident and a yearly total of just under $2.5 billion. Read more.
► PORT MACQUARIE: Students at St Josephs Regional College put the books aside on Friday and brightened up their day with a splash of colour. The school hosted its second annual Upbeat Festival and Colour Run fundraiser and by all accounts it was a raging success. See the photos.
National news
► New Greens immigration spokesman Nick McKim wants to see Tasmania’s refugee intake increase during his time serving in the role.
Senator McKim on Thursday was given the key party portfolio in a post-election reshuffle by leader Richard Di Natale who said he wanted to reinvigorate his team. Read more.
► The first trial of Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara was aborted in July last year after McNamara's then barrister Charles Waterstreet made a reference to Rogerson "killing two or three people when he was in the police force".
Justice Geoffrey Bellew said he had no alternative but to discharge the jury just two days into the trial because of the potential prejudice caused by the jury being alerted to Rogerson's chequered history as a detective in the 1970s and '80s. Read more.
On this Day
► 2011 – Hurricane Irene strikes the United States east coast, killing 47 and causing an estimated $15.6 billion in damage.
International news
► JAPAN: The Coalition government has won Japanese approval to re-open Australia’s live cattle export trade. In May, the market valued at more than $14 million a year was temporarily suspended in response to cattle exported from Australia testing positive for bovine Johne’s disease (BJD) on arrival in Japan. Read more.
Faces of Australia: Pacific Hagenimana
During this week, six years ago, Pacific Hagenimana arrived in Australia to embark on a new life.
“When I landed here I felt like life had now changed,” he said.
It took a couple of years, but Mr Hagenimana said these days he can sleep through the night, without nightmares and the fear that someone is going to attack or kill him. Read more.