The plan to set out bait for large sharks near popular WA beaches has been criticised over concerns it could attract them into swimming areas, but others back the move.

The outgoing Mental Health Commissioner says the state's Indigenous population is over-represented in the suicide rate.

A reward of $50,000 is re-offered after firefighters battle more than 700 suspicious fires this season.

Wild donkeys are known as environmental pests in Australia, causing erosion and damaging vegetation, but there is growing interest in turning that pest into a profit.

Blowflies could hold the key to managing the most damaging pest to Australian agriculture and the country's biodiversity.

A Brisbane multi-millionaire who donated $300,000 to a charity associated with a group later found in court to be an "exploitative cult" says he gave the money freely as a reward for treating his chronic pain.

The hunt for the missing Belgian backpacker, who disappeared after a night out on May 31, is formally referred to the NSW coroner in a move that ends the official police search.

Police say a pipe bomb found in Mullumbimby on the NSW far north coast has been rendered safe and has been taken away for forensic examination.

ABC North Coast resident arts reviewer, Jeanti St Clair looks at the latest music and theatre to hit the region.

Tributes flow from across the political divide after Ian Causley, one of the NSW North Coast's longest serving members of Parliament, dies aged 79.

Three girls accused of attacking another teen near Wollongong face a maximum 25 years behind bars if found guilty of the shopping centre assault.

A NSW Health official breaks down in tears while apologising for the government department's failures in dealing with the Ruby Princess coronavirus outbreak, an inquiry hears.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Dr Kerry Chant provided an updated on coronavirus for May 6. NSW has confirmed nine new cases of COVID-19 overnight.

The water watchdog says it is investigating claims that irrigators in the Namoi Valley pumped water out of the river system during a recent embargo.

Tasmania confirms eight more cases of coronavirus, bringing the state's tally to 36, as another college ends classroom teaching, citing "mixed and uncertain medical health advice within the community and from various public health authorities".

A young Tasmanian father is dead and five people are in custody after police are called to an altercation in Ritchie Avenue in Burnie early on Sunday morning.

Australia's emu farmers are trying to ramp up production as the demand for oil increases.

Conservationists are alarmed about the amount of vegetation to be cleared for Snowy 2.0, but Snowy Hydro says the benefits outweigh their concerns.

The Riverina car dealership says it takes '100 per cent takes responsibility' for the incident, and has improved work health and safety culture.

Jemma Burns survived being run over by a truck thanks to the blood donations of others. Now, as the Red Cross Blood Service marks its 90th anniversary, it is planning to expand into other interesting and unusual areas.

Liberal backbencher Dave Sharma and Labor MP Josh Burns join forces with alleged victims to seek Malka Leifer's extradition to Australia to face child sexual abuse charges.

Controversial cartoonist Michael Leunig is accused of unfairly judging mothers in a cartoon that suggests some love their phones and Instagram more than their children.

Whips will likely be banned from horseracing in the next 10 to 15 years, the CEO of Racing Victoria says, as rain and animal activists dampen the annual Melbourne Cup parade.

On any given day in the small rural New South Wales town of Trundle, up to a dozen men can be found in an historic garage, tinkering on cars, passing on skills to younger men and taking turns pumping fuel. It's an interesting set up, but it works.

A team of volunteer dog owners are faithfully visiting aged-care homes with their canine companions, bringing much joy and contentment to many of the residents.

Many Nimbin residents have welcomed Federal Government plans to legalise medicinal cannabis and say their town would be an ideal hub for the new potential cash crop.

While Australia continues to flatten the curve in this COVID-19 pandemic, there are serious concerns for the mental wellbeing of Australians.

Bright minds are being encouraged to consider jobs in fashion, rather than traditional STEM careers such as engineering and mathematics.

Humans get exercise in many ways, including training and competing with their dogs in agility trials. So is it time the competition is officially recognised as a sport?

University researcher Katie Gaskin has completed a detailed study into breast anatomy that could bring far-reaching benefits for fields like cancer treatment, cosmetic surgery, and even bra design.

High-profile members of the surf lifesaving movement have described a continual wrestle for resources between spending on sport and spending on rescue equipment.

After police recorded her abusing an elderly woman, a carer told a court what it heard was "me slapping myself". In finding her guilty, the magistrate described the 26-year-old as "mean-spirited and nasty".

Imagine trying to eradicate COVID-19 without knowing how many cases there are in Australia. That is the situation mental health advocates say is hampering the fight against suicide.

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

The International Transport Workers Federation says contacts on the ship told them there are six people in isolation on board due to COVID-19.

AI holds enormous potential for transforming the way we teach, but first we need to define what kind of education system we want. Also, the head of the UK’s new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation warns democratic governments that they urgently need an ethics and governance framework for emerging technologies.

The Korean film Parasite, about a lower-class family who con their way into a wealthy household, wins in a year dominated by social issues.

MORNING BRIEFING: The father of missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez will front the media today as homicide detectives travel to Byron Bay to assist in the investigation, while some of the residents of Mascot Towers will be permitted to return to their homes to pick up belongings.

WA's Chamber of Commerce and Industry releases a damning assessment of newly-elected Opposition Leader Liza Harvey's economic policies, saying they put the state's budget repair at risk.

Amid plans for a five-star hotel for Canberra's centre, some of the city's biggest music success stories plot to save its nightlife, claiming currently unenforced noise limits could kick into effect and threaten venues when the hotel starts hosting guests.

An inquest into the deaths of two young vets who took a drug linked to almost 20 suicides per year within the industry urges better mental health support for veterinary professionals.

Parents raise concerns after videos emerge of school students simulating sexually explicit acts on a popular social media platform. Many of the videos are filmed on school grounds, with students in uniform.

Scientists are "anti-politicians" who look for evidence to break theories rather than data to support an individual's politics, a particle physicist says ahead of a conference in Adelaide involving the world's top scientists.