Farmers are entitled to a new, one-off payment from the Federal Government to help them decide if their farm is sustainable or could be sold.

Sometimes being creative involves getting burnt. It's a lesson two gay podcasters in Sydney learnt the hard way.

A Sydney jury is unable to reach a unanimous or majority verdict in the case of a Kulwinder Singh, who pleaded not guilty to setting his wife Parwinder Kaur on fire in 2013. She later died in hospital.

The Federal Government is falling short on its own commitment to boost funding for services to keep Australia free from pests and disease.

Chris Waller continues his big race domination, taking out The Everest at Randwick with Yes Yes Yes, on a day marked by protests and calls for change after an investigation revealed widespread slaughter and abuse of former racehorses in Australian abattoirs.

An 81-year-old man is charged over the alleged sexual and indecent assault of two minors in northern NSW and police say there could be more victims who were drawn in over CB radio at the time.

First Nations cabaret Natives Go Wild peels back the PT Barnum legend to reveal the Indigenous stories and talent behind the spectacle.

Old rivals Australia and New Zealand produce another netball classic, with the Silver Ferns edging out the Diamonds to take a lead in the Constellation Cup series.

Figures released by the Department of Finance last week show the budget is now back in deficit by $4.8 billion. Now some economists doubt the government will be able to reach the projected surplus, including former Treasury advisor Warren Hogan.

The withdrawal of the Indian monsoon this year surpassed the previous record by more than a week, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be another bad wet season for Australia. Here's why.

MORNING BRIEFING: Commuters and HSC students have been advised to avoid the M1 at Berowra after a road worker was hit by a utility early this morning, causing lane closures, and a man dies in a blaze at a Maitland home.

The Workers Compensation Commission finds in favour of a former House Rules contestant who claimed she was now unemployable because of the negative way she was portrayed on the Channel Seven show.

Owners of apartments affected by the combustible cladding crisis in Victoria tell researchers of the emotional and financial toll it has taken on them and their neighbours.

A social media campaign quickly gathers followers as it shines a light on drought-affected towns struggling to maintain their businesses, and encourages people to buy remotely in the lead-up to Christmas.

MORNING BRIEFING: Plans to sell off the remaining bus routes have been slammed by the unions, and the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition adds colour to the eastern coastline.

NSW Police has refused to reveal if defence lawyers are being spied on with electronic surveillance as part of criminal investigations.

Ashleigh Gardner has already suffered five concussions in her short cricket career, but the 22-year-old all-rounder hopes to use the experiences to make her a better player.

There are growing calls for a royal commission into the racing industry after the ABC revealed emails proving Racing NSW was told more than a year ago about the unauthorised sale of thoroughbreds for slaughter at a livestock auction.

Sudden stratospheric warming it's great for the ozone layer at the South Pole, but not so great for heat and rain levels over the next few months.

At the tender age of 75, decorated Wollongong athlete Mary Thomas who could be described as a fitness fanatic is not your average septuagenarian.

The Federal Energy Minister says he will apologise to Sydney's Lord Mayor for "not clarifying" figures he used to criticise her over the council's travel costs.

Extreme winds are churning up dust from Broken Hill to Sydney, with some parts of the central west turning red and forcing residents to eat dinner under bedsheets so as not to spoil their food.

If you think of your favourite British TV shows, one thing that stands out is the great variation in the way the actors sound. So why aren't Australians the same?

Shorebirds are increasingly under pressure around Australia, as the nation's wetlands and coastal estuaries continue to be swallowed by housing.

Backpacker killer Ivan Milat, who was serving seven life sentences, dies in Sydney's Long Bay Prison hospital six months after he was diagnosed with terminal stomach and oesophagus cancer.

MORNING BRIEFING: NSW's economy has dropped to third, behind Victoria and Tasmania, according to CommSec's State of the States report, which measures performance based on several factors.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance wants to follow London's lead and take "drastic action" by ditching diesel and renewing Sydney's 8,000 bus fleet.

In the decades since I covered Ivan Milat's crimes and trial, his story has become bigger than even my wildest imagination. But now he should be forgotten, writes Philippa McDonald.

MORNING BRIEFING: More than 90 fire fighters work to stop a factory blaze from spreading in Sydney's inner city, while 700 weekly buses are being added to the Hills District.

A copied artwork featured in the lounge room of Ricky Gervais's character in the Netflix series After Life results in a payout to Aboriginal artist Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri.

Up to 40,000 people are suing the Federal Government over PFAS chemical contamination, arguing their property values have plummeted. It's the largest class action in Australian history and it's backed by Erin Brockovich.

The acclaimed Australian artist is painting black squares on a gallery wall with his eyes closed to protest against the values that led us to climate crisis.

MORNING BRIEFING: Eastern suburb residents are particularly at risk after smoke haze blankets Sydney, and a north-bound lane on M1 remains closed after four trucks caught fire after a collision

A court hears how a woman had a "chunk" of her tooth fall out after treatment, in a case against two people accused of posing as registered dentists.

Court documents provide insight into the shambolic and costly planning issues being created by a major housing expansion on the southern outskirts of Sydney.

Having left Melbourne in her 20s because she couldn't see a place for herself, Thai-Australian playwright Anchuli Felicia King is now forging a global career, with plays in London, Washington, Melbourne and Sydney this year.

NSW's Law Enforcement Conduct Commission recommends disciplinary action be taken against two police officers who engaged in misconduct by racially abusing two Afghan women at a traffic stop in Western Sydney.

Under the proposal, if a person is found with drugs they would be referred to a health service one of more than 100 recommendations to be delivered next month.