NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance abandons his bid to enter federal Parliament less than 24 hours after announcing he would seek Liberal pre-selection at the Eden-Monaro by-election.

A drop in the number of domestic violence incidents reported in the NSW Central West in recent months sparks concern at a local support service.

Jim Hamilton from Lake Macquarie was a passenger aboard the Ruby Princess, now the subject of a special commission of inquiry led by Brett Walker SC. A NSW Health epidemiologist Kelly-Anne Ressler agreed it was unsatisfactory that more people on the ship were tested for influenza than for COVID-19.

Jim Hamilton, 68, a passenger on Ruby Princess, says a stint in intensive care with COVID-19 has left him musing about "the meaning of life and everything".

A court hears the NSW Rural Fire Service may ask the state's Attorney-General to relax restrictions so it can distribute the $51.3 million raised by comedian Celeste Barber to help victims of the Black Summer bushfires.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian says school size matters when it comes to planning students' return.

The NSW Liberal Minister announced his withdrawal from the Eden-Monaro by-election this morning.

It is not common place for students to be greeted at their school gate by their principal wearing fancy dress, but this is exactly what one school leader is doing each day to put his school community at ease and have a laugh.

The NSW government has hired up to 3,000 cleaners to ensure the public transport network is safe for commuters as the state is looking to ease restrictions of lockdown.

The marketing body representing businesses in Surfers Paradise says clubs could "reinvent themselves"' to stay competitive after coronavirus restrictions ease.

Youth taking part in the Down The Track initiative can learn how to shear sheep, get a certificate in agriculture and can learn hospitality skills for at least another 12 months.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant has confirmed four new cases of COVID-19 overnight with 9,400 tests conducted for May 8.

We're all trying to keep our distance but as more people itch to get out of the house, could more drive-in theatres be the answer?

Over $340,000 raised by celebrity bushfire relief concert Fire Aid 2020 is being pre-loaded onto EFTPOS cards linked to local businesses, tackling two disasters with one innovative idea.

As retail stores across Australia gradually start reopening their doors, a New South Wales economist is warning consumers to be cautious about their return.

Outbreaks at two locations — one in Sydney and one in Melbourne — are behind many of the new COVID-19 cases identified in the past week.

One of the world's biggest bands delivers one of history's most ambitious stadium concerts.

With a summer this year that has either been super-hot or super-wet, the region's art galleries have offered the perfect air-conditioned cultural afternoon escape.

Hitchcock is a double love story ¬- a love of film and the deep and collaborative love between Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville.

Steven Spielberg's historical drama is a fascinating political study that's both measured and thoughtful, with an electrifying performance from Daniel Day-Lewis.

Festival conversations are a rewarding way to eavesdrop on how artists create monumental work of our time, says 720's cultural correspondent Victoria Laurie.

Spielberg has never been so restrained with his camera, with the aid of deep blue grey cinematography by Janusz Kaminski that adds a daguerreotype historicity to the images as well as creating a kind of visual memento mori to go with this sombre work.

In musical circles, there's a mythical quality to that name, attached as it is to the father of American protest song, Woody Guthrie.

Kate Miller-Heidke at Star Court Theatre, and Martha Wainwright at Byron Community Centre

This 70s-era haunted house fright fest delivers on the chills and harks back to a golden age of big screen horror.

This jaunty look at the Cosmic Psychos's 30-year history has unexpected depths

In short, James Wan seems to have found his calling with this kind of supernatural fare.

Ensemble Theatre's nationally touring production of 'Frankenstein' has opened in Wollongong to remind us of a timeless gothic masterpiece.

Some will find it mesmerising, intriguing and philosophically rich. Others will find it confusing, infuriating and perhaps even (gasp) pretentious.

The Tweed River Art Gallery features a swag of interesting exhibitions just now, and there's nothing like a gallery hiatus to encourage you to get along to them. The Gallery closes for the first half of October to allow major works on the Margaret Olley Art Centre, which will open as an extension of the gallery in early 2014.

This quietly powerful examination of one man's life is a sad indictment on a modern nation struggling to reconcile with the customs and culture of the original custodians.

Ridley Scott + celebrated writer + talented (and sexy) cast = bad movie

'Brief Encounter' serves as a poignant little reminder of the volcano ready to erupt beneath the cover of a mediocre suburban life.

Weepies are a lot like liquorice jellybeans, rice pudding or Clive Palmer: You either love 'em or you hate 'em. There's no middle ground. Personally, I've always been a fan. There's nothing like a bit of good ol' cleansing hysteria to give a rinse to life's windscreen.

One of the most influential lyricists of the past 50 years delivered a marathon performance of his classics in a voice that gets richer by the year.

Six local artists, including four old friends in life and in art practice, have come together with an exhibition well timed for International Women's Day at Lone Goat Gallery in Byron Bay. The theme, Essence of Woman was put to the artists to freely interpret, and the six women have done just that.

The girl is good. Very good.

With school holidays upon us, it's timely to talk about a nifty exhibition that is on at the Lismore Regional Gallery.

Lismore's big chill last weekend did not stop Jeanti St Clair from catching NORPA's Food and Lloyd Cole, a most unassuming eighties pop star on a freezing Saturday night.Food is good for the soul

Funny and disturbing, this play is a must see.

Bell Shakespeare's Henry V continues its regional tour through NSW and Queensland before it opens for a four-week season at the Sydney Opera House on October 21.

After Damien Ryan's energetic and enjoyable Henry V last year, it is pleasing to see that Bell Shakespeare has brought the director back to tackle Shakespeare's most complex and nuanced tragedy, Hamlet. And the marriage is a solid one. To start, casting Josh McConville as the grief-struck prince of Denmark has paid off handsomely. McConville approaches Hamlet's descent into his 'prison' of madness with powerful and dexterous complexity, bringing the contradictions that render the character into a fulsome and multi-faceted presentation of Shakespeare's vision for Hamlet.

Australian consumers are slowly opening up to the idea of eating a different kind of poultry the black-skinned chicken.

Meet Payden, who is two weeks old and one of 21,000 babies born into regional NSW towns every year who, on average, have a lower life-expectancy than their counterparts in the city.

Australia may be on the cusp of electric cars, but could the production of environmentally friendly vehicles take a heavy toll on the Clarence Valley?

The Broncos answer a number of their critics by ending a four-match losing streak with a convincing victory over the Sharks, while the Tigers snare a win against the Titans in Tamworth.