Scott Morrison steps in after former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce suggested the family facing deportation to Sri Lanka should be allowed to remain in the central Queensland town of Biloela.

She might look like a normal Queensland teenager, but Skylah Hamill is an undefeated world champion in the growing sport of Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, and is about to defend her title in Turkey.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee asks Australia to end the "existing situation of detention" for the Sri Lankan Tamil family from Biloela being held on Christmas Island.

Farmers and local politicians voice their objections to plans to reduce the size of a proposed central Queensland weir as state and federal governments argue over how to deal with a cost blowout.

A wave of dangerous severe fire weather is about to hit southern Queensland with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting heatwave conditions as temperatures soar up to 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the state.

A drenching is on its way for Queensland, with parts of the state set to receive their best rainfall in months today and on Saturday, with the potential for severe thunderstorms and damaging hail in some areas.

Fewer cyclones are forecast but the Bureau of Meteorology warns a "pretty dangerous cocktail" is brewing for the remainder of Queensland's fire season.

As the school year wraps up, staff, students, alumni, and rural industries are saying a final farewell to agricultural colleges in central Queensland.

The clean-up is underway after severe thunderstorms left a trail of damage but little precious rain in parts of South-East Queensland and the Darling Downs.

Despite a fortnight of hot, dry weather, Jack Walker's property in Theodore still has hailstones covered by a thin layer of dirt and debris.

Younger consumers in the UK feel more optimistic than those over 35 and are likely to be more willing to embrace the lockdown loosening when it happens. Retailers will be eager to bring shoppers back into their stores after weeks of being closed and those targeting younger consumers are likely to see footfall return more quickly than players aimed at the more cautious over 35s, says GlobalData, the data and analytics company.

Regional communities are being touted as winners in this year's New South Wales budget, crowned by a Regional Growth Fund of more than $1 billion for projects to promote economic advancement outside of cities.

It takes eight wranglers to force a 200 kilogram alligator in its most aggressive state away from a well-guarded nest of eggs, but they need to be taken to ensure their survival.

Central Coast Mariners midfielder Wout Brama faces a nervous wait for the A-League match review panel to ponder his horrible tackle which left Brisbane Roar forward Corey Gameiro in tears.

Central Coast Mariners midfielder Wout Brama is let off with a two-match ban for his tackle that left Brisbane Roar forward Corey Gameiro in tears.

Seven people who have eaten frozen pomegranate purchased at Coles have been diagnosed with a unique strain of hepatitis A, prompting a recall of what the company behind the product describes as "a relatively small batch".

Do you know how long to rest a steak? Who predicted lab meat in 1931? And do you really know what a heifer is? Dig in to our beef quiz.

The growing demand for transparency and ethically, socially and environmentally sustainable food is one of the hot topics at Beef Australia 2018.

Young men detained for assault, theft and drug offences are training guide dogs in a program they say is changing their lives.

Clown doctors in Outback Australia medicate paediatric patients with a regular dose of humour.

Eve van Grafhorst was almost three when she was diagnosed with HIV in 1985. Then she was banned from childcare, and eventually her family was hounded to New Zealand where they started a new life.

Thousands of homes are still without power this morning as a series of severe thunderstorms dumped heavy rain across parts of Sydney, the central coast and Wollongong last night.

A disease that could potentially wipe out Australia's multi-billion-dollar livestock industry has been detected at Australian airports.

A far-right activist who restrained a teenager after he egged Senator Fraser Anning is wanted by police on charges of disturbing a place of religious worship.

The father of murder victim Danielle Easey says he is waiting to come face-to-face with the man accused of the violent death of his daughter whose body was found wrapped in plastic and dumped in a Newcastle creek.

A Gosford judge describes Troy Johnson, a father of three who stalked and sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl as she walked to school, as "hideous" and "depraved" before jailing him for almost 30 years.

A young boy at 2019 Koori Knockout

As a place to glimpse the next generation of stars and one of the biggest events on the Indigenous calendar, the Koori Knockout features some of the fastest, most exciting rugby league in the country.

The Melbourne derby ends in a scoreless draw as the Victory host City at Docklands in the opening round of the A-League, while the Wanderers celebrate a 2-1 triumph over the Mariners at their new home ground.

A major overhaul of all New South Wales juvenile correction facilities is underway, with an independent review into a riot at Central Coast facility exposing systemic failures and consistent violence.

Little remains at Sheet Of Bark, but this colonial-era horse stopover played a vital role in the settlement of inland New South Wales.

A pilot killed in a plane crash that also claimed the life of his passenger in South Australia's outback is a south Queensland businessman and horse stud owner.

The world number one and French Open champion lost 3-6 6-2 6-3 in a ferocious battle with 55th-ranked American Alison Riske.

When Kevin Gallegos carpooled to work one cold Canberra morning the day ahead wouldn't be typical he and the rest of the team at the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station would be instrumental in bringing live footage of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon back to Earth.

Since Maurice Henry began working as a mechanic in 1949, he has helped deliver two babies, rescued countless stranded drivers and become the heart and soul of his tiny town.

Writer Stuart Beattie wrote scripts for Johnny Depp, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Tom Cruise, but it's his newly released Vietnam War epic that he is most passionate about.

Park benches in neighbourhood parks across the country are being painted bright red to encourage people to take a stand against domestic violence.