On today's show: * What's the NSW schools report all about? * Queensland is reducing some restrictions. Why now? * People are volunteering to be exposed to coronavirus to help test the vaccine. Is that a good idea? * What is the role of obesity in serious outcomes from COVID-19? * Why do I need a flu shot to visit my father in an aged care home? * Are vegans and vegetarians the least affected by COVID-19?

There are fears without adequate protection, entire tribes in the Brazilian Amazon could be eradicated.

In moving to relax lockdown measures, Australia joins a handful of countries that have successfully flattened the curve and are now embarking on a much trickier challenge.

Feral pigs capable of leaving behind industrial-looking trails of destruction are posing a threat to one of the world's most significant archaeological sites.

Queensland foreign-owned companies warn a new tax will put regional jobs at risk and challenge the viability of their businesses.

Cannabis patients who ignore the standard medical advice to wait five days before driving are risking more than a fine or a suspended licence. If they are involved in an accident, their insurance will be voided.

Mackay teenager Brooke Anderson still vividly recalls the devastation at seeing her family's beloved Jack Russell terrier Jackie in terrible pain before he died in a suspected poison bait incident.

The marriage of one of WA's worst sex offenders is one of the key factors why he should not be released from prison because of fears his wife could be "at risk of harm from him".

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 Royal Life Saving Society says WA's latest drowning figures, which reveal a 50 per cent increase on the previous year, should serve as a warning ahead of the festive season. A new report shows 31 people drowned in the state in 2012. Children under the age of four were the highest risk group for drowning and near drowning. Older people over the age of 55 were also at risk.

A pod of humpback dolphins in the Fitzroy River in central Queensland are using rare and risky behaviour to catch their prey.

International seafarers pose little risk to the public and port access restrictions imposed by some states are not in line with national recommendations, an industry lobby claims.

The most senior police officer on the Sunshine Coast is warning would-be tourists that breaching the 50km travel limit for a Mother's Day picnic is a bad idea and could cost a $1,334 fine.

About a year ago, my partner and I learned of a revolution in Australia's paddocks. We want to farm in a more natural way, but the stakes are high making the shift could send us broke.

The aged care royal commission hears chronic short-staffing is compromising the care of nursing home residents, leaving some workers to question whether they want to stay in the sector.

CEO of a Bunbury freight company, Mark Mazza wants to see a nationally accredited training scheme for truck drivers.

A ratepayers advocacy group says a damning report into the risk of corruption within local government in Victoria highlights the need for greater scrutiny of regional councils.

Jobs growth versus environmental concerns reignite with a coal company's proposed expansion under Sydney's water supply.

With so much of Australia's allure to tourists based on our oceans and waterways, a charity founder has launched a campaign he'd like to see played in airports and pushed via visa applications.

Research from multiple studies across the world points to evidence that being overweight or obese might also make the impacts of COVID-19 more severe, particularly for those aged under 60.

Truck drivers are calling for an urgent overhaul of roadworks safety in the outback, saying the highways are littered with disused and seemingly forgotten roadworks signs.

People undergoing genetic testing will have more certainty about whether the variants in their genes risk causing cancer or are completely harmless, after a new international study.

My advice to my kids and anyone who'll listen is this: do not buy a new apartment, especially if it is over three storeys high, writes Philip Gall.

An audit reveals 30 South Australian buildings require urgent remedial work to deal with potentially flammable aluminium cladding but the State Government is refusing to identify which ones are at risk.

An Adelaide business owner says buildings residents are not being informed about dangers posed by potentially flammable aluminium cladding, as an audit reveals dozens of structures are at risk.

Some regional Australians argue they should see social-distancing measures wound back first because there is less risk of COVID-19 spreading, but a leading health expert is not a fan of the idea.

Supreme Court Justice Timothy Ginnane orders a COVID-19 risk assessment be undertaken at Port Phillip Prison after finding there was a prima facie case prison authorities breached their duty of care.

Victoria's COVID-19 tally continues on its steepest climb in a fortnight, as Premier Daniel Andrews reveals 13,000 people were screened for the virus in the state's testing blitz on Sunday.

Residents against a controversial abattoir take their fight to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in a final attempt to stop the plan going ahead.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is helping launch a mobile testing clinic in a small agricultural town in Victoria to reach an "at risk" population of itinerant farm workers and migrants.

Mining giants Rio Tinto, BHP and Glencore have listed several of their tailings dams across Australia as being at "high" or "extreme" risk to public safety if they fail.

A popular roadside attraction featuring about 2,000 teddy bears and other soft toys could secure a reprieve after an intervention from the SA Premier but two local councils remain concerned about the risk it poses to drivers.

A State Government-commissioned review finds the risk of a NSW coal ash dam wall collapsing in an earthquake is "reasonable", but more work is needed to determine the level of risk.

The NSW Government admits "safety risks" exist at a light rail intersection in Newcastle where a cyclist died earlier this year, while also raising questions about tram projects in Sydney's CBD and Parramatta.

Barrington Tops is receiving its first winter dusting as cold conditions hit the east coast of New South Wales.

A review of WA's cattle stations finds at least a dozen are at risk of animal welfare issues in coming months because of a lack of food and water.

Two pilots have pulled off a risky retrieval operation in remote WA, dangling a 1-tonne aeroplane beneath their chopper and flying it almost 100 kilometres to the nearest town.

Schools and remote communities across the north of Western Australia fear for their future as vital funding dries up, leaving highly-valued employees jobless.

A crackdown on home loans emerges in the wake of the Banking Royal Commission, with borrowers being asked for deposits of up to 30 per cent and banks throwing greater scrutiny on location and living expenses.

Alannah MacTiernan says farmers risk losing access to foreign markets because of their reliance on glyphosate, but her remarks draw criticism from farming groups that say the herbicide is a linchpin of the industry.

Laura Kennedy got her first tattoo in Sydney when she was 21, she's now a customer of Tasmania's first dedicated laser tattoo removal studio after a series of bad inking experiences.

Photos and documents show nurses in the Roy Fagan Centre for aged psychiatric patients use old pagers and duress buttons held together with sticky tape.

Power is being restored to Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia as authorities consider shutting off power to the Mount Lofty Ranges in response to extreme fire danger conditions in the area.

The Australian birthing kit program sees groups of women get together to help at-risk mothers around the globe and is believed to have helped save nearly 300,000 lives.

An expert policy advisor says until governments properly fund crisis accommodation for family violence perpetrators the risk to victims will only escalate.

A Townsville boy, whose mother was murdered by his father, and who has been in court over 26 matters in just five months is denied bail after being linked to a crime spree involving recklessly driven stolen cars.

A Senate inquiry in the Northern Territory reveals decomposing bodies are being transported on ageing aircraft without refrigeration, potentially posing a massive biohazard risk.

With skin sores, respiratory tract and ear infections and sore throats common in remote Indigenous communities, experts are urging immediate action to combat the rising rates of antibiotic resistance.

The largest remote Aboriginal community in Central Australia is rapidly running out of drinking water but it is just one of many communities in the region that have been struggling with finite groundwater supplies for many years.