A peaceful paradise known for its iconic pine trees and spectacular coastline, Norfolk Island is riddled with political tension and simmering social unrest.

It's hard to imagine a subtropical island struggling with drought, but Norfolk Island has had only 12mm of rain all summer and dams and water tanks are running dry.

Perched 1,600 kilometres east of Brisbane, a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean hosts a landscape resembling a desert scene from the NT.

Mahatma Gandhi lived a life committed to social justice and human rights. In this year's lecture to honour his memory five Australian women talk about their work in indigenous communities, for people with disabilities, refugees , LGBTIQ and campaigns to reduce domestic violence.

To fight the Corona virus we’re making the choice to isolate ourselves at home. So it’s going to be a lonely time for some. But loneliness is a problem even when society is firing on all cylinders. Technology gives us more ways to connect so why are we so lonely? How can we build social connections?

Western Australia reports no new cases of COVID-19 overnight, marking a full week since its last positive test, with the Premier calling it an "amazing and incredible and terrific" result.

Panic immediately set in at the sight of an injured Ellyse Perry limping from the field, but her limited role in the Australian T20 team might mean the side can cope better than expected, writes Geoff Lemon.

Australia will be without one of its star players for the remainder of the T20 World Cup, but the defending champions believe they will not skip a beat as the semi-finals approach.

With rain forecast for Sydney on Thursday, Australia's up-and-down Twenty20 World Cup is at risk of coming to an anti-climactic and disappointing end.

Lungi Ngidi dismantles Australia's batsmen with career-best figures and Janneman Malan pummels the bowling attack in just his second ODI as South Africa clinches the series with a 2-0 lead.

Bad weather in Sydney means India goes through to T20 World Cup final without a ball being bowled — and Australia will lose out if the second semi does not go ahead.

South Africa pushes Australia all the way, but the hosts are through to the T20 World Cup final in a rain-affected game at the SCG.

Whether Australia or India wins the final, this T20 World Cup almost promised too much but has delivered even more. If fans #FillTheG on Sunday it will give this tournament the conclusion it deserves, writes Richard Hinds.

From a scattering of fans to stadiums at near-capacity, women's cricket has come a long way in the last decade since Australia won its first women's T20 World Cup.

Win or lose, the T20 World Cup is going to be a game changer for women's cricket — but the Aussies want to be the ones dancing with Katy Perry on the podium, writes Jess Jonassen.

Australia slumps to a 3-0 series defeat in South Africa with a six-wicket loss in Potchefstroom, despite Marnus Labuschagne's maiden ODI century.

Australia is Women's T20 World Cup champion again after thumping India by 85 runs in front of a whopping 86,174 people at the MCG.

Australia crushed India by 85 runs to win their fifth Women's T20 World Cup in front of 86,000 fans at the MCG.

With fans locked out due to the coronavirus outbreak, Australia beat New Zealand by 71 runs amid a surreal and eerie atmosphere at the SCG.

How scientists "read" two-million-year-old teeth and uncovered the hidden breastfeeding patterns of our ancient ancestors.

Life for Busara O'Reilly in her Lismore cafe is a far cry from the day she fled gunfire on a beautiful Thai beach as a toddler, but it is that start to life that has made her take nothing for granted.

A student critical of the University of Queensland's ties to Chinese Government organisations says he is facing expulsion over his activism, but authorities say it's a matter of policy.

As southern parts of Australia look set for a wet winter, the northern part of the NT is grappling with its second poor wet season in as many years.

Islamic leaders on the Gold Coast believe they have opened Australia's first drive-through takeaway food service for Muslims observing the month Ramadan.

Words like 'iso' and 'sanny' are slipping into every day vocabulary, as COVID-19 slang goes viral like, well, "the 'rona'. Experts say its creating a sense of community.

A new species of bacteria is found to be behind mystery lung infections in pigs, resulting in economic and animal health benefit.

Forty experts from the Asia-Pacific will train animal workers to spot virus outbreaks before they even begin, in a new government-funded scheme to reduce the risk of another virus crisis.

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.

A family warns that compassionate exemptions to the coronavirus ban on interstate travel are unclear after dad was turned back at the border.

There's no fuss, no entourage and no star ego, writes producer Vanessa Gorman, on filming with Sam Neill.

Gail Baker's dying wish has been granted, with her sister allowed a travel exemption to fly to Australia from New Zealand to care for her in her final days.

A major redevelopment in Sydney's north west is given the go-ahead days after the announcement of an expedited approvals program — prompting criticism that the process seemed "predetermined".

While hygiene and handwashing are on people's minds at present, there's hope that water conservation is right up there with it as parts of Australia come out of drought.

In the five months since her house was destroyed, Tod Adams has been at war with government agencies because the Fires Near Me app suggests her home was not affected.

Those who find opera difficult to get their head around may be pleasantly surprised by WA Opera's latest offering.

'The Importance of Being Earnest' rightfully sits in the list of classic plays, and a near full-house at Wollongong's Illawarra Performing Arts Centre on opening night of this touring production shows it's still one of our most loved.

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

Australia's first liquid natural gas import terminal will be built at Port Kembla, south of Sydney, with hopes it will secure thousands of jobs and meet the bulk of the state's gas needs.

Near a small town in northern New South Wales horse blood is being harvested to aid researchers and diagnostics.

A Tamworth teacher has developed the first Australian curriculum exploring regenerative agriculture.

Smoking rates have dropped massively since the 70s down from 40 per cent to only 14 per cent but some areas of the country are not getting the message.

Margaret Fulton, who inspired generations of Australians to think beyond bangers and mash, leaves a legacy of culinary flair.

Australia's largest agricultural field day may not exactly be a spending spree this year, but it does provide farmers with a reprieve from drought.

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses has collated data from official stewards' documents and found 122 horses died in the past year.