David Littleproud will seek a review of rainfall figures as Moyne Shire councillor Colin Ryan says his region doesn't need drought support granted by the Federal Government because his area isn't drought affected.

A regional council looks set to hand back $1 million in drought funding as the Federal Government concedes it needs to review how it hands out assistance to communities battling dry weather.

A move by one regional council to permit outdoor funerals is backed by the funeral industry which says they could become commonplace as people move away from church-based ceremonies.

The culture within the Perth City Council reached its "zenith" in the lead-up to its suspension, breeding an environment unlike anything one of its councillors had experienced previously, an inquiry hears.

More than half a million dollars meant for a hospital cancer research unit was claimed in overtime and annual leave payments by an ex-manager despite records showing she was often not entitled to it, WA's corruption watchdog finds.

Europe's epicentre of the coronavirus, Italy, has banned funerals -so how are Italians dealing with not having families around during this mourning period? Also, how are religions like Judaism, where human contact and comfort are deeply central, faring under coronavirus? And, the clash of rights that comes with the debate over religious freedom.

A former Queensland deputy principal indecently assaulted a teenager at a wake after the funeral of the girl's father in the 1990s, a court hears.

A Sunshine Coast couple who launched an ambitious campaign to pay for their dream wedding using Queensland's container refund scheme lock in a venue, celebrant and catering all paid for by the initiative.

From May 15, Territorians will be able to sweat it out at the gym, dine at a restaurants and get their nails done. And from June 5, they can get a tattoo or head to a nightclub.

Local governments, facing uncertainty over funding for regional projects in Western Australia's south, say they are relieved the Federal Government has committed to providing the funding.

Nationals MP Wendy Duncan says the State Government is paying the price for the shortage of doctors in regional Western Australia. She says the Commonwealth should fund efforts to attract doctors to regional areas.

A number of Western Australian south-west and Great Southern projects have received funding to clean up contaminated sites.

The first government funded program to assist those affected by younger onset dementia has been announced in Albany.

The WA Local Government Association (WALGA) says it is hopeful regional councils which lost a combined $20 million in previously allocated funds will be given a State Government reprieve.

Fungi are the unsung heroes of recycling. They play a vital role in breaking down organic matter for plants to use. Now we've discovered fungi can clean up oil and plastic. And their root systems are being used to create alternatives to plastic, wood and bricks. Who knew the humble mushroom could be so versatile?

The SA Government is proposing new incentives for landholders to kill wild dogs on their properties, as well as allowing aerial baiting, but an ecologist says the new policy will inevitably target native dingoes.

After handfeeding cattle through the drought, a Queensland grazier finds his cattle shot with a crossbow in two separate incidents.

Federal funding worth $185 million for Queensland's regional roads is welcomed by some local mayors but other regional leaders are concerned about some trouble spots missing out.

Colombian student Angelo Romero, unable to fly home due to coronavirus, is receiving emergency treatment in a Brisbane hospital for a shock leukaemia diagnosis, concerned his private health policy won't cover it.

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.

What makes us happy? It's an elusive pursuit for us humans and the psychological underpinnings of happiness are the subject of much research.

The Prime Minister and NSW Premier announce a $1 billion joint investment to upgrade the Wyangala Dam and build a new one at Dungowan to help drought-devastated NSW regional communities.

If you are hoping to be buried in Launceston's main cemetery, you'll need deep pockets, with the cost of a single plot "skyrocketing" more than 225 per cent in recent years, and it's set to go up again. Why does it cost so much?

Regional Express Airlines has warned the folding of its services to some regional and remote communities could effectively shut residents off from the rest of Australia, as the company waits hopefully for vital federal government funding.

As children's weekend sport goes on hold, many parents are wondering if they can receive a refund on the fees already paid.

As part of the NAIDOC Week celebrations in Mackay, locals gathered in Queens Park to take part in a NAIDOC fun day event. While some people were admiring the food and information stalls, and live entertainment, others were asked what NAIDOC Week means to them.

A maze that until recently was being eaten by sheep has been bought by a couple who are committed to restoring it to its full glory.

The Morrison Government is pushing ahead with a plan to become a world leading producer and exporter of hydrogen.

Paralysed from the neck down after a football tackle 26 years ago, Brett Morris finishes the Gold Coast Marathon Fun Run in a wheelchair in under an hour, and he's "very happy it's done".

Volunteers for Meals on Wheels say the charity is under threat with branches surviving on bequests as Federal Government funding for the service plateaus.

No new COVID-19 cases were recorded as the State Government announced a multi-million-dollar medical research fund to tackle the disease.

A former finance officer for the Summernats car festival, who stole thousands of dollars from the business to fuel a drug habit, avoids prison time.

Letters released by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption show he was refused $2 million to fund an evaluation of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

A council in regional Western Australia is the latest to join the list of local governments around the country to allow ratepayer money to fund defamation action against members of the public.

Parents and teachers may be finding isolation tedious, but Kurnai College's school captain finds ways to keep the student body engaged and amused.

The family of a man who went missing in Victoria's Latrobe Valley last month say they "fear the worst" and are urging anyone who has seen him to contact police.

Doctors label medicinal cannabis prescriptions a "bureaucratic nightmare" requiring "a massive learning curve", as patients say people in pain cannot wait months for relief.

A new respiratory clinic is expected to open in Wodonga next week to assess patients with fever and respiratory symptoms who meet the government criteria for COVID-19 testing.

The Coalition has promised to fix 1,600km of SA's dog fence if it returns to government, an announcement warmly received after almost 20,000 sheep were lost to wild dogs last year.

Bungala Aboriginal Corporation chief executive blames funding changes for Emeroo Indigenous station closure.

What would you do if you were told you had 16 months to live? That was the harsh reality for Jill Emberson when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. With the survival rate of the disease half that of the breast cancer survival rate, she's using her last moments to make a change.

People living with disabilities in regional Australia say having their own cars would make a huge difference to their lives but access to a vehicle is simply too expensive.

Government marketers are spending an increasing amount of money on bringing so-called influencers to Australia, but is it money well spent?

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