SYDNEY (AAP) - May 23 - A NSW police officer shot in a botched hotel robbery that led to a four-hour siege with hostages has lashed out at the gunman's "joke" sentence.

CANBERRA (AAP) - May 23 - The federal government has been attacked from all sides over this month's budget - even by one of its own members - on the resumption of parliament for a two-week sitting.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 23 - An Australian man could face up to 20 years in jail after police allege he was caught with methamphetamine and ecstasy in Bali.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 23 - Queensland can outgun NSW over most of the park, but the Blues centres boast twice as much State of Origin experience as their Maroons rivals.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 22 - Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks says he's not a monster and had not even heard of al-Qaeda until he was interrogated at the prison camp.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 22 - Sam Stosur has cruised into the second round of the French Open with a 6-2 6-3 win over the Czech Republic's Iveta Benesova.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 22 - Police have re-opened a southwestern Sydney street after what was believed to a siege situation.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 22 - National Party (NP) stalwart Ralph Hunt, who served as a minister in several conservative federal governments, has died aged 83.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 22 - Lleyton Hewitt has suffered another injury setback with the Australian citing an ankle problem for his late withdrawal from the French Open on Sunday.

SYDNEY (AAP) - May 22 - NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has rejected claims that a statewide safety check of solar panels is a politically motivated smokescreen.