The coalition and the Australian Greens will use their numbers in the Senate on
Wednesday in a bid to make the government immediately release key national broadband

The Reserve Bank was fully prepared for retail banks to make large increases to
their lending rates when it decided to lift the official cash rate earlier this
month.

Residents of a Perth suburb have been warned a bushfire poses a possible threat to
their lives and homes and they should leave or get ready to defend their properties.

The Doobie Brothers will tour Australia in 2011 as part of the band's 40th
anniversary celebrations.
The Californian pop rock outfit will play dates in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth,

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has accused the AFL of trying to pay his club off to
give cash-strapped North Melbourne a free run at Tasmania.

Three unions are threatening industrial action amid fears staff at a north
Queensland school were exposed to asbestos.

So-called honeymoon killer Gabe Watson could languish in a Melbourne detention
centre for months, his Australian lawyer fears.

The Greens will find it tougher to win inner-city seats at the upcoming Victorian
election following a Liberal Party decision to preference them last, an MP says.

Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb believes the federal government is in the
"very dangerous" situation of losing the confidence of Treasury.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the Australian Greens' plan to rein in the banks on
interest rate rises could result in the rationing of home loans, hitting first time
buyers.