Christmas Eve has remained fatality-free on Australia's roads, but a new report of a
man's death following a crash in Victoria three days ago has pushed the national

Christmas shoppers have splurged on everything from electronic gadgets to the safety
of gift vouchers but retailers are holding their breaths on final sales figures.

A pilot has survived a light plane crash in waters off the north Queensland coast,
authorities say.

A swimmer struck by a speedboat in a hit-and-run crash on the Murray River has died
in a Melbourne Hospital.

A bushfire burning in a Sunshine Coast national park has eased slightly, authorities
say.
Winds of 30km/h had been making things difficult for fire crews trying to contain

(AAP) For years, the tennis public Down Under embraced "Aussie Kim".

(AAP) At least five homes and an emergency centre were destroyed, businesses threatened and people fled Port Lincoln on Eyre Peninsula on Wednesday as a bushfire raged towards the town.

(AAP) More than 3,000 Australian Defence Force personnel are set to spend Christmas far from home, some in snow and sub-zero temperatures and others in tropical heat.

(AAP) Australia Post says it's confident Christmas mail will be delivered on time, with most striking workers agreeing to be back on the job by Wednesday as an act of "Christmas goodwill".

(AAP) Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has returned from Copenhagen strongly defending the outcomes of the heavily criticised climate change summit.