The biggest party night of the annual Schoolies celebrations is under way on the
Gold Coast, with police expecting around 25,000 teenagers to pack into the Schoolies

The Victorian ALP has increased pressure on the federal government to allow same-sex
marriages after passing a motion supporting gay unions at its state conference.

Police have laid further charges after two people shot into a crowd that had
gathered for a funeral in a West Australian town.

As Australians fight on in war-torn Afghanistan, the nation's top dignitaries
stepped up to salute the troops who served in recovery efforts in Iraq at a parade
in Canberra.

Disunity within the coalition is hobbling efforts by both sides of politics to
achieve a deal on emissions trading, Labor's junior climate change minister Greg
Combet says.

Extreme weather has hampered firefighting efforts across NSW and more scorching
temperatures are on the way, amid warnings the state is facing "unprecedented
conditions".

Every Queensland indigenous community has a substantial violence problem and a new
approach is needed to tackle the mayhem, a landmark report says.

Woodchipper Gunns Ltd has agreed to take over as the responsible entity for some of
the Great Southern forestry schemes.

Despite the extreme relief on Jodee Rich's face as he stood outside the NSW Supreme
Court this week, the almost decade-long One.Tel saga may be anything but over.

Opposition Senate leader and climate change sceptic Nick Minchin has denied Tony
Abbott is preparing to challenge for party leadership in a split over the emissions