Media showing a 'lack of respect' for officers: Navy chief
JUDITH IRELAND 2:38pm The chief of Australia's navy has issued a passionate statement, arguing that naval personnel are "worthy of more respect".
Latest political news
Shorten says he can limit Abbott to one term
MICHAEL GORDON Bill Shorten has branded Tony Abbott a potential ''oncer'' prime minister, insisting Labor can win government back at the next election if it stays united.
Nauru courts crisis 'internal politics': Morrison
Judith Ireland, Michael Gordon 10:53am Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has asked Australia's High Commission in Nauru to find out what will happen to the cases of asylum seekers charged with rioting after Nauru sacked its only magistrate.
Brothel checked credit cards: Thomson case
ADAM COOPER 1:50pm Craig Thomson's half-brother has taken the stand for the prosecution in the former federal MP's fraud and theft trial..
Towed asylum seekers said to have jumped
MICHAEL BACHELARD Two asylum seekers jumped off their boat as the Australian Navy was taking them back to Indonesia around Christmas Day, in what a fellow passenger said was a suicide attempt.
Environmental flows to be sold to farmers
Tom Arup, Jonathan Swan, James Massola 11:01am For the first time water bought by the federal government to restore the environment in the Murray-Darling Basin will be sold to farmers, with up to 10 billion litres to be put to tender in the Gwydir valley in northern NSW.
Bishop asked to clarify position on settlements
JUDITH IRELAND 11:48am The Palestine Liberation Organisation has condemned Julie Bishop's recent comments that question the illegality of Israeli settlements and called on the Australian government to clarify its position on the settlements.
Pyne claims support for curriculum review
Benjamin Preiss Federal government has a right to reassess the policies of its predecessor, says the Education Minister
Oxfam calls for tax haven crack down
4:47am Oxfam wants Prime Minister Tony Abbott to align himself with the 99 per cent and call for a crack down on tax havens at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Lee back after five-year Dubai ordeal
RICK FENELEY 2:11pm Australian businessman Marcus Lee says touching down on home soil feels like a dream after he spent almost five years fighting fraud charges in Dubai.
Chipping in for Brandis' new library
JONATHAN SWAN A new wing of the monumental ''Brandis Library'' is set to open after two Commonwealth departments agreed to pool their money to buy the Attorney-General a new bookcase.
Disabled workers go to court over back pay
CLAY LUCAS Lawyers acting for thousands of underpaid intellectually disabled workers will lodge a court application on Monday to block the Abbott government's scheme to tackle the underpayments.
Tax Office set to quit regional offices
NOEL TOWELL The tax Office looks set to walk away from its presence in regional Australia.
Major El Nino events likely to double
Navy officer in hot water for asylum post
Out-of-towners line up for Rudd’s old seat
$650m foreign aid cuts slammed
Gaia worship in schools claim denied
Tony Abbott becomes a slow-talking PM
Paul Keating celebrates 70 years
Defence mental health care 'better than ever'
Doubts on education review timeframe
Deaths show live exports still failing: activists
Dubai says Australians still unable to go home
Wealthy tourists spend $26m for medical care
Officer makes plea for victim of gang bashing
Jobs disappear in growth crunch
Four detainees attempt suicide
Minister 'failed to act' on stop-work order
Families warned about tax plan
Tasmania election announced for March 15
WikiLeaks releases TPP draft on environment
Government warns against slashing of jobs
Morrison declines to help neo-Nazi victim
Minister denies gunfire near asylum boat
Comment & Analysis
Echoes of the past as we turn boats back
BIANCA HALL Opinion They called it the Voyage of the Damned - the flight of 937 Jewish refugees who made a desperate bid to escape from Nazi Germany on the eve of World War II.
Future Submarine project a farce
PAUL SHEEHAN The monster budget is coming, the one which, in a single blow, will make all the political debate since the federal election seem like an episode of Seinfeld, the show about nothing.
Review of reviews might be good place to start
Ged Kearney Opinion The Abbott government's opportunity to lead has been outsourced to big business in the form of a large number of reviews.
Debate masks true meaning of Australia Day
JACQUELINE MALEY Last Australia Day, I was in Coles, shopping for something innocently patriotic such as grapes or Jatz crackers, when I stumbled upon merchandise altogether more risque.
Why Indonesia is so touchy about borders
Tim Lindsey Opinion It is not surprising that Australian naval vessels have crossed into Indonesian waters in the course of implementing the Abbott government's Operation Sovereign Borders.
Heaven help those trying to end Lord's Prayer
JUDITH IRELAND Opinion When I was younger, I was very confused about what a "culture war" was. Did it mean throwing sonnets and oil paintings at people? A book club meeting that gets out of hand?
Spy scandal gave Morrison an opportunity
MICHAEL BACHELARD Opinion On December 12 last year, I exasperated the spokesman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison by asking about the people-smuggling protocol.
Refugees collateral damage in war on water
MICHAEL GORDON What neither Tony Abbott nor Scott Morrison has explained is how releasing information about detention conditions and the plight of those transferred to Nauru and Manus Island aids people smugglers.
Troubling stance on Israeli settlements
George Browning Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's statement regarding the settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories raises troubling issues regarding her understanding of international diplomacy.
Brushing off climate fears would be foolish
DANIEL FLITTON Tony Abbott should be on to his second toothbrush since the election. Assuming, that is, the Prime Minister follows the manufacturer's recommendation to change his bristle stick every three months.
Spies behind trees is a national farce
Max Ogden The four-part series Persons of Interest on SBS has taken me back to the days when I was put under surveillance by ASIO agents. As has been noted by various academics, incompetence was legendary.
Surprises from 'no surprises' government
MICHAEL GORDON Opinion Tony Abbott's "no surprises" approach on border protection suddenly has an asterisk attached to it.
Meddling with act fraught with peril
RICHARD ACKLAND Come back, George. Where's that lovely, cuddly old version of George Brandis who, three years ago, wrote in the Herald that politicians must defend the multicultural project?
Review is just a diversion from Gonski reforms
Ken Boston The purpose of the curriculum review is to allow Christopher Pyne to divert attention away from the inequality of opportunity which is the real cause of decline in educational achievement in Australia.
Australia Post set to be emailed into history
PETER MARTIN Propping up a postal service few Australians need or use is a waste of taxpayers' money.
Special features
No place for politics in curriculum review
Christopher Pyne All those interested in Australia having a quality education system whereby our international performance in literacy and mathematics is going up - not down, as is presently the case - should welcome the review of the national curriculum.
Whistleblowers provide tip-offs for US scheme
Criticism of laws at home comes as figures reveal dozens of Australians gave tip-offs to a US scheme rewarding whistleblowers with cash incentives, writes Ruth Williams.
Paul Keating at 70
Street-fighter, showman, aesthete, 'maddie': at 70 former PM Paul Keating's legacy is assured, writes Jacqueline Maley.
Tony Abbott cuts politicians' family ties
The party room was unhappy when the PM banned nepotism, but MPs say they have good reason to object. Jonathan Swan and Lisa Visentin report.
Liberal Party rank and file the best judge
Former Howard government minister Peter Reith looks at the divisions over the Liberal Party presidency.
Scorchers: the reality of a sunburnt country
As searing temperatures swept across the country this week, Australians got a indication of summers to come. Peter Hannam asks if we are prepared.
Investigating MPs' expenses
Fairfax Media has conducted an extensive investigation on MPs claiming expense entitlements. Read our coverage here.
Out and about at the PM's XI
Prime Minister Tony Abbott meets with cricketers at annual match, including captains Brett Lee and Alastair Cook.
Keating almost axed negative gearing
The Hawke government helped sow the seeds of housing unaffordability in major cities when it backed away from abolishing negative gearing on investment properties, Cabinet records released today show.
Political pics of the year
Three Prime Minister, two leadership ballots and an election campaign for 2013. The best photos from a tumultuous year.
The meltdown: How Labor self-destructed
Together, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard had the support of the nation and the party. Divided, their feud would be the undoing of a government. An investigation by Peter Hartcher.
Cartoon Gallery
Home of the best cartoons by our resident artists from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.
