Latest National news
US bans microbeads
Francesca Wallace 5:08 PM The push for an Australian ban on microbeads in cosmetics has been taken to a new level, as the United States recently introduced laws which outlaw the use of the tiny plastic beads.
The real star performers of the HSC
![Principal Jane Donovan with students (from left) Courtney Reylin, Carley Bonaccorso, Luke Clinch, Jasmine Kumar, Isaac Camilleri, Gabriella Raco and Shirley Chaparadza.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/f/i/s/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glr1wn.png/1450571519129.jpg)
Inga Ting 11:13 AM Three years ago, Jasmine Kumar's academic results were among the lowest in the state for reading, writing and numeracy. This week 17-year-old was awarded First in Course for Business Services, finishing her HSC with an ATAR of 91.
Early deaths a 'truly shocking' situation
![Anti-psychotic drugs are powerful treatment tools but can lead to life-shortening illnesses.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/h/3/7/0/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrhjb.png/1450533307021.jpg)
Catherine Armitage 12:55 AM In an unusual public mea culpa, psychiatrists have accepted that a "tendency to protect our professional turf without a good understanding of the consequences" is partly to blame for the "appalling" lower life expectancy of people with mental illness.
Climate research body fights for survival
![The Climate Institute is fighting for its survival.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/e/4/l/s/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrgeq.png/1450531676701.jpg)
Adam Morton 12:27 AM A leading think tank and lobby group on climate change is fighting for survival after the multi-million dollar support of its primary benefactor ran out.
Bush tucker trend: Aboriginal people call for greater share of the pie
![Charcoal Lane apprentice chef Stephen Thorpe serves bush foods in the heart of Fitzroy.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/o/v/7/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrcb2.png/1450524026042.jpg)
Nicole Hasham Advocates are calling for proper recognition and financial rewards for the original custodians of bush foods as the industry expands and its export potential grows.
Einstein's space, time and relativity
![Albert Einstein, one of the greatest figures in physics.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/7/f/u/x/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrou8.png/1450523729995.jpg)
12:15 AM One hundred years ago, Albert Einstein set down the equation that now rules the universe.
Sorry, wrong number: Australia's spy bungles revealed
![Margaret Stone, former federal court judge who has delivered her first report on Australia's spy agencies as the new Inspector General of Intelligence and Security.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/q/q/5/q/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqjjy.png/1450546867193.jpg)
Natalie O'Brien 12:15 AM Australians were spied on without permission.
Church in controversial legal tactic to block lawsuits
![The Catholic Church avoided paying up to $62 million in compensation to sexual abuse victims by creating the Melbourne Response.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/g/d/f/s/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrhp9.png/1450516888791.jpg)
Chris Vedelago, Cameron Houston The Catholic Church attempted to conceal incriminating documents about child sex abuse using a legal tactic that has also been employed by tobacco companies to block victim compensation lawsuits.
'If I don't get this new stuff, hep C will end up taking me'
![Martin Pearce at home in Little Bay.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/k/o/v/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrjaz.png/1450515512487.jpg)
Stephanie Wood 12:15 AM Hepatitis C sufferer Martin Pearce is looking forward to making an appointment with his doctor to find out when he can go on to breakthrough drugs.
Tuggeranong DHS offices sell for $75m
![The trio of buildings have an estimated net income of $6.05 million annually.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/o/q/f/1/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glofs1.png/1450524387438.jpg)
Matthew Raggatt 11:30 PM A trio of buildings leased to the federal government in Tuggeranong have fetched $75 million.
Conman Peter Foster obtains false passport
![Peter Foster when he was arrested in Byron Bay.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/r/v/n/n/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrlsw.png/1450547399066.jpg)
Chris Vedelago, Cameron Houston Notorious conman Peter Foster has obtained a false Irish passport as part of an apparent plan to flee the country and collect millions of dollars he has stashed overseas.
Leading autism service to be investigated over restraint policy
![Autism spectrum photo Michele MOssop Autism - trying to be ordinary generic hand, disociation SPECIALX 49992](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/l/2/t/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqo7g.png/1450519650023.jpg)
Nick Toscano and Beau Donelly The Andrews government will order an independent review into the use of restraints by one of Australia's leading disability services in the aftermath of a scandal involving a large wooden box built to lock up people with autism.
Santa's big trip - how magic mushrooms explain Christmas
![The origins of Christmas.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/k/c/i/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glrapb.png/1450501962584.jpg)
John Elder 12:15 AM We always accepted that Santa Claus was a house-breaker - but a stoner too?
Australian Aboriginal Lucky Dolls on sale at Brisbane Airport
![The controversial 'Australian Aboriginal Lucky Dolls' that were on sale at Brisbane Airport.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/q/w/w/2/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqov0.png/1450505725599.jpg)
Kieran Gair The sale of 'Australian Aboriginal Lucky Doll' souvenirs at Brisbane International Airport has sparked outrage on social media.
Ella beats insurance giant over mental illness claim
![QBE has been ordered to reimburse Ella Ingram the full cost of a New York trip she was forced to cancel after developing depression.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/1/k/u/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqnks.png/1450475774240.jpg)
Melissa Singer A Melbourne university student has had a landmark win against insurance giant QBE after it initially refused a reimbursement due to mental illness.
Apology over gay sex convictions in Tasmania
![Tasmania plans a formal apology to people convicted for consensual gay sex.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/q/x/h/w/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqv10.png/1450445913335.jpg)
Andrew Darby In a move expected to aid scores of people, Tasmania will be the first state in Australia to formally apologise over past convictions for consenting gay sex, as it expunges criminal records.
Watchdog moves on Henry Kaye-linked scheme
![Henry Kaye leaving the Magistrates Court in 2007](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/9/o/t/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glr8yt.png/1450434381809.jpg)
Royce Millar, Ben Schneiders, Simon Johanson A massive land banking scam linked to notorious property spruiker Henry Kaye is in tatters after the corporate regulator moved to wind up housing projects in Melbourne's outer west and Bendigo.
Is a Hong Kong high rise coming to a suburb near you?
![Hong Kong's rail operator MTR has exported its rail plus property model to China and is now looking towards Australia.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/q/3/c/r/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glo3b8.png/1450474593975.jpg)
Melanie Kembrey The operator of Hong Kong's envied metro system wants to strengthen its grip on Australia's rail network, eyeing opportunities to build and run new lines in Sydney and Melbourne.
Can we truly forgive?
![Illustration: Jim Pavlidis](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/a/e/2/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glo1qk.png/1450424446746.jpg)
Barney Zwartz No gift so enriches the giver as forgiveness. Yet, especially among Christians, the expectation, even demand, that one must forgive can also be crippling.
Surf school a splash with refugees
![The final day of the inaugural Settlement Services International (SSI) Surfing Without Borders program for asylum seekers.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/p/w/k/d/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glq1z7.png/1450401357806.jpg)
Bellinda Kontominas The men participating in this learn to surf school at Bondi Beach have every reason to fear the ocean but saltwater heals all manner of wounds.
A father's desperate plea: Send my son to rehab or he could kill this Christmas
![A father who fears that his ice-addicted son may kill or be killed this Christmas has pleaded with authorities to take his 15-year-old son into rehab.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/1/4/3/5/5/6/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glq67l.png/1450591059176.png)
Eamonn Duff 12:15 AM They are the words of a broken father who fears his ice addicted teenage son could either kill – or be killed – this Christmas.
Slow decline of maths in schools worse for public school students
![Education researchers are warning of a nationwide decline in school maths and science.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/z/y/0/3/2/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqqtn.png/1450411008712.jpg)
Inga Ting Public schools have been hit hardest by the decline of school science and maths, researchers say.
A captured audience
![MTR's first international development project, in Shenzhen, China. Called Tiara, the project is built around a train depot and will include about 1700 resident apartments.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/q/3/c/r/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glo0wq.png/1450438820703.jpg)
Melanie Kembrey Hong Kong's 'value capture' model is attracting plenty of attention as governments grapple with how to fund expensive rail projects.
Tirade against public service perks
![Criticism has arrived for public sector agreements.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/i/n/k/8/g/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqmgg.png/1450407827403.jpg)
Phillip Thomson Extra paid leave, allowances and flex time under attack.
Audiences could pay under new ABC boss
![Google executive Michelle Guthrie, who is tipped to become the next managing director of the ABC.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/n/m/b/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqkqs.png/1450433473516.jpg)
Tom Allard With the ABC soon to be under new management, the question of paying to watch some content is back on the agenda.
We need to talk about Islam, says former radical
![British politician Maajid Nawaz, a prominent speaker on Islamic extremism.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/q/k/u/s/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glqkhj.png/1450549602957.jpg)
Andrew Masterson 12:15 AM People in the West are reluctant to discuss Islamism because they are frightened of being portrayed as racist, according to Maajid Nawaz, a British politician who once spent time in an Egyptian jail, convicted of belonging to an extremist organisation.
Hundreds of ATO bosses get 3% pay rise
![A new wage deal for ATO employees has been crushed in a staff ballot.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/0/9/d/i/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glpslo.png/1450328792314.jpg)
Noel Towell ATO's Leeper says the whole workforce could have 3 per cent - if it had just voted yes.
Police question GP over "lethal dose" to help patient die
![Dr Alan Kosky, in Nagambie this week, faces questions over his provision of end-of-life care.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/p/q/0/o/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glplxo.png/1450421268289.jpg)
Richard Baker, Nick McKenzie Nagambie doctor Alan Kosky did not want to his elderly patients to suffer. But police, the coroner and now federal health officials are probing his provision of end of life care amid concern some patients were not terminal.
Centrelink clients' nightmare before Christmas
![A screenshot of the Centrelink website.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/o/4/4/b/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glpikn.png/1450400664471.png)
Noel Towell Department says online welfare glitches are over, but clients still nervous.
On-trend on track: Three Capes walk breaks mould
![The 'hut' sites for Tasmania's Three Capes Track have been blasted as an 'ugly blight on the landscape' by critics.](/web/20151220115518im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/q/8/2/k/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.glq7ji.png/1450334976836.jpg)
Andrew Darby Is this a cool, post-urban Tasmanian destination, or a blight on a once wild landscape?