Paramedics accuse each other of threats, bullying, rape

Harriet Alexander   Police have been swamped with allegations made by paramedics about their colleagues following the ambulance commissioner's invitation to staff to report criminal conduct to the police.

Ho no! How to avoid a Christmas wrapping disaster

Robyn Grace   It's 10pm on Christmas Eve. Now it's time to sit back and ... Ha! As if. You're heading into the bedroom for several hours of what you've been putting off for weeks: gift wrapping.

'Now I feel sick to my stomach'

Eryk Bagshaw   Homeless and with a pregnant girlfriend, 19-year-old Mitchell Broadstock was looking for a chance when a private college network offered him a job in January.

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Pell's former housemate 'sexually abused' teen

Staff reporters   A Catholic priest who defended Cardinal George Pell at the child abuse royal commission last week was the subject of a historical sexual abuse claim.

Does wine differ according to the glass?

We humans have drunk alcohol for thousands of years. This means that we've had plenty of time to make many different shapes of glasses from which to drink alcohol.

Labor threatens inquiry into drug given to soldiers

Henry Belot   The federal opposition says it will launch a Senate inquiry unless ADF investigates the use of a drug linked to hallucinations, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Australian woman falls 300 metres to her death while climbing New Zealand mountain

Chris Hyde   An Australian woman has died after falling 300 metres off a mountain in New Zealand's Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park.

Too thin to work? Fashion models should be benched if they're underweight, US health experts say

Karen Kaplan   Following a law introduced in France, US health experts want to fine agents who use models with a BMI under 18.

Defence aware of drug's links to depression and nightmares

Henry Belot   Previously classified documents show the Australian Defence Force kept giving soldiers a harmful drug for at least 14 years after first becoming concerned about its serious side effects.

Immigration denied dying student a final visit from family

Kate Aubusson   A terminally ill student who wanted to see his family one last time has had his request rejected by Australia's immigration department.

Penalty rate row stirs strife at pharmacies

Nick Toscano   Pharmacists in Australia have voted to launch industrial action for the first time, starting on Christmas Eve, as a national outlet chain moves to slash their penalty rates.

8000 students in limbo as college's registration cancelled

Eryk Bagshaw   A college that cost taxpayers more than $1 million per graduate last year has had its registration cancelled by the federal government.

Jackson ordered to pay HSU a further $900,000

Nick Toscano   Disgraced former union secretary Kathy Jackson has been ordered to pay the Health Services Union another $900,000, bringing the amount owed to about $2.4 million.

Australian actress Eliza Szonert held in custody after snatching back her child from former partner

Rory Callinan   Australian actress Eliza Szonert who snatched her son from her former partner was being held in police custody in Malaysia last night but had not been officially arrested, her mother Kay confirmed.

Acquire Learning casts 'a very dark shadow' over its clients

Michael Bachelard   The desperate and jobless are sold hope, but all they are buying is debt

Play me a memory

Peter Munro   John Watson has played piano at a Sydney bar every weekend since 1983. Musical tastes have changed little over that time, he says.

Australia lowers official travel warning for Iran

Daniel Flitton   Australia has just lowered its travel warning for Iran - potentially putting a trip to the Islamic Republic on a holiday bucket list for keen travellers.

Centrelink's IT meltdown hits disability pension

Noel Towell   Centrelink's tech woes disrupts Disability Pension medical crackdown.

'Fat but fit' counts for nothing scientists say – obesity is what drives early death

Laura Donnelly   Obese people who regularly exercise are far more likely to die early, compared with slim people who are unfit, research suggests.

New ABC head commits to editorial independence but open to advertising

Heath Aston, political correspondent   Incoming ABC boss, Michelle Guthrie, has pledged to protect the tradition of editorial independence at the national broadcaster but has also left the door open to advertising and digital paywalls.

What were they smoking? The five worst anti-drug campaigns of all time

Liam Mannix   Drugs are bad, m'kay?

'Cowering and weak': APS Commissioner hits back

Noel Towell   APS commissioner John Lloyd hits back at claim that the public service has become 'weak' and 'lacking self-confidence'.

More APS pay offers voted down

Noel Towell   Thousands more public servants vote no as ABS boss orders investigation.

Doctors say raising legal age for smoking 'won't work'

Jane Lee   Australia's two biggest states are not following Tasmania's plan to raise the legal smoking age to 21, and doctors warn it will not lower the number of smokers.

Stoner Sloth: It's now a joint attack on campaign

Rachel Browne   The owner of the US medical marijuana website stonersloth.com has slammed the Australian campaign of the same name, describing it as "over dramatic".