The Federal Court has found Peter Dutton unreasonably delayed making decisions on applications for citizenship by refugees in a landmark ruling that has implications for thousands of would-be citizens.

The federal government is set to ratify an extradition treaty with China after a joint parliamentary committee recommended formalising the pact despite opposition from Labor and widespread concerns in the legal community.

Australia Post is shaping up as one of the big winners of Christmas 2016, according to chief executive Ahmed Fahour, with parcel volumes booming as Aussies turn to online shopping this year.

Crossbench powerbroker Nick Xenophon said federal Parliament could learn lessons from other jurisdictions and establish an effective anti-corruption body - "the sooner we do it, the better."

Labor slammed the parliamentary inquiry as a "waste of taxpayers' money" that has produced a toothless report.

• EXCLUSIVE

The Australian Tax Office spent $150,000 on a leadership conference for its technology team just weeks before a major crash brought down the agency's website and internal systems for days.

Labor frontbencher Terri Butler has settled a defamation lawsuit with Queensland law student Calum Thwaites over what some described as her "racist smear" on national television.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has called for Australians to "rise up" to defend the Christian holiday against what he labelled "political correctness gone mad".

• EXCLUSIVE

There is majority support in Parliament for a republic, new figures from the Australian Republican Movement show.

The Defence Industry Minister issued a stern warning to his colleagues engaging in Cabinet reshuffle speculation.

• EXCLUSIVE

Universities face losing access to government funding and loans unless they come clean to prospective students about the true entry requirements.

Two Liberal MPs who lost their seats at the federal election and a former Labor speaker are among those tapped for plum positions in George Brandis's latest round of appointments.

The Federal Government's child dental scheme will survive, but in a watered-down state that will only provide $700 every two years in treatment to children in low income families.

More than 1200 square kilometres around Shelburne Bay near the tip of Cape York Peninsula, including the only untouched area of pure-white sand dunes in Australia, has been handed back to the Wuthathi Indigenous people

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has accused Beijing of "creating an environment of tension and mistrust" after new satellite images showed China appears to have placed weapons on all seven of its artificial islands in the South China Sea.

"It is one of the lowest acts I can recall hearing about or seeing in Australian politics".

A retiree in locked in a "Monty Pythonesque" legal stand-off with the Turnbull Government over use of the Medicare logo has prevailed after the government apologised and abandoned its threats to sue him over copyright.

Christopher Pyne has invoked Donald Trump in urging Australia not to be "strategic bludgers" during a shambolic media event in France that was designed to showcase Australia's $50 billion submarine contract with shipbuilder DCNS.

The US will begin flying its deadliest fighter plane, the F-22 Raptor, out of northern Australia next year, the most senior American commander in the Pacific has revealed.

Consumer confidence has dived to its lowest level since April in a "jolt to stability and confidence", plunging into doubt retailers forecasts ten days before Christmas.

State and federal energy ministers have agreed to steps promised to stop companies price gouging on electricity bills, but been blocked from going further by the NSW and Queensland governments.

CANBERRA, Dec 14 AAP - A new solicitor-general has been appointed after a stoush with Attorney-General George Brandis drove the previous one to resign.

LISTEN: Leanne doesn't have a last name - or a return number - but she does have a tough message for the PM.

Police called in after the NSW government intervened in the growing scandal.

The harried Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children is seeking another four months to complete its report into juvenile justice in the Northern Territory.

The nation's top judge has questioned whether "thoughtful and courteous" political debate can exist in the age of social media.

The true cost of the National Broadband Network to taxpayers has been detailed for the first time, with a new report showing the project has wiped $8.8 billion off the federal government's balance sheet since it began.

The Turnbull government is to consider a ban on the $100 note and a crackdown on all but small cash payments as part of an assault on the cash economy to be unveiled in Monday's mid-year budget update.

The former prime minister says Australia is in danger of developing a welfare mentality with too many people preferring to be unemployed than take jobs.