• ANALYSIS

The Wire's arch drug lord Avon Barksdale was philosophical in the face of a long jail sentence: "You only serve two days, the day you go in, and the day you get out". You'd think this mentality could work best for parties consigned to the opposition benches. But no. These days, its governments that feel most hemmed in, constrained at every turn by the crushing weight of febrile politics, internal divisions, anaemic growth, and inevitable disappointment.For Malcolm Turnbull, and indeed most governments recently, Barksdale's advice seems most apposite. Although in Turnbull's case, even the day he won was pretty terrible, marred as it was by something of a hissy-fit.

He complained the case was primarily handled by a "junior staff member" rather than by the president, Gillian Triggs, or one of her close aides.

Searchers for MH370 maintain the missing Malaysia Airlines flight is probably to the north of where they had been looking in the southern Indian Ocean.

But Centrelink whisteblowers worried about their own jobs, say public service bosses.

The Turnbull government's proposed version of marriage equality would further entrench discrimination by allowing civil celebrants and service providers to refuse to undertake gay weddings, the peak law body says.

The Turnbull government is making further moves toward establishing a government backed-bond vehicle for affordable housing as Treasurer Scott Morrison heads to Britain to seek guidance on Australia's housing affordability crisis and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull prioritises the issue.

Australia's national leaders have joined the sombre memorial for victims of the Bourke St rampage, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declaring all Australians stood in solidarity with mourners.

Centrelink public servants in the danger zone, bosses missing in action, union claims

Doctors believe the Turnbull government could be contemplating another increase in the Medicare levy.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd says Donald Trump should be given a chance to calm his temperament and "grow into the job" once he is officially inaugurated as US President on Saturday.

"We're talking about a trust crisis that is causing a systemic meltdown."

• ANALYSIS

In the uncertain and unpredictable new age of President Trump, Australian policymakers and diplomats will have to work harder than ever before to maintain the US alliance.

Labor supports the review but said it should not be used as an excuse to cut costs.

Passengers would be whisked through immigration and customs without stopping or encountering humans under a radical overhaul due to start this year.

"We will spend what we need to spend to get this job done," former prime minister Tony Abbott declared in March 2014, shortly after the multi-country effort to find recently downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

James Ashby is the name on everyone's lips – as long as those lips aren't identified.

Immigration Minister also backs the wearing of Islamic dress in public.

"I have taken out insurance just to not encourage anymore fights. I have amended my signature!"

• EXCLUSIVE

The multibillion Melbourne Metro rail project will boost the Australian economy the nation's top infrastructure advisers have declared, placing pressure on the Turnbull government to boost funding to Victorian major projects.

Peter Stephenson has become the first member of the scandal-plagued state council to bow to pressure and stand aside.

'What we are doing is wrong,' says insider.

The United Nations has expressed "grave concern" over the treatment of two asylum seekers who say they were savagely beaten by Papua New Guinea police and immigration officials on Manus Island before being arrested on New Year's Eve.

"Never said we were invited, just that we had 'invitations' and 'were gifted tickets'," Malcolm Roberts said. "'Received' an invite and 'invited' are very different things."

Transport Minister Darren Chester says the underwater search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 could be re-established but only if compelling new information came to light that pinpointed the location of the aircraft.

Police officers from the NSW fraud squad have attended the Sydney headquarters of the RSL as the leadership crisis at the venerated organisation descended to a new low, with RSL chief executive Glenn Kolomeitz saying he did not know whether he still had a job.

The last time Greg Hunt saw his mother before she died, she was in a mental health institution.

One Nation senator Brian Burston has labelled Centrelink's contentious debt-recovery system "malicious and bordering on the criminal", adding Pauline Hanson's party to the chorus of concern surrounding the automated clawback.

Centrelink accused of monstering its workers with threats in a bid to keep its secrets.

Turnbull government frontbencher Greg Hunt will take on the key cabinet portfolio of health in a limited reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday.