New South Wales

The Nationals MP representing the area covered by the proposed Narrabri Gas Project has expressed confidence that CSG company Santos will pass the relevant checks.

The Fair Work Commission has announced cuts to penalty rates. We hear from the retail and hospitality workers who will be affected by the cuts and the reactions are not all negative.

Catholic Archbishops fronting the royal commission into child sex abuse admit the Church's response was a failure in leadership and culture, asking "what can possibly have gone wrong" to have led to so many offences. See how their first day of testimony unfolded in our blog.

Lithgow's coal-fired power generation goes under the spotlight at a Senate inquiry into the retirement of coal-fired power stations.

A large fire has broken out at a waste recycling centre at Chullora in Sydney's west, sending think black smoke over the area that is visible from the CBD.

As Australia's five teams put the finishing touches on their Super Rugby preparations, improving their record against New Zealand rivals is a key priority.

The owner of a Wollongong swim school that has been criticised for putting children in traumatic situations says her techniques are safe, appropriate and focus on teaching skills needed to avoid drowning.

A hundred firefighters are battling a large fire at a waste recycling centre at Chullora in Sydney's west, which could burn for up to two days.

Frontline services will be impacted as jobs are slashed from the federal Health Department, the public sector union warns.

The lack of a consistent policy for dealing with heatwaves in Australian schools is leaving children vulnerable to heat exposure, Dr Brendon Hyndman writes.

Five of Australia's Catholic archbishops will give evidence today in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. This is who they are, what they've said and their relationship to Cardinal George Pell.

Two giant American air tankers, known as Southern Belle and Thor, have proven themselves yet again this bushfire season, the NSW RFS says.

A young woman was thrown 80 metres when she was hit and killed by a speeding drunk driver, travelling at 152 kilometres per hour through a pedestrian crossing against a red light in West Melbourne last July, a court hears.

Thousands of counterfeit prescription pills made their way into Australia's official supply chain in 2010, ending up at a children's hospital in Sydney. Now the pharmacist who supplied the fakes is fighting the cancellation of his licence.

Australia's energy operator finds power plant failures contributed to the unprecedented pressure on the New South Wales electricity grid during this month's heatwave.

After 30 years of jam making and prize winning, Roxanne Hopkins reveals the secrets of a what she calls 'a dying art'.

A secrecy culture of "don't ask, don't tell" could explain allegations of child sex abuse within a religious order with one of the highest numbers of alleged abusers, the royal commission is told.

More than 500 university students would move into a 16-storey tower at Redfern's The Block under new plans lodged by the Aboriginal Housing Company.

Companies show interest in growing and manufacturing medicinal cannabis in Australia as Federal Government approves sale.

Orange residents are assured a city-wide audit of the water valves and hydrants will ensure there is a sufficient supply to fight any fires.

Flying fox rescuers in Sydney are experiencing their "worst season ever" as a record number get tangled in backyard tree nets as they search for food and try and escape the heat.

The Federal Government has rejected claims Australia's biosecurity protections are failing on its watch.

Humanitarian groups call for changes to the Federal government's refugee policy, wanting to see more settled in country areas.

Both countries will collaborate on a new commercial dairy farm in Wagga Wagga, to showcase the latest technology.