The Turnbull government is moving a step closer to slapping export restrictions on liquefied natural gas producers.

Australia's competition watchdog will begin the public phase of its inquiry into the nation's electricity prices this week, with a forum to gain feedback from customers slugged with rising power costs to be held in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Defence again tops the annual public service travel bill.

Bill Shorten is calling for bipartisan support for a referendum to give federal governments fixed four-year terms.

Federal senator Nick Xenophon says there's nothing funny about a joke Facebook page run by ACT students.

The party members voted on a motion championed by Tony Abbott for plebiscites to select candidates in parliaments.

Labor is preparing to put a compromise technology known as fibre-to-the-kerb at the centre of its plans for the National Broadband Network should it win the next election.

Prominent conservatives within the Coalition are split over whether to hold a postal vote plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

Tony Abbott has applauded Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for offering "unequivocal support" for his bid to overhaul the way the NSW Liberal Party preselects its candidates.

An unprecedented fiasco pave the way for a shift in the power dynamics of the party.

Fairfax Media is aware of several major investigations under way into the integrity of people or operations within agencies set to form part of new super-ministry.

• EXCLUSIVE

Bill Shorten says voters are "hungry for something more substantial than the current political fare".

• Kate McClymont

Judicial scandal that engulfed a coterie of powerful Australians to be reignited after 31 years.

• EXCLUSIVE

The impending release has sent universities scrambling to provide enough frontline services for students and to radically alter the culture of their campuses.

The intelligence watchdog's staff of just 17 people has "not kept pace" with its growing workload.

The Turnbull government has released draft management plans for the nation's marine parks that amount to an "unprecedented rollback" of protections, a coalition of 25 environmental groups say.

Foreign minister Julie Bishop has dismissed concerns about Donald Trump, saying there's nothing surprising about his policy of "America First".

• EXCLUSIVE

Billions of dollars of tax revenue is being lost due to wealthy Australians using family trusts.

Rising inequality is the single biggest threat to Australia's social cohesion and the economy, Bill Shorten says.

One of the world's largest defence companies is being urged to build a new fleet of combat vehicles in Victoria if its bid for the Australian army's most expensive acquisition contract in history succeeds.

The Greens could be at risk of losing a third senator to section 44 of the Constitution

• EXCLUSIVE

In an exclusive interview, the disability advocate reveals his personal history and political motivations.

Interest rate are going to rise, says Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The Greens have accused the government of misusing public funds through costly domestic and international travel.

'We have been caught up in the US process, they have a quota each year."

"The advice back then was that we didn't need the kind of massive bureaucratic change."

The Turnbull government has not yet announced who will succeed Downer as High Commissioner.

The Turnbull government has named investment banker and former ABC director Steven Skala as the new chair of its $10 billion green investment agency in a move welcomed by the renewable energy industry.

Australia's foreign spy agencies could gather intelligence on "classes" of Australians involved with terrorist organisations to help stop lone wolf attacks or help the military target terrorists, under recommendations from the high level intelligence review of the Turnbull government.