• 14 mins ago

The political spotlight will now turn to a group of MPs and whether they will cross the floor.

• 31 mins ago

Read a full transcript of the cabinet minister's press conference following the Liberal party room meeting.

A refugee in Australia's immigration detention network on Manus Island has died, with local police suggesting the man may have taken his own life.

People at high risk of HIV could soon get cheap access to a breakthrough preventative drug.

Australia needs tougher laws to tackle foreign bribery and company directors should be held responsible for serious corporate crime, a federal inquiry has heard.

• EXCLUSIVE

Australia could become the first nation in the world to effectively end HIV transmission, saving taxpayers $2 billion.

• UPDATED

Does 'liking' a Facebook post or criticising the government in a private email breach new rules?

• EXCLUSIVE

Liberal MPs pushing for a free vote on marriage equality will go into a special party room meeting armed with the authority of their own constituents, who overwhelmingly believe it is the job of politicians to decide on the reform.

Unaffordable housing has surged to the top of the list of undecided voters' concerns in western Sydney, trumping the long-standing priorities of health, education and jobs, according to new focus group research.

• EXCLUSIVE

Focus groups in Sydney and Melbourne unanimous in thinking Malcolm Turnbull has failed to achieve anything for them.

Young and old, Liberal and Labor, they were united: they believe government is failing them.

Focus groups are a widely used technique to gain an understanding of the behaviour, attitudes and thoughts of Australian voters, drawing out responses beyond the yes and no answers of phone polling.

The Australian Taxation Office said in its own report into the IT outage debacle that it is not bound by the same service standards as commercial organisations are when it comes to assessing its liability for repeated system crashes.

Under the new Liberal-led bill civil celebrants will be able protected from legal action if they refuse to officiate at same-sex weddings.

• EXCLUSIVE

Universities would be hit with $1.2 billion in funding cuts under the Turnbull government's higher education changes, with new data showing some institutions are set to lose up to $57 million over the next four years.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has backed a constitutionally-enshrined "Voice to Parliament" for Indigenous people, marking the first clear commitment by him or Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to the Referendum Council's central recommendation.

The Turnbull government's consideration of a dramatic tightening of domestic airport terminals - which would introduce  measures similar to those deployed for international flights - has been cautiously welcomed by aviation security experts. 

• EXCLUSIVE

A postal vote on same-sex marriage would likely be invalid without legislation and struck down in the High Court, according to legal advice obtained by marriage equality advocates.

• EXCLUSIVE

A $1.5 billion work-for-the-dole program that overwhelmingly targets Indigenous communities has been labelled racist by Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus, with the high-profile union leader arguing the government's policy denies people rights "based on their race".

Two years of acting as a quasi-nation has given the Islamic State capabilities, experience, ambition and influence that will roll on for years.

​State and territory health ministers say hospital treatments and services will suffer under a Commonwealth proposal to withhold budgeted funds and reduce spending.

Border and security authorities are going to be "doing a lot of soul searching".

A majority of voters in six seats held by Liberal MPs undecided on marriage equality support same-sex marriage and a free vote in Parliament, new polling shows.

Refugees and advocates are in despair over Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's admission, revealed in a leaked transcript, that Donald Trump could take as few as 100 or even zero refugees from Manus Island and Nauru under the US refugee deal.

• ANALYSIS

A deal to resolve the Coalition's internal split over marriage reform looks like the most likely outcome from Monday's special policy meeting. Here's how it could plan out.

• ANALYSIS

We learnt some important new things from the transcript of Malcolm Turnbull's explosive first phone conversation with US President Donald Trump.

Speculation is rife the ABC is considering moving its flagship current affairs program, 7.30, to 9.30pm.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been caught out by the leaked transcript of his phone call with Donald Trump.

Australia's greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, making the task of future pollution cuts more difficult.