For a fortnight, Barnaby Joyce resembled someone out in the snow who had broken through the pain threshold, as he defied massive pressure and political common sense to try to cling to his job. But in the end, the tough man crumpled, writes Michelle Grattan.

A Canberra man who posted nude images of teenage girls on Instagram, and threatened young women into sending him more images will spend nine months behind bars.

Michael McCormack's motto is "don't be silent when you ought to speak". Which is curious given he has been notably coy while Barnaby Joyce has been besieged.

Clinically speaking, you can't become addicted to a device, but you can develop behavioural addictions to smartphone functions.

We've got a fairytale on ice, a message in a bottle finally finding its way home and some very big things from around the country.

Two young Aussie women produce the performances of their careers on day 14 of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, with both Sami Kennedy-Sim and Kailani Craine shining.

Australia's patchwork of small local councils is threatening urban liveability, according to the independent infrastructure adviser, which is urging the Federal Government to financially reward states which simply planning processes.

Olympic gold medallist Nova Peris is furious that her athlete daughter Jessica's positive result on a drug test was leaked and ASADA saw fit to issue a statement confirming the test, which is only half complete.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen threatens to 'beat up' protesters if they burn his image at a summit of South-East Asian leaders in Sydney next month, and warns he would boycott the event if there is international pressure.

The ABC understands a formal complaint against Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is in relation to an incident involving a West Australian woman.

On a mixed day for the Australians in Pyeongchang, Sami Kennedy-Sim's strong start in the ski-cross competition proves a highlight.

Snowboard cross star Jarryd Hughes won his first Olympic medal in Pyeongchang — now he will carry the flag for Australia in Sunday's closing ceremony.

The ACT Government failed to be open or transparent in its dealings with the construction union and the Tradies Club, and as a result likely paid the organisations too much for land, the ACT Auditor-General has found.

Andrew Broad says Barnaby Joyce should resign as Deputy Prime Minister to "spend some time on the backbench", making him the first federal Nationals MP to publicly air an opinion the party leader should step down.

Lawn bowls isn't just for grandmas and hipsters looking for cheap beer — it's an elite sport, and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games-bound ambassador is on a mission to prove it.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and his pregnant former media adviser Vikki Campion give their first media interview as the Nationals leader discusses attacks on their relationship, concerns for his new son and moving out of their rent-free apartment.

Australia climbs to the top of the Twenty20 international rankings after beating New Zealand in a rain-hit tri-series final, but another Chris Lynn injury sours the win.

A Philippine court sentences an Australian man to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on human trafficking and child pornography charges.

A series of damning text messages included in an anti-doping evidence brief indicate there may have been cheating before high-profile horse races.

Researchers say it's the first time a series of wholly-preserved specimens of an extinct species has been digitally scanned, creating a unique timeline of early development from joeys aged just a few days old to fully-grown juveniles.