The Border Force Commissioner defends his agency's decision to ban all mobile phone use in the nation's onshore detention centres, arguing it is a way of cracking down on crime within the facilities.

Labor, the Greens and crossbench Senators Nick Xenophon and Derryn Hinch write a letter to Senator Brandis asking him to address what they describe as an "inconsistency" between his previous statements on the matter and comments from his WA counterpart Michael Mischin.

Collingwood, the Giants and the NSW Swifts record Super Netball wins in round two at the expense of the Firebirds, Fever and Thunderbirds.

Melbourne Victory continue their surge toward the A-League finals, surviving a late scare from last-placed Adelaide United to claim a 2-1 victory.

The NSW Waratahs slog their way to a 19-13 win over the Western Force in their season-opening clash.

Sydney FC return to winning ways in the A-League, with Bobo's double and Manny Muscat's calamitous defending giving the Sky Blues a 3-1 win over a 10-man Melbourne City.

The Queensland Reds snatch a come-from-behind 28-26 win over the Sharks in their Super Rugby season opener.

Six wickets to Steve O'Keefe and an unbeaten half-century to Steve Smith have Australia leading by 298 runs after two days of the first Test against India.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott lashes out at the Turnbull Government, saying conservatives see it as "Labor lite" and its base will desert it for One Nation unless it shunts to the right.

The Melbourne Rebels' horror run of luck has contributed to a disappointing 56-18 loss to the Blues in the first game of the Super Rugby season.

Indonesia expresses concern over the rising popularity of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party and its anti-Islam platform in Australia, ahead of President Joko Widodo's visit this weekend.

Follow all the stats and commentary from the third and final Twenty20 between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Adelaide Oval in our live scorecentre.

The executive director of the International Energy Agency calls on Australia to become a world leader in carbon capture and storage technology.

The Federal Government has moved to loosen importation laws on medicinal cannabis, and people who use it say they are cautiously optimistic.

Western Sydney open their ACL campaign with a 4-0 shellacking by Japanese giants Urawa Red Diamonds, while the Roar hold Muangthong to a draw.

International students studying in Australia hit a record high last year, with more than 500,000 choosing to study here: an increase of more than 10 per cent on 2015.

A British couple who want their relationship recognised in law without the "patriarchal baggage" of marriage lose the latest stage in their fight to be allowed a civil partnership.

Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's historic visit to Australia, West Bank residents label settlements as either the reclamation of historically Jewish land or the main impediment to peace and security.

Not since 2011, when Somalia was in the midst of a severe drought, has a country been in famine — but the situation confronting South Sudan today is far worse.

One of two men who bashed a kangaroo to death with a metal pole is jailed for almost a year, which is almost unheard of in Western Australia.