Former AFL champion and premiership coach Mark Thompson appears briefly at a Melbourne court on drug trafficking and possession charges, but has his case adjourned without fronting a magistrate.

Poorer children in Australia are less likely to receive their share of Medicare funding, particularly in the first years of life, Kim Dalziel, Harriet Hiscock and Philip Clarke.

The fact that the AFLW now doesn't have a single female head coach in its ranks suggests pathways for aspiring women coaches in all codes remain limited.

Four fires are burning out of control in south-west WA, prompting a bushfire alert at the highest level with people urged to act immediately to survive.

Four fires are burning out of control in south-west WA, prompting a bushfire alert at the highest level with people urged to act immediately to survive.

The nation's spy chief says there has been no impact on relationships with intelligence partners, after allegations were made in Federal Parliament about a Chinese-Australian businessman.

The nation's spy chief says there has been no impact on relationships with intelligence partners, after allegations were made in Federal Parliament about a Chinese-Australian businessman.

It's official: the world record for most people stargazing across multiple venues at the same time has been broken, with the previous mark being comprehensively dwarfed by Australia's keen astronomers.

It's official: the world record for most people stargazing across multiple venues at the same time has been broken, with the previous mark being comprehensively dwarfed by Australia's keen astronomers.

Five by-elections will be held on July 28, but candidates will be asked to declare their family history and other personal details in the hopes of ending the constitutional crisis once and for all.

Five by-elections will be held on July 28, but candidates will be asked to declare their family history and other personal details in the hopes of ending the constitutional crisis once and for all.

Five by-elections will be held on July 28, but candidates will be asked to declare their family history and other personal details in the hopes of ending the constitutional crisis once and for all.

It was only to be expected that Parliament, being a hothouse of double-crossing, suspicious and paranoid politicians, would generate a few theories about what motivated Liberal MP Andrew Hastie to do what he did on Tuesday night.

It was only to be expected that Parliament, being a hothouse of double-crossing, suspicious and paranoid politicians, would generate a few theories about what motivated Liberal MP Andrew Hastie to do what he did on Tuesday night.

Labor is questioning the way Andrew Hastie used information from a United States espionage briefing in Parliament, but the Americans are not concerned.

Children aged 3 to 5 don't need to do formal academic assignments in early childhood education to hit their milestones, writes Wendy Boyd.

Australians are being gouged by under-regulated monopolistic airports abusing their market power, according to former competition watchdog boss Graeme Samuel.

Despite the vastness of Australia, a fascination with something much bigger inspires thousands of people across the country to look to the stars as part the ABC's Stargazing Live event.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott signs petition saying the Federal Government should lobby Cambodia to release James Ricketson, who has been in prison on charges of espionage for almost a year.

Ann Sudmalis was facing a pre-selection challenge in her marginal New South Wales seat of Gilmore but the ABC understands Treasurer Scott Morrison and MPs Alex Hawke and Trent Zimmermann have worked behind the scenes to shore up her support.

Bill Shorten pledged to set up a federal anti-corruption body if elected, but the Coalition argues there has not been enough detail provided by Labor.

The National Union of Workers says workers from Vanuatu were paid as little as $8 an hour and experienced "bleeding episodes" after breathing in chemicals on a farm in Victoria.

Schools are warning parents about the dark content of a new series of popular Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and looking at ways to support kids who want to talk about the graphic content it features, including sexual violence and suicide.

Schools are warning parents about the dark content of a new series of popular Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and looking at ways to support kids who want to talk about the graphic content it features, including sexual violence and suicide.

The Australian Federal Police have asked for the extra powers, but the penalty for non-compliance is still being "worked through".