In the 1960s and 70s, Port Kembla was booming, but the slowdown of the steel industry changed things. Now a colourful cast of characters — migrants, sex workers and creatives — are bringing new life to the area.

The Matildas made their earliest departure at a Women's World Cup in 16 years and FFA's sacking of Alen Stajcic is being cited as the main reason for the failed campaign in France.

There is overwhelming support for banning phones from classrooms but there are many reasons to be cautious about it. Previous experience suggests a blanket ban might introduce more problems than it hopes to solve, writes Neil Selwyn.

Reporters can be abrasive characters and are not above the law, but undermining fearless, independent reporting also damages our healthy democracy, writes Craig McMurtrie.

Melbourne hosts top-eight side Fremantle at the MCG to kick off Saturday's AFL action before St Kilda takes on Brisbane, and Geelong travel to Adelaide to take on the Power. Follow all the stats, scores and commentary.

Australia's Hannah Green is playing some extraordinary golf to be three shots clear at halfway in the Women's PGA Championship in Minnesota.

The number of displaced people worldwide hits a record high of 70.8 million, with developing nations bearing the brunt of an influx of refugees fleeing conflict and political oppression, according to a UN report released for Refugee Week.

After a week of epic footballing comebacks, Sydney FC serves up a Big Blue belting, smashing Melbourne Victory 6-1 to march into the A-League grand final against Perth Glory.

Israel Folau tells members of his church he is worrying about finances "for the first time" in over a decade as a panel decides the future of his rugby career after controversial social media posts.

Liberal frontbenchers Melissa Price and Peter Dutton join the federal Coalition campaign effort in the battleground of Melbourne as Scott Morrison takes his pitch to voters.

A reading of evidence from Senate estimates yesterday paints a very different picture of the security implications of last week's debate about medevac legislation than the one generally reported, writes Laura Tingle.

Some say supermoons are an "embarrassment to everything else we call super", but astrophysicist Brad Tucker reckons it's still a good excuse to go and have a look at the moon.

Mining giant BHP's half-year earnings are hurt by operational issues including the forced derailment of a runaway iron ore train.

Queensland police release new vision of a man who was caught on CCTV allegedly assaulting Brisbane bus passengers in separate attacks late last year leaving the victims with facial injuries.

For farmers these are very difficult times, seriously exacerbated by the drought. Those looking for a scapegoat for the recent tragedy of fish deaths below Menindee Lakes achieve nothing more than fuelling media coverage and unrest, writes Les Gordon.

If the mere mention of ticks sends a shiver down your spine, you're not alone. But knowing more about the tiny creatures, how to spot them, and how to safely remove them from you or your pet may help to allay your fears.

Retired General David Hurley will replace current governor-general Peter Cosgrove when the latter's five-year term as the Queen's representative in Australia comes to an end in March next year.

A closed Facebook group dedicated to jokes and memes about Asian stereotypes and young migrant experiences has gained almost a million followers around the world since its creation in September.

Bundaberg-born forensics specialist Angela Williamson was part of the team that noticed a disturbing pattern among a few unsolved killings — but she had no idea the killer she found would start confessing to more than 90 murders.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's face was pasted on billboards ahead of last weekend's APEC summit in Papua New Guinea. So how did he end up getting upstaged?

A few years ago, we heard that processed meat was carcinogenic to humans, and red meat probably was too. Then it was "very hot" drinks (but not coffee specifically) — and the list of cancer-causing substances goes on. But what does it all really mean?

The royal commission is exposing that Commonwealth Bank bosses opted to put out the nearest spot fire and move on, rather than actually acknowledge the cascading scandals starting a towering inferno around them.

Australia's two-year winning streak against New Zealand comes to an end, with the Silver Ferns comfortably defeating the Diamonds 55-44 in the third Constellation Cup Test.

The Federal Government will increase funding to youth mental health service provider Headspace by about 50 per cent next financial year, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison says will make a big difference in young people's lives.

NSW Nationals MP Troy Grant has hit out at alt-right nationalists after an ABC Background Briefing investigation revealed an infiltration of the party by self-described fascists.