Category Archives: New South Wales

NSW motorists who use medicinal cannabis may soon be able to drive without fear of major penalty

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Premier Chris Minns says changes would balance road safety and a more practical approach for medicinal cannabis users

Motorists who use medicinal cannabis may soon be able to drive on New South Wales roads without fear of a severe penalty as the Minns government announces long-awaited reforms.

The government announced on Thursday it would introduce legislation which would see drivers with a medicinal cannabis prescription no longer face a three-month licence suspension or fine for having the THC component of cannabis in their system.

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Anti-abortion activists are trying to limit access in NSW – and they are just getting started

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Obstetricians and gynaecologists say anti sex-selective abortions bill ‘predicated on misinformation’ and ‘underlying aim is to restrict access to abortion’

The man who wants to ban “sex-selective abortions” is the first person who will tell you it won’t work.

New South Wales Libertarian party MLC John Ruddick has introduced legislation that would see health practitioners sent to prison or fined thousands if they carry out a termination because of the sex of a foetus.

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Barnaby Joyce rallies anti-abortion activists ahead of tight NSW vote

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Sydney crowd told to target National MPs as upper house prepares to vote on a bill outlawing sex-selective terminations

One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce has joined pro-life campaigners to pile pressure on Nationals MPs to vote to criminalise some abortions ahead of a tight vote in New South Wales.

Anti-abortion activists have threatened to campaign for One Nation against major parties to force new limits on terminating pregnancies on the back of its polling surge.

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‘Significant’ storm to hammer millions in WA and bring icy weather to NSW, Victoria and SA

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Bureau of Meteorology says WA residents should brace for wind gusts higher than 125km/h – the strength of category two cyclones

A major storm system bearing down on millions of Western Australians on Saturday is bringing cyclone-strength winds, and is set to deliver a “wintry blast” to the east of the country early next week.

Residents across WA’s populated south-west were warned to tie down loose items and prepare for destructive wind gusts that could exceed 125km/h from Saturday evening.

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Wild weather unleashes thunderstorms across south-east Australia, triggering flash flooding

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Wet weather batters parts of Queensland, NSW and Tasmania amid warnings of heavy falls on Friday

Wild weather more typical of summer than the last days of autumn has caused chaos in south-eastern Australia, unleashing a string of severe thunderstorms.

Heavy rainfall accompanied by 500,000 lightning strikes across Queensland and New South Wales triggered widespread flash flooding, road closures and travel disruptions.

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Lord Howe Island got rid of its rats and mice – now its ‘wonderful’ insect life is back

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Invasive vermin decimated the island’s native flora and fauna – but its unique cockroaches and beetles are thriving once again

In the summer months, Lord Howe Island’s unique stag beetle, with wing cases that appear forged from iridescent green metal, fly around the ancient tree tops looking for a mate.

“That’s really something wonderful,” said Ian Hutton, a naturalist and nature guide on the World Heritage-listed island.

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Community shocked after Aboriginal rock shelter bulldozed for NSW power lines

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The heritage site was destroyed by contractors building transmission lines for the Central-West Orana renewable energy zone

Indigenous community members have described their shock and anger after an Aboriginal rock shelter was “damaged beyond recovery” by contractors building transmission lines for a New South Wales renewable energy zone.

The heritage site was destroyed by bulldozers in March during the construction of access tracks for the Central-West Orana renewable energy zone, a transmission line project located about 300km north-west of Sydney.

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Image of ‘twin babies’ used by anti-abortion activist appears to show sugar gliders

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Joanna Howe says the image was sent to her by a woman ashamed of her abortion, and used it to support ‘rally for Emma and Ruth’ in favour of NSW bill

An image posted by anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe claiming to show aborted twin girls called “Ruth and Emma” appears to be a picture of sugar gliders.

The two little pink bodies are displayed on a clean white background and experts say the image does not look at all like the product of an abortion.

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Three die in ‘horrific’ south Sydney vehicle crash after police welfare check

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A 42-year-old fled from police before being involved in a two-vehicle crash in Sans Souci, police say

Three people have died in a crash in Sydney after a man fled from police who had been attempting to carry out a welfare check.

Police officers had been called to a property in Gymea Bay, southern Sydney, at 12.25am on Saturday. When they arrived, a 42-year-old man drove away in a white Audi, New South Wales police said.

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Police drop case against artist who depicted high-profile Australians in uniforms with Nazi symbols

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Michael Agzarian was charged despite internal legal advice that the images were ‘political satire’, court hears

Police charged an artist who depicted prominent Australians in military uniforms emblazoned with Nazi symbols despite internal legal advice the images were “political satire”, a court has heard.

Police dropped the case against Michael Agzarian before the Downing Centre local court on Friday, almost a year after he had been charged with one count of displaying Nazi symbols by a public act without lawful excuse.

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Feral horse numbers surge in Kosciuszko national park after pause in aerial culling, survey shows

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Conservationists say population rebound demands rethink of retention zones that allow thousands of the animals to remain in the park

Feral horse numbers in the Kosciuszko national park have surged, with new survey data estimating populations climbed by thousands after the New South Wales government paused aerial culling in 2025.

Conservation advocates say the rebound in numbers demands an urgent rethink of retention zones that allow thousands of horses to remain in the park.

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Man charged with stealing camera equipment from Bondi shooting victim in aftermath of terror attack

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Police allege man took camera equipment from 61-year-old shooting victim then pawned it

New South Wales police have charged a man for allegedly stealing camera equipment from one of the victims of the Bondi beach terror attack in the aftermath of the shooting.

In a statement, police alleged that the man, Danny James Ridley, had been at the Hanukah event before the shooting on 14 December, in which 15 people were killed.

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One person dead and four in hospital after alleged shooting in Sydney’s south-west

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NSW police establish crime scene at Canley Heights home after two pairs of men present at different hospitals

One man has died in hospital and four others have been left in serious condition after a shooting at a home.

Police set up a crime scene at a home in Canley Heights in south-west Sydney after the men self-presented to two nearby hospitals.

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Man charged with three counts of DV murder after woman and children found dead inside Sydney home

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NSW police called to home in Campbelltown where they arrested a man, aged 47

A man has been charged with murder after the bodies of a woman and two children were found inside a Sydney home.

Officers attended the home in Campbelltown, in the city’s south-west, on Monday night “following a call from the home to triple zero” at about 7.50pm, New South Wales police said.

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From drab partitions to haute couture host: how a Sydney civic masterpiece was rescued

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Redevelopment of the former Department of Lands building on Sydney’s Bridge Street wins National Trust heritage award

It was once a grand old sandstone masterpiece, where returned soldiers would cram into marble corridors to anxiously await lottery draws that could change their lives.

Then the 20th century happened.

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Inquest into death of Clare Nowland after Tasering by NSW police aims to answer ‘outstanding questions’

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Coroner will examine 95-year-old’s death and look at dementia training for aged care staff, police and ambulance officers

Three years after police fatally Tasered an aged care resident, an inquest could save lives by improving training for first responders dealing with aggressive dementia patients.

Then-senior constable Kristian James Samuel White fired his Taser at 95-year-old Clare Nowland after being called to Yallambee Lodge nursing home in Cooma in southern New South Wales on 17 May 2023.

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Budget to include extra $2bn for infrastructure – as it happened

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This blog is now closed

Wilson promises Coalition will be ‘very clear’ on migration

Wilson is asked about comments made by the opposition leader, Angus Taylor, after the byelection that hinted at a rightward shift toward “ending mass migration” and stopping net zero policies.

I can assure you in the coming weeks we’re going to make it very clear what we’re for. Australians need to know that we’re in favour of families, community, small business and self-starters.

My focus on migration is how we make sure we get new Australians integrated successfully.

One of the reasons Australians have become very nervous about migration is they feel that people are coming to Australia and getting the benefits without making the contribution. And I want the best, boldest, most confident new Australians we can have.

There would be some nervous Labor MPs because what people want to see is change.

One of the most consistent messages is that people want someone who is going to fight for them and their future.

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‘A sobering indictment’: 14 homeless people die a year in public parks or countryside in Australia, analysis finds

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‘In just a few weeks homelessness has killed a baby, a young mother and a student,’ head of advocacy group says, calling for more investment in upcoming budget

Fourteen rough sleepers are dying in public parks or countryside areas each year on average in Australia, an analysis of hidden death reports reveals.

The deaths of a young international student sleeping rough in Hyde Park, a young homeless mother who died of sepsis in Western Australia, and a newborn baby at a makeshift homeless camp near Wagga beach have prompted an outpouring of grief and shock in recent weeks.

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One Nation candidate David Farley sought involvement with independent ‘Voices’ movement

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Exclusive: Farley discussed preferences and suggested platform before Voices group endorsed his rival Michelle Milthorpe as its candidate

One Nation’s Farrer candidate, David Farley, sought to cooperate with the community independent “Voices” movement before the last election, including discussing preferences and suggesting a platform for a House and Senate campaign, before the group endorsed Michelle Milthorpe as their candidate.

Documents seen by Guardian Australia show Farley – who is expected to win the Farrer byelection ahead of Milthorpe on Saturday – had been keen to meet with the independent Voices campaign in 2023 and 2024, including buying a ticket to their event, sharing ideas, and even discussing election preferences.

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Water flows to parched NSW wetlands could be turned back on within weeks as drought fears loom

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Water minister Rose Jackson calls drying in Gwydir region ‘devastating’ as bill passes upper house

Water flows to parched New South Wales wetlands where an urgent rescue mission to save dying wildlife unfolded are a step closer to resuming after legislation passed the state parliament’s upper house.

The water minister, Rose Jackson, told the parliament on Thursday night the impact of a halt to environmental flows in the internationally significant Gwydir region had been “devastating” as she introduced legislative amendments she said would allow flows to resume.

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