Bill Quinn weeps as he casts a wreath into the sea for those who died in WWII battle

It was a vastly different scene last time Bill Quinn was on an Australian Navy ship outside Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands. The then 19-year-old - a stoker on HMAS Australia in the Battle of Savo Island during World War II - saw something horrific - a scene that has stuck with him since that day.

Baby plans, not policy, first hurdle for New Zealand Labour’s new female leader

New Zealand's charismatic new Labour leader, who took over in a desperate gamble to revive her struggling party seven weeks out from an election, spent her first 24 hours in the job fielding questions about babies rather than her policy plans. Jacinda Ardern, 37, took over as Labour's youngest leader on Tuesday after her predecessor quit over "disturbing" opinion poll results, leaving little time to plot a strategy to break the centre-right National Party's decade-long hold on power.

Chinese spy ship spotted off the coast of Australia

McCarthy's impression was 'over the line' and I quit because there are 'too many cooks' in the White House, says Spicer as Trump praises him as a 'wonderful person who took tremendous abuse' Eighteen-year-old cheerleader is charged with 'killing her newborn baby and burying it in her backyard' after cops found the child's body following tip from her doctor Leaks claim the Russian ambassador told the Kremlin he discussed policy with Jeff Sessions during the presidential race - but the Attorney General stands by his denial Teens who taunted a disabled man as he drowned and filmed his death were under no legal obligation to help him, experts say Chester Bennington's wife holds hands with her six-year-old daughter after the Linkin Park frontman committed suicide at home following battle with depression EXCLUSIVE: Mel B's ex-nanny stole $300,000 from her and is thretening to release sex tapes ... (more)

Australia disappointed by U.S. failure to take in refugees as promised

Australia's Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton speaks to reporters in Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Wednesday, June 21, 2017. CREDIT: AP Photo/Rod McGuirk Now that the U.S. government has reached its annual refugee resettlement cap as set by the Trump administration, hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers from Australia won't be able to enter the United States as promised during former President Barack Obama's administration.

Australian PM mocks Trump over ‘Russian guy’ at media party

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull deliver brief remarks to reporters in New York, U.S. May 4, 2017. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reacts as he sits in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, June 15, 2017.

We can handle both US, China roles: Labor

Federal Labor has poured cold water on a US view that Australia will play a greater military role to counter an increasingly belligerent China in the Indo-Pacific region. US senator John McCain, ahead of a visit to Sydney and Canberra next week, says Australia and the US will achieve "peace through strength" in the Trump administration's new strategy in Asia.

The Latest: Trump and Jordan’s King Abdullah set phone call

The conversation will take place amid a report by The Washington Post that Trump revealed highly classified information to senior Russian officials at a meeting last week, putting a source of intelligence about the Islamic State extremist group at risk. Jordan is a key ally in the U.S.-led international military coalition against Islamic State, which controls territory in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

Behind all the sound and fury, Trump’s ‘Russia thing’ that will not go away

Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer View text version of this page Help using this website - Accessibility statement Join today and you can easily save your favourite articles, join in the conversation and comment, plus select which news your want direct to your inbox. Join today and you can easily save your favourite articles, join in the conversation and comment, plus select which news your want direct to your inbox.

Sanders defends Trump’s praise of Australian healthcare system

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders said on Saturday that President Donald Trump was right to call Australia's universal healthcare system better than the U.S. system. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, also said the Senate should use the Australian system as a model while crafting an alternative to Republican healthcare legislation that Trump endorses.

Pence cites ‘challenging times’ to troops in American Samoa

U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence has thanked American service members based in American Samoa, citing "challenging times" for the military in the Asia-Pacific. Completing a visit to the region and en route back to the United States, Pence addressed some 200 soldiers during a refuelling stop in Pago Pago.

Tim Minchin reveals ‘impotent fury’ over film cancellation

The animated musical film Tim Minchin has been working on for the past four years has been "shut down" by executives, according to a statement on his website. Minchin, who was born in the UK but raised in Perth, was directing the piece for Dreamworks set in the Australian outback.

Former prime minister John Howard on what won Donald Trump the US Presidency

These factors were not, for example, rust-belt unemployment, stagnating wages, inequality, fake news, xenophobia, or sexism against Mr Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, none of which rated a mention. "There were two things that were critical to Trump's success that I personally identify with very strongly," Mr Howard told a corporate audience at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia lunch in Sydney on Friday.

Australians doubt Trump’s commitment to its traditional ally

Some Australians foresee trouble in their country's traditionally strong alliance with the United States because of what they see as "unpresidential" behavior from President Donald Trump, while others think outspoken businessman-turned-Australian-leader Malcolm Turnbull is a good match for him. Australians have long had an affinity with the United States and absorb American popular culture like blotting paper.

Wake Up, Wimmera | Thursday, February 23, 2017

PIC OF THE DAY: Use the hashtag #wakeupWimmera on Instagram or email cass.dalgleish@fairfaxmedia.com.au to have your pic included! Photo: @reelfishmedia, via Instagram - Blue hour #reflections #taylorslake #horshamvic #wakeupwimmera A Northern Grampians family had been to hell and back before they faced another tragic blow when a father of two died in a motorcycle accident on Saturday. More here .

Gender advisor says Yassmin Abdel-Magied attack is sexist

Construction worker with a 'white power' chest tattoo and his fiancA e are victims of double murder that was so grisly police needed an X-ray machine to find all their body parts Milo Yiannopoulos LOSES his $250k book deal amid outrage at pedophilia comments as Breitbart workers threaten to quit if he isn't sacked EXCLUSIVE: Making a Murderer's Steven Avery BEGGED lead prosecutor Ken Kratz to represent him in an appeal - and bragged that they could 'get money together' from the case Why the fasting diet DOES work: Limiting your calories for 5 days a month could 'cut your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes' Tattooed gangster ambushes and murders one LA cop and wounds another after the officers arrived at car wreck he was involved in How nine in ten diets fail... But you should still keep trying as yo-yo slimming is healthier than staying fat Will we all die THIS YEAR? ... (more)

Turnbull government ‘looking closely’ at British-style rent-to-buy scheme

The Turnbull government is looking "closely" at a rent-to-buy scheme for first home buyers similar to that used in Britain, Fairfax Media has confirmed, as MPs rush to fill the void on housing affordability with their own ideas. Nationals MP Andrew Broad on Friday floated a proposal to allow renters to buy a home without paying a deposit, if the money they normally spent on rent was commensurate with the mortgage repayments.