Greta bus crash catalyst for new laws

Every new Australian bus that has seatbelts will be required to have signs and audio announcements reminding passengers to wear them, as commercial aircraft flights do.

Federal Labor will offer billions of dollars in production credits to support a new "green aluminium" sector, in a new election pitch.

The NSW SES responded to more than 100 calls for assistance per hour as damaging winds and heavy rainfall hit across the state.

Some residents dealing with damage caused by rogue trampolines in the aftermath of severe weather in NSW say it is time for greater regulation.

A heatwave is set to spread across more than half the country this week, as a cyclone spinning over waters to the west of Australia helps "block" the weather pattern and channel hot, dry winds into the west and east.

With wildfires raging across Los Angeles, focus is turning to how new technologies, including AI, can aid our response to future disasters. But there are concerns Australia isn't ready to combat fires all year round.

Industry insiders say coffee lovers — even in regional Australia — are unlikely to escape paying more for their flat whites as cafes are forced to push up prices.

Having already made her mark in the Big Bash, Caoimhe Bray stars for Australia on the world stage.

Ballina votes more than Byron, Launceston votes more than Hobart, and more than a few votes have come from abroad.

Merewether is one of the most popular residential areas in Newcastle, being so close to the beach, but in the midst of the suburb is a green escape.

Catch us on the ABC Listen app: If you missed it, 1233 ABC Newcastle's programs returned this week! You can catch up on the shows you missed on our website, or the ABC Listen app where you can stream us anywhere, anytime. Our weekend programs have changed slightly this year. ABC Newcastle Saturday Breakfast with Scott Bevan is on air from 6am to 11am, followed by ABC Sport Hunter with Bridget Murphy from 11am to midday.

Photo: ABC Newcastle Saturday Breakfast host Scott Bevan (left) and Sport Hunter host Bridget Murphy. Image credit: ABC Newcastle/Bruce Williams

Another earthquake recorded: Geoscience Australia reported a small earthquake near Muswellbrook last week. The 2.8-magnitude quake was felt just before 10pm on Tuesday, south of Muswellbrook, and was at a depth of two kilometres. It follows a series of quakes in the Upper Hunter last year, the largest a magnitude 4.7 in August.

Man charged over council building fire: A 53-year-old man has been charged over the Lake Macquarie City Council's administration building fire which is estimated to have caused millions of dollars in damage. Tony Charles Graham was arrested by police at a Maitland address last Thursday and he's been charged with destroying property in company using fire. He was refused bail in the Maitland Local Court last Friday, and his case will be mentioned again later this month. The Speers Point building was damaged by a blaze in late November last year. Council's acting chief executive Tony Farrell says insurers are continuing to assess damage to the building, but the bill is expected to run into the millions. He says the council is finalising an agreement to establish a temporary workspace for the 400 staff who have since been forced to work remotely.

Calls to rezone PFAS-affected land: A Williamtown resident wants PFAS-contaminated land to be rezoned to industrial or commercial to help increase land values. Lindsay Clout lives in the PFAS contamination zone in Fullerton Cove, which is currently zoned as rural land. However, he says because of the contamination the zoning is no longer fit-for-purpose. Mr Clout says rezoning the land to allow for development would boost property values for residents wanting to sell and leave the area.

New shopping centre approved: Plans for a $37-million shopping centre in Fullerton Cove have been approved by the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel. The centre will include a supermarket, liquor store, medical centre and car park. It will serve the growing communities of Fullerton Cove, North Stockton, Fern Bay and Seaside Estate, which have advocated for the development for years. The Fullerton Cove Road site was rezoned in 2022 to allow the development of a shopping centre after 600 residents signed a petition to bring a supermarket to the area.

Double disappointment for Jets: The Newcastle Jets men's A-League side went down to Western United 3-1 in Melbourne on Friday night. United led 3-nil before Lachlan Rose scored in the 58th minute for the Jets. In the women's competition Newcastle had a 2-nil lead against home team Wellington Phoenix at half-time on Sunday. Striker Sheridan Gallagher found the back of the net in just the third minute. But Phoenix fought back, scoring two goals early in the second half and then a third in the dying minutes of the game to win 3-2.

Shop your pantry to make this easy herby rice salad for weeknight dinners or work lunches.

On Eat The Invaders, Tony Armstrong joins Women Against Cane Toads (WACT), a group dedicated to hand-catching toads. After bagging hundreds, there's more than enough for dinner. But aren't they poisonous?