Research shows the rates of property and violent crime in regional NSW were about 60 per cent higher than in Sydney last year, prompting calls for greater intervention.

Hundreds of people, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, have attended the funeral service for Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon, who died following a training exercise gone wrong earlier this month.

Women say they are being routinely delayed or denied epidurals when giving birth because of mistaken beliefs about their impact on labour.

More than 250 kilograms of cocaine has now washed ashore on New South Wales beaches and across the border into Victoria, with police appealing for information about the packages.

The argument for re-examining the merits of nuclear power in Australia has been countered with concerns about the high cost of building the plants. But the rising price of uranium is another issue — and Australia's place as a major supplier doesn't guarantee cheap power, writes Ian Verrender.

As almond growers and beekeepers prepare for the upcoming pollination season, industry experts warn ongoing restrictions on moving bees could cripple the harvest for another year.
 

A broken instrument can put a touring musician's livelihood in jeopardy, but many have horror stories about damaged equipment after travelling with commercial airlines.

From surfing the waves in Lombok to teaching kids how to swim, Andrea McDowell is now on a mission to reduce "shocking" Indonesian drowning statistics.

Rent: The Musical was one of the longest-running shows on Broadway. Now it's in Australia, with an Australian cast. Can this new interpretation capture the spirit and verve of the 90s classic?

Let's find out how well you know your backyard birds. Will you get the squawk of approval?

In the companion book to the ABC show, author Lisa Millar brings you up to date with all the beloved characters and pups from series one and reveals more about the five tiny border collies and their trainers who we met in series two.

Surfest winners crowned: Joel Vaughan has become the first man to win back-to-back Surfest titles in Newcastle. The 20-year-old Central Coast product's score of 16.06 resulted in him claiming the final heat against Winter Vincent on Sunday afternoon at Merewether Beach. After the win Vaughan said it felt great to write his name in the history books. Victoria's Ellie Harrison (pictured with Vaughan) claimed the Surfest women's title, the biggest win of her career so far. The 18-year-old defeated New Zealand's Saffi Vette in the final.
 

Fast rail plans moving ahead: The federal government is seeking tenders to help develop and plan the proposed high-speed rail between Newcastle and Sydney. The High Speed Rail Authority has been tasked with delivering a business case for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the east coast high-speed rail network. The highly anticipated project could result in travel time between the two cities reduced to just 45 minutes. The authority is seeking tenders for eight work packages which will determine important components of the project including cost, alignment, station locations, fleet and future construction time frames.
 

Housing approvals down: The Housing Industry Association says while dwelling approval rates dropped slightly across the Hunter last year they were higher than the state average. Almost 5,000 new dwellings were approved across the region in 2023, down by about seven per cent on the year prior. Approvals fell by more than 17 per cent across the state. Hunter HIA executive director Craig Jennion says approvals of detached dwellings dropped by 21 per cent but there was a growth in multi-unit approvals of more than18 per cent.
 

Housing for teachers: The New South Wales Department of Education says three new homes specifically for teachers will help alleviate a staff shortage at the Merriwa Central School. Earlier this month the school's P&C wrote a letter calling for the government to do more to secure teachers for the school. It said some subjects had to be cancelled as more than 25 per cent of roles are vacant, some for more than 18 months. The department's chief people officer Shaun Ruming says there's a shortage of housing in the town.
 

Where to house essential workers? Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper says a parliamentary inquiry would help the Hunter get on top of an essential worker housing crisis early. He's joining teacher unions, firefighters, police and health care workers in calling for an inquiry into how the state government can deliver affordable housing for essential workers. Eight Independent MPs and several union groups sent a joint letter to Premier Chris Minns with the request on Friday. 
 

Desalination plant objections: Objectors to the Belmont desalination plant say Hunter Water should look at other ways to conserve and manage the region's water supply. Hunter Water has approval for a desalination plant to operate part time as a drought response, but it lodged plans in January for it to become a permanent water supply. Hunter Water is currently preparing a response to the almost dozen submissions. A Lake Macquarie resident says he wants to see other water saving projects instead, like stopping water loss from dams, while another says storm water should be better utilised. Concerns were also raised that an increase in noise and traffic could affect the serenity of the area.
 

Another Bald Archy Prize win: Newcastle artist Judy Nadin says last year's historic Matildas' World Cup campaign inspired her to create the art that landed her a third Bald Archy Prize. The winning portrait of the satirical art competition is of Sam Kerr doing her iconic backflip. You can see it here. Ms Nadin, who also won the award in 2010 and 2014, says she wasn't a soccer fan until the 2023 Women's World Cup.  Listen to ABC Newcastle's interview with her in 2022.
 

Knights go down in extra time: After leading for most of the game the Newcastle Knights were beaten by North Queensland in golden point extra-time. The Knights led 12-0 at half time but the Cowboys fought back in the second half to lock the score at 20-all after 80 minutes. A field goal by Chad Townsend secured North Queensland the victory in golden point.