NSW police are investigating whether former ALP power broker Sam Dastyari should be slapped with a $2200 fine after riding a lime green share bike on a Sydney footpath. Mr Dastyari, a former Labor senator, was riding the bike in a suit and helmet along the Elizabeth Street footpath on Thursday morning on his way to testifying at an anti-corruption probe …

  For the first time, the long-term outlook for the Great Barrier Reef has been downgraded from “poor” to “very poor” by the federal government’s five-year reef report. The evidence-based report is written by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and reviewed and released by the federal Environment Minister. The report said climate change is escalating and is the …

Worksafe are investigating the tragic death of a 22-year-old apprentice jockey after she died in a fall during pre-dawn training at a racecourse in Melbourne, police have confirmed. The female apprentice rider from Clyde fell while training at Cranbourne Racecourse in Melbourne’s south-east about 4.35am on Friday morning. Her death is not being treated as suspicious and no other riders were …

Australian universities are not doing enough to combat the influence of China’s ruling Communist Party, a group of Federal Government backbenchers has warned. The comments follow recent pro-Beijing rallies staged in several Australian cities against Hong Kong’s democracy movement — rallies which were praised by Chinese Government-controlled media— and come just days after Liberal MP Andrew Hastie warned about China’s activities. Fellow Liberal MP …

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has revealed an “implementation road map” around the 54 recommendations from the financial services royal commission that called for Government action. The final report from commissioner Kenneth Hayne made 76 recommendations, 54 of which were directed at the Government, which has been accused of dragging its feet in response to the commission. In what is described as …

Chinese Government-controlled media has publicly congratulated pro-Beijing protesters who gathered in Melbourne on Friday, while the nation’s ambassador to Australia has warned foreigners not to support pro-democracy activists. An estimated 600 people from rival pro-Hong Kong democracy and pro-China groups took part in demonstrations outside the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne. Several scuffles broke out, forcing police to separate the groups. …

The man accused of going on a deadly stabbing rampage in central Sydney on Tuesday will defend the charges laid against him on the grounds of mental illness, his lawyer says. Mert Ney, 20, appeared briefly at Parramatta Bail Court via video link from Surry Hills Police Station where he was charged last night. His lawyer Zemarai Khatiz told the …

Scott Morrison has emphatically ruled out lifting the $40-a-day rate of Newstart, warning campaigners including Barnaby Joyce they are out of touch with what voters want. The Prime Minister, who credits “the quiet Australians” with his election victory, said voters want the welfare system to work for taxpayers too. “I’m not going to lead people on about this. You ask …

Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar has used parliamentary privilege to accuse those challenging the eligibility of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to sit in Parliament of being “disgusting, disgruntled, debauched” and anti-semitic. The extraordinary attack was condemned as “a total abuse of parliamentary privilege” on Thursday night. But Mr Sukkar said he felt compelled to highlight the issue, given the rise of anti-semitism. …

Former foreign minister Julie Bishop is to become the next chancellor of the Australian National University. The retired Liberal politician will replace former Labor politician Gareth Evans, and will be the first woman to hold the role. Ms Bishop – who left federal parliament at the election in May after more than 20 years – will begin a three-year term …