Gina Rinehart threatens to withdraw family's "ransom insurance policy" unless they stay quiet on legal action.

Ricky Ponting took a couple of screamers in the field as Australia got home in the tri-series opener.

After arbitrarily being locked out of Google and repeated attempts to get a 'why', Mark Bowyer went to the regulator.

We are sentimental but no Australian brand is going to survive simply because it is Australian.

Latest Herald/Nielsen poll shows support for Julia Gillard increasing sharply.

A robber armed with a toy pistol locked two female employees in a safe after looting their pub.

Home loan customers still waiting for bank to pass on pre-Christmas interest rate cuts.

Family connections and friendships at the core of terrorist networks.

Australian screenwriter described as James Cameron's ''right-hand man'' dies in crash.

THE border town of St George is on its own after floodwaters submerged the only road out of town, but not before a mass evacuation of its population.

DESPITE her leadership turmoil, Julia Gillard is in front of Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister for the first time in nine months, a new poll shows.

AN OUT-of-focus traffic camera at Kedron is frustrating motorists, who accuse the Government of trying to hide the chaos roadworks have caused.

PREMIER Anna Bligh has maintained she has faith in the flood inquiry and its commissioner despite the controversial sidelining of a deputy.

THE Gold Coast could soon be home to world-class artificial reefs and wave pools to combat the rising tide of surf rage.

A SURFER drowned, two boats struck trouble and 17 swimmers were rescued from churning seas in a wild Sunday on the Sunshine Coast.

TIRED and nervous residents fleeing rising floodwaters in St George have started arriving at an evacuation centre erected at the Dalby showgrounds.

THE Australian Education Union will increase pressure on the Federal Government for better resourcing of public students ahead of the imminent release of a major report on schools funding.

QANTAS chief Alan Joyce is again fronting a Senate inquiry to warn of the risk to Australian jobs if legislation is passed to pay foreign crews the same.

Concern mounts among AFL footballers that advances in football gloves could give key players a significant edge.

A Melbourne businesswoman is easing the suffering of Vietnamese children needing surgery.

Back in Melbourne for its 10th season, the much-loved Famous Spiegeltent opens for business tomorrow.

At only 29 and with only two films under his belt, actor Daniel Henshall is fast becoming a red carpet veteran.

Which side of the Yarra you live on speaks volumes - or does it? Natalie Craig finds out.

Julia Gillard leads Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister for first time in nine months.

Writer-producer behind Australia's biggest movie of 2011 was one of two men killed in a helicopter crash.

Winds of up to 100 kilometres an hour cause injury and widespread damage throughout Melbourne.

Fears the failure of a UN resolution against regime will unleash another wave of violence across the country.

A DEFIANT Julia Gillard has warned MPs to pull their heads in and show discipline in a plea for Labor to unite behind her.

VICTORIA'S new speed camera watchdog has vowed to get rid of any cash cow cameras and wants motorists to help identify them.

EXCLUSIVE: A 24-HOUR call line to report bullying will be set up by a new foundation to tackle the ever-increasing scourge.

VICTORIAN police officers are quitting the service at a rate of four a week amid predictions that keeping officers will get harder. 

MELBOURNE'S rail network was thrown into chaos by the fierce winds, with buses replacing trains on four key train lines last night.

Youngsters trying to sneak into Perth's Big Day Out music festival have failed to get past police.

An elected Labor government would give parents of every senior school student $200 or child enrolled in training $400 per year to help cover education costs, new Opposition Leader Mark McGowan announced today.

There was a feeling of hope in the air on Saturday at Rushton Park in Kelmscott as the community affected by last year's Kelmscott-Roleystone fires gathered for the one year anniversary of the event.

Fire bombs were thrown at police during a dispute in Northam overnight.

Police broke up an out of control party in Thornlie early this morning.

A man was stabbed in Northbridge last night.

A teenager has died in a crash in Wagin.

The State Government has announced it will grant $40,000 to the Shire of Augusta Margaret River to help "lift spirits" of those affected by last year's bushfires.

"The Big Day Out is home," reads a sign below an oversized blow-up of Humphrey B. Bear on the Causeway. For a while there, the festival juggernaut was not so assured.