UN gives Canberra deadline to address refugee health fears
Bianca Hall THE United Nations has given Australia a month to show how it will ensure the mental and physical safety of two refugees, one of whom tried to commit suicide this month.
A mother and child exhausted: faces of the many who flee by sea
Bianca Hall She sits in a wheelchair looking utterly defeated, a small child in her lap. She appears to be in her mid to late 30s, but it is difficult to tell through her exhaustion.
Boats to keep coming as tears keep flowing
Bianca Hall She sits on a wheelchair, looking utterly defeated, a small child in her lap.
Captain's family left in waiting
Bianca Hall THE family of alleged people smuggler Captain Emad remains in Australia more than six months after he fled the country, a parliamentary inquiry heard on Monday.
Fraud charges: Slipper no plea
Bianca Hall THE former speaker Peter Slipper, below, will not be required to enter a plea when he appears at the Canberra Magistrates Court accused of defrauding the Commonwealth on Friday morning.
Citizenship pledge at all time high
Bianca Hall A RECORD number of people took the citizenship pledge on Saturday, with 17,059 people from 145 countries becoming new Australians.
Chinese efforts to suppress academic debate 'not unusual'
David Wroe, Bianca Hall A TOP foreign affairs expert says it is ''by no means unusual'' to hear of China trying to quash Australian academic debate to push its own national interests.
'Not in his DNA': Navy captain's former wife stands by her man
Bianca Hall THE former wife of a navy captain accused of fraudulently claiming about $38,000 in marital allowances from the federal government while being separated has defended her ex-husband.
Chinese company defends security record
Bianca Hall Chinese technology giant Huawei has warned Australia could be in breach of its international trade obligations if it adopts national security proposals that could allow the government to exclude...
Chinese tech giant appeals against broadband ban
Bianca Hall Chinese technology giant Huawei warns Australia could be in breach of its international trade obligations.
AFP lets Captain Emad leave Australia
Bianca Hall The accused people smuggler ''Captain Emad'' fled Australia on Tuesday, it emerged yesterday, with authorities powerless to prevent him leaving Melbourne Airport.
Sri Lankan refugees are 'security threat'
Daniel Flitton, Bianca Hall Three more Sri Lankan refugees who fled the country's bloody civil war have been rounded up across Australia in the past week, having been branded a security threat by intelligence agencies.
Refugees rounded up as threats to security
Daniel Flitton, Bianca Hall Three more Sri Lankan refugees who fled the country's bloody civil war have been rounded up across Australia in the past week after being branded as a security threat by intelligence agencies.
Nothing to stop Rinehart's run: Swan
Bianca Hall, Kirsty Simpson The federal government has rejected a bid for new legislation to force mining magnate Gina Rinehart to abide by the Fairfax Media charter of independence.
Public interest test for media owners
Bianca Hall Media owners will be forced to submit to a public interest test, under a plan to be presented to cabinet within weeks.
Digger's Afghan killing was an 'act of murder'
Bianca Hall The shooting of Lance Corporal Andrew Jones by an Afghan soldier 'a cowardly act of murder'.
Greens fears as Rinehart moves on Fairfax
Bianca Hall News that Australia's richest woman has moved to gain a majority share in Fairfax - adding to her 10 per cent stake in Channel 10 - has been met with suspicion by the Greens and equanimity by the...
Deadly mushroom meal was made in a restaurant kitchen
Bianca Hall THE New Year's Eve meal that contained death cap mushrooms and killed two people was prepared in a restaurant kitchen, Canberra health authorities said last night.
Union warns 'resources delayed are resources denied'
Bianca Hall The Australian Education Union has warned the government not to delay its implementation of schools funding reform, saying resources delayed are resources denied.
ACT focus of schools debate
Bianca Hall, Emma Macdonald Canberra will be the site of a ''grassroots, nationwide discussion'' on school funding this week as Prime Minister Julia Gillard defers any firm commitments to the Gonski review of funding and...
