Ignoring Gonski would be stupid: McKew

Former Labor MP Maxine McKew says there needs to be a cross-party agreement on what constitutes an equitable, quality education system.

Workmates win $35 million on Powerball

A group of workmates have become multimillionaires after winning the Powerball overnight.

Powerball win: What $2.4m buys in Sydney

A sweet $2.4 million was scooped by each of the 15 members of a Sydney store syndicate in Powerball's $70 million lotto draw on Thursday night. But what is it really worth?

Man threatened to slit ASIO officer's throat

A Sydney man who threatened to slit the throat of an ASIO officer in anger at the organisation's investigation into his activities has been sentenced to nine months' jail.

Trees that need help spreading their seed

Spare a thought for the males of the rainforest tree that can no longer spread their seed. Without help, the hairy quandong faces a barren future.

Balmain Leagues Club settles dispute

The Balmain Leagues Club has settled its dispute with developer Rozelle Village, five months after its injunction to prevent any bid to place the club into receivership.

'I don't sell myself': Labor MP strikes back

"I don't sell myself," declared former Newcastle Labor MP Jodi McKay in a testy exchange at a corruption inquiry with the lawyer for embattled coal mogul Nathan Tinkler.

Baird to force Liberals to obey donations laws

SEAN NICHOLLS Liberal MPs and candidates for next year's state election will be forced to sign contracts guaranteeing they will abide by donations laws or face disendorsement.

Lawyer charged with drug, firearm offences

NICK RALSTON A senior Sydney lawyer employed by the Australian government and a former financial worker have been charged over their alleged involvement in a sophisticated drug syndicate supplying mid-level dealers. 

Union used slush funds to fight corruption

Anna Patty, Ben Schneiders The head of the Transport Workers Union has justified his use of a slush fund and a lack of disclosure about its use, saying it had helped rid the Health Services Union of corruption.

Auction

First Millers Point property sells for $1.9m

TOBY JOHNSTONE 'Everyone in the room was shocked': private Thursday night auction yields huge result.

'Covering lies with more lies': ICAC

Disgraced former Liberal MP Andrew Cornwell and his wife have been accused of telling "fibs" and "covering lies with more lies" as they face allegations they took an illicit donation from a property developer.

Nile links abortion and breast cancer

NICOLE HASHAM MP Fred Nile says women should reconsider having abortions “if the price of the decision is breast cancer”, repeating discredited views that have angered women and health groups.

Scammers out in force for tax season

ESTHER HAN Scammers using tax-related reclaim schemes have stolen more money from Australians in the first month of the financial year than from January to June combined, figures from the consumer watchdog show.

'Her foot was cold to the touch'

PAUL BIBBY As she arrived at her family's waterfront mansion, Maha Qidwai immediately noticed that things were not right.

MPs lock horns over business voting changes

LEESHA MCKENNY A war of words has broken out about the proposed changes to business voting in the City of Sydney.

Man shot in 'Romeo and Juliet' affair

His partner's family didn't approve of him and someone shot him in the back. But now the star-crossed lovers are back together.

Mike Baird faces $500m Barangaroo shortfall

Nicole Hasham, Paul Bibby A lost court battle over Barangaroo has left the Baird government with budget shortfall potentially reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.

Harvey praises Tinkler as he calls in debt

Chris Roots, Donna Page Billionaire Gerry Harvey has heaped praise on embattled businessman Nathan Tinkler, saying he should be "applauded" for the "millions and millions" he has poured into sport.

Clubs

Country Women's Association bullying claim

LUCY MACKEN One member criticised the state executive on Facebook, now she faces expulsion.

Surgeon bashed ex-girlfriend's dog

A dog bashing Sydney surgeon has been handed a two-year good behaviour bond after he broke more than a dozen ribs of his ex-girlfriend's papillon pooch.

Colin Kruger

How Gerry Harvey exposed Tinkler's fairy tale

The fairy tale that was Nathan Tinkler’s business comeback strategy has been stripped of all credibility after retail billionaire Gerry Harvey announced he would take control of Tinkler’s horse racing empire.

Some garbage trucks back, others grounded

Garbage services across Sydney are expected to begin to return to normal, after some of the trucks grounded by one of Australia’s largest waste management companies were due back on the road by midday.

Barangaroo public works in doubt

The State Government’s ability to undertake millions of dollars worth of public works at Barangaroo is in doubt after it lost its developer contributions battle with Lend Lease in the NSW Court of Appeal.

Spiders are fatter in wealthy suburbs

NICKY PHILLIPS People are not the only residents living large in the eastern suburbs - spiders at Tamarama Beach are fatter and more fertile than their rural counterparts.

Freeman in custody ahead of drug sentencing

Drug manufacturer and Kings Cross identity Adam Sonny Freeman has been taken into custody four years after he was involved in making a $3 million shoddy batch of the drug known as ecstasy.

Fundraising and questions of influence

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli was not the first politician to enjoy the largesse of Maureen Houssein-Mustafa, owner of the private college which is under police investigation over alleged rorting of state subsidies.

Rio Tinto 'workshopped' plan with department

Mining company was able to respond within days of receiving environmental requirements for its Warkworth mine expansion because of "workshopping" with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, an MP claims.

Rocks

Secret auction of Millers Point house

For fear of any ''disturbance'' the state government has laid out unusually strict rules for the Thursday night event.

Minister declares racehorse ownership

NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres declared an interest in four thoroughbred racehorses to Parliament days before he was due to be quizzed on his portfolio by a parliamentary committee.

Calls for changes to mayoral byelection

Labor is calling for the byelection to replace former Newcastle lord mayor Jeff McCloy to be run by the NSW Electoral Commission and not by a private company, warning the latter option could cost more than $600,000.

Illegal cigarettes "easy" to obtain, say teens

Despite aggressive anti-tobacco legislation, teenagers are still purchasing illegal original branded cigarette packets, claiming that the original packaging makes them “cooler.”

Construction apprenticeships slump

Apprentices in the construction industry have slumped to their lowest levels in 10 years at a time when youth unemployment is at its highest, a report warns.

Students protest education changes

About 600 students took to Sydney’s streets Wednesday afternoon to protest the Abbott government’s proposed changes to higher education as part of a national day of action.

Taking Mrs Macquarie's legacy for a drive

Elizabeth Macquarie's 1814 cello is usually kept in a glass box in the Museum of Sydney. But the historical cello was was dusted down and taken for a ride by cellist Teije Hylkema.

Safe at last, after a century of conflict

KIM ARLINGTON She was born before the outbreak of the First World War and has spent much of her life in war zones or fleeing conflict. But Yasmi Houmi, who turned 102 this month, has finally found safety.

Tablets fall out of favour in NSW classrooms

Once hailed as the poster child of digital interactive learning, tablets are falling increasingly out of favour in NSW schools.

Tower too high for aviation authorities

LEESHA MCKENNY Parramatta’s aspirations to build NSW’s tallest residential tower may be cut down to size following concerns by aviation authorities.

Jodhi Meares pleads guilty to drink driving

PAUL BIBBY Model turned designer Jodhi Meares has pleaded guilty in a Sydney court to a high-range drink-driving charge.

Virtual currency

ATO says bitcoins are assets, not currency

The Australian Tax Office has released guidelines on bitcoins, and other digital currencies, saying it will provide certainty to users and the wider community.

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Garbage trucks off the road across Sydney

Rubbish collections have been suspended across Sydney after the one of Australia’s largest waste management companies grounded its entire fleet following a fatal accident in South Australia.

Policeman lied about drug-fuelled weekend

A former high-ranking NSW Police officer has been sentenced to six months' jail after he was found guilty of lying to the force watchdog about a drug-fuelled weekend away with fellow officers.

Doctor duped by lover's fictional friends

A former Australian Medical Association president was duped by his young gay lover into handing over more than $300,000 for four other young homosexual men who did not exist.

Cafe owner who wouldn't hire a black man

The Fair Work Ombudsman is investigating the owner of a cafe who refused to hire a barista because he is black.

Kings Cross late-night bus service a flop

The government’s transport response to alcohol-fuelled violence in Sydney’s Kings Cross is proving a flop, with barely a handful of passengers choosing to use new late-night bus services.

Accused fabricated intruder story, court told

A tradesman who allegedly beat a grandmother to death in her mansion later falsely claimed that three identically dressed intruders named "Gus, Moey and Omar" were responsible for the crime, a court has heard.

Review of police 'misconceived'

An independent review of how NSW police investigate themselves has been disparaged as "factually incorrect" and "misconceived".

Commission delves into money transfers

The Transport Workers Union used an international redraw facility to transfer money interstate to another union and kept poor records of tens of thousands of dollars in other cash payments, a royal commission has heard.

Clive Palmer looks at byelection candidates

Clive Palmer's Palmer United Party has flagged interest in backing independent candidates to contest byelections in Newcastle and Charlestown following the resignation of former Liberal MPs.

Commuters in the dark on rail line shutdown

Train users across Sydney’s north should know in the next few of months how long the Epping to Chatswood rail line will be out of action during construction of the north-west rail link.

Minister defends cutting Newcastle rail line

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian says she wants to increase the number of people using public transport in Newcastle – despite reports saying her policies are expected to cut patronage.

Philanthropist gives $1 million to women

Philanthropy is no longer just about supporting museums, galleries, hospital and universities. Entrepreneur Deanne Weir is one of a new breed who want to help communities in need.

Chicken processing workers owed thousands

Underpaid chicken processing workers are owed $434,000 after allegedly being short-changed by a labour hire firm that paid them as little as $11.50 per hour and forced them to live in overcrowded housing.

Young-at-heart Cyril to tackle Channel

Cyril Baldock first swam the English Channel in 1985 when he was 41. This week he's planning to do it again and, at 70, become the world's oldest person to ever do the swim.

Malls fight back against shopping centres

Across Sydney, local councils are splashing cash and trying new ideas to rescue the outdoor mall.

Csutomers pay the price of convenience

Sydney CBD is becoming dominated by chain convenience stores that are charging triple supermarket prices for some essentials but often do not display prices on shelves.

Ryde's former mayor waits to hear fate

The fate of Ivan Petch still hangs in the balance, after the state government revealed it had yet to decide whether to dismiss the councillor almost two months after he was found guilty of corrupt conduct.

Dentists brush up on teeth care techniques

For something we do twice a day, advice on how we should brush our teeth is "unacceptably inconsistent", finds a new study comparing recommended methods in Britain, Australia and around the world.

Abu Bakr claims he was threatened first

RACHEL OLDING A teenage supporter of the terrorist group Islamic State who was arrested over an alleged religious attack on a Bankstown cleaner claims he was abused first because of his clothing.

Worst weather over but keep brolly handy

PETER HANNAM Sydney's wettest three-day spell in 14 months will make way this afternoon to calmer, drier conditions that should hold for most of the rest of winter.

Ground caves in at Collaroy building site

Michael Koziol and Megan Levy Fire crews are monitoring a building site where the ground caved in on Tuesday morning, four metres from a neighbouring unit block.

'I will win in the end': alleged killer's taunt

PAUL BIBBY The man accused of beating a Sydney mother to death in her northern suburbs mansion, had allegedly argued with her husband over money the day before, telling him “I will win in the end”.

Black spots still plague rail safety

JACOB SAULWICK Train drivers in greater Sydney continue to confront communications “black spots” because a key safety recommendation made following the city’s past rail disasters has not been implemented.

Abbott blames confusion for Libs' ICAC woes

SEAN NICHOLLS Tony Abbott has blamed confusion over the former NSW Labor government's ban on political donations from property developers for some of the Liberal party's woes at the commission.

NAPLAN writing task to be overhauled

The NAPLAN writing task will be changed to give students more choice as to what they write about. Different questions may also be asked of primary and high-school students after widespread criticism of this year's question.

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Senator seized car, sacked rival: hearing

ANNA PATTY Labor senator Chris Ketter went to the home of a former colleague and took his car away before sacking him because he challenged his authority, the Royal Commission into Trade Unions has heard.

Moran wins tender to run Opera Bar

Heath Gilmore and Carolyn Cummins A high-powered consortium including celebrity chef Matt Moran has signed a 10-year agreement to operate the Opera Bar after a highly competitive public tender process.

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More wild weather to come for Sydney

PETER HANNAM Parts of Sydney and a swathe of south-eastern NSW continue to mop up after the region's most significant rainfall event in at least a year, and more wild weather is possible later in the week.

Sydney father vanishes from Hilton hotel

EMMA PARTRIDGE Just hours before a Sydney father vanished, he answered several distressing phone calls and told family he needed to sort out a “complication” with a business associate.

Labour-hire firm refunds exploited workers

ANNA PATTY Young workers at a NSW poultry processing plant had to share mattresses and crowded housing with up to 30 others, for wages of as little as $11.50 per hour.

Joe Tripodi source of smear campaign: ICAC

Police "tracked down" corrupt Labor powerbroker Joe Tripodi and Nathan Tinkler's property development group as the source of a smear campaign that ousted former Labor minister Jodi McKay from office.

NSW unveils monitoring plan for CSG sites

PETER HANNAM The Baird government will increase its monitoring of groundwater, starting with three coal seam gas flashpoints, in a bid to ease community concerns about the impact of the emerging industry.

Foster kids to get digital 'memory box'

RACHEL BROWNE Child welfare charity Barnardos has developed new software called MyStory which is a digital file of everything from a foster child's medical history to favourite games.

A dramatic start for the HSC exams

AMY MCNEILAGE The traditional exam period is still months away but the Higher School Certificate has already started for drama and music students in Sydney.

Matildas star to inspire Aboriginal youth

Brittany Ruppert At 23, Kyah Simon has already had an enviable career, travelled the world and marked her name in football's history books for being the first indigenous Australian to score a goal in a World Cup.

Aviation

New airport won't mean huge traffic: Truss

The opening of a second airport in western Sydney won’t necessarily lead to a large jump in international flights to the area because bilateral traffic caps are likely to be applied to the new airport.

'Butcher of Bega' won't go back to jail

STEPHANIE GARDINER Notorious former gynaecologist Graeme Reeves, who was jailed for mutilating a patient's genitals, will not serve more time behind bars, a court has ruled.

From the Blue Mountains to East Timor

PATRICK BEGLEY Jude Finch would never have spent four months without electricity were it not for the Blue Mountains’ friendship with a remote and rugged part of East Timor.

Heavy rain, damaging winds hit Sydney

MEGAN LEVY Sydneysiders have been warned to brace themselves for days of wild weather, with heavy rain striking the metropolitan area during the morning peak followed by an afternoon of damaging winds.

Teen balcony victim remembered

STEPHANIE GARDINER He was a baby brother with an "amazing heart", an adventurer, and "one in a million".

Victim distraught at attacker's light sentence

PAUL BIBBY A woman has stormed, wailing, from a Sydney court after a youth who doused her with petrol and set her alight in an inner city alley was sentenced to three years jail.

Jail's future uncertain as dispute continues

MELANIE KEMBREY The prisoners - among them the notorious Neddy Smith, George Freeman and Darcy Dugan - have long since gone but what was the oldest serving jail in the country remains locked up and deserted.

Labor hopes of regaining Newcastle at risk

KATE MCCLYMONT Labor’s hopes of winning back the seat of Newcastle could be damaged this week when the activities of Ian McNamara, chief of staff to Opposition Leader John Robertson, are examined at ICAC.

Tavlaridis brought milkshakes to the world

ANNA PATTY When most Australians were still drinking tea and Americans were drinking sodas, it was a Greek migrant who introduced Sydney-siders to the milkshake 80 years ago.

Students score poorly in NAPLAN writing test

ALEXANDRA SMITH The NAPLAN writing test was so hard this year that students' marks have slipped across the country and in NSW many will receive zero because the question was too confusing.

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Call for crackdown on unpaid work

ANNA PATTY Young people need better protection from exploitation in the workplace through tighter regulation of unpaid internships, a NSW parliamentary inquiry has heard.