A truth that should be universally acknowledged is that cats are going to cat.

Witnesses say the crash could have had tragic consequences had it occurred an hour later, when children would have been lining up to see Santa Claus.

Transmission of coronavirus in Victoria is now at its highest level in month as the state’s health department confirmed genomic sequencing is underway for about 30 people suspected of being infected with the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Five children have died and another four are in a critical condition after falling from a jumping castle that was blown into the air at a primary school in Devonport.

Health staff have been working with local Indigenous communities in remote parts of Queensland to ensure they are vaccinated ahead of an expected wave of COVID-19 cases.

The health minister says venues planning to ignore the vaccine mandate are shooting themselves in the foot, as two women are charged with vaccination fraud.

NSW’s top doctor is urging people to keep wearing masks, unvaccinated shoppers can now visit non-essential retail stores in Victoria and the federal Treasurer will deliver his mid-year economic update today.

Being anointed the unrivalled incubator for a COVID variant is not the kind of attention the city craves.

Sydneysiders queued for hours for COVID-19 tests on Thursday, with interstate travel requirements and an explosion in case alerts driving demand.

NSW hospitals have been instructed to move back to “red alert” operations amid concern about staff furloughing and rising infections.

Earlier this week The Age spoke to five VCE students about their experiences this year and hopes for results day. On Thursday, we witnessed them receiving their ATARs and making plans for the future.

From bushfires to a pandemic, storms and floods, the past two years have thrown up unprecedented challenges and disruptions for our school students.

Relief, joy and, for some disappointment, follow as 65,000 Victorian kids get their results today.

The state government has been forced to inject an extra $1.1 billion over the next three years into the state’s rail operators.

The elderly man was ambushed when he went outside his home to investigate a disturbance. Photos of Mr Lombardi sitting bloodied on his bed shocked the state.

Resilience might be the defining trait of the class of 2021, which endured two years of uncertainty and stop-start schooling while completing their VCE.

The Dogs Bar is back with new owners who are hoping a mix of live music, Cajun food and a community feel will return it to a howling success.

The NSW government is set to reintroduce speed camera warnings in a major backdown just a year after announcing they would be removed to improve road safety.

Health authorities say about 30 positive COVID-19 cases are now being managed as either suspected or confirmed Omicron cases.

Matt Kean has revealed the budget deficit this year will be almost $20 billion – but he says the state economy will bounce back quickly from a Delta downturn.

New reporting distinctions in the wake of eased border restrictions point out when the virus is coming from other states.

More than 200 people who attended the nightclub on December 8 have since tested positive to COVID-19.

The Brisbane court ruling was part of Adani’s wider case against Ben Pennings, who is accused of trespass, intimidation and conspiracy to injure.

Today on Please Explain, health reporters Lucy Carroll and Timna Jacks join Nathanael Cooper to help understand the variant and how it may impact our lives as we come closer to the festive season.

The discontinuation of a High Court action this week shows we can’t always rely on the law to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

Ali Younes, widely known as Ay Huncho, is alleged to be a senior figure in Sydney’s notorious Alameddine network.

Abuzar Sultani and three members of his crew are being sentenced for their roles in three gangland executions. The details can be told for the first time.

There were different motives behind gangland killings carried out by Abuzar Sultani’s crew. But all were brutal and calculated.

The Queensland Audit Office says hospital workloads were “unsustainably high” even before COVID-19 cases began to rise.

The pair appeared in court on Thursday morning, with an application made to alter bail conditions due to mental health concerns.

With both parents in hospital with COVID-19, 17-year-old Majaddid Ali suddenly had to care for five siblings and prepare for four VCE exams.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the federal government had “taken the first step” to formally reject an application for the petroleum exploration permit.

Harley Palise, who preyed on an intoxicated, vulnerable woman and raped her with a mate, 12 minutes after they found her lying on a Lygon Street footpath, has been jailed for a decade.

The wait is finally over for more than 46,000 VCE graduates in Victoria, who can now find out their four-digit ATAR rank.

Numerous Brisbane venues - including supermarkets and entertainment venues - have also been listed by contact tracers.

More than 140,000 Victorians got back to work after the end of lockdowns, but the state’s population has shrunk again.

NSW reported 1742 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the highest daily total recorded for the state since the pandemic began.

A book taken on a famous voyage by explorer Matthew Flinders has sold to an Australian collector for $741,000. 

Trams from the CBD will supplement the reopened line – from Central to Lilyfield only for the first few months – until all 12 cracked trams are repaired by next October.

The City of Sydney is one of three councils working with the state government on a pilot program for special entertainment precincts.

Two victims of a corrupt sergeant who abused her position with Victoria Police to take over houses from her unsuspecting owners have launched civil action in the Supreme Court.

Health authorities have urged people to start wearing masks after a surge in cases and more than 50 new exposure sites declared on Thursday afternoon.

Year 12 students are finding out their ATAR scores today, but for me the most important lessons came from outside the classroom.

New Zealand producers failed in their bid to trademark the term “manuka honey”, a move Australian beekeepers say would have had devastating impacts on the industry.

It was meant to be the heart of the Perth CBD but within four years Yagan Square has lost all the businesses from its indoor market hall while an increased police presence has been established to curb violent crime.

The suspension of the capital city council was a chance for renewal with new executive staff put in place to lead the way forward, but a year after new councillors were elected four out of four general managers there when they started are all gone.

Closing learning gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students must remain the top priority for Australian educators. There are three things we should focus on.

The well-funded NSW Electoral Commission should be overhauled after chaotic local government elections which left many candidates, voters and volunteers scratching their heads.

“I said to him ‘I no longer want an association with you” and ‘I find you unnecessary and unpleasant’,” says Singo

A lawyer who collected more than $654,000 for various legal challenges to COVID-19 vaccine mandates has asked supporters to stop making complaints after the money was seized by the legal watchdog.