australia

From where Djarindjin stands, Closing the Gap remains an approach that is structurally back‑to‑front. It asks communities to align with government systems that were never designed with us in mind, and it measures progress using indicators we did not write.

Longstanding Coalition supporters have jumped ship to One Nation. Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce is the most high-profile defector. Sweaty, red-faced, possibly drunk, Joyce has been the mascot of agricultural capitalists since assuming office in 2005. For One Nation, Joyce is a prized link to the establishment, a well-connected powerbroker among Australia’s right for decades, having served twice as deputy prime minister.

Former policeman Wayne Dean allegedly staged faux interviews to settle civil disputes. Also charged are a building company boss, travel agent and debt collector.

It took two Labor leaders to help produce Monday night’s violence in Sydney, proving Labor is not immune to a touch of the Trumps.

Friday 13 February is a fitting date for Angus Taylor to roll Sussan Ley as Liberal Party leader because Taylor represents a Trumpist MAGA horror show result for Australia’s social cohesion and democratic health.

Josie Scott, who has played in the Australian heavy metal band with her brother Kim for 40 years, writes to fans: ‘I’ve decided to embrace, rather than endure, who I am’

Sussan Ley promised a Liberal Party that would move back to the centre. Instead, the right of her party has forced her to the fringes.

Dozens of Muslim organisations across Australia, including the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Australian Muslim Advocacy Network, the Lebanese Muslim Association, the Muslim Vote and Stand for Palestine have condemned the NSW police disrupting a Muslim prayer and the use of force at the protest in Sydney on Monday.

Taken with a DJI Mavic 4 Pro 28mm lens

As the indie darlings gear up for a much-anticipated EP release, they discuss growth, catharsis, and impending success.

In short: Newly released documents reveal UK politician Peter Mandelson wrote to Jeffrey Epstein in 2010 about a campaign against the Rudd government’s proposed mining super profits tax.

The video game soundtrack will be performed live for the first time by Orchestra Victoria at ACMI in February.

A former member of cult-like religious group Shincheonji says the group targets pastors around the world in an attempt to boost membership by recruiting entire congregations.

Americans tuned in to watch 45.2 billion minutes of Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli last year.

Ensuring the safety of children and young people in education, care and community settings is a shared responsibility. In New South Wales (NSW), the Working with Children Check (WWCC) is a cornerstone of child protection law, a screening mechanism that helps prevent people who pose an unacceptable risk from working or volunteering with children. Now, the NSW Government has opened a public consultation to review the legislation that underpins this system, inviting individuals, families, service providers and organisations to have their say on how it can be strengthened and made fairer and more effective.

A new research paper from the Victorian Parliamentary Library,  A Moment of Reckoning: Recent Developments in Childcare Safety, explores the significant reforms reshaping early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Victoria. The paper provides a clear overview of the events, legislation and public concerns that have driven a major regulatory shift in the state’s approach to child safety and oversight of services.

26 January is the date on which Britain’s First Fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1788, beginning the colonisation that would lead to the dispossession, disruption and trauma experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For many, it is not a day of celebration, but one of survival and mourning.

While the colony celebrated, another story was unfolding.

The chairman of one of the Northern Territory’s most powerful land councils has called for David Connolly’s appointment to be reviewed in the wake of the revelations.

Context: “Two Gweagal men challenged the landing and gestured with their spears. Cook’s party attempted to communicate their desire for water, but the two men continued to oppose the landing and Cook fired a shot which wounded one of the Aboriginal warriors and forced them to flee.”

It is impossible to view this week’s events without the broader context of the relationship between the Liberals and the Nationals, how the electoral map is changing and what that means for right-wing politics in Australia.

David Littleproud and seven other frontbench colleagues resign their positions after Sussan Ley accepted resignations from three Nationals senators

Heat management in early childhood services is usually framed as a health and safety issue, sun protection, hydration, rest, and reducing the risk of heat illness. New research suggests it may also be a learning and development issue, with unusually high temperatures linked to lower rates of being “developmentally on track” for some foundational skills in the preschool years.

A newly published paper in Scientific Reports argues that the “carbon footprint” can become a practical, age-appropriate entry point for sustainability learning in the early years, when educators translate abstract ideas into everyday routines such as switching off lights, saving water and sorting waste. Based on interviews with award-winning early childhood science teachers across three Middle East countries, the study proposes a framework for embedding carbon footprint concepts through experiential learning, cultural relevance and consistent practice.

Discover the must-see artists at the 2026 Tamworth Country Music Festival — from breakout stars like Lane Pittman to legends such as Felicity Urquhart. Your ultimate guide to shows, dates, and insider tips.

It’s natural to feel nervous about transitioning your baby or child into early childhood education. Knowing some settling techniques, as well as what you can advocate for on behalf of your child, can help their transition.

Kelvin Smith played a baby grand piano at some incredible sites across Tasmania before bringing his impromptu shows to amazing mainland locations.

A large randomised controlled trial has found that a structured, smartphone-based eczema education program for caregivers reduced relapse risk over the first 12 weeks for children aged 0–6 years with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. While the benefit did not remain statistically significant beyond 12 weeks, the study adds to growing evidence that scalable digital education can strengthen early flare recognition and timely management, an insight with practical implications for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services working alongside families.

Meg Mac will embark on an intimate theatre tour to showcase her new album, ‘It’s My Party.’

As 2026 begins, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across Australia are preparing for a year of substantial reform, focused on strengthening child safety and raising the bar on national standards. Following a series of agreements by Education Ministers in 2025, new changes to the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Education and Care Services National Law will take effect progressively throughout the year. These reforms reflect the shared commitment of educators, families, communities and governments to place child safety and wellbeing at the centre of early learning environments.

As Australia prepares for wide-reaching changes to the National Quality Framework (NQF) in 2026, it is timely to examine how other countries are evolving their approaches to regulation and quality assurance in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Recent updates to the United Kingdom’s (UK) Ofsted inspection framework offer key insights for Australian providers, policymakers and sector leaders as they navigate the next wave of reforms.

Open Air at the Square returns to Melbourne’s CBD from 2-28 February, packing nearly a full month of live music, outdoor cinema screenings and cultural celebrations into the city’s central gathering spot. The program spans everything from candlelit concerts and silent films to street dance battles and New Orleans bounce parties, all completely free.

Alt-rock trio Regurgitator have been dropped from Broome’s Untamed Festival after organisers postponed the full-scale event to 2026.

This is likely the most unexpected artist reveal since Kendrick Lamar at Bluesfest 2016.

The Angels’ John Brewster joined Dune Rats for an epic mid-set performance of the Aussie rock classic.

In Short:

The anatomy of the Natimuk fire offers a glimpse into a new and faster kind of bushfire — and the growing vulnerability of communities as climate change fuels dangerous conditions.

The Perth-headquartered company, Telco Services Australia, generated more than $185m in revenue in 2024-25 but reported no taxable income, new financial documents show.

Jewish organisations urging Government to rescind invitation to Israel President Herzog, risks provoking mass protests and stoke antisemitism.

Anthony D’Adam says document wrongly accuses him of promoting antisemitic content and is ‘clearly designed to intimidate’

Friends of Palestine has criticised the decision to invite Israel’s head of state to Australia in a sign of further strain within the Labor movement

About 300 people turned out in Sydney despite NSW police prohibition on public demonstrations, as protests across Australia condemn US actions

As public concerns over the AUKUS alliance rise – with expanding US bases in Australia and Donald Trump’s belligerent conduct, FOI documents reveal the Government is secretly expanding its ‘US Department of War Protest’ Force.

Taken with a DJI Mavic 4 Pro (28mm lens)

Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, Australia

Mount Coonowrin is one of the Glasshouse mountains, and like the others in the range, the peak of the mountain is a solidified volcanic plug, all that remains of an ancient, now eroded volcano

Will the Bondi massacre result in a new wave of anti-Muslim and anti-migrant racism? Australia’s right-wing politicians certainly hope so.

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