The mayor of NT outback town Katherine hopes a compensation settlement will comfort residents worried about chemicals used in firefighting foam from the local air force base.

An employee has opened fire at one of the largest breweries in the US, killing five fellow workers before taking his own life, police say.

The upcoming flu season could exacerbate the spread and effect of coronavirus in NSW, state health authorities have warned.

A doctor of Asian appearance at a Victorian hospital was told by parents to stay away from a child amid fears of the coronavirus, while other staff and patients have reported discrimination.

Renewed focus on the scourge of domestic violence has followed the murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children by their father in Brisbane.

A Nationals MP has broken ranks with the government to urge the coalition to raise the dole.

The government has agreed to settle three class actions over contamination of land by chemicals used in firefighting foam at defence bases.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is not opposed to a word change in the national anthem but says there is a lot more Australians should be worried about in the name of reconciliation.

The honour of being named Brisbane skipper may take some time to sink in for Alex Glenn.

Scott Morrison has urged Australians to stay calm despite initiating the government's coronavirus emergency response plan as it anticipates a global pandemic.