News

Beach Bonanza aims to ease racial tensions

Almost two years after the Cronulla riots, community healing has begun with Beach Bonanza. On Friday at Wanda Beach, Cronulla, children from schools from both the Sutherland Shire and the Bankstown area came together in unity to mark the first Beach Bonanza. Read more

Burma rally to stir up government action

A major rally to demand that the Australian government “stop its secret co-operation” with the Burmese Military Junta will be held in Sydney on November 15. The rally, organised by the Sydney based Joint Action Committee for Democracy in Burma, will take place at Martin Place, Sydney. Read more

Catholic youth event hopes to attract over half a million

World Youth Day, to be held in Sydney on July 15-20, 2008, is an attempt to increase the declining appeal of Catholicism for young people. It is the largest youth event ever organised by the Catholic Church in Australia, and also marks the Pope Benedict XVI’s fist visit to the country. Read more

Rare 25kg opal stars in decorative arts connoisseurs’ auction

The 25.6kg Koninderie Opal has come out of hiding to star in an exhibition of decorative arts and jewellery on show in Sydney and Melbourne before Sotheby’s Connoisseur’s Auction at the end of October. Read more

Photo highlights ethnic tension, says prize winner Trinh

‘Welcome Home’ is a defensive and closed off white house, the shutters are down, the lawn is neat. We can’t see the people there but we can imagine them. The image is the work of award winning photographer Garry Trinh. He has just won a $10, 000 Prize for Sydney Life Photography for his ‘Welcome Home.’ Read more

Passion prevails at film students’ awards night

The hard work of aspiring filmmakers and UTS students finally paid off when they were acknowledged at the UTS Golden Eye Awards. The award ceremony marked the end of a three-day festival that celebrated the talent of the University’s Media Arts and Production students. Read more

Revealed: Water authority has no record of safe levels

Following another outbreak of harmful bacteria in Sydney’s water, it has been revealed that the Sydney Water Authority has no published safe levels for water contamination. The finding comes following the detection of the parasitic bacteria cryptosporidium in raw, untreated water in Sydney’s Upper Canal on Wednesday. Read more

Bus drivers' absenteeism not due to industrial action

The Industrial Relations Commission has found that no industrial action was taken by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU)last month when the Ryde bus depot had seven times its average absenteeism level. Read more

Support group formed for parents victimised by children

The first meeting of a support group formed on Sydney’s Northern Beaches to aid parents who are being abused by their children has been successful, coordinators say. Read more

Bus drivers' absenteeism not due to industrial action

The Industrial Relations Commission has found that no industrial action was taken by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU)last month when the Ryde bus depot had seven times its average absenteeism level. Read more

Youth against poverty

The quote “Heroes live forever” was advocated on Friday by young aid volunteers at UNSW as part of Anti-Poverty Week. It was urged that young people recognise their responsibilities as human beings and become a part of a selfless act. Read more

Feds injects $1.7mil into aged health care

Almost $1.7 million of federal funding was today injected into aged health care on the New South Wales Central Coast, Federal Liberal MP Ken Ticehurst announced. Read more

A dangerous period for asylum seekers: refugee advocate

The deportation of a Chinese refugee known as DP has been delayed until his case can be heard by the federal magistrates court and the federal court, the High Court ruled in Melbourne on Thursday. Read more

Pakistan nationals mixed on Bhutto’s return

Exiled former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto’s possible return to power in her homeland has been met with a wide of reactions among Australia’s Pakistani community. Read more

Stop training Burmese police protesters warn Government

Protestors today called on the Australian Government to end the training of Burmese police and intelligence officers and put greater economic and political pressure on the Burmese military junta. Read more

Bushfires likely to hit northern NSW hard

Fire weather conditions across the country will worsen and northern NSW will be hit the hardest, weather experts have predicted. Read more

Owner-drivers of failed trucking firm need help too - Union

Owner-drivers should not be left out of the compensation package offered to employees in the aftermath of the liquidation of the McArthur Express transportation company, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) said today. Read more

Businesses sicken with horse flu as racing starts to heal

Sydney businesses are feeling the pinch from the horse flu epidemic, even as the racing industry is starting to see signs of recovery. Read more

Children's visions of a brighter future

At first glance the pictures of Child’s Eye 2030 seem as basic as any child’s painting. A deeper look will show you some unique perspectives on the future. Read more

Woman acquitted of drowning son

A woman with a history of mental illness has been acquitted of the drowning murder of her son at Gosford last year. The 37-year-old woman broke down in tears in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday as Justice Elizabeth Fullerton read the reasons for the verdict. Read more

Child porn and fire-arm stash troubles community

The arrest of a 70-year-old man for possession of child pornography and firearms near Camden yesterday has members of the small community deeply troubled. Read more

Bondi icon makes way for hotel

The Hakoah Club, Bondi’s iconic Jewish social club, has been taken over by a development company that will turn the site into a hotel. The Toga Group spent $19 million to muscle out rival developers St Hillers’ last-minute offer of $19.5 million. Read more

Man in critical condition after hit and run

A man has been hospitalised after a hit and run accident by two men on a stolen motorcycle in Thornleigh early Friday morning. Read more

Breaking the cycle of homelessness

Every night in Australia 80,725 are homeless, according to the latest census statistics. This includes people in boarding houses, on the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP), those living with friends and relatives and those living in impoverished dwellings. Read more

Australian Pakistani Community saddened by Karachi bombs

Members of the Australian Pakistani community today expressed great sadness following the suicide bomb attacks on Benazir Bhutto in Karachi, which left at least 123 people dead and injured hundreds. Read more

Community rallies behind child victim

A 12-man diving squad scoured the pond at Mandurama Reserve in Ambarvale Friday morning in an attempt to find some clue to the identity of the small body found in a suitcase on Wednesday. Read more

Media rivals join forces to improve press freedom

A report on press freedom to be released next month by Australia’s Right To Know campaigners is expected to reveal the difficulties that journalists are increasingly being forced to deal with in the face of deteriorating press freedom in Australia. Read more

Wandering boy reunited with family

A teenager who appeared to have lost his memory, could not remember his own name and said he came from Bondi was today reunited with his family who live in Bankstown. Read more

2008 Olympic Sailing Team picked

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has named the first members of the 2008 Olympic Sailing Team. Read more

New bill won’t stop pet dumping – shop owners say

Pet shop owners say a bill limiting the sale of pets in pet stores will do nothing to stop people abandoning unwanted pet animals. Read more

Predictable English paper disappoints students

Some HSC students were disappointed with the straightforward questions in today’s English Paper 1 exam. Students from various schools said that the questions were easy and similar to previous years. Read more

Law reform to help the homeless

Marginalised people could soon be offered further Government support through new law reform, according to an expert at the Public Interests Advocacy Centre (PIAC) Conference. Read more

The rich just keep getting richer

Australia’s millionaires’ club is getting bigger. There are now 161,000 Australians worth more than US$1 million, according to a report launched today. Read more

An All Black beats a Blue as head Wallaby contender

The next head Wallaby will likely be a former All Black. Rugby coaches agree that Crusaders head coach and former New Zealand international Robbie Deans is looming as the most probable candidate. Read more

Children’s rights group worried about Burmese branch

The Save the Children (STC) foundation has called for an increase in local government and public support after the recent crisis in Myanmar. Read more

Sydney Sudanese refugee fears for his family in war-torn Sudan

Sudanese minister Reverend Abraham Ayur Dit fears the worst for his mother and brothers if he doesn’t bring them here to safer Australian shores from war-torn Sudan, where two million people have already died in raging conflict. Read more

Tricky rules fuel Sydney’s taxi war

The battle between the City of Sydney and Sydney’s taxi drivers has flared up again after a taxi driver was fined the equivalent of a full day’s pay. Read more

Safety fears put pressure on toy retailers

Consumers are being extra cautious when buying toys for Christmas due to Mattel’s massive recall of lead-based products. Since the ACCC’s September product safety ban, the majority of Sydney’s toy retailers are under added pressure. Sales have declined, despite the expected pre-Christmas purchasing frenzy. Read more

Union claims student services are suffering

Voluntary student unionism has made life tougher for students, according to a report released today by the National Union of Students. Read more

Welfare groups try to bring homeless in from the cold

Governments are failing to provide adequate funding to combat long-term homelessness, according to welfare groups. Read more

Woman kills partner’s baby

A court has heard a 16-week-old baby sustained a massive head injury after a drug-addicted woman slammed her partner’s baby on a bed to stop it crying. Read more