Prime Minister Julia Gillard has capped off the first day of her Northern Territory tour by handing a large parcel of Aboriginal land back to its traditional owners.

To his kids he was a kind, loving dad.

A former Clayton Utz lawyer who is suing the top-tier firm for sexual harassment and defamation says she never made a formal complaint because she feared for her job.

Australia's health ministers have come to an in-principle agreement to accept the federal government's proposed National Health Performance Authority, subject to some reworking of the new legislati

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the Reserve Bank's decision to leave its official cash rate unchanged for another month will be welcomed by households and small businesses who are still "doing it tough".

Another asylum seeker boat has arrived in Australian waters.

Defence chief Angus Houston insists that progress in Afghanistan has never been stronger, despite the death of another Australian soldier.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott claims federal government backbenchers are going to him with concerns about Labor's controversial Malaysia refugee swap deal.

In outback Queensland towns where mail and food supplies take weeks to arrive, fast speed broadband cannot come soon enough.

A teenager who died during a jillaroo course in western NSW had told her mother her horse was difficult to handle and disliked by other students, a coroner has heard.