Society's most vulnerable will suffer further disadvantage if the government pushes ahead with the rollout of compulsory income management, welfare groups warn.

Malcolm Turnbull has survived a leadership challenge but the narrow victory suggests his authority will continue to be tested.

Most of the asbestos found at the site of ASIO's new headquarters has been removed, the Department of Finance says.

Malcolm Turnbull's leadership of the federal Liberal party will be decided at a partyroom meeting in Canberra on Wednesday afternoon.

A federal Liberal MP has compared Malcolm Turnbull to Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says the federal coalition has agreed to a deal on Labor's carbon pollution reduction scheme following a marathon meeting.

Julia Gillard has written to the opposition outlining the consequences of its decision to block laws establishing a national industrial relations system.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is set for a stoush with the ACT government over territory laws allowing same-sex civil union ceremonies.

A list of the 257 people killed in the Erebus air disaster on November 28, 1979.

The future of Malcolm Turnbull's leadership and the government's emissions trading scheme may well be decided on Tuesday after five weeks of uncertainty.

Liberal backbencher Kevin Andrews says he does not expect a leadership spill at Tuesday's party room meeting of coalition MPs.

A proposal to temporarily allow commercial flights into Richmond RAAF base would see it permanently become Sydney's second international airport, a mayor says.

Australia's only openly gay political leader Bob Brown says it'd be "plain bigotry" for the government to overturn ACT laws recognising same-sex civil unions.

A two-year wait will come to an end shortly with the establishment of a new national representative body for indigenous Australians.

As Labor approaches the second anniversary of its election win, Treasurer Wayne Swan is talking about climate change as economists forecast another rate rise.

The Victorian ALP has increased pressure on the federal government to allow same-sex marriages after passing a motion supporting gay unions.

Tennis great John Alexander is trying again to win Liberal party preselection, this time in former Prime Minister John Howard's old seat of Bennelong.

The OECD's latest upbeat appraisal of Australia emphasises the importance of a formal trade agreement with China, the federal government says.