Australian Prime Minister John Howard today vowed to lead his conservative government to elections this year against a surging opposition, while admitting opinion polls suggest his government will be “annihilated”.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard today announced a major Cabinet reshuffle ahead of federal elections later this year, signalling climate change as a key issue but standing firm on his support of the Iraq war.

THE Australian government yesterday announced it will help build the largest solar power plant in the world as part of a new strategy to combat global warming.

The Australian government today announced it will help build the largest solar power plant in the world as part of a new strategy to combat global warming.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard laughed off a prank today when a comedian wielding a fake axe interrupted his daily morning walk.

Prime Minister John Howard today insisted that he and Treasurer Peter Costello were still a team, despite an apparent leadership tussle that could undermine a decade of economic growth in Australia.

A DRAMATIC public confrontation erupted between Australia’s prime minister and his ambitious treasurer yesterday over an alleged promise to hand over power.

Peacekeepers from Australia and New Zealand were deployed to East Timor today to help restore calm after gun battles between the tiny nation’s military and disgruntled ex-soldiers killed two people and injured nine.

A senior government minister today said Muslims who wanted to live under Islamic law had no place in Australia, and insisted all immigrants must embrace Australian values.

The Australian parliament today voted to clear the regulatory path for an abortion drug, ending two weeks of emotional debate that saw several politicians disclose their own experiences with abortion.

The population of Australia rose 1.1% to 20.3 million, thanks to a quarter of a million babies born and a stream of new immigrants, the country’s official statistician reported today.

SWIRLING clouds of fine, brown dust engulf the small truck as Chris Groves hauls the feed bin into a dry-as-a-bone paddock and 200 crying, pregnant ewes race to the grain spilling onto the parched earth.

THE World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said it will consider re-introducing a ban on caffeine following claims by Australian rugby captain George Gregan that it gives him a big performance boost.

A former director of HIH insurance was sentenced today to four-and-a-half years in prison for his role in Australia’s largest-ever corporate collapse.

FACING a falling birth rate, the Australian government has a simple message: go forth and multiply.

Australians will continue working in Saudi Arabia despite an Australian engineer being shot dead in an attack probably linked to al-Qaida, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Veterans today welcomed an Australian Government decision to compensate soldiers imprisoned by Japan, but said the Japanese government must apologise for harsh treatment of captives.