Malcolm Turnbull's big Hunter plans

The former prime minister is making strides to build his own renewable energy project, with the New South Wales government backing early investigations into pumped hydro in the Upper Hunter.

NSW Police say two bodies have been found on a rural property near Goulburn as part of an investigation into the murder of Sydney couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird.

Joshua Toole has been sentenced to six years' jail over his link to a commercial drug syndicate, after pleading guilty to supplying 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine.

The Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone attracted $43 billion worth of potential projects that were forecast to create more than 8,000 jobs, but a year after it was declared not a single project is in the pipeline.

Australians are still suffering from budget airline Bonza's unreliability issues, one year after its launch.

Over the years, Jamahl Ali has thrived with support from his teachers, family and therapists. Now this boy with "a very kind heart" is leading his peers at Toronto Public School.

Groovin the Moo's cancellation is just the latest blow to an industry facing a perfect storm of struggles. What can be done to save festivals like it?

Whales sing loud enough that their songs travel through the ocean, but the mechanics of how they vocalise has been a mystery. Scientists now think they have an idea, and it's something not seen in other animals.

A letter from members ofa rural crime unit within the NSW police force has called for pig dogs to be made illegal because of animal welfare concerns and the considerable resources consumed in the effort to prevent trespassing.

NSW's Molly Picklum has defended her title at the Sunset Beach Pro in a final that's been described as a generational shift in women's professional surfing, while WA's Jack Robinson has won the men's title.

Returned striker Michelle Heyman broke the deadlock as the Matildas stormed to a 3-0 win after a rusty first half against Uzbekistan.

Singleton resident to represent Malta: Eli Foote, 19, is getting ready to play for the Maltese senior rugby league team this year, as well as playing in the local Group 21 competition. Foote (pictured above) will play for the country in multicultural games this year against other foreign sides. He says he'd love to represent Malta at a World Cup one day.

Bulk billing decline: New survey data from online health directory Cleanbill has found almost 90 per cent of federal electorates had a decline in bulk billing last year. The results reveal the division of Shortland, which covers parts of Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast, is one of nine electorates in the country that doesn't have a bulk-billing clinic.

Gender pay gap data: Fresh data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows large differences between what men and women are paid at some major Hunter businesses. Non-profit healthcare provider Hunter Primary Care topped the gender pay gap list at more than a 70 per cent difference. It says the result comes from the makeup of its after-hours GP workforce. Elsewhere, Glencore Coal came in at 41 per cent and Hunter Imaging was more than 24 per cent.

Probe into police mental health responses: NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley says a recent probe into the police response to mental health incidents has recommended a working group be set up to tackle the issue. The force launched an internal review into its response to incidents like welfare checks last year after 47-year-old Newcastle woman Krista Kach died after being hit by a bean bag round following a 10-hour siege.

Young people could be happier: A University of Newcastle professor says fixing the housing crisis is crucial to improving happiness among the Hunter's youth. A recent survey from the university found almost 38 per cent of people aged 18 to 35 said they felt "mostly happy", compared with almost 31 per cent of respondents from capital cities. Lead researcher Roberta Ryan says while it's a positive result for the region, more needs to be done to improve young people's spirits.

Equal prize money at marathon: Hunter Paralympian Christie Dawes says being offered the same pay as able-bodied athletes at the London Marathon in April is a huge milestone for wheelchair athletes. Race organisers say it will become the first in the world to offer equal prize money in elite wheelchair and able-bodied categories. Dawes says it's an incredible outcome given how tough it's been for wheelchair athletes to compete in the past.

Rugby World Cup bid: The Newcastle City Council will offer to become a host area for the 2027 Rugby Union World Cup and the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup. At this week's council meeting councillors agreed Greater Newcastle has the facilities and the fans to enable it to host foreign teams for games and training bases.

Trial loss in Fiji: The Newcastle Knights lost their second pre-season trial, going down 28-10 against the Melbourne Storm in Fiji. Several Knights stars had their first hit-out of 2024 in the game, including captain Kalyn Ponga. Attention now turns to their round 1 clash against the Raiders next Thursday.

Jets at crunch time: The Newcastle Jets men's side had to share the points with Macarthur FC, drawing 2-all at the weekend. The side is running out of time to get into finals contention, sitting at second last on the ladder. Meanwhile the sixth-placed Jets women are hoping last week's bye has provided the mental and physical recharge needed to help them win this week and move them further up the ladder as finals approach.