June 7, 2013 As long-lost cousins go, he wouldn't take up much room at the Christmas dining table.

June 7, 2013 Eddie Obeid has launched an attack on NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson, labelling him a ''weak-kneed leader'' over his ''disgraceful'' call for the former Labor powerbroker to be expelled from the party.

June 7, 2013 The mother of a man who was nearly killed by a punch to the head has branded Paul Gallen's violence in Wednesday night's State of Origin game as ''disgusting'', saying such thuggery ''should not be applauded''.

June 7, 2013 When Simon Cramp was wheeled into an operating theatre at St Vincent's Hospital early on Sunday he had just minutes to live.

June 7, 2013 What do you do if the nation throws an election and nobody turns up?

June 7, 2013 Asylum seekers involved in violent attacks while in immigration detention are being released into the community, an insider says.

June 6, 2013 Children of same-sex parents are doing as well or better than the rest of the population on several key health indicators, according to initial findings of the world's largest study of such children.

June 6, 2013 Four of the Bali Nine drug smugglers are poised to have their life sentences reduced to 20 years, though the decision still has to be approved by the gun-shy central government in Jakarta.

June 6, 2013 Julia Gillard has ordered a high-level probe into apparent intelligence and immigration failures that meant an Egyptian asylum-seeker convicted of terrorism charges was housed for nearly a year in low-security detention.

June 6, 2013 For more than two years, Rod Cameron's pessimism about Labor's prospects has been a strictly private affair. Although he dubbed Tony Abbott unelectable, the former ALP pollster remained circumspect on the challenge facing the party he served in more than 50, mostly winning, state and federal campaigns.