Fairfield City Council and Liverpool City Council are the only two Sydney councils using private contractors to facilitate local elections. Private contractors were more widely used in the past, and the pricing regulator claims they're key to keeping election costs competitive.
Several break-ins left Simon and his wife so fearful they changed their sleeping arrangements
Research shows the rates of property and violent crime in regional NSW were about 60 per cent higher than in Sydney last year, prompting calls for greater intervention.
Photo shows A man standing in front of a church looking unimpressed.Hempcrete poses a sustainable alternative to concrete but can it scale up to meet the demand?
As the state's industrial hemp taskforce gets underway, a former footballer has invested in a new hemp processing facility on the Mid North Coast to grow the local industry.
Photo shows Man in green shirt holds pile of hemp with large industrial machine in the backgroundArson cases rise with one NSW regional town reporting rate up to eight times state average
Crime data extracted by the ABC shows big spikes in arson offences across New South Wales, with some regional areas reporting rates up to eight times the state average.
Photo shows Night time photo of firefighter at a blaze west of Port MacquarieThree passengers killed in north-west NSW car crash were travelling to work
Police say the two women and one man killed in the crash south of Gunnedah were workers from overseas, as they investigate how it happened.
Photo shows A crashed car sits on the side of the road covered in a tarp with police rescue surroundingPolice urged to review pursuit policy after dad's morning paper run ends in high-speed crash tragedy
A father-of-three was driving a vehicle that had been out of registration for a month when police tried to stop him at Gunnedah. Three minutes later he crashed while doing more than 170 kilometres an hour.
Photo shows NSW police generic; blue and red lights on top of Newcastle carGenetically modified biofuel crop sold off as bird seed as developer's finance stalls
Touted as a new-age biofuel by its promoters, a safflower harvest has been sold as birdseed after a lawyer found an alternative market for farmers who had been contracted to grow it.
Photo shows A sign saying GO Resources with safflower flowering behind itFarmers 'stunned': Controversial gas pipeline step closer after Santos agent buys land
Farmers fighting Santos's Hunter Gas Pipeline suddenly noticed survey pegs along the route. A title search shows the surveyed land is now owned by the directors of the company negotiating land access for Santos.
Photo shows A photo composition of landholders Margaret Fleck and Mick Fetch.When Margaret was a little girl all she wanted was a sister. Instead she got a baby goat
We all have that one thing we cannot live without and for farmer Margaret Graham that thing is goats. It all began when her mum got her a baby doe.
Photo shows An elderly woman in a hat and glasses hold a goat.The new generation of Aboriginal boxers fighting for a piece of sporting history
A new generation of Indigenous fighters is lacing up the gloves and looking to emulate the achievements of their elders who broke down barriers in the sport.
Photo shows A boxer sitting on the shoulders of another man in a boxing ring.Firefighter called to blaze only to discover his own vehicle was alight
Andrew Johns has felt the devastating impact of crime firsthand and is questioning his faith in community spirit, amid concerns his hometown of Gunnedah has a crime problem.
Photo shows A car is engulfed in flames in the bush.$2.7b coal royalty hike in NSW will hurt but could have been worse, mining sector says
The NSW government plans to boost the budget by close to $3 billion over four years with the increase. The mining sector says it is a "significant additional impost", but is relieved the state did not follow Queensland's model.
Photo shows A coal train winding through a bushy area.Why a family legacy means Erica Packer goes through life fearing constant 'Russian roulette'
Erica Packer, former wife of billionaire James Packer, opens up about the deadly genetic mystery shadowing her family and the scientists working to crack the code for thousands more Australians.
Photo shows Two women seated with their daughters on their laps. All are smilingFrom an elephant testing fences to a 'spaceship' tractor, AgQuip has seen it all over its 50 years
Since launching in 1973, AgQuip has become the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural field day. This year it celebrates 50 years.
Photo shows A elephant sits upright with its trunk in the air in front of a crowd of onlookers in an old black and white photoTwo-vehicle crash closes major NSW highway ahead of Tigers vs Rabbitohs game
Major delays are expected following a serious crash on the Oxley Highway as fans travel to Tamworth for tonight's NRL clash between the Tigers and Rabbitohs.
Photo shows Blue and white police tape in front of traffic accident scene10-year-old 'daredevil' motorcyclist adds international title to his trophy cabinet
Hugo Holmes took off on his motorcycle before he could even ride a bike, and since then he has two national and an international title to his name on the flat track circuit.
Photo shows A young boy stands with his motorcycle helmet that has his name Hugo Holmes on itMayor devastated after 'worst fears' for hospital upgrade confirmed
Gunnedah's mayor says the state government has broken a key election promise after scaling back major regional hospital upgrades.
Photo shows A man leans over building drawings with a stern expression on his face'Less water in the future': Authority unveils roadmap to Murray Darling Basin Plan review
The chair of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority warns there will be less water available for irrigators and the environment, as he announces the first review of the plan since its inception a decade ago.
Photo shows An aerial view of the Murray-Darling junction.At 81, pilot and doctor David Cooke still flies his own plane to treat patients and loves his job
He lands in a cow paddock to visit country patients, and for fun takes out his vintage plane to lead a regular air show. It's all in a week's work for Dr Cooke, who has no plans to retire any time soon.
Photo shows An older man wearing a red jacket and cap stands in front of a vintage plane.From Brazil to Gunnedah with a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, this GP is bringing more than healthcare to his new home
Behind a real estate agent office in a repurposed yoga studio, students of the martial art watch as their instructor demonstrates how to choke, grapple, and roll — a scene far removed from Marcelo's day job as a GP.
Photo shows Two men in white martial arts gear grapple on a grey mat.How women donating breastmilk are giving other mums and babies a 'precious, irreplaceable gift'
Sheridan Howe didn't know she couldn't breastfeed until after she gave birth. But other mothers donated their milk to help, and now their stories are being celebrated in a Tamworth photography exhibition.
Photo shows A woman in a red dress smiles at the camera whilst holding her new born baby.