Shots fired into family home at Gateshead

Kathleen Folbigg was found guilty of killing her four children 20 years ago. An inquiry will soon decide whether the woman dubbed "Australia's most hated woman" at the time was wrongly convicted.

A man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg after several shots were fired at a family home in the NSW Hunter region.

Missing man John Simpson, 42, was last seen on April 13 driving on the Great North Road at Laguna. It is believed his car broke down on his way home, but he was able to get it running again and was found at his residence.

When Peter Bedford, 74, decided to seek treatment for a fungal toenail, he had no idea it would lead to major heart surgery.

Batteries could shape Australia's future from mining to assembly. But industry leaders say we need to act quickly to capitalise on the renewables boom.

Researchers are releasing bright dye in rivers to map currents and figure out how to manage pollutant flows without closing entire estuaries to oyster harvesting.

Worimi artist Gerard Black was standing on a beach with his pop, elder Uncle John Ridgeway, when the design for the jersey came to him.

When a child is in hospital, it can put pressure on the family. Life beyond the hospital walls doesn’t stop, and when parents can’t be with their child, a "ward grandparent" can step in and fill the gap.

The NSW SES does a lot more than handing out sandbags, putting tarpaulins over roofs and undertaking life-saving flood rescues.

It's been nearly a decade since the Dockyard Dames rolled out and played in front of a home crowd — but that's about to change.

Origin selection: Newcastle Knights' premiership-winning NRLW players Yasmin Clydsdale and Jesse Southwell (pictured) have been named in the Blues squad for the women's two-game State of Origin series. Fellow Knights teammate Tamika Upton has been named for Queensland. Newcastle prop Tyson Frizell has been named in the NSW Blues squad for the men's opening match, while Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai were surprising omissions from the Queensland side.

Beach drowning: An investigation is underway into how a man in his 30s drowned off Newcastle Beach at the weekend. Police, lifeguards and paramedics responded to a man in distress at about 1pm on Saturday, but he died at the scene. Hunter Surf Life Saving says it's unclear if he suffered a medical episode or got into difficulty in the water.

Mine expansion concerns: Opponents of the proposed expansion of the Hunter Valley Operations mine near Singleton say it's now a test of whether the New South Wales government is truly committed to reducing emissions. The government's Net Zero Emissions modelling team has made a submission which warns fugitive emissions from the 20-year expansion would force other industries in the state to compensate to meet targets.

GP services relaunched: The GP Access after-hours clinic at the Mater Hospital will reopen next week. The service was closed at the end of 2021, but will be restored from Monday with new federal government funding. Services at Westlakes Community Health Centre in Toronto will also be extended on Saturdays, until 8pm, from June 3.

Affordable rentals down: Affordable rentals in the Hunter Valley remain few and far between, according to new data. The most recent PropTrack rental report shows that in April just 6.4 per cent of the rentals on offer were listed for $400 or less across the Hunter Valley. That's compared to 10.2 per cent in April last year.

Tents for homeless: Lake Macquarie homelessness support service Southlakes Incorporated is sourcing tents for people to sleep in as a last resort as a result of the worsening housing crisis. The organisation has been approached by 15 homeless people and eight agencies for support in the past two weeks alone.

Increase in COVID: With winter approaching, confirmed COVID cases in the Hunter New England are continuing to increase, according to the latest NSW Health respiratory surveillance report. There were 1,768 COVID cases in the region in the week ending May 13. That's 300 more cases than the previous week and 500 more cases than three weeks ago. Cases involving other respiratory viruses like influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are also rising.

Closing labour hire loophole: Visiting the Hunter Valley last Thursday, Federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said he wants to see an end to a labour hire loophole by the end of the year. Consultation is underway as the government prepares a bill that could result in labour hire workers earning the same pay as those who are directly employed by businesses and perform the same job.

Heritage conservation: The Lake Macquarie City Council has lodged plans to almost double an existing heritage conservation area at West Wallsend and Holmesville. The region has local heritage significance, predominantly because of mining. Council says it wants to protect the region's history as it continues to grow.