Stories from Australia

St George Illawarra Dragons co-captain Damien Cook will leave the NRL club at the end of this season. Reports indicate the 34-year-old hooker has already signed with another club.

A particularly interesting portrait of Governor-General Sam Mostyn by artist James Powditch was highlighted. The artwork is described as typical of Powditch's style, featuring an almost photographic take that is 'blanked out'.

Actress Lisa McKinnon is scheduled to star in a stage adaptation of the classic film 'Steel Magnolias' at the Theatre Royal. The original film featured Julia Roberts and Dolly Parton.

Independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe has received financial support from Climate 200 and Get Up campaign groups for the current election campaign in Griffith.

Allegations are being heard in the Melbourne Magistrates Court. The source did not provide specific details regarding the nature of the allegations or the individuals involved.

Individuals facing slavery charges in Melbourne will remain behind bars until their next hearing.

Australia's Coalition migration policy is said to link the number of migrants allowed into the country with the number of new homes built. The opposition has announced plans to introduce a lower cap on overseas migration and make an Australian values test a binding requirement for visa holders. Liberal leader Angus Taylor refused to provide further details on the policy ahead of Thursday's budget reply speech, stating that something must change. The federal budget is currently a topic of discussion, according to ABC NewsRadio AU. The Australian broadcaster highlighted the ongoing nature of the federal budget as a key event. A source expressed a desire for the national Cabinet to implement changes, urging them to take action. The statement said the necessity for the Cabinet to 'wake up' and initiate reforms.

Julie Bishop resigned today as Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU).

Listeners of 2GB Sydney have reported receiving unexpected debt collection SMS messages from ARMA, eight months after undergoing blood collection services from Lavity. These individuals were reportedly not informed of payment requirements at the time of service.

Major Australian banks reported mixed results this week, with NAB and Westpac falling short of expectations and continuing to drop today. Macquarie, however, outperformed, raising its dividend and reporting a bigger profit, despite a 1% market fall.