BILLIONS of dollars will be poured into Medicare no matter who wins government, with the coalition promising to match Labor's landmark spending pledge on health care. Peter Dutton and opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston say a coalition government will provide an "historic" $9 billion, including an already announced plan to boost

STATE officials will try to rebuild public trust in Australia's busiest rail network during a four-month reprieve from industrial action that has led to repeated pain for commuters. A full bench of the Fair Work Commission ordered a union to pause industrial action amid a bitter pay dispute until July 1

PETER Dutton appears to be kicking with the wind behind his back, with multiple opinion polls showing the Albanese government could be on the nose with voters as an election nears. The latest Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper on Monday shows the coalition has a 51-49 lead over Labor in

HUNTER and Mid North Coast fire specialists from Forestry Corporation have deployed to Victorian firefronts as part of an interstate NSW firefighting contingency. Victoria has experienced significant bushfire activity near Horsham with large fires burning in the Grampians and Little Desert National Parks. Advertise with News of The Area today. It's

AUSTRALIAN households could knock more than $1500 off their energy bills with some basic home upgrades - and almost twice as much by investing in renewable energy technology. But the potential savings identified in a study - which add up to more than $23.6 billion nationwide - are unlikely

FARMERS could save more than $50,000 a year on interest costs for hybrid, electric and hydrogen-powered utes and methane-reducing feed for their herds under a new tranche of cheap loans. The nation's federal green bank on Friday announced $100 million would go to farmers as part of a $300 million green