A major New Zealand conservation group is urging the NZ government to end production of single-use plastic, after research suggested that the Tasman Sea was the riskiest place for sea birds to ingest plastic

Further research also suggested that there will be more plastic in the ocean by 20-50 than fish. Forest and Bird are urging the NZ government to support the ban.

The Tasman sea is populated by one third of the worlds seabird species, which is disproportionately affected by even a small amount of plastic in the area.

A major bust of illegal cigarettes has been uncovered by Queensland Police, the Australian Border Force, the Department of Home Affairs, ACIC and NSW Police; seizing 57 million cigarettes at the border.

The cigarettes are worth more than forty million dollars in tobacco excise, and are being imported by a south-east Asia syndicate.

A further ten shipments of illicit tobacco have intercepted since the formation of a specialist task force to deal with increasing amounts of illicit cigarettes after six years of tobacco excise increases.

Community groups from the Western Australia Goldfields area are reporting people on the Cashless Debit Card are having their tax refunds placed onto the welfare management program.

The Facebook page, Ms Mental As Anything, claimed a Goldfields resident has had their tax return sent to the CDC program instead of their personal account, and is now planning a hunger strike.

Testimony shared by the Say No Seven group, including from the last senate inquiry, claimed the LNP have denied non-wealthfare payments and rebates would not be paid into the program.

Liberal Democrat senator, David Leyonhjelm has continued to defend his choice of words following a confrontation with a Greens Senator.

Senator Leyonhjelm appeared on the Studio Ten program yesterday to defend his comments directed at the show’s co-host, Angela Bishop, who Leyonhjelm had labelled "bigoted bitch" on Twitter.

The senator continues to defend his comments by saying that they are the vernacular of the regular Australian and calling people who challenge him out of touch

Thousands of extra police will be deployed to guard Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, after a series of night-time attacks on  the camps.

Since last August, 19 people have been killed, and though police have made several arrests, the motives remain unclear.

One senior police officer said police numbers are already being increased, and with only one-thousand police protecting a million people, the situation is difficult.

IVF hybrids Rhinoceros are being used to try and save the near-extinct white rhinoceros, with scientist using frozen sperm to rescue the species.

Professor Marilyn Renfree of the University of Melbourne said artificial reproduction methods have never been attempted before in the rhino, due to its large size.

The last male white rhinoceros died earlier this year, with only two females known to remain.

A fire has engulfed at least four balconies at a block of flats at around 11:30am in north-west London.

More than 50 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze, but the fire spread from three to four balconies as crews continued to fight it.

The fire was brought under control at 1:10pm, with no reported injuries.

The building’s developer said they are in “close communication with all affected residents.”