The following story references sexual assault, listeners discretion is advised.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds does not deny reports she referred to the alleged sexual assault victim and former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins as a "lying cow".

Senator Reynolds made the remarks in front of staff members after Ms Higgins went public about an alleged sexual assault inside the ministerial wing of Parliament House in 2019. 

Senator Reynold said the comments were in response to news reports regarding circumstances that she felt had been misrepresented.

North Queensland coastal communities are no longer under threat from Tropical Cyclone Niran.

The cyclone intensified to a category 3 this morning, but it is currently 345 kilometres north-east of Cairns and is slowly heading further away from the mainland.

The cyclone has caused flash flooding and heavy rain in the region. 

It is likely to reach peak intensity over the Coral Sea on Friday, then gradually weaken as it moves further south-eastwards.

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will be administered in South Australia tomorrow. 

Over 300,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in Australia over the weekend and have been approved for use. 

The vaccine will require two doses, each to be administered 21 days apart. 

The Therapeutic Goods Administration may reschedule MDMA and psilocybin from prohibited drugs to controlled drugs. 

The Former Chief of Defence said the change would allow psychedelic drugs to be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. 

Retired admiral Chris Barrie said if the drugs were downgraded they could be used to expand research.

Scientists in Iceland say there are strong signs that volcanic eruptions may occur near Mount Keilir following several days of tremors. 

The volcano is located 12 kilometres from Keplavik International Airport and about 30 kilometres south of the capital, Reykjavik.

Víðir Reynisson of the island’s civil defence force said it was “more likely than not” that an eruption would occur – the first in the area since the 12th century.

The eruption poses no immediate danger to the island. 

Grants to a farming group associated with a federal MP's brother will be reviewed after a $107,000 grant was awarded to the group, despite them not applying for it.

Monaro Farming Systems, an agricultural group that includes federal MP Angus Taylor’s brother, was offered the grant by the New South Wales Government's Local Land Services department.

NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said he hold an internal review into the grant. 

The Australian Government has officially acknowledged the extinction of 13 native species, including 12 mammals and the first reptile known to have been lost since European colonisation.

Australia is the world’s capital for mammal extinction, with a total of 34 mammals known to have become extinct.

More than 10% of land mammals known to have lived in Australia in 1788 are extinct.

The Wilderness Society’s Suzanne Milthorpe said there was “not another country, rich or poor, that has anything like this record” in mammal extinction.

Camping restrictions over Easter have been introduced to North Stradbroke island by Minjerribah Camping. 

Minjerribah Camping says the decision was made in accordance with COVID-19 safe plans. 

The move to protect campers and the local Indigenous community will see three campsites closed and other hotspots capped. 

A Brisbane water waste plant has grown superbugs that feed on nutrients in sewage water in an Australian-first initiative. 

Anammox bugs reduce the need for chemicals as they naturally remove ammonium and nitrogen from the wastewater. 

It is the first time Anammox bugs have been farmed in Australia and it took Brisbane wastewater plant Urban Utilities five years to grow the amount needed for treatment.

Urban Utilities says the 10 year project will be more sustainable than traditional sewage treatment processes as the superbugs use 60 percent less energy.