Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has taken up a part-time professor of practice role at the University of Sydney. She will guest-lecture, run masterclasses and mentor students and researchers in the school of public health. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Ardern, who led New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, said she has been focused on leadership since leaving office. University vice-chancellor Mark Scott said her leadership showed that empathy and resolve can strengthen each other.
Sydney will host the 2027 Super Netball Grand Final for the first time since the competition began. The event is expected to attract more than 8,000 visitors and inject more than $4 million into the NSW visitor economy. The match will be played on Saturday 31 July at Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, and is proposed rather than confirmed. Netball Australia chair Liz Ellis said the event would celebrate the sport's passion across New South Wales. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state would invest more in netball, one of its biggest participation sports.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has been hired as a professor of practice at the University of Sydney. The 46-year-old joins the faculty of medicine and health, where the role will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Ardern will explore ways to address global health challenges, inclusion and wellbeing, and will lead guest lectures and masterclasses. The university says the position is not a full-time teaching role. Ardern and her family moved to Australia in February, reportedly buying a $5.3 million home on Sydney's northern beaches.
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Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern will lecture and mentor at the University of Sydney, beginning this month. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Based in the school of public health, she will host guest lectures and masterclasses, although the university says it is not a full-time teaching role. Vice-chancellor Mark Scott praised Ardern's leadership, saying empathy and resolve can strengthen each other. Ardern moved to Australia earlier this year.
Sydney researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital say they have developed a screening process that could detect coronary plaque before symptoms appear. The process uses blood samples and CT scans from more than 5,000 heart disease patients, and identifies five biomarkers. The team is seeking $8 million to speed up clinical trials and put screening kits into the hands of GPs across the country. Indigenous adults experience heart attacks at almost three times the rate of non-Indigenous adults, and people in regional and remote areas stand to benefit most.
Researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney are developing a world-first screening method to detect coronary artery disease before symptoms appear. The approach combines blood tests for biomarkers with CT imaging. More than 5000 people have taken part so far. Sydney mother Jennifer Tucker found she had a severe blockage in a coronary artery after collapsing while pushing a pram. Researchers want to expand the program into rural and remote areas, where heart attack rates are higher and preventative care is harder to access.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has been appointed a professor of practice at the University of Sydney. The part-time role will see her guest-lecture, run masterclasses and mentor students and researchers in the school of public health. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Ardern, who led New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, said she was looking forward to working with the university community. University vice-chancellor Mark Scott said students would learn from a thoughtful teacher with much to share about public leadership.
Economists say the unrest in France is a warning signal for Australia's public spending and rising costs. Hundreds of thousands marched across France on Saturday over school underfunding and cost-of-living pressures. Economist Luke Hartigan said soaring energy costs are a major factor, but that France's high public debt and generous welfare state are the more fundamental problem. Public debt in France is nearly 120 per cent of the economy, compared with 53 per cent in Australia. Economist Bob Breunig called for an honest public conversation about what government can do and what it will cost.
A biosecurity lockdown has started across several inner west Sydney suburbs to fight deadly fire ants. The measures began on Monday and cover a 2km radius around a freight facility in Strathfield, where a nest was found five weeks ago. Businesses in the area must now have a biosecurity plan, with strict controls on moving high-risk materials such as turf, mulch, soil and potted plants. Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty says breaches made knowingly could bring fines of up to $1 million for individuals and $2 million for businesses.
A 15-year-old boy was stabbed after being chased down and cornered by a group in Sydney's inner west. Police found him with stab wounds after the attack near Glebe Point Road at about 10.45pm on Saturday. Footage of the incident shows a group of at least five people, who appear to be of a similar age, attacking him near a fence. Police said paramedics treated the boy at the scene and his injuries are not life threatening. No arrests have been made.
A biosecurity lockdown will cover Enfield in southwest Sydney from Monday after red fire ants were found at the suburb's freight centre in late September. The zone extends two kilometres from the Enfield intermodal logistics centre. Movement of high-risk items such as turf, mulch, soil, potted plants and heavy equipment will be restricted and must be treated before moving through the zone. NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said daily life would otherwise continue as normal. Further fire ants have not been found since the initial detection.
Sydney’s Southwest Metro will open on 30 October, extending the line from Sydenham to Bankstown. The 66-kilometre route will include stops such as Marrickville, Canterbury, and Lakemba, replacing the old T3 heavy-rail line. Transport for NSW says the new Metro will carry 50 per cent more passengers and provide faster trips, with trains running every four minutes during peak times. Premier Chris Minns and Transport Minister John Graham have thanked commuters for their patience during the delays. Further extensions to the line are in early planning stages.
Brendon and Emma Reynolds have put the historic Junee Hotel on the market so they can move closer to family. The couple took over the lease in 2023 and later bought the property, restoring its rooms, bathrooms and bar. They have added community events, including a singles night that Emma says led to five relationships. Emma criticised government taxes on regional pubs and staffing rules that limit backpacker workers. The couple plan to live in the hotel while a sale progresses, which they say can take six to 12 months.
Blacktown pilot Aglaya Papadokokolakis flew the first commercial aircraft out of Western Sydney International Airport on Sunday. She said the milestone was a career highlight, launching operations in her home region. Her father is also a pilot, and she encouraged young women to pursue aviation despite its male-dominated reputation. The airport opened after about eight years of construction and is set to run around the clock. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened it at a Sunday morning ceremony, and its first international flight arrived on Monday.
Credit Corp Group, which buys bad debts at a discount and collects them, is on track for another record result this year. The listed business posted a record $105.5 million net profit in 2025/26 and is targeting between $112 million and $120 million this financial year. Chief executive Thomas Beregi told shareholders the purchase of one of HSBC's run-off credit card books was a key driver. Its consumer lending arms grew almost a fifth in the September quarter, led by its Wallet Wizard loans, which carry an annual interest rate of 47.8 per cent.
