Residents are told to stay home as officials scramble to contain a cluster ahead of Christmas.
Read moreBBC News Australia
![People line up for testing at walk-in clinic in Sydney's Northern Beaches region](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/490/cpsprodpb/E5AA/production/_116149785_gettyimages-1230184833.jpg)
Sydney virus outbreak triggers pan-Australia curbs
Residents are told to stay home as officials scramble to contain a cluster ahead of Christmas.
Top Stories
![People line up for testing at walk-in clinic in Sydney's Northern Beaches region](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/490/cpsprodpb/E5AA/production/_116149785_gettyimages-1230184833.jpg)
Sydney virus outbreak triggers pan-Australia curbs
Residents are told to stay home as officials scramble to contain a cluster ahead of Christmas.
![A woman seen in a window on a mobile phone](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/4F16/production/_113264202_gettyimages-1224905687.jpg)
Melbourne towers lockdown 'breached human rights'
A snap decision to confine 3,000 people to public housing units was unlawful, a report finds.
![Hand holding table tennis bat and ball. File photo](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/4E5A/production/_112285002_tabletennis_getty.jpg)
NSW man held over table tennis 'corrupt betting'
The suspect is alleged to have gained nearly $400,000 through corrupt betting on matches in Europe.
![Fields of barley in Western Australia](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/F9D1/production/_112835936_hi061616911.jpg)
Australia to 'call in the umpire' on China trade hit
In a trade row escalation, Australia says it will challenge China's tariff on its barley exports.
![An emergency responder knee deep in floodwater in Urunga, New South Wales](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/10778/production/_116084476_131078051_3585336948247303_3316553464612109080_o.jpg)
Australia deluge sparks flood evacuation warnings
Some New South Wales residents are told to leave their homes, after storms batter two states.
![Malka Leifer, a former Australian teacher accused of dozens of cases of sexual abuse of girls at a school, arrives for a hearing at the District Court in Jerusalem on February 27, 2018.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/42CA/production/_116089071_gettyimages-924810834-1.jpg)
Israel to extradite ex-principal in sex abuse case
The Supreme Court rules that former principal Malka Leifer can be sent to Australia to face charges.
![Craig McLachlan](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/E450/production/_116084485_gettyimages-461754440.jpg)
Craig McLachlan not guilty in indecent assault case
The former Neighbours actor has consistently denied allegations raised by four women in Australia.
Featured Contents
![People line up for testing at walk-in clinic in Sydney's Northern Beaches region](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/490/cpsprodpb/E5AA/production/_116149785_gettyimages-1230184833.jpg)
Sydney virus outbreak triggers pan-Australia curbs
Residents are told to stay home as officials scramble to contain a cluster ahead of Christmas.
![A woman seen in a window on a mobile phone](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/4F16/production/_113264202_gettyimages-1224905687.jpg)
Melbourne towers lockdown 'breached human rights'
A snap decision to confine 3,000 people to public housing units was unlawful, a report finds.
![Hand holding table tennis bat and ball. File photo](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/4E5A/production/_112285002_tabletennis_getty.jpg)
NSW man held over table tennis 'corrupt betting'
The suspect is alleged to have gained nearly $400,000 through corrupt betting on matches in Europe.
![Fields of barley in Western Australia](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/F9D1/production/_112835936_hi061616911.jpg)
Australia to 'call in the umpire' on China trade hit
In a trade row escalation, Australia says it will challenge China's tariff on its barley exports.
![An emergency responder knee deep in floodwater in Urunga, New South Wales](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/10778/production/_116084476_131078051_3585336948247303_3316553464612109080_o.jpg)
Australia deluge sparks flood evacuation warnings
Some New South Wales residents are told to leave their homes, after storms batter two states.
![Malka Leifer, a former Australian teacher accused of dozens of cases of sexual abuse of girls at a school, arrives for a hearing at the District Court in Jerusalem on February 27, 2018.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/42CA/production/_116089071_gettyimages-924810834-1.jpg)
Israel to extradite ex-principal in sex abuse case
The Supreme Court rules that former principal Malka Leifer can be sent to Australia to face charges.
![Craig McLachlan](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/E450/production/_116084485_gettyimages-461754440.jpg)
Craig McLachlan not guilty in indecent assault case
The former Neighbours actor has consistently denied allegations raised by four women in Australia.
![A woman seen in a window on a mobile phone](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/4F16/production/_113264202_gettyimages-1224905687.jpg)
Melbourne towers lockdown 'breached human rights'
A snap decision to confine 3,000 people to public housing units was unlawful, a report finds.
![Hand holding table tennis bat and ball. File photo](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/4E5A/production/_112285002_tabletennis_getty.jpg)
NSW man held over table tennis 'corrupt betting'
The suspect is alleged to have gained nearly $400,000 through corrupt betting on matches in Europe.
![Fields of barley in Western Australia](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20201218103530im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/%7Bwidth%7D/cpsprodpb/F9D1/production/_112835936_hi061616911.jpg)
Australia to 'call in the umpire' on China trade hit
In a trade row escalation, Australia says it will challenge China's tariff on its barley exports.
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