Drugs and greed are likely behind the shooting death of a man as he left his family home in what police believe is the latest targeted murder linked to organised crime.

Two men are accused of trafficking 200kg of cocaine into Australia in a clandestine plot involving a small aircraft, a remote airstrip and night-vision goggles.

Bushfire-hit workers and sole traders can apply for income support as the prime minister visits the area where a massive blaze has destroyed at least three homes.

Hundreds of Australians are now back on home soil after being airlifted out of earthquake-stricken Vanuatu on Royal Australian Air Force flights.

Out-of-control bushfires are raging in different corners of the nation, confirming grim forecasts of a difficult emergency season ahead.

Australian rescue and medical teams have reached Vanuatu, authorities said, where at least 14 people including one French and two Chinese nationals were killed and hundreds were injured in a 7.3 magnitude earthquake two days ago.

After a powerful magnitude-7.3 earthquake struck near Vanuatu’s capital earlier this week, 148 Australian citizens have been assisted back home.

Australia’s government on Wednesday trimmed its likely budget deficit for the current fiscal year, but flagged bigger shortfalls ahead due to “unavoidable spending” on health, cost-of-living relief and veterans care.

A high and drunk driver who sped through three red lights and killed a 16-year-old girl has been labelled “a grave danger to anyone” as he was jailed.

Two people have been rescued from floodwaters after a rain-hit state was again struck by storms ahead of the festive season.

The remaining five members of the “Bali Nine” Australian drug ring have returned from Indonesia after diplomatic efforts between the countries this month to strike a repatriation deal, the two governments said.

Major surgeries will be halted at a major hospital as hundreds of nurses and midwives strike in their ongoing fight for better staffing levels amid wage negotiations.