Of all the challenges Australia is likely to face in 2022, the delicate relationship with China is the one that keeps Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce up at night.

Advocacy groups renew calls for state government to scrap gas extraction on Liverpool Plains.

Regional cities want more funding for rail and air services, along with cultural and arts to make sure the expectations of tree-changes meets the reality.

Gov't moves to keep supermarket shelves stocked as Omicron wave grows

Ag Minister David Littleproud has grand plans to finish several sector-wide reforms, but his biggest wish is for an average season not plagued by natural disasters.

Some Australians will receive a limited number of rapid COVID-19 tests for free, but the Prime Minister has rejected calls for them to be universally available.

"The AWU has met with ambassadors and visitors, and contacted many embassies from Southeast Asia, encouraging them not to sign up to the agricultural visa because they believe that Australian farmers will exploit their citizens."

The proposed high speed rail would start with a $500-million project linking Newcastle and Sydney, with plans connect Brisbane to Melbourne, with stops in Canberra and other regional centres.

There are an estimated 1.7 million undiscovered viruses in mammal and bird hosts, which could evolve into different variants that pose an unknown level of risk to humans.

Health industry groups are questioning the decision not to provide rapid antigen tests free or at least heavily subsidised to Australians.