Motorcycle club president Peter ‘Tiki’ Mason, 71, crashed and died on the Western Highway at Trawalla, west of Ballarat, on SundayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe death of a motorcyclist who reportedly hit a pothole has put Victoria’s government under renewed pressure…

‘Commonsense change’ looks to end current confusion and put ‘passengers first, not shareholders’ when services are disruptedRail passengers whose trains are cancelled will have the immediate right to travel on other operators’ services to finish their journey without further charge, ministers have announced.The “commonsense change” will take effect from Sunday 20 September, ending the confusion…

Adolescence co-writer criticises government inaction and calls for laws banning secret use of AI to generate scriptsJack Thorne, one of Britain’s most successful screen and stage writers, has warned that some people in his profession are using AI “to cheat”, as he called for laws banning the secret use of the technology to generate scripts.Thorne,…

Attenders will be asked to take part in tests to see if they have become more open to views they do not agree withFestivalgoers sometimes report feeling they have a fresh perspective of the world when they make their weary way home after a stimulating cultural gathering.A new “festival of ideas” in Somerset is aiming…

Electoral Commission finds abuse, particularly of women, minority ethnic and disabled people, is affecting candidates’ behaviourAbuse and intimidation of election candidates is “a serious and growing concern”, the Electoral Commission has said, as a review of this year’s local and mayoral elections in England revealed a surge in threats to those who stood.More than half…