Emma Machan

2 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Brianna Morris-Grant |Emma Machan

Here's how consumers are handling higher energy bills across Australia. The average Australian household now spends upwards of $300 a quarter on electricity. As an election looms, both major parties have promised short-term relief — which may not be enough to ease cost-of-living pressures. We're taking a closer look at the average power bill to see which sections Australians should be keeping an eye on or asking questions about. The next time you get your power bill, here are some things to look at.

Dec 17, 2024 | abc.net.au | Victoria Pengilley |Emma Machan

WARNING: This story contains detail that may be distressing for some readers. In March 2023, Samantha's ex-partner made a shocking confession she'll never forget — he had been considering killing himself and their two children.

Nov 20, 2024 | abc.net.au | Charlotte King |Emma Machan |Andy Burns

When she heard about the "birthkeeper", Alice was at a dead end. The mother of three, whose name we have changed to protect her identity, had already delivered two young children through the public hospital system. Both births had ended in a caesarean — and the second affected her in ways she still struggles to articulate. Warning: This story includes details about stillbirth and birth trauma. "I couldn't talk about it for about a year and a half," she says.

Jul 25, 2024 | abc.net.au | Georgia Hitch |Emma Machan

Posted 7 minutes agoStanding around 2.3 metres tall, it was impossible not to notice Charles Byrne. The Irishman became an instant celebrity when he moved to London in the 1780s. But as his short life drew to a close, Byrne made it clear he wanted the opposite in death as he'd had in life. Terrified of his body being dissected and displayed, his dying wish was to be buried at sea. But Byrne was betrayed. His body was stolen and put on show for the world to see.

Jan 25, 2024 | abc.net.au | Brianna Morris-Grant |Emma Machan

Posted 7 minutes agoLoading... From the bull ant sting to the 'physical torture' of the irukandji, we asked venom expert Bryan Fry to rank Australia's most painful creaturesIt might be fitting that Bryan Fry's first memory is of "extraordinary, body-wide, kill-me-now" pain. The University of Queensland professor's childhood battle with spinal meningitis forced him to learn to walk again but also left him with a fascination with all things pain-inducing.