Little Charlise Mutten was allegedly shot dead by her stepdad with a small calibre rifle.

Tennis champion, Paralympic gold-medallist, advocate and philanthropist Dylan Alcott has been named Australian of the Year, becoming the first person with a disabil­ity to win the top award.

It’s not just your imagination: Prices for everything from petrol to groceries are going up, putting cost of living issues squarely in the frame for this year’s federal election.

And in sport, Ashleigh Barty cemented her status as the world’s best with an incredible, flawless charge into the Australian Open semi-finals.

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