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Voting will be socially distanced this election, but we'll still be using the traditional paper ballots. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong

The pandemic election is upon us. How will COVID-19 impact the way we vote?

How COVID-19 will impact the way you vote

BOMBED: A stray left to sniff around Borod Tower in Ukraine. Photo: supplied

As bombs and missiles rain down, artist and filmmaker George Gittoes is feeling increasingly unnerved about his safety in Ukraine.

'War is on our doorstep': Filmmaker fears for safety in Ukraine

Defence Minister Peter Dutton described a Chinese warship's sailing off the coast of Western Australia as "an aggressive act". Picture: Keegan Carroll

"All this rhetoric by Mr Dutton is just politics. His language around war ... all this sort of stuff that's gone on for the last year is highly dangerous," the WA Premier said.

Dutton is 'biggest threat to national security', WA Premier says

South Coast Labour Council's Arthur Rorris, Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips, Ben Steltenpool from the Health Services Union, Shellharbour MP Anna Watson and the United Services Union's Stuart Geddes are concerned about Kiama council's decision to sell Blue Haven. Picture: Robert Peet

Union representatives say the council should have discussed the issue with workers, residents and the community.

'Terrified': Unions call on Kiama council to step back from Blue Haven sale

GORMLESS: Does the way a politician responds to a 'gotcha' question matter to voters?

GST on birthday cakes, the price of petrol, and recall of random statistics: Does the way a politician responds to a 'gotcha' question matter to voters?

History of the 'gotcha' question: How elections are won or lost on a gaffe

NEW VENTURE: CatholicCare Early Learning Centre director To Clark with Xavier in the new Shellharbour centre. Picture: Sylvia Liber

CatholicCare Wollongong has kicked off National Families Week celebrations by launching a new Early Learning Centre at Shellhabour.

Australians endure crippling childcare costs: report

Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won with their entry Stefania.

Eurovision is like a bag of Every Flavour Jelly Beans - you really don't know what you're going to get.

Eurovision opened my eyes to the exciting world we live in

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: James Croucher

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the Coalition's housing policies, taken together, would have a "marginal" effect on house prices as his new scheme comes under attack.

Unlocking super will have 'marginal' impact on house prices: Morrison

This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning till the end of the election.

Morrison needs to pull off a Houdini

Early start: Party candidates and volunteers handing out how to votes in Wollongong on the first day of pre-poll voting. Picture: Robert Peet

There won't be many queues at polling places on election day this Saturday if the early pre-polling figures are any indication.

Thousands of Illawarra residents have already voted

Postal voting deadline looms

'Illawarra house prices through the roof' under ScoMo's superannuation plan: Labor

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Greens leader Adam Bandt appear in TikTok videos ahead of the federal election on May 21. 

If TikTok likes were votes, a Labor backbencher would be prime minister and his party would already have claimed election victory.

Who is winning the Federal Election race on TikTok?

There are 1,437 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 65 in ICU.

NSW COVID cases drop, hospitalisations rise

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: AAP

The election campaign has hit the home stretch, leaving only five days until polling day.

As it happened: Peter Dutton is 'the biggest threat to national security' says WA Premier

Greens leader Adam Bandt. Picture: Elesa Kurtz

A hung parliament with Greens MPs on the lower house crossbench could position the party to demand support for policies in exchange for its backing in a minority government.

Greens to reveal 'balance of power' list for hung parliament at campaign launch

Here's a thought: if the Prime Minister cares so much about regional Australia, why doesn't he take the time to speak to the country's biggest regional publisher?

It's time for our leaders to talk to the regions: Editorial

Former prime minister Julia Gillard has gone into bat for Senator Katy Gallagher (inset). Pictures: AAP

Australia's first female PM has written a personal letter endorsing Katy Gallagher, asking Canberrans not risk losing her in the Senate.

'Incredible representative': Gillard intervenes to endorse 'at-risk' Gallagher

Working dogs: Regular panelists Sam Pang and Ed Kavalee with quizmaster Tom Gleisner (cente) are back for season 10 of Have You Been Paying Attention?. Photo supplied by Channel 10.

"When you put five funny people in a room with Tom at the helm, no two shows are the same," says Ed Kavalee. That's why Have You Been Paying Attention is about to premiere its 10th season. Read all about it in our TV Guide.

Ed Kavalee pays attention and pips the panel on 'Have You Been Paying Attention?'

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Warringah MP Zali Steggall wants a future-focused circular economy and return to budget discipline.

Independent policy key in hung parliament

Labor says Prime Minister Scott Morrison has "dropped the ball" in the Pacific region.

China security pact sours khaki election

Bushfires and floods have ravaged Australia in recent years, with voters keen to see climate action.

Climate change heats up election focus

He stole a mountain bike and two scooters from the garage while the family slept.

Teen admits to midnight break-in at Helensburgh home

Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul. Picture: Adam McLean

The controversial Thirroul Plaza development has played a huge part in the decision.

Thirroul's Egg and Dart Gallery is leaving town, here's why

Sandra Mullaly is cheerful in her police photo but her time in the force was anything but.

Former cop says she was driven to breaking point by the organisation she once loved.

An addict broke her jaw. The force broke her spirit

Carlee Smedley and Grant Petersen. Picture: Facebook

The pair appeared at Wollongong Local Court on Sunday, charged with larceny.

Couple accused of stealing TVs from Harvey Norman Warrawong

Three councillors have opposed the decision to sell off the aged care home.

Kiama councillors call to rescind motion to sell off Blue Haven

He went from snoresville to the inside of a jail cell rather quickly.

Snoring man found with loaded spear gun at Wollongong bus stop

MOVING FORWARD: Phillip Cancar keeps his eyes on the ball during a recent game for the Western Sydney Wanderers. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Cancar ready to seize chance in Scotland

FLASHBACK: Steve Jaggi shot the film 'Back of the Net' around the Illawarra - including at the UOW Innovation Campus (above) - in 2018. Picture: Adam McLean

"We just want the Illawarra to be a content production area of global significance ... who knows if one day you'll see four film studios in Port Kembla," says Sandra Pires.

Screen industry growing in the Illawarra and it needs workers

Sign up to receive our Breaking News Alerts and Editor's Daily Headlines featuring the best local news and stories.

Guilty as charged: Wayne West, as he appeared in 2012 as a new recruit to NSW Police. Picture: NSW Police Facebook

The magistrate said the seriousness of the offending required a custodial sentence.

Nowra policeman Wayne West jailed for 18 months for recording 12-year-old girl in shower

ALL ABOARD: The Adventure heads out on its maiden voyage on Saturday. Picture: Adam McLean

Shellharbour Wild operated the first ever tourism venture to operate from Shellharbour Marina

Whale-watching cruise concerns unfounded

HOME OWNERS: Dan Hall, who runs a a carpentry and construction business in the Illawarra, and Daisy Martin, works in people and culture within a start-up company, at their home in Figtree. Picture: Adam McLean

Home owners, agents and other industry employees throughout the Illawarra believe there are pros and cons to a new scheme which would allow Australians to borrow up to 40 per cent of superannuation to purchase their first home.

'We both see positives and negatives': Illawarra couple on ScoMo's superannuation plan

He bombarded her with more than 50 messages at one stage, then sent pics advertising her OnlyFans page to her mother.

Illawarra man sends ex-girlfriend's OnlyFans pics to her mum

Health promise: Stephen Jones and Alison Byrnes joined Ryan Park to announce an urgent care clinic would open in Wollongong, if Labor is elected. Picture: Adam McLean.

Local candidates Alison Byrnes and Stephen Jones announced on Monday that one of the party's 50 promised Medicare urgent care clinics would be established in the Illawarra.

Election promise: New urgent care clinic to open in Illawarra

Crime scene: The flat where Valmai 'Jane' Birch's body was found in 2011. Picture: File

The tapes of the 2011 interview were played to the jury.

Accused denied ever tying Valmai 'Jane' Birch up in police interview

Cases steady: The region recorded 3882 cases in the latest weekly figures.

Labor's health spokesman Ryan Park said he remained "very concerned" about the virus as winter approaches - and said vaccination rates, especially for young children, remained worrying.

'Very concerned': Dozens of Illawarra residents hospitalised weekly with COVID-19

The boy was flown to Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick. Picture: Robert Peet

The woman became distracted by her grandchildren in the back seat and turned around to talk to them.

Nowra woman admits causing car crash that left toddler grandson a paraplegic

A married man who lured two women into his car and molested them.

Wollongong's fake Uber driver admits molesting women in late night car rides

Pet bunny owners are advised to take steps to protect their animals ahead of the release of a virus to control the feral population. File photo. Picture: Simon Bennett

South East Local Land Services will release the virus on Wednesday, May 18.

Warning for Illawarra bunny owners ahead of deadly virus release

Dan Hotchkis, Bianca Starcic, Michael Franke and Mark Purkiss toast the fifth year of the Cycle 1000 for the Illawarra Convoy. Picture: Adam McLean

The ride will see cyclists travel 1000 kilometres back to the Illawarra for charity.

Cyclists to put their legs to the test in aid of sick kids

Auction clearance rates in the Illawarra remain below 70 per cent, but some high-profile sales were registered under the hammer during the past week.

Barrack Heights block of land sells for $531K after 51-minute online auction

NEW JOB: Professor Zsuzsoka Kecskes has been appointed UOW's new Dean of Graduate Medicine. She starts in August.

So naturally UOW management were quite happy things were reversed and they were able to snare prominent neonatologist and academic Professor Zsuzsoka Kecskes as its new Dean of Graduate Medicine.

Meet UOW's new Dean of Graduate Medicine

Piles of fill dumped beside the driveway. They remain on the site to this day.