BRISBANE, Australia -- A new law requires priests in the state of Queensland to break the seal of confession to report child sex abuse to police or face three years in jail.

MUDGEE, Australia -- Australia's bishops and religious are considering the recommendations for change in a 208-page review into the governance of the church.

SYDNEY -- After two days of hearings, the seven judges of Australia's High Court reserved their decision on whether to hear an appeal of Cardinal George Pell's conviction for the 1996 sexual assault of two choir boys.

SYDNEY -- Three Sydney priests have swapped clericals for camouflage to join the 3,000 Australian Defence Force reservists providing support to firefighters and communities in the grip of the bushfire crisis.

CANBERRA, Australia -- Saying that "there is no end in sight to the horror which confronts us," Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said the bishops have implemented a national response to months of wildfires.

As some of the worst wildfires in Australian history rage across four states, thousands of people in affected areas in New South Wales and Victoria continue to be evacuated to safety.

CANBERRA, Australia -- The Australian government has released its second "exposure draft" of its religious discrimination legislation, winning widespread praise from faith groups, including the Catholic bishops, following changes to the original legislation released in October.

SYDNEY -- The Australian government has decided to revisit its religious discrimination legislation after key religious groups -- including the Archdiocese of Sydney -- said they would withdraw their support.

SYDNEY -- The High Court of Australia has decided to give Cardinal George Pell, 78, a final chance to argue against his conviction on five counts of child sexual abuse.

SYDNEY -- The Australian government said it will make changes to religious freedom legislation concerning religious hospitals and aged-care facilities, after the Catholic Church pushed for changes to a recently released draft legislation package.