Tim Winton's Cloudstreet has been recognized as a standout novel in an ABC poll. The novel's broader influence has been highlighted. Meanwhile, city dwellers are relocating to regional areas like the tropics. In the Northern Territory, housing residents are threatened with removal after repeated offenses. Local heroes are praised for their actions after a deliberate attack on Helen Haines. A 13-year-old is accused of wielding a high-powered firearm in a Perth home drive-by shooting. Additionally, Moss Vale residents are affected by a long-standing conflict over a plastics plant.