​An amateur photographer accused of sexually and indecently assaulting three young women who modelled for him at his "studio" photographed the women while they were getting changed, paid one girl for sexual favours and spanked another with a ruler while telling her to "say mercy", Newcastle Local Court has heard.

One hundred and eighty five years since it was legally abolished in the Commonwealth, NSW is falling behind the rest of the world in acting to curb local and international slavery and human trafficking, an upper house committee report has found.

Fadi Ibrahim will remain under house arrest in Dover Heights after fending off a challenge by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to the integrity of his bail guarantors.

The protest movement is seeking members ahead of a possible run in the 2019 election

Detectives investigating a large-scale cocaine supply ring have seized luxury cars, drugs and cash in a series of raids across Sydney's south.