Australia will no longer appoint knights and dames under the honours system, PM Malcolm Turnbull says.

Hundreds of protesters faced off with left-wing opponents on Saturday in a standoff over plans to build a mosque in a rural Australian town.

Multi-millionaire former banker Malcolm Turnbull is sworn in as prime minister of Australia on Tuesday, just hours after masterminding a coup against conservative leader Tony Abbott, and pledging a new style of leadership.

Australia is to have a new prime minister following Tony Abbott’s defeat to Malcolm Turnbull in a hastily-arranged Liberal leadership vote.