Murders have spiked in New South Wales, driven by multiple-victim homicides including a shopping centre massacre in which six people were killed.

A judge looking into the murder of newborn babies by British nurse Lucy Letby has said she would hear arguments why the inquiry should be paused, after request to overturn Letby's conviction.

Doctors are warning that giving GPs the task of doing more on-the-job training for new graduates and foreign-trained medics will load more pressure on primary care.