Politics
Victoria
Victorian council election results 2024 LIVE updates: Liberals fighting off challenges in Whitehorse; sacked Casey councillor ahead
All the updates on the results in Victoria’s local government elections.
- by Cara Waters, Rachael Dexter, Tom Cowie, Adam Carey, Sophie Aubrey, Benjamin Preiss and Patrick Hatch
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Opinion
Development
Allan’s new housing policy is good, but pausing the SRL would make it even better
The solution to our housing crisis is to build where people want to live, in well-located areas, and not continue to fund money sinks.
- by Aruna Sathanapally and Trent Wiltshire
Exclusive
Victorian budget
Your water company is paying the state government’s COVID debts
The budget plan to manage pandemic debts by temporarily expanding taxes has led Treasurer Tim Pallas to pull cash from government agencies. Water authorities were targeted the most.
- by Rachel Eddie
Exclusive
Hospitals
Victoria’s secret $50 million hospital top-up revealed
The cost blowout – revealed under freedom of information laws – was blamed on inflation, but it further highlights the precarious state of health funding last year, when the government was within days of being unable to pay the bills.
- by Annika Smethurst and Broede Carmody
Victorians to be slugged thousands of dollars to claim their inheritance
While estate claims worth less than $250,000 will have their probate fees waived, the costs of those with more will surge up to 645 per cent.
- by Carla Jaeger and Broede Carmody
Report into shipping industry’s ‘open secret’ never saw light of day
A draft report within Safe Transport Victoria has alleged a lack of experience and poor resourcing within its pilotage section.
- by Kieran Rooney
Daniel Andrews tells Jewish donors to cut funds to antisemites
The former Victorian premier made the strong comments as he was awarded the Jerusalem Prize.
- by Chip Le Grand
Victoria pledges $140 savings in return for switch to electric cooking from gas
The rebates come as part of the Allan government’s examination of financial incentives to get more people to use electric cooktops.
- by Kieran Rooney
Exclusive
Shipping
Cargo ships steered by unlicensed pilots on more than 50 occasions, court told
Marine pilots allegedly steered some of the biggest cargo ships – including fuel tankers – in Melbourne ports without holding the appropriate licence, sparking concerns about safety in the busy Port Phillip Bay.
- by Kieran Rooney
Daniel Andrews speaks out over release of triple-0 audio after cyclist collision
The former premier says the recording, which captures the moments after a 2013 car crash that left a teenage cyclist seriously injured, shows he and his wife “did nothing wrong”.
- by Gemma Grant
Exclusive
Mental health
Taxpayers hand over $1b a year for a mental health levy. No one knows exactly how it’s spent
A former mental health royal commissioner has called for a breakdown of how the money is being spent, with a lack of transparency fuelling concerns it’s not being used as promised.
- by Broede Carmody and Rachel Eddie