Politics
Victoria
Updated
Victorian budget
Major Melbourne hospitals left counting cash weekly as budget constraints hit home
Alfred and Monash Health run some of the largest hospitals in the state, but an attempt by the government to enforce budgets has had a dire impact on their books.
- by Rachel Eddie and Annika Smethurst
Latest
Opinion
Political leadership
Allan’s likeability rating has tumbled and there may be no way back
Labor MPs are growing a little jittery about the party’s prospects under the current premier.
- by Annika Smethurst
Exclusive
Naked City
Police setting up global net to catch child abusers
Law enforcement agencies around the world came to Melbourne this week to discuss ways to prevent abuse and pursue those responsible.
- by John Silvester
More free school breakfasts – and lunches – on the table as food crisis bites
A parliamentary inquiry has called for an expansion of Victoria’s school breakfast program and a “minister for food” to help tackle rising costs and food insecurity.
- by Kieran Rooney
Updated
Victorian budget
$1b in red and going backwards: Victorian hospital cash-crunch revealed
Analysis of dozens of annual reports dumped in parliament on Thursday found some of Victoria’s busiest hospitals failed to meet their target for available cash.
- by Broede Carmody, Rachel Eddie, Carla Jaeger and Kieran Rooney
Exclusive
Emergency services
Firefighters locked out of their stations after ‘farcical’ 3G shutdown
Firefighters say they were not warned about the access and vehicle-tracking issues despite Fire Rescue Victoria having years to prepare for the 3G shutdown.
- by Broede Carmody and Brittany Busch
Exclusive
Housing affordability
Voters ‘lukewarm’ on Allan’s housing density push but support making it easier to subdivide land
Overall, Victorians are happy with the government’s housing strategy, but the messages need to be communicated well, research shows.
- by Annika Smethurst
Victorian council election results 2024 LIVE updates: Suspected postal vote tampering in council elections
All the updates on the results in Victoria’s local government elections.
- by Rachael Dexter, Tom Cowie, Adam Carey, Sophie Aubrey, Benjamin Preiss, Patrick Hatch and Cara Waters
Opinion
Gender
Calling men toxic may feel good, but it won’t save a single boy from the ‘manosphere’
When we use school intervention programs that don’t work, we run the risk of making the problem worse than it was before.
- by Ahona Guha
Chop chop crackdown: Illegal tobacco sellers to face up to 15 years in prison
The Allan government also plans to establish a tobacco licensing scheme, after more than 100 firebombings targeting cigarette shops around the state.
- by Carla Jaeger, Rachel Eddie and Chris Vedelago
Corpse flower blooms in Geelong, revealing its putrid ‘dead possum’ stench
After much anticipation, Geelong’s corpse plant, which only flowers once every seven to ten years, has finally opened – but you only have 48 hours to see it.
- by Liam Mannix