‘Now is your highest risk period’: Winter’s over, but flu infections are surging in Australia. Why? Influenza cases are rising and yet to peak, with experts saying it’s not too late to get vaccinated The Guardian - AU · Sep 18
GWS captain finally makes big call on his future GWS skipper Toby Greene is leaving the Giants after 15 seasons at the club, electing to move back to Victoria for family reasons. AAP · Sep 16
Labor seats get more than 90% of funding distributed under controversial multimillion-dollar grants program Guardian Australia analysis adds to concerns over the federal scheme, which is to be the subject of a Senate inquiry The Guardian - AU · Sep 16
‘Anywhere, anytime’: Victoria police and PSOs to get random stop and search powers after Labor backflip Premier Ben Carroll adopts Coalition’s stance on Jack’s Law, which gives police and PSOs power to randomly search people for knives with metal detectors The Guardian - AU · Sep 16
Datacentre giant accused of using AI while lobbying for Victorian minister’s support for hyperscale factory Correspondence requests state MP Melissa Horne to lobby on NextDC’s behalf – but contains alleged AI-created errors The Guardian - AU · Sep 15
Major transmission project paused after public outcry A Labor premier has slammed the brakes on a contentious transmission line project to take stock of its price tag. AAP · Sep 15
Surprise downfall for rich state atop economic rankings Queensland has emerged at the top of CommBank's revamped State of the States report, despite the state's government copping a downgrade to its credit rating. AAP · Sep 15
In 2018, Victoria put the equivalent of 40 million discarded bottles into a freeway; 8,000 tonnes of crushed glass went into one widening project Science news: 8,000 tonnes of recycled glass used in the 2018 Tullamarine Freeway widening project is a powerful example of how recycling can move beyond the household bin and into the built environment. The material represented roughly 40 million discarded glass bottles, yet instead of becoming a symbol of waste,… The Economic Times · Sep 14
Cloudy with a chance of rainbow: iridescent clouds brighten the sky over parts of Victoria Rainbow clouds are not uncommon in Australia but rarely photographed, and experts say they get their colours when light is diffracted around ice crystals The Guardian - AU · Sep 14
Country diary: Notice anything wrong with this ripe, succulent plum? Langstone, Hampshire: My garden is full of Victoria plums, but they’re not supposed to be crunchy inside The Guardian - UK · Sep 14
Motorcyclist’s death reignites debate over potholes on Victoria’s ‘deteriorating’ roads Motorcycle club president Peter ‘Tiki’ Mason, 71, crashed and died on the Western Highway at Trawalla, west of Ballarat, on Sunday The Guardian - AU · Sep 14
Melbourne couple builds $880,000 recycled-bottle Earthship after moving to Tasmania For Matt Ellis and Kate Tucker, buying a home in Melbourne became a familiar cycle of hope, bidding and disappointment. The couple wanted to remain close to their community and friends, but they were repeatedly outbid in the inner city market. Eventually, they looked far beyond Victoria and found a… The Times of India · Sep 13
More police on beat as state tackles crime crisis Growing crime concerns have become the centrepiece of one state's election campaign with both parties pledging to increase police numbers. AAP · Sep 13
Do not call her a racist: anti-Pauline Hanson strategists tell campaigners character attacks won’t work in Victoria Exclusive: Strategic rethink urges progressive activists to respectfully steer one-on-one conversations with One Nation supporters towards economic concerns The Guardian - AU · Sep 12
The Guardian - AU · Sep 12 Labor has had 12 years to fix Victorian roads. Turning to ‘pothole populism’ now may be too late Potholed roads are ‘devastating political advertising’ for the Victorian government – but Ben Carroll has made them the focus of his campaign
The Conversation · Sep 10 Mozzies are causing Buruli ulcers in more parts of Australia. Here’s what you need to know Warmer weather has arrived and mosquitoes will be buzzing about before you know it. As El Niño is expected to bring an early start to summer heat, it’s likely mosquitoes will make their presence felt earlier than usual.
The Guardian - AU · Sep 9 RSL says One Nation’s Hastie ‘slur’ was an ‘attack on every veteran’s service’ – as it happened This blog is now closed
The Guardian - AU · Sep 9 Victoria’s koalas in chronically poor health and population is half what was previously estimated Exclusive: State government delayed releasing major report into the health of the koala population for more than 12 months
AAP · Sep 9 Shipping containers of stolen cars turning up overseas Cars stolen from Australian drivers are being moved overseas via shipping containers en masse, with the global black market fuelling the crime spree.
The Economic Times · Sep 9 In 2021, Victoria used 2,100 tons of recycled road base to rebuild the Hume Freeway. 5 years later, its 850-metre stretch had turned waste into a longer-lasting road too Plastic bags and glass bottles usually end up in the trash. In Australia, some became part of a highway instead. Engineers rebuilt an 850-meter section of the Hume Freeway using more than 2,100 tons of recycled material. The mix included plastic bags, glass bottles, printer cartridges and reclaimed asphalt. The…
The Guardian - AU · Sep 9 RentTech companies asking tenants for personal details ‘completely outside’ new Victorian laws Some rental platforms encourage hopeful tenants to share ‘excessive’ amount of information, Consumer Policy Research Centre review finds
The Times of India · Sep 9 Widower Restores Farmland Forest: Australian man plants 13,500 trees; project rebuilds wildlife habitat Karst Kreun is undertaking an inspiring restoration of native vegetation on his Victorian farm, initiated after he acquired the land in March 2021. With thousands of native trees planted, his efforts are aimed at re-establishing a vital wildlife habitat. This meaningful long-term project commemorates his late wife, Lindy, and seeks…
The Guardian - AU · Sep 9 Victoria’s historic work from home laws have unexpectedly stalled. Will they survive? Labor was set to pass its bill enshrining the right to WFH before November state election but now the Australian-first legislation will face an inquiry
AAP · Sep 9 State keeps top-tier credit rating despite massive debt Australia's most populous state is the only one with a coveted Triple-A credit rating from a major agency, despite reaching similar debt levels to Victoria.
The Conversation · Sep 9 ‘It was just pure hatred’: a new report reveals intensifying attacks against LGBTQIA+ people Violence against same-sex attracted men through dating apps has become a key focus in the national debate over how to address hate crime.