Politics
Victoria
Exclusive
Childcare
Disadvantaged preschoolers may miss out on affordable childcare
Of the 50 most disadvantaged suburbs in Victoria, only 13 have been confirmed as getting the integrated low-cost childcare centres meant to help the families most in need.
- by Annika Smethurst
Latest
Axing train lines to Melbourne’s west not a broken promise, government says
Rapidly growing communities in the outer western suburbs are currently only served by crowded V/Line trains.
- by Patrick Hatch
Commonwealth Games inquiry bid sparks argy-bargy over government scrutiny
The Greens are making a bid to reduce Labor’s control of parliamentary committees amid negotiations over a possible inquiry into the scrapping of the Games.
- by Rachel Eddie and Broede Carmody
Updated
Education
More private schools to be hit with payroll tax after government backflip
The education minister said that while the income threshold of $15,000 per student would remain in place, schools would be assessed annually on their inclusion on the list.
- by Robyn Grace and Lachlan Abbott
‘What happened to Veronica should never happen again’
Veronica Nelson’s partner and legal experts are calling for urgent bail law reform to prevent further Indigenous deaths in custody as a year-long wait looms for changes.
- by Jack Latimore, Broede Carmody and Rachel Eddie
Exclusive
Justice
Bail reforms aimed at fixing ‘disaster’ law face one-year wait
A coroner found Victoria’s bail laws breached the human rights charter, but a 12-month delay looms for implementing change.
- by Rachel Eddie
Exclusive
Victorian budget
Victoria faces $882 million debt to pay for deferred public service super
Parliament’s independent budget watchdog found the Andrews government’s decision to delay $3 billion worth of contributions to the public service superannuation scheme will add to net debt.
- by Rachel Eddie
Exclusive
IBAC
Labor, Nationals argue against developer donation ban
IBAC has suggested a ban on donations from risky industries like property developers – but Labor and the Nationals argued against such a move just this month.
- by Rachel Eddie
Goodbye, gas stoves: Victoria to ban gas from new homes by 2024
All new homes, subdivisions and renovations that require planning approval after January 1 will be fitted with electric or induction stove tops instead of gas.
- by Broede Carmody, Mike Foley and Lachlan Abbott
Updated
Defence
Victoria lands multibillion-dollar Land 400 defence deal
Victoria has won a multibillion-dollar defence contract to South Korean company Hanwha to develop a fleet of state-of-the-art infantry fighting vehicles in Geelong.
- by Alex Crowe
Analysis
First-home buyers
Good politics, but the first home owner grant was a colossal waste
It’s been a huge waste of money but dumping Victoria’s first home owner grant would be tricky politically.
- by Josh Gordon