March
PM won’t rule out more Suburban Rail Loop funding despite warnings
Anthony Albanese says he believes it’s a viable project – “When you have an infrastructure project, quite often in the early stages, there’s some criticism of it.”
Inside the rollercoaster week in Victorian politics
Crime, the CFMEU, cost blowout fears on the Suburban Rail Loop and a new stoush with the top cop. These stories show why Premier Jacinta Allan may think a week is a long time in Victorian politics.
Allan told she needs an exit strategy for SRL
Infrastructure Australia has cast doubt on the Victorian government’s ability to fund a third of SRL East through value capture and warns of more cost blowouts.
More prison officers needed to manage stricter bail laws: Allan
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has passed tougher bail laws, saying the state needs a “jolt to the system” amid an escalating crime problem.
Victoria starts handing out hefty bills in land tax ‘grab’
More than 400,000 people who run a small business or Airbnb from their home have been hit with hefty land tax bills under the government’s plans to rein in debt.
Three reasons Victoria has joined Tasmania, SA as a beggar state
Unless it can substantially improve its productivity performance, Victoria will continue to be the butt of sneering from richer states.
Putin makes surprise visit to Kursk as Russia mulls peace deal
The Kremlin is reviewing details of the US proposed ceasefire with Ukraine; Westpac boss backs decision not to retaliate against US tariffs. How the day unfolded.
‘Basket case’: Why Victoria is ground zero for Labor
Labor could be heading for an electoral disaster in Victoria where the party’s brand is “in the toilet” and the economy is in a parlous financial state.
Victoria warned about risky funding to revive wind farm plans
The Allan government is being warned not to use a contracts-for-difference funding model to revive its plans for the struggling Gippsland offshore wind farm zone.
February
Victoria’s busted economy is profit season’s sneaky big shock
Beneath the wild share price moves, a stunning narrative has emerged from reporting season about one of Australia’s most critical economic growth engines.
PM heaps praise on SRL East but promises money elsewhere
Anthony Albanese has called the controversial Suburban Rail Loop Melbourne’s “missing link” amid tensions between the state and federal governments over the project.
Business backs Victoria plan to slash 3000 public service jobs
Premier Jacinta Allan and Treasurer Jaclyn Symes say “several billions of dollars” in savings will be found after announcing a review into the public sector.
Vic Labor acting like it’s ‘above reproach’ after $12b blowout
Victoria’s former integrity watchdog has slammed Labor’s attack on the state auditor-general after it detailed nearly $12 billion in major project cost blowouts over the past year.
Allan denies making police chief the scapegoat for rising crime
The Victoria premier says her government had no choice but to move on Chief Commissioner Shane Patton after 87 per cent of union members voted against him.
Allan told to get SRL money into Melbourne’s west, or else
The controversial $100 billion Suburban Rail Loop was thrust back into the spotlight after Labor’s primary vote collapsed in the Werribee byelection.
Suburban Rail Loop is an intergenerational endowment to Melbourne
If incrementalism was allowed to paralyse previous Victorian governments, the city and state we know today would be a backwater.
Allan government on SRL collision course with federal Labor
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has vowed to plough on with construction of the controversial $100 billion rail project despite reports of unease in Labor’s ranks about its future.
Meet the car salesman Werribee voters turned to instead of Labor
Paul Hopper, the independent candidate at the Werribee byelection, says the Allan government must divert funds to improve services in Melbourne’s west.
Byelection result could force Labor to splash cash in Melbourne’s west
Voters have lashed Premier Jacinta Allan’s government in Werribee and look to have dumped the Greens in the inner-city seat of Prahran.
Allan concedes safe Labor seat ‘on a knife edge’
Labor was ahead – just – in the Victorian state seat of Werribee which it has held since 1979 with half of votes counted in an important byelection.