Our Journalists

Matt JohnstonMajor Projects Editor

Matt Johnston is major projects editor at the Herald Sun. He is a former state political editor who has covered local, state and federal politics since 2008. He is a three-time Quill award winner and a Walkley Awards finalist.

@Media_Matt

Matt Johnston

Latest

Victoria

New Years Eve 2017, arrests near Melbourne Aquarium, Pictures Yuri Kouzmin

Doctors, cops slam Labor plan to scrap drunkenness offence

The Police Association says Labor is “all press release and no policy” in a scathing response to a decision to abolish the public drunkenness offence in Victoria.

Victoria

New NGV Contemporary gallery to transform arts precinct

Melbourne’s renowned arts precinct is set for a massive $1.5bn expansion, including Australia’s largest contemporary art gallery.

Victoria

Crowd testing trail happening at the MCG today ahead of the Boxing day Test.Picture by Wayne Taylor 17th November 2020

The big changes at the ‘G to make it COVIDsafe

Cricket fans will return to the MCG for the Boxing Day Test, but there will be some big changes for punters.

Victoria

A new 3.2-kilometre stretch of elevated rail opened for passengers today between Caulfield and Hughesdale,removing the final four of nine dangerous and congested crossings along MelbourneÕs busiest rail corridor. Construction still under way on the ground level under the tracks at Murrumbeena Station. Picture: David Caird

Level crossings that should be removed next

The state opposition has called for dozens of dangerous level crossings to be next removed by the government, including these trouble spots on the Frankston and Pakenham lines.

ANALYSISOpinion

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos November 15 2020: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews speaking at a press conference at Deakin University in Burwood on Monday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

Why Rail Loop investment could be risky business for Dan

An investment case on whether Suburban Rail Loop is worth building hasn’t been finalised. So what happens if doesn’t stack up? Well, you can almost bet, it’ll go ahead anyway, writes Matt Johnston.

Victoria

An artist's impression of a train on the Suburban Rail Loop, which will encircle Melbourne. Picture: STATE GOVERNMENT

Suburban Rail Loop to get $2.2b in taxpayer cash

Daniel Andrews has pledged a $2.2 billion cash boost for Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop to kickstart the first phase of the project — and he has confirmed where the rail line will start.

News

$60m Whitten Oval redevelopmentWhitten Oval aerial site view

Inside Bulldogs’ $37m Whitten Oval makeover

The Andrews Government will kick in $37 million to redevelop the home of the Western Bulldogs and build a new EJ Whitten stand with broadcast-quality lights.

exclusiveVictoria

Big sign that West Gate Tunnel project is back on track

After a toxic soil dispute stopped works on the $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel build, workers could soon be heading back to the project.

ExclusiveVictoria

Mitch and Maria McKay enjoy their view from their new apartment in Moonee Ponds. Hundreds of Melburnians have settled for the highlife during this year's COVID-19 chaos, moving into homes during lockdowns and starting a new mortgage as thousands of people lost their job. But where they've proceded they have had a powerful impact on the economy, helping to maintain jobs and inject hundreds of thousands of dollars into an otherwise struggling economy. Among those who have collected the keys to a new home in the sky are Maria and Mitch The pair bought a penthouse in the upper levels of the tallest tower north of Melbourne's CBD. And they've grabbed a front row seat to watch the city recover and thrive again with a rare vantage that takes in the full width of the CBD's skyline from Spring Street in the east to Docklands in the west. Picture: Tony Gough

Billion-dollar building boom to combat homelessness

Thousands of housing units will be built to tackle Victoria’s homelessness crisis, with the largest public housing construction project in Victoria history also set to create thousands of jobs.

Victoria

Elder St green bridge connecting both sides of Greensborough Rd and the Watsonia Station carpark. North East Link.

Why big infrastructure projects are ‘not the best form of stimulus’

Billions of dollars are being thrown at mega road and rail projects post-COVID, but a leading think tank has revealed a way for the government to get better bang for our buck.

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/journalists/matt-johnston/page/84