Katie Allen keeps political dream alive, knocking off endorsed candidate
Liberal Party moderate Allen will try for a political comeback in the Melbourne seat of Chisholm.
- by Annika Smethurst and James Massola
Latest
Taxpayers cop $10m bill for COVID lockdown court battle
The final bill for the class action – brought on behalf of businesses that experienced financial loss because of restrictions – could be much higher, with mediation due to kick off in November.
- by Kieran Rooney and Annika Smethurst
Opinion
Political leadership
The Liberal Party is going to war with itself in court, and the only winner will be Jacinta Allan
Some Liberal MPs think they can win the Deeming trial. But it’s naive to think you can control the message when your court rival is out to destroy your credibility.
- by Annika Smethurst
Exclusive
Hospitals
The health minister’s scramble to secure a $422 million hospital bailout
The dire financial state of health services last year has been exposed in correspondence showing the state government went within days of being unable to pay the bills.
- by Annika Smethurst and Broede Carmody
Opinion
Political leadership
The more-than-Dan dilemma: Allan has to convince voters and colleagues, quickly
Labor, the Liberal Party and the Nationals are all facing their own set of problems. With half a term left before Victorians return to the polls, the race to clean house is well and truly on.
- by Annika Smethurst
Exclusive
Private schools
Labor MPs want payroll tax exemption for private schools in their electorates
Within weeks of voting to impose payroll tax on Victoria’s elite private schools, some MPs privately lobbied the treasurer to give some schools special treatment.
- by Annika Smethurst
Exclusive
Greens
The fight for the safest Greens seat in Victoria opens up a party rift
Voting to replace former state leader Samantha Ratnam in her safe upper house seat is about to begin, exposing tensions within the party.
- by Annika Smethurst
Exclusive
Victorian Parliament
Victoria warned of cost blowout and skills shortage risks to big ticket projects
Treasurer Tim Pallas was told the state’s ability to deliver a pipeline of major projects could be cruelled by soaring wages and materials costs.
- by Annika Smethurst
Victoria considers new building insurance checks – but at a cost
Prospective home buyers could be charged to check if a house has domestic building insurance under a proposal from Victoria’s state-managed insurance agency.
- by Kieran Rooney and Annika Smethurst
Opinion
Metro Tunnel
Delays, blowouts and stuff-ups: Victoria’s project problem is bigger than Allan
The Andrews and Allan governments have long escaped any electoral consequences for problems on its infrastructure pipeline. But with the bills piling up, taxpayers are right to be concerned.
- by Annika Smethurst
Exclusive
Housing crisis
The suburbs to get towers up to 20 storeys in fast-tracked housing plan
The new housing developments come under a state government plan to deliver an extra 60,000 homes across 10 suburban activity centres.
- by Annika Smethurst and Kieran Rooney
Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/by/annika-smethurst-p4yw4k