Victoria's Premier Napthine faces 'grants for mates' conflict

Royce Millar and Ben Schneider Premier and racing minister Denis Napthine faces major conflict of interest questions over a $1.5 million government grant to a leading Warrnambool business and racing figure.

EXCLUSIVE

Federal billion for second stage of Melbourne's East West Link

James Massola and Henrietta Cook The Abbott government will commit more than a billion dollars to fund the second stage of Melbourne's East West Link road under a deal hammered out with the Napthine government.

$34 million to wean Victorian rural addicts off ice

RICHARD WILLINGHAM The Napthine government will attempt to tackle the ice epidemic hitting Victoria with $34 million to help boost drug and alcohol-support services.

Doctor admits giving dying man the drugs to end his life

JULIA MEDEW Voluntary euthanasia campaigner Dr Rodney Syme has admitted giving a dying man the lethal drug Nembutal two weeks before he killed himself with it at his Point Lonsdale home.

Manufacturing job losses a blot on state's 10-year-high outlook

Matt Wade, Gareth Hutchens 12:51am Rising unemployment is clouding Victoria's economic outlook even though six out of eight top economic indicators are higher than their 10-year average, according to Australia's biggest bank.

Future tense into the wave of hope

Clay Lucas As Geelong's biggest factories prepare to close their doors, the city has already started to adapt.

One dead in small aircraft crash

Steve Lillebuen 11:20pm A small plane has crashed south of Melbourne, killing a man and injurying a young child.

Government takes aim at patient restraint

HENRIETTA COOK 11:38pm Victorian mental health services will trial an overseas initiative aimed at making psychiatric wards safer.

The Premier's millionaire mate

Ben Schneiders and Royce Millar 12:21am In the old vernacular, Colin McKenna is not short of a quid.

Man suffers hand injuries after explosion

Steve Lillebuen 4:11pm A 29-year-old man in Melbourne has suffered significant injuries after a detonator exploded in his hands.

Morwell residents to rally over coal fire fallout

Henrietta Cook and Rania Spooner 1:50am Disgruntled Morwell residents are demanding money from the upcoming state budget be allocated to clean their ash-filled homes following the Hazelwood coal mine fire disaster.

Napthine to ask for more federal government funding at COAG

2:29pm Major infrastructure funding and a greater share of GST revenue are Premier Denis Napthine's targets for the next Council of Australian Government (COAG) meeting in Canberra on Friday.

Deadly St Albans rail crossing to be removed

CAROLINE ZIELINSKI 1:50am Melbourne's deadliest level crossing, which locals say is responsible for the deaths of 16 people, will be removed under a new project announced by the state government.

Man killed in Yan Yean ute rollover

9:32am A man has been killed and three people have been injured when a utility rolled on a private property in Victoria.

Fish-hook baits left at Newport Lakes dog-walking area

Benjamin Millar 6:01pm A woman whose dog swallowed a fish hook embedded in a piece of meat says she cannot fathom how a person could act so cruelly.