Widen Punt Road or face gridlock, report warns
Adam Carey VicRoads' long-term plan to widen Punt Road into a six-lane highway, demolishing 140 properties, has been backed in a series of expert reports.
Latest Victoria news
Melbourne Express: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
![Melbourne Express icons - sunrise](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/1/m/m/1/f/d/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp98v.png/1455056117334.jpg)
9:15 AM Kickstart your day with breaking news, commuter and weather updates.
Melbourne priest moves to Malaysia to pursue 'young Asian men'
![supplied pic february 2016 nino bucci story grasby profile supplied pic february 2016 NINO BUCCI STORY Pictures of ...](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/i/a/z/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp73w.png/1455056049812.jpg)
Nino Bucci 9:13 AM A Catholic priest stood down amid child sexual abuse allegations is now living abroad and is using a gay dating website to seek the company of 'young Asian men'.
Man killed in Geelong in late-night fight
![<br>](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/n/o/s/9/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpwjb.png/1455053728820.jpg)
Liam Mannix 8:35 AM A man has been shot and killed after an early morning fight in Geelong.
Yeshivah Centre abuse victims fear bullying, intimidation
![A year after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse revealed widespread intimidation of ...](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/1/3/t/o/m/3/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp23l.png/1455018925485.jpg)
Timna Jacks 10:55 PM Yeshivah Centre abuse victims still fear they will be bullied and ostracised if they disclose their abuse.
Melbourne school accused of 'whitewashing' black history
![A scene from Hairspray
the musical.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/n/i/u/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp7ej.png/1455052420353.jpg)
Beau Donelly 9:33 PM A Melbourne student has accused her school of "whitewashing" history after its music department was given the go-ahead to adapt the American musical Hairspray for its annual show.
Potential measles outbreak in Brunswick
![Four cases of measles have been confirmed in Brunswick and East Brunswick in the past week.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/u/3/d/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp9ba.png/1455011950459.jpg)
Marissa Calligeros 8:59 PM Four people living in the Brunswick area have contracted the disease.
100,000 Victorians living with dementia
![The number of Victorians living with dementia is growing.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/m/h/5/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpmmx.png/1455028202320.jpg)
Jason Dowling 7:12 PM There are almost 100,000 Victorians living with dementia and that number is expected to climb to almost 400,000 by 2050.
Victorian principal speaks out about plight of asylum seeker students
![Glenroy College principal Paul Dingle has spoken out about the plight of asylum seeker students at his school.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/r/6/h/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmporr.png/1455049181903.jpg)
Henrietta Cook 7:00 PM They are dropped off at school in a white van, and escorted to the gates every morning by two burly guards.
Bacchus Marsh pay-outs begin
![Seven babies' deaths could have been prevented at Bacchus Marsh Hospital in 2013 and 2014, eminent obstetrician Euan ...](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/6/8/g/n/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmppg9.png/1455014817758.jpg)
Julia Medew 6:44 PM Families of babies who died potentially unnecessary deaths at Bacchus Marsh Hospital are accepting pay outs from the state's insurer amid predictions the medical negligence scandal could cost Victoria hundreds of millions of dollars.
Slain girl's mother smoked cannabis the day her daughter disappeared
![Nikki Francis-Coslovich.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/8/n/v/a/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpre4.png/1455003167567.jpg)
Daniella White, Sunraysia Daily 6:32 PM The mother of toddler Nikki Francis-Coslovich has told a court she was on the verge of leaving her daughter's alleged killer, John Torney, the day before she died.
Homicide Squad probes disappearance of Bendigo mother
![Mother of four Samantha Kelly has been missing since January 20.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/p/8/4/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmppfu.png/1455003063683.jpg)
Chloe Booker 6:31 PM Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the suspicious disappearance of a mother of four in central Victoria.
Cleaning company and boss fined $1m over visa rorts scheme
![Clinica Internationale managing director Radovan Laski, photographed in 2013.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/o/o/v/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpodb.png/1455025453832.jpg)
Adam Cooper 6:14 PM A Melbourne cleaning company and its managing director have been fined more than $1 million by a federal judge for fleecing thousands of dollars from foreign workers and failing to deliver jobs that were promised.
V/Line train wheel crisis could have damaged tracks
![V/Line's VLocity train wheel wear problem may have impacted tracks used by Metro trains.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/g/g/3/0/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpdm2.png/1455031547310.jpg)
Adam Carey 6:06 PM The wheel wear issue that has caused severe disruption to V/Line services has spread to Metro, which has found excessive wear on one of its trains and "drying" on tracks that should be lubricated.Â
Andrews' Nauru pledge has captured the mood, but what's the true motivation?
![Daniel Andrews](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/a/g/l/x/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpnki.png/1455052305836.jpg)
Josh Gordon, Analysis 6:05 PM Daniel Andrews' offer to "accept full responsibility" for the asylum seekers facing the prospect of deportation has undeniably had a big impact.
Crown croupier charged with $100,000 fraud
![The accused man was escorted from the gaming floor of Crown Casino.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/m/a/n/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmplv0.png/1455030765054.jpg)
Cameron Houston, Chris Vedelago 6:00 PM A croupier at Crown Casino has been charged with serious deception charges over allegations he rigged a dice game and paid out more than $100,000 to five friends.
Child sex assault victims to be spared trauma of retelling evidence in court
![Repeating traumatic stories could cause unnecessary stress and anxiety for children giving evidence, Youth Affairs ...](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/1/0/0/p/h/1/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpmsq.png/1455000205794.jpg)
Benjamin Preiss 12:15 AM Child victims of sexual offences will no longer be required to give evidence again during appeals in higher courts, under new changes to be introduced in Parliament.
Police fear truck driver could be in wreckage after fatal crash
![The scene of the fatal crash on the Glenelg Highway at Tarrington.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/7/6/j/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmoy24.png/1455025619386.jpg)
Marissa Calligeros, Chloe Booker 5:39 PM One man has been killed, a teenager seriously injured, while a truck driver is also suspected to have died following a fiery crash in the state's south west.
Ferrari driver to stand trial over woman's death in road crash
![Kickboxer Suleiman Abdulrahim leaving the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/o/v/b/j/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpk4y.png/1455025473019.jpg)
Adam Cooper 5:17 PM A kickboxer at the wheel of a Ferrari that was involved in a fatal crash in a Melbourne street has been committed to stand trial over the death of an elderly woman.
'On the end of a mobile': union body sounds alarm for insecure workers
![The Age, News, photo by Justin McManus. Protest by workers at Parliament house over the casualisation of the workforce. ...](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/i/e/9/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp9vn.png/1455028025158.jpg)
Nick Toscano 5:03 PM A growing number of Australians have little control over when and how often they work.
Sex Party tries to legalise Uber in Victoria
![Sex Party's Fiona Patten says services such as Uber are 'part of our new sharing economy and they aren't going away'.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/z/r/q/z/8/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp0xi.png/1454997591628.jpg)
Lucy Battersby 4:59 PM Sex Party MP Fiona Patten is introducing a bill to Victoria's state parliament which she hopes will lift restrictions on ride-sharing services such as UberX.
'Put me in jail', tearful Nene King tells judge after he warns over court outburst
![Nene King has told the court that her life 'went off the rails' after her third husband's death.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/j/e/4/4/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpa6r.png/1454995054877.jpg)
Mark Russell 4:16 PM 'Liar! Liar Liar!' says former magazine queen of ex-friend accused of ripping her off to the tune of $40,000 when she was a drug addict.
Build a bank, block the highway – flood plan aims to protect town residents
![Paul Crawford uses a boat during the Bridgewater flood in January 2011.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/o/c/s/3/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmoeao.png/1454994792330.jpg)
Levee banks would be built along the Loddon River and a temporary levee would be installed across the Calder Highway before floodwaters hit, under a plan to avoid a repeat of the devastating flooding of 2011 which smashed the town of Bridgewater.
Painting keen-eyed op shop boss thought 'a bit special' turns out to be just that
![The 'striking, simple' painting hangs in the Brunswick op-shop. The price tag? $1800](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/4/c/6/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmoxv5.png/1454993764044.jpg)
Daniella Miletic 3:55 PM 'Striking' artwork left in a Vinnie's donation bin is found to be a valuable piece of Aboriginal art - and the shop has given it a price tag to match.
Australian Grand Prix goes from noisier pit lane to recreating Melbourne's lanes
![Grand Prix ambassador Brittany Davis waves the flag for Melbourne.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/8/c/a/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp5ny.png/1454992891377.jpg)
Suzanne Carbone 3:41 PM At this 21st birthday party, the noise will be blasted louder than the year before and the fashion will be very 1990s.
"I'm so scared of making them angry" - why we don't show their faces
![Premier Daniel Andrews, with asylum seekers' children at Melbourne Zoo, has called on federal government to let them ...](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/o/v/r/m/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp9w6.png/1455045815307.jpg)
Jason Dowling 3:05 PM Showing the faces of children that could be sent to Nauru would not break Australian law, but would not be in the best interest of the children, according to the Human Rights Law Centre. Â
Dad busted on school run was three times over the limit
![Father stopped on school run was found to have blood alcohol concentration of 0.169.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/s/i/0/r/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmpc73.png/1454987723740.jpg)
Chloe Booker 2:15 PM Father stopped driving daughter to school found to have blood alcohol concentration of 0.169.
Case dropped against man accused of trying to fight IS
![Jamie Williams leaves court after federal prosecutors dropped their case against him.](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/6/n/c/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp26b.png/1454986801591.jpg)
Adam Cooper 1:59 PM Federal prosecutors have dropped a criminal case against a Melbourne man who was accused of trying to fight in the Middle East against Islamic State.
Lettuce farm could have salmonella answers in days
![Coles 4 leaf salad mix](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/p/5/q/0/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp5ro.png/1454980957775.jpg)
Staff Reporters 12:22 PM The source of a salmonella outbreak that prompted a nationwide recall of pre-packaged lettuce from Victoria could be known this week.
Commuter pain as trouble trifecta hits Craigieburn train line
![train](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/2/2/7/4/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmp2j4.png/1454990738698.jpg)
Marissa Calligeros, Deborah Gough 10:48 AM A trouble trifecta hit the Craigieburn line on Tuesday morning.
Melbourne Express: Tuesday, February 9, 2016
![Melbourne Express icons - sunrise](/web/20160209221711im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/1/m/m/1/f/d/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gmo57b.png/1455051772447.jpg)
Kickstart your day with breaking news, commuter and weather updates.