Patrick Wright
Patrick Wright started working with ABC News Digital in Brisbane in 2012. In 2015, he moved to Melbourne, where he has worked in the Asia Pacific News Centre and the Melbourne newsroom. Follow Patrick on Twitter: @patawright
Five things we learned from the AFL chairman's departure speech
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Mike Fitzpatrick reflects on the ups and downs of his 10-year reign as AFL chairman, including Essendon's doping saga, the AFL's expansion plans, gambling and the new women's league.
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, nsw, sa, wa, tas, qld, nt
Renewed concerns after sixth death at waterskiing event in 30 years
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The death of a man during the Southern 80 waterskiing competition — the sixth fatal incident at the event since 1987 — sparks renewed concerns about the popular tourist attraction on the Victoria-New South Wales border.
Topics: water-skiing, death, community-and-society, sport, echuca-3564, moama-2731, vic, nsw, australia
Children committing serious crimes referred to Border Force for deportation
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A number of children and alleged Apex gang associates have been referred to Border Force for potential deportation, Victoria Police says.
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Police commissioners planning to apologise to child sex abuse victims
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Australia's police commissioners consider issuing an apology to victims of child sex abuse following the release of a royal commission report later this year, as victims question the need to wait.
Topics: child-abuse, community-and-society, royal-commissions, law-crime-and-justice, police, crime, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Youths transferred to adult prison after more riots at Parkville justice centre
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Seven young people are transferred out of Melbourne's troubled Parkville youth justice centre, some to a unit in a maximum-security adult prison, after rioting for six hours overnight.
Topics: youth, prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, parkville-3052, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Gastro fear as storms spread faeces on Melbourne beaches
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Authorities warn of high levels of faecal pollution at some of Melbourne's most popular beaches, sparking concerns about gastroenteritis.
Topics: water-pollution, pollution, environment, werribee-3030, melbourne-3000, vic, frankston-3199
Planned strike at Victoria's Loy Yang power station called off
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A planned 24-hour strike at Victoria's Loy Yang A power station over the Christmas and New Year period has been called off by the union.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, industry, industrial-relations, work, morwell-3840, sale-3850, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Syrian refugee tops Year 12 class with 96.65 ATAR
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A Syrian refugee, who began learning English in 2014 by watching Question Time in Parliament, achieves the highest scores of his class and becomes dux of one of Australia's biggest Catholic schools.
Topics: education, access-to-education, secondary-schools, refugees, community-and-society, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, sydenham-3037
AFL women's fixture released, all games to be broadcast on TV Feature
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The AFL announces the fixture for the inaugural women's competition, with traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton going head-to-head in the season opener.
Topics: sport, australian-football-league, women, australia, vic, wa, tas, sa, qld, nt, nsw, act
Statistics raise questions about calls to deport youth offenders
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Police statistics show the majority of violent youth crimes in Victoria are committed by people born in Australia, not overseas, despite commentary to the contrary.
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, crime-prevention, youth, community-and-society, police, immigration, melbourne-3000, vic
'That's not us': Lebanese-Australians speak out over Dutton's comments
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Members of the Australian-Lebanese community speak out against recent comments from Immigration Minister Peter Dutton that Australia made a mistake to open its doors to them, saying their contributions to the wider community are being overlooked.
Topics: refugees, immigration, community-and-society, government-and-politics, australia, lebanon
Charges expected after unrest at Malmsbury youth detention centre
Posted
Police expect to charge two men aged 18 and 19 with criminal damage after another disturbance at a Victorian youth justice centre.
Topics: prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, youth, community-and-society, malmsbury-3446, vic, australia
Three 'thunderstorm asthma' patients in critical condition
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Three people remain in a critical condition and at least four others have died after Melbourne's "thunderstorm asthma" emergency, Victoria's health department says.
Topics: asthma, diseases-and-disorders, health, states-and-territories, government-and-politics, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Locking up Victoria's young offenders in adult jails 'may breach legal obligations' (photos)
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Human rights advocates raise concerns about the Victorian Government's plan to house young offenders in adult prisons following recent riots at youth justice facilities.
Topics: prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, youth, human, rights, states-and-territories, state-parliament, parliament, government-and-politics, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Riot-prone Melbourne juvenile jail to be 'fortified' before possible move
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The Melbourne Youth Justice Centre will be fortified while the Victorian Government works on a long-term solution to problems facing the state's juvenile jails.
Topics: prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, police, crime, youth, state-parliament, parliament, government-and-politics, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, parkville-3052, malmsbury-3446
Nearly half of Australian women not up to date with cervical cancer screening
Posted
Forty-three per cent of Australian women are not being screened regularly enough for cervical cancer, a fatal disease that is almost completely preventable, according to the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation.
Topics: cervical-and-vulval-cancers, cancer, diseases-and-disorders, health, science-and-technology, melbourne-3000, vic, wa, tas, sa, qld, nsw, nt, act, australia
'No formal decision' made to close Hazelwood power station: Frydenberg
Posted
The Federal Environment Minister meets with French company ENGIE and the country's environment minister amid continued speculation over the future of the Hazelwood power plant in Victoria's Latrobe Valley.
Topics: environment, electricity-energy-and-utilities, industry, morwell-3840, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, france
Mother suing after son dies on school excursion
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The mother of a seven-year-old boy who died on an excursion in Melbourne's outer east is suing the Victorian Government and a camp operator.
Topics: courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Homes evacuated after flooding in Victoria's north-east
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Residents of Myrtleford in Victoria's north-east are told to evacuate over fears of flooding, but initial assessments suggest the area has avoided major damage.
Topics: floods, disasters-and-accidents, myrtleford-3737, wangaratta-3677, vic, australia
'I didn't give up hope': Fans thrilled as Bulldogs win final
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Western Bulldogs fans are elated after the club's first AFL premiership in 62 years, but Swans supporters have raised concerns about the umpiring in the grand final.
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000, footscray-3011, sydney-2000, vic, australia
Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari jewellery on show at Melbourne's NGV
Posted
A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria will showcase priceless jewellery from the Bulgari heritage collection, including emerald and diamond jewels gifted to Elizabeth Taylor on the set of Cleopatra.
Topics: arts-and-entertainment, human-interest, fashion, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Historic Bulldogs victory sees Melbourne turn red, white and blue
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Melbourne is already turning red, white and blue in support of the Western Bulldogs, who will play in their first AFL grand final in 55 years on Saturday.
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, community-and-society, footscray-3011, west-footscray-3012, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Man 'nearly dies' while saving dog from flooded Melbourne creek
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A man is swept a kilometre down a Melbourne creek while saving his dog from drowning, as heavy rain continues to cause headaches and flooding across Victoria.
Topics: floods, disasters-and-accidents, animals, human-interest, pascoe-vale-3044, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Melbourne 'exceeds expectations': World's most liveable city — again
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Melbourne is ranked the world's most liveable city for the sixth year in a row as Sydney drops out of the top 10.
Topics: human-interest, lifestyle, lifestyle-and-leisure, community-and-society, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Young Australians drinking 'much less' than previous generations
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Australians in their teens or early 20s are drinking about half as much alcohol as previous generations, a new study finds.
Topics: alcohol, drug-use, health, research, science-and-technology, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
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