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Hot-spot residents may face strict lockdowns to curb outbreaks
Victorians living in coronavirus hotspots could be subject to strict stay-at-home directions and see a heavy police presence in their neighbourhoods if the spread of COVID-19 cannot be suppressed.
- by Sumeyya Ilanbey
Victoria should consider hard lockdown: experts
Experts behind Australia’s COVID-19 strategy say Victoria should consider a lockdown of up to eight weeks or brace for continual outbreaks and last-minute changes to restrictions until a vaccine is created.
- by Michael Fowler
Ministerial staff banned from holding Labor Party positions
The Victorian government's latest move follows an Age and 60 Minutes investigation that revealed ministers, and a ministerial staffer, had engaged in industrial-scale branch stacking.
- by Sumeyya Ilanbey
Long waits as testing stations grapple with 'extremely high demand'
Coronavirus testing hubs around Melbourne are facing a massive increase in demand, with people being turned away from drive-through sites or waiting hours to be seen.
- by Aisha Dow
More top stories
'We're even more vigilant now': Life in a Victorian 'hotspot'
New COVID-19 hotspots have been identified in areas across Melbourne and residents are bracing themselves for another set of restrictions.
- by Lisa Favazzo
Breaking
FIFA Women's World Cup
Japan withdraws from Women's World Cup race
Japan's move over hosting right in 2023 is a boost to Australia and New Zealand's bid to stage the Cup.
- by Dominic Bossi
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
This positive test shows how complacent we've become
It's easy to get up in arms about an AFL player's conduct, but are you doing any better or are you just as susceptible?
- by Marnie Vinall
Analysis
US votes 2020
Tulsa rally gives a glimpse of Trump's 2020 strategy
His first campaign was notable for attacks on immigrants and Muslims. This one promises more of the same.
- by Jose A. Del Real
Exclusive
Dyson Heydon
High Court inquiry finds former justice Dyson Heydon sexually harassed associates
Dyson Heydon was a serial sexual harasser of his young female associates, an inquiry by the court found.
- by Kate McClymont and Jacqueline Maley
In Other News
AFL
Updated
AFL bans contact training for large groups
AFL has banned contact training in large groups for the next four weeks after Bomber Conor McKenna's positive result.
- by Jake Niall
Updated
McKenna to have full antibody test to rule out possibility of a false positive
Sources indicate most of Conor McKenna's small training group was made up of defenders.
- by Michael Gleeson and Daniel Cherny
Local
Secrecy ends over dead mum and ex-partner accused of her bloody murder
Media can now name Noeline Dalzell, who died in February after allegedly being stabbed by her former partner James Fairhall who has been charged with murder.
- by Adam Cooper and Erin Pearson
Young man dies in second fatal stabbing within a week
Machar Kot, 21, was taken to hospital after being stabbed outside The Oaks hotel on Market Street.
- by David Estcourt
Commuters may never return to the roads, says Transurban boss
However, the CEO expects delivery vans will take the place of commuters due to a mass shift to online shopping.
- by Patrick Hatch
Updated
Coronavirus pandemic
Teachers, H&M staff among Victoria's 16 new COVID-19 cases
Victoria has notched its largest single-day increase in community transmission numbers since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the government mulls reimposing stay-at-home restrictions in hotspots.
- by Melissa Cunningham and Craig Butt
Government 'deeply concerned' hit-run driver Puneet Puneet is missing
Urgent investigations are underway after claims Puneet Puneet has gone missing in India ahead of expected extradition.
- by Rachael Dexter
From our partners
Politics
Call to hasten tax cuts as nation faces years of low rates
Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said the economy needed a boost to private demand and that would be best served by bringing forward the tax cuts.
- by Shane Wright
Updated
Superannuation
Kevin Rudd, super funds lash 'out of touch' Coalition MPs over call to freeze rate
- by Rob Harris and Jennifer Duke
Business
NAB's McEwan says banks will be less profitable in short-term
National Australia Bank boss Ross McEwan has warned shareholders in the country's banks would wear lower returns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- by Clancy Yeates
World
Chinese pharmacy chain boss sentenced to jail for 15 years over fake masks
The chairman of a chain of pharmacies in Beijing jailed for selling more than 500,000 counterfeit 3M Corp masks during the coronavirus epidemic.
American citizen, history teacher among victims of UK stabbing
- by Robert Mendick, Charles Hymas, Victoria Ward and Martin Evans
Hong Kong lawyers raise alarm over Carrie Lam's power to pick judges
- by Greg Torode and James Pomfret
Opinion
Sorry seems to be the merest word
Warwick McFadyen
Australian politics is becoming a sick, inside joke
Sean Kelly
Columnist and former adviser to Labor prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
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Editor's Picks
Property bydomain
The tiny Victorian town only connected to electricity 22 years ago
It’s hard to believe this picturesque town was only connected to electricity in 1998, an astounding 100 years after most Australian towns.
- by Kate Jones
'Back to last year': Clearance rates head to downturn levels, despite big sales
Sydney and Melbourne's auction clearance rates are heading towards downturn levels despite some big results at the weekend.
- by Melissa Heagney
Life & Culture
Opinion
Indigenous
The Instagram movement raising voices we need to hear
I feel that as a non-Indigenous person, I know less today than I did once, and for now I think that’s just how it’s going to be. My learning, like others’ healing, takes time.
- by Jamila Rizvi
A timely reminder that live Aussie music deserves a spot in TV schedules
- by Craig Mathieson and Ben Pobjie
Food bygoodfood
Travel bytraveller
Cars bydrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Updated
AFL 2020
Bombers ask AFL to consider postponing Carlton game
Essendon has told the AFL of their view that the league's flexible arrangements should allow for postponed games.
- by Jake Niall and Sam McClure
Pies launch investigation into Lumumba allegations
Collingwood have launched a formal investigation into the renewed allegations of racism from premiership player Heritier Lumumba.
- by Daniel Cherny
Could Rowell win the Brownlow?
Gavin Wanganeen, who won the Brownlow Medal at 20, says it’s not out of the question that Matt Rowell could go one better at 19.
- by Daniel Cherny
If the ground is moving, can fairness stand?
Conor McKenna's positive COVID-19 test throws the season into further turmoil for everyone. But for now there is no choice other than to deal with it.
- by Greg Baum
Breaking
FIFA Women's World Cup
Japan withdraws from Women's World Cup race in huge boost for trans-Tasman bid
Japan has withdrawn from the vote for hosting rights in 2023, leaving Colombia and the trans-Tasman bid as the only options.
- by Dominic Bossi
AFL explores Western Australia 'rolling hub' plan
The AFL is in negotiations with the WA government about a plan that would see two Victorian teams at a time stay and play in a hub.
- by Michael Gleeson
Leave it alone: Carter backs CA board structure
Colin Carter was a driving force behind the introduction of an indepedent CA board of directors and doesn't back state backroom agitation for change.
- by Jon Pierik
Have Your Say
Real Footy podcast: 'It seems Victoria has become the scourge of the nation'
When will we know what will happen with the fixture going forward? How far ahead will the AFL plan? And was the league actually lucky in how the weekend played out?