Good Weekend podcast
Behind GW’s best features: we go deeper into our most intriguing issues.
COVID-19 vaccine tracker
Explore the latest data on vaccinations around the world.
The Booklist
A weekly newsletter for book lovers from books editor Jason Steger.
Updated
Coronavirus pandemic
Andrews winds back mask rules and ramps up back-to-office plans
Victorians can take off their masks, have more visitors over, and head back to the office after the state recorded two new COVID-19 cases.
What are Victoria’s newly eased coronavirus rules?
Victoria’s coronavirus rules will ease from 11.59pm on Friday, despite two new locally acquired cases of COVID-19. Here are the new freedoms.
Updated
Syrian conflict
Biden approves airstrike against Iranian-backed militia target in Syria
The United States carried out an air strike in Syria after a series of recent rocket attacks against US targets in Iraq.
Decomposed foot of missing fraudster Melissa Caddick found on NSW South Coast
Police have discovered the remains of the businesswoman more than three months after she vanished from her Sydney home.
Live
Markets Live
ASX trims losses, still deep in the red; Afterpay, Kogan, Nuix dive
The ASX 200 has trimmed its losses after earlier plunging 2.6% to a four-week low. Rising bond yields prompted a massive sell-off on Wall Street overnight.
Trump uncancelled: Conservatives’ conference readies for his comeback
Donald Trump lost the election, but he dominates the agenda at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, held in his home base of Florida.
★★★★
Review
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis create Carnage together
The album is proof of the creative force that’s possible when the pair end up in the studio together ...
No more ‘Mr.’ Potato Head: classic toy goes gender neutral
Hasbro announced it would be rebranding the iconic quick-change toy to break away from traditional ideas about gender roles and family structures.
Analysis
Naked City
They came to farewell Ron, but he didn’t want to go
Paul cradled his partner’s skull after they were dragged out. In the ambulance the paramedics said: ‘Look, he’s not going to make it.’ That was 37 years ago.
Special Series
Out of work
Semir lands dream job, but pandemic job losses still plague state’s youth
More than 1200,000 young people were forced out of full-time jobs during the darkest days of the pandemic and while some, like Semir, are back at work, many others are still searching.
Harvey Norman faces JobKeeper pressure as profit, sales double
Gerry Harvey is eyeing off an $80m payday as his electronics and furniture company continues to benefit from the pandemic.
Opinion
Jobs
There’s no excuse, we need full employment now
The government’s complacency over the need to reach full employment needs to change for the sake of young people in particular.
Ross Gittins
Economics Editor
Five new Melbourne bars from a converted car dealership to a disco saloon
Get on the beers, wines and good times, Melbourne.
Exclusive
Olympics
Secret meeting that won Australia frontrunner status to host Olympics
Scott Morrison, Olympic champion Cathy Freeman and IOC Vice-President John Coates were all involved in behind-the-scenes talks to get Brisbane its ‘preferred candidate’ status.
The light-bulb moment that healed a Catholic-Muslim family rift
Like her writer mother, Di, educator Heather Fagan grew up Catholic. But when Heather converted to Islam, the once-close pair were at odds – until Di had an epiphany of her own.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
‘False information’ given over doctor’s vaccine qualifications
The company’s chief executive has stepped aside after an investigation found Healthcare Australia misled the government over a doctor who bungled aged care vaccinations.
‘Immensely reassuring’: 600,000-people test gives thumbs up to Pfizer vaccine
Researchers compared the people aged16 and older in Israel who were given shots in December or January to an equal number of people of similar age, sex and health who did not receive a vaccine.
Local
Exclusive
Victoria Police
‘Heavy cost’: Patrols at Melbourne train stations slump as police feel pinch
The number of Melbourne train stations patrolled by PSOs dropped from all 216 metropolitan platforms to a low of 52 last year, in a further sign of the growing pressures on Victoria’s stretched police force.
Intruders armed with tomahawk, gun smash their way into Keilor East home
A scream can be heard as the three thieves make their way inside the Keilor East home.
‘Transphobic’ website puts Melbourne University academics at odds
Lecturer Holly Lawford-Smith has been accused of transphobia over a website in which women are encouraged to anonymously share tales of trans encounters.
Man dead, young girl fighting for life after separate pedestrian collisions
A man has died and a young girl has life-threatening injuries following separate pedestrian collisions in Melbourne’s south-east.
RMIT University races to recover from cyber attack before students return
New enrolments have been suspended, casual wages are unpaid and academic staff have been told to defer their return to university as RMIT races to recover from a suspected phishing attack in time for the start of semester one.
OUT OF WORK IN VICTORIA
Special Series
‘It breaks my heart’: Pandemic puts business owner out of work at 58
Fiona Caffery never thought she’d be looking for a job at 58, but the small business owner is determined to make it through after COVID-19 wreaked havoc on her travel agency.
Special Series
Out of luck and out of work, Peter Shnek just wants a job
‘My life fell out from underneath me,’ says Peter Shnek, 56, who lost his job at a firewood business when state borders closed in March.
Politics
Exclusive
Super wars
‘Throwing petrol on a bonfire’: Property prices tipped to soar if super used for deposits
The median property price could jump by nine per cent or $55,000 in Melbourne if such a policy was introduced, according to Industry Super Australia.
Business
Nuix shares sink after soft first quarter
Data analytics group Nuix is confident of meeting its prospectus forecasts despite a soft first quarter, but its shares have been battered on Friday morning.
World
Pakistani, Indian militaries agree to stop firing in Kashmir
India and Pakistan’s militaries have agreed to stop firing along their disputed border in Kashmir - a move that would be a major step in defusing tensions in the highly militarised Himalayan region.
Opinion
It’s not disloyal to roll an opposition leader. Sometimes it’s necessary
Annika Smethurst
State Political Editor
Higgins rape claim raises the question: who actually cared?
David Crowe
Chief political correspondent
Morrison’s JobSeeker boost is stingy, mean and bad for the economy
Jessica Irvine
Senior economics writer
Explore
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Property bydomain
Why you should consider investing in unit blocks
What could be better than investing in a residential apartment? Buying a whole unit block on a single-title instead.
Melbourne's median auction price up by $100,000 in a year
Just weeks after Melbourne emerged from a 112-day lockdown, the median auction price hit $1 million. It has stayed above $1 million every month since.
Life & Culture
From fashion blogger to Vogue China editor-in-chief, Margaret Zhang’s meteoric rise
At 16, Margaret Zhang started her own fashion blog in Sydney. Now, aged 27, she will take control of the Chinese edition of the Vogue fashion magazine powerhouse.
Food bygoodfood
Travel bytraveller
Cars bydrive
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Sport
Breaking
AFL 2021
50 per cent capacity at MCG, Marvel for start of AFL season
The AFL has announced that the state government will allow a crowd capacity of 50 per cent at the MCG and Marvel Stadium to start the 2021 season.
Bullets in the door: Unsolved crime frustrates outgoing racing integrity boss
After 11 years in the role as Victoria’s racing integrity commissioner, Sal Perna remains frustrated.
‘Got to be a contest’: Root backs sanctions for substandard Test wickets
Joe Root called for countries who produce substandard pitches to face sanctions after India completed the fastest Test victory by any side since 1935.
Wilkin takes the lead for Rebels ... and will keep his mullet too
Brad Wilkin has endured setbacks that would have sent many players into retirement but his resilience has been rewarded.
Hurley’s health Essendon’s main concern as Carlton prevail
All eyes were on Michael Hurley as he shuffled around the boundary line on crutches to watch his teammates play Carlton with the impact of his infection obvious.
‘Just a bizarre game’: Australia in the hunt after India rout England
Australia are relying on England to bounce back from a 10-wicket defeat inside two days in Ahmedabad to make June’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s.
Shattered bones, infection, muscle death: Tiger Woods’ long road to recovery
Infections, inadequate bone healing and, in Tiger Woods’ case, previous injuries, may make a months-long or even years-long recovery more difficult, say surgeons.
Have Your Say
Sorry Tassie, the AFL can’t afford to expand for a decade: Suns chair
The massive financial impact of COVID-19 on the AFL meant it could not possibly expand with two more teams for more than a decade, Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane says.
