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Exclusive
Organised crime
‘Serious threat’: intel report says Qantas targeted by organised crime groups
A classified federal law enforcement intelligence operation code-named Project Brunello has determined that a ‘significant’ number of Qantas staff are linked to criminality.
Exclusive
Crime
The cartel of Australian Mr Bigs responsible for $1.5b drug imports
Nine men drawn from Australian bikie gangs, Asian triads and Middle Eastern crime syndicates make up what criminal intelligence authorities have called the ‘Aussie Cartel’.
COVID-19 CRISIS
Delta spread key to lockdown call as state’s vaccine supply doubled
Victoria’s top public health advisers will over the next few days make a crucial judgement call on whether it is likely that the Delta variant is spreading undetected in the state.
Train line among Victoria’s new exposure sites as list grows
A key train line to and from Melbourne’s north has been added to the long list of Victorian exposure sites overnight after a passenger infected with COVID travelled between Merlynston Station and the CBD last week.
Opinion
AFL 2021
Four Points: Dreams realised on Perth’s biggest stage
It is an event bigger than the game itself, and one that has gained a hold in the imagination of the football-following public. It was the whole event, not just the contest, that drew people to the game.
Michael Gleeson
Sports columnist
Exclusive
Victorian Parliament
Leaked WhatsApp messages show Coalition infighting over ‘low’ tactics
Members of the Coalition’s two parties trade barbs about strategy of purchasing website domains bearing the names of political opponents.
Opinion
ABC
ABC versus the government is a song that remains the same
Tensions between the government and the ABC have again boiled over, despite the PM’s intention to steer clear of the controversies his predecessors delighted in stoking.
Stephen Brook
CBD columnist
Four Corners pushes to air QAnon episode within weeks
ABC managing director David Anderson will return to Canberra today to face questions over his decision to delay an episode that explores PM Scott Morrison’s ties to a QAnon supporter.
Exclusive
Education
Security concern over remote learning after threatening strangers breach online classrooms
Incidents included one in which an abusive stranger entered an online Google Classroom session and tried to engage in what was described as concerning sexual behaviour.
‘Organised chaos’: How two parents are guiding their six kids through a fourth lockdown
Mum Tess Falconer, from Hoppers Crossing, says there are days she feels like crying, but she enjoys the extra time to talk with her children, while dad Darren admires his six kids’ resilience in the face of lockdown 4.0.
Meghan and Harry name new baby girl after the Queen and Princess Diana
The couple named the baby Lilibet ‘Lili’ as a tribute to her great-grandmother, the Queen.
Just you wait - Hamilton thrilled with move to Melbourne
Jason Arrow, who plays the title role in Hamilton, says moving to Her Majesty’s Theatre will create a more intimate show for Melbourne audiences.
MasterChef recap: Oh my cod, this fishy elimination is totally off the scale
The fin-ish line is in sight for a MasterChef favourite, as fish king Josh Niland sets a tricky three-course Murray cod challenge.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
Opinion
How Melbourne became A Quiet Place and now I’m stuck in it
I saw A Quiet Place II a week and a half ago, and the next morning I was plunged into my very own real-life horror movie.
Danny Katz
Columnist
‘Killing me mentally’: Melbourne’s psychic struggles in lockdown 4.0
It’s the futility and fear. For all the familiarity of Lockdown 4.0 – mandated masks; daily press conferences; panic buying of toilet paper – the psychological impact is different. We’ve done the right thing and still, all is not well.
Local
Exclusive
ALP
Labor’s grassroots push to reclaim federal seat of Melbourne from Greens
A group of prominent Labor members have united to back think tank director Emma Dawson for preselection in the seat held by Greens leader Adam Bandt.
Ben Roberts-Smith's parents pledge support on eve of defamation trial
The parents of former SAS solider Ben Roberts-Smith have said they are proud of their son after arriving in Sydney to attend his defamation trial set to begin on Monday against The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.
Wild wintry weather to batter, soak and freeze south-eastern Australia
The first big cold front of winter will whip up dust, dump hail and snow, and send the mercury tumbling before developing into a rain band.
Analysis
Coronavirus pandemic
Why Melbourne? The answer to lockdowns isn’t in demographic differences to Sydney
The idea that behavioural differences between the cities explain COVID transmission is seductive, but doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
The lockdown diaries: Melburnians share their experiences
Five Melburnians are keeping us up to date on how they’re spending their lockdown; FaceTiming grandma, fending off nightmares and finding comfort in BMX Bandits.
AFL 2021
Opinion
Comebacks, new blood and Demons galore in All-Australian mid-year team
While Richmond have long personified the cliche of champion team, Melbourne appear more propelled by star power. In my mid-year All-Australian team for 2021, the Demons have six of the 22.
Jake Niall
Chief football writer, The Age
As it happened: Dogs brush aside Freo, Blues season close to done
It’s potentially all over for the season for Carlton. Going into the bye, having played 12 games, they’ve only won four. In tonight’s other game, the Bulldogs bounced back from their loss against Melbourne by brushing aside Fremantle.
Politics
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
Morrison government has to do its job better before mandating vaccine
The cornerstone of a legitimate vaccine mandate is that you don’t mandate until you’ve exhausted other options.
Dr Katie Attwell
Senior lecturer in the school of social sciences at the University of Western Australia
Business
‘Millions impacted’: Industry super group faces ransomware attack lawsuit
IFM has been hit with a class action that alleges millions of consumers, from large businesses to regular motorists, paid higher prices for fuel when the pipeline was closed following a ransomware attack.
World
Netanyahu alleges ‘the greatest election fraud,’ fears of political violence mount
Naftali Bennett, the nationalist set to replace Netanyahu, called on Israel’s longest-serving leader not to leave “scorched earth” behind.
Opinion
For we are one and safe: how Australia surrenders its liberty by tiptoeing around press freedom
Jonathan Holmes
Journalist and former presenter of Media Watch
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Property bydomain
These are the only 11 neighbourhoods where house prices aren't rising
The handful of neighbourhoods escaping soaring house prices have been revealed, with fewer than a dozen areas recording price falls in recent months.
Home sells online for $2.619m in Melbourne's lockdown auction market
The home was one of several that sold for more than $1 million despite buyers not being able to attend on-street auctions due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Life & Culture
‘You rarely find me out of black’: how a Melbourne chef dresses for winter
“Fashion should be fun and interesting, always,” says Shannon Martinez.
Sport
Opinion
AFL 2021
Four Points: Dreams realised on Perth’s biggest stage
At Optus Stadium on Saturday night was an event bigger than the game itself, and one that has gained a solid foothold in the imagination of the football-following public. It was the whole event, not just the contest, that drew people to the game.
Michael Gleeson
Sports columnist
Bontempelli and Macrae lead the way as Dogs outclass bruised Dockers
The Western Bulldogs remain within touching distance of the ladder-leading Demons after a gritty win over Fremantle in Perth on Sunday night, to improve their win-loss record to 10-2.
‘Hopeless’: Cochrane swipes at Vic government, says grand final move on cards
Suns chairman says it’s “almost probable” the grand final will have to be played away from the MCG due to Victoria’s handling of COVID-19, but Martin Pakula has “absolute confidence” the decider will be back in Melbourne.
Undermanned Eagles outwork Carlton
Carlton’s season of a thousand cuts has reached its all but fatal bleed after the Blues were out-hustled by a severely undermanned but gritty West Coast at the SCG on Sunday.
Brooks’ last-gasp leveller may spare Victory the spoon
Lleyton Brooks came off the bench to rescue a point for Victory, and possibly spare the club a first wooden spoon.
September deadline for Melbourne grand prix call
Australian GP bosses say they do not have to start building infrastructure at Albert Park for Formula One until September and are hopeful the three months of breathing space will work in their favour.
Cats’ choice: home lockdown or hotel quarantine
Geelong’s players and staff will have to decide whether to put their entire families into home lockdown or quarantine in hotels without them before Thursday’s trip to Adelaide.
Have Your Say
Comebacks, new blood and Demons galore in All-Australian mid-year team
While Richmond have long personified the cliche of champion team, Melbourne appear more propelled by star power. In my mid-year All-Australian team for 2021, the Demons have six of the 22.
Jake Niall
Chief football writer, The Age
