Politics
Victoria
Police union, opposition and lawyers demand protection of QR data
Victorians’ confidence in the QR check-in system will be weakened unless rules are tightened so that only the Health Department can see the data, the state government has been warned.
- by Michael Fowler
Latest
Police sought access to QR check-in data intended for contact tracing
Police unsuccessfully requested on three occasions names and phone numbers volunteered to venues.
- by Michael Fowler
Emergency national cabinet meeting to discuss vaccine rollout
Emergency meeting of National Cabinet on Monday morning will discuss vaccine rollout as NSW Premier warns the next few days will be critical to halting Sydney outbreak.
- by Sumeyya Ilanbey, Cara Waters and Anna Patty
Well-connected ex-banker takes on council over Elsternwick tower plan
A Melbourne businessman has hired a barrister and lobbyists to fight a tower over his back fence approved by Glen Eira Council. The council isn’t backing down.
- by Clay Lucas
Exclusive
Greg Hunt
Fresh headache for Greg Hunt as grassroots campaign sets sights on his seat
A community-led election challenge to Greg Hunt in his Mornington Peninsula electorate is to be launched on Saturday.
- by Noel Towell
‘He was at work’: Hunt, Merlino defend Sutton over trip to Canberra despite 25km limit
Opposition MPs were incensed that Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton flew to Canberra on Wednesday and was subsequently on leave for a parliamentary inquiry on Friday.
- by Michael Fowler
Five patients identified as close contacts after nurse worked across hospitals
Victoria’s COVID-19 response commander says he was “exceptionally concerned and disappointed” a nurse was allowed to work at more than one site.
- by Michael Fowler and Melissa Cunningham
Opinion
Daniel Andrews
Labor is in a winning position but more lockdowns risk suburban pain
Voters are becoming more willing to turn against the state government every time the state is sent back into lockdown, in what is known as the “torture effect”.
- by Annika Smethurst
Analysis
Coronavirus pandemic
What really is going on with the tit for tat over Pfizer?
The Commonwealth has disputed the state’s claims, while the Victorian government has maintained it cannot keep up with the rate of demand at the current level of supply. So what is really going on?
- by Sumeyya Ilanbey
Exclusive
Coronavirus pandemic
Top-up Pfizer would be used to fully vaccinate Victorians, state government told Commonwealth
Health Minister Martin Foley wrote to his federal counterpart Greg Hunt thanking him for providing more Pfizer doses to meet the increased demand for vaccine uptake in Victoria.
- by Sumeyya Ilanbey
Exclusive
Coronavirus pandemic
Voters shun Labor over COVID but Andrews still preferred premier
Support for the Andrews government has dropped since the last state election but the Coalition has failed to make up ground.
- by Annika Smethurst