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The Faceless Man
Scrutiny of grants awarded under fallen ministers
Auditors will examine grants issued in the gaming and multicultural affairs portfolios under the tenures of two under-pressure MPs.
Victoria records first Omicron case; second booster vaccine approved
Victoria has recorded its first confirmed Omicron case in an international traveller currently isolating in a Melbourne quarantine hotel, while two other cases in the community are under investigation.
‘Missing children’: Victoria records biggest fall in births in Australia
Financial insecurity caused by the COVID pandemic has overlaid ongoing issues already contributing to Australia’s falling fertility rate, one demographer says.
Shepparton woman faces court over alleged forced marriage of slain daughter
The hearing was dominated by the testimony of a family friend responsible for the pair’s matchmaking.
Analysis
China relations
Will Australia’s diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics make any difference?
Diplomatically, going second can be as risky as going first. Especially when announcing a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics.
Live
The Ashes
‘A good start’ Cummins on first day as skipper after England rolled for 147
Australia’s captain Pat Cummins took five wickets - his first such hail against England on a very impressive first outing as Australian captain.
Latest live posts
LoadingWatch: Starc gets wicket with first ball of the Ashes
There were unbelievable scenes at the Gabba, with Mitchell Starc bowling Rory Burns around his legs first ball of the series!
First day in pictures: All the action from the Gabba
All the big moments from day one of the first Test captured in pictures.
AACTA Awards 2021: All the looks from the red carpet
The glam was in full force for the 11th AACTA Awards, held at the Sydney Opera House.
Hidden Collingwood cocktail bar makes World’s 50 Best list
You’ll find the discreet world-class cocktail bar in an oh-so-Melbourne location down a sketchy laneway.
How TV helped us make sense of 2021
If the year felt out of kilter, isolated and repressed, so too did many of the shows that accompanied our re-emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a field near Geelong, switch flicked on Australia’s biggest battery
At 300 megawatts, the Victorian Big Battery is one of the world’s largest. It took less than a year to build and came online just months after it caught fire.
Magellan’s star investment guru confirms split from wife
The one-time billionaire has confirmed he has separated with his wife after media speculation tied instability at the company to an upcoming divorce.
What WFH does to the brain
A new study of chess players has given an insight into how our minds function when we work remotely - and it’s a significant downgrade.
‘It backfired a little bit’: Lever explains how pushing too hard led to fainting
Jake Lever discusses why he fainted at training, North coach David Noble talks Jason Horne-Francis and Hugh Greenwood, and a former Roos forward wins the Saints’ time trial.
Nothing silly from Stewart as star Cat travels on the road to recovery
Three-time All-Australian and reigning best-and-fairest winner Tom Stewart is progressing well after injury derailed his season.
Local
Breaking
Crime
Foster to be extradited to Queensland over alleged $2m cryptocurrency scam
The notorious conman was arrested by Federal Police on Tuesday near Gisborne after a six-month investigation to locate him.
Exclusive
Victorian election
Liberal alarm over Kew fundraising push
Kew was once Liberal Party heartland. But after a drink-driving scandal and successive swings against the party, it’s now a marginal seat with an intriguing preselection vote this weekend.
Victoria records first Omicron case, probes two other possible infections
Genomic sequencing results confirm a traveller in hotel quarantine system has contracted the new strain of COVID-19, as authorities require close contacts of two other individuals to isolate for 14 days.
Primary schools at centre of large COVID clusters
Evie brought the virus home and one by one her family tested positive. But evidence shows vaccination is still curtailing the spread in households.
‘They don’t treat you like a problem child’: Foyers a fix for homeless youth
Facilities at three TAFE campuses help people aged 16 to 24 who want to study but can’t live at home. On Wednesday, the youth foyers program will receive a funding boost.
Politics
PM cools talk of Berejiklian moving to Canberra as Joyce compares her to Trump
Scott Morrison has talked down the chance of Gladys Berejiklian joining Federal Parliament but Barnaby Joyce said he would find it easy to work with her if she did.
Business
Betoota Advocate publisher to lead Junkee following sale
The man behind popular satirical website The Betoota Advocate will become the publisher of youth news publication Junkee following its sale to independent digital and production company RACAT Group.
World
Updated
Courts
‘National embarrassment’: Former Malaysian PM loses court appeal over role in $6.3b corruption scandal
Najib Razak still faces 12 years’ jail for his part in one of the world’s worst fraud cases, 1MBD.
Opinion
It should surprise no one that Trump’s artful deal is under investigation
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Senior business columnist
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Property
Melbourne house prices in surprise fall at auction
The median auction house price fell in Sydney and Melbourne last month, as a huge volume of listings offered buyers more choice. Is it a blip, or could booming house price growth be coming to an end?
Rental prices tipped to rise as vacancies hit multi-year low
Renters across Australia face fewer options in finding their next home, with vacancy rates at a multi-year low and expected to fall further.
Lifestyle
I don’t want to attend my work Christmas party. Is this a bad move?
If there has ever been a time to allow yourself the freedom to do what you want to do rather than what you think might be expected, this could be the year.
Culture
★★
Review
How did Dear Evan Hansen go from Broadway hit to screen miss?
The show won the Tony Awards for best musical and best score in 2017 but the movie is underwhelming. I blame the fiddlers.
Sport
Live
The Ashes
Ashes 2021/22 first Test LIVE updates: Captain Cummins snares five as Australia tear through England
Australia have dominated the first day of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba, with England in disarray.
‘Backfired a little bit’: Lever explains fainting episode
Around the grounds: Jake Lever discusses why he fainted at training, North coach David Noble talks Jason Horne-Francis and Hugh Greenwood, and a former Roos forward wins the Saints’ time trial.
Brondello: Cambage absence won’t loom over Opals
Opals coach Sandy Brondello says her side has to move on with players committed to the national team as they look to the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sydney in September.
Updated
Australian Open
Djokovic named among Australian Open entries
Tennis Australia has strongly denied it is seeking “loopholes” for unvaccinated players, while Novak Djokovic’s name is among the list of Australian Open entrants.
Updated
Women's AFL
AFL’s goal: Make AFLW players highest-paid women in domestic competition
The AFL has released a vision for the women’s game in Australia that identifies better pay for players and creating key positions within the game as targets to be reached by 2030.
Updated
AFL 2022
Crows director quits over AFL vaccine mandate
Adelaide Crows board director Nick Takos has taken aim at the AFL and the club over what he claims is a “coercive” vaccination policy.
Updated
Big Bash
Fraser-McGurk screamer helps Renegades win thriller
An early contender for catch of the season from Jake Fraser-McGurk has helped the Melbourne Renegades overcome a dramatic batting collapse to beat the Adelaide Strikers by two runs.
Have Your Say
‘Daunting prospect’: Why Warner’s 2019 nightmare has no bearing on Ashes
Pat Cummins’ assessment of the opener’s fear factor in the nets highlights England’s difficulty in taming ‘The Bull’.
