Evening edition
The day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy.
Naked City podcast
Journey into the criminal underworld with Australia’s most formidable crime reporter - John Silvester.
Take The Age quiz
Test your knowledge of Melbourne and Victoria with Stephen Brook’s weekly quiz.
Exclusive
Political leadership
On the eve of his final speech, Morrison reveals the PM he wants to be like when he leaves
His choice of who he would like to emulate in his life after politics might surprise some. The former PM also gave his views on what a possible second Donald Trump presidency would mean for Australia.
Key promise still unmet, prolonging stand-off over airport rail
Three months after the federal government said it would resolve the Melbourne Airport Rail stalemate, no one has been appointed to broker the peace.
Exclusive
Nuclear energy
Voters warm to nuclear as mining billionaire slams Coalition ‘bulldust’
Andrew Forrest has criticised the Coalition for advocating nuclear energy to modernise the electricity grid as an exclusive survey reveals that 36 per cent of voters support its use.
Victoria has funded this program since 1967. That could end this year
For Sogol Moradi, 15, playing violin with Melbourne Youth Orchestras helps her cope with ongoing health issues. But the state government has withdrawn $200,000 in funding, leaving some students in limbo.
Opinion
Tax reform
The tax office could send you cash each year. Instead, we’ve got more accountants than farmers
Australians are among the highest users of accountants for personal tax in the world, beaten only by Italy and its byzantine tax system.
Shane Wright
Senior economics correspondent
Opinion
Life in the ’burbs
Families once fled my ‘struggletown’ suburb. Then the gentrifiers arrived
I once disembarked the tram at Bridge Road to wafts of Cussons Imperial Leather soap from the factory. But times have well and truly changed.
Claire Heaney
Writer
It’s a love story: The couples who got engaged in front of Taylor
Taylor Swift unknowingly provided the live soundtrack for several proposals over her Melbourne and Sydney Eras Tour shows.
Another moody triumph from pop’s secret weapon
She’s penned global chart-topping hits, but Erika de Casier keeps one foot in the shadows with her new album.
Captain won’t hide from Melbourne’s problems, but this is his main goal
The Demons have been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this off-season but Max Gawn says their main motivation is to redeem themselves for losing four straight finals.
‘There’s enough crash and bash’: Magpies, Cats guard against concussion
Premiership stars Darcy Moore and Patrick Dangerfield have revealed their clubs have changed their approaches to contact training in a bid to avoid concussion.
The pain behind spin great’s call to end two-Test series
Nathan Lyon has implored cricket authorities to mandate a minimum of three-match Test series, fuelled by the unresolved pain of his very first meeting with New Zealand.
Gun safety scrutinised after police Glock allegedly used in murders
As police continue to search for the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, questions are being raised about serious gaps in the force’s oversight of its weapons.
Rolfe pushed child, dragged him from bin during arrest
Former constable Zachary Rolfe arrested a child hiding in a bin by pushing it over and dragging him from it, a year before killing Indigenous teenager Kumanjayi Walker.
Lemon-flavoured drinks are in, Endeavour boss says. Here’s what’s driving the rise
The CEO of Dan Murphy’s and BWS’ parent company says spritzers are also about to make a comeback.
The French dining tradition that we’ve all overindulged in
This sort of dining is an institution on almost all cruise ships, as is the tendency to wildly overindulge.
★★★★
Review
I couldn’t get a handle on this odd hip hop comedy, but I’m hooked
This five-part series from Vince Staples has an air of the surreal about much of what happens.
Victoria
Exclusive
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Gaza conflict engulfs Melbourne Writers Festival
The deputy chairman of the Melbourne Writers Festival has quit over what he says is “historically untrue and deeply offensive” material in this year’s program.
Exclusive
City life
Melbourne’s only world heritage-listed site is being left to deteriorate
One of the state’s most historically significant buildings is in a state of disrepair after its government funding was slashed.
Exclusive
Victorian budget
Greens’ billion-dollar tax plan to fund Victoria’s cost-of-living relief
An 0.05 per cent quarterly levy on Victoria’s share of bank liabilities would raise an estimated $1.25 billion next financial year, costings have found.
The Victorian towns where Peter Dutton is considering going nuclear
The Coalition is pushing the prospect of nuclear energy in old coal-mining towns. But do Victorians actually want them?
Calling time on wine o’clock: The hidden reasons working mothers use alcohol to cope
Mothers told researchers they struggled to meet expectations at work and home in the evening, which is when alcohol kicked in as a stress-relieving tool.
Politics
Analysis
Pacific diplomacy
Australia relieved by new Tuvalu PM, hopeful landmark treaty will hold
Labor is confident Tuvalu will continue with a climate and security pact struck with Australia last year.
Business
‘Difficult decision’: Kogan.com bumps up prices on loyalty members despite triple profit
Founder Ruslan Kogan has increased the price of its subscription program made up of its most loyal and repeat customers.
World
Updated
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Netanyahu confirms hostage deal talks, plans to move Gazans to the north
“There’s room for them to go north of Rafah to the place that we’ve already finished fighting in,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
Opinion
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Property
Newly engaged couple splashes $3m on renovated Windsor cottage
The single-fronted, three-bedroom home boasted period features and more space than meets the eye.
‘It is a crisis’: How relationship status is affecting housing stress
Buying a home solo has become tougher over the past decade. Now renting has caught up.
Good Food
Lifestyle
I went looking for the family of my lung donor. It didn’t end as planned
“I hope they know who I am, that they know I’ve tried to make something of my life, which would not have been possible without their ultimate act of love.”
Culture
Zoe Coombs Marr thought her life was boring. Until she remembered that smell
The comedian was feeling at “odds with her existence”, so she took a personal stocktake of her life. “It matters and it doesn’t matter at all.”
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
‘There’s enough crash and bash’: Magpies, Cats guard against concussion
Premiership stars Darcy Moore and Patrick Dangerfield have revealed their clubs have changed their approaches to contact training in a bid to avoid concussion.
The pain behind Lyon’s call to end two-Test series
Nathan Lyon has implored cricket authorities to mandate a minimum of three-match Test series, fuelled by the unresolved pain of his very first meeting with New Zealand.
‘We have issues going on’: Gawn won’t hide from Dees’ problems, but winning finals is his goal
The Demons have been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this off-season but Max Gawn says their main motivation is to redeem themselves for losing four straight finals.
Tickled Pink: Bowing to public demand, Nike is finally selling Matildas goalkeeper jerseys
Pink and her daughter, Willow, were the first people in the world to get their hands on a shirt that was impossible to buy last year.
Opinion
Super Rugby
A boring product trapped by pedantic rules: Why it’s time rugby joined the entertainment game
The game is going backwards economically because, aside from episodic scintillating moments like the first half of France-South Africa in the recent World Cup, it’s become lousy entertainment. Here’s how to fix it.
John Wylie
Exclusive
AFL 2024
Hardwick on why he left Tigers, feeling reinvigorated and the Sun with potential to be ‘special’
After more than a decade at Richmond, Damien Hardwick has begun a new chapter at Gold Coast. He talks to Michael Gleeson about being reinvigorated by his new club, the young Sun with a licence to do a “Dusty” and why he doesn’t regret being open about his family life to build connections.
Updated
ATP Tour
First ATP title and career-high ranking: Thompson’s Mexican ‘miracle’
Australia’s Jordan Thompson will rise to No.32 in the rankings after winning an ATP title in Los Cabos, but it took what the man himself described as a miracle to do it.
Have Your Say
Bringing the heat: The next step in the Blues’ quest for greatness
For Carlton to really make the September running this season, Michael Voss has indicated his team needs to make a statement through the home-and-away campaign, a point Harry McKay is keen to back up.