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ATO
Booted off the line by the Tax Office: One in four calls rejected to fudge waiting times
More than a million calls have been rejected so far this financial year and the ATO acknowledges it did so to make the average wait on other calls appear shorter – and that’s after it already lowered performance targets for 2023-24.
Premiers revolt over federal NDIS law as fears grow about cost time bomb
Premiers convened a sudden meeting last night to urge a rethink on the controversial proposal to set up a new state-based disability system.
The expensive catch-22 that prevents mothers from returning to the workforce
Bree Turner would like to work, but the cost of childcare for two children means it doesn’t stack up financially. “I’d like to contribute. And I feel like basically I’m being told, ‘you can’t work’.”
Exclusive
City life
Crackdown on dark roofs in plan for growth suburbs to stem the ‘heat island effect’
Light-coloured roofs would be mandated on new homes on small lots in growth areas under a proposed overhaul of the state’s housing code. But at least one expert has questioned whether the change makes sense for the winter months.
Allan mishap shows writing’s on the wall for political advancers
A Premier in front of a level-crossing removal project’s ‘GONE’ slogan? It was a picture opportunity that was too good to miss.
Exclusive
Political leadership
PM’s personal rating slips amid frustration with major parties
Voters have trimmed their support for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s personal performance over the past month, highlighting a challenge for Labor
How to avoid eating endangered seafood from the fish-and-chip shop this Easter
Flake and farmed salmon should not make an appearance at your Good Friday fish feast.
How an Aussie giant-killer plans to topple the world’s hottest tennis player
Chris O’Connell is just one win from the Miami Open quarters. To get there he must get past Jannik Sinner, who is still in smoking-hot form since his Australian Open win.
Be amazed by what a plumber from Tassie has done to Cirque du Soleil
Three performers now present their acts in a deluge of 10,000 litres of water, but first they had to learn to walk on it.
Graphic content
Indonesia
Indonesian military detains 13 of its own after torture video confirmed authentic
GRAPHIC CONTENT A human rights group in separatist Papua was attempting to confirm rumours that the victim later died.
Two Sydney Swans women players caught with cocaine
The two women were sentenced to a good behaviour bond in court in January.
AFL Briefing
AFL 2024
Typically forthright Saint Stocker details ‘important’ relationship with coach Lyon
Liam Stocker is embracing the freedom of playing on another one-year deal as he relishes his frank relationship with Ross Lyon.
‘Trump Tower remains mine!’ Trump gets another election-year lifeline as court pauses asset seizure
Donald Trump will have 10 days to come up with a reduced payment of $US175m, staving off a potential financial disaster that went to the heart of his business reputation.
Opinion
Xi Jinping
China’s economy is in a terrible funk – just how Xi Jinping likes it
Xi is preparing China for war, and for that, he wants to make sure all parts of the economy are geared to respond to centralised control.
Peter Hartcher
Political and international editor
Opinion
CCP influence
Yes, there are Chinese police in Fiji. But that’s none of our business
Australia has no right to dictate to Fiji who its police force works with, particularly when we already work with Chinese police on transnational crime.
Graeme Smith
Academic
Impatient, profane, even at times abusive, but Gordon Ramsay’s also probably right
In his latest show, Ramsay and entrepreneur Janine Allis compete against each other to find Australia’s best food-business talent – and neither host is a shrinking violet.
Opinion
Life in the ’burbs
Just like the legendary soapie filmed there, my suburb is going through a revival
After leaving in the 1980s, the quest for a fridge drew me back to my childhood suburb. Somehow, it had survived without us.
Daphne Briggs
Writer
Can you really ‘fix’ damaged hair and split ends?
Bond repair products have become one of the hottest trends in the haircare industry, but what do they actually do?
AFL 2024
Analysis
Sydney’s AFL teams are both 3-0. Now they’re disappearing for a month
The prospect of an all-Sydney grand final or, at the very least, a first non-Victorian premiership winner in six years, is becoming increasingly real.
Analysis
Saints’ win highlights bizarre call, Mitchell’s misstep: Key takeouts from round two
The AFL’s second round is in the books and, as usual, there is plenty to talk about after a weekend of upsets, controversy and magnificent solo performances.
Victoria
Family forced to sell two homes to pay for massive tyre pile clean-up
A disability pensioner secretly stockpiled more than 100,000 old tyres on a farm near Mildura, leaving a deceased woman’s family with a clean-up bill of $900,000.
The moment the ombudsman’s relationship with Andrews soured
In her final report to parliament, Ombudsman Deborah Glass has tried to explain the souring of relations between her office and the former Andrews government.
Exclusive
Science
This Melbourne unit is infecting people with nasty diseases... for a noble cause
Beds neatly made, fresh white walls – at first glance, this renovated ward in an old hospital building in East Melbourne seems entirely ordinary. Its mission is not.
Little Italy cashes in as Ferrari fans paint Lygon Street red
Lygon Street’s flags, fans, food and cars were all red as Melbourne’s famous dining strip celebrated Ferrari’s 1-2 finish in the Australian Grand Prix.
Updated
Road safety
Top traffic policeman fined for speeding
Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir has apologised after he was caught driving 58km/h in a 50km/h zone in Parkville earlier this year.
Politics
Exclusive
Immigration
Two detainees released before bringing cases to court
The freeing of the two men fuels accusations the government is sidestepping detainee cases that could lead to further mass releases.
Business
Boeing CEO to step down in wake of ongoing safety problems
Boeing CEO David Calhoun will step down from the embattled plane maker at the end of the year after a series of mishaps at one of America’s most storied manufacturers.
World
A guest walked into a hotel and wouldn’t leave. His next room may be a jail cell
On a June afternoon in 2018, Mickey Barreto checked into the New Yorker Hotel and was given Room 2565. His has been the best housing deal in the city’s history.
Opinion
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Property
Balwyn North rebuild fetches almost $4.6 million at auction, nearly $800,000 above reserve
The vendors of the Elledale Street house were “extremely surprised” by the sale price, listing agent Helen Yan said. It was one of 1516 auctions on Saturday.
Mitchell was trying to buy a home. Then $150,000 nearly evaporated
That amount of money would have been the difference between buying a three-bedroom and a two-bedroom house.
Good Food
Recipe collection
Easter
20 of the best Easter feasting ideas from RecipeTin Eats
Lifestyle
Opinion
Home accessories
How Marvin the robo-vac became a (weird) member of the family
When I decided to lighten my domestic load by buying a fiendishly expensive robot helper, I had no idea how much stress it would cause.
Michael Bachelard
Senior writer, The Age
Culture
Ex-Nickelodeon child stars allege abuse in new documentary
TV shows from the 1990s and 2000s such as The Amanda Show and iCarly were rife with harassment, according to a new investigative series.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Two Sydney Swans women players caught with cocaine
The two women were sentenced to a good behaviour bond in a Sydney court in January.
How Aussie giant-killer plans to topple world’s hottest tennis player
Chris O’Connell is just one win from the Miami Open quarter-finals. But to get there he must get past Jannik Sinner, who is still in smoking-hot form since his Australian Open win.
Pinned and pretzeled: Underwater wrestling regime behind Picklum’s title tilt
Australia’s brightest surfing star Molly Picklum returns home as world No.1 and in more demand than ever.
AFL Briefing
AFL 2024
‘They can expect that every week from us’: Perkins defends Essendon’s edge, stands up for Wright
Essendon young gun Archie Perkins has stood up for Peter Wright after the spearhead was criticised for his clash with a Swans favourite son. Meanwhile, the Demons received good news on the injury front for a pair of star defenders; and Saints big man Max King is headed to the tribunal.
The five Magpies who need to lift: McRae seeks energy and hunger
As Collingwood coach Craig McRae looks for a spark for his winless team, his former coach Leigh Matthews says the reigning premiers are lacking energy, and the stats show five of their key midfielders are not performing at last year’s standards.
Analysis
AFL 2024
Saints’ win highlights bizarre call, Mitchell’s misstep: Key takeouts from round two
The AFL’s second round is in the books and, as usual, there is plenty to talk about after a weekend of upsets, controversy and magnificent solo performances.
‘Red flag! I’m in the middle of the track’: Stranded F1 driver pleads for protection moments before Ferrari win
In the closing moments of Sunday’s grand prix, George Russell of Mercedes was heard calling urgently for the red flag 12 times before the safety car was deployed. Fernando Alonso was penalised for his role in the crash that left Russell stranded.
Have Your Say
At least someone from Collingwood hit a target: Nowhere to hide for Magpies’ senior players
Ross Lyon has basically said the entire competition has worked Collingwood out. Yes, he dressed it up in coach-speak, but the plain English translation was simple: “We all know what they do and how to beat them now”.
Michael Gleeson
Sports columnist
