Puzzled with David Astle newsletter
For subscribers: Tips and tricks from our puzzles guru, plus try our quizzes, crosswords and puzzles.
Trial by Water podcast
A new investigative podcast about one of Australia’s most controversial cases.
Download our app
Follow top stories, personalise your news feed and receive important alerts.
Bruce Lehrmann and the Toowoomba rape case that puts him back in court
“Can you call urgently??? Lehrmann has been charged with rape in Qld.” As rival TV networks battled over the Brittany Higgins story, another case was building.
‘Nuisance’ rain on the way as Melbourne’s cold, foggy mornings roll on
Melburnians shivered through the coldest day in five years on Thursday, and the cold fronts are expected to keep coming next week.
Exclusive
Trial by Water
‘Fried noodles #23’: Witness’s new detail raises crucial question in Farquharson case
Dawn Waite’s evidence excited police, swayed Robert Farquharson’s ex-wife against him and was held to be crucial by the judge. But it might well have been impossible.
Philip’s customer paid for their meal. Later he realised something was wrong with the cash
Melbourne hospitality businesses are already doing it tough, with diners spending less and costs soaring. Now they need to be on the look for this scam.
Young couple pays $200,000 above reserve for spacious Yarraville home
It took a vendor bid to start the auction before three bidders pushed the price well above the reserve.
Former Andrews adviser ousted from lobby firm, denies bullying claims
John-Paul Blandthorn – the brother of Allan government minister Lizzie Blandthorn – said he was seeking legal advice after being sacked from Labor-linked firm Hawker Britton.
Exclusive
Dustin Martin
Dusty in his own words: Watch the champion Tiger’s most revealing interview
A rare video interview shows that Dustin Martin was an excellent judge of his football strengths and weaknesses, even before he launched his spectacular AFL career.
Jack breaks silence on China drugs scandal as further positive cases emerge
Shayna Jack, whose two-year drugs ban deprived her of a place at the Olympics in 2021, has responded to the news three Chinese gold medallists from Tokyo tested positive to Clenbuterol in 2016-17.
Music, merriment and maybe a streaker on show in Melbourne’s favourite footy fundraiser
Melbourne’s musicians and the city’s community radio hosts will battle it out again in the Reclink Community Cup on Sunday.
Opinion
Film & TV production
What makes Bridgerton so bingeable? It holds men to women’s beauty standards
The one thing we’ve learned over decades of watching actors arrive on the world stage and be labelled heartthrobs is that the burden of attractiveness rests much more easily on men than it does women.
Zoya Patel
Writer
Opinion
Retirement living
How to retire sooner with less (and still be comfortable)
Here’s what to consider if you want to retire before you reach age pension age but don’t have a big superannuation balance.
Bec Wilson
Money contributor
Opinion
Ageing
Michael Mosley’s death reminded me of what an ER doctor once told me
The modern truism that 80 is the new 60, and 60 is the new 40, ignores the fact that not everyone’s body is going to get the memo.
Deborah Snow
Senior writer
‘Close to out of control’: Boeing 737 plunged within 120m of ocean near Hawaii
The previously unreported mishap adds to a spate of safety incidents that have caught the public’s attention.
Podcast
Trial by Water
Trial By Water, Episode 3: The star witnesses – and the problem with memory evidence
Listen now to the third episode of the podcast investigation on the Robert Farquharson case – and why memory evidence can be particularly fraught in murder trials.
They were once farm roads. Now they run between sleek townhouses and yacht-filled marinas
Bordered by market gardens and a giant sewage treatment farm, the former farm town of Werribee is experiencing irresistible population growth.
Recipe collection
Pudding
Five warm and saucy puddings to make this weekend
Sink your spoon into these warm self-saucing puddings, perfect for a wintry weekend.
WEEKEND READS
The controversial lawsuits that could end reality TV as we know it
Chaos has always been what drives reality TV but it could also be the reason the genre, as we know it, might be over.
Dutton has revved up the climate war – and scientists and business are in despair
The return of the climate war has entrenched old fault lines.
Victoria
Exclusive
Ambulance Victoria
Leaked reports detail ‘dangerous’ Ambulance Victoria call-centre crisis
WorkSafe has threatened legal action if the ambulance service does not quickly address the worker shortages that are damaging the health of staff and potentially threatening public safety.
Exclusive
Healthcare
‘Hands off our hospital’: Victorian towns fighting to keep health services
Victoria’s auditor-general has been asked to investigate the true financial state of the health system as the government prepares for amalgamations.
Teachers told to ignore Victoria’s phonics push as union lashes deputy premier
An outraged teachers’ union has blasted Education Minister Ben Carroll for failing to respect the profession in a fierce response to the state government’s reading mandate.
Man from family linked to the AFL charged with rapes
The man, who is charged with two counts of rape and three counts of perverting the course of justice, on Friday won a court fight to keep his identity secret.
Accused Facebook fashion scammer faces dozens of fraud charges
Alana Petridis allegedly lured at least 23 people into a sophisticated social media scam selling designer clothes. Investigators believe there are many other alleged victims across Australia
AFL 2024
The ‘Pied piper’ leading the charge at AFL’s new Tasmanian team
Tasmania Devils executive director Kath McCann was the brainchild behind the club’s $10 memberships, which have already attracted 195,000 members.
Confidence grows for Lions as grand finalists take points in Gabba shoot-out
The Lions held on to claim the four points despite a fearless comeback in the final term from St Kilda.
Politics
Exclusive
Renewables
The truth about Australia’s race to roll out renewables
New figures heighten the dispute over energy policy after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton revealed this week he would not set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Business
The fallen tech titan, a suburban gangland lawyer and a $26.6m mystery
The corporate watchdog is investigating what happened to $75 million of an ASX-listed company’s cash. At the centre of the investigation are two men – a gangland lawyer and a charming tech executive.
World
‘Not out of the woods’: Princess of Wales gives update on cancer treatment
Catherine said she is making good progress ahead of her first public appearance since surgery revealed the presence of cancer.
Opinion
Five reasons the Greens believe the next election could be their best
James Massola
National affairs editor
Explore
Got a news tip?
Share information with our journalists securely and confidentially. Learn more
Property
The magic number that tips the rental market in tenants’ favour
Experts say it’s been years since the market has favoured renters, and it would take years of high vacancy rates to reverse the rental crisis.
How much faster rents have risen than wages
Experts say other interim measures, such as rent caps and slowing immigration, are needed to ease the pressure on renters until 1.2 million needed homes are built.
Good Food
Recipe collection
Pudding
Five warm and saucy puddings to make this weekend
Lifestyle
Men need to be better at helping men. Their lives depend on it
As a society, we have made progress in talking about men’s mental health. But not nearly enough.
Culture
How a $1 million film about a walk stared down Furiosa
Cinema revenues are collapsing, and Australia is no exception. But that doesn’t mean we’ve fallen out of love with the movies.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Analysis
European Championships
And the winner is … Robotinho predicts the Euro 2024 champions
After a mixed return at last year’s Women’s World Cup, our resident AI football expert is back to find the winner of the European Championships, which kicked off on Saturday.
Robotinho, Mark Stehle and Emma Kemp
Jack breaks silence on China drugs scandal as further positive cases emerge
Shayna Jack, whose two-year drugs ban deprived her of a place at the Olympics in 2021, has responded to the news three Chinese gold medallists from Tokyo tested positive to Clenbuterol in 2016-17.
Live
AFL 2024
AFL 2024 round 14 LIVE updates: Monster crowd in the house for Dusty’s 300th; Bulldogs dine out on Fremantle
Hawthorn are doing their best to play the role of party-pooper in Dusty Martin’s 300th match at the MCG, moving to a decisive lead at half-time. Earlier, the Bulldogs did a job on Fremantle and The Bont booted a memorable goal.
Exclusive
Dustin Martin
Dusty in his own words: Watch the champion Tiger’s most revealing interview
A rare video interview shows that Dustin Martin was an excellent judge of his football strengths and weaknesses, even before he launched his spectacular AFL career.
Is Brodie Grundy the key to unlocking a Swans’ premiership?
He has been hailed as the shrewdest piece of business the Swans have done for years, but can ruck Brodie Grundy deliver a premiership to the Swans?
Updated
ICC Men’s World Cup
USA, Afghanistan upset heavyweights in topsy-turvy T20 World Cup
The Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States has had some great moments, but how many people have noticed?
Surging Lions victorious against Saints in shootout no one saw coming
Joe Daniher kicked five goals in an inspired display as the Brisbane Lions survived a frenetic late fightback from St Kilda for a 20-point win at the Gabba. Re-live the key moments from Brisbane.
Have Your Say
Dusty’s journey from Castlemaine kid to silent superstar
Here are 10 key moments that have helped shape Dustin Martin the man, and Martin the footballer, ahead of his 300th game.