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The moment Shorten knew he would never be PM, and why he doesn’t mind
“What I should have done was to say every cent raised would go to income tax cuts,” Bill Shorten said.
Exclusive
Building Bad
CFMEU administrator: Union ‘worse than what has previously been reported’
Two weeks after taking on the toughest job of his life, Mark Irving is vowing to pursue both dishonest unionists and employers who have contributed to a culture of fear and intimidation in the industry.
Exclusive
Performing arts
MSO’s dark past of secret payouts, gag orders, buried complaints
A troubling pattern of management and governance practices is said to exist at Australia’s oldest professional orchestra.
End of the train line: Life on Melbourne’s outer fringe
Shiny new build homes surround the station and then give way abruptly to green paddocks with cows grazing in them.
Opinion
Superannuation
Three of the biggest retirement myths, busted
A few beliefs about retirement seem to persistently buzz around, no matter how much we try to swat them away.
Bec Wilson
Money contributor
The type of home that’s holding the Melbourne property market back
Melbourne has about twice as many as Perth and Adelaide, which is why the Victorian capital has recorded a lower median value.
It takes a village: Why Carlton’s Adam Saad is a hero in this community
As Carlton’s number 42 lines up against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night, Adam Saad will be embodying the aspirations of a community that has followed his rise to AFL stardom.
‘My chronological age is 44, but my biological age is 34’: How Tristan is fighting to stay forever young
Want to live 20, 30, 50 years beyond the norm? Some with wealth and ambition are eagerly pursuing that dream to the extreme.
Exclusive
Palaeontology
Scientists dissolved a boulder in acid – and a thylacine jumped out
The bone-crushing fossilised jaws were one of three Tasmanian tiger ancestors uncovered by palaeontologists, amid a contentious effort to resurrect the marsupial carnivore.
Coming in hot: 10 soon-to-open restaurants to make a booking at this spring
Including a fancy French behemoth six years in the making and a 1500-person “island-themed oasis” in the middle of the city.
Small secret becomes online puzzle phenomenon (6,7)
Minute Cryptic, an Australian crossword craze, is going global. In less than a month 100,000 people were tuning in, and a community had formed, offering opinions, feedback and suggestions.
Trump’s sentencing for hush-money case delayed until after US election
Judge Merchan’s decision caps off a lucky legal streak for the Republican candidate.
Opinion
Foreign relations
Australia’s critical supply chains rely on China. This man I met at the White House has a Plan B
The Biden White House wants to create a new supply chain of democratic powers, including the G7 nations plus South Korea and Australia. But it’s running out of time to make it happen.
Peter Hartcher
Political and international editor
‘The proof is in the listening’: The bars giving vinyl another spin
Plus: Get ready for the weekend with these fresh diversions.
The greatest year in Australian music? No question, it was 2008
It was the year local music pivoted away from pub anthems and alt-rock. So why have 2008’s best breakouts been forgotten?
New luxury ship with the ‘finest cuisine at sea’ floats out
There is no disputing the quality of Oceania’s food and drink offering – and there’s one chef for every 10 guests onboard.
Editor's Picks
Opinion
Cancer
I don’t want to pile on Elle, but if I’d ignored the doctors I’d be dead
Julia Baird
Journalist, broadcaster, historian and author
Just in
Paris Paralympics
Doing it for dad: Hance seals Paralympic gold after ‘worst year’ of his life
After receiving a phone call from Kyle Chalmers in Las Vegas, Paralympian Ben Hance blitzed the field to seal an emotional gold medal after his father’s death.
‘Just give her a bit of sunlight’: The remarkable journey of a Paralympic champion
Following a bike crash in 2021, Alexa Leary’s parents were told eight times she would not survive. She’s just won gold medals in Paris.
Victoria
‘Kids deserve their childhoods back’: Schools pushed to ban mobiles
Evidence linking phones to teen health problems is uniting parents behind a movement to keep children off devices.
Ray is sick of tip’s rotten-egg smell. The EPA is taking action
Victoria’s environmental watchdog is pursuing global waste giant Veolia in the Supreme Court over alleged failures to safely manage the landfill site near several hundred homes.
Updated
Building Bad
Police finalise probe into CFMEU, clear Setka over Big Build site visits
Victoria Police says it has looked into 20 allegations of criminal activity within the CFMEU, with one investigation under way, a man charged and another assessment ongoing.
They may be divisive, but they’re a hit in these parts
Love ’em or hate ’em, e-scooters are a hit in regional Victoria – but not every community is on board.
Analysis
Naked City
Outlaw bikie gangs and crime syndicates are moving into the marine world. Here’s what police are doing
Outlaw motorcycle gangs and Middle Eastern syndicates, many with a background in car theft and re-birthing, are moving into the marine world.
AFL 2024
Demons president Kate Roffey steps down, club launches board review
Kate Roffey is the first major Demons figure to quit their post after superstar Christian Petracca effectively put the club on notice when he aired his grievances to senior officials and expressed his desire to be traded.
Opinion
Why Sydney’s AFL teams don’t exist for Melburnians
Trouble looms for the Melbourne-centric AFL on Saturday afternoon. They won’t be able to avoid Sydney for a few hours.
Malcolm Knox
Journalist, author and columnist
Politics
Tony Wright’s Column
ALP
Farewell to the incomparable Pete, a prankster and activist for the ages
Pete Steedman was a one-off in all his many pursuits: student activist, journalist, MP, promoter of Australian music, Labor man of the Socialist Left. We will not see his like again.
Business
Analysis
Gaming & wagering
Winners and losers: Why the gambling world is looking shaky
The country’s biggest wagering companies are making less money than ever.
World
Graphic content
Crime
French woman testifies against husband accused of bringing men to rape her
Gisele Pelicot could have chosen to keep the trial behind closed doors, but she decided it was important for all to hear her story and to shame the accused men.
Opinion
Does Nick Cave now believe in an ‘interventionist God’? It’s not beyond belief
Danielle Terceiro
Research fellow, Centre for Public Christianity
The worst thing about Dutton’s distraction tactics? They pay off
Niki Savva
Award-winning political commentator and author
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Property
Our 12 favourite homes for sale in Victoria right now
Looking for your next home? From French provincial-inspired townhouses to a new designer home with sculptural staircase, we’ve got you covered.
‘This is overpriced’: Home sellers forced to take a reality check
A few years ago, buyers worried about missing out. Now, they’re more concerned about not over-stretching budgets.
Good Food
Recipe collection
Pub dining
Five classic pub dishes to cook at home this weekend
Lifestyle
Don’t sweat it: Easy ways to sneak some exercise into your holiday
Fitting in some exercise while you’re away might be easier than you think.
Opinion
Motherhood
You’d be surprised what women talk about at mothers’ groups, especially men
Jo Stubbings
Writer and reviewer
Culture
What to read: A documentary novel about the pandemic, and the joys of trees
Our reviewers cast their eyes over recently published fiction and non-fiction.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Magic from the Wizard and a cheeky chug from Ginnivan as young Hawks end Dogs’ season
The Hawks showed no sign of stopping their scintillating run as they rolled past the Bulldogs – and had fun doing it – to set up a semi-final showdown with Port Adelaide.
Demons president Kate Roffey steps down, club launches board review
Kate Roffey is the first major Demons figure to quit their post after superstar Christian Petracca effectively put the club on notice when he aired his grievances to senior officials and expressed his desire to be traded.
How Michael Voss has changed his methods and his methods have changed Carlton
Michael Voss will meet his old club, the Brisbane Lions, for the second time in a final, on Saturday night.
Analysis
AFL 2024
‘We make mistakes all the time, just like football teams do’: Inside the Magpies’ season that didn’t go according to plan
A decades-long friendship has been one of the casualties of the 2023 premiers’ sometimes-disruptive 2024.
It takes a village: Why Carlton’s Adam Saad is a hero in this community
As Carlton’s number 42 lines up against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night, Adam Saad won’t just be defending against the Lions’ forwards – he will be embodying the aspirations of a community that has followed his rise to AFL stardom.
Mel’s mum and sister were diagnosed with cancer two years apart. The Blues helped the family cope
Football is more than a game for this Carlton-loving family, who are flying to Brisbane for Saturday night’s final despite last year’s crushing loss.
Analysis
AFL 2024
‘It’s not meant to bend that way, is it?’ The anatomy of Cameron’s freakish wonder goals
Here’s how the Cats star once again stood tall on the finals stage, and why it was so special.
Have Your Say
Why the likely Liam Baker trade shows the AFL has gone soft
Why would West Coast give up a top draft pick for Richmond’s Liam Baker when they could easily get him for free? Like so many other clubs, they seem reluctant to make the tough decisions.
Kane Cornes
AFL columnist
