Manhunt after alleged axe attack in Victoria leaves three people with serious injuries

Police search for alleged attacker, in his 50s, after incident in Gippsland town of Tyers

Three people have been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after an alleged axe attack in Victoria, with police still searching for the suspect.

The alleged attacker, who is known to the victims, came to an address in the Gippsland town of Tyers at about 12.30pm on Saturday, according to a spokesperson for Victoria police.

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Liberals criticise ‘unimpressive and underwhelming’ rail loop plan as Victorian premier pushes ahead after hinting at pause

A day after suggesting other projects were more important to Victorians, Ben Carroll says train line will go ahead but at a slightly reduced cost

The Victorian opposition has described Ben Carroll’s plan to scale back new train stations along the Suburban Rail Loop to shave just over 5% off its total cost as “incredibly unimpressive and underwhelming”.

The premier on Tuesday announced changes to the scope of the first stage of the state’s largest-ever infrastructure project, known as SRL East – a 26km stretch of tunnels between Cheltenham and Box Hill – estimated to save $1bn. He also ordered an “independent, technical review” to identify a further $1bn in savings.

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Two men charged and drugs, guns and cars linked to CFMEU seized as police investigate alleged corruption

Police arrest five men and search six properties including the union’s Victorian headquarters

Two men have been charged and Victorian police have seized drugs, guns and cars linked to the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) as part of an investigation into alleged corruption in the building industry.

On Monday, detectives from Taskforce Hawk arrested five men and searched six properties including the Victorian headquarters of the union, saying they were investigating secret commissions, fraud and drug trafficking.

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Victorian Liberals promise weekly red bin garbage collections for all, calling fortnightly system ‘disgusting’

If opposition wins November’s state election, leader Jess Wilson vows households will not pay more under the change

The Victorian Liberals have vowed to restore weekly rubbish collections if they win November’s state election, with leader Jess Wilson describing the current fortnightly system in her local area as “disgusting”.

Thirty-three Victorian councils have switched general rubbish collections from weekly to fortnightly, with a similar shift occurring in other states.

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Good Samaritan dies days after being attacked while trying to stop Melbourne shoplifters

Van Viet Truong was critically injured after coming to the aid of a fellow retail worker in Sunshine

Council flags are flying at half-mast in honour of a good Samaritan who died days after he was allegedly attacked by shoplifting youths outside a Melbourne shopping strip.

Van Viet Truong was critically injured after he rushed to the aid of a fellow retail worker trying to stop the group stealing clothes in Sunshine in Melbourne’s west on Saturday, police allege.

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Good Samaritan dies days after being attacked while trying to stop Melbourne shoplifters

Van Viet Truong was critically injured after coming to the aid of a fellow retail worker in Sunshine

Council flags are flying at half-mast in honour of a good Samaritan who died days after he was allegedly attacked by shoplifting youths outside a Melbourne shopping strip.

Van Viet Truong was critically injured after he rushed to the aid of a fellow retail worker trying to stop the group stealing clothes in Sunshine in Melbourne’s west on Saturday, police allege.

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Pianist Jayson Gillham ‘very disappointed’ after losing Melbourne Symphony Orchestra discrimination case

The federal court on Friday threw out the concert pianist’s case against the MSO, finding he was not unfairly dismissed due to Gaza war comments

The concert pianist at the centre of a high-profile unfair dismissal case has revealed his deep disappointment with his courtroom defeat.

Federal court justice Graeme Hill on Friday threw out Jayson Lloyd Gillham’s case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, finding he was not unfairly dismissed.

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‘Like a father to us’: pride and protest as thousands flock to see Narendra Modi in Melbourne

Indian prime minister wows crowd of 25,000 at Marvel Stadium as he praises role of diaspora in the India-Australia success story

The throb of the drum beats intensified as the crowd of 25,000 Indian Australians prepared to welcome India’s prime minister back to Melbourne after more than a decade.

As Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese stepped on to the red carpet at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night, twinkling phone lights illuminated the feverish audience as they chanted “Modi, Modi, Modi.”

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Accused double murderer Beau Lamarre-Condon’s mother granted bail – as it happened

This blog is now closed

Richard Marles said he doubted China tested the long-range weapon yesterday in response to Anthony Albanese being in the Pacific to sign a new defence alliance with Fiji but said Australia remained deeply concerned by the development. He told ABC News:

At the end of the day, what we’re seeing here is a long-range missile test from China, which China itself has said is nuclear-capable … This is China demonstrating a much greater range in terms of being able to deploy a nuclear weapon.

And ultimately what that is, is deeply destabilising.

Our fundamental issue in relation to China is that we have seen a very dramatic military buildup by China without that strategic reassurance [to our neighbours].

There really isn’t an explanation as to why they are building the capabilities that they are and that is fundamentally destabilising.

I think the system is handling the matter as it should … I think it’s appropriate that the legal process takes its course.

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Melbourne teacher dies after head clash during suburban football game

Epping footballer Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, died in hospital after hitting his head during a game in Lalor, club confirms

A suburban Melbourne footballer has died in hospital after a clash of heads saw him fall to the ground and hit his head on a covered cricket pitch, his club confirmed on Monday night.

High school teacher Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, was taken to Royal Melbourne hospital on Saturday after the incident during an Australian rules football game in Lalor in Melbourne’s north, and was said to be receiving “end of life” care.

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Details of MCG assault against Lidia Thorpe revealed after court lifts suppression order

Ebony Bell convicted and handed community work order following assault on senator and second ‘gratuitous act of violence’ while on bail

A woman has been handed a community work order for punching Lidia Thorpe outside the MCG over claims the independent senator disrespected her mother.

Ebony Bell was initially told to undertake an anger management course after her 2024 attack on Thorpe, but committed a second “gratuitous act of violence” while on bail, the Melbourne magistrates court was told in June.

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Melbourne stabbing: teenagers arrested after boy left outside Craigieburn hospital dies

Fifteen-year-old unable to be saved after being left outside Craigieburn Community hospital

Two teenagers have been arrested after a 15-year-old boy was left for dead with suspected stab wounds outside a hospital in Melbourne.

The boy was found critically injured outside Craigieburn Community hospital on Lygon Drive, in Melbourne’s north, about 7.50pm on Wednesday.

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House prices fall in four capital cities as Sydney values drop nearly $50,000 this year

More than half of homes taken to auction not selling while median property price in Adelaide started to slide in June

House prices are now falling in four capital cities with the Adelaide market beginning to slide in June, while Sydney values have dropped by $48,000 since the start of the year.

Data from Cotality, released on Wednesday, showed Sydney and Melbourne recorded their biggest one-month decline in values since August 2022, falling 1.2% and 1% respectively.

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St Kilda pier wins peak Victorian architecture award as judges praise playful and ‘deeply civic’ design

State government project among range of works celebrated for community-centred design that goes beyond utility

The reimagined St Kilda pier has added more accolades to its burgeoning trophy cabinet, taking out some of the top gongs at the 2026 Australian Institute of Architects’ Victorian awards.

The $53m Victorian government project redesigned by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, alongside Site Office Landscape Architecture and AW Maritime, took home the Victorian architecture medal on Friday, the award given to the most outstanding project of the year.

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Inquest into Melbourne influencer’s death following freebirth halted after new phone evidence discovered

Coroner tells inquiry new material ‘of such significance’ any findings must be postponed so information can be analysed

The closing submissions in an inquest into the death of a woman who gave birth at home with no support from medically trained health workers has been delayed, after new evidence came to light after a forensic analysis of her mobile phone.

Stacey Warnecke, a 30 year-old nutritionist, died on 29 September in Frankston hospital in Melbourne.

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Escaped prisoner who fled brother’s funeral believed to be in Melbourne, police say

Orijol Rukaj was on pallbearer duties when he evaded corrections staff – and has been on the run for the six weeks since

Police say it was a busy funeral – with about 300 people gathering at a Melbourne cemetery on Anzac Day to farewell the brother of Orijol Rukaj.

Before assuming his duties as a pallbearer, Rukaj was escorted to the Keilor East service by corrections staff. But corrections staff didn’t bring him back to prison.

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Multiple teens arrested over alleged machete brawl in Melbourne as government says crime laws working

Commuters were forced to run for cover after a group of youths allegedly fought with knives at Flinders Street station on Saturday night

The Victorian government has defended the effectiveness of its machete ban after multiple teens were arrested over an alleged machete brawl in the heart of Melbourne.

Shocked commuters ran for cover after a group of youths – some armed with machetes – brawled at Melbourne’s Flinders Street station concourse on Saturday night.

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Australian woman linked to Islamic State lived with teenage slave who was repeatedly raped, court told

Allegations made in Melbourne magistrates court on Thursday as Zeinab Ahmad, 31, applied for bail, a month after she was charged with slavery offences

A woman accused of marrying Islamic State fighters allegedly lived with a teenage slave who was repeatedly assaulted and raped by the woman’s father.

The allegations were detailed in Melbourne magistrates court on Thursday as Zeinab Ahmad, 31, applied for bail, a month after she was charged with slavery offences.

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Teenager Isla Bell’s body was found in a Melbourne tip 18 months ago. Today friends and family demanded ‘justice’

Supporters at the Victorian state library protested against prosecutors dropping a manslaughter charge against the man accused of killing her

Isla Bell, the 19-year-old whose body was found in a Melbourne tip 18 months ago, has been remembered as a loving, courageous and open-hearted young woman with a green thumb and an “exquisitely beautiful soul”.

Friends, family and supporters gathered outside the Victorian state library on Saturday to honour the teenager and protest against prosecutors dropping a manslaughter charge against the man who had been accused of killing her.

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Police blocked people connected to anti-immigration group from Perth dawn service after Anzac Day booing in eastern states

Footage posted online shows police telling people they were being removed due to suspicion they would interrupt ceremony

Western Australian police say they proactively blocked 15 members of “issue motivated groups” from attending Anzac Day commemorations, following disruptions that marred earlier ceremonies in the eastern states.

One man was arrested at the Sydney dawn service at Martin Place, where there was a small but noisy interjection of booing during the Indigenous acknowledgment of country. Booing also marred ceremonies in Melbourne and Perth.

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