Category Archives: Victorian politics

Australians must keep up the fight for abortion rights, Jacinta Allan warns

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Exclusive: Conservative forces pose ‘genuine threats to the protections women have fought for and won’, Victoria’s premier says

Jacinta Allan is warning that the battle for abortion rights must continue as conservative forces pose “real and genuine threats to the protections women have fought for and won” amid “frightening” debate in South Australia and Queensland.

Victoria’s Labor premier made her strongest comments to date on abortion in an interview with Guardian Australia, just days before Queenslanders go to the polls in an election that has become dominated by the issue.

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Moira Deeming created ‘extreme’ political problem akin to ‘lobster with a mobster’ incident, defamation trial told

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John Pesutto had to ‘cauterise the damage’ to the Victorian Liberal party caused by MP’s conduct, lawyer argues

John Pesutto’s lawyer has rejected claims the Victorian Liberal leader created a “false narrative” in order to expel Moira Deeming, telling a court he acted to “cauterise the damage” after neo-Nazis gatecrashed a rally the MP helped organise.

Deeming, who now sits on the crossbench after her expulsion from the state parliamentary Liberal party, is suing Pesutto for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she spoke at the Let Women Speak rally held on 18 March 2023, which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. Pesutto has denied the claim.

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Developers to directly fund schools, parks and public transport under Victorian trial

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Program that ties new infrastructure to housing projects will start in 2027 in 10 Melbourne ‘activity centres’, premier says

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says an overhaul of the state’s infrastructure contribution scheme will ensure communities that build more homes will receive funding for key amenities like schools and parks.

With her government’s third housing policy announcement in as many days, Allan on Tuesday flagged a revamped statewide pilot infrastructure contribution program.

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Jacinta Allan’s pitch to young voters on housing affordability snags Liberal Nimbys ‘hook, line and sinker’

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In pitting millennials against boomers, the Victorian premier is setting the stage for a 2026 election fought on housing

It’s no coincidence Jacinta Allan chose Brighton – a bayside suburb of Melbourne with a median property price of $3.3m – to unveil her most significant policy to date.

With a reputation as a wealthy, predominately white enclave, and as the centre of a safe Liberal electorate of the same name, it is unlikely the Labor premier had many fans in the area on Sunday, even before she announced her bold plan to seize planning controls around Middle Brighton and North Brighton train stations.

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Victorian premier pushes ahead with housing plan to rezone affluent areas despite anger from locals

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Brighton residents chant ‘Shame, premier, shame’ as they surround the pub where Jacinta Allan announces policy

Victoria’s premier has taken aim at opponents of government plans for high-rise apartments to soar above Melbourne’s inner suburbs.

Jacinta Allan on Sunday announced a plan to create 50 new “activity zones” to help deliver more than 30,000 additional homes across Melbourne by 2051.

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Victorian Liberals had been bracing for a leadership spill. Now voters have thrown John Pesutto a lifeline

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Some in the party were concerned the Moira Deeming defamation trial had aired too much dirty laundry – but new polling suggests voters are focused elsewhere

There may have been only one person on Spring Street revelling in the latest polling data: John Pesutto.

Just days ago, the leader of the Victorian Liberal party was bracing for a potential leadership challenge. But the figures published in the Herald Sun on Thursday paint a hopeful picture for him and the Coalition, which has overtaken Labor and is in an election-winning position for the first time in seven years.

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Students moved to rented office building in response to overcrowding at Melbourne public school

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Victorian government defends ‘temporary’ campus for University High year 9 pupils amid increase in enrolments

Victoria’s education minister has defended a decision to move hundreds of students from an overcrowded inner-Melbourne high school into a rented CBD office building, describing it as a “temporary” solution.

University High School’s principal, Ciar Foster, wrote to parents on Monday to inform them that due to “a significant enrolment increase in recent years” a temporary campus would be established at 399 Lonsdale Street under a seven-year lease agreement.

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Peta Credlin texted warning about Moira Deeming expulsion to Victorian Liberal leader’s staffer, court hears

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Defamation trial told of message from Sky News host to John Pesutto’s chief of staff while helping to set up office

Sky News host Peta Credlin warned against expelling Moira Deeming from the Victorian Liberal party room in a text message to John Pesutto’s chief of staff, whose office she was then helping to set up, a court has heard.

Deeming, now an independent MP after her expulsion, is suing the Victorian opposition leader for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she spoke at the Let Women Speak rally held on 18 March 2023, which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. Pesutto has rejected the allegation.

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Alpine dingoes at risk of extinction after Victorian government extends right to cull

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At least 468 shot by government controllers last year out of an estimated population of as few as 2,640 in the state’s east, advocates say

Traditional owners and dingo advocates say a Victorian government decision extending the right to kill dingoes on private and public land until 2028 could threaten local populations with extinction.

A government order, which took effect on Tuesday, declared dingoes were “unprotected wildlife” under the state’s Wildlife Act. The ruling means dingoes can be killed by trapping, poisoning or shooting across large parts of eastern Victoria, despite being listed as threatened under the state’s Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act.

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Victorian Liberal leader ‘surprised’ deputy secretly recorded meeting with Moira Deeming, defamation trial hears

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Opposition leader John Pesutto cross-examined in federal court case brought against him by ousted Liberal MP

Victoria’s opposition leader, John Pesutto, says he was “surprised” his deputy had secretly recorded a meeting held between the Liberal party’s leadership team and MP Moira Deeming a day after she spoke at a Melbourne rally in 2023, the federal court has heard.

Pesutto began giving evidence in the defamation trial brought against him in the federal court on Tuesday afternoon.

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Moira Deeming kept ‘Liberal party mentor’ Peta Credlin in the loop ‘at all times’ amid Nazi stoush, court hears

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Trial shown messages between MP and Sky News host discussing defamation action against Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto

Moira Deeming viewed the Sky News host Peta Credlin as a Liberal party “mentor” when the pair liaised after the MP was ousted by the Victorian party last year, the federal court has heard.

Deeming is suing the Victorian Liberal leader, John Pesutto, for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she helped organise and spoke at the “Let Women Speak” rally on 18 March 2023 which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. She was expelled from the party less than two months later after initially being suspended in the days after the rally.

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Moira Deeming agrees her trans and gender-diverse views are ‘controversial’ as cross-examination begins

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Expelled Liberal MP testifies in high-stakes defamation case against Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto

Ousted Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming agreed her views on transgender and gender-diverse people were “controversial” within the party, as she began giving evidence in a high-stakes defamation battle.

Deeming is suing the state Liberal leader, John Pesutto, for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she spoke at the March 2023 “Let Women Speak” rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. She was expelled from the party less than two months later after initially being suspended.

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Labor will have itself to blame if it loses western Sydney over Gaza issue, says Muslim Vote convener

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Wesam Charkawi says Albanese’s party has ‘created this movement through their decisions’ as pro-Palestine communities feel Labor has failed them

A new Muslim political movement backing independent candidates says Labor will have itself to blame if Peter Dutton wins the next election, and that people should not assume the candidates they support will preference Labor.

Sheikh Wesam Charkawi, one of the conveners behind the Muslim Vote movement, said the group would be aiming to support “at least five candidates” in New South Wales and Victoria.

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Melbourne’s e-scooter wars escalate as neighbouring councils unite in support after city centre ban

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Merri-Bek, Darebin and Moonee Valley mayors back e-scooter hire schemes after Melbourne city council ejects the vehicles from the CBD

Victoria’s e-scooters wars have ramped up, with mayors in Melbourne’s north uniting to back e-scooter hire schemes after the mayor banned them from operating in the inner city.

The mayor, Nicholas Reece, succeeded in banning the rentals in the city council area, arguing the e-scooters presented an unacceptable safety risk and that Melbourne’s city needed a reset.

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‘Betrayal’: Indigenous and legal groups condemn Victoria’s backflip on raising the age

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Jacinta Allan says age of criminal responsibility won’t be raised to 14 amid concern about youth crime

Indigenous organisations, legal experts and human rights groups have condemned the Victorian government’s decision to abandon plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14, describing it as a “betrayal” of vulnerable children.

As revealed by Guardian Australia, the premier, Jacinta Allan, made the major policy reversal on Tuesday, as she announced several changes to the government’s 1,000-page youth justice bill.

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Victorian government rejects expert advice to forcibly merge hospital services

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Premier Jacinta Allan says reduction of 76 services to 11 ‘not in the best interests of patient care’ despite lure of reduced costs

The Victorian government will ignore a central recommendation of an expert panel to forcibly merge hospital services – which was expected to improve patient care and reduce costs – but has vowed to find savings in other ways.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, and health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, on Thursday released a long-awaited report on the Victoria’s public health system.

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Failure to learn from ‘African gangs’ furore puts community at risk, Victoria’s children’s commissioner says

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Amid claims of a growing crime wave, Liana Buchanan says the government must work harder to identify the causes of offending

The Victorian commissioner for children and young people says African-Australian youth are again the subject of “intense” media and police focus as the state responds to perceptions of a crime wave without working harder to identify the causes of offending.

Liana Buchanan, the principal commissioner of Victoria’s Commission for Children and Young People, said she was concerned that it did not appear any lessons had been learned from the “African gangs” furore, and implored the state government, police and the youth justice system not to respond in ways that would make the community less safe.

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Damage from catastrophic Victorian floods ‘exacerbated’ by bad decisions and systemic failures, inquiry reveals

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Preparations, emergency warnings and recovery grants found lacking following long-running investigation into 2022 disaster

A major investigation into catastrophic floods reveals confusion about preparations, failures in emergency warnings and clunky access to recovery grants.

Flood waters lashed Victoria in October 2022, displacing thousands of residents and destroying hundreds of homes.

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Coalition has ‘a real chance’ to oust Labor government at next election, Peter Dutton tells party faithful

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Opposition leader receives hero’s welcome at Victorian Liberal state council, talking up Coalition’s prospects for upcoming federal election

Peter Dutton has blasted the beleaguered CFMEU and identity politics as the opposition leader rallies Liberal Party faithful ahead of the federal election.

In a wide-ranging speech at the Victorian Liberal state council on Saturday, Dutton went on the offensive and laid out an alternative vision for Australia during difficult times.

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‘Million dollar views, baby’: Victorian minister praises train station’s ‘fantastic’ Dandenongs vista

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On a morning when the Dandenong Ranges were largely obscured by clouds, Danny Pearson says ‘lots of caffeine’ was driving his enthusiasm

According to Victoria’s transport infrastructure minister, this is a train station with “million dollar views, baby”.

At a press conference on a cloudy Friday morning, Danny Pearson was ebullient in his praise for the views commanded by the new elevated platform at Croydon – to the point that his enthusiasm itself was questioned by reporters.

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