Victoria Hits Miners With 297% Fee Hike as Industry Warns Building Costs Could Follow

Victoria’s mining and quarrying industries are preparing for a major fight with the Carroll government after extraordinary regulatory fee increases of up to almost 300 per cent were confirmed, prompting warnings the additional costs could eventually flow through to housing and infrastructure projects. The changes are set to dramatically increase the price of applying for … Read more

‘Nobody Is Off Limits’: Andrews and Allan Could Face Victoria’s $50m Big Build Royal Commission

Former Victorian premiers Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan could be hauled before a sweeping $50 million royal commission into corruption, criminal infiltration and serious misconduct on Victoria’s major construction projects, with Premier Ben Carroll declaring that “nothing is off limits”. Carroll has formally unveiled the scope and leadership of the Royal Commission into the Integrity … Read more

Michaela Cash Pushes English Obligation for Permanent Migrants: ‘If You Call Australia Home, Learn the Language’

Michaela Cash has put English proficiency at the centre of the Coalition’s immigration message, arguing people who make Australia their permanent home should be expected to learn the country’s national language. The senior Liberal has backed an obligation for permanent visa holders to learn English, framing the proposal as both a practical requirement for migrants … Read more

THE WOMAN THEY DRAGGED OUT OF HER OWN RESORT

PART 2 — “YOU TOLD ME SHE WAS DEAD” I ordered corporate security to lock down the resort and preserve every camera and financial record. Daniel stepped closer. “Elena, we should discuss this privately.” “A black SUV tried to kill me.” His face barely moved. Too calm. Then Vanessa suddenly shouted: “You told me she … Read more

The Fall of an Empire: The Ultimate Retribution

The Grand Ballroom of the Sterling Estate in the Hamptons was a cathedral of absolute, insurmountable wealth. Tonight, the air was thick with the scent of white orchids and expensive champagne, curated meticulously for the one-month celebration of Leo Sterling—the fourth-generation heir to the multi-billion-dollar Sterling financial empire. Towering arches of pastel-colored balloons swayed gently … Read more

Victoria’s New Treaty Leaders Dig In as Jess Wilson Vows to Scrap $950m First Peoples Framework

Victoria’s new First Peoples’ Assembly leaders have vowed to press ahead with the state’s historic Treaty as Opposition Leader Jess Wilson campaigns to dismantle the framework if the Coalition wins November’s election. Djaran Murray-Jackson and Meriki Onus have taken control of the Assembly at a pivotal moment for Victoria’s experiment with Indigenous self-determination. The Statewide … Read more

‘Nobody Is Off Limits’: Andrews and Allan Could Face Victoria’s $50m Big Build Royal Commission

Former Victorian premiers Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan could be hauled before a sweeping $50 million royal commission into corruption, criminal infiltration and serious misconduct on Victoria’s major construction projects, with Premier Ben Carroll declaring that “nothing is off limits”. Carroll has formally unveiled the scope and leadership of the Royal Commission into the Integrity … Read more

Chapter 2 – The Camera Beneath Maya’s Bookshelf

Daniel stopped shouting the moment he heard the word recordings. The change was so sudden that even the deputy holding his arm noticed. A few seconds earlier, my stepfather had been insisting that Maya was a liar, that I was abusing my authority, and that the entire night was a misunderstanding created by an unstable … Read more