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Victoria crime falls as audit questions effectiveness of $40m youth program With two months to go until the 28 November state election, two official reports released this week have presented different findings on crime and youth offending in Victoria.New Crime Statistics Agency data shows a 3.8 per cent fall in criminal incidents across the state…

Northern Territory mango growers have warned that planned changes to Australia’s Working Holiday Maker program could make it harder for farms to secure enough workers during the harvest season. Under the federal government’s proposed changes, working holiday makers seeking to stay in Australia for a second or third year will have to enter a ballot….

Nearly two million Quest Apartment Hotels customers have had personal information affected in a data breach, with some records containing passport or driver licence numbers and credit card details. Quest Apartment Hotels said information relating to 1,991,613 customers was affected. The information relates to records from before June 2025.The company said 104,268 records contained passport…

The Victorian Coalition has pledged to build three new selective-entry high schools in Melbourne’s outer suburbs by 2030 if it wins the state election on 28 November. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson announced the policy on Sunday, saying the new schools would expand access to selective education for high-performing students. The Coalition has also pledged to…

Australia’s federal government has announced plans to restrict international students from bringing family members to Australia as part of a broader migration overhaul aimed at reducing net overseas migration. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced the proposed changes at the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday, as the government seeks to reduce net overseas…

Melbourne residents have until 2 October to comment on a draft plan that will help determine how aircraft noise is shared when the airport’s third runway opens around 2031. The Australian Government requires Melbourne Airport to develop the Noise Sharing Plan as part of the approval process for the third runway. Feedback from the current…

Victorians are being urged to avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife after H5N1 avian influenza, also known as H5 bird flu, was detected in wild birds across the state. More than 500 positive H5 bird flu events had been recorded in wildlife across Australia as of 9 September, according to the Australian Government. In…

Crime Stoppers Victoria and Victoria Police have launched a statewide campaign aimed at disrupting retail crime and improving safety for retail workers across the state. The campaign, The Real Cost of Retail Crime, encourages Victorians to provide information about offences in retail settings and repeat offenders. Crime Stoppers Victoria says the campaign also aims to…

The federal government has released draft legislation that would give Australians greater control over how content is selected and displayed on social media platforms. Under the proposed changes, users over the age of 16 would be offered a choice between algorithmically recommended content and posts from the friends and creators they choose to follow. The…