Local stories, community first — Melbourne and beyond.
Foster care experts are calling for more support for families reuniting with their biological children, following the tragic death of an 8-month-old girl just days after being returned to her parents. The issue has sparked concerns about the current system, with some experts arguing that the process of reunification can be traumatic for children.
Essendon has poached former Sydney premiership coach John Longmire as their new general manager of performance. Longmire departs Sydney after 25 years to reunite with his former assistant, new Bombers coach Mark McVeigh.
Fremantle's AFLW team has secured a win over Adelaide, lifting them into the top eight. In other games, Collingwood broke through for its first win of the season against GWS, while the Swans defeated the Lions and Gold Coast beat St Kilda.
The Dockers' viral celebration, Wharfie Time, backfired in the AFL grand final, leaving the team and fans heartbroken. The unique tradition, which involves dimming the stadium lights and playing AC/DC's 'Hells Bells', was meant to energize the crowd and inspire the team to victory.
A 53-year-old man from Longwarry has been jailed for messaging teenage boys online and offering them money and vapes in exchange for child sex abuse material. Dean Jason Milley, who has a criminal history dating back to 1994, was sentenced on Commonwealth and Victorian charges in the Latrobe Valley County Court.
The Morwell community came together to remember those lost to violence, including Kaiden Morgan-Johnston, who was allegedly murdered 12 months ago. The rally, organised by Kaiden's mother Sascha Johnston, drew a crowd of around 300 people.
A multi-vehicle crash on the Western Highway at Ledcourt, Victoria has claimed the lives of three people, with a 14-year-old girl dying in hospital after two others died at the scene. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, which involved two cars and a truck.
The government has promised to invest $80 million in a study to duplicate the Upfield Line, but will delay the removal of level crossings on the line by seven years. The project aims to improve the reliability of rail services to Melbourne's north, but has been criticized by the Coalition and the Greens.
Victoria's crime rate has dropped by 3.8 per cent in the past year, but the issue remains a critical concern for the government with a state election looming. The decline suggests that crime may be beginning to plateau, but whether Victorians feel safer is a separate question.
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