Local stories, community first — Melbourne and beyond.
A decade after Ford closed its manufacturing plants in Geelong and Broadmeadows, local economies are recovering, but former employees still feel the impact. The regions have diversified, with new industries emerging, but there are concerns about the future of the areas.
Australian human rights activist Hiep Tran and two others have been charged by Vietnamese authorities with planning to carry out terrorist activities, a claim strongly disputed by the US-based pro-democracy group Viet Tan. Tran, a Melbourne resident, and his Norwegian-Vietnamese colleague Duc Thuan Nguyen, went missing almost two weeks ago after flying to Cambodia from Bangkok.
A Melbourne man and his Norwegian Vietnamese colleague have gone missing in Cambodia, sparking concerns of transnational repression by Vietnamese authorities. The pair, Hiep Tran and Duc Thuan Nguyen, were last heard from on September 18 after travelling to Phnom Penh to meet Vietnamese human rights activists.
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.
A 14-year-old girl from Sale has been killed in a horror crash in western Victoria that claimed three lives. The volleyball community is rallying around her family and teammates, with a GoFundMe set up to support them.
Aboriginal elder Robbie Thorpe's bid to prosecute King Charles III for alleged genocide has been rejected by Victoria's Court of Appeal, marking his third legal defeat since launching the case in 2023. Thorpe plans to take his allegations to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.
A 34-year-old man has pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death after a collision outside a major pop culture convention in Melbourne. The incident occurred in April and resulted in the death of a 20-year-old man from Keysborough.
Geelong premiership defender Jake Kolodjashnij has been medically retired due to concussion, marking a sad end to a successful AFL career. Kolodjashnij played 209 AFL games, including the 2022 premiership, but his career was cut short after he signed a secret waiver in his Geelong contract in 2024.
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.
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