VIC News

EXCLUSIVE‘After the 30th time I tried to call him, I knew’

Constable Alex Prestney had not long finished work when he heard four officers had been killed on the Eastern Fwy. There was no escaping the sense of dread as he frantically called his brother Josh over and over, only to listen to the phone ring out. Constable Josh Prestney’s family reveals the heartbreaking moment they learned of his death and their final moments with their lost brother and son.

Wes Hosking

EXCLUSIVEPolice force devastated by beloved mentor’s tragic death

Lynette Taylor dedicated her life to the force, meeting her husband at the Russell St police station and taking officers fresh out of the academy, like Glen Humphris, under her wing. Until the job she loved saw her life tragically cut short.

WES HOSKING

EXCLUSIVEThe frantic final text messages Humphris never lived to read

Late on the afternoon of April 22, Todd Robinson sent a text message asking his partner, police constable Glen Humphris, if he was heading back to the station soon. It was the first in a flurry of text messages Glen would never live to read.

WES HOSKING

EXCLUSIVEKevin King’s sons mourn loss of not just dad, but ‘best mate’

There is now an overbearing silence in the King house that was once filled with the sound of Kevin strumming the guitar or him bantering with his three boys about the footy, who say the loss of their devoted dad will never leave them.

WES HOSKING

analysis
analysis
Coronavirus crisis
analysis
Why Mikakos quitting was a surprise

Victoria’s embattled Health Minister hasn’t gone quietly, giving her department a whack and attacking Daniel Andrews in her final statement. Here’s why Jenny Mikakos’ resignation was a shock.

Ellen Whinnet

Latest updates‘Thrown under the bus’: Vic health minister quits

Victoria’s health minister Jenny Mikakos has quit over the failure of the hotel quarantine scheme, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison prepares to turn up the heat on China over COVID-19.

Michael Traill, Charlotte Elton, David Aidone, Zoe Smith, Maria Bervanakis, James MacSmith, Merryn Johns and Tiffany Bakker in New York

Quarantine scandalVic Health Minister quits over COVID blame

Jenny Mikakos has quit her portfolio as the fallout from the State’s COVID-19 hotel quarantine scheme continues.

UnacceptableADF offered to Victoria, but Dan ‘didn’t know’

The final witness in the inquiry into Victoria’s botched quarantine program, Premier Daniel Andrews, apologised but was unable to answer the key question.

Ellen Whinnett

Hot propertyChristmas showdown for video games

If you missed out on ordering a next-gen Xbox or PlayStation this week, be prepared to fight for it in November. Experts warn this Christmas season could see a huge rush on games gear.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

ExclusiveHow kids are being blackmailed to dance naked on TikTok

Popular social site TikTok has become a honey pot for predators targeting children with authorities reporting alarming cases of child sex abuse. Here are the warning signs and how you can protect your kids.

NATASHA BITA

Property persistenceRules of owning and investing in real estate

Whether you plan to buy, sell or invest in real estate, now more than ever there are two traits that you need to succeed.

Anthony Keane

Presidential AmbitionMeghan ‘would run for President’

A day after Donald Trump declared that he was “not a fan” of Meghan Markle, a friend has revealed the Duchess of Sussex would not rule out setting her sights on the White House.

Stephen Drill, with Nadia Salemme, Merryn Johns

Senate inquiryTikTok’s shock suicide video admission

Determined ‘bad actors’ worked out ways to get around TikTok’s security controls and tried to upload a graphic suicide video 10,000 times, a Senate inquiry heard today.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

ExclusiveRyan Phelan plans next TV move after DV charges dropped

Television presenter Ryan Phelan is looking forward to getting back to work after he was cleared by police of all domestic violence charges levelled against him.

Jonathon Moran & Derrick Krusche

AnalysisHotel quarantine cost far greater than money

There were multiple failures in the hotel quarantine program, but at its core, the refusal to accept ADF help as other states did, and instead use private security firms was the most devastating.

Ellen Whinnett

Exclusive2159km custody fight from SA to Qld over 3yo boy

COVID-19 lockdowns are inflaming child custody rows and tearing families apart in an already overstretched family court system. This is one case where tensions transcended borders.

NATASHA BITA

Easy explainerWhy super, property and shares are out of whack

COVID-19 has turned the financial world upside down, but in different ways than many people expected. Experts explain how you can make the most of what you have.

Anthony Keane

New testimonyGovernment could pursue security for quarantine failings

In yet another inquiry twist, the Victorian Government could be eligible for compensation from security firms over the state’s botched hotel quarantine program.

Ellen Whinnett

OpinionWhat your wedding song says about you

The Proclaimers 500 Miles song seemed apt on my wedding day but it’s pretty ironic now, writes Edwina Bartholomew.

Edwina Bartholomew

Watch the videoSurprise special guests on new Midnight Oil song

You haven’t heard Peter Garrett sing like this before. The rocker harmonises with one of Australia’s much-loved indigenous superstars on the latest track from their Makarrata Project EP.

Kathy McCabe

ExclusiveColac swingers party probed for breaching virus restrictions

Police say they were unaware of a swingers party held in Colac last month until days after the seedy event. Now questions remain over whether there is any link between the illegal gathering and a burst of coronavirus cases in the area.

Mark Buttler and Shannon Deery

SPACE RACEChina’s Australian space operations secured for further 10 years

A plan to turn the lights off on China’s space exploration race efforts has backfired for a Swedish company, and landed Australia in the middle of the growing geopolitical tensions.

Charles Miranda