Melbourne after COVID
Taxpayers cop $10m bill for COVID lockdown court battle
The final bill for the class action – brought on behalf of businesses that experienced financial loss because of restrictions – could be much higher, with mediation due to kick off in November.
- by Kieran Rooney and Annika Smethurst
Latest
Opinion
Real life
I don’t own a puffer jacket or drink coffee. But this is how I know I’m a legit Melburnian
When guys on Hinge or Bumble asked me who I barrack for, I was stumped. When pressed to decide, I left the apps instead.
- by Maida Pineda
Rising numbers of flu, COVID-19 cases puts Victorian ambulances under the pump
Ambulance Victoria has urged the public to call triple zero only in an emergency after the number of COVID-19 cases in hospitals doubled in a month.
- by Ashleigh McMillan
They say nothing good happens after 2am, and I’m beginning to think they’re right
I’ve locked myself away for a while. With no day job to show up to, time warps. The longer I’m alone, the wilder my stream of consciousness becomes.
- by Genevieve Novak
Workers still haven’t fully returned to the CBD – but the city doesn’t need them
Forget the nine-to-five office crowd – Melbourne city is finally back, but not as we know it.
- by Najma Sambul and Melissa Cunningham
This midwife is double COVID-vaxxed – but she’s still banned from returning to work
Strict vaccination rules require hospital workers to have at least one booster shot, but easing the lingering mandate would bring Victoria in line with other states, and has been backed by vaccine experts.
- by Broede Carmody and Aisha Dow
Brett Sutton, polarising face of the pandemic, receives Order of Australia honour
Former chief health officer Brett Sutton who even had his visage on mugs and cushion covers, has been recognised for his service to Victorians.
- by Henrietta Cook and Aisha Dow
How COVID crunched Melbourne’s public transport use – and the unlikely winner
Victorians have ditched their mykis for their car keys, with the pandemic years leaving a permanent dent in public transport use.
- by Patrick Hatch
It was meant to be a $100k shimmering laneway – this is what they got instead
The transformation of a popular CBD laneway was supposed to make diners and pedestrians feel like they were inside an enormous disco ball. The reality was different.Â
- by Cara Waters
Exclusive
Healthcare
‘We didn’t know if they’d shoot us’: When Brett Sutton faced the Taliban
He’s worked in war zones, nearly died climbing mountains and escaped a charging rhino. In a rare interview, Brett Sutton speaks about his wild-haired youth and life on the front line of medicine.
- by Sherryn Groch
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
Spare me. If you have a runny nose, stay home
The Uber driver coughed. A wet, sickly sound that played on repeat every minute or so, occasionally punctuated by a loud sneeze.
- by Laura Pettenuzzo