Stories from Melbourne · Australia

Victoria's Auditor-General found that taxpayer funds from the Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Program may not be reaching the families who need them most. The program is intended to support families during the early stages of childhood.

Hawks coach Sam Mitchell stated the team is experiencing its best run in a decade following a 49-point victory over the Gold Coast Suns. The team is scheduled to play Collingwood at the MCG.

Ambulance service head Dominic Morgan reported that a heatwave led to over 33 hospital admissions for heat-related illnesses starting January 11. These temperatures represent the highest local records since 1901.

Melbourne artist Sean Lay has won the Packing Room Prize at this year's Archibald Prize. Lay won for his portrait of Australian actor Jacob Collins. The artist is described as self-taught. The winner will be announced next Friday at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The exhibition is scheduled to open to the public following the announcement. The Archibald is Australia's oldest portrait award and includes the Packing Room Prize, a $3,000 cash award decided by gallery packing staff. The winners of the Archibald and Sulman Prizes for 2026 are scheduled to be announced next Friday. The award was judged by the Art Gallery of New Zealand.

The power grid in parts of Melbourne is struggling to support the transition from gas to electric heating. Resident Marie Slacco reported that her split system heating failed during a cold snap, prompting her to consider returning to gas.

New data indicates that rental affordability in Australia has reached a critical low for low-income earners. A snapshot of nearly 49,000 listings revealed that only one rental nationwide was considered affordable for an individual on Jobseeker payments.

A Melbourne-based provider of disability support services is facing investigations by WorkSafe, police, and the NDIS Royal Commission. The provider has been issued banning orders preventing them from providing support for four and five years respectively.

Western Bulldogs forward Aaron Norton is scheduled to face Fremantle on Friday night. This comes eight days after he sustained a head injury. Teammate Tom Liberatore remains sidelined due to ongoing concussion symptoms.

The AFL commission has approved changes to the national draft to level the playing field. New rules will limit the number of matched bids on top father-son and academy prospects. Clubs finishing in the bottom five of the previous season can receive a second-round compensation pick if their first-round pick slides due to match bids on concessional players. Each club is limited to one compensation pick per draft. Clubs are now limited to a maximum of two picks to match a bid on top father-son or academy prospects up to pick 36.

The Melbourne Football Club has announced Dan Taylor as its new signing. The announcement follows a shift within the MRRT society. The club noted that having squad depth allows players to regain match fitness through club rugby. The club cited a breakdown of relationships as the reason for the dismissal. The move comes amid questions regarding the financial impact of a payout to Guerra. The club's leadership said the need for a new leader with strong values. The dismissal followed a breakdown of relationships between Guera and the club board. Guerra was removed from the role after seven months due to a breakdown in relationships with the board. Club President Stephen Smith stated that ensuring strong leadership was the priority despite the financial impact of the payout. Taylor is also an Executive Director at Stan Australia.