Stories from Melbourne · Australia

The lottery organization that held the privatized license in Victoria has been awarded a 40-year license by the government. The deal includes an upfront payment of over $1 billion. Following the award, the organization's budget moved from a deficit to a surplus.

Victorian Treasurer Jacqueline Sim presented a budget focused on cost of living measures amid rising inflation and global volatility. The budget lacks a clear plan to address the state's high levels of debt, according to reports.

ANZ Bank has reported an error affecting customer accounts related to interest calculations. The error involved incorrect interest accrual on certain accounts. The bank is currently working to restore power. The incident occurred on Saturday, July 4th.

The Victorian Electoral Commission has taken down its real-time donations register. This action has created what commentators describe as an information and expenditure black hole regarding political funding. The move affects the transparency of political donations in the region. This action follows a High Court decision, referred to as the 'Hopper decision'. The removal means there is no visibility of donations that may have flowed in ahead of the Hopper decision or in preparation for the Naipan by-election. The entire transparency register is now inaccessible, preventing access to historical donation data.

The Victoria state budget for 2026 forecasts the state will return to a surplus. This marks the first time the state has been 'back in black' since the start of the pandemic.

Researchers found that a common logging byproduct, eucalyptus bark, can be converted into a highly porous form of carbon to trap pollutants. The study indicates this material is effective for both water purification and air filtration.

Kobe Evans, an 18-year-old player for the Lions, has apologized multiple times after allegedly using a slur against a Coburg player over the weekend. The Lions stated that Evans is extremely remorseful and takes full responsibility for the incident.

Four men appeared in court facing charges for behaving in an offensive manner. Three of the defendants are identified as well-known white supremacists, while the fourth is alleged to have links to neo-Nazi groups.

A Bluetooth vulnerability could allow criminals to access the real-time locations of police officers using phones or laptops. Dr. Emma Ryan, a criminologist at Deakin University, expressed concern regarding the security of these devices.

The Melbourne Vixens secured a victory against the Giants to maintain their winning start to the Super Netball season. The final score was 66 points. The match took place in Melbourne.