The reimagined St Kilda pier and the Sunbury community arts and cultural precinct were among the top winners at the 2026 Australian Institute of Architects’ Victorian awards. The pier project, a $53m government initiative, won the Victorian architecture medal, while the Sunbury precinct, a transformation of a former asylum, secured heritage and interior architecture awards.
Tunnelling on Sydney's $3.1bn M6 project will resume after the state government and contractors reached a deal, ending a two-year halt. The private consortium will cover finishing costs, with the motorway now expected to open in 2028.
Western Australia's government is urging the federal government to release funds from the National Reconstruction Fund to support Collie's transition away from coal. Despite nearly $700 million in state funding, concerns remain about re-employing 1,300 workers before the industry's 2030 closure.
The National Mall will transform into a multi-week state fair spectacle from June 25 to July 10 for the country's 250th birthday. While over 150 exhibits are planned, more than half a dozen states are not sending official delegations due to financial and political concerns.
Wollongong residents in Bellambi Estate are protesting a rezoning plan that will replace social housing with new units, decreasing the proportion of social housing from 90% to 30%. While proponents cite the need to address homelessness, residents fear community destruction and a 'reverse Robin Hood' scenario.
Former BJP leader K Annamalai linked a rise in crimes in Tamil Nadu to "growing involvement of people from North Indian states." His remarks followed the sexual assault and death of a three-year-old girl, with a migrant worker from Bihar arrested. Annamalai urged the state government to track migrant workers.
Councils in Melbourne's north are demanding the state government allocate $45 million to acquire land for a future hospital and railway station. The region anticipates a population surge of 500,000, straining existing services.
Councils in Melbourne's north are demanding the state government allocate $45 million to purchase land for a future hospital and railway station. The region expects 500,000 new residents, straining existing services like the busy Northern Hospital.
Victorian government ministers and opposition members participated in the second annual Parliamentary Big Freeze, taking ice baths to raise funds for Neale Daniher's FightMND charity. Organized by MP Emma Vulin, who has MND, the event aimed to raise up to $30,000 and highlighted community unity.
Hundreds of regional Victorian firefighters rallied in Bendigo to protest the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) levy, citing financial pressures and unfair taxation. Concerns include the levy's cost to farmers and the perceived lack of government investment in volunteer services.
The Uttarakhand High Court has ordered the state government not to deport a Pakistani Sikh family residing in Dehradun on a long-term visa, unless they pose a threat to national security. The court is hearing a petition challenging a government directive for the family to leave the country within 24 hours.
Amazonas government proposes redirecting FMPES funds, originally for SMEs and cooperatives, to cover state current expenses until Dec 2026 due to fiscal constraints and reduced tax revenue. The measure requires extraordinary circumstances and legislative approval.
NSW government lawyers admitted a police officer battered former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas at a pro-Palestinian protest in Sydney. Thomas was hospitalized, required surgery, and had charges against her dropped. An officer faces charges for bodily harm.
A Victorian Supreme Court rules the 6-month suspension of Whittlesea Mayor Aidon McLindon by the state government as invalid due to lack of procedural fairness, prompting potential further legal action and a possible independent run in the state election.
A Queensland inquiry recommended prioritizing adoption for Indigenous children in state care, sparking fears of repeating the Stolen Generation. Advocates argue adoption cannot be separated from this history, citing poverty as a reason for removal, while the government considers the report's findings.
Nurses and midwives at Lyell McEwin Hospital in South Australia have begun a 24-hour strike over pay negotiations with the state government. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation is seeking a 21% pay increase over three years, citing a need for nationally competitive conditions to retain staff.
A statue of Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue, a highly respected Aboriginal leader, was unveiled on the banks of Adelaide's River Torrens. The statue is the first of six planned by the South Australian government to honor prominent Aboriginal figures.
The Supreme Court has set aside a home ministry order rejecting the voluntary retirement request of Maharashtra cadre IPS officer Abdur Rahman. The court directed the Centre to re-examine Rahman's plea within three months, considering subsequent chargesheets and the inability to conclude disciplinary proceedings.
Mamata Banerjee led a protest in Kolkata against alleged post-election attacks on TMC leaders and eviction of hawkers by the BJP-led state government. She vowed to 'fight or die' and announced opposition parties would meet in Delhi to discuss a nationwide response.
Johor, bordering Singapore, dissolved its legislature on Monday, triggering an election within 60 days. The vote carries significant political and economic weight for Umno and the Barisan Nasional coalition, with a special economic zone and a new rail link providing an economic backdrop.
Karnataka High Court denied bail to a 23-year-old engineering student accused of rape, with a judge remarking "law has lost its teeth" and suggesting harsher punishments. The court issued a notice to the state government.
Fraser Coast Hospice in regional Queensland, which has cared for 950 people in five years, faces closure on June 10 due to a $60,000 monthly funding gap. The facility is seeking urgent donations to avoid entering voluntary administration.
The Australian federal and state governments have narrowed bidders for the financially troubled Whyalla steelworks to two, with up to $1.9 billion in funding offered for its transition, amid concerns over the critical blast furnace's shutdown since April.
Perth's Cottesloe Beach will undergo a $15 million redevelopment, funded by federal and local governments, to transform a car park into a plaza with wider footpaths and improved beach access. Stage one focuses on the main foreshore area, with future stages requiring state government funding.
