Naarm/Melbourne

  • Connex bites the dust

    There are few words that attract negative outbursts of emotions from Melbournians as much as the mere utterance of “Connex”.

  • Vic paramedics take action

    Victorian paramedics began industrial action on June 19, after enterprise bargaining negotiations with the state government broke down following a year of discussions. A ballot returned 94% support for industrial action.

  • Green belt: sacrificed to real estate?

    The Victorian government released plans on June 17 to expand Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary for new housing developments. This overturns previous commitments in its “Melbourne 2030" strategy for limited urban sprawl.

  • Protest against Vic roads minister

    Residents group Friends of Banyule staged a protest on June 20 outside a meeting with state roads minister Tim Pallas. The meeting was an information session about the proposed freeway link between the Eastern Freeway and the Western Ring Road.

  • Tieman workers stand united

    Ninety workers stopped work on June 10 across the three manufacturing sites of Tieman Industries in a battle for a new collective bargaining agreement. Among their demands are a 36-hour week — in effect a nine-day fortnight — a better redundancy clause and a decent wage increase.

  • Toxic dump picketed at Tullamarine

    Local residents held a rally on May 23 to stop trucks entering the Tullamarine toxic dump site in Melbourne’s west. Two days later they picketed to again stop trucks from entering the landfill site.

  • Brumby breaks forest promise

    Flawed Promises, a report released on May 25, found that the Victoria’s state government was protecting paddocks and previously logged areas instead of 500-year-old forests.

  • Telstra workers farewell Sol Trujillo

    Telstra workers took their campaign for a new enterprise bargaining agreement to the streets on May 27, with a farewell to former Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo.

  • Unions settle West Gate Bridge dispute

    A three month long industrial dispute at the West Gate Bridge strengthening project in Melbourne has ended. Unions and construction giant John Holland reached a settlement on May 15.