Qantas to pay $90m for illegally sacking workers

Across the country, things are happening at a local level that have an impact nationally. Here’s the stories you might not hear about in the traditional media.

I love old pubs; there’s something so iconic about a classic Australian pub facade. So to see one abandoned and in disrepair is always a little bit sad.

The White Dog Hotel, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, has been closed for over 20 years, with cracked and bent beams holding up the facade on Lilydale’s main street.

Mathew Sims at the Eastern Melburnian reports that the hotel has come into such a state that the local council has said it’ll take repair works into it’s own hands.

Mathew reports the building’s owner has been in contact with the Yarra Ranges Council.

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Despite consistent July rain, scientists and Agriculture Victoria officers warn the soil moisture in western Victoria remains “well below average” for this time of year in Victoria’s west.

A report by Environment Victoria notes the high-pressure systems are in part a consequence of burning fossil fuels.

These fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide and methane, which build up in the Earth’s atmosphere and trap heat, increasing global temperatures and altering the way large volumes of air in the atmosphere and storm tracks move around the planet.

Zara Cuthbertson has been on the streets of Camperdown for the West Vic Brolga, asking locals if enough is being done to address the drought in western Victoria.

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It’s a double header from Zara at the West Vic Brolga today, with this report on what I can only describe as a very ambitious project for a regional council.

If you're asking, “Archie, where the hell is Hamilton?“ I don’t blame you. But for the town, just over three and a half hours west of Melbourne, this is a big deal.

The Southern Grampians Shire Council has backed plans for a $34 million library and community hub in the heart of the town.

However, as Zara reports, the approval did not come without sharp divisions over risks, funding gaps and a lack of formal partnerships.

Councillor Katrina Rainsford was the sole opponent of the decision.

“We’ve got some unknowns, we don’t know what the agreements are, we don’t know what the financial arrangements are,” said Rainsford.

The council has already set aside $17 million from its newly adopted 2024–34 Long Term Financial plan, aiming to secure a further $17 million in state and federal grants before the project’s deadline to be “shovel ready” by March 2026.

Good luck.

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