By Mitchell Davis. Victoria’s native fish could benefit from warmer water temperatures as climate change alters freshwater ecosystems. Experts from the Victorian Fisheries Authority say Macquarie Perch and Murray Cod may have a better chance of survival in increased water temperatures. This is because introduced species such as trout rely on cooler water. “Non-native species like trout are cold-water species. What we’ve seen is as our waters are consistently warming, trout ar

Bombers break through as North returns to the top. Our AFLW reporter Aoife Cunningham recaps Round 8 Essendon finally broke through with their first victory of the AFLW season, and North Melbourne returned to the top of the ladder after a win over Sydney in some of the highlights of Round 8. Essendon defeated GWS Giants by eight points - 43–35 - at Henson Park on Saturday, after trailing by 24 points at half-time. The Bombers snatched their first win, piling on five goals in

By Daniel Allen. Artificial Intelligence could be the solution to Victoria’s ongoing pothole crisis. Potholes have become a major Victorian state election issue with both major parties committing billions of dollars to repair roads. But an expert from Swinburne University of Technology says the solution lies in using AI to find “coconut cracks” before they become potholes. Director of the Vehicle Engineering Team at Swinburne University, Associate Professor Ambarish Kulkarni

By George Podeu. If the Labor government wins the Victorian state election they have promised to allow dogs into pubs and extend trading hours to 3am. Dogs in pubs would require amending the 1984 Food Act. Melbourne hospitality worker Dylan Carver was unsure about the proposal. “I think dogs are a particular issue” and that it would be “quite a nuisance particularly inside of pubs.” “They run around and there's people carrying heavy trays of drinks, food,” he said. Regarding

Aoife Cunningham on North ending Melbourne’s unbeaten start, Carlton running riot at Ikon Park and more North Melbourne bounced back from their shock loss to Hawthorn, ending Melbourne’s undefeated start to the season with a convincing 31-point victory on Grand Final eve. The Kangaroos beat the Demons 65-34 at Ikon Park, responding strongly after their 32-game winning streak ended the previous week. The result handed Melbourne their first defeat of the season, while North ret

Aoife Cunningham recaps the latest round of AFLW. Hawthorn have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in AFLW history, ending North Melbourne’s 32-game winning streak with a seven-point victory in Cairns. The Hawks fought back from 10 points down at half-time to defeat the reigning premiers 32–25, bringing North’s remarkable run to an end after almost three years. The Kangaroos have not lost a match since the 2023 AFLW Grand Final against Brisbane, going undefeated through the

Aiofe Cunningham reports on why actress Sydney Sweeney’s new sports ad is making women angry American actress Sydney Sweeney has come under fire from female athletes over her new sports betting advertisement for Novig, with the campaign being accused of sexualising women. The Novig sports betting app campaign, titled ‘Just Sports’, features Sweeney posing almost naked while using basketballs, footballs, tennis racquets and ice hockey sticks to cover her body. After the compan

AFLW games have bigger venues and bigger crowds. Aiofe Cunningham asks can the league build an that growing popularity? AFLW have celebrated their biggest crowds in the opening two rounds of the 2026 season at major stadiums in four double-header games. A stunning 66,996 fans attended the games and the AFLW now face the challenge of turning increased exposure into a lasting audience. The season began in April, with four AFLW games played at major stadiums across Victoria and

Amelia Myles reports on H5 Bird flu in Victoria, and what the future holds for native Australian wildlife With 94 confirmed cases of Avian influenza found in the state since early July, concern is high for the future of Victoria's bird life. H5N1 Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious and fatal illness that causes severe neurological problems and mortality in bird species. The virus has never been detected in Australia until July, 2026, and is now

By Aoife Cunningham Teams walk through the banner together for the Good Friday Appeal’s SuperClash (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) North Melbourne have continued their dominant run through the 2026 AFLW season, handing Carlton their first defeat with a 33–23 victory at Arden Street Oval. The Blues entered the clash unbeaten after four rounds but faced their biggest test yet against the reigning premiers, who were looking to extend their remarkable winning streak. Carlton got

(Photo: ABC.net) By Abbie Gargett New research from Deakin University has found the education system still shows a bias towards white Christian perspectives. In a paper published January 5, 2026, two sociologists of religion - Dr Anna Halafoff and Dr Ruth Fitzpatrick - published a paper published called, "The myth of a white, Christian nation versus Australia’s diverse worldview reality: rectifying post-truth Christian privilege in the Australian curriculum." They analysed th

Aoife Cunningham kicks off a new weekly column rounding out the highlights ifrom each AFLW round. Round 4 of the 2026 AFLW Season saw a wide array of results around the weekend, a double-header at Princess Park resulted in wins from both Fremantle and Carlton, who continued their unbeaten run. Carlton have continued their impressive start to the season with a commanding 68–29 victory over Collingwood at IKON Park on Sunday, establishing themselves as one of the competition’s