Richard Willingham
ABC.net.au
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Past articles by Richard:
Pressure mounts on Victoria to follow gambling reforms of NSW and Tasmania
At the height of her gambling addiction, Bree Hughes was visiting up to seven venues each day. She's joined a growing chorus of voices urging Victoria to put the brakes on poker machine losses in the state's most disadvantaged communities. → Read More
IBAC says former Labor minister Theo Theophanous 'improperly' lobbied for developer
IBAC finds Theo Theophanous lobbied on behalf of a Chinese-backed development consortium that donated to his daughter's election campaign. → Read More
Privacy concerns as Victorian government looks to pass medical information-sharing bill
Changes in Victoria would allow hospitals to easily share patient information through a centralised electronic system — but some say better privacy protections are required. → Read More
Governors-general found to have engaged in misconduct could be stripped of pensions under proposed legislation
Former governors-general – including the disgraced Peter Hollingworth — could have millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded pensions and entitlements stripped by the federal parliament under proposed new laws. → Read More
As Victoria's duck season nears, the Premier's careful words signal change may be afoot
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he doesn't just "blurt stuff out", which may explain why MPs are sitting up and taking note after his rhetoric on the state's upcoming duck hunting season changed, state political reporter Richard Willingham writes. → Read More
Push to have disgraced former governor-general Peter Hollingworth defrocked to be heard by Anglican Church panel
A push from survivors to have former governor-general Peter Hollingworth defrocked for his handling of paedophiles in his diocese reaches a critical juncture, with a hearing by the church's independent investigation panel scheduled this week. → Read More
Victorian firefighters' income protection affected following union spat with insurer
A dispute over invitations to a charity dinner for mental health prompts United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall to "sack" the income protection provider for nearly 4,000 firefighters. → Read More
Election of micro parties on preferences renews calls to change Victoria's 'broken' upper-house voting system
Micro party MPs with less than 3 per cent of the primary vote have been elected once again in Victoria's upper house, prompting renewed calls for the unique system to be scrapped. → Read More
Adem Somyurek, Legalise Cannabis MPs win seats as Victorian upper house election results are confirmed
Former Labor MP Adem Somyurek has retained his seat in Victoria's upper house, after switching to the Democratic Labour Party, meanwhile former Liberal MP Bernie Finn has lost his bid for re-election, and two Legalise Cannabis party candidates have been elected. → Read More
Victorian election results show 'existential crisis' for Liberal Party, MP says, as last seats to be decided
The Liberal Party is facing a crisis and must undergo generational change, one of the few MPs to gain ground in the election says, as his party prepares to elect a new leader in the wake of a widening electoral defeat. → Read More
Victorian election results declared in Hastings and Mornington as new Labor ministers revealed
Just three seats remain in doubt in Victoria as the Labor Party reveals its new ministers in the wake of the weekend's election victory. → Read More
Victoria's election holds lessons for Labor, but it's the Liberals who now face the challenge of reform
Before the election the Liberal Party said winning in Victoria would be a challenge, but after a devastating loss, insiders say it's time to draw a line in the sand, writes Richard Willingham. → Read More
Labor, Coalition promise billion-dollar surpluses in three years as pre-election costings revealed
Labor claims it can return the budget to a surplus exceeding $1b by 2026, while the Coalition says under its plan that figure would be $11.3b. Both parties are relying on raiding contingency funds. → Read More
Victorian Labor accuses 'Greens-dominated' council of sabotage in tightly fought Northcote
An inner-city Melbourne council is temporarily ordered not to take down any political signage in a key battleground seat just days out from the Victorian state election. The Greens deny any involvement, accusing Labor of "misleading characterisations". → Read More
Glen Druery defends Victorian election preference deals, feels 'betrayed' by video leak
'Preference whisperer' Glenn Druery says he has met with senior staff and politicians from the Liberal and Labor parties and says he feels "betrayed" by a leaked video of him discussing deals. → Read More
Greens poll strongly in Labor seats as Liberal preferences threaten to shake up Victorian parliament
The Victorian Greens are polled to contest strongly in several Labor seats, but Premier Daniel Andrews is ruling out any deal between the parties. → Read More
Minor party candidate who called for Daniel Andrews to be hanged preferenced ahead of Labor by Liberals
Freedom Party upper-house candidate Rebekah Spelman says she does not want Daniel Andrews dead, but she does not regret her "exaggerated" comments calling for the premier to be hanged. → Read More
Victorian Liberal and Labor parties sharpen state election pitches ahead of early polling
The Liberal Party urges Victorians to vote for change and a ceiling on the state's debt on November 26, as Labor vows to forge ahead with a major shake-up of the state's energy network if it wins a third term. → Read More
Victorian Liberals pledge stamp duty cut for first-home buyers, Labor promises veterans card
The opposition says will scrap stamp duty for first-home buyers who purchase property worth less than $1 million if it wins the state election, while Labor says it will introduce a Victorian Veterans Card to help with the cost of living if re-elected. → Read More
United Firefighters Union secretary accused of being 'anti-union' after campaign to exclude mechanics
The United Firefighters Union has been accused of being "anti-worker" by rival unions over its campaign against cancer compensation for mechanics in the fire services. → Read More