Danielle Kutchel

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Erin Somerville |Danielle Kutchel

Six regional Victorian councils are questioning a new emergency services levy, which comes into effect in July. The councils have concerns about value for money locally and how they will fund the levy's collection. Some councils are now urging the Victorian government to review the levy before its implementation. Six regional Victorian councils are questioning the feasibility of the state government's emergency services fund, with some labelling it "a tax" on ratepayers.

Jan 20, 2025 | autism.einnews.com | Danielle Kutchel

Australia has its first ever National Autism Strategy. Along with an associated Action Plan, the government says the documents aim to improve inclusion, support and life outcomes for Australians on the spectrum. It’s been designed in consultation with autistic people as a national approach to breaking down the barriers that prevent autistic people from accessing equal opportunities in our society. But despite this, some advocates hold concerns. First, let’s recap the strategy itself.

Jan 16, 2025 | abc.net.au | Danielle Kutchel

The day before fires threatened the Victorian coastal town of Mallacoota during the summer of 2019-20, Rosemary Hannah drove into town. She was heading for the local Catholic church, which she had decided to evacuate to as the bushfire approached. She had been living in a bungalow on another person's property, but police had warned her not to go back there, leaving her homeless on the eve of the devastating bushfires.

Jan 10, 2025 | abc.net.au | Danielle Kutchel

At plastic fold-out tables set up beneath the beating sun, a team of vets operates in the open air to give man's best friend a new lease on life. They're multitasking — shooing the flies away from their patient while expertly conducting the procedure. From vaccinations to amputations, this is life for these vets, at least for the next few days. The team is from West Gippsland Vet Care in regional Victoria, and is part of the Vet Mob Indigenous Dog Health Program.

Nov 24, 2024 | abc.net.au | Danielle Kutchel

David Roberts remembers what it was like to live in the Latrobe Valley during coal's heyday. He recalls his mother talking of vibrant towns with thriving shops, and schools educating multiple generations from the same family. Local sports teams were rites of passage. Work was readily available at the mines and energy plants that dotted the valley. But as Victoria's coal industry declined he said residents began shopping further away at other towns and young people went elsewhere for work.