Erin Somerville

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Erin Somerville |Shannon Schubert

More than half of Victoria's public swimming pools are over 50 years old and considered beyond their end-of-life date. Some pools have permanently closed or are awaiting costly upgrades. Councils want more state and federal support to help keep local pools open. More than half of Victoria's public pools have reached the end of their working life, and local councils say they are becoming too expensive to keep and fix.

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Erin Somerville

Critics of a planned hospital redevelopment on the Victoria – New South Wales border say the upgrade has been designed for a limited budget rather than the community's needs. The $558 million redevelopment of the Albury Wodonga Regional Hospital is set to deliver a seven-storey clinical services building, but healthcare leaders believe it falls far short of demand by failing to deliver critical services and leaving the region's fractured two-hospital system in place.

2 months 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 31, 2025 | abc.net.au | Erin Somerville |Charmaine Manuel |Sandra Moon

Health services already affected by hot weather are warning residents about the dangers of heat-related illness as scorching conditions move across south-east Australia. The Bureau of Metrology (BOM) has issued severe heatwave warnings for South Australia, Victoria and NSW border regions.  The BOM is forecasting above-average temperatures well into next week, with maximums in the high 30s to low 40s.

Jan 27, 2025 | abc.net.au | Richard Willingham |Erin Somerville

The first trial of ticketless public transport in Victoria has been labelled a "gimmick" and "pointless" because it is limited to just four bus routes in the state's north-east and doesn't integrate with trains. Victoria is well behind other states and cities when it comes to ticketless travel, including Sydney, where commuters can pay for trips via credit card or phone at the turnstiles. In 2023, US-French company Conduent won a $1.7 billion contract to take over myki.