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Patrick Hatch

Patrick Hatch

Patrick Hatch is transport reporter at The Age and a former business reporter.

A V/Line booking office at Southern Cross has been shut for the past month due to a “foul odour”.

Broken lifts, vandalised toilets and a mysterious odour: Something smells at Southern Cross

V/Line has been forced to close a booking office at Melbourne’s second-busiest railway station, which has been the subject of scores of commuter complaints.

  • Patrick Hatch

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Paul Hughan was assaulted on a train in December.

Paul was punched on a train. Getting help was harder than expected

A man who was assaulted on a Metro train says he was shocked to discover that both the emergency intercom and CCTV in his carriage were not working.

  • Patrick Hatch
Premier Jacinta Allan has conceded Victoria is not immune to escalating global pressures but maintains the state is on track to deliver an operating surplus this year.

‘The last thing you want’: Victorian budget, credit rating threatened by Iran war

Cost blowouts are expected on Victoria’s Big Build, according to analysts and ratings agencies, as the global fuel shock triggers widespread economic fallout.

  • Daniella White, Patrick Hatch and Kieran Rooney
Melbourne’s new Myki readers have adopted Sydney’s harsher beeps.

Victoria ignored risks before $137m blowout, delayed myki overhaul

The Victorian Auditor-General has laid bare the cause of delays to upgrade the myki system, revealing how long commuters will have to wait to ditch the card.

  • Patrick Hatch
More than 3000 new ticket readers have been installed across the train network as part of the myki upgrade.

Train passengers can finally touch on with an iPhone – but only on some lines

The trial, which also includes bank card payments, is the first time Melburnians can test the $1.7 billion overhaul of the much-maligned myki system.

  • Patrick Hatch
Pit lane at Albert Park during the 2024 race.

Grand Prix redevelopment blows out by $115m after asbestos find

Taxpayers are facing a hefty bill to pay for works to clean up and expand the Formula 1 pit facilities at Albert Park.

  • Patrick Hatch and Kieran Rooney
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The Coalition has pledged to expand the CBD.

Super-sized CBD or soaring suburbs: The competing visions to reshape Melbourne

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson’s new housing policy marks a direct challenge to the Labor government. Experts are torn over the merits of both.

  • Daniella White and Patrick Hatch

The dream lives on but can high-speed rail ever work in Australia?

With details of a new high-speed rail line soon to be revealed, could this be the plan that actually gets up?

  • Patrick Hatch
Banyule locals (L-R) Heather Smith, Don Stokes and Mariella Di Fabio are concerned wildlife will be pushed out of the area without the promised underpass.

North East Link quietly scraps promised wildlife crossing, leaving kangaroos stranded

The road project was supposed to provide an underpass for kangaroos. Instead, it has built a rope bridge for possums.

  • Patrick Hatch
Julia Miller, who was hit by a hire scheme scooter near the MCG, pictured in 2022.

Hundreds injured in Melbourne’s e-scooter trial, new data shows

More than 500 riders and dozens of pedestrians reported being injured in crashes involving electric scooters during Melbourne’s experiment with hire scheme operators Lime and Neuron. 

  • Patrick Hatch