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Alain Bertaud, the former World Bank principal planner, during his visit to Melbourne.

The ‘starfish’ city: How Melbourne’s shape is pushing young workers out

Planning expert Alain Bertaud warns that Melbourne’s rigid “starfish” growth and arbitrary planning controls are pricing out young workers and threatening the city’s economic future.

  • Cara Waters

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Meg Scott, with baby Layla, believes Melbourne is the best city in the world.

Melbourne crowned the best city in the world

Melbourne has been crowned the best city in the world for 2026 in Time Out’s list of the 50 best cities, beating London and New York.

  • Cara Waters

What’s not to like? Allan and Wilson lock horns in Insta fight

When Premier Jacinta Allan’s follower count doubled on Instagram, both the government and the opposition cried foul.

  • Fiona Byrne and John Buckley
City of Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin and City of Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly pose outside Melbourne Town Hall.

Mega merger not the answer to funding shortfall, councils say

A proposal to amalgamate rate-capped councils has been met with derision and hostility, with some warning it could hark back to the ugliness of the Kennett-era mergers.

  • Adam Carey
City of Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin and City of Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly pose outside Melbourne Town Hall.

Inner-city mega-council floated as mayors face financial cliff

In a move that breaks a 30-year political taboo, lifelong socialist Stephen Jolly has called for an “adult conversation” about amalgamating inner-city councils to prevent the shuttering of services and sackings of staff.

  • Rachael Dexter
Lord Mayor Nick Reece poses for photos during his visit to India.

‘Is it value for money?’: How Nick Reece spent $150k overseas in four months

Melbourne’s lord mayor billed ratepayers for business class flights and luxury hotels as he and his team visited China, Japan, Brazil and India.

  • Cara Waters
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Brunetti Classico owner Fabio Angele is acutely aware of the decline in Lygon Street’s pedestrian traffic.

It once attracted 700,000 people in one weekend. Now Lygon Street is in a state of flux

The famous street is facing a sink-or-swim battle, decades after its heyday when visitors crammed in to dance on the road and have their first taste of pizza.

  • Cassandra Morgan and Craig Butt
Bourke Street Mall, once at the top of Melbourne’s retail hierarchy, has fallen out of fashion.

This CBD icon was a mecca for shoppers. Then Melbourne fell out of love

Once at the top of Melbourne’s retail hierarchy, this mighty strip took a mighty tumble – before a “sensorial wonder” moved in.

  • Cassandra Morgan and Craig Butt
Foot traffic in Melbourne CBD has failed to return to pre-COVID levels.

Are you part of Melbourne’s missing 20 per cent? Check how much foot traffic has dropped

Once Melbourne’s liveliest areas, these city zones have been transformed after they were abandoned by the CBD’s vanishing 20 per cent.

  • Cassandra Morgan and Craig Butt
Pioneer Monument, Samuel Craven, 1871 at Flagstaff Gardens was desecrated along with the Separation Monument graffitied this week ahead of Australia Day 2026.

Council to ramp up protection for statues after hefty repair bills

The City of Melbourne passed a motion calling for a proactive approach for statues and memorials during “periods of heightened risks to public property”.

  • Cara Waters