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The tiny forest at Teralba Public School, Lake Macquarie, on planting in May 2024 (right) and November 2025 (left).

How forests the size of tennis courts transform Australian cities

You’ve heard of tiny homes, but what about tiny forests? It’s a growing movement in Australia, based on Japanese ideas.

  • Caitlin Fitzsimmons

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Melbourne councils are using private contractors to bully residents out of legitimate compensation for property damage and injuries from council negligence, with some firms boasting of paying out as little as 8 per cent of claims.

The secret intimidation tactics councils use to deny compensation claims

So-called independent assessors are in fact incentivised to deny residents’ claims and save councils money.

  • Rachael Dexter
Merri-bek resident Joe Perri is unhappy with the council’s prposals to change rubbish collection to fortnightly.

Fortnightly rubbish collection ‘inevitable’ as waste costs mount

Daniel Andrews vowed it would never happen under Labor. But one in three councils have ditched weekly pick-ups, and a big inner-city council plans to follow suit.

  • Rachael Ward
City of Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin (left) and City of Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly at Melbourne Town Hall.

State can’t wish away the financial problems of local councils

There are no easy fixes here, but the government should at least be willing to canvas solutions.

  • The Age's View
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
Glen Huntly, part of Glen Eira City Council.

Council moves to sell aged care home, double rate hike to avoid $57m budget black hole

The Melbourne municipality revealed plans on Wednesday to transfer ownership of the last council-run aged care facility in the state after a secret vote.

  • Lachlan Abbott
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Councils were blindsided with a $6000 annual fee to use the records system, plus a $2 charge for every jab administered.

Funding cut put Victoria’s vaccine database at risk

Pulled funding, new fees and a council revolt: internal documents reveal how Victoria’s childhood vaccination database was at risk of collapse.

  • Rachel Eddie
Australians think their local councils do better than state or federal governments - but also think they should be the first to go.

Australians love their councils – but still want to get rid of them

We rely on them for roads and rubbish collection – and a new poll shows people think councils are our best level of government.

  • Shane Wright
Local Government Minister Nick Staikos.

This is how much your council rates will go up next year

The state government says the rate cap helps ease cost-of-living pressure, but councils say they won’t be able to fund essential services.

  • Lachlan Abbott
Merri-bek Greens councillor Adam Pulford.

Rainbow connection a bridge too far for warring councillors

Conduct breaches that led to the controversial sanction included not pausing for long enough during a debate, and the use of the word “duplicitousness”.

  • Gemma Grant