Latest news with #SteveDimopoulos
The Age
2 hours ago
- Climate
- The Age
One fish, two fish, 35,000 fish: Rainbow trout released for school holiday anglers
They wiggled and squirmed as thousands of them splashed their way to freedom. Big white buckets full of rainbow trout were hauled into Karkarook Park Lake in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday by keen fishermen and women. Two thousand of the fish species found their new home in Heatherton's icy lake. They are among 35,000 fish being added to 70 lakes across Victoria, with the aim of getting kids off their screens and into the great outdoors during the school holidays. The ready-to-catch rainbow trout – which are ideal for beginner anglers and can be caught with lures cast from the shore – are part of the $96 million Go Fishing and Boating plan. Victoria stocks more fish than any other state or territory. Steve Dimopoulos, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, said the fish were being distributed in time for the school holidays. 'We are saying come to your local waterway, you don't need an expensive boat, you just need a rod,' he said. 'You'll catch a fish in Victoria more than anywhere else in Australia.' The release follows on from former premier Daniel Andrews' 2022 pledge of $1.5 million over four years to give 95,000 free fishing rods to year 5 students, and all students at specialist schools. That program had varying levels of success: while some were excited to take up fishing, the ABC reported a number of students tried to re-sell the rods online.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
One fish, two fish, 35,000 fish: Rainbow trout released for school holiday anglers
They wiggled and squirmed as thousands of them splashed their way to freedom. Big white buckets full of rainbow trout were hauled into Karkarook Park Lake in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday by keen fishermen and women. Two thousand of the fish species found their new home in Heatherton's icy lake. They are among 35,000 fish being added to 70 lakes across Victoria, with the aim of getting kids off their screens and into the great outdoors during the school holidays. The ready-to-catch rainbow trout – which are ideal for beginner anglers and can be caught with lures cast from the shore – are part of the $96 million Go Fishing and Boating plan. Victoria stocks more fish than any other state or territory. Steve Dimopoulos, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, said the fish were being distributed in time for the school holidays. 'We are saying come to your local waterway, you don't need an expensive boat, you just need a rod,' he said. 'You'll catch a fish in Victoria more than anywhere else in Australia.' The release follows on from former premier Daniel Andrews' 2022 pledge of $1.5 million over four years to give 95,000 free fishing rods to year 5 students, and all students at specialist schools. That program had varying levels of success: while some were excited to take up fishing, the ABC reported a number of students tried to re-sell the rods online.
ABC News
8 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Melbourne's Metro Rail Tunnel may not be fully operational when it opens, with report two stations are behind schedule
The Victorian Government has backed down from initial denials that Melbourne's $15 billion Metro Rail Tunnel project would not be fully operational when it opens at the end of the year. Nine newspapers have reported some train services will run through the nine-kilometre twin tunnels this year but peak hour services would divert to the City Loop until early 2026, despite the project being spruiked as opening this year. The report suggested the delay was due to construction of two of the project's five underground stations – Town Hall and State Library – failing to meet completion deadlines. Government frontbencher Steve Dimopoulos fronted the media on Saturday morning and initially said the report was wrong. But, when pushed by further questioning, changed his stance to suggest the article was 'pre-emptive'. 'We haven't landed the timetable,' Mr Dimopoulos said. Mr Dimopoulos said he did not expect any disappointment from commuters if services were not to run at full capacity. 'If you think of the complexity here … I don't think people are going to be anything but overjoyed when they walk through those five stations. 'This is a huge project, that's what I think people will be embracing.' He took a shot at the anonymous sources the newspaper article was based on. 'Anonymity comes with a lack of responsibility.' Metro Rail has notched up hundreds of millions of dollars in cost blow-outs and there were already known issues with station construction, including a shortage of construction workers, supply chain constraints and disruptions caused by COVID-19, that had pushed back the opening date from March 2025 to as far as the new year. Mr Dimopoulos said that deferred completion date should not be seen as a delay. 'When the government announced it in 2015 and you go back to those records, the premier then said it would be open in late 2026," he said. "It'll be open by the end of this year so it's a year early.' Opposition leader Brad Battin said the government had implied the project would be fully operational by this year.. "No one knows when it's going to open, no one knows which stations will open and no one knows how many trains will be able to go through during peak and off-peak times," he said. Mr Battin called on the government to guarantee it would not pay the builders any bonuses if they failed to complete the full project by the end of the year.
Epoch Times
26-05-2025
- Epoch Times
‘Do or Die': Union Responds to Fatal Police Shooting
A police union has defended the actions of an officer who fatally shot a woman after she rammed him with a car, describing it as a 'do or die' situation. The senior constable has since been released from hospital after being treated for leg injuries suffered on Saturday evening in South Melbourne. Officers were attempting to arrest a 39-year-old man allegedly in possession of a machete when a woman drove an SUV at police, pinning an officer against a wall. The car hit the senior constable, who fired four shots at the vehicle, hitting the 34-year-old female driver and a 26-year-old male passenger. The woman died at the scene, while the shot man and police officer were taken to hospital. Victorian Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt says officers remain under constant pressure and often have to fight for their lives while on duty. Related Stories 5/19/2025 4/27/2025 'This is what our [police] members are dealing with on a regular occasion … confronted by people in vehicles like this. It can be not only life-altering, but it can end your life,' he said. 'There's no magic wand for situations like this. 'When a car's coming at you, there's not a lot you can do it, and it is literally a case of do or die.' Victorian Minister Steve Dimopoulos said it was a distressing situation. 'Our thoughts are absolutely with the senior constable at hospital, his family, also the family and loved ones of the woman who passed away,' he said. A 39-year-old South Melbourne man has been charged with possessing a prohibited weapon and theft of a bicycle. He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on August 12. Detectives are investigating, with oversight from Professional Standards Command, which is standard procedure after a fatal police shooting.
Time Out
26-05-2025
- Time Out
Melbourne's Luna Park is getting a much-needed multi-million dollar facelift
The huge moon face on St Kilda Esplanade, aka the entrance to the beloved Luna Park, is one of Melbourne's most iconic sights. It's been there since 1912, making the theme park the oldest in the country – so it makes sense that it's in need of some TLC. Thankfully, the century-old site is set to get a glow-up with a $22 million upgrade. The restoration works will target the Luna Palace, a building inside the park that's been there from the beginning. Once upon a time, it hosted the Dodgem cars and the Penny Arcade. But after falling into disrepair, it was closed to the public for safety reasons. Fortunately, the park is now undergoing heritage repairs to bring it back to life so that it can be enjoyed by visitors once again. The palace will even get an expansion, creating the capacity to host exciting events. Luna Park's entrance towers will also benefit from a makeover to revitalise the facade, with a fresh coat of paint and revamped lighting. The restoration works are already underway, with the park able to stay open throughout. The revamped Luna Palace is expected to be ready to open in November 2025. To recognise the value of this heritage attraction, the state government has contributed $5 million in funding through the latest budget. Victorian minister for environment Steve Dimopoulos said Luna Park was an important part of Melbourne's history. 'With the help of this funding it can not only return to its former glory but grow and thrill new generations,'' Dimopoulos said. 'We are so lucky to have places like this in Melbourne, which are nationally and internationally significant and we are proud to make sure it continues to be a family favourite for locals and international visitors to our great state.' To find out more about the Luna Park restoration works, head to the website.
