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Catch up on news here:
First home buyers grant doubled for regional Victorians
The state government will double the first home owners grant for regional Victoria in a bid to draw more young buyers into the regions and counter the capital’s housing affordability crisis. More here.
New world unleashed for Mathew
When former coffin maker Mathew Jones’ peripheral vision dramatically deteriorated over a 13-year period he was left isolated and unemployed. A little more than a year ago Mr Jones’ life changed for the better when he was paired with guide dog Petros. Now, Mr Jones’ life is set for a second transformation as he prepares to move onto the National Disability Insurance Scheme. More here.
Two men face court after allegedly intimidating witnesses with a gun
Both men were charged by the Armed Crime Squad with 10 offences relating to the incident which include, being a prohibited person who used a firearm, attempt to pervert the course of justice, aggravated burglary, recklessly causing injury and harass witnesses. More here.
Finals begin now for Lions
Darley may have already sewn up its spot in the Ballarat Cricket Association first grade finals, but captain-coach Heath Pritchard said the side will not be resting on its laurels. More here.
Fire breaks out at workshop burns cars, bins
Firefighters took 15 minutes to control a fire that burned a number of cars at a workshop in Sebastopol. More here.
State of the nation
Need a national news snapshot first thing – well, we have you covered.
► WARRNAMBOOL, VIC: When the engines on Clark Smock’s boat failed, the Warrnambool fisherman’s survival instinct kicked into gear. Mr Smock had been fishing for blue grenadier and blue eye at a depth of 1000 feet about 30 nautical miles out from Port Fairy when he ran into trouble. He twice attempted to start the port-side motor with no luck, and when the starboard motor kicked in it wouldn’t run properly. He didn’t panic, but he knew it wasn’t good.
► HUNTER, NSW: Life for young Hunter father Tim Macpherson was looking brighter and brighter. But in an instant on Wednesday afternoon, everything changed forever. Mr Macpherson was watching on as a three-tonne metal beam was lifted by a crane, when it knocked into another beam, which toppled and hit him. Mr Macpherson died at the scene, sending his family into deep mourning and unions into a search for answers.
► TASMANIA: A penguin colony near Burnie will continue to thrive with the assistance of members of the community who have worked together to protect the area. The penguins reside within the Doctors Rocks Conservation Area near Burnie, close to a property development proposed area.
► BALLARAT, VIC: Clergy sexual abuse survivors say they will not rest until “ironclad laws” are implemented to protect future generations of children from pedophilia. Victims of disgraced Christian brother Robert Best embraced outside the Victorian County Court on Thursday, moments after the notorious paedophile was sentenced to another six years in jail. It was 16,000 kilometres from where four of the men had stood on the steps of the Hotel Quirinale in Rome on the same day last year.
► FALCON, WA: Falcon resident and ex-Bachelorette contestant Kayne Buik has decided to take it upon himself to brighten people’s lives, after feeling sick of reading news about violence and murder. In order to do it, Mr Buik has decided to play small positive pranks to people who are feeling down to turn their day around. “So I just want to show people the good side of things.”
► BENDIGO, VIC: A trolley collection subcontractor is facing court for allegedly exploiting two refugee workers at the Woolworths supermarket at the Bendigo Marketplace and using false records to try to cover it up. The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action in the Federal Circuit Court against Jobanjeet Singh and his company Joban’s Trolley Collection Pty Ltd, alleging underpayment of two trolley collection workers by a total of $29,031 between January and June, 2015.
► NEWCASTLE, NSW: The latest police weapon comes free of a holster and trigger. Since Newcastle’s police rescue squad took possession of their drone early last year, they have used it in everything from giving investigators another view of murder scenes and serious car accidents to helping with large-scale searches. This week they even used a drone to help flush out a man who had allegedly given police the slip and run into backyards after giving officers a dodgy name.
► TASMANIA: A new global study, which included research from the University of Tasmania, has reopened questions about how the atmosphere and oceans were formed. The study was led by the Australian National University. It found seawater cycled throughout the Earth’s interior down to 2900 kilometres, which was much deeper than previously thought.
National news
► Outspoken Coalition backbencher George Christensen has fired an extraordinary broadside at senior government ministers - including his party leader, Barnaby Joyce - over an apparent reluctance to act on reforms to Australia's racial discrimination laws.
► Decade-long leases will soon be possible under rent reform laws announced on Thursday, but landlords are unlikely to embrace them in a market with soaring demand. The Victorian government has announced it will introduce new legislation this year to provide "greater security" for both tenants and landlords.
► Australia has turned up empty handed to a major international conference which has pledged more than a quarter of a billion of dollars for women affected by President Donald Trump's reinstatement of the "global gag rule", which has stripped international non-government organisations that provide abortion services, advice or referrals of US funding.
► Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will not attend this year's Sydney gay and lesbian Mardi Gras parade, saying he has "other matters" to attend to interstate.
National weather radar
International news
► Republicans were so relieved that Donald Trump could button his jacket, wear his tie straight and deliver a speech that many judged to be "presidential" that few seemed to notice the road kill in the aisles of Congress - conservatism had just taken a big hit.
.► A group of Indian men who believe that a woman's place is in the kitchen and not in public life have won a victory. After violent protests and strikes, the traditional, male-dominated tribal groups in Nagaland in India's far north-east have succeeded in forcing Chief Minister TR Zeliang to step down. Mr Zeliang had said he was going to implement a Supreme Court ruling ordering Nagaland to fall in line with the rest of the country by keeping 33 per cent of the seats in elected bodies exclusively for women candidates.
► Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has brought his country's 170,000-strong national police force back into his deadly crackdown on drugs, despite mounting evidence police have orchestrated mass unlawful killings.
On this day
1918: Germany, Austria and Russia sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, ending Russia's involvement in the First World War and leading to the independence of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
1923: TIME magazine is published for the first time
1986: The Australia Act 1986 commences, causing Australia to become fully independent from the United Kingdom
1991: An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers
Faces of Australia: Paul Bidwell
WHEN avocado grower Paul Bidwell, moved from Western Australia with semi-retirement in mind he did not expect to find the best avocado country in the coldest state.
Eight years later, the only commercial avocado grower in Tasmania has proven the North-West Coast’s rich red basalt soils and temperate climate are ideal for avocado production.
Mr Bidwell said there’s an opportunity for more Tasmanian farmers to join him and start growing avocados to supply the market with year-round fruit.
Mr Bidwell said after he researched the different areas in the state, the top-quality soils in the North-West won him over. His avocado trees have grown at North Motton at an unexpected rate and the amount of fruit was also much higher than predicted. Read more.