Good morning central Victoria!
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Clouds will be clearing today as Bendigo heads for a top of 26, Maryborough 25, Castlemaine 24, Kyneton 23, Redesdale 26, Echuca 29.
Catch up on news here:
Street name change pushed back six months
Plans to rename an historic Bendigo street have been put on hold following a delay in moving some patients to the new Bendigo hospital. Read more here.
Call to back local traders
It was once a purely religious celebration but for many Christmas is now more about the ritual of presents and tables groaning with hams, chooks, desserts, fruit platters and drinks. Read more here.
Century-old tram needs restoration
Local pride and love of heritage may save a 101-year-old tram from the scrap heap. Bendigo Tramways has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover the cost of restoring Tram No. 7. Read more here.
Regional crime 'pressure points' in sights
A new Victorian-first staff allocation model for police will be critical in addressing significant crime “pressure points” in regional Victoria, the state’s Police Minister Lisa Neville has said. Read more here.
Five-time premiership player departs Dogs
Golden Square has suffered another major loss to its playing stocks with key defender Dale Young leaving the club. Read more here.
State of the nation
Need a national news snapshot first thing? Well, we have you covered.
►NSW: It carved an afternoon swathe through a fair portion of the state, leaving trampolines in powerlines, trees felled and many people without power. Check out how Monday’s storm left a trail of devasttion in its wake in the Hunter, Tamworth and the Mid-North Coast.
► ESPERANCE: A Perth diver has "stared into the eyes" of a great white shark off the south coast of WA to prove the creatures are not bloodthirsty man-eaters.
Filmmaker Ashley Gibb was diving in a renowned shark haven, Lucky Bay in Esperance, when he came face-to-face with a great white.
►WAGGA: A victim who was molested by a sexually depraved Riverina community leader has suffered through decades of depression since he was robbed of his innocence.
Victor Madeley, 81, appeared to be a pillar of his town and a role model to the young boys in his Church of England Society group – but deep down he was a relentless sex fiend.
►WARRNAMBOOL: The Victorian Greens say the closure of Alcoa’s aluminium smelter in Portland is likely and the state government needs to prepare.
In the wake of last week’s power failure which limited production at the plant and the end of a lucrative electricity subsidy from the state government, Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber said the Andrews Government should “fast-track the establishment of a transition taskforce” for staff.
►LAUNCESTON: Troy and Sally Harper were forced to stand back and watch helplessly as a shed on their Legerwood property went up in flames, destroying almost $1 million in machinery.
Mrs Harper awoke about 3am Sunday after hearing some noise outside and decided to look out her window. It was at then she realised their shed was on fire.
►BENDIGO: Victoria will introduce a Gender Equality Act as part of reforms aimed at ending violence against women. The state’s first gender equality strategy was released yesterday, coinciding with the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
►NEWCASTLE: Next year's season-ending Supercars event in Newcastle will be run on a track being billed as comparable to the most spectacular street circuits in the world.
The final layout of the scenic course, using public waterfront roads at the eastern end of NSW's second largest city, will be unveiled this week.
The Newcastle 500 will replace the Sydney 500 at Sydney Olympic Park as the category's season-ending event in November.
►MANDURAH: The Murray River will again be a protected significant site under Aboriginal heritage legislation, after a decision to remove it from the list was overturned by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
The river was protected as a significant Aboriginal site from 2000, but was removed from the list in 2013 before a recent Supreme Court decision forced the department to reassess sites for which protection was refused.
►REDLAND: A decision on a referral of the controversial $1.39 billion Toondah Harbour project has been extended until July 7 next year, its sixth delay.
A spokesman for federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg said the referral had been held over at the request of proponent Walker Corp.
Walker Group executive chairman Lang Walker said his company and the department had come to a mutual agreement.
►ALBURY: A small group of protesters demonstrated outside Albury MP Greg Aplin’s office on Monday in support of six sacked teachers at the Mannus Correctional Facility in Tumbarumba, which they say is already reeling from the forced amalgamation of its shire.
►NSW: One of the state's biggest providers of youth services is facing significant financial challenges in the wake of findings from the child sex abuse royal commission.
YMCA NSW has invested heavily in strengthening child protection procedures since shocking revelations about child sex abuse within the organisation were aired before the royal commission in 2013.
►CANBERRA: Federal environment programs are projected to be slashed by more than a third by 2019 even as overall budget spending expands by more than 20 per cent, according to analysis by the Australian Conservation Foundation.
The drop in environment spending, compared with the budget in place when the Coalition government led by Tony Abbott took office in September 2013, includes the expected abolition of the Green Army worth about $360 million over four years.
National weather radar
Check out what’s expected near you today.
International news
►NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has announced his retirement as the country's leader, saying he had "nothing left in the tank" and it was time to move on.
►CHINA: The protocol-breaking telephone call Donald Trump held with Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen was a deliberately provocative move planned weeks in advance, The Washington Post has reported. It signals a tough opening line with China which threatens simmering diplomatic tensions with Beijing even before the US President-elect sets foot in the Oval Office.
On this day
2006: NASA reveals photographs taken by Mars Global Surveyor suggesting the presence of liquid water on Mars
2000: O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack released
1984: Eddie Murphy stars in Beverly Hills Cop
1945: Aircraft squadron lost in the Bermuda Triangle
1933: Prohibition ends
The faces of Australia: Brad Keegan
Much-loved Muswellbrook resident Brad Keegan has been remembered as an “exceptional husband and father”.
Tributes have started flowing in for the popular 46-year-old, who died on Sunday, December 4.
Working with a variety of groups and causes, he was an advocate within the local community, working to make it a better place for all until he died.
His wife Suzie said he was an exceptional husband and father.
“He’s been our strength in the family and the rock of our family,” she said.