Benjamin Preiss
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As seen in:
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Traveller,
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The Sunday Age,
The Canberra Times,
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Brisbane Times
and
Regional editor with The Age. Tweets are my own
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Articles by Benjamin Preiss
The clean energy super project that will power Victoria but worrying farmers
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Trenches for underground cable threaten dairy farms
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Trenches for underground cable threaten dairy farms
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This 345-kilometre undersea power cable will power Victoria but may ruin dairy farmers
Benjamin Preiss To the untrained eye, the disruption to Paul Peluso's property from a major interstate electricity transmission line seems minor, perhaps even lucrative. Peluso's dairy farm lies in the proposed path of the Marinus Link project, which includes 345 kilometres of power and data cables running from north-west Tasmania to the Latrobe Valley in Victoria. The cables will run beneath the Bass Strait and continue underground in Victoria.
Stroke victim Peter would be lost without the funding that paid for his scooter. Now it’s been slashed
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A stroke upended Peter's life. Now the NDIS is scaling back his support
Benjamin Preiss Peter Barry was about to start an exciting new chapter in his life. He was preparing to sell his house in Colac, in Victoria's south-west, and take a job driving heavy machinery and trucks in the West Australian mining industry. His son's family had already moved there and lined up work for Barry. But things didn't go to plan. Just before he was due to leave in May 2019, Barry found himself lying on the floor after falling while taking a coffee cup to the kitchen sink.
Dust-up over new quarry divides coastal town that's become a hit with tourists
Benjamin Preiss Atop the rolling hills of Fish Creek, the panoramic South Gippsland coast stretches out below in stunning glory. The Strzelecki Ranges, Wilsons Promontory, Corner and Shallow inlets are among the world-class landscapes that greet both travellers and locals alike. For more than 30 years, this treasured landscape has drawn in residents and small-scale farmers who have built homes and livelihoods within Fish Creek's lush green hills.
Dust-up over new quarry divides coastal town that’s become a hit with tourists
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First detection of deadly H5N1 bird flu confirmed in Victoria
Benjamin Preiss, Mike Foley Authorities in Victoria are increasing surveillance of wild animal populations after the detection of the state's first case of the potentially catastrophic new strain of H5N1 bird flu. A member of the public discovered the ill bird in the coastal town of Portland near the border with South Australia and reported it to authorities. Testing on the greater crested tern subsequently confirmed the bird had contracted the virus.
One man has brought a council to its knees. And there's nothing to stop it happening everywhere
Benjamin Preiss Lawfare has partially paralysed a rural council, with five councillors caught up in bizarre private prosecutions from a disgruntled local businessman. The highly unusual legal move prompted the regional council advocacy body to call for the state government to urgently change legislation to prevent further turmoil in the local government sector.
The friendly fox-fighters changing the face of sheep farming
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This Victorian island sounded like paradise – but something was off about the rave reviews
1 day ago Scientists have pushed back LUCA’s origin by hundreds of millions of years. Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: All life on Earth can be traced back to a Last Universal Common Ancestor, or LUCA. • A study suggests that this organism likely lived on Earth only 400 million years after its …
Grappling with Mark Baker’s last words
InterviewArts & CultureAustralia Mark Baker was adamant his final memoir should only be published if it met the high literary standards for which he had become renowned. Upon being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the Jewish scholar, author and public intellectual worked with urgency as he strove to write his last book while battling immense pain. Baker died in May last year aged 63, so he never saw the publication of his book A Season of Death, which is out now.
Tuvalu is being swallowed by the ocean. Its people face a difficult choice mogaznewsen
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If a tree falls in the forest, let the fallen log lie, say conservationists
If a tree falls in the forest, let the fallen log lie, say conservationists By Benjamin Preiss Sydney Morning Herald March 17, 2024 Category: Forestry Region: International AUSTRALIA — Ponder this: If a tree falls in the forest because a storm has knocked it over, should you cart it away and make use of the wood or just let fallen logs lie?
‘They’re grieving so much’: Daylesford a town uniting in tragedy
By Benjamin Preiss and David Estcourt The memorial site in Daylesford.Credit: Simon Schluter Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. In the days after the tragic collision that claimed five lives, Reverend Neil Fitzgerald, of the Anglican Parish of Daylesford, watched an intimacy re-emerge in the town’s streets as residents united in shock and grief. “We found just being out on the street people were talking, shaking hands and hugging,” he said.
Tenders for athletes’ villages released days before shock Games cancellation
Government agencies were updating bidders on plans for the Commonwealth Games athletes’ villages just days before the Victorian government announced the event would be scrapped, leaving councils blindsided by the shock cancellation. Updated tender documents, released on Friday by Development Victoria, showed plans for 456 relocatable buildings in Ballarat and dozens more in Geelong, Morwell and Bendigo.
Radars reveal Victoria’s road damage is worse than it looks
Victoria’s battered regional and rural roads are in even worse condition than they appear on the surface, as new radar technology reveals hidden damage wrought by extreme weather. Authorities expect climate change will exacerbate the problem as the increased likelihood of natural disasters puts more pressure on the country road network. The Victorian government is calling on the Commonwealth to increase its funding for the state to manage major roads in the face of rising costs.
Victorian dams are full. Towns devastated by flooding are again on edge
Fay Wolfe gazes out over the guard rail at Lake Eppalock with an awful sense of foreboding. Water sits at the edge of the spillway that is supposed to control the excess flow when the dam is full. Wolfe now lives with the fear that water will once again gush over the edge. “It gives me chills just looking at it,” she says.
Karen migrants changing the face of a former gold rush town
Every day during his lunch break, welder Eh Ro Ropohsay crosses the road and walks straight into his Ararat home where he sits down to feast on dishes like spicy, fragrant curries with rice. The workaday routine is the culmination of a remarkable journey for Eh Ro, who belongs to the Karen ethnic group that are oppressed in Myanmar. Eh Ro arrived in Australia six years ago, but has been living in the western Victorian city of Ararat with his wife and two children for six months.
Karen migrants changing the face of a former gold rush town
By Benjamin Preiss Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Every day during his lunch break, welder Eh Ro Ropohsay crosses the road and walks straight into his Ararat home where he sits down to feast on dishes like spicy, fragrant curries with rice. The workaday routine is the culmination of a remarkable journey for Eh Ro, who belongs to the Karen ethnic group that are oppressed in Myanmar.
Winter blast dumps snow on Victorian alps
Victoria’s High Country is set to become a winter wonderland this week as a cold front dumps snow on alpine resorts and dusts it over areas at lower altitude. Melbourne received about 10 millimetres of rain overnight, while between 10 centimetres and 20 centimetres of snow fell at alpine resorts in the 24 hours to noon on Monday. The city reached a maximum of 11.9 degrees on Monday - the coldest day since July 2022.
The first hunt: My journey from vegetarian to shooting my dinner
By Benjamin Preiss Age journalist Benjamin Preiss rabbit hunting with mobile butcher and slaughterer Russell Barnes. Credit:Jason South Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Graphic content: This story contains descriptions of hunting and photographs of dead animals that may distress some readers. In the last glow of dusk, two eyes glint at the foot of the hill, caught in the spotlight’s powerful green beam.
Falls Creek misses another crucial holiday season as landslide isolates town
By Benjamin Preiss Falls Creek has a reputation as a winter wonderland, but summer had become a crucial part of the area’s economy in recent years. And yet, over the weekend, when the town should have been pumping, it was eerily quiet. A three-day “Feastival” had boasted everything from morning yoga to live bands; a highlight in a thriving summer to buoy the community’s spirits after suffering through the devastating 2020 bushfires and COVID-19.
Coastal communities cry out for state government action as sea levels rise
By Royce Millar and Benjamin Preiss Barriers built in the attempt to stop coastal erosion at Loch Sport, Victoria.Credit:The Age A lack of state government leadership over coastal erosion and flooding has left communities and councils along Victoria’s 2500 kilometre coastline unclear about where is safe to build and which public assets to protect in the face of rising seas.
Foot and mouth disease threatens generations of dairy farmers’ hard work
But dairy farms face particular challenges in mitigating disease outbreaks. On Billing’s farm, the virus could quickly spread among the herd, which moves together as the cows go into the dairy for milking twice daily. Milk cannot be stored for long periods on farms, so tankers arrive every day to empty the huge vats and take milk away for processing. Mud and dirt stuck to vehicles can spread viruses between farms.
‘Like hell on earth’: The night the trees fell from the sky
By Tom Cowie, Benjamin Preiss and Erin Pearson Massive trees fell like ninepins near Mount Dandenong Primary School. Credit:Joe Armao The windows really started to rattle just after dinner. Weather forecasters had predicted strong winds that day, but by 9pm the trees heaved with a sustained violence that would not let up until after sunrise. For those in the picturesque Dandenong Ranges, it felt as if the whole mountain was shaking. In Gippsland, which was hit first, it was worse than a cyclone.
Rail corporation backs down on plan for ‘monster bridges' at historic towns
© Joe Armao A rail bridge currently divides the town of Euroa. Locals hate it and want it to go underground. Instead an even higher rail bridge will be built. 3rd February 2021 The Age News Picture by JOE ARMAO Australia's rail track corporation has pulled back from contentious plans to dramatically raise the height of three road bridges located in some historic towns in the north-east of Victoria, including the site of Ned Kelly's last stand.
‘Couldn't be happier': Sutton gets jab as mass vaccination centres open
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has received his first coronavirus jab as the state's first three mass vaccination centres received smaller than expected crowds on their first day of operation. © (AAP Image/Luis Ascui) Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton arrives to receive his first COVID-19 vaccination at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, Wednesday, April 21, 2021.
Flesh-eating ulcer spreads to inner Melbourne suburbs
© AAP Buruli ulcer infections have been detected outside Victorian coastal areas for the first time, and experts have linked transmission to possums and mosquitoes. A flesh-eating disease affecting parts of coastal Victoria has spread to inland Melbourne for the first time, with several cases reported in Essendon, Moonee Ponds and Brunswick West.
'I was checkmated': The long road back to life in East Gippsland
By Melissa Cunningham and Benjamin Preiss It took Allan Wallwork weeks to bring himself to light the match. He carefully gathered the blackened, scorched remains of trees in his yard ravaged by bushfires that tore through his Sarsfield property last New’s Year’s Eve and left them in a pile one afternoon in spring. “I’ll do a burn-off this week,” he told his wife Lyn.
Victorians risk death with 'wait and see' attitude when fires loom
© 2020 Greg Nature Slade Bushfire in Australia Many Victorians in bushfire-prone areas would risk their lives by choosing to "wait and see" rather than leaving early on days of high fire danger. Fire services are worried about the risk posed by grass fires this season, although forecast wet conditions have made the bushfire risk generally lower than it was last summer.
Private hospital nurses redeployed to help fight coronavirus
Nurses from a Catholic hospital in Melbourne have been redeployed to contact-tracing teams within the Victorian Department of Health to track down people who have been exposed to COVID-19. Source: The Age. By Benjamin Preiss and Sumeyya Ilanbey Nurses at the Cabrini Health, together with nurses from Epworth HealthCare, will join the Health Department’s COVID-19 contact tracing team.
New rules to crack down on cowboy building surveyors
Major property defects and the flammable cladding crisis have dogged the domestic construction sector in recent years, eroding the confidence of consumers. The Australian Institute of Building Surveyors’ Victorian director, Wayne Liddy, said the new code would help to enhance confidence in the profession. “Absolutely it will. But it’s only as good as the enforcement,” he said.
Greens say Labor's grassroots push is attempt to 'rig local elections'
By Noel Towell and Benjamin Preiss March 3, 2020 — 5.24pm Labor will begin its push to take over local councils across Melbourne by targeting Moreland, the inner-north stronghold of their arch-rivals the Greens, at council elections later this year. The party’s ambitions for a historic revival as a political force on Victorian councils looked set for a boost on Tuesday night with the likely passage through State Parliament of a law changing the way local governments are elected.
Greens say Labor's grassroots push is attempt to 'rig local elections'
By Noel Towell and Benjamin Preiss March 3, 2020 — 6.24pm Labor will begin its push to take over local councils across Melbourne by targeting Moreland, the inner-north stronghold of their arch-rivals the Greens, at council elections later this year. The party’s ambitions for a historic revival as a political force on Victorian councils looked set for a boost on Tuesday night with the likely passage through State Parliament of a law changing the way local governments are elected.
Greens say Labor's grassroots push is attempt to 'rig local elections'
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By Noel Towell and Benjamin Preiss March 3, 2020 — 3.24pm Labor will begin its push to take over local councils across Melbourne by targeting Moreland, the inner-north stronghold of their arch-rivals the Greens, at council elections later this year. The party’s ambitions for a historic revival as a political force on Victorian councils looked set for a boost on Tuesday night with the likely passage through State Parliament of a law changing the way local governments are elected.
By Noel Towell Verified, Benjamin Preiss Verified
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Health chief warns on face mask rush as states set to call for hospital funds rise
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She said the state and federal governments had discussed the possibility of asking Victorian businesses to step up production of masks. “We might be able to look at a local company here that might be able to scale up production of face masks,” she said. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt and Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen One Melbourne business in Braeside has already quadrupled its production of hand sanitiser as fears grow about infections in Australia.
By Benjamin Preiss Verified, Rachel Clun Verified
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Strikes loom at top-security jail with staff seeking better pay deal
Hundreds of officers at Victoria’s highest-security prison will decide whether to walk off the job, leaving prisoners in cells for extended periods as a pay dispute escalates. About 600 prison staff will vote on the proposed industrial action in coming weeks, including strikes of up to 24 hours and bans on escorting prisoners to proceedings including court hearings.
Strikes loom at top-security jail with staff seeking better pay deal
Hundreds of officers at Victoria’s highest security prison will decide whether to walk off the job, leaving prisoners in cells for extended periods as a pay dispute escalates. About 600 prison staff will vote on the proposed industrial action in coming weeks, including strikes of up to 24 hours and bans on escorting prisoners to proceedings including court hearings.
'Vote with your feet' if venues not COVID-safe, Sutton says
© Chris Hopkins 01/11/20 Owen Patterson use the QR scanner at the Post Office Hotel, Brunswick. Photograph by Chris Hopkins Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has urged Victorians to shun hospitality businesses that fail to record the contact details of customers or introduce infection control practices.
Bells Beach loses historic Easter Rip Curl Pro surfing slot to NSW
© Justin McManus Bells Beach has lost its historic Easter long weekend time slot at the Rip Curl Pro surfing tournament for the first time in 60 years, with the World Surfing League shifting the opening event to NSW. Whether a leg of the international surfing event will be held at Bells Beach, near Torquay, at all is in doubt less than two months out from the coveted event and major drawcard on the Victorian sporting calendar.
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