3AW Melbourne

Carlton star defender Jacob Weitering says the key to the Blues hot start to the year has been their work at the contest. The Blues have started the season with three straight wins after a 1 point victory over Hawthorn on Sunday. “For us, Vossy’s been terrific coming in, and understanding the strengths of our side,” he said on Sportsday. “We’ve got Crippa, Walshy in there, and then we’ve got some depth.

The Victorian Greens are pushing for a proportional fine system to make penalties fairer on those with low incomes. Under the proposed amendment, those on Centrelink or Commonwealth benefits will pay less for certain infringements. Greens MP for Brunswick, Dr Tim Read, said the size of some fines mean those on low incomes struggle to pay them. “It shouldn’t be a choice between paying a fine, and maybe skipping a meal,” he said on 3AW Drive.

Multiple callers to 3AW Drive have detailed how they had to jump off a light plane into the arms of security guards at Melbourne Airport. A Rex flight bound for King Island was evacuated at around 1:45pm on Tuesday afternoon due to engine problems. Listener Pamela told Tony Jones no stairs came for the evacuation. “There were a couple of guys that when we jumped off they sort of held on to us,” she said on 3AW Drive. Another passenger, Reg, told Tony Jones he was also injured when he disembarked.

We’re glued to our addictive devices, and they’re having an impact on our ability to concentrate, health experts say. Social researcher and author David Gillespie says nomophobia — a psychological condition when people have a fear of being detached from mobile phone — occurs because many apps on phones and computers are engineered to keep us hooked.

Australia’s Defence Minister has called on China to step in and stop Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Peter Dutton told Tom Elliott “Putin has a case to answer” over war crimes allegations. “On all of that evidence … war crimes have taken place. It’s not just the Russian forces but the reports early on about foreign fighters being brought in by Russia to fight in the Ukraine,” he said.

An energy specialist says Victorian households could see their electricity bill rise by around 30 per cent if the increase in wholesale prices is passed on. It comes as the Russia-Ukraine war continues to push up the price of fossil fuels worldwide. Gavin Duffy says the price hike could happen as households renew electricity contracts.

Australia will spend $3.5 billion on a fast-tracked new defence package, equipping fighter jets and naval ships with long-range missiles. Defence Minister Peter Dutton says the massive defence spending boost is “about making sure sure we can deter any act of aggression against our country from China or anyone else”. He told Tom Elliott the war in Ukraine has been “a wake up call to the world”.

Tom Elliott has taken aim at a Greens policy which he says “just beggars belief”. In the final sitting week for the Victorian Parliament before the State Budget is handed down, the Greens are calling on the government to introduce a rent cap limiting rent increases to 2.5 per cent. Tom Elliott, who is filling in as host of Neil Mitchell’s Mornings program, says the policy is “economic muddle-headed thinking”. “The Greens want to cap rent increases at just 2.5 per cent.

RUMOUR CONFIRMED A Holden Monaro which has been hidden away in a garage for 45 years is set to go under the hammer. The vehicle will be auctioned off at Burns & Co Auctions in Bayswater North. While it could use a cut and polish, 3AW motoring expert Steve Pizzati says he wouldn’t do anything else to it. “A restored version of that car sold late last year at Shannon’s Auctions for about $300,000,” he told Stephen Quartermain and Emily Power, filling in for Ross and Russel.

A major network problem is impacting Optus customers across the country this morning. Customers trying to make calls to mobiles outside the Optus network are being told the number has been disconnected. Affected customers are also unable to receive calls from outside the network. Text messaging is unaffected. On Twitter, the telecommunications company said it’s “aware of an issue impacting making calls for some Optus customers” and is working to restore service.