Nick Reece
‘No visibility’: Inside the City of Melbourne’s $200,000-a-year Chinese outpost
Opened in 1998, the cost of the office is not itemised in the council budget, and the last publicly available report on its performance was filed in 2004.
- Cara Waters
Latest
Backlash against lord mayor’s Little India vision for Docklands
City of Melbourne is pursuing a multimillion dollar Little India cultural precinct in the Docklands, but not everybody is happy about it.
- Cara Waters
Parks, schools and homes: Council’s plan to redevelop Victoria Barracks
Lord Mayor Nick Reece says Melbourne will “never live it down” if the federal government’s sale of the historic military site does not benefit the community.
- Cara Waters
‘Inexplicable’: Why Casey-style council corruption could happen again
Eight years after the scandal, Victoria remains a stark outlier as the Allan government ignores expert advice to cap or ban developer donations.
- Rachael Dexter and Cara Waters
- Special series
- The restaurant tycoons
Justin Hemmes wanted to ‘Sydney-fy’ Melbourne. Then he poked a bear: the granddaddy of Melbourne’s elite clubs
The perma-tanned king of an 80-venue empire is discovering that in Melbourne’s laneways and exclusive clubs, even a billion-dollar brand can be kept waiting at the door.
- Cara Waters
Empty chairs at Town Hall: Why the Lord Mayor’s team keeps leaving the room
Lord Mayor Nick Reece and his team have recused themselves from eight planning issues in just 18 months, nearing Sally Capp’s total for her entire four-year term.
- Cara Waters and Rachael Dexter
Councillors won’t rule out fountain donation from mayoral backer
The lord mayor has thrown his support behind the proposed water feature, which this masthead previously revealed was being funded by a prominent local family.
- Patrick Hatch, Gemma Grant and Cara Waters
- Exclusive
- Local council
‘I will recuse myself’: Lord mayor comes clean about identity of fountain donor
After sidestepping questions for 18 months, Nick Reece acknowledged the fountain gift had been proposed by an Italian family that donated to his campaign.
- Rachael Dexter, Cara Waters, Daniella White and Kieran Rooney
- Exclusive
- City life
Fountain leak: Secret philanthropist the lord mayor didn’t want you to know about
During his lord mayoral election pitch, Nick Reece promised a fountain in a Carlton square. The family promising to pay for it are also property developers who donated to his campaign.
- Cara Waters and Rachael Dexter
One graffiti vandal cost Melbourne $178,000. The council wants its money back
The City of Melbourne is trying to recoup graffiti clean-up costs from the perpetrators. One prolific tagger alone has caused $177,885 in damage.
- Cara Waters