Too big to fail: the predictable romance between pollies and Crown
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Thirty years ago Melbourne was withering. Development had stalled, financial institutions collapsed and then, as now, many long-term residents were heading for the hills.
Then, as now, the government looked for an economic defibrillator to shock the CBD out of its flat-lining. Like the desperate punter looking for a winner in the last race, premier Joan Kirner turned to a sure thing - a juicy slice of the gambling pie.
The big gamble: Premier Joan Kirner in August 1992 with one of the stateâs first legal gaming machines at Windy Hill.
Too big to fail: the predictable romance between pollies and Crown theage.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theage.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
So Excited : Fans Return To Australian Open After Snap Lockdown
02/17/21 AT 10:39 PM
Excited fans drifted back to the Australian Open Thursday after a snap five-day lockdown in Melbourne was eased, determined to create some atmosphere over the final days of a tournament severely disrupted by the coronavirus.
The already-delayed opening Grand Slam of the year was plunged into yet more chaos last week when Australia s second most populous city was ordered behind closed doors after a new Covid-19 cluster.
Even before the latest roadblock, the sprawling Melbourne Park complex on the banks of the Yarra River had been operating with a limit of just 30,000 spectators a day less than half under coronavirus restrictions.
Excited fans drifted back to the Australian Open Thursday following the expiration of a snap five-day lockdown in Melbourne determined to create some a