Stateline Victoria

Transcripts of the Victorian edition of Stateline will be available each Saturday after 3pm.

21/11/2008

Closure of the John Valves Plant: 130 workers lose their jobs

To the reality of job losses in the current economic climate. 130 Ballarat workers were added to the unemployment queues yesterday and they don't hold out great hopes for their job prospects. After six weeks of administration, John Valves went into liquidation, giving workers little hope of ever seeing their missing $800,000 of superannuation. It's angered the unions, which have labelled the corporate watchdog ASIC as toothless.

Kathy Bowlen interviews State Secretary of the Aust. Manufacturing Workers' Union, Steve Dargavel

The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union says John Valves is far from an isolated case. Kathy Bowlen spoke with the union's state secretary Steve Dargavel.

Drugs and the AFL: testing times for Ben Cousins' football career

AFL star and self-confessed drug addict Ben Cousins appears headed for Victoria, with St. Kilda now the only club publicly declaring an interest in drafting the Brownlow Medallist. If they provide Cousins with another AFL chance, the Saints will have to sign up to a strict code that will test Cousins up to three times a week for illicit drug use. Opinions are divided over whether the AFL's planned rigorous drug testing will help or hinder Cousins' rehabilitation from addiction. All agree Cousins is a champion footballer, but as Guy Stayner reports, talent alone won't resurrect his once stellar career.

Saving HMAS Otama: The conservation effort to restore an Oberon submarine

It's not every day you can bid for a 2,000 tonne submarine on eBay, but that's what it's come down to. The HMAS Otama, the last Oberon submarine built for the Australian Navy has been sitting, rusting in Western Port Bay for six years. There were celebrations in 2002 when a small group of volunteers won the sought after tender with the help of a $500,000 grant from the Federal Government's Federation Fund. But the money's run out and the foreshore they now want to put it on is environmentally protected.

Cheryl Hall reports the volunteers are so frustrated, they plan to sell the sub online.