Rachel Clayton
Rachel Clayton is a reporter for ABC Victoria. She previously spent time in New Zealand where she reported on politics, business, and breaking news including the 2016 Kaikoura Earthquake where she won a Canon award for best coverage of a major event. Rachel can be contacted securely via Signal on 0412 7525 64 and at clayton.rachel@protonmail.com
Latest by Rachel Clayton
Why you might find yourself struggling for phone connection in the heart of the city
By Paul Higgins and Rachel Clayton
It's so frustrating — your phone shows full bars of signal strength but it can't upload photos to Instagram or play Netflix or TikTok, let alone send emails or jump into a video conference.
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When Michelle decided to meet her son's donor-related sibling, she had no idea how traumatic it would be
Fertility researchers express alarm at the Victorian government's move to axe its fertility regulator VARTA, which offers free counselling services to families wanting to meet their donors.
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Melbourne community gathers on Frankston Pier to mourn fisherman a week after his killing
By Judd Boaz and Rachel Clayton
Andres Pancha, a 45-year-old fisherman, died of severe injuries on the pier in Melbourne's south-east after an alleged assault last Saturday.
'Old enough to be having sex, old enough to have a baby': Women struggling to access abortion services
Health staff across Victoria say women are being blocked from accessing abortion services by conscientious objectors, who are then failing to refer them to alternative providers.
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Two more doctors suspended following investigation into Melbourne woman's death after abortion
By Jessica Longbottom and Rachel Clayton
The federal regulator has taken action against two more doctors as part of an investigation into a clinic following the death of a woman soon after a surgical abortion at a health clinic in Melbourne's south-east.
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In 2018, the Victorian government promised 10 community hospitals. None of them are built
By Rachel Clayton and Margaret Paul
When Jacquilyn Richie first moved from Brisbane to Torquay in 2023, she was excited to learn a hospital would open the following year. Now it could be scrapped.
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Chelsea was involved in the sex industry a decade ago, and she says she's been fired over it three times
Chelsea Sirolli claims she was fired two days into a new job after her employers learned of her history in the sex industry.
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Victoria is facing a hot long weekend — here's what you need to know to stay safe
As Victorians head into a hot and dry Labour Day long weekend, authorities are urging people to avoid travelling to state parks and forests if they don't need to, and advising festival-goers to prepare for temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius.
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Incentives to encourage bulk billing ignore the workload of female doctors, GP body says
The peak body for GPs says female doctors are earning less than their male colleagues because they're more likely to take on appointments for things like mental health and antenatal care, which attract lower bulk billing incentives.
After smoke choked this Melbourne suburb, residents simmered with anxiety. A new tool is trying to measure it
After a pollution disaster passes, communities are left with mental trauma. Now, Victoria's environmental watchdog is developing a tool to help it measure that impact to offer support and bolster prosecutions.
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At the start of this program, some students felt like their lungs were bleeding. They kept coming back
They've faced more challenges in life than most, but conquering the Kokoda Track helped show these students they could do anything.
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Why can't you swim in Melbourne's bays after heavy rain?
People are being warned not to swim in bays around Melbourne following recent severe storms. So why does the water quality drop when it rains?
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It's a simple shot of rolling waves, but the camera that filmed it is in the centre of a political storm
There are cameras right along Australia's east coast providing a glimpse into the day's surf conditions, but some locals on Victoria's Surf Coast believe a recent addition at a surf break near Bells Beach marks a "violation" of the area's values.
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More than a century after they were gifted to a Swiss family, William Barak's artworks have returned
By Rachel Clayton and Mikaela Ortolan
Two works by Aboriginal artist and advocate William Barak will go on display this week after being returned to Victoria 126 years after they were gifted to a Swiss family.
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Linda's relationship 'didn't feel bad enough to leave' — but she was experiencing economic abuse
The Australian Bureau of Statistics survey finds around 16 per cent of women have experienced some form of economic abuse. A leading women's advocate says it's a form of abuse that too often is flying under the radar.
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Tens of thousands gather across Australia for Israel-Gaza rallies
By Rachel Clayton, Isobel Roe, Yara Murray-Atfield and staff
Separate events calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages have been held across Australia, with tens of thousands taking to city streets.
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As the tide ebbs on this Victorian coast, a curious line of domes comes into view
By Rachel Clayton and Natasha Schapova
Residents along Victoria's coast are fighting back against coastal erosion with innovative and environmentally friendly solutions.
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It's no silver bullet, but scientists have found a novel way to solve one of Australia's biggest waste problems
Scientists at Deakin University discover how to mulch down old clothing into a pigment as part of an going project looking at textile waste solutions.
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Issues being 'ironed out' at Melbourne alcohol facility just days before public drunkenness reforms take effect
By Rachel Clayton and staff
The opening of a 20-bed sobering up facility designed to complement changes to Victoria's public drunkenness laws is running behind schedule, with just over a week until the reforms come into effect.
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Mark knows property managers have to make 'harsh' calls. Now he's on the other side
This homelessness entry point was housing thousands of people last year, but as pandemic funding wanes, staff face an uphill battle to keep roofs over heads, while demand surges.
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Dirt bike riders being criticised for illegal tracks in Victoria's Otways region, but they say it's their only safe option
Illegal dirt bike riders are creating an environmental disaster for some of the Victoria's most delicate vegetation, conservation regulator says
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'I will shoot it': Greyhound industry in spotlight as report reveals off-track deaths
By Harrison Tippet and Rachel Clayton
Figures released by a greyhound welfare organisation reveal dozens of dogs are dying off-track after being injured during their races.
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‘It’s so bad’: Commuters in this growing regional city leave home at 5am to beat the rush
Victorians in regional growth areas like Geelong are facing two-hour bus trips and five-hour car commutes because roads and public transport are not keeping up.
'I want to be able to help': With the cost of living rising, more teens are getting jobs
This Year 12 student and eldest of six is among growing numbers of teenagers helping their parents with cost-of-living pressures.
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Locked in a building dispute over her new home, Rebecca's backing calls for an overhaul of the mediator
Leaked documents show the Victorian government's expert panel on building reform wants stricter regulations for high-rise developers, and an overhaul of the state's disputes service as wait times blow out to three months.