Jarrod Whittaker
Sale, VIC
Jarrod Whittaker is a News Reporter based in the ABC's Gippsland office who made the move to the public broadcaster after working in regional print across Victoria. Growing up in Victoria's Latrobe Valley at a time when the state's power industry was privatised, he has a strong interest in the social and economic impacts major changes can have in communities and in community responses to climate change. He has lived abroad in South America and has a keen interest in the region's history, culture and language.
Latest by Jarrod Whittaker
Up to 100mm of rain predicted for parts of Victoria as SES warns of potential for flash flooding
A large rain band is leading to rainfall across much of Victoria, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning there is more to come overnight into Monday.
Storms, flash flooding likely in Victoria from today, with up to 200mm of rain possible in state's north
Authorities say heavy rainfall is expected to arrive in the Victoria's north-west from Sunday night and move across the state, with residents warned to plan for flash flooding.
Outspoken backbencher Russell Broadbent quits Liberal Party after preselection loss
The veteran MP will move to the crossbench after losing preselection for the regional Victorian seat of Monash on Sunday.
As a 'kid from the country', what has Daniel Andrews done for regional Victoria?
Born in Williamstown and schooled in Wangaratta, the outgoing Victorian premier has made major decisions affecting regional communities during his time as state leader — and not all of them have made him popular.
Fire crews respond to multiple blazes in Victoria as hot, dry summer looms
Residents are being urged to prepare for what could be a dangerous summer as the fire season gets off to an early start.
The mushroom deaths have put South Gippsland in the spotlight, but now some in the community want the attention to ease off
The deaths of three people after suspected poisoning has brought a lot of focus on South Gippsland, but there's now an eagerness for the attention to subside.
Food-bowl farmers fear mining law changes will leave them with 'no say in what happens in our own backyard'
A Victorian bill which would change the way mining projects are approved has cleared the lower house, but communities fear it hands too much power to mining companies.
First big battery at an Australian coal site goes live in Victoria
The battery at the site of the decommissioned Hazelwood power station has the capacity to power about 75,000 homes for an hour during the evening peak.
Man turns himself in after woman frees toddler in alleged attempted abduction from park
Police say a man has turned himself in after a call for information about an alleged abduction of a toddler from a park in Yinnar, two hours south-east of Melbourne, but he has since been released.
Woman dies after Gippsland collision involving three cars, truck
A woman has died at the scene after four vehicles were involved in a collision this morning on the Princes Freeway at Darnum, east of Melbourne.
Victorian budget death knell for state's native timber industry
More than $200 million in funding will be provided by the Victorian government as it accelerates plans to phase out native timber logging.
Man dies after being stabbed in Sale, homicide squad investigates
Homicide squad detectives are trying to establish the circumstances behind the early morning stabbing death of a man in Sale, in central Gippsland.
Latrobe council opposes transphobia in wake of councillor's 'harmful' trans tweets
The regional Victorian council has passed a motion opposing transphobia after one of its own councillors tweeted debunked conspiracies about transgender people.
Environmental group begs French energy giant to reconsider plan to fill Hazelwood coal mine with water
Engie wants to spend $1 billion turning the former mine site into a pit lake. But a conservation group says it would pollute the area so much "humans won't be able to come near it" in 50 years' time.
Japan commits $2.35 billion to hydrogen made from Latrobe Valley coal
Japan is pressing ahead with plans to make hydrogen from Victorian coal after a successful test last year, but an environment group has questioned its plans to handle the emissions.
Man hands himself in over alleged hit-and-run death of father of five
A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of Gippsland father Corey Sullivan, 36, who died after being struck by a car in eastern Victoria last month.
Environment groups fail in bid to have courts impose greenhouse gas limits on Victorian coal plants
A Victorian court rejects arguments by environmental groups that the state's EPA should have imposed greenhouse gas limits on coal plants in the Latrobe Valley.
'You have devastated us': Dad's courtroom message for woman who lured son to his death
A 26-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Latrobe Valley man Jarrad Lovison, who was found in bushland five weeks after his disappearance.
A meticulous professional: Energy Australia pleads guilty over worker's death
The County Court heard Graeme Edwards' death while performing maintenance at the Yallourn power station was avoidable and preventable.
Fears jobs could be gone before Christmas as timber shortage hits Victorian paper mill's operations
The Maryvale paper mill is one of the Latrobe Valley's biggest employers, but timber supply issues mean it is looking at standing down up to 300 workers.
Nationals leader defends vetting process after death of candidate facing sex assault charges
Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh says it would have been impossible to know a candidate was facing charges until it was actually on a court agenda.
Nationals candidate in regional Victoria dies less than a week before election day after rape allegation
Shaun Gilchrist was contesting Narracan in Victoria's east, covering the regional centres of Drouin and Warragul and smaller rural towns in north-west Gippsland.
MP Russell Northe faces court on 45 charges brought by IBAC
Victoria's Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission alleges independent MP Russell Northe produced and used false documents to convince the VEC administrative funds were spent correctly.
Retiring MP with lived addiction experience calls for action on problem gambling
Independent MP Russell Northe quit the Nationals after he incurred large debts due to gambling addiction. He wants the next Victorian government to take action to address the issue.
Environment groups fear proposal to flood Hazelwood coal mine will create a toxic lake
Environment groups fear a proposal to flood a former Victorian coal mine will create a toxic lake that may contaminate other water sources unless more is done to clean up the site.