New Nine CEO Mike Sneesby will take over the top job on April 1. He dropped by the studio to talk to Neil Mitchell about the road ahead and how he went from an electrical engineer to a CEO. He says Nine is in a “strong” position going forward. “We are a media business that […]


He is a member of the Melbourne Press Club’s Hall of Fame and one of the country’s leading journalists, having worked as a reporter and executive at The Age, an editor of The Herald, and at all three commercial television networks.
His sharp ear for the mood of his audience and his history of fighting for the battler have won him the highest journalistic awards and an AO.
But every weekday morning it’s a team effort.
The 3AW Mornings audience are Neil’s roving reporters, regularly calling in with breaking news and important tip-offs.
Sometimes they call to help interview the Prime Minister.
Sometimes they call for a laugh or a cry.
Sometimes they just want to let Neil know he’s wrong.
But it’s always about what Melbourne’s talking about.
Each week, Neil’s Most Valuable Player is awarded to the best caller or contributor to the program.
All weekly winners will go into Neil’s end-of-year draw, more here.
Top cop reveals one of the reasons why the snap lockdown closed the entire state
Victoria’s top cop has revealed police advice to the state government prior to the snap five-day lockdown was a factor in the decision to shutdown the entire state, rather than just Melbourne. Chief Commissioner Shane Patton says he was consulted about whether a ‘ring of steel’ could be constructed around metropolitan Melbourne. He says the […]
Critically ill man finally finds hospital bed in Melbourne for lifesaving surgery
A critically ill 63-year-old man who spent two weeks at Traralgon Hospital, unable to get a bed in Melbourne, has been taken to The Alfred for life-saving surgery. But only because his uncle came to Neil Mitchell. The man has cancer but could not undergo treatment until he had surgery in Melbourne. But he couldn’t […]
CONFIRMED: Victorian government to partly privatise VicRoads
VicRoads is being partly privatised. Neil Mitchell received a red hot tip about the news on Friday morning. Staff have been told an agreement has been reached on a joint venture between the government and private company. It will cover the registration and licensing side of the business. The Australian Services Union represents workers at […]
Why a woman who knew she was at risk of an allergic reaction got the COVID-19 vaccine anyway
Image: Twitter / Katherine Firkin A Melbourne journalist living in New York has suffered an anaphylactic reaction after being injected with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Ms Firkin, who has a history of allergic reactions, said she knew she would be at risk, but she got vaccinated anyway. “I’m one of those rare people that doesn’t […]
It’s October 8, 1999. The internet is still pretty new, and the scammers are a bit more old-school. But, other than the form of communication, the tactics are very recognisable. “Every now and again we are sent copies of an international rort that’s been going on for a while,” Neil Mitchell tells his audience on […]
Neil Mitchell interviews Australian Ashes captain Meg Lanning
Australia’s women cricketers have already won the Ashes, and now they’re determined ram their ascendancy home. Click PLAY above to hear Neil Mitchell interview Australian captain Meg Lanning ahead a series of T20 matches. (Image: Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Jordan B. Peterson: The burden of being the voice of millions
Professor Jordan Peterson hasn’t been in public life for long, but now he’s made it in a big way. A clinical psychologist from Canada, he burst onto the scene with a YouTube video arguing against legislation that could force people to use made-up pronounces for transgender people. Eighteen months later, he has become something of […]
‘Overwhelming emotion’: Survivor of alleged sexual abuse welcomes Malka Leifer’s arrest in Israel
A former principal of an orthodox Jewish school in Elsternwick facing 74 charges of child sexual abuse has been arrested in Israel after 10 years fighting extradition. Malka Leifer, who was the principal of Adass Israel School, fled Australia in 2008 after the allegations surfaced. She was arrested in Israel in 2014, but she was […]
DEBATE: A defence of the courts after Highpoint-kicker escapes jail time
IN THE AFFIRMATIVE: Denis Nelthorpe, CEO of the Western Community Legal Centre, and an Adjunct Professor in the College of Law & Justice at Victoria University. AGAINST: Neil Mitchell. Click PLAY above to listen. “(No conviction) is a very sort of strange phrase, and it’s being misrepresented.” – Denis Nelthorpe
Batesford Hotel Where? 700 Ballarat Road, Batesford. When? March 5, 2021. 5276 1201 www.batesfordhotel.com.au VENUE Trying to categorise this week’s pub, The Batesford, is elusive. It isn’t your typical country pub in look as it is long rectangular with a split of timber and brick. It advertises itself as a wedding venue, although it is as […]
Pub Of The Week 2021: Tony Leonard’s latest reviews
3AW/DEBORTOLI PUB OF THE WEEK 2021 3AW’s Pub Of The Week is back for its 31st edition, again supported by DeBortoli wines. 2021 will be the 26th year that it’s been run by Tony Leonard. The format will remain the same: a review around 11.45am on Friday with Neil, followed by a written review posted […]
Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews the Robert Burns Hotel, Collingwood
Robert Burns Hotel Where? 376 Smith Street, Collingwood. When? February 19, 2021. 9417 2233 www.robertburnshotel.com.au VENUE The Robert Burns, a wonderful pub, underwent a seismic change some 2-3 years ago. Unique to Victoria, perhaps Australia, the food menu drew exclusively from the many regions in Spain, wine also, had maps detailing the areas, and a dashing […]
Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews the Albion Hotel, Dandenong
Albion Hotel Where? 327 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong. When? February 12, 2021. 9792 2501 www.albionhoteldandenong.com.au VENUE Two decades have passed since a last visit here, and the Albion, neat and compact has had a facelift, whilst still being essentially three areas; bar, bistro, beer garden. With COVID protocols, entrance is through a narrow passageway. To the […]
Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews the Prince Hotel, Seymour
Prince Hotel Where? 48 Emily Street, Seymour. When? February 5, 2021. 5792 1003 www.theprinceseymour.com.au VENUE Not only a first time review of the pub – The Prince (formerly) Prince of Wales, but first time review of any pub in Seymour. Entering from the highway, second pub on the left, the Prince is a very neat […]
VicRoads is being partly privatised. Neil Mitchell received a red hot tip about the news on Friday morning. Staff have been told an agreement has been reached on a joint venture between the government and private company. It will cover the registration and licensing side of the business. The Australian Services Union represents workers at […]
Melbourne residential college tells students to sign ‘commitment to be vaccinated’
RED HOT TIP CONFIRMED A residential college at the University of Melbourne has told students they must sign a “commitment to be vaccinated” against COVID-19, should the college decides the measure is necessary. Trinity College has told students to sign the commitment as a condition of stay. Trinity College CEO, Professor Ken Hinchcliff, confirmed the […]
The eye-watering sum Victoria owes NSW for quarantining returned travellers
FIRST with NEIL MITCHELL New South Wales has sent Victoria a bill of more than $34 million for quarantining returned Victorians during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. NSW took a significant number of returned Victorians last year because of issues with Victoria’s own hotel quarantine system. NSW is now demanding $34,272,389 for taking returned […]
Avalon Airport owners pitch novel quarantine idea
RED HOT TIP CONFIRMED The owners of Avalon Airport, west of Melbourne, have pitched an idea to quarantine returned travellers on-site at the airport. Linfox, which owns the airport, has put forward the idea. It comes after a similar proposal for a 1000 bed quarantine facility at a Wagner Corporation airport on the outskirts of […]
Melbourne’s 2021 Anzac Day march has been called off
FIRST with NEIL MITCHELL The Anzac Day march in Melbourne’s CBD has been called off, and other commemorations will be scaled down dramatically. RSL Victoria chief executive Jamie Twidale says parade will not go ahead due to COVID-19 concerns. “With COVID the way it is, and the restrictions, and the difficulty in organising such a […]
Click PLAY above for full interview, her first in the 3AW studio with Neil Mitchell. Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam has spruiked the virtues of multi-party governments in response to questions about forming a coalition with the Labor party. The party has new muscle after winning the seat of Northcote from the ALP in Saturday’s by-election. […]