Latest news with #ValeriuCampan
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
Chaos as hoons take over iconic Melb strip
A car meet spiralled into chaos overnight after hundreds of hoons took over Melbourne's iconic Chapel Street. A strong police presence flooded the area on Saturday as of a targeted crackdown on reckless driving, Victoria Police said in a statement. Dubbed Operation Traction, the high-visibility deployment was launched in response to intelligence suggesting a large group of individuals were planning to engage in high-risk driving behaviour. A car meet spiralled into chaos overnight with police closing down Chapel St. Nine News Credit: Supplied Police said a number of infringement notices were handed out. Nine News Credit: Supplied Officers issued several infringement notices to drivers caught participating in dangerous and disruptive activities behind the wheel. A number of defect notices were also handed out for modified vehicles deemed unsafe or illegal. To help manage traffic and prevent further hooning, police temporarily closed sections of Chapel Street during the operation. The move was aimed at both curbing anti-social behaviour and easing congestion in the busy night-life district. Hoons performed burnouts along the iconic strip. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia Police are urging anyone who witnessed dangerous driving, or who may have dashcam footage or other information, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Perth Now
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
‘Action:' Albo hits out on synagogue fire
Anthony Albanese has defended Labor's track record of working and responding to anti-Semitic attacks on the Jewish community, amid attacks from the opposition that there have been too many 'talkfests' and not enough 'action'. While quizzed by journalists in Hobart on Tuesday, the Prime Minister snapped back at a reporter who said Jewish community leaders had claimed the government's response was 'insufficient'. The questions were in response to an alleged arson attack on the East Melbourne Synagogue on Friday night, 'Who is saying that?' asked in response, and said he had spoken to community leaders on Saturday. 'Every time there has been a request, it has been met, expeditiously,' he said. 'On Saturday, one of the reasons why this gentleman has been caught so quickly is because the CCTV that was in place there was as a direct result of Commonwealth Government funding.' The East Melbourne synagogue was set ablaze on Friday night in an alleged arson attack. NewsWire/ Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia The blaze damaged the doors. NewsWire/ Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Albanese also rejected calls for him to convene national cabinet in response to Friday's alleged arson attack. 'Every time an issue comes up, people say, let's have a national cabinet. Let's be clear. What people want is not a meeting. They want action,' Mr Albanese said. Mr Albanese's comments comes after Executive Council of the Australian Jewry president Alex Ryvchin urged the government to adopt its 15-point plan to 'defeat anti-Semitism' in Australia. The plan includes calls for anti-Semitism education in the national curriculum and urges Labor to declare a National Emergency and establish a Joint Counter-Terrorism Taskforce to 'fight against anti-Semitic terror before we have a major terror attack in this country'. Sussan Ley said Labor had not committed to enough action. NewsWire/ David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia Speaking later on Tuesday following a visit to the East Melbourne Synagogue, Sussan Ley maintained the Albanese government was not doing enough to protect Jewish-Australians. 'What I hear from the community is there have been many task forces, there have been many talkfests, many conversations and many words. What they are really calling for is action,' she said, alongside shadow attorney-general Julian Leeser and finance spokesperson James Paterson. Ms Ley also called for stronger state hate speech laws, which would prohibit people from chanting phrases like 'death to Israel,' and said calls for a national cabinet meeting to tackle anti-Semitism were a 'good suggestion'. 'There shouldn't be an ability for people to chant the words 'death' and I won't complete the phase, on the streets of Melbourne, and it just be accepted,' she said. 'It is not a protest, it is hate – pure hate and we need to have laws and levers and I would respectfully ask the Premier of Victoria to consider how she might instruct law enforcement in a way that allows a stronger intervention.'
Perth Now
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Extra time for criminals who boast online
Criminals who boast about their crimes online could serve extra jail time under news laws introduced in Victoria. The Allan Labor government will outlaw bragging about certain crimes on social media and messaging apps, which could see offenders serve an additional two years behind bars on top of their sentence. The new law targets criminals who post content about their crimes such as affray, burglary, robbery, car theft, carjacking, home invasions and violent disorder. The laws will also apply to anyone caught encouraging or facilitating the same crimes. Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said Victorians were outraged by offenders posting and boasting about their crimes on social media. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia The legislation was introduced after authorities noticed a 'dangerous trend' on TikTok and Snapchat from users seeking attention about their crimes and copycat offending. Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said Victorians were outraged by offenders posting and boasting about their crimes, which was why they were taking action. 'This crack down alongside our tough new bail laws and machete ban is all about keeping Victorians safe,' she said. Police Minister Anthony Carbines these laws backed the work of Victoria Police and sent a clear message to offenders. 'Crime isn't content, it isn't entertainment, and it won't be tolerated,' he said. Police Minister Anthony Carbines these laws backed the work of Victoria Police and sent a clear message to offenders. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia Similar laws already exist in NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory, and are being rolled in Tasmania, West Australia and South Australia making Victoria the last state to act. Shadow Attorney-General Michael O'Brien said the opposition raised an issue that offenders used social media to glorify criminal behaviour 18 months ago, but the government denied action was necessary until now. He said too many Victorians who were victims of serious offending had insult added to injury by perpetrators bragging about their crimes online. Mr O'Brien said the government had been dragged kicking and screaming to act after denying there was a problem. 'Labor did it with weak bail laws. Labor did it with banning machetes. Now Labor is doing it with 'post and boast' offending,' he said. 'Victorians deserve better than 'deny, delay and drag'. It's no way to protect community safety.' Shadow Attorney-General Michael O'Brien said the it had taken the government 18 months to act after the issue was first raised in parliament. NewsWire / David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia But the Justice Reform Initiative's Executive Director Mindy Sotiri said the Victorian government had reverted to political posturing, missing an opportunity to engage with evidence about what worked to support community safety and prevent reoffending. The organisation reported Victoria's correctional system was under mounting strain after changes to bail laws, seeing the adult remand population and the number of children on remand rise by 22 per cent and 71 per cent respectively in the past year. Dr Sotiri said further punishing people for posting to social media failed to address the drivers of that behaviour and won't work as a deterrent. 'Introducing penalties for 'posting and boasting' sounds catchy and might work for political pointscoring in the short-term, but is not based in any evidence, 'she said. 'All the evidence shows that the earlier children have interaction with the criminal justice system, the more likely they are to be cycling in and out of it for years to come. That's a bad result for children, for taxpayers and for community safety. 'We've seen this 'tough on crime' approach repeatedly fail in Queensland and contribute to rapidly rising prison numbers in NSW. 'Rather than trying to outdo other jurisdictions with even harsher laws, Victoria needs to take a smarter approach that meaningfully invests in evidence-based responses to crime that genuinely disrupt its reoccurrence.'
Perth Now
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Aussies battle it out for free flights
Aussies have stormed a quiet neighbourhood park in medieval get-up in an epic battle to win $50k worth of free flights. Eight contestants chosen from the ultimate costume contest geared up to compete in a Live Action Role Play (LARP) event 'Knight of the Skies' in a bid to win a free trip, or a few, in celebration of Jetstar's 21st birthday. Contestants fought to win $50k free flights in a massive LARP battle for Jetstar's 21st birthday. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia The eight were split into two teams, Team Jet and Team Star – to wield battle alongside long-time LARP warriors from Australia's largest LARPing organisation, Swordcraft. The event was co-hosted with Swordcraft – biggest LARPing organisation in Australia. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia With $50k worth of free flights on the line, no one held back, and insane battle scenes roared out on the quiet Saturday morning. Puzzles, politics, and full on battle all ensued in the crisp Melbourne air at Edinburgh Garden, North Fitzroy as the LARPers fought it out. People were pommeled to the ground, hit over the head with swords, kicked and punched – all in the name of good old medieval fun. Aussies had to face up against ogres, Vikings and everything in between for a shot at the free flights. Credit: Supplied They will be split into two teams to wield battle alongside long-time LARP warriors from Australia's largest LARPing organisation, Swordcraft. Australian comedian and radio star Liam Stapleton is playing the role of Jetstar birthday host and LARP wizard himself, joining in on the action this Saturday. 'The folks from Jetstar reached out and look, it's not too far from a stretch, like I dress up and chase my wife around as Shrek and that sort of stuff on the weekend, so I've never done LARPing before though, but I felt like I was the right man for the job,' Stapleton told NewsWire. Liam Stapleton led the massive LARPing group. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia Radio and TV star Stapleton said impressions and role-play have been a big part of his career. 'It's something I've done like since I was a kid … and it's led to fun opportunities like this. Like now I'm dressed as a wizard in a park speaking to you.' Radio and TV star Liam Stapleton will also be trying his hand in medieval battle. Credit: Supplied The event centres around 21 being the age of knighthood in medieval times, and everyone is dressed the part with knights, fire mages, goblins, alchemists and everything in between. 'When you work in radio, you are always afraid of the axe. But this is, you know, today I'm afraid of real axes because people have that sort of weaponry,' Stapleton said. There was a variety of weaponry, each deadlier than the last. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia If he wins, Stapleton said he would love to fly to Japan. 'Top of the list. Yeah. It's somewhere I've always wanted to go … I've heard cherry blossom season is the time, it's literally like the top of my wife's and myself's bucket list. So that's where I'd love to go.' But Stapleton is not sure about his chances of winning. 'Look, I'm an optimistic man, but there is some genuine giants. LARPers were very well prepared in their medieval armour. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia 'There's some people who are like dressers giants and there's other people who are like, no, you are actually seven foot. 'There's some intimidating looking figures with proper armour. I'm wearing basically a dressing gown. So I don't know how we're going to go.' Stapleton did not win – Team 'Jet' emerged victorious, and four lucky winners won the ultimate $50k prize – Genevieve Maisey, Cameron Riches, Nicole Brownlie and Julian Dods. Four lucky Aussies walked away with $50k in free flights, to share. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia Either way, Swordcraft head of advertising Lou Harwood is glad more people got to take part in LARPing and hopes the contestants enjoyed the medieval role-play. 'The rush you get when you're in combat is like nothing else. So if they even if they don't win, if they just come away, just feeling excited, having had given it a go, that's a win in our books,' she told NewsWire. Ms Harwood said she is glad more people have been able to experience LARPing. Credit: Supplied 'I've really found my chosen family in this crew. And I wouldn't give them up for anything in the world. 'We're so grateful for the opportunity to show off lap to the wider community and get people to see how much fun it can be.'
Perth Now
20-05-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Victoria budget 2025: Winners and losers
With an ever-growing debt and a promise of no new taxes, the Victorian government has revealed a 'responsible' state budget with a primary focus on cost-of-living measures and supporting struggling families. Here are the winners and losers. The state budget for 2025-256 has arrived. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia WINNERS Health Treasurer Jaclyn Symes' first budget includes a record-breaking investment in hospitals and the health sector. The state will injecting an additional $11.1bn into health, including $634.3m to build or expand nine new hospitals. A further $9.3bn will be invested into existing hospitals, including Footscray Hospital, Frankston Hospital and Maryborough and District Hospital. There will also be a $48.2m investment into expanding the network of state-run urgent care clinics and Community Pharmacy programs across the state. The budget has allocated $57m for upgrades to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, with funding also invested to redevelop regional emergency departments, including Swan Hill District Health, Albury Wodonga Health and University Hospital in Geelong. The capacity of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department will 'almost' triple with a $473m investment. The budget has zeroed in on mental health with a $7.5m investment into the Hospital Outreach Post-Suicidal Engagement program, LGBTIQA+ Aftercare support, and Strong Brother Strong Sister and Yarning Safe N Strong for Aboriginal Victorians. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes handed down her first budget on Tuesday. NewsWire / POOL/ Eamon Gallagher Credit: News Corp Australia Community safetyThe government will commit $727m to expand the state's prison and youth crime network. This investment includes adding an additional 1000 adult prison beds and 88 youth prison beds in Cherry Creek and Parkville to accommodate the increasing number of offenders being denied bail. There is also a $13m investment to ban machetes and implement a drop-off box for people to hand in their weapons. As part of the state's crackdown on crime, $106.4m will be invested in the youth justice system, including in-house rehabilitation, intensive oversight for high-risk offenders and family support workers. Public transport users In the lead-up to the budget release, the Victorian government announced it would allocate $1.2bn for public transport, including a $318m investment for a free public transport scheme for kids under 18 that would save a family an average of $755 per year per child. . Seniors will haveaccess to free public transport on weekends, with the government investing $2.2m for statewide free transport. A further investment of $162m will be put aside to deliver new and improved bus services. The Allan government will invest $4.1bn to develop Sunshine station, and a further $46m to deploy additional services from the Craigieburn, Sandringham, Upfield and Werribee lines. The government said it would inject $727m to 'operationalise' the Metro Tunnel, which is already been built and set to open at a later date. Drivers It's not just public transport users set for an investment boost, with the West Gate Tunnel expected to open this year. Regional transport networks will receive a $777m investment, including $137m for regional road maintenance. Across the state, the government will invest $976m to repair potholes and upgrade roads, with a further $50m for maintenance on the San Remo Bridge at Phillip Island. In conjunction with the federal government, $250m will be used to upgrade the Werribee Main Rd. $137m will be invested in regional road upgrades. NewsWire / David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia FamiliesThe government is investing $152.3m to increase funding for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund, which will provide $400 for eligible students. Free kinder for three and four-year-olds will continue with an injection of $859m, saving families up to $2600 per year per child. The government has also committed to delivering $272m into child protection and family services and a further $90m to support kids in out-of-home care. Energy bills are set to be cut for struggling families, with the government investing $50m for the $100 Power Saving Bonus, which will be available for households with an eligible concession card. A further $29.7m will be committed to deliver an additional 27,000 hot water rebates and $12m to support training for the Victorian Energy Upgrades Program, which is set to half the cost of ceiling insulation and save families up to $400 off their energy bills. SchoolsThe Victorian government is committing $133m for improved literacy and maths, including a $16.3m investment for a new Numeracy Check grade. TAFE and training courses will continue to be subsidised with a $171m investment. The Living Learning program with Melbourne City Mission and Hester Hornbrook Academy will also receive an investment of $7.5m to offer young people a chance to finish their education. The government is also committing $25.6m into its Navigator program, which aims to address chronic student absenteeism. The government will invest $133m to improve literacy and maths skills. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia Small businessesThe government will invest $627m into supporting business across the includes $150m into the Victorian Investment Fund, which aims to deliver grants and expand priority sectors for businesses and industries, and a commitment of $240m to the Economic Growth Statement. Homebuyers Ahead of the release of the budget, Ms Allan announced a commitment of $61m to continue the stamp duty concession for off-the-plan apartments, units and townhouses for another 12 months. The Victorian economy is forecast to reach a net debt of $194bn by June 2029. NewsWire/ David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia LOSERS Farmers The government's promise of no new taxes in the budget excludes the new emergency services levy, which was passed through the upper house on Thursday and is intended to increase funds for the State Emergency Services (SES), triple-0 and the state control centre. The levy has triggered massive outrage from farmers across the state who took to the streets of Melbourne's CBD in protest, labelling the tax as an 'insult to farmers'. Thousands of Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers also took to the streets to protest the fire levy at Parliament House on Tuesday in the wake of the budget, urging Ms Allan to 'scrap the tax' and arguing that it would cripple already struggling farmers. Public servantsMore than 1200 full-time equivalent public servant jobs are on the chopping block in an effort to claw back some of the debt racked up by the government, though Ms Symes said natural attrition would account for some of the cuts. Thousands flocked to the streets of Melbourne on Tuesday to protest the government's emergency services levy. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia PolicePolice officers will receive a minor 0.2 per cent increase in funding compared with last year, with $7.2m committed to recruit more officers. Campers Outdoor lovers will feel the pinch as the government's free camping deal, which spanned all 131 paid campsites for Parks Victoria, comes to an end in June. It will be replaced with half=-price camping fees, which will be in place until June 2027. The economy The budget has projected a $600m operating surplus, which is about $1bn less than its forecast last year. Net debt is forecast to grow and hit a record high of $194bn by June 2029, with the state's forecast debt of $167.9m in 2025-26 sitting at 25.1 per cent of Victoria's economy. However, it is the first operating surplus since the Covid-19 pandemic, a feat Ms Symes said demonstrated the government could 'service that debt while delivering the infrastructure and services that Victorians need'. 'From here, net debt will continue to fall as a share of the economy, and we will see continued surpluses in the years to come – allowing us to continue to provide services and infrastructure that Victorians need,' Ms Symes said.
