Police investigate fatal house fire at Carisbrook in central Victoria
Police are investigating the fire, which broke out in a rear room of the Church Street house about 1am.
Firefighters from Carisbrook and nearby Maryborough found the man deceased when they searched the home.
Arson squad detectives and forensic chemists are on site today to determine the cause of the fire.
Detective Sergeant Steve Atkinson said the man was well-known in the town.
"It's a local Carisbrook identity that has been located here today — unfortunately, he was well-known in the community," he said.
"We're not looking at any suspicious circumstances but the cause of the fire is yet to be determined," Detective Sergeant Atkinson said.
The man's son was visibly distressed when he arrived at the house this morning.
Anyone who witnessed the fire or has security camera footage or any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
6 minutes ago
- ABC News
Woman pepper sprayed by police during mental health welfare check says officers 'should have just left'
A woman who is suing the State of NSW over the actions of police officers who pepper sprayed her during a welfare check has insisted she did not act aggressively towards them "in any way". Police attended the then-48-year-old's Western Sydney home in September 2021 after they were alerted to a reference to self harm she made on the phone to an insurance company. The NSW District Court has heard that after being told she may be liable for $150,000 in damages from a police pursuit involving her son, she told a representative words to the effect of "I might as well just kill myself". But she has given evidence that she called back and told the representative she did not mean it. In footage from police body-worn cameras, the officers are heard telling the woman's ex-partner, who was at the house at the time, that they might need to take her to hospital under the Mental Health Act. They tell the man that if they are not able to speak with her at the door, they will force entry. The woman's lawyers say that from a balcony above, she had told them she was fine and to "f*** off". Some officers entered by kicking the front door, while others scaled the balcony and went in through an unlocked bedroom, tasering her American Staffy. That began a search which ultimately lasted for some 45 minutes and at one point involved a police helicopter. The court heard she had run through a back door and was hiding in a neighbour's garden shed. In defence documents, the State argues "no more than reasonable force was used during and following the plaintiff's detention", and barrister Matthew Gollan has told the judge the officers held a genuine belief the woman may have attempted to kill or injure herself. Today, he cross-examined the plaintiff about the immediate lead-up to a burst of pepper spray — which was not recorded on the bodycam footage. "Before the spray was used, when you pushed open the [shed] door, did you do that because you wanted to hide somewhere else?" he asked. "No, I think I went into distress … I just wanted to be left alone, I was not suicidal in any way," the woman replied. When asked whether police told her to get on the ground, she replied: "I think so". Mr Gollan: "And you didn't?" Plaintiff: "I don't recall that, I don't remember that." Mr Gollan: "You stood your ground, somewhat defiantly?" Plaintiff: "I was never aggressive to them." Mr Gollan: "You weren't responsive to them, were you?" Plaintiff: "Because I was in distress." Mr Gollan: "You defiantly stood your ground, didn't you?" Plaintiff: "No, I didn't." During the cross-examination, the woman said that to have multiple police officers and a helicopter involved in the incident meant "all my neighbours looked at me like I was a murderer". "Someone with mental health [issues], and you're supposed to trust the people in blue, why would they pepper spray me?" she said. The woman has also expressed that she was fearful of police as a result of previous interactions, and felt that they had not "helped me much". Large parts of the cross-examination involved detailed questions about the woman's mental health, which she said she was aware of as an issue since 2016. But she told the judge that before the welfare check incident: "I was pretty good, like I was sad, but I was pretty good". Mr Gollan suggested that as early as 2016, she had been urged to seek psychiatric help, but she disagreed that she had ever received a referral. The hearing continues on Thursday.
ABC News
6 minutes ago
- ABC News
ATO reversed its own decision to bill former PM Paul Keating's company nearly $1m after three-year battle
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) wrote off almost $1 million in interest and penalties owed by one of Paul Keating's companies in 2015, in an abrupt about face after negotiations with the former prime minister and his financial advisers. This was unusual because for most taxpayers, formally challenging such a decision would require them to contest the matter in the Federal Court. In this case, the payment notice was cancelled after a negotiation, raising questions about the treatment of powerful people by Australia's chief revenue collection agency. It also raises questions about a lack of transparency in how the tax office conducts confidential settlements. Four Corners does not suggest any wrongdoing by Mr Keating or his advisers in seeking to have the debt cancelled. Four Corners first contacted Mr Keating two weeks ago to request an interview about how this settlement came about, but he declined. The interest and penalties bill was issued after the ATO discovered in 2012 that Mr Keating's company, Brenlex Pty Ltd, had not reported profits from an earlier share sale. This followed a 2010 agreement by Mr Keating to settle tax liabilities of more than $3 million involving another of his companies, Verenna Pty Ltd. At the time, Mr Keating was questioned about his other companies, including Brenlex, and his advisers confirmed it had paid a significant amount of tax relating to the sale of shares and was up to date with its tax liabilities. Mr Keating agreed he would ensure his tax affairs were in order henceforth. However, the ATO later discovered that Brenlex owed $446,000 in tax from the sale of shares years earlier in Lake Technology, an audio engineering company Mr Keating had advised. Brenlex agreed to pay the tax debt, but the ATO demanded more than $600,000 in interest and penalties which had accrued in the years since Mr Keating sold the shares. These are known as a general interest charge (GIC) and late lodgement penalties. Mr Keating's advisers fought to avoid the interest and penalties, asking the tax office to write them off entirely via an ATO rule known as a "Commissioner's discretion". The argument went back and forth through 2013 and 2014. By October 2014, the debt had grown to $904,000, at which point the ATO sent a formal notice to not waive the interest and penalties charge. "Your request has been fully considered and it has been decided that on this occasion the circumstances detailed do not warrant remission of the GIC," the notice said. "There is a clear acknowledgement that the Company should have accounted for the disposal of shares in the relevant financial years returns and did not." In April the next year, the ATO issued Brenlex a formal creditor's statutory demand to pay the debt within 21 days, which had now grown to $953,396. Mr Keating then became involved in the correspondence as part of efforts by his advisers to persuade the ATO to waive the bill because, they said, it was an honest mistake. Mr Keating's advisers told the tax office the former prime minister had mistakenly believed his company Brenlex had paid the tax. They argued he had "inadvertently failed to advise his directors" of the sale, despite filing a substantial shareholder notice reporting the disposal of the Lake Technology shares. Mr Keating's advisers argued "the lodgement and payment of the Company returns were overlooked" but the tax office said "This is not a valid justification". The ATO was told Mr Keating had truly, though incorrectly, believed that all tax matters with Brenlex were up to date. The tax office refused to alter its position. In July 2015, a last-ditch letter from Brenlex was sent to the ATO requesting a meeting. Ten days later, the tax office made a backflip. In a four-line email it wrote off the almost $1 million debt. "I am able to confirm that the GIC and Late Lodgement Penalties … have been remitted in full," the email said. "Consequently the balance of the account has been reduced to nil and the amount payable as stated in the Creditors Statutory Demand is no longer owed." The email gave no reason for the sudden change of heart. The ATO's reversal of its decision, having issued the October 2014 notice, was unusual. Just how unusual can be seen from a joint submission to a Senate committee this year by five accounting bodies. They said it was unfair that the only recourse available to taxpayers to challenge this kind of decision was an appeal to the Federal Court, which was a "lengthy and complex process that is out of reach of most taxpayers". They complained that these decisions were "not subject to an internal ATO review. The only recourse available to the taxpayer is to appeal the ATO's decision in the Federal Court". In a reminder published on its website last month, the ATO said: "Taxpayers should be aware that remission requests are carefully assessed to ensure a level playing field for those taxpayers who pay on time." These revelations come at a time when the ATO's handling of this issue is under review. The Tax Ombudsman is scrutinising the management of general interest charges, to ensure "decisions are fair and reasonable and are made consistently for taxpayers in like circumstances". Typically, the ATO does not comment on the tax affairs of specific taxpayers due to confidentiality obligations. It told Four Corners in a statement that "inadvertently overlooking" the need to pay tax was generally not valid grounds on which to cancel GIC. "However, there may be instances where GIC is remitted when a taxpayer inadvertently overlooks the requirement to lodge a form or make a payment, depending on the individual circumstances of the taxpayer," the ATO said.
ABC News
36 minutes ago
- ABC News
Manhunt launched across Perth for 53-year-old allegedly armed with gun
Police have launched a manhunt across metropolitan Perth in search of a 53-year-old man believed to be armed with a firearm who they say poses a potential risk to the public. Perth residents have been warned not to approach Jason James Cockie, who police described as 175 centimetres tall, of solid build and with greying brown hair. Detective Senior Constable Damian Webb said extensive police resources had been devoted to the search, and appealed to Mr Cockie to hand himself into police. "It's concerning that a person may be in possession of a firearm in our community," he said. Detective Webb said a gunshot had been fired into a home in the northern Perth suburb of Clarkson at about 10pm on Tuesday, and police believed Mr Cockie could help them with their inquiries into the matter. One person was inside the house at the time, but had not been injured. "There was damage to a house but there were no injuries to any person," he said.
