Latest news with #Boroondara
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Inside dog owner's bizarre five-year battle to defend his two Jack Russells - as he now risks losing his house after shelling out $100k in legal costs
A dog owner who has forked out more than $100,000 defending his two Jack Russells in an astonishing five-year long legal fight insists his pets haven't done anything wrong. Glenn Tong was charged by the Boroondara Council in October 2020 for allowing his dogs, Marco and Mia, to bark excessively at his Hawthorn home in the eastern Melbourne suburbs. The dog owner was subsequently found guilty and told Daily Mail Australia he risks losing his home if he doesn't appeal the verdict. Mr Tong has already spent more than $100,000 defending Marco and Mia, and estimates he'll pay at least $60,000 more. The original complaint accused Mr Tong of allowing the dogs to bark excessively, particularly early in the mornings and late at night. It was alleged the barking was a nuisance to his neighbours. Mr Tong, who is the chief executive of biotech company VGI Health, objected to the complaint and is adamant his dogs are not to blame. 'When the council asked me, 'Are they your dogs barking?' I said no because these dogs sleep in the bed with me and my wife,' he said. 'If the dogs barked we would know, they sleep under the duvet between us. But, the council didn't listen.' Mr Tong insisted he had a 'good relationship' with most neighbours in his apartment building and that the small minority who complained were 'mostly old people'. Four years after being charged, Mr Tong appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court last year hoping to make his case with his legal team but claimed he was given a 'truncated hearing'. Mr Tong and his dogs are represented by Australia's only dog lawyer Brett Melke and criminal barrister Tass Antos. 'The magistrate was adamant she wanted to finish the hearing on a certain date, even though we told her with that timeframe, there is no way we can present our evidence properly,' Mr Tong said. 'My lawyer, my barrister and I decided if we're not going to be able to present our evidence properly let's make sure we don't present any evidence. Mr Tong was found guilty, fined $2300, and ordered to engage a professional trainer for his dogs. His legal team immediately filed an appeal, which he said was 'all part of our strategy'. Explaining why this matter is so important to him, Mr Tong said he 'would never plead guilty for charges where I'm not guilty'. 'The dogs clearly don't bark excessively, they bark, every single dog barks,' he said. 'The allegation of dogs barking early in the morning, late at night, every day and that they react to every single stimuli is completely rubbish.' 'I'm not guilty and neither are the dogs.' Mr Tong faces a fine of up to $198 for each dog, $396 in total. Mr Tong will return to court in November for a 10 day hearing, where 23 witnesses are set to give evidence. He insisted that he 'doesn't care about the money. 'I'm fighting for my home and my dogs,' he said. The businessman feared the complaining neighbours could take the guilty verdict to a tribunal and declare his dogs a nuisance. 'They could give a removal order, so I would be ordered to remove the dogs within 28 days and that's not going to happen,' he said. 'Our dogs are our lives. They go everywhere with us. If we're ordered to remove them from our home, we would have to move and find another home.' Mr Tong has set up a GoFundMe page in Marco and Mia's name to help fund the court case.
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Inside Chrissie Swan's $2.86m dual-residence Hawthorn East home with retro design flair
Media personality Chrissie Swan is hoping to make a stylish exit, listing her uniquely configured Hawthorn East property with $2.6m-$2.86m price hopes. Property documents confirm the former Big Brother runner-up and popular radio host is selling her character-filled dual-residence home known as Garland House, named after legendary entertainer Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli. The mid-century home sits on 604sq m in the prized Boroondara pocket, and has been cleverly split into two self-contained residences, 'Judy' at the front and 'Liza' at the rear, each with private entries, outdoor areas and undercover parking. Swan, who was catapulted into the spotlight on the 2003 season of Big Brother, finished second to fan favourite and two-time winner Reggie Sorensen. She's since become one of the country's most beloved broadcasters, currently hosting The Chrissie Swan Show on Nova and an accompanying podcast. The property has been listed through Whitefox Classic's Ellie Morish, who said the home had already drawn huge attention thanks to its bold design, flexible layout and celebrity ties. 'Buyers love the timber panelling, the wallpaper Chrissie designed herself, the Technika kitchen suite and the calming garden spaces,' Ms Morish said. 'There's a real sense of joy and personality here.' The front residence features three bedrooms, a large kitchen and living area, bespoke wallpaper and garden views, while the rear two-bedroom wing offers light-filled living spaces, terrazzo detail, and its own secluded courtyard. Across both wings, features include new timber floors, ducted heating, airconditioning, high-end appliances and retro touches, from mosaic tiles to wall art declaring 'Dramatic Exit'. The home is within walking distance of Camberwell Junction, the Rivoli Cinema, trams and several top schools. Ms Morish said the property would suit everyone from multi-generational families and creatives to savvy investors wanting a live-in and lease-out opportunity. 'It's incredibly rare to find this kind of set up in Hawthorn East,' she said. 'And you can feel how much love and soul Chrissie has poured into every inch.' Big Brother, which first brought Swan into the spotlight, is set to return to Channel 10 in late 2025 for its 16th season, with Nova 100's Mel Tracina, known for her entertainment segments on The Cheap Seats, will be stepping into the hosting role. The reboot is rumoured to film in Melbourne. The home will go under the hammer at 11.30am on May 24.
