Latest news with #Dandenong
The Guardian
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Little India has been part of Melbourne's multicultural fabric for decades. Some traders fear they'll soon have to leave
Sudesh Singh is surrounded by sequinned saris that hang on the walls of her clothing store. For more than 30 years, Singh has sold clothing in Dandenong's Little India precinct in Melbourne's south-east. The precinct spills out from train station in Dandenong – one of Melbourne's most culturally diverse suburbs. Colourful clothing shops sit alongside sweet stores selling confectionery from Kolkata. But as the construction date for a private redevelopment of the area looms, Singh and other traders fear they won't survive. They say a planned revitalisation of the area – which will transform it into one made up of apartments, shops and offices – risks the preservation of the Indian shopping hub that began in the mid-1990s. Traders say business is slow and empty windows suggest some shop owners have already left the precinct. Others say they will close their doors before the end of the year, instead of temporarily relocating, before the first stage of construction starts in 2026. Sign up: AU Breaking News email The plan for the renewal includes a new Little India precinct. But Singh says traders remain uncertain whether rent increases will make them unable to compete with newer businesses in the area. Rendered images of the development show 'Little India' shops lining an open-air laneway. But Singh says the traders have not been given assurances they will be able to lease shops in the new Little India. 'Parliament didn't make this street. The council didn't make this street. The traders did,' Singh says. 'But what have they given to Little India? Or what are they promising to give to Little India? Have they given anything in writing to Little India traders? No.' Victoria's minister for development Victoria and precincts, Harriet Shing, told state parliament's budget estimates inquiry last month that the new Little India would be a 'fantastic addition to the heart of Dandenong' and would 'reflect and respect the culture of the area'. 'It will also offer modern and new facilities and improved retail spaces for tenants, creating more opportunities for businesses to thrive,' she said in a written response to parliament's public accounts and estimates committee. Singh said the private developer, Capital Alliance, was contacting traders to commence discussions about the new tenancies planned. She said all current traders would be given an opportunity to be part of the area's redevelopment but noted this would be on 'commercial terms that reflect market values', due to the landlord being a private developer. Singh is blunt in her assessment of what this means for current Little India shop owners: 'The bottom line is, we can only survive if the rental is reasonable. 'It's no longer a precinct, it's no longer Little India.' 'They're selling it as a Little India. But if we look at that, they've got hotels, motels and accommodation. They want to make it like Bourke Street.' Development Victoria informed Singh, who previously ran two shops on Foster Street, she was required to vacate one of her stores by the end of November due to the first phase of the redevelopment. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion A short walk along Foster Street, Purabi Das runs two clothing shops. She says business has been particularly sluggish since the start of the year. She points to the usual pressures on brick-and-mortar retail and a rise in home-run businesses for Indian clothing. 'From Covid times, some people have been doing businesses from home. Every garage, people are selling stuff from home,' she says. In 2020, Development Victoria selected Capital Alliance to continue a wider revitalisation project for the suburb – first promised by the Bracks Labor government in 2006 – that will transform a two-hectare area of land opposite the Dandenong train station, which includes Little India. An estimated completion date for the new precinct is expected to be confirmed within the next year. Last October, the state's planning minister greenlighted the development's masterplan. The Allan government said the development would deliver 470 new homes, alongside commercial and retails spaces. The wider Revitalising Central Dandenong project includes $290m of state government funding and $1bn fron private investment. Singh wants all Little India traders to be given the opportunity to move into the new precinct. 'They need to be given a fair opportunity. Not an opportunity where they can't survive. That's the only way,' she says. Ronan Mellan, acting group head of precincts at Development Victoria, said it was developing a 'brand new Little India precinct in Central Dandenong – offering modern facilities and creating more opportunities for businesses to thrive'. 'We do not comment on confidential tenant-landlord arrangements' he said. Capital Alliance was contacted for comment.
News.com.au
18-07-2025
- News.com.au
Marat Ganiev, Eyal Yaffe to face committal hearing in October over death of Isla Bell, 19
The family of slain teenager Isla Bell were present as the pair charged over her death returned to court. Ms Bell, 19, was killed and her remains hidden in a fridge, with police making the grim discovery at a waste management centre in Dandenong on November 19, 2024. Marat Ganiev and Eyal Yaffe's case was briefly mentioned at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday. Mr Ganiev, 53, is charged with the murder of the 19-year-old, and Mr Yaffe, 57, is charged with assisting an offender after the fact. Police allege the teenager met Mr Ganiev on October 5, 2024 and began staying at his apartment in St Kilda East. She is alleged to have texted a friend that she had met the 'best Russian sugar daddy' and he was 'lavishing her with gifts'. According to police allegations in court documents, CCTV captures a fight at Mr Ganiev's apartment on October 7, followed by extensive cleaning over the following days. Mr Yaffe is alleged to have arrived at the apartment on October 9, towing a black fridge on a trailer which is then swapped out eight days later with a fridge wrapped in plastic and black tape. Police allege the fridge contained Ms Bell's remains and was moved across several locations in Melbourne's southeast over the following month. On Friday, Mr Ganiev was aided by a Russian interpreter as he appeared over audiovisual link. Mr Yaffe is on bail and remotely dialled into the courtroom. The court was told four witnesses – including three experts and the informant – were due to give evidence at committal proceedings for Mr Ganiev. Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz said the witnesses should be present for the hearing in court, noting one expert was a forensic anthropologist who authored a report. She said possible lines of questioning could take the anthropologist to diagrams in her report. 'Quite confronting' 'It would be better if it is conducted in court,' Ms Mykytowycz said. Ms Mykytowycz said she was 'conscious' of the nature of the questions which would be asked at committal proceedings while Ms Bell's family were present. 'Some of the cross-examination might be quite confronting in the circumstances,' she said. 'So I do want the family members to be prepared for that if they're going to attend the proceedings.' Ms Mykytowycz told Mr Ganiev she was satisfied the prosecution's case had been adequately disclosed and the requested cross-examination of witnesses was not 'trivial or vexatious'. The court was told three expert and two police witnesses would be required for cross-examination in Mr Yaffe's case. Both men will face a four-day committal hearing from October 6. Mr Ganiev remains in custody on remand while Mr Yaffe's bail was continued by Ms Mykytowycz.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Pretty stupid': Man in court over Albo threats
A Melbourne man charged with threatening Anthony Albanese says his comments were 'stupid'. Dale Byrne, 42, faces two Commonwealth charges related to threatening to cause 'serious harm' to the Prime Minister and making a 'menacing' social media post about the political leader. Mr Byrne didn't enters any pleas during a brief hearing in the Dandenong Magistrates' Court on Thursday, and the matter was listed for a contest mention hearing in September. Outside court, Mr Byrne told NewsWire: 'I haven't got much to say because I haven't got my solicitor here, except I said something pretty stupid I shouldn't have said.' He would not comment when asked if he would plead guilty. The most serious charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. In Thursday's court hearing, magistrate Nunzio La Rosa continued Mr Byrne's bail, which includes the condition not to go within 100m of state or federal politicians, including Mr Albanese. Mr La Rosa scheduled the matter to be called again at a contest mention on September 4. Court documents show Mr Byrne is charged with threatening 'to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth Official, namely Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese' on February 7. The second charge alleges Mr Byrne used a carriage service 'in a manner that a reasonable person would regard as menacing' when he made an X post 'towards' Mr Albanese. The charges are under negotiation. Initially, the Australian Federal Police alleged Mr Byrne made death threats and anti-Semitic comments to a Commonwealth member of parliament. 'The AFP will allege the man used social media to contact a Commonwealth MP multiple times between 7 January, 2025, and 19 February, 2025, making death threats and anti-Semitic comments,' it said at the time he was charged on March 18. The state of the charges or details of the allegations were not aired in court on Thursday.
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Pretty stupid': Melbourne man fronts court for threatening Anthony Albanese
A Melbourne man charged with threatening Anthony Albanese says his comments were 'stupid'. Dale Byrne, 42, faces two Commonwealth charges related to threatening to cause 'serious harm' to the Prime Minister and making a 'menacing' social media post about the political leader. Mr Byrne didn't enters any pleas during a brief hearing in the Dandenong Magistrates' Court on Thursday, and the matter was listed for a contest mention hearing in September. Outside court, Mr Byrne told NewsWire: 'I haven't got much to say because I haven't got my solicitor here, except I said something pretty stupid I shouldn't have said.' He would not comment when asked if he would plead guilty. The most serious charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. In Thursday's court hearing, magistrate Nunzio La Rosa continued Mr Byrne's bail, which includes the condition not to go within 100m of state or federal politicians, including Mr Albanese. Mr La Rosa scheduled the matter to be called again at a contest mention on September 4. Court documents show Mr Byrne is charged with threatening 'to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth Official, namely Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese' on February 7. The second charge alleges Mr Byrne used a carriage service 'in a manner that a reasonable person would regard as menacing' when he made an X post 'towards' Mr Albanese. The charges are under negotiation. Initially, the Australian Federal Police alleged Mr Byrne made death threats and anti-Semitic comments to a Commonwealth member of parliament. 'The AFP will allege the man used social media to contact a Commonwealth MP multiple times between 7 January, 2025, and 19 February, 2025, making death threats and anti-Semitic comments,' it said at the time he was charged on March 18. The state of the charges or details of the allegations were not aired in court on Thursday.
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Shock twist after park boss was sacked over her four-minute foul-mouthed rant - despite 21 years of 'unblemished service'
A gift shop manager will be able to keep her job after she was sacked following a four-minute verbal tirade where she swore at and 'humiliated' another worker. Helen Woodlock has worked for Parks Victoria for 21 years and manages the gift shop in the Dandenong Botanical Gardens. But her employer had fought to have her sacked after an incident with a staff member from the adjacent Café Vireya in August 2023. Ms Woodlock had decades of 'unblemished service' until she erupted at the café worker for leaving the site unattended while several customers waited to be served. Countless complaints had been made about the café to Ms Woodlock who shouted 'f***' upon entering the store to find it empty. Soon after, the café attendant showed up, Ms Woodlock said: 'Jesus Christ, what the s***'s going on? 'People have been waiting here for f***ing 45 minutes. People are asking for food. Where are you?' The café worker replied that he had walked to the nearby IGA to get more paper for the EFTPOS machine. Ms Woodlock told the staffer he'd been gone for an hour and customers had been waiting even longer. 'Do you know what? And again I am sorry to diss you in front of customers but I've got these people coming up and I want to look after them,' she said. 'We've walked around for perhaps thirty minutes. The other man walked in and I'm like "hello, hello". 'These are our customers into our gardens, and where are you? So yes, I am upset because this is our gardens.' The café worker then said: 'Can you please stop yelling at me?' Ms Woodlock told the attendant he needed to speak to his manager. The incident was then investigated following a complaint about Ms Woodlock from the cafe's operator, with the CEO of Parks Victoria proposing she be fired. Ms Woodlock to the matter to the Fair Work Commission (FWC), claiming her proposed termination was unfair. She argued she walked into the café because she had safety concerns due to complaints about service delays and a gas smell. The FWC rejected her arguments, finding that her actions were the 'hallmarks of bullying' and therefore warranted termination. 'The nature of this conduct was degrading and humiliating,' the Commissioner found. 'It amounted to abuse and mistreatment of (the café worker) in circumstances of a power imbalance caused by the group aspect of the behaviour.' Ms Woodlock then successfully appealed the findings. In considering Ms Woodlock's appeal, the FWC heard that after 21 years of unblemished service, she was given 'unsolicited praise' from customers and had glowing performance reviews. Ms Woodlock claimed her job was 'part of my identity', that she was remorseful, and personal issues like the recent deaths of her step father and father-in-law, along with a 'serious respiratory illness' played a role in her behaviour. The FWC bench found that the previous Commissioner had relied on an incomplete draft record of an interview of the attendant. The FWC bench said Ms Woodlock subjected the worker to 'brutal public humiliation'. But there were numerous and 'significant countervailing considerations in the team leader's favour'. 'What took place was an uncharacteristic outburst of frustration and anger lasting four minutes, which, as we have noted, was partly explained by the poor emotional state [the team leader] was in as a result of her personal circumstances,' the bench found. 'We are also of the view that the personal difficulties she was suffering were exacerbated on the day of the incident, as a result of the respiratory illness that she was recovering from, the many incidents involving the café that she had been required to deal with over a lengthy period, and her distress at having to deal with angry customers of the café immediately prior to the incident.' It noted that while Ms Woodlock's conduct was serious, in their opinion 'dismissal is not disproportionate to the seriousness of her conduct'. 'We are satisfied that there is no risk of a repetition of the misconduct, and Parks Victoria will continue to receive the good service [Ms Woodlock] has provided for many years,' the bench found. It was also heard that the worker who was the subject of the abuse would suffer no unfairness from Ms Woodlock's continued employment because he no longer worked at the café. 'On the other hand, for [Ms Woodlock], the loss of her job would be a heavy, life changing penalty from which it is unlikely she would recover given that her prospects of gaining other employment are limited,' the bench said. 'In all of the circumstances, we consider that dismissal would be unfair.'
