Latest news with #Epping
BBC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Essex Police imposes dispersal order over upcoming car-meet
Police have imposed a dispersal order in two towns due to concerns about a large number of cars meeting Police has issued the order for Harlow and Epping from 18:00 BST on Saturday until 06:00 on events have involved vehicles being driven at "excessive speeds" and carrying out "dangerous manoeuvres", the force can order people suspected of being involved in the car-meet to leave the area or face arrest, banning them from returning for 48 hours. Officers will be in "key locations across both districts to enforce the order", the force abiding road users and the public would not be affected by the order, it also said. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
ABC News
24-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Why first-home buyer FOMO is set to go into overdrive: and it's not just about the rate cut
Jason Martin has been searching since November for an apartment in the northern suburbs of Sydney near his daughter's school. He wants a two-bedroom place in Epping, but with many exceeding his $800,000 budget, he knows he'll need to compromise. This might mean choosing a property with building defects or opting for a one-bedroom apartment with a study area that fits a bed. But he's struggling to find something he really likes in his price range. "I always thought I'd buy something that I'd fallen in love with. But I haven't found anything worth fighting for," he told the ABC. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has cut the cash rate again, bringing it down to 3.85 per cent — the lowest in two years — with future rate cuts on the cards. Lower interest rates enhance buyers' borrowing capacity, spark buyer activity, fuel competition, and drive up home prices, which are already at record highs. In April, Australia's median home price reached a new record of $805,000, according to PropTrack. Mr Martin is aware his mission has become harder. "Interest rate cuts benefit existing mortgage holders, but for first-time buyers, they raise property prices. The last RBA rate cut seemed to increase some prices by $40,000." Broker Alya Manji from Aussie Home Loans Hurstville said there's roughly "an eight-week window" to buy after a rate cut before its effects hit the market. "If you don't act within that time, it gets tougher," she said. She said a 0.25 per cent rate cut could increase someone's borrowing power by $10,000 to $25,000 on a $500,000 loan. But at the same time, house prices could move by that same amount or more. Nicola Powell, Domain's chief of research and economics, said a downward rate cycle and persistent housing shortages would keep driving property prices up. "A rate cut prompts buyers to act quickly, fearing further price increases. "Buyer inquiry volumes are up year-on-year in all of our capital cities," Dr Powell said. Senior economist at REA Group Eleanor Creagh agreed two rate cuts this year and the prospect of more would boost demand — and therefore prices — when there aren't enough homes to go around. "In terms of housing supply, we've still got constraints on the delivery of new homes, particularly in major capitals." Rate cuts and housing shortages aren't the only factors driving buyer FOMO. The Labor government's election win means its First Home Guarantee scheme will be extended to allow a larger pool of buyers to purchase with as little as a 5 per cent deposit, without Lenders Mortgage Insurance, from July 1. While this helps more first-home buyers, it intensifies competition. Meg Elkins, a behavioural economist at RMIT, said supporting first-time buyers while not propping up prices artificially "is a very difficult balancing act". "We know that if you increase subsidies around housing, it can increase capacity around borrowing and push up those prices." Dr Elkins added that millennial first-home buyers were also feeling external pressures to reach life milestones. "Many millennials feel they should own property by 30," she said. "And they're facing the toughest purchasing conditions in history, with high interest rates, living costs and student debt combined with stagnant wage growth. "They're so badly done by." If those conditions weren't tough enough for buyers, the market has become swamped with buyers' agents, who "can easily outplay regular bidders", Ms Manji said. Buyers' agents often have close ties with agents, and they know how to negotiate. Plus, they've significantly enlarged the buyer pool by acting on the ground for remote clients. "Buyers are now facing competition from people across Australia and beyond," Ms Manji said. It's not all doom and gloom. The prospect of higher prices following another rate cut could entice more people to list their properties for sale, boosting supply. Another factor restraining price growth is, of course, affordability. The Housing Industry Association reported affordability was at a 30-year low in the second half of last year. "I think we're all a bit scared after the cash rate hikes, cost of living pressures and wages growth that hasn't kept up with price growth," Dr Powell said. Dr Elkins suggested researching available government grants, enlisting the help of a buyer's agent, or considering that dreaded word among buyers: compromise. "You may not get exactly what you want. So what are you willing to give up to get closer to your ideal?" Mr Martin isn't prepared to compromise on location or buy a property he dislikes — and he knows that comes with consequences. "There is definitely a FOMO because the prices will rise, potentially pricing me out," he said. "It's very frustrating. If this goes on for another few months, I'll be locked out of the market."
Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Don't blame the system, just offer more to voters
Shane Wright makes a valid point (' Politicians take note: Australians can't stand sore losers ', May 23), that those who whine about our fair preferential voting system are those who feel their preferred candidate might not hold the endearment of the majority of people in their electorate. Not only is the system a better reflection of the overall wishes of each community, but, in seats like Bradfield, it makes for exciting suspense. Donald Hawes, Peel Well said, Shane Wright. Many 'sore losers' believe preferential voting was to blame. What nonsense. The electorate had its say and it clearly endorsed Labor's policies and voted accordingly. Our democracy may not be perfect but it's certainly fair and it has stood the test of time. The losers should look beyond the voting system and offer voters better alternatives if they, once again, wish to be winners. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach Australia's voting system ensures a full democracy. To tamper with preferential voting in anger would be a Trumpian disregard for the election results. A Menzies conservative coalition would respect and protect the institution. The elements of our democracy are extremely fragile when they are at the whim of political self-interest. We must stridently protect democratic integrity. The depth of choice in preferential voting reflects the depth of Australian culture. Anne Eagar, Epping The reason for the truckload of sour grapes and conspiracy theories being dumped post-election is that there's a strong born-to-rule sense among conservatives that they are 'the natural party of government'. It is this entitled failure of humility, breeding complacency and hubris that will keep them from government. No one is entitled to govern; it must be earned by banishing stubbornly outdated policies and actually listening to voters. Accept that Labor won in a landslide and move on. Alison Stewart, Riverview Thank you, Shane Wright, Australians don't like sore losers. Preferential voting has worked in this country for more than 100 years. Politicians and their supporters who question its value for achieving the best results only need look in the mirror for someone to blame. When you're out of touch, it is usually reflected in the results. Reflect on that. Geoff Nilon, Mascot Of course, winners are grinners. Losing is part of life. Some of us 'can't accept that voters didn't see the world through their prism'. The losers in Australia are the slow action on climate change, victims of domestic violence and the homeless. We hope policies will improve life for them and the environment. When playing sport or cheering for your team, winning is joyful and you are on a high. Losing, you shrug your shoulders, learn a little and try better next time. Bea Hodgson, Gerringong I was not very surprised that after the reversals of the federal election, the Liberal and National Party Coalition agreement has broken down. Such things are historically predictable. For example, the leaders of the famous Burke and Wills expedition, finding themselves lost in the uncharted wilderness and with irretrievable but unexplainable differences, also decided that it would be better for their parties to split up and go their own ways. Now how did that end? Garry Dalrymple, Earlwood Ley the lone adult After taking his bat and going home, David Littleproud has come back with his bat and he has asked if he can still play (' Heat on Littleproud after Coalition U-turn ', May 23). Just like a spoilt child, who used to be pampered, for him, by Peter Dutton, he tried to stamp his feet but only got sore feet. Sussan Ley looks like the only adult in the room. How can this rabble have ever expected to be our next government? I think Ley should take her time and follow her instincts that the Liberals need to reform and be a centralist party. That is its only future. It's time to jettison the Nationals dinosaur unless they agree to reformation too. Don't hold your breath. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle It made me laugh reading that David Littleproud was planning to shift people from the Nationals' 'front bench to their back bench'. Were they going to call themselves the opposition to the opposition, or opposition lite? Bridget McKenzie's coyness on ABC TV's 7.30; the party's continued obstruction to climate mitigation and decarbonisation in the face of constant 'unprecedented' extreme weather events; and its constant U-turns have left them with very little to be proud of. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl David Littleproud needs to live up to his name and swallow his personal pride and return the Coalition to at least the semblance of an effective opposition. A government is only as good as an opposition that is able to keep it on its toes. As two separate parties, the Nats and the Libs have little hope. Genevieve Milton, Dulwich Hill Can it be that the Labor Party is about to have its early Christmas present removed ? Whatever the outcome of the next round of 'will we join them, will we leave them?', the question of coalition unity has been trashed and no amount of reassurance from them will eliminate the feeling that what they are presenting is a facade. Lyn Savage, Coogee Based on media reports this week, David Littleproud has little to be proud of. In stark contrast are the glowing remarks by Sussan Ley's colleagues of what a wonderful and remarkable woman she is. A role model for young women, no less, and with an amazing background. Which reminded me of her remarkable, but far less impressive, conduct as Scott Morrison's environment minister. In the Federal Court, her lawyers downed a group of teenagers and a nun to assert that the government owed no duty of care to them or their futures. With the decision her way, she approved another coal mine and took no responsibility for addressing the catastrophe that is facing us with rapid climate change. When travelling to the people, to listen to them, to have multiple conversations with them, care must be taken to avoid intermingling expenses for public service with private interests. Howard Charles, Annandale If the Coalition is sort of back on, and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price did not get the deputy job in the Liberal Party, will she jump back to the Nationals? She might be after David Littleproud's job. Neville Turbit, Russell Lea I read that one of the non-negotiables for the National Party is a guarantee for phone and internet access in the bush. A case of 'Farmer Wants a Wi-Fi', perhaps? Graham Fazio, Cootamundra Stop posing and act While the Nationals argue with the Liberals, the Mid North Coast of NSW is flooded and there have been some deaths (Letters, May 23). Why isn't Littleproud on the ground with all the Nationals voted in around that area instead of 'posing' on TV and carrying on with the Liberals? Get out there and support the unfortunate people who voted for your party. Ken Pares, Forster Waiting at the station Could your correspondent (Letters, May 23) please describe a train, and do they still have steam engines? I have been waiting on the planned Narrabeen Station platform since premier Robert Askin promised a rail line to the northern beaches in the 1960s. I have been expecting my train to come for 55-plus years, but some ungrateful commuters whinge about a few hours. Gavin Williamson, Narrabeen Jaundiced view of terrific terrace Sydney often claims to be a multicultural international city, except apparently when it comes to paint (' Council sees red over yellow paint ', May 23). This authority that councils everywhere have given themselves to direct what colour a property may be painted is patently big brother authoritarianism. Let the colour, vibrancy and light shine, and allow an owner to paint their property as they see fit. Matthew Boylan, Leichhardt With so much bleak news, and bleak weather, how Grinch-like is Woollahra Council to put the kybosh on Michael Fegent's attempt to let a little sunshine into our lives by painting his restaurant such a cheerful yellow. And, incidentally, highlighting all that building's lovely heritage features. Anne Ring, Coogee I am shocked at council's decision to disallow bright yellow on one of our best restaurants. I used to live in Avalon, a stone's throw from where Sali Herman, a well-respected Australian artist who brought Paddington to the notice of the masses with his paintings of the suburb's wonderful terraces of many colours. As we socialised with the Hermans, I now have a collection of his Christmas cards displaying his works. I am willing to provide these to council's heritage officers to demonstrate that bright colours, including yellow, have always been a historical part of Paddington heritage. Perhaps the only colour that should be allowed is the current fad of soot black, harking back to the burning of coal and coke in the times when Paddo was considered a slum. Robert Hosking, Paddington Woollahra Council would go berserk if they dropped in on the island of Burano in the Venetian lagoon, where the brightly coloured houses are a major tourist attraction. Joan Brown, Orange The picture of the Five Ways terrace painted vibrant yellow that so offends Woollahra Council shows it bracketed by two drab terraces, which are apparently the council's preferred standard. Allen Greer, Sydney How jolly that terrace looks in its bright yellow skin. One would hope others would get the idea and move from so-called 'good taste', aka dreary conformism, to a fun and lively look. What a bunch of negative Nigels and Nancys the council is. Let councils focus on things such as high-rise overshadowing, green spaces, traffic management, parking and the public amenity. Tom Mangan, Woy Woy Bay Hardly enhancing The 'enhanced' games are not only unfair to clean athletes, but they attract publicity that is likely to encourage copycat behaviour (' Pioneering? No, it's cheating and it's dangerous ', May 23). This news is devastating. 'Roid rage is common and does increase violence against women as it's generally the insecure blokes who use intramuscular testosterone and now peptides. These same men then lose it under stress, so the partner wears the anger. Between artificial intelligence and modern psychedelic experimentation, the young folk will have their hands full. Or will these prove advantageous? It seems like too much for immature brains. Ashley Berry, Wollongong Concerns for enhanced athletes such as James Magnussen are well founded, even under medical supervision. But the real concerns are for our young and middle-aged men, in particular, without medical supervision, who train daily while taking products to enhance their performance. As a mother, I can remind my adult children of my concerns, but fail in making any difference. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer Dear James (Magnussen), having a hit of heroin or smoking a joint may make me 'the happiest I've been in seven years', but it still doesn't make it good for my health. Nick Walker, Springwood Fitz: I couldn't agree more. The likening of James Magnussen's steroid-fuelled ventures to that of OnlyFans is chilling. Sad, sordid unreality in action. What kind of society have we become? Judy Finch, Taree To counter the Enhanced Games, could we also have a Lazy and Fat Games? Instead of training and taking drugs, you would have to prove you have done no training for a minimum of one year, have a really bad diet, drink a lot of beer and be at least 20 per cent overweight. Mark Anderson, Coogee Dumping to dumping The amount of rain and the speed and height of the NSW Mid North Coast and Hunter floods are terrifying and hard to imagine (' More rain on way amid flood disaster ', May 23), especially when there is a record drought down south. As the chief executive of Natural Hazards Research Australia, Andrew Gissing, said: 'A warmer atmosphere holds more water, leading to a greater likelihood of intense flood-causing downpours' and people are in 'a constant state of disaster recovery under climate change'. Recent ocean temperature maps show that unseasonably warm waters off the coast of NSW point to the problem. As David Attenborough said at the end of his latest film, Ocean, 'If we save the sea, we save the planet'. It's unfair that ordinary people through no fault of their own are suffering like this. It's time to stop dumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and eventually the oceans. The big polluters should be paying for the damage they cause via a carbon levy, as Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims have suggested. The Labor government has the mandate to act. Ray Peck, Hawthorn (Vic) It is moments like these days of rain that make you realise how out-of-touch with equality we have become. The homeless are living tough with no fault of their own, while others can purchase a house costing millions. It is a sad, sorry place we have arrived at. Zuzu Burford, Heathcote While bouquets are being given, and rightfully so, for the many fantastic efforts and contributions in relation to this week's NSW flood disaster, let's throw a few brickbats at our enabling state legislators. The latter are seemingly steadfast in failing to ensure our state has fit-for-purpose planning and environment laws for new housing developments that would seek to minimise risk to life and limb. With apologies to the late Professor Julius Sumner Miller, why is that so? Col Shephard, Yamba The wrong stuff If it's rejection you want (Letters, May 23), try publishing poetry. Keith Russell, Mayfield West Postscript So, the election has been and gone, the results are almost in, the corflutes have been struck, the Liberal Party has sobbed in fury and found a new leader, what could be left? Funny that you should ask. This week, the Coalition suddenly de-coalesced, leaving both sides composing their stiff upper lips and being terribly brave about an unfortunate situation. The letters writers, if no one else, enjoyed this hugely. Many thought this was a wonderful opportunity for the Liberals to renew, reform and repower, to cast off the chains of the Nationals and move to a future without that annoying assumption of being the natural party of government. However, no one could see anything good for the Nationals. Without the Liberals, are they just going to wander in their rural wilderness until they disappear, or join another party for strength? In the middle of this was the great Sydney train breakdown, after a live wire fell onto a train on Tuesday, causing waves of disaster to flow out through almost the whole system. The echoes sloshed on for the rest of the week, in the pouring rain, and the people taking hours to get home were not happy. Neither were ride-share drivers after the biggest company put a cap on push pricing. The letter writers were not finished with the Nationals, however. As the floodwaters rose on the Mid North Coast, writers were pointing out that a party that does not accept climate change is on a hiding to nothing. Then breaking news came that the parties may come back together again, after all. This caused more laughter and mockery. The lighter side of the week was discussion about Anthony Albanese's hat, worn to the Pope's inauguration, much of which was held outside in the rapidly warming Roman spring. Opinions were sharply divided, though strongly in favour of the titfer as being both sensible and appropriate (and, anyway, you should have seen what the clergy were wearing!). The few naysayers thought it was cringeworthy. Sometimes, it seems, you can win an election but not every heart and mind. Harriet Veitch, Acting letters editor
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Cropped-ear dogs should not be in films or on TV, MP says
An MP has called on film, television and media outlets to stop depicting dogs with cropped ears, following a dramatic rise in the number of reported cases in recent surgeon Dr Neil Hudson, who is also the Conservative MP for Epping, Essex, has written an open letter to those in the industry which has been signed by 21 of his Conservative colleagues in Hudson described ear cropping - made illegal in the UK in 2006 but still permitted in other countries - as "a horrific, cruel and clinically unnecessary practice".The RSPCA said reports of "cruel and unnecessary ear cropping on dogs" had increased by 2,000% in a decade. Dr Hudson, who also serves as shadow parliamentary under secretary for Defra, continued: "This painful procedure, performed solely for 'aesthetic' purposes, involves the removal or alteration of a dog's ears, often without proper veterinary care or pain relief."He said this, coupled with the lack of import regulations on equipment to crop a dog's ears, may be causing the influx of mutilated dogs. The RSPCA said ear cropping "doesn't benefit the dog in any way and can actually be detrimental to their health, behaviour and welfare". "We urge people to not buy into the trend - the only way to stop this is by not fuelling the demand for a cropped-eared dog," said David Bowles, the charity's head of public affairs.A bill that addresses the problem of low-welfare animal imports dogs, cats and ferrets into the United Kingdom is currently being progressed through parliament. Dr Hudson continued: "The inclusion of cropped ears in media can inadvertently normalise this cruelty, misleading audiences into viewing mutilation as acceptable."He said popular Hollywood films such as Disney Pixar's Up, from 2009, and Warner Bros' DC League of Super-Pets in 2022, both featured dogs with clipped pointed to a more recent example in the US, with the 2025 Best in Show winner at Westminster Kennel Club also having cropped letter referenced the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937, which prohibits the use of animals subjected to cruelty during production. The Westminster Kennel Club, Warner Brothers, Disney Pixar, and DC Entertainment have all been approached for comment by the BBC. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- BBC News
Epping fly-tip blocks road at blind bend
Police attend large fly-tip dumped at blind bend Essex Police said it became aware of the fly-tip in Rye Hill Road, Epping, on Tuesday evening Contractors have had to clear up a large amount of building waste that was fly-tipped at the bend of a country lane. The rubbish was dumped in Rye Hill Road, Epping, and was reported to Essex Police at about 21:00 BST on Tuesday. The force said "inquiries are ongoing", while Epping Forest District Council said a contractor was clearing the site. The waste covered a stretch about 30m long (98ft) and contained wooden planks, scraps of loose metal and construction materials.
