Latest news with #HeraldSun
Herald Sun
16 hours ago
- Business
- Herald Sun
Brunswick: Victorian-era house transforms after major reno
It was a very different world when Matt Smyth and his now wife Emma Rigby bought their first home, a heritage Victorian, in August, 2020. 'We bought the house on the day we went into the second lockdown. It was around the time when everyone was predicting prices would tank due to the 'mortgage cliff', so it felt quite risky at the time,' Smyth says. MORE: 'Biggest challenge' facing popular VIC region Whisk taker: Dessert Masters winner's $100k gamble Myer family reveal new look for $100m estate The three-bedroom Brunswick home was also very different to what it is now. 'The house hadn't been touched since the 1950s but because of the significant work needed, it fell into our price range,' he says. 'With the deep block, we knew that eventually, with a lot of work, it would be a ripper house,' he adds. And that is what the couple set out to achieve through their extensive renovations. Due to the planning, the pandemic, and the shortage of materials, the extension took considerably more time to complete. The extension features a large, open-plan kitchen, dining and living area built on a heated, polished concrete slab, as well as a double garage and the conversion of the old living room into an ensuite and main bathroom. 'The biggest difference from what it was before is the fact that it's warm in winter and cool in summer,' Smyth says. 'Putting in proper insulation, double-glazed windows in the extension, and providing the option of panel heaters, underfloor heating, split systems in all the major rooms and a wood-burning fire has completely changed the enjoyment of living in the classic, draughty Victorian weatherboard.' Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Nation's cheapest home loan hits shock low First-home buyers hit with $40k+ tax bill Why The Block architect says beige is over
Herald Sun
20 hours ago
- Business
- Herald Sun
Moira Deeming moves to bankrupt John Pesutto over unpaid bill
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News. Lawyers for Moira Deeming have applied to the Federal Court to have John Pesutto made bankrupt over his unpaid $2.3m legal bill. The Herald Sun has confirmed a creditor's petition was lodged on Monday morning over Mr Pesutto's failure to pay court-awarded legal costs to Mrs Deeming after losing a defamation case brought against him. Mr Pesutto now has 21 days to pay the multimillion-dollar debt, enter into a payment arrangement or face bankruptcy and an abrupt end to his political career. If bankrupt he would be ineligible to sit in parliament and his exit would trigger a costly by-election in his marginal seat of Hawthorn which the party fears losing. Senior Liberal Party figures are working to secure the support of the administrative committee to loan Mr Pesutto an estimated $1.5m he needs to clear the debt. There were hopes the committee would meet over the weekend. 'They don't want to meet until they have a solution on the table,' one senior Liberal said. 'This issue is killing them.' In a brief statement Mr Pesutto said he would 'be doing everything possible over the next 21 days to pay the amount ordered by the Federal Court.' 'I will continue performing my work as the Member for Hawthorn, and I reiterate my wish to do so for as long as the people of my electorate will have me,' he said. Mrs Deeming told the Herald Sun last week the decision to initiate bankruptcy proceedings was not one she took lightly. But she said she was committed to repaying wealthy NSW businessman Hilton Grugeon who bankrolled her successful defamation case against Mr Pesutto. 'My goal is simple, to ensure that I am reimbursed so that I can repay that loan as I promised I would,' she said. 'The past two years have been a harrowing journey for me, my husband and our four children. 'After being falsely accused of bigotry, of knowingly associating with Nazis — claims the court found to be defamatory, I faced a torrent of public and private abuse, including rape threats, stalking and personal and professional humiliation and isolation. Sadly, I was not the only innocent woman who suffered as a result of the campaign to expel me. 'This moment should never have come to pass. But since it has, let it stand as a reckoning — not just for one individual, but for a culture of political brutality that must end. 'No man is above the law.' The ongoing public battle between Mr Pesutto and Mrs Deeming has plagued the party for more than two years since it began in March 2023.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sam Pang set to return for the third time to host The Logie Awards 2025
TV funnyman Sam Pang is heading back to host The Logie Awards in August. This will be the third time in three years that the 51-year-old comedian has taken on the anchor role for TV's Night of Nights. Sam's cheeky and irreverent comedy as host last year and in 2023 proved to be a big hit with audiences and TV's A-list as well as a major ratings winner for Seven. 'It's been an honour to host the last two years and I'm looking forward to again celebrating the talented people and amazing shows that combine to make the Australian television industry something everyone can be proud of,' Sam told The Herald Sun on Sunday. 'I am very excited to return for another Logies and would like to thank 7 for asking me back.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. This year's lucky Logie nominees will be announced on June 16. Sam is expected to unleash another take-no-prisoners monologue as host when the Logies ceremony kicks off at the Star Sydney on August 3. The beloved comedian left viewers in stitches with a cutting series of one liners when he took to the stage last year. He was widely praised for his presenting - and roasting of celebrities - for the 2023 event and he certainly did not fail to disappoint as viewers applauded his 'fearless' monologue which saw him boldly take aim at Channel Seven. Sam didn't hold back as he savagely roasted Seven for their spate of recent scandals, such as the Bruce Lehrmann-Spotlight scandal, despite the fact the Logies were airing on the network. He also hit out at Network 10 and Married At First Sight in his take-no-prisoners monologue, before making jokes at the expense of Adam Lambert and LeAnn Rimes. Sam opened his monologue by savagely taking aim at Seven, referencing their recent scandals as the crowds reacted with shocked gasps. 'Firstly, Channel 7, well, I'm just letting you all know I'm going to say whatever I want tonight,' he said as he kicked things off. 'I stand before you safe in the knowledge that whatever I say, this network will defend me in court, and with their impeccable record in defamation cases over the last 12 months I reckon I'll be fine.' Amid a string of jobs being cut at Seven, Sam then joked that he wasn't getting paid by the network for his hosting gig and said they would instead be paying his rent. 'Full disclosure - I'm not getting paid by Channel Seven tonight. Instead, for the next 12 months, they're paying my rent,' he quipped. Which is handy as they'll know what address to send the Thai masseuse to.' Sam then left the crowds in stitches with his MAFS joke as he quipped: 'Reality shows continue to thrive. One of the biggest shows sees contestants thrown together, isolated and willingly eating testicles and sometimes anus. That's right, Married At First Sight continues to go from strength to strength.' Sam's return comes after his first Logies as host scored an impressive 877,000 viewers in the TV ratings. The 2024 Logies broadcast, meanwhile, was another massive hit for Seven According to Sunday night's OzTam ratings, the awards show was the most popular program on free-to-air with a huge national reach of 3,351,000, with a national audience of 1,338,00.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- 7NEWS
Workers from Laos bar where Aussie teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones died of methanol poisoning flee country to new jobs
Two workers employed at the Laos bar where two Australian travellers died of methanol poisoning have fled the country. They had been working at the Nana Backpackers Hostel when the 19-year-old Melbourne women, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, became two of six international victims that died after drinking the tainted alcohol in the establishment. The Herald Sun revealed on Friday that the two men, employed as a bartender and a hostel manager at the time of the incident in November last year, have found new jobs in Vietnam. After they fled the Laos tourist town of Vang Vieng, the outlet reports that the former hostel manager, known as Pikachu, was employed at a new hostel in his home country of Vietnam, and that the former bartender was now employed at a hotel there. The two men were among those detained after the incident. Hotel staff and management were among at least eight people taken into police custody. The Laotian government vowed to 'bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law'. But no charges have been filed, and officials in Laos have released almost no details in the mass poisoning case since November. Alongside the Melbourne teens, an American man, two Danish women and a British woman died of methanol poisoning at the hostel. Jones and Bowles had joined other guests for free shots of alcohol offered by the hostel before going out for the night, but after becoming ill, did not leave their room for 24 hours and failed to check out as scheduled. They were taken to a hospital in Laos before being transferred to Thailand, where they were treated in two separate Bangkok hospitals after their parents raced to be by their bedsides. Jones' father Mark, upon learning of the whereabouts of the bartender and hostel manager, told the Herald Sun: 'We want the Australian Government to apply as much pressure as they can to bring justice to all those involved in the methanol poisoning of our girls.' Methanol is a form of alcohol commonly used in cleaning and industrial products, but it is toxic for humans and drinking as little as 30ml can be lethal. Outbreaks of methanol poisoning occur when the chemical is added to alcoholic drinks, either inadvertently through traditional brewing methods or deliberately — usually in the pursuit of profit. Thousands of people suffer from methanol poisoning every year, with most cases reported in Asia from people drinking bootlegged liquor or homemade alcohol. Many Southeast Asian nations have low safety standards, patchy regulatory enforcement and high levels of police corruption. Stream free on
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Cyril Rioli Kangaroos text message bombshell before Hawthorn scandal
Alastair Clarkson and Cyril Rioli discussed the possibility of the legendary forward making an AFL playing comeback just before the Hawthorn racism saga erupted, according to CODE Sports. A stunning story was published on Friday by Herald Sun chief football writer and Super Saturday LIVE panellist Jay Clark, who reported Clarkson and Rioli spoke both on the phone and via text message in August and September 2022, where the idea of the triple All-Australian recommencing his AFL career under Clarkson's new club was floated. Rioli, who was coached by Clarkson in the four Hawks flags, shocked the footy world midway through the 2018 season when he announced his retirement just before his 29th birthday. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. But just over four years later – after Clarkson had left Hawthorn and was on the verge of coaching his second club – the pair weighed up the possibility of the superstar small forward playing under Clarkson at another team. In the alleged text messages, published by CODE Sports, sent across August and September 2022, Clarkson asked Rioli how he was and if he was 'still keen' on a comeback. In Rioli's reply, he said he was 'interested and keen'. Clarkson, according to the report, then sent another message to Rioli that read: 'Still waiting for your preference. Orange and charcoal or blue and white?' The colours were a reference to the Giants and Kangaroos, who were two of the AFL clubs interested in hiring Clarkson as their next coach at the time. The Roos eventually signed him in August 2022 on a five-year deal. Rioli, in the following weeks, conceded to Clarkson he'd need more time to build his fitness if he wanted to play in the AFL again, flagging the prospect of taking on an off-field role at the Kangaroos instead. A month later in AFL Grand Final week of 2022, allegations from a report into the historical treatment of First Nations players at Hawthorn – including shock claims against Clarkson and other senior Hawks figures – was published by the ABC. It was the start of a two-year legal battle, which led to Clarkson and Lions coach Chris Fagan – the Hawks' former football boss – being temporarily stood down by their new clubs. Communication between Rioli and Clarkson petered out after the allegations became public. Despite Clarkson's attempts to check in on Rioli, CODE Sports reported the duo haven't spoken since. The saga ended in late 2024 after the ex-Hawks players and their family members took a statement of claim to Federal Court before a settlement was reached and the Hawks released a statement apologising to the players, including Rioli. The allegations were never confirmed to be true or false. The accused former Hawthorn staffers, including Clarkson, strongly denied the allegations and remain significantly affected by the fallout.
