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Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Perth Now
Dawson loses bid to overturn conviction
Convicted wife killer Chris Dawson has lost his bid to quash a conviction over his unlawful sexual relationship with a teenage schoolgirl in the 1980s. Dawson was in 2023 found guilty of carnal knowledge of a girl, who can only be known as AB, when she was just 16 years old in 1980. He was sentenced to three years in prison with a two year non-parole period after Judge Sarah Huggett found him guilty of one count of carnal knowledge following a two-week District Court trial. Dawson launched an appeal against the conviction, with the primary argument being reasonable doubt about the timing of the first sexual encounter between Dawson and AB. Chris Dawson pictured as he arrives at the Supreme Court, Sydney CBD. Ex-Newtown Jets player and school teacher Chris Dawson was charged with murdering his wife Lynette in 1982. NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw Credit: News Corp Australia Dawson's barrister, Stephen Rodgers SC, in March told the Court of Criminal Appeal there was doubt about whether it had taken place before December 1980, as AB was in Year 11 up until that month. AB said the first sexual intercourse occurred when she was 16 during the trial, however Dawson claimed the girl was 17. 'The central issue at the trial and on this appeal relates to timing – there was no dispute that sexual intercourse did ultimately take place between the appellant and the complainant, but the question was whether the prosecution proved whether it occurred prior to December 1980,' Mr Odgers told the court in March. Judge Sarah Huggett found Chris Dawson guilty of one count of carnal knowledge following a two-week District Court trial. NewsWire / pool / Dan Himbrechts Credit: NCA NewsWire Mr Odgers submitted there was a period in 1980 when Dawson engaged in 'romantic behaviour' with AB, including 'saying things indicating love, standing close'. 'There's a difference between being romantic and engaging in sexual intercourse and particularly when the sexual intercourse constitutes a serious offence,' Mr Odgers said. Mr Odgers in March put to the CCA there was doubt over whether the first sexual encounter occurred before the charged indictment period, citing doubt about when driving lessons occurred between Dawson and AB, which is where the 'first kiss' or sexual encounter took place. Crown prosecutor Helen Roberts SC said it was 'not necessary' for the Crown to establish whether AB did or did not hold a learner's permit at the time of the first sexual encounter. Justices Kristina Stern and Sarah McNaughton moved to dismiss the appeal on Friday, despite Justice Peter Hamill dissenting. The court was told Justice Hamill was to allow the appeal to quash the conviction and enter a not guilty verdict, with the judgement stating he was not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the first sexual intercourse took place before December 1980. However, the decisions of Justices Stern and McNaughton were upheld. Sketch of Chris Dawson in 2023. NewsWire / Vincent de Gouw Credit: Supplied Mr Odgers had earlier raised questions in March over whether AB had attended fitness classes - led by Dawson and his brother - in 1980 or 1981, as AB testified the first sexual intercourse took place after she'd begun fitness classes with Dawson. He said there was a 'reasonable possibility' AB was mistaken and didn't attend the classes in 1980, which he argued would make the sexual intercourse having occurred in 1980 'inconsistent'. However, Ms Roberts said even if AB had only attended in 1981, this didn't 'necessarily give rise to reasonable doubt' as the agreed facts of the trial stated Dawson and his brother ran the classes in both years. She told the court there was only one 'really important' question, being whether the evidence as a whole was sufficient, credible and reliable to satisfy that the first act of sexual intercourse took place before December 1980. She said the trial had found AB to be a 'truthful witness' noting the passage of time, although some aspects were unreliable. Dawson was previously convicted of the murder of his wife, Lynette Simms, and was given a 24-year jail sentence with an 18-year non-parole period. While he unsuccessfully appealed the decision in the CCAl last year, Dawson's legal team filed an application for special leave to appeal to the High Court in February. The fresh application asks for the High Court to quash his conviction and order a fresh trial.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Why you should care about Virgin IPO
Virgin Australia has returned to the sharemarket after a five-year hiatus with a massive $685m initial public offering on Wednesday, and it could influence the future health of the Australian economy. In the biggest IPO of the year, the Bain Capital-owned airline has decided to return to the ASX amid a rise in domestic tourism and spending. The offer will almost halve Bain's stake in the airline from about 70 per cent to 39.4 per cent. Qatar Airlines, which recently invested in Virgin, will reportedly keep its 23 per cent holding. If successful, Virgin's listing in the market will be seen as a sign of a bright future for the Australian economy, as investors signpost the potential for the nation's consumer spending to recover. If it fails, it could point to the opposite. The performance of Virgin's IPO could reflect the sentiment surrounding the future of the Australian economy. NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar Credit: Supplied So far, all signs point to a successful IPO, as domestic travel demand recovers and the two recent RBA rate cuts ease the pressure on Australian households. Qantas has been trading at a record high, and the ASX itself has been overwhelmingly up despite swings. 5.1 million passengers were on domestic commercial flights in Australia as of March, a figure sightly below the same time last year but more than four times the numbers in mid-2021. Despite Virgin's voluntary administration in 2020 following Covid-19 travel restrictions, after which it was acquired by US private equity company Bain, it now corners 34.4 per cent of the domestic market share as of March 2025. It is not lagging much behind Qantas, which holds 37.5 per cent, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The death of other budget airlines such as Bonza and Rex has only boosted these two major players. Qantas and Virgin have been boosted by the death of competing airlines, preserving their own market shares. NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar Credit: NCA NewsWire Virgin is also planning to resume long-haul international flights made possible by its partnership with Qatar. The airline is conducting its IPO using a front-end book-building method, where investor bids are submitted before the prospectus receives approval from Australian regulators. According to the term sheet, institutional investors were able to their bids up to Thursday, with the stock expected to begin trading on June 24. Virgin's IPO will be the largest in Australia following the DigiCo Infrastructure REIT launch that raised $2bn in December before a 30 per cent downturn in share price. Experts say the Virgin IPO could offer investors a unique entrance into the Australian airline market, but it has its own risks. 'Virgin Australia's planned return to the ASX via a $A685m initial public offering is the first major IPO of 2025, and one to watch closely,' eToro market analyst Josh Gilbert said. Experts are watching the major IPO closely. NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar Credit: NCA NewsWire 'The IPO, priced at $A2.90 per share, gives the airline a market cap of $ It follows the on-and-off IPO over the last two years when the airline sector has moved from strength to strength, with companies around the world announcing record profits and seeing shares rally. 'Under Bain's direction, Virgin Australia has streamlined operations, focusing on profitable domestic routes, and achieved record underlying earnings of $A439m in the latest half year. 'Essentially, it's a very different airline than it was in 2020 and it is far more attractive to investors. Having only one real competitor in the landscape, Qantas, makes the offer uniquely appealing.' However, the investment could also be a major risk. 'Investors may view Virgin's IPO as an opportunity to gain exposure to Australia's duopoly airline market at a compelling valuation that will trade at a discount to Qantas,' Mr Gilbert said. 'Although the airline sector has had a great few years, investors should be mindful of its razor-thin margins and cyclical risks, particularly if demand slows amid slowing consumer spending.'
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
‘Gentle' man critical after e-scooter crash
A man beloved by his community, with a wife who recently had a suspected stroke and a child with high-needs autism, is now in critical condition after a tragic e-bike incident on Saturday evening. Thanh Phan, 51, took a trip into the Perth CBD for dinner, but was struck by an e-scooter at the interception of Murray and King street. The e-scooter rider is allegedly a woman who was under the influence of alcohol. Mr Phan remains in critical condition at the intensive care unit of the Royal Perth Hospital after undergoing surgery. Mr Phan remains in critical condition following a tragic e-bike incident in Perth on Saturday evening. ABC Credit: ABC The 51-year-old from Menora has built a loving community in his neighbourhood, with friends of the engineer expressing their condolences. 'When we visited, they said he had a very brief period of waking up again and being able to say his name and he knew where he was,' neighbour Siobhan O'Halloran told the ABC. 'But the swelling in the brain was such that they had to operate to save him.' Mr Phan's wife, Loan Phan, had recently had a suspected stroke, and his son has special needs, Ms O'Halloran said. 'He eventually helped her with rehabilitation and has been working from home ever since to support her. One of their boys has very high-needs autism and she spends a lot of her time caring for him,' Ms O'Halloran. Neighbours said Mr Phan's family has already been through hardship as his wife recently suffered a suspected stroke, and his son has high-needs autism. NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty Credit: News Corp Australia Ms Phan is now struggling to accept her husband's condition, and the entire family is anxiously waiting for his recovery. 'She's just still in shock, she's just in denial,' Ms O'Halloran's husband Lee Carroll told the ABC. 'She speaks English as her second language [and] is now facing this heartbreaking crisis alone — caring for their sons, navigating a complex medical system, and trying to stay strong while her husband remains in a critical condition.' He also reported that Mr Phan was the only source of income for the family. The neighbours reflected on the Phan's families warmth and generosity. 'When we got Covid in our house, he and Loan brought over trays and trays of food, we didn't know them that well [at the time],' Mr Carrol told the ABC. 'He's always been very, very friendly, affectionate and kind and gentle. 'He's loved having our kids over at his house, he shows them the fish pond that he made and the budgies that they have, he's just very kind and very gentle man.' Neighbours said Mr Phan was a kind and generous man, and labelled e-scooter trials as dangerous. NewsWire/ Glenn Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia The couple called for e-scooter trials in urban hubs to end. 'Other states have already ended the trial of e-scooters in the city because there are so many deaths and serious injuries arising from them,' Ms O'Halloran said. 'For this to happen … as somebody tries to get to a restaurant in the city, I feel like everyone I talk to doesn't want to take their children or doesn't want to spend time in the city unless they have to.' Alicia Kemp, 24, is alleged by police to be riding the e-scooter under the influence of alcohol with a 26-year-old passenger, before she hit Mr Phan. The passenger was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Ms Kemp is set to reappear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday after being charged with dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm – under the influence of alcohol, and dangerous driving causing bodily harm – under the influence of alcohol.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Real number of Aussies hit by super tax
Politicians have clashed over the number of Australians that will be caught up in Labor's proposed super tax. Labor MP and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite was pressed over the Albanese government's proposal to roll back concessions on ultra-high super balances and tax unrealised gains that would penalise younger generations in the future. The plan, one of the government's key economic policies, will hit those with more than $3m in their superannuation accounts with an extra 15 per cent tax – initially forecast to be about 80,000 people by 2025-26 – on top of the 15 per cent all super fund members are taxed on their earnings. That number has now jumped to up to 1.2 million Australians, significantly more than the original figure. '1.2 million Australians in the long run – that's not the small amount you've all been saying,' Sky News' Pete Stefanovic questioned Mr Thistlethwaite on Monday morning. Matt Thistlethwaite said the proposal was to ensure 'fairness and equity' in the Australian taxation system. NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia 'Well, this is a policy … that's aimed at ensuring that we got fairness and equity in our taxation system,' Mr Thistlewaite began, before being cut off swiftly by Stefanovic: 'How's that fair if the PM gets a pass?' The proposal has come under fire for the inclusion of 'special rules' that would exempt Anthony Albanese until after the Prime Minister retires. Mr Thistlewaite continued: 'Everyone who's on a defined benefit scheme will be treated the same. That's the basis of it. 'Regardless of your occupation, where you live, (everyone) will all pay the same … at the moment, some people can divert money from income to avoid paying income taxation into superannuation to get a concessional rate. 'Now the average teacher, the average childcare worker or emergency services worker can't do that, so we just want to make sure that the system is fair and equitable, and everyone pays their fair share of tax.' The $3m figure will not be indexed, leaving about 1.2 million people within 30 years liable for the tax, Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino revealed last month. Liberal senator Hollie Hughes accused the government of not considering the 'unintended consequences'. Liberal senator Hollie Hughes accused the government of not considering 'unintended consequences'. NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia 'I had dinner with a small-business owner last week whose office building is part of a superannuation plan, and her message to me was incredibly clear that if this goes ahead she does not know what she can do because this is something that the business is invested in, she's invested in,' Senator Hughes said. 'It's her business, and now, because of the increase in property prices she doesn't know if she can afford to pay a tax on an unrealised gain.' She said the tax would come 'knocking on the doors' of everyday Australians, especially small business owners and farmers. Questioned again about the confirmed number of Australians to be impacted by the tax, Mr Thistlethwaite said: 'Initially, it's a very small it's a very small number of Australians, less than 0.5 per cent of the population. Treasurer Jim Chalmers was accused of writing 'special rules' that exempt Prime Minister Anthony Albanese from Labor's super tax. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia 'I think we got to realise we're only talking about (balances) above $3m, and we're talking about something that hasn't been legislated yet, but at the moment people have the choice. 'They can pay their income tax or they can divert it into superannuation to get a concession.' He said the Labor government would 'work' with the opposition if it were prepared to be 'fair and reasonable'. The tax is proposed to take effect from the start of the next financial year, July 1.
Perth Now
30-05-2025
- Perth Now
Woman arrested after alleged stabbing spree
A woman has been charged after she allegedly went on a stabbing spree in a regional Victorian town, attacking four men who were all left hospitalised. The 24-year-old Ravenhall woman's rampage allegedly began at a supermarket on Nicholson St in Bairnsdale at about 9:50pm on Thursday. Four men were hospitalised following an alleged 'stabbing spree' in regional Victorian. NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty Credit: News Corp Australia Investigators received reports that a woman in her 20s was behaving erratically and approaching people in the shop. It is alleged she advanced towards a male staff member and stabbed him in the stomach before fleeing the store. The 45-year old man was rushed to hospital and remains in a serious condition. The woman then made her way to a nearby fast-food store, where she approached a 21-year-old man sitting in his car and demanded that he give her a lift. An altercation ensued in the car park, and the man was also allegedly slashed, receiving a minor laceration to his stomach. Police believe the woman then walked to a nearby hotel on Macleod St, where she allegedly assaulted a 52-year-old, striking him on the arm. The woman's alleged fourth and final victim was stabbed in the shoulder, as their paths crossed while she headed towards Bairnsdale Train Station. All four alleged victims were rushed to hospital. NewsWire/Nadir Kinani Credit: News Corp Australia All men were rushed to hospital, and with the exception of the first victim who remains in a serious condition, were treated for minor injuries and have since been released. The woman was swiftly arrested by police and charged with intentionally cause injury and recklessly cause injury. She will appear before Bairnsdale Magistrates' Court on Friday. Anyone who witnessed the event or with footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
