Latest news with #7NEWS
7NEWS
16 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Builder apologises to beach shack owners after illegally destroying historic homes on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula
Heartbroken families, whose historic holiday homes on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula were illegally flattened without warning, have finally had their day in court. George Lavrentiadis faced court in Adelaide on Tuesday, after previously pleading guilty in May to destroying two historic coastal shacks that were built in Deep Creek back in 1934. WATCH ABOVE: Man who pleaded guilty to illegally demolishing family shack apologises Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The shacks stood on the Fleurieu Peninsula's Heysen Trail, on Crown land in the Deep Creek National Park. The homes had been maintained by the same South Australian family, the Robertsons, for nearly 60 years. A neighbouring shack, which was owned by a syndicate of eight people was also partially destroyed the same day the Robertson family shack was levelled. Lavrentiadis told the court Julian Johnston, a multi-millionaire realtor who lives in Miami in the US, paid him to clear the land for a better view. He told the court he was paid $5000 to clear the view for Johnston's new home. Lavrentiadis told the court that Johnston spoke convincingly and with great authority, but admitted that he should have checked if what he was doing was against the law. At sentencing submissions on Tuesday, Lavrentiadis heard from the owner of the shack, Barry Robertson. 'It was much more than a shack. it was my castle,' he told the court. Shelly Pomtiac, another shack owner, told the court the shacks were destroyed because Johnston didn't like the look of them. 'The shacks had to go because he didn't like the look of them, they were on Crown land not his,' she said in court. Johnston, who owns an adjacent $900,000 block and had plans to build a $2 million home, has denied any involvement and has not been charged. Lavrentiadis apologised to the court on Tuesday for demolishing the shacks. The shack owners said to rebuild to current standards would cost significantly more and to rebuild what they had lost with their family's history was irreplacable. Lavrentiadis now faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing expected by the end of June.
7NEWS
8 hours ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
Rival AFL superstars on the menu as Geelong plot massive trade raid
Geelong are set to again be a big player in this year's trade period with plenty of cash to splash on new talent. 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary revealed the Cats will have plenty of room in their salary cap space to splurge on two stars in the next few years. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Geelong's salary cap windfall revealed. That's despite having recently lured superstars Bailey Smith and Jeremy Cameron on big-money deals. 'We know the success they've had with Jeremy Cameron, Patrick Dangerfield and Bailey Smith from other clubs, but the Cats are not done yet,' Cleary said on Tuesday. 'They're going to be going hard after Harley Reid and Zak Butters in the years to come.' Cleary said Geelong CEO Steven Hocking had told the audience at a Pivots Coterie function (a group for long-standing Geelong fans) on the weekend that his club had room in their salary cap for two more stars over the next couple of years. The Cats always seem to be a destination for rival players and already this year have been linked to superstar trio Matt Rowell, Butters and Reid. Questions are often asked of Geelong's recruiting, but they have a lot of bargain players perform well above their pay. Cats players notoriously accept contracts less than market rate as a trade-off for the lifestyle advantages that come with living in the Geelong area and playing for a team that is a perennial finals contender. They also have a knack for finding talented players that have been overlooked by rival clubs. Mark Blicavs, Zach Guthrie, Brad Close, Jack Henry, Oliver Dempsey and Tom Atkins all came to the club via the rookie list, while Tyson Stengle became an All-Australian after signing as a delisted free agent. Irish recruits Mark O'Connor and Oisin Mullin are first-team regulars, while Lawson Humphries (No.66), Gryan Miers (No.57), Tom Stewart (No.40), Shaun Mannagh (No.36) were all taken late in the national drafts. Channel 7 commentator Kane Cornes noted Geelong's excellent recruiting on The Agenda Setters. 'It annoys me a lot when everyone says Geelong get free kicks, how do they sign all these players?' He said. 'Pretty much every player on that list every club had access to. 'Tyson Stengle - delisted free agent, there's rookies, there's bargain picks late in the drafts, and they turn them into stars. 'If you're another club supporter base, don't go sooking about Geelong because every single club had access to those players who are now stars of the game ... and were all pretty much by and large very good performers on the weekend against the Gold Coast.'
Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
EXCLUSIVE: Inside the home Pheobe Bishop shared with her alleged killers
The house Pheobe Bishop lived in with her alleged killers has been at the centre of controversy since she went missing more than three weeks ago. Now the landlords of the house in Gin Gin — a rural town about 50km west of Bundaberg, Queensland — have opened their doors to 7NEWS cameras. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Inside the home Pheobe Bishop shared with her alleged killers. The owners, who had previously lived in the home when they first married and started a family, say they are still in shock at its condition now. It comes after human remains believed to belong to Bishop were discovered in dense bushland in an area of Good Night Scrub Park, south of Gin Gin, on Friday afternoon. Bishop, 17, from Bundaberg, had been missing since May 15. She had been preparing to fly to Western Australia to visit her boyfriend but failed to check in at Bundaberg Airport. The Gin Gin home she shared with two other people was among several crime scenes involved in initial investigation into her disappearance. Bishop's housemates James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, have now been charged with one count of murder and two counts of interfering with a corpse. Bromley had taken out the lease on the Gin Gin house only six months ago, the landlords told 7NEWS. Footage taken by 7NEWS shows the floor of the home covered in rubbish, clothing and dog faeces. Credit: 7NEWS Now, footage captured by 7NEWS shows the home littered with clothing, rubbish and the faeces of multiple dogs. Police confirmed a number of dogs had been found dead at the property, although it is not know how they died. The footage also shows items the landlord described as gel blasters — which are legal in Queensland — propped up against one of the bedroom walls. The 7NEWS footage also shows doors and walls with hastily patched holes and broken locks — all damage which the landlords say was not there before Bromley and Wood moved in. The landlords said the home had previously been a place of joy, peace and comfort for them — a stark contrast to what 7NEWS cameras captured. The landlords said the property had previously been their own happy family home. Credit: 7NEWS 'The air tastes dirty and it smells just … I don't know how people can be breathing in this,' the landlord said. 'A rubbish dump's probably cleaner. 'I just can't understand how someone can live in conditions like this. 'It's overwhelming what you see. Where do you even begin? What do you do?' The landlords believe it will cost between $10,000 to $15,000 to clean up and fix the damaged home, including the use of skip bins to remove rubbish. 'Insurance excess, repairs, the unlivable state of the interior, and the large amount of rubbish items to clean and remove are overwhelming,' they posted to a GoFundMe trying to help cover costs. 7NEWS footage from inside the home. Credit: 7NEWS The landlords said Tanika Bromley never missed a rental payment until 10 days before Pheobe Bishop's disappearance. Credit: 7NEWS They said Bromley was about to be evicted from the home after it failed its last inspection, saying she had already been given notice to leave. It was alleged she had then cut off all contact with the property manager. The landlords said they met Bromley years ago, at which time had ticked all the boxes as a tenant. On Monday evening, hundreds of people attended a second candle-lit vigil in two days paying tribute to Bishop near her family home in Bundaberg. Her older sister, Kaylea Bishop, made an emotional plea for people to appreciate their siblings, no matter what. 'Don't take it for granted, just cherish it,' she said. 'Love the good and the bad. Worship it all. Capture the memories.' — With Michael Hammond
7NEWS
11 hours ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Usman Khawaja addresses burning question about future ahead of World Test Championship
Australian veteran opener Usman Khawaja is facing the very real possibility that the World Test Championship could be his last Test at Lord's, and possibly his final Test for Australia. Australia are aiming for back-to-back World Test Championship titles when they face South Africa on Wednesday night (June 11, at 7.30pm AEST). Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today And the 38-year-old was keeping his cards close to his chest when asked directly by 7NEWS if he would be putting his whites and baggy green in mothballs after the match. Khawaja took a long pause as he contemplated the retirement question. 'Ummmm .... I mean, potentially, you never know,' he said. While the Test may be Khawaja's last, potentially it could also be a farewell match for some of his Aussie teammates. It is for that reason the prospect of becoming back-to-back World Test champions is so high on the Australians' wish list. 'I think it'd be pretty cool (beating South Africa), especially winning it at Lord's ... and it could potentially be the last time you see this exact team in two years,' he said. 'It might not be (the end of of this line-up), but you never know.' At the time of the interview, Khawaja was unclear if his opening partner would be fellow veterans Steve Smith (36) or Marnus Labuschagne (30). And Khawaja said he didn't have a favourite. 'They're both as annoying as each other.' After opening with Khawaja for Australia's two Tests in Sri Lanka, Travis Head will move back to No.5 against the Proteas. Labuschagne is expected to move up from No.3 to open with Khawaja, with fit-again Cameron Green to bat in the top-three. Aussie star speaks on new 'optional' ahead of WTC final Star batter Travis Head has opened up on how Australia's different approach to training has helped set up an era of success. Since 2021, Australia have collected three ICC trophies - the ODI and T20 World Cups, and the second edition of the WTC back in 2023. Despite having limited time to prepare for the one-off Test with the Proteas — Australia's first red-ball match since February — Head is confident the XI will be ready to hit the ground running. 'Gone are the days of an optional session that wasn't optional,' Head said. 'It was optional if you wanted, but naughty if you didn't. 'So it was the optional 'yes' session. 'It was the optional 'must be there'. 'We're in a great environment now where we're backed to be able to prepare how we want, and come in at different drop points.' Head has thrived since Andrew McDonald became head coach in 2022, taking over after Justin Langer's messy exit from the job following the 4-0 Ashes win in Australia. The aggressive left-hander has become one of world cricket's best big game players. He starred with a player-of-the-match performance when Australia defeated India in the 2023 WTC final at The Oval, smashing a game-changing 163. Head proved it was no fluke only months later when he inspired Australia to a memorable upset of India at a hostile Ahmedabad in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. 'I feel like we've been in so many big games,' Head said. 'I have pride in the way I play, and I want to contribute every time I play. 'I put pressure on myself no matter, regardless of the situation or what kind of game I play in. 'So good things, bad things. 'I don't see it any bigger this week than what's to come. 'If you look at it through that lens, what's the worst that can happen? 'Playing a final at Lords, it's a cool thing to be involved in.'
Canberra Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Canberra Times
Relief on the horizon for Aussie renters
Where Aussie Airbnb hosts earn THE MOST | | 7NEWS Property expert and best-selling author, Lloyd Eged. Pic: Ubora Photography After years of relentless interest rate hikes, landlords hiking rent in response, and record occupancy levels, a break may finally be on the horizon for renters. According to the managing director of Aus Property Professionals and author of Positively Geared 2e, Lloyd Edge, falling interest rates are beginning to entice buyers, including investors, back into the market, which could start to ease rental pressure over the next six to twelve months. "We're seeing more people buy in certain areas," Edge says. "As interest rates come down, it becomes slightly more affordable to own - and that reduces rental competition." While this shift remains subtle at this stage, it signals the beginning of a reprieve that has been a long time coming. Undoubtedly, it's music to the ears of renters and first home buyers who have seen very little light at the end of the tunnel since the first of Australia's 13 consecutive rate hikes began in 2022. Buyers returning, investors re-engaging Cotality's March 2025 Housing Market Update confirms the trend: investor lending has risen for four consecutive months, driven by improved borrowing conditions and the Reserve Bank's April rate cut. At the same time, reports of early signs of easing rental growth in Sydney and Melbourne have been coming through, as well as a modest rise in vacancy rates. These shifts are especially visible in outer-suburban and regional growth areas. "In Melbourne, we're seeing more rental stock open up in the city fringe areas that often appeal to first home buyers due to affordability, such as Geelong," Edge explains. "Geelong is only 70 kilometres from Melbourne. It's very close and an easy drive, and it's also very close to the coast. That, coupled with the affordability, makes it very attractive. I think prices are going to take off there pretty soon, so it's not going to be that affordable for long." Meanwhile, in Brisbane, he points to a notable increase in buying activity north of the city, particularly around Moreton Bay, Murrayfield and Deception Bay. "People are moving out from inner areas like Manly and Wynnum and buying further north," Edge observes. "That movement is reducing rental pressure in those zones." 39 Fenwick Street is a renovated three-bedroom Federation style home on 836m2 of land close to Geelong's CBD for less than $1 million. An ideal first or family home with room to grow Dual-income properties in demand One of the strongest trends Edge has observed is growing interest in dual-income properties - dwellings with two rentable components such as a duplex or a home with a detached granny flat. "A lot of investors try to chase that golden egg, which is having positive income, positive cashflow from the property, as well as try to get the capital growth," Edge says. "These set ups help with serviceability, meaning they can buy more investments down the track. They've got higher entry income, which is attractive to banks." Dual income properties are an appealing option not just for investors but for first home buyers and extended families. "As more people are able to enter into the market with interest rates coming down, we're probably seeing a little bit more of this buying pattern at the moment," Edge says. "I'm also seeing people actually build these types of properties where they plan to live in one side and rent the other side out or even put extended family in the other side as well." Recently renovated, this Caboolture South home is in the heart of Brisbane's northern growth corridor. Great to live in now with future knockdown rebuild or granny flat addition potential Relief, but no miracles yet. The reality is that not all suburbs will see rental relief. In high-demand inner-city areas like Fitzroy, Carlton, Richmond and Brighton, Edge says buyer activity hasn't reached a tipping point, meaning that available rental stock is likely to remain tight and prices will stay high. "People want to live there, but it's expensive to buy into these areas. So rental demand is still strong and prices will probably hold." Even in areas where prices have softened, such as parts of Melbourne that saw a significant decline in investor interest due to the Victorian Government's land tax changes, there's still a long road to full recovery. "Melbourne has historically been the second-highest growth market in the country behind Sydney, now it's fallen to the sixth," Edge says. However, this too is beginning to shift. "Investors are starting to return to the Melbourne market, trying to get a bargain, in high-growth, high-demand suburbs like Geelong and the Bayside suburbs. They're realising that the land tax that everyone's been scared of isn't as bad as what was portrayed in the media," Edge says. One of the many off-the-plan homes under development in Sunbury Infrastructure, sentiment and the bigger picture Despite the increasingly rosy outlook, Edge is quick to caution that it will take more than easing interest rates to fix Australia's housing crisis. The biggest issues, he believes, are structural. "There's plenty of land around Melbourne, especially near places like Sunbury, which is near the airport and relatively close to the CBD, but the infrastructure isn't there yet," he says. "We need transport, jobs, planning - otherwise people won't want to live there, and the pressure stays on the same suburbs." Zooming out and applying a macro view, Edge also warns that broader economic shifts could affect momentum. "If inflation rises in response to what's going on globally, the RBA might reverse course," Edge says. "Some people are concerned about what's happening abroad as well, around what's happening in China and with America and the Trump tariffs. Some of those macroeconomic policies, while they don't necessarily or directly affect the property market, can affect sentiment. Buying and selling property is all about sentiment - a property is only worth what people want to pay for it." One of the many off-the-plan homes under development in Sunbury What can renters expect? So what does this mean for renters right now? Generally, it's good news, with all indicators and metrics indicating that rental pressures will continue to ease, just not overnight. "We're watching the amount of people looking through homes and the number of rental properties available," Edge says. "As more people buy in certain areas, that's going to ease up some of the rental pressure, and that's what I'm seeing at the moment as people are starting to buy a little bit more with the interest rates starting to come down." Edge encourages renters to stay informed, act fast when good listings appear, and keep an eye on emerging suburbs with improving infrastructure. "Ultimately, if it becomes cheaper to buy than rent, and people are happy to live in a particular location, then there will be far less pressure on rentals."
