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How one homeless man turned $5 into $106k

<p>A New Zealand man's life has turned upside down after his small wager turned into a big win. </p> <p>Robert, who has been living in a garage for the last nine months, was pleasantly surprised when he noticed five extra zeros next to his account balance the day after the Melbourne Cup. </p> <p>It tuned out that he had remarkably won NZ$106,000 ($97,781.29 AUD) from a $5 bet on the $8.4 million Cup, which was won by Without A Fight. </p> <p>“It was quite an emotional process, mate,” Robert told the <em>NZ Herald. </em></p> <p>“I couldn’t believe it, and I thought to myself, ‘there must be something wrong here’.”</p> <p>Robert, had placed the bet the day before the race at the Petone Working Men’s Club, and to his surprise found a green tick next to his first four Easybets. </p> <p>Now, he intends to use the money to improve his life. </p> <p>“I’ve gone from being homeless, sitting in a garage to finally being able to afford a deposit on a house now,” he said. </p> <p>This is the first time in 22 years that a horse has won both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double.</p> <p>Due to privacy reasons the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) is unable to disclose further information on the wager. </p> <p><em>Image: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Three centenarians share their secret to longevity

<p>Reaching 100 years old is quite an achievement, especially for anyone hitting the milestone now. Back in 1916 the average lifespan for a man was 55, the average lifespan for a woman was 59 and the likelihood of making it to 100 was one per cent.</p> <p>Times have changed and now we have a raft of seniors around Australia hitting triple digits. To celebrate this incredible milestone, a group of centenarians have been honoured to a special morning tea at Government House in Melbourne.</p> <p>In an interview with <em>ABC Online</em> they shared some of their secrets to longevity. Follow this advice and we reckon anyone has a chance of making it to 100 years old.</p> <p>Jean Hills believes family is the key to success, telling <em>ABC Online</em>, "[I'm] thankful that I had so many marvellous relatives. Often people say they don't have anything to do with their relatives. It was the relatives that saved me and my family during the depression and gave us the opportunity to really achieve something."</p> <p>Jean also adds, “Don't go near the TV.”</p> <p>Stasys Eimutis on the other hand attributes his longevity to his passions and insistence to cut out drinking and smoking, “I have a workshop and I'm doing many things. I'm not going to bed in the night time, [I'm] always doing something. Mostly woodwork. I make musical instruments and organise a music group and I'm still playing. I'm the leader."</p> <p>For Annie Bernstein however, it all comes down to hard work, "I'm getting all the pleasure now from my daughter, my granddaughter and my grandsons and my great granddaughter.</p> <p>"They're lovely."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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“This is disgusting”: Mural for murdered women defaced with graffiti

<p dir="ltr">A street artist has been captured painting over a mural depicting the names and photos of women murdered across Australia in acts of domestic violence. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mural, plastered on Melbourne’s famous Hosier Lane, depicts some of the almost 80 women killed since the start of 2023, and the locations they died around Australia. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mural also shows the alarming statistics of domestic violence across Australia in data compiled by The RED HEART Campaign - an ongoing memorial project dedicated to tracking the known women and children killed in acts of gendered violence.</p> <p dir="ltr">The mural was painted in the lane on International Women’s Day (March 8th), and was defaced just 10 days later. </p> <p dir="ltr">An unknown street artist was captured on video spray painting over the women’s faces, with the words “13 WOLF 69” covering most of the mural, as the beginning of a large orange text covering the southeast corner of the map.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">When murdered women are erased for the second time! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/femicide?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#femicide</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shematters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shematters</a> <a href="https://t.co/TYpLQFmpCx">pic.twitter.com/TYpLQFmpCx</a></p> <p>— Sherele Moody (Femicide Researcher) 🌈 (@ShereleMoody) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShereleMoody/status/1636880510269128705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The video, posted by the campaign founder Sherele Moody, then pans slowly to capture the artist still spraying the wall with orange paint – what seem to be the finishing touches to the large piece that stretches for metres toward Flinders Street.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That’s more important, that’s lovely,” someone can be heard sarcastically saying in the footage.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That’s not even art!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sherele captioned the video as an example of “when murdered women are erased for a second time”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The dude could have moved his scribble a few feet and not painted over the faces of murdered women,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Lane is pretty big – there’s room for all of us!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Supporters of the campaign immediately reacted in disgust to the “selfish, heartless artist”, with many saying the disregard for the mural really “hurts”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What the actual f,” one woman wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is disgusting. This is about murdered women and a memorial. When did we become so disrespectful.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While most of the backlash was in support of the advocates, others questioned whether the artist was even aware of what he had done or was partially covering. </p> <p dir="ltr">Others simply said it was the harsh nature of Melbourne’s internationally renowned street art culture.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

Art

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Man who filmed rollercoaster incident opens up

<p>A traumatised witness of the rollercoaster accident at Melbourne's Royal Show has spoken out about the moment Shylah Rodden was struck by the ride. </p> <p>Jordan was filming his sister and his partner having fun on the Rebel Coaster ride on Sunday when he captured the tragic moment the 26-year-old was hit by the rollercoaster travelling up to 70km/h.</p> <p>Jordan said he "hasn't slept since" witnessing the horrific accident, as he saw Shylah get dragged halfway up the ride's next loop before falling nine metres to the ground. </p> <p>He said he watched Shylah walk to the track and bend down to retrieve something, all without noticing the rollercoaster hurtling towards her. </p> <p>"It all happened so quickly but so slowly. All of a sudden, I saw someone getting taken up but at the same time I'm thinking 'f**k, my sister, my partner'," he told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/vic/eyewitness-who-filmed-melbourne-show-rollercoaster-disaster-reveals-what-really-happened-c-8384953" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener"><em>7Ne</em>ws</a>.</p> <p>Ms Rodden remains in a coma with "horrific" facial injuries her family has described as "life-changing".</p> <p>However, the thing that surprised Jordan was how Ms Rodden reacted immediately after she was hit. </p> <p>"I didn't hear her scream. The screams that I heard came from onlookers, I think. It happened so fast," he said.</p> <p>Shylah's father told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11249351/Melbourne-woman-Shylah-Rodden-26-fighting-life-mystery-rollercoaster-tragedy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a> he suspects his daughter will be in a coma for a long time, as she battles to overcome her injuries. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“Obviously I can't talk to my daughter. She's going to be in a coma for quite a while,” Mr Rodden said.</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“The injuries are horrific. Horrific. She's brain damaged. It's pelvic, her arms, legs, back, neck - there's hardly a thing that's not broken. I just can't work out how the hell so much damage has been done. Even the doctors have said they haven't seen anything as bad as this for a long time.”</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: 7News / Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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“The screaming was so loud”: Young woman struck by roller coaster

<p dir="ltr">A young woman has been taken to hospital after being struck by a roller coaster at the Melbourne Royal Show.</p> <p dir="ltr">Several witnesses reported hearing screams just before the ride was abruptly shut down at around 5.45pm on Sunday</p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency services found the woman, in her 20s, with serious facial injuries at the show’s Rebel Coaster ride before she was taken to hospital in critical condition.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police believe the woman walked onto the track while attempting to retrieve her phone.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Police are currently on scene at the Melbourne Royal Show following reports a young woman has been injured,” Victoria Police said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Officers are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and a crime scene has been established.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It appears at this early stage the woman, believed to be aged in her 20s, may have walked on and entered the track to try to retrieve a dropped phone before she was hit by a roller coaster carriage, about 5.45pm.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-71cde708-7fff-9292-984a-cabe26e8e789"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Sadly the woman was then found injured on the ground. Detectives from the Yarra Crime Investigation Unit are attending the scene and will work with WorkSafe to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/melb-ride-injury1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Showgoers who were on the ride during the incident were reportedly stuck on it for several hours. Image: 7News</em></p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement, the Melbourne Royal Show confirmed a “reported injury on the Rebel Coaster ride” and that no one fell from the ride.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We are working closely with the ride operator, WorkSafe Victoria and Victoria Police to investigate the issue further, however we can confirm that no one has fallen from the ride,” the event said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The ride in question will be closed for the foreseeable future and updates will be made as information comes to hand.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A stall owner told the <em><a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/woman-injured-on-ride-at-the-melbourne-royal-show/news-story/6152e44b860642bca1e80b25d90e1516" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald Sun</a></em> she heard loud screams after the ride suddenly stopped.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone was stuck in the ride for one to two hours … but the screaming was so loud – I think everyone must have been really scared,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The ride went up like normal, then there were screams, then it stopped and stayed that way for ages.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Those on the Rebel Coaster when it stopped were reportedly stuck on the ride for over an hour.</p> <p dir="ltr">Witnesses were moved away from the ride, which has been shut down, and the area was cordoned off.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c60079c-7fff-d680-ce5e-e1df17ffe8e4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

News

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Melbourne pub under fire for tasteless posts about Queen Elizabeth

<p dir="ltr">A Melbourne pub is under fire for its tasteless social media posts following Queen Elizabeth’s death. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly’s Hotel in Cranbourne in Melbourne’s southeast shared Facebook updates after news broke of Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8. </p> <p dir="ltr">One of the posts shows a photo of Prince Harry looking down at his grandmother smiling with the caption, “Do lunch before they die. The opportunities after are extremely limited”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another post shows a photo of the queen with an inset of Prince Harry arriving to the palace after news broke of the late monarch’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Yep, he cancelled lunch, time and time again," the post read.</p> <p dir="ltr">"'She’ll keep till next week!' he said, ‘It’s not as if it’s my Mum’s Mum’, he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"But next week never arrived for Grannie Windsor. Do lunch with your oldie!!"</p> <p dir="ltr">The posts, which have since been deleted, received plenty of backlash from locals and social media users who are calling for a boycott of the pub. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Disgusting and very distasteful. After our last visits we'd never go there again. It's just a no go zone," someone wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I know a few of us that will never go back...There is a difference between funny and grubby,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">The hotel’s manager Michael Goldie however defended the posts saying the point was misunderstood. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Over the last two years they’ve been stuck in homes...we thought it might be good to remind younger people the importance of older people in their life," he said. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Man wearing Melbourne footy jersey arrested for yelling at Prince Andrew

<p dir="ltr">A man wearing a Melbourne City FC jersey has been arrested after screaming at Prince Andrew as he walked behind Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Queen’s coffin travelled through Edinburgh on Monday to St Giles' Cathedral as mourners paid their respects to the late monarch. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her four children, ​​King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, were walking behind the hearse when a man began shouting at Prince Andrew. </p> <p dir="ltr">The man was seen cupping his hands around his mouth before shouting, “Andrew, you're a sick old man”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police and mourners ganged up on the man before he was arrested and continued shouting “disgusting” and “I’ve done nothing wrong”. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Prince Andrew heckled as the Queen's coffin passes <a href="https://t.co/85m9jUgszF">pic.twitter.com/85m9jUgszF</a></p> <p>— Christopher Marshall (@chrismarshll) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrismarshll/status/1569323294716829700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Police Scotland confirmed a 22-year old man was arrested “in connection with a breach of the peace' on the Royal Mile around 2.50pm on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man later identified himself on Scottish TV as “Rory”. </p> <p dir="ltr">It it believed the attack on Prince Andrew was due to his relationship with disgraced sex offender Jeffery Epstein. </p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Andrew was not allowed to wear military dress for the event, and other ones due to his relationship.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, an exception will reportedly be made for him to wear military dress as a special mark of respect for the Queen at the final vigil in Westminster Hall.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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City lit up in pink to remember Olivia

<p dir="ltr">Tributes continue to flow for Olivia Newton-John after her passing on Tuesday morning, as her family is set to accept an offer from the Victorian government to farewell the singer, movie star and philanthropist at a state funeral.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tottie Goldsmith, one of Newton-John’s nieces, <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/olivia-s-niece-reveals-final-heartbreaking-moments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed the family would accept the offer for a state funeral</a> on Tuesday night’s episode of <em>A Current Affair</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We will,” she told the program.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On behalf of not just our family but I think Australia needs it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She’s so loved and I think our country needs it so we’re going to accept it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he wished to speak to the star’s family before speaking about any plans for a state funeral.</p> <p dir="ltr">"As for celebrating her life and her music and film and all the other amazing contributions that she made, we would, of course, want to speak to the family and be as respectful as we can," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We've only just learned this sad news."</p> <p dir="ltr">The Premier also announced that landmarks across Melbourne would be lit up in pink on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the <em>Xanadu </em>star.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-68b09051-7fff-eda5-4938-d9484cce6309"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The glowing landmarks included Flinders Station, Federation Square, the MCG, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Rod Laver Arena and the Recital Centre.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Spotted tonight in Melbourne on my way to another <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIFF2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIFF2022</a> in the city. Lit up pink for Olivia Newton-John <a href="https://t.co/ILhviG0b0D">pic.twitter.com/ILhviG0b0D</a></p> <p>— Glenn Dunks (@glenndunks) <a href="https://twitter.com/glenndunks/status/1556954666323550208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">💕 Flinders Street Station, Melbourne. Beautifully lit in pink this evening, in tribute to the late Olivia Newton John 💕 <a href="https://t.co/vNjp3C2baX">pic.twitter.com/vNjp3C2baX</a></p> <p>— Sarah Tudor (@sarahtudor12) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahtudor12/status/1557020740977070080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tonight our Spire is lit pink in a commemorative illumination of landmarks across the city, honouring Olivia Newton-John and her establishment of the Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne. 💗 <a href="https://t.co/Rt5NgwI1Xg">pic.twitter.com/Rt5NgwI1Xg</a></p> <p>— Arts Centre Melbourne (@artscentremelb) <a href="https://twitter.com/artscentremelb/status/1556920226394132484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Tonight, landmarks across our city will be lit up in pink to remember Olivia Newton-John and her enormous contribution to cancer awareness, research and treatment,” Mr Andrews shared on social media that afternoon.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Vale Olivia Newton John.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-877b96ca-7fff-58b5-09cd-9beb00c6761b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @RositaDaz48 (Twitter)</em></p>

Caring

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Kath & Kim to return for 20th anniversary reboot

<p dir="ltr">It’s time to crack open the Tia Maria and whack on the footy franks because the foxy ladies of Fountain Lakes are back!</p> <p dir="ltr">The cast of Aussie TV show <em>Kath & Kim</em> have once again joined forces to record a special project for the show’s 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">Creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with stars Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn arrived at the NEP Studios in South Melbourne for filming. </p> <p dir="ltr">The special one-off is expected to see the famous characters of Kath Day-Knight (Turner), her daughter Kimberly Day Craig (Riley), Kath’s butcher husband Kel (Robbins) and Kim’s husband Brett (Rowsthorn), and second-best friend Sharon Strzelecki (Szubanski) return. </p> <p dir="ltr">And of course, Kath & Kim’s Brighton alter egos, Prue and Trude will make an appearance. </p> <p dir="ltr">The reboot is expected to air later in the year with ABC, Seven and Netflix strong contenders for the broadcast. </p> <p dir="ltr">The first episode of <em>Kath & Kim</em> aired in May 2002 which then saw a legion of fans follow the foxy ladies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fans were recently in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/how-can-they-do-this-iconic-house-of-kath-and-kim-demolished" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uproar after the home</a> used in the show, dubbed “Chateau Kath" was demolished after the owner wanted to create a bigger home for her family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I played cricket in the backyard with Shane Warne, I danced in the garage with Kylie Minogue, I sat and had dinner with Barry Humphries dressed up as a monk.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

TV

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Woman graffitis ex-boyfriend’s car

<p dir="ltr">A man has been left reeling after his ex-girlfriend graffitied his expensive Mercedes after he cheated on her. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Melbourne man was about to leave his home when he saw the words “CHEATER” and “LIAR” spray painted in red on his Mercedes-Benz ML320.</p> <p dir="ltr">On the bonnet, the livid ex-girlfriend had also spray painted “ALL MEN R TRASH”.</p> <p dir="ltr">A neighbour who spotted the man’s shocked face joked that he had “pi**ed off the wrong person”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man then jumped into his car and drove off, presumably to a car wash to help remove the graffiti. </p> <p dir="ltr">It's not quite the first time women have gotten back at their cheating partners by vandalising their cars. </p> <p dir="ltr">In 2018, an Adelaide woman spray painted the words “cheater”, “man wh***” and “sl**” on her ex-boyfriend's luxury $400,000 car.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also used a steel baseball bat and smashed the driver’s side window with such force that the mirror also fell off. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Pedestrian TV</em></p>

Relationships

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Melbourne artist charged over Shane Warne memorial

<p dir="ltr">A Melbourne street artist has been charged over painting a mural of the late cricket legend Shane Warne on the side of an empty house.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jarrod Grech spent over 30 hours painting the mural after Warne’s sudden death in March in an attempt to lift community spirit.  </p> <p dir="ltr">The artist had done a number of paintings on the same wall of an empty house in Carlton over the past three years, as had many other street artists in the area. </p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the mural being appreciated by locals, Grech has now been charged by police with “intentionally and without lawful excuse” damaging property by not obtaining the homeowner’s permission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Grech said he painted the mural purely as a sign of respect to Shane Warne and his family.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is my way of expressing loss,” he told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/vic/melbourne-street-artist-charged-over-shane-warne-mural-c-7345584">7News</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Even Warne’s daughter Summer expressed her love and admiration of the mural as she posted it on Instagram </p> <p dir="ltr">“Looks unreal, did a bloody great job,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He would love it too.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After seeing Summer’s reaction, Grech said having her approval of his art meant the world to him. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It makes me feel a lot better about the charges, like it makes it feel like it’s worth doing to make them happy,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Street art advocate Dean Sunshine, whose own factory acts as an outdoor gallery for artists, said the charges against Grech are hypocritical.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We live in Melbourne which prides itself on a huge street art scene, and people are doing murals all over town so I just couldn’t believe it,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Art

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Man accused of stealing $16,000 from wedding functions

<p dir="ltr">A man has been accused of allegedly gatecrashing eight weddings and stealing a total of $16,000 and other gifts. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 24-year-old Melbourne man pretended to be a wedding guest at eight events from between April 2 and May 22.</p> <p dir="ltr">He allegedly stole $16,000 cash, jewellery and gift cards from at least three of the events.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bride Kellee Pace said she felt violated when she found out that the man had allegedly stolen some of her and her husband’s gifts and even wrote in their guest book.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It was the best wedding he'd apparently ever attended and he was feeling awesome and lucky on the night, three quarters of our wishing well was missing," she told Nine News.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We definitely felt really violated, we were mingling with people and he was downstairs drinking in the bar and we had no idea he was even there."</p> <p dir="ltr">The wedding industry shared his photo around before he was spotted at a Macedonian wedding by wedding planner Jasmine Arapovic.</p> <p dir="ltr">"My dad then put him in a bit of a headlock to make sure he didn't try and escape before I could have a chat with the venue manager to get them to put him in a room."</p> <p dir="ltr">Police arrested the man and he was slapped with 27 charges, including aggravated burglary, burglary, theft and going equipped to steal.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police will allege they found jewellery and gift cards when they searched a property on Tuesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">He has been granted bail and will appear before Melbourne Magistrates' Court on October 18.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Queensland couple mistakenly charged $15k for flights to Melbourne

<p dir="ltr">A couple looking forward to going on their much needed holiday have been instead wrongly charged $15,000.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Dennis and Pat Amor from Queensland were organising a trip to Melbourne to visit some family after two years of no flights thanks to the pandemic. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pair called Qantas to help book the tickets and provided their credit card details – but were instead informed that their booking was rejected.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Pat however revealed that their booking was in fact not rejected and that the Qantas staff member had instead processed it 15 times. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It's never declined and she apparently tried to push it over and over again,” she told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/queensland-couple-15000-dollar-qantas-bill-booking-error/b9dcb551-90d3-437c-8ed0-e36117cdd0a7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The horrified couple had to check with Mastercard to see what the issue was and were shocked to find they were charged 15 times for the flights.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They just said there was a bill of $15,000 on the card, being 15 transactions had gone through, so we were really flummoxed," Pat revealed. </p> <p dir="ltr">They tried to get in touch with Qantas once again and time after time were unable to get through.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eventually, a staff member got in touch who said they would sort it out with the finance team and call them later that day. They didn’t. </p> <p dir="ltr">Mastercard however has since returned $11,000 of the couple’s money – but at the time of writing, $4,000 remains outstanding. </p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas claims that the issue is with the Amor’s credit card and not with them, which Mastercard has refuted. </p> <p dir="ltr">To top it off, the upset couple were told they could not fly Qantas until the matter was resolved and were required to use leftover credit from Jetstar to book their tickets. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It doesn't seem fair to us. We are frustrated. We are angry."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: A Current Affair</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"How can they do this?" Iconic house of Kath and Kim demolished

<p dir="ltr">The iconic house used in the popular Australian TV series that gave us foxy ladies <em>Kath and Kim</em> has been demolished.</p> <p dir="ltr">Demolition works began on Monday on the property known as "Chateau Kath" in the fictional “effluent” suburb of Fountain Lakes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he told ABC Melbourne radio.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I played cricket in the backyard with Shane Warne, I danced in the garage with Kylie Minogue, I sat and had dinner with Barry Humphries dressed up as a monk.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The home, actually located in the Melbourne suburb of Patterson Lakes, was last sold for $1.485 million in 2016.</p> <p dir="ltr">Owner Joanne Kelly said it was time for a change as works begin to build a two-storey property for her family.</p> <p dir="ltr">She held an open house in 2019 to raise money for cancer, which gave fans from all over the country to see the estate in person. </p> <p dir="ltr">ABC rented the home from 2002 to 2007 for the filming of the series which has a large following.</p> <p dir="ltr">It follows the story of a dysfunctional mother and daughter created and played by Jane Turner and Gina Riley.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans in the Facebook group “Da Kath &amp; Kim appreciation society”, which has more than 114,500 followers have been left devastated at the home’s demolition. </p> <p dir="ltr">Many questioned why the house would be purchased and renovated given its significance to fans all over.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why would you buy a perfectly good house.. and one that has (dare I say) cultural significance to a great number of people, and then destroy it? It makes no sense,” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I only had two reasons for wanting to visit Australia - to see the Kath &amp; Kim house and visit Ramsay Street. Nothing goes right. Guess I’ll stay at home in the UK and drown my sorrows,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Amazing how the demolition of the fake Kath and Kim house pulls on your heart strings. RIP to memories,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How is the house not ERITAGE listed!? Well, if it's not, it bloody well should be. The house is turn of the century, an Edwardian dream... BLOODY HOWARD,” another commented with references to the show. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Bunch of crims, tearing this effluent home down. Should be heritage listed,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why on earth are they doing this?? Is the new owner tired of fans stopping by?? This is honestly so awful of them,” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How can they do this!? This house is an important part of Australian culture!” another stated.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Real Estate

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Boy with autism viciously attacked by group

<p dir="ltr">A mother has been left fuming after her son with autism was bashed by a group of people at a local shopping centre.</p> <p dir="ltr">Horrific CCTV shows the 14-year-old boy cornered by the group of attackers before being thrown onto the ground at CS Square Shopping Centre in Caroline Springs, Melbourne on Tuesday. </p> <p dir="ltr">The boy’s mother claims her son was asked whether he knew someone called “Harry” before he was set upon. </p> <p dir="ltr">“He was just like a rag doll that was just thrown and kicked about. They have viciously grabbed him and violently assaulted him,” she told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/vic/melbourne-mum-says-autistic-son-stomped-on-in-vicious-shopping-centre-bashing-c-6611932" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They stomped all over his head. He’s got bruising, quite a bruise to his eye, scratches where they grabbed around his neck as well. Stomped on his shoulder.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was quite distraught and distressed, crying and screaming.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A security guard arrived after the incident occurred with arrests yet to be made for the vicious assault. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mother said she wants justice for her son.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

Caring

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Woman’s heartbreak 20 years on

<p dir="ltr">A popular Facebook page that receives stories from readers about their bad, favourite or most memorable dates has broken hearts with a recent post. </p> <p dir="ltr">Alita Brydon, the creator of Bad Dates of Melbourne, shared a story from a reader who devastatingly experienced grief and loss.</p> <p dir="ltr">The storyteller notes that this happened to her 20 years ago, back when she was 29, and this is the first time she has shared the story publicly.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now 49, she is still grieving the loss of who she thought would be her forever partner. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When I was 29, I was living with my parents and feeling a bit lost. I spent a lot of time on the internet, in chat rooms, hanging out with interesting people from all over the world,” the story begins. </p> <p dir="ltr">“One day I was in the Scotland chat room, hoping to meet some locals before I planned a trip there - but it was full of Americans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was chatting to a 45-year-old man from a small town in the USA who was sweet and funny. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We exchanged emails - and it all started from there.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She revealed that within just months of meeting online, the pair were spending as many hours as they could on the phone. </p> <p dir="ltr">He quickly became her best friend and confidante and vice versa.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, it was soon enough that she realised that she was actually in love with a man who lives halfway across the world and had never met him saying “I swore I would never do that”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The next year, he came to visit and we had a lovely two weeks together. The bond was true and real and I didn’t let him see me cry when I said goodbye,” she continued. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Pretty soon I was planning a trip to visit him for a good chunk of time, so we could figure out if this was the real deal.”</p> <p dir="ltr">On the plane “jumping out of my skin” excited to see the man she was in love with, the storyteller was ready to see him.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I walked from the plane into the terminal looking for his face - but he wasn’t there,” she revealed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I headed to the baggage carousel - but he wasn’t there. He hadn’t checked into the airport hotel.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Coming up with possible solutions as to why he hadn’t showed up, unfortunately she settled on the fact that he changed his mind and didn’t want to see her.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Had he changed his mind and decided he didn’t want to see me? That’s what I decided to focus on - the only thing that seemed the most logical. He'd changed his mind, chickened out.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Unsure of what to do, she tried calling his apartment multiple times but to no avail. She then made a deal with herself to call him one more time the following day then leave it. </p> <p dir="ltr">The following day arrives and she picks up the phone to call and someone finally answered, delivering the worst possible news. </p> <p dir="ltr">“They’d found him 30 minutes before and he was dead. He’d been making coffee for the trip to come and get me; and he’d collapsed,” she revealed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As it turned out, he had an undiagnosed heart condition. He went quickly and peacefully.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The man’s cousin drove to her to pick her up where she then took her to meet his kids who took her where he lived. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone was so welcoming and so kind, even while dealing with their own grief. I stayed for three weeks before I went on my way. I knew he would want me to continue my trip - and that’s what I did. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Since then, I’ve found a new family through his. We’ve taken road trips together, and his brother and sister-in-law came to visit me a few years ago. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I still think about him a lot. His smile, his laugh, his dirty jokes. Our time together was short but it was just so special. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Since then, I’ve had my share of good and bad dates. I got married, divorced and now I’m happily settled with a lovely man I met on a dating app (that’s not a bad story actually). </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll never forget my American bloke though."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Relationships

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Grace Tame makes waves at comedy show

<p dir="ltr">Grace Tame has tried her hand at comedy to the delight of attendees at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-72f5cd86-7fff-6b7b-1d28-3ea7cf6b441d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The 23-year-old Tasmanian appeared on a panel of comedians that touched on everything from climate change, housing affordability, and gender equality to Australia Day and misinformation and social media - all in a hilarious way, of course.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Last night’s <a href="https://twitter.com/ARationalFear?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ARationalFear</a> live show in Melbourne was 👌 <a href="https://twitter.com/GabbiBolt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GabbiBolt</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/aliterative?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aliterative</a> hilarious, Dane Simpson & <a href="https://twitter.com/TamePunk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TamePunk</a> both nailed it, <a href="https://twitter.com/Andy_McClelland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Andy_McClelland</a> brought the bangers and <a href="https://twitter.com/vidyarrrr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vidyarrrr</a> was superb. Congrats <a href="https://twitter.com/danilic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danilic</a>, creative director of Meta. Download the pod when it comes out</p> <p>— Charlotte George 🌈 (@ccl_george) <a href="https://twitter.com/ccl_george/status/1513289276813119488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">She received the loudest applause as she was introduced by podcast host Dan Ilic, who pointed out how she was the master of the side-eye, referencing the famous photo of her and Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Lodge.</p> <p dir="ltr">After monologues from Ilic, Gabbi Bolt, Alice Fraser and Dane Simpson, it was Ms Tame’s turn.</p> <p dir="ltr">She joked that she wasn’t going to get political, apologising to anyone who came to see her take aim at Mr Morrison - at least not directly.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9f097c8e-7fff-7f7d-aba1-d68f28881c76"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Grace Tame referring to no particular politician as ‘A giant self-saucing joke pudding’,” one attendee tweeted about Ms Tame’s monologue.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wow! <a href="https://twitter.com/ARationalFear?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ARationalFear</a> was extraordinary...<br />Thank you to the incredible team of<a href="https://twitter.com/vidyarrrr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vidyarrrr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Andy_McClelland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Andy_McClelland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHobba?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHobba</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aliterative?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aliterative</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GabbiBolt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GabbiBolt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/thedanesimpson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thedanesimpson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHobba?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHobba</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/zdaniel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@zdaniel</a><br />And the incredible <a href="https://twitter.com/TamePunk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TamePunk</a> who brought the house down by comparing herself to an Airfryer. <a href="https://t.co/9QqNEEUPwU">pic.twitter.com/9QqNEEUPwU</a></p> <p>— Dan Ilic (@danilic) <a href="https://twitter.com/danilic/status/1513254582864199680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Ms Tame also told stories about <em>My Little Pony</em>, her favourite show to watch as a child, with veiled references to Mr Morrison and his government.</p> <p dir="ltr">One of the characters who “sharted in Old MacDonald’s farm” was a particularly clear reference to the longstanding rumour that Mr Morrison soiled himself at a McDonald’s in Engadine in 1997.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Tame didn’t just focus on the PM, going on to describe NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham as her “favourite comedian”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-042906cc-7fff-99b6-2ad8-2622707b60eb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">A joke about someone claiming Tasmania wasn’t a real place led to Tame saying it was okay because she lived ‘rent-free’ in Mr Latham’s head, along with domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty (who he has publicly attacked), the 2004 election results (which saw him lost as Labor leader), and anyone who wasn’t a white man.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">To be clear, this isn’t a “career move”.</p> <p>Advocacy is my first priority, always. It’s my life and purpose. I ummed and aahed over whether or not this was the right thing to do.</p> <p>Would it send a hopeful, empowering message to survivors? Or would it trivialise the cause? <a href="https://t.co/UDGm7iE0UG">pic.twitter.com/UDGm7iE0UG</a></p> <p>— Grace Tame (@TamePunk) <a href="https://twitter.com/TamePunk/status/1512934253662654464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Before Sunday’s gig, Ms Tame took to social media to explain her decision to take part in the comedy festival and clarify it wasn’t a ‘career move’, as many outlets reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Advocacy is my first priority always. It’s my life and purpose. I ummed and aahed over whether or not this was the right thing to do,” she wrote on Sunday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There are risks in doing this, as there are with just about anything else in this mad life.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Things have been especially tough lately. But I reckon we could use a laugh. Either way, the joke’s on me. And if I fail, I’ll pick myself up and move.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You never know unless you try.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The show, which also included Lewis Hobba and independent candidate Goldstein Zoe Danila as a special guest, was recorded and will be released as an episode of Ilic’s podcast A Rational Fear.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7df8bcd5-7fff-ad0b-740d-d96fa80b86b3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Warnie's memorial service is today: What you need to know

<p>Almost a month on from the sudden death of cricketer Shane Warne, the Spin King will be honoured with a celebration in the heart of Melbourne at the MCG, in front of fans and family alike.</p> <p>Those closest to Warne farewelled him at a private service earlier this month and those wishing to pay their respects can now watch or attend a state memorial service today.</p> <p><strong>When and where is the service?</strong><br />The service will be at the MCG, home to some of Warne's greatest cricketing triumphs.<br />The gates of the MCG are due to open at 5:30 pm for a 7 pm start, and the state memorial service is scheduled to run for about two hours.</p> <p>A stage will be set up on the grounds of the MCG and upwards of 40,000 people are expected to fill the stadium's stands. The service will feature performances, tributes and reflections recognising Warne's big personality and charisma as well as his enormous contributions to Australian sport.</p> <p><strong>Who will be attending?</strong><br />A long and impressive list of high-profile people will take part in the service, but not everyone will appear in person. Some guests and performers will appear either via live video links or pre-recorded segments.</p> <p>Musical entertainment will be a huge part of the service. Performers are expected from those Warne counted among his friends including Elton John, Chris Martin, Robbie Williams and Ed Sheeran. Local acts will include Anthony Callea and musician Jon Stevens, slated to perform covers of "bangers" that were among Warne's favourites, including songs by INXS and Noiseworks. Kylie and Dannii Minogue will also be part of the proceedings, but it's unclear whether or not they will perform.</p> <p>The biggest names in cricket in Australia and overseas will take part, including Wasim Akram, Allan Border, Ian Botham, Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Clarke, Stephen Fleming, Merv Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Glenn McGrath and Mark Taylor.</p> <p>AFL great Dermott Brereton and Aaron Hamill, a long-time close friend of Warne, will take part, as will actors Eric Bana, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. Other prominent people making appearances are golfer Greg Norman, surfer Kelly Slater and comedian Andy Lee.</p> <p>The people most important to Warne, his immediate family, will also speak as part of the evening's proceedings. His three children, Brooke, Jackson and Summer, his father Keith and brother Jason are due to appear on stage.</p> <p><strong>Can I still get a ticket?</strong><br />More than 50,000 tickets have already been nabbed, but another 10,000 spots were released through the MCG website on Wednesday.</p> <p>Tickets to the event are free and in recognition of Warne's contributions to the game, his family requested that fans come along to the memorial dressed in their cricket gear.</p> <p><strong>How can I watch it?</strong><br />Eddie McGuire, who will MC the event, said all free-to-air TV channels will be broadcasting the service, there will be radio channels airing it as well, and there will be multiple places to live stream the proceedings online. Coverage will begin on ABC News Channel and on iview from 6:30 pm AEDT, with the memorial broadcast live on ABC Local Radio (except SA and Perth metro) and ABC Sport Digital.</p>

TV

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Students stunned as wild fight erupts outside school

<p dir="ltr">A violent altercation between two men erupted outside a school in Melbourne as students were being picked up by their parents.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shocked students from Melton Secondary College in the state’s west, watched on in horror as two motorists began throwing punches at each other in the middle of the road on Tuesday afternoon.</p> <p dir="ltr">Disturbing footage shows a shirtless man grabbing a pole off the floor before allegedly forcing it through the ute window while children were inside.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man allegedly appears to repeatedly force the pole in the window as victims inside could be seen moving their heads to avoid being hit.</p> <p dir="ltr">The driver of the ute attempts to jump out but his door is kicked shut by the attacker, but eventually he makes it out.</p> <p dir="ltr">He charges at the alleged attacker, both of them throwing punches at each other as the altercation spilled in the middle of the street forcing children and their parents to run away.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police arrived and arrested the 21-year-old Melton man and he was subsequently charged.</p> <p dir="ltr">'Police have been told a man stepped out onto Coburns Road near High Street just before 3.30pm,' Victoria Police said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">'It is believed the man smashed the windscreen of a car causing three other cars to collide nose to tail.'</p> <p dir="ltr">'The driver of the damaged car got out of the vehicle and was involved in a physical altercation with the offender.'</p> <p dir="ltr">Warning: Confronting footage <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/man-charged-over-alleged-melton-road-rage-attack-outside-melbourne-school/1be1cdf6-449d-4fe7-b365-86e3811676ed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

News

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Derelict home with extortionate asking price causes outrage

<p dir="ltr">A Melbourne home that has just hit the market has caused outrage online over its asking price. </p> <p dir="ltr">The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home is located in Richmond, just 3kms from the Melbourne CBD, and has social media users scratching their heads over the property value price. </p> <p dir="ltr">The home is falling apart, with deep cracks in every wall, floorboards that have been half torn up, and all around disgusting living conditions for any prospective buyer. </p> <p dir="ltr">Due to the derelict state of the property, many are wondering what justified the asking price on this house. </p> <p dir="ltr">The price guide puts the value of the property between $950,000 and $1,045,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/6-bliss-street-richmond-vic-3121-2017581386">listing</a> received a battering after it was found by TikTok user Jordan van den Berg, who is known for his “S*** Buys of Melbourne” videos. </p> <p dir="ltr">Jordan shows his viewers through each room of the house, while pointing out that the online description of the listing does state that the property is an “architectural challenge” that is “completely unrenovated”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jordan notes that the exterior of the house “looks like it's just been diagnosed with a severe case of psoriasis”, while saying that the living area looks “both dead and alive at the same time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Jordan’s review on the million-dollar house was flooded with comments from users questioning the incredible asking price. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person said, “It’s so cooked that I thought that this seems reasonable for $1 million. Like what has Australian real estate done to my concept of value?” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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