SUNDAYS HEADLINES: - STAMP DUTY CONCESSION RISES... Victorias stamp duty concession for first home buyers rises to 50 per cent on Monday, saving 26,000 people around $200 million over the next year. Treasurer Michael OBrien said this tax cut makes home ownership more affordable, especially for young Victorians looking to buy their first home. Almost 60,000 eligible first home buyers have benefited from the stamp duty concession in Victoria since it was introduced by the Coalition Government in 2011. Eligible first home owners will save up to $15,535 in stamp duty on dwellings valued up to $600,000. Currently, Victorians looking to purchase their first home are eligible for a $10,000 First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) for newly constructed homes. The FHOG applies in addition to the stamp duty concession. From tomorrow, an eligible first home buyer purchasing a new $600,000 house and land package will receive a combined stamp duty cut and FHOG worth $25,535. - CALL TO ARMS... Australia will join international partners to help the anti-ISIL forces in Iraq. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Sunday that the Royal Australian Air Force will now conduct further humanitarian missions. The decisions comes after successful international humanitarian relief effort air-dropping supplies to the thousands of people stranded on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq. The United States Government has requested that Australia help to transport stores of military equipment, including arms and munitions, as part of a multi-nation effort, Mr Abbott said in a statement. Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster aircraft will join aircraft from other nations including Canada, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and the United States to conduct this important task. Australia’s contribution will continue to be coordinated with the government of Iraq and regional countries. Mr Abbott said the situation in Iraq represents a humanitarian catastrophe. Australia remains in close contact with the United States and other international partners and we will continue to work to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Iraq and address the security threat posed by ISIL. - HUNT FOR MAN WHO LEFT CAB DRIVER FOR DEAD... A statewide man hunt is underway after a taxi driver was the victim of a hit and run in Brighton East, in Melbournes south-east, early Sunday morning. Police believe a taxi and a green Toyota Corolla sedan were involved in a rear end collision at the intersection of Nepean Highway and Hawthorn Road in the city bound lanes around 1am. Following the collision, the taxi driver was at the rear of the Toyota sedan when a third vehicle, a silver Mitsubishi Colt sedan, has struck him, crushing him between the two vehicles. The taxi, the front vehicle, had two passengers at the time of the collision and there were three occupants, including the driver in the Toyota. None of the vehicle occupants were injured in the initial collision. The second incident occurred around 1.15am. The taxi driver, a man in his 60s died at the scene. The driver of the third vehicle, believed to be a man in his 50s, fled the scene on foot. A female seated in the rear of the Toyota received minor injuries in the second crash and was conveyed to the Alfred Hospital. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating and police conducted a search of the area with the assistance of the airwing and a K9 unit, however were unable to locate the driver of the Mitsubishi. Anyone who witnessed either collision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. - HORROR 24 HOURS... The crash comes amid a horror 24 hours on Victorias roads. Earlier, a 74-year-old woman was hit and killed by a car while crossing High Street Road in Glen Waverley around 6pm Saturday. Meanwhile, the passenger of a station wagon, which was struck by a ute while attempting to cross Mornington-Flinders Road from Shands Road around 11.30am Sunday, has died. The passenger of the station wagon died at the scene, while the driver has been taken to Frankston Hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the ute has been taken to Rosebud Hospital for observation and is assisting police with their enquiries. Police are appealing for witnesses following a three car collision in Melbournes inner east around 2.10am. Investigators are looking into the circumstances surrounding the collision between a red Mitsubishi Mirage, a white Mitsubishi Triton Twin-cab and a taxi on the corner of Through Road and Toorak Road in Camberwell. The occupants of the Mirage were both conveyed to The Alfred hospital. The driver, a 23-year-old woman from South Yarra received life threatening injuries and the passenger serious injuries. The taxi driver, a 39-year-old man from Altona Meadows was uninjured. The driver of the Mitsubishi Triton, a 35-year-old man from Burwood was not injured, a preliminary breath test conducted at the scene was positive and he is currently assisting police with enquiries. Police would also like to speak to the driver of a Ford Territory taxi that picked up a fare at the corner of Summerhill Road and Toorak Road then stopped at the scene before leaving. The road toll for this year is at 167, up from 156 this time last year. - WOMAN BANNED IN CBD FOLLOWING BOMB HOAX... A woman who allegedly caused a bomb hoax at a busy central Melbourne shopping precinct yesterday has been banned from entering the CBD. Amanda Baker-Johnson, 39, was arrested early this morning over the hoax at Bourke St Mall. Myer and David Jones were closed to customers for more than an hour during the afternoon while police performed a safety check in and around the mall precinct. Ms Baker-Johnson, who faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday, is charged with causing a bomb hoax, making a false report to police and using a telecommunication device to menace. She was released on bail providing she comply with strict bail conditions, including a ban from the CBD. The court heard Ms Baker-Johnson, who suffers from significant psychiatric issues, would also complete a mental health assessment. She will return to court on September 18. - TIGERS ROARING INTO THE FINALS... Richmonds dream of booking a spot in this years final series have come true after winning a nail-biting encounter against the Sydney Swans on Saturday night. The three-point victory was enough to claim 8th spot and a ticket to board the plane to Adelaide in week 1, making it back-to-back finals appearances for the first time since 1975. Back in June the Tigers had a 3-10 record, but turned the disappointment around by winning nine on the trot. Arriving back to Punt Road after the stunning win, captain Trent Cotchin said the players were already focused on their elimination final against Port Adelaide next Sunday at Adelaide Oval and travelling was not an obstacle for the group. Weve shown in the last few weeks that the game were playing is able to take it up to the best at challenging times, he said on Sunday. To take it up to the top team, granted they had a couple of players out, and get away with the result, I think it just shows a steely resolve. We had a win a couple of weeks ago at Adelaide Oval, (but) we know that Port play the ground really well. Well do our review and preview and make sure we know exactly what to expect when we get there and once we do well just play the way we play. - MAN WINCHED AFTER HORROR FALL... A man has been winched to safety after falling around 10 metres while abseiling at Werribee Gorge State Park, between Bacchus Marsh and Ballan, in Melbournes south-west this afternoon. The abseiler aged in his early 20s walked away, nursing some bruising and injuries to his arm, wrist and legs, following the four hour delicate marathon rescue by high-angle rope rescue crews. Duty officer for CFA District 15 Archie Conroy said, “We urge anyone that’s going out doing high risk activities to make sure you have someone with you at all times, as you can’t always rely on mobile phone reception”. - AUSTRALIAN VICTIMS OF MH17 BEGIN JOURNEY HOME... The first of the Australian victims of MH17 have arrived home. The bodies of Melbourne couple Albert and Maree Rizk were accompanied by family members on the somber journey back from Amsterdam on Friday. A funeral for the pair is likely to happen early in the week. Flight MH17 had been travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July when it was shot down in rebel-held eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, including 38 Australian citizens and residents. Of those on board the flight, 173 have so far been positively identified. - MARCH AUSTRALIA TAKES OVER CAPITAL CITIES... Thousands of people have marched in central Melbourne and Sydney, protesting the federal budget. Progressive movement March Australia emerged at the start of this year following community outrage over the Abbott Governments tough budget measures. Todays rallies follow the nationwide March in March protests. Human rights and refugee advocate Julian Burnside addressed the Melbourne rally, one of 27 around the nation, on the steps of Parliament House. The rally began at the State Library, protesting against the Coalitions budget cuts to education, health care, the ABC and its policies regarding refugees. Victoria Police said the protesters, more than 5,000 of them, acted peacefully. - ONE WEEK THREAT AGAINST RUSSIA... The European Union has given Russia one week to end the conflict with Ukraine or face new sanctions. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said the EU was working urgently on further restrictive measures. Earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his country was close to a point of no return - full scale-war with Russia. Pro-Russian rebels have made gains against Ukrainian troops in recent days in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Some 2,600 people have died in fighting. Mr Van Rompuy did not specify the nature of further sanctions, but said the proposals would be ready within a week. Meanwhile, Russia denies that its forces are backing the rebels, instead accusing Ukrainian forces of aggression and deliberately firing at civilians. - AFL... The 2014 AFL regular season ended with three dead rubber matches on Sunday, but six clubs went onto the field vying for pride in front of their most loyal supporters, as their season reviews begin. West Coast prevailed over the Gold Coast Suns by 55 points, while St Kilda failed to gift their veteran son, Lenny Hayes, a win in his final match, smashed by Adelaide to the tune of 79 points at Adelaide Oval. GWS finished their season on a positive vibe, defeating the Western Bulldogs by 6 points. - TENNIS... Casey Dellacqua is the only Australian left in the Singles draw at the US Open after emerging talent Nick Kyrgios was knocked out by Spaniard Tommy Robredo in four sets; 3-6 6-3 7-6 (4) 6-3. Dellacqua plays Italian Flavia Pennetta for a quarter-final spot after an impressive display of counter-punching in her victory match against rising Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. After falling outside the worlds top 200 twelve months ago, Dellacqua is incredibly now on the verge of becoming Australia’s new No1, with a top-25 ranking.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 11:09:22 +0000
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