Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crews responded to the house fire about 4.30am A total of 22 firefighters arrived to find two cars on fire in a driveway with flames spreading to the single storey firefighters worked to extinguish the fire with firefighting efforts hampered by a collapsed roof The incident was declared under control after 50 minutes evacuated from the home with brigade assistance and were assessed by Ambulance Victoria for symptoms of smoke inhalation Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria were on scene to support firefighting activities Firefighters will remain on scene for some time An advice message has been issued for smoke in the area Four people including two young children have been rescued from a burning home in Melbourne’s northwest set ablaze by arsonists who threatened neighbours woken by the attack Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Albanvale’s own Wing Chun Kung Fu Master Maurice Novoa set off to Indonesia on a philanthropic journey through the power of martial arts Novoa conducted a martial arts workshop at the Kali Majapahit martial arts club where participants learned defensive footwork techniques against knife attacks incorporating elements from basketball movements to make self-defence techniques practical and accessible Novoa also shared the knowledge of the most potent elbow strike developed by Wing Chun Grandmaster Pan Nam Novoa was inducted into American Martial Arts Alliance Foundation Legends Hall of Honors in recognition of his dedication to the world of martial arts Novoa described the workshops as a ‘huge success’ and has said he hopes to make the classes a regular event “I’ve been travelling to Indonesia for years ever since I was 21 Martial arts is my passion and this is the first workshop I’ve done over there I hope to run a bigger workshop again next year and hopefully create a snowball effect.” he said Nine students attended the workshop with Novoa donating the cost of the class fee to a local orphanage in Jakarta “If it means everytime I go over there I can raise money for this orphanage by just giving a two hour workshop then that is fantastic,” Novoa said with Damardoto describing it as the most successful fundraising event in the club’s history “You taught us not only the value of martial arts but also the value of sharing and making an impact on the community,” he said in a letter thanking Novoa for his visit to the local club Braybrook has claimed an emphatic 47-point victory over Albanvale at Pennell Reserve progressing through to the Alan Mance Motors Division 3 Seniors Grand Final Led by Jayden Hoskin-Elliott and captain Aidan O’Rafferty Braybrook put in a special performance and came out firing from the first bounce heading out to a 27-point buffer at the first break Albanvale managed to even out the contest in the second quarter Braybrook kicked into gear in the second half recording a five-goal third and fourth quarter to steamroll Albanvale in an epic victory for the club Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke kicked three goals in the victory reaching his 100th goal milestone for the season Brody Vorano and Nicholas Gregson also kicked three goals apiece in the win Braybrook’s win was their first over Albanvale this season with the Suns set to face Braybrook on Sunday at Avalon Airport Oval The Suns will look to maintain their dominance shown throughout the 2022 season while Braybrook will be eager to replicate their preliminary final performance to claim premiership status A post shared by WRFL (@westernregionfl) Braybrook/Albanvale has announced the re-signing of coach Kon Konstantaras for the 2022 Victoria University Polytechnic Senior Women’s competition Braybrook and Albanvale merged their Women’s teams on the eve of this season with the partnership between the two clubs set to continue for another year “It was a strange beginning for Braybrook/Albanvale but we couldn’t be happier with how it’s turned out and we look forward to its continuation,” Braybrook FC said Bryan Pattern has also been announced as an Assistant Coach Braybrook/Albanvale finished the 2021 season in fourth place on the Division 2 ladder The Albanvale Football Club has announced Dean Formosa will join Andrew Bryson as co-coach of the Senior side Formosa for the 2022 Alan Mance Motors Division 3 season he was one my many reasons why I came back to Albanvale and can’t wait to share a new experience with him,” Bryson said “Coaching him at a junior level and watching him progress as a senior player and now giving him his first taste of coaching I couldn’t be any more proud of him “A big reason I came back to Albanvale is the people a playing group who is striving for success To have players like Dean and others who want to always get the very best of themselves is pleasing and I want to be a part of their growth that’s what makes a good football club.” said he was excited to begin his coaching career alongside a great mate it’s been a flat few months without footy and can’t wait for the season to begin,” he said “I have been lucky to have good coaches in my time and I’ll definitely use their experience within my coaching “I believe we have a great mix of players currently we would like to add the best talent we can and some youth who want to take the next step and be permanent senior players I’ll strive to get the best out of our players for them to reach personal and team goals.” Albanvale finished the 2021 Alan Mance Motors Division 3 season in second spot More children will have the opportunity to learn in a language other than English thanks to an increasing number of kindergarten services offering a bilingual kindergarten program from 2024 The Victorian Government has announced an additional 11 services that will deliver a bilingual kindergarten program next year giving an additional 400 children the opportunity to learn in another language the government has announced that these services will deliver a bilingual kindergarten program next year: the department has given priority to services with a high proportion of children from a culturally and linguistically diverse background The department received more than 70 expressions of interest from services across the state Bilingual kindergarten is an initiative of the department’s Early childhood language program The program supports kindergartens to employ a suitably qualified language teacher to deliver part of their Four-Year-Old Kindergarten program in a language other than English About 800 children currently attend 10 bilingual kindergartens where they learn in a language other than English for 12 hours of their weekly 15-hour Four-Year-Old kindergarten program For more information, refer to Early Childhood Language Program For further enquiries, contact the department by email: ec.languages@education.vic.gov.au PreviousBuilding and planning grants open year-round – apply nowNextKinder Kits are coming for 2024 Updated 7 December 2023 Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A man is under police guard in hospital after allegedly setting his home in Melbourne’s north-west alight Neighbours told Nine News they heard what sounded like a bomb going off before flames engulfed the front room of the home on Sutherland Street A resident who was identified only as Kylie said her husband heard a “big pop” and saw a teenage girl running down the street with burns to her legs He was shirtless and appeared to have burns to his upper body “He was saying: ‘My daughter is burnt’,” she said Firefighters at the scene.Credit: Nine News More than 25 firefighters rushed to battle the blaze which was brought under control about 5.50pm and their 17-year-old daughter were injured as they tried to put out the fire that engulfed the single-storey home Paramedics assessed eight people at the scene and rushed the teenage girl to the Royal Children’s Hospital Mr Griffiths and Mrs Griffiths were taken to The Alfred hospital where they are both in a critical condition Roland and Kylie Griffiths are both in critical condition in hospital.Credit: Facebook Victoria Police investigators are yet to interview the man “It’s believed a man ignited a flammable liquid and other people at the address attempted to extinguish the flames,” police said in a statement Arson and explosive squad detectives and forensic police spent Tuesday morning scouring the property for evidence Scorched family belongings could be seen through a broken window giving a glimpse of the damage caused by the blaze The roof appeared to have partially collapsed Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here A man is under police guard in hospital after allegedly setting his home in Melbourne\\u2019s north-west alight A resident who was identified only as Kylie said her husband heard a \\u201Cbig pop\\u201D and saw a teenage girl running down the street with burns to her legs \\u201CHe was saying: \\u2018My daughter is burnt\\u2019,\\u201D she said Paramedics assessed eight people at the scene and rushed the teenage girl to the Royal Children\\u2019s Hospital \\u201CIt\\u2019s believed a man ignited a flammable liquid and other people at the address attempted to extinguish the flames,\\u201D police said in a statement Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens he played his first game for the Albanvale Cobras football club in Melbourne’s west “You weren’t allowed to kick the ball off the ground in the under 10s Marlene and Dean Formosa at Albanvale Football Club.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui she’ll be there for his 500th game for the club on Saturday at their home ground Robert Bruce Reserve in Deer Park Marlene has only missed three of Dean’s games — twice she was sick and one Saturday she had to work paying close attention to his possession count singing the team song after a match.Credit: Dean Formosa Dean said her support was probably the reason he had kept playing “She’s always supported and believed in what I wanted to do,” he said Dean estimates he has only missed about 20 Cobras games in total across the age levels since 1994 He said he had been lucky with few injuries though in his first year of senior football Club veteran: Dean trains with the Albanvale Cobras on Tuesday night.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui Dean had surgery to repair a torn tear duct And since turning 30 he’s had some hamstring issues Dean trains with the team two nights a week and maintains a strict diet with plenty of vegetables He only consumes alcohol and carbohydrates – pasta – on Saturday nights He recently stopped playing for the senior team and is now in the reserves a guard of honour and a banner when he runs out at noon Lifelong friends: Dean (second from left) and Michael Spatolisano (far left) with the Albanvale Cobras 2015 senior premiership cup.Credit: Dean Formosa Dean played in a reserves premiership in 2010 and a seniors flag – the club’s first – in 2015 Albanvale Cobras players and supporters are like family who stopped playing football last year and who played in the 2015 premiership was a longtime teammate from when they were six years old before they were even old enough to play in actual games Dean Formosa (top) and Michael Spatolisano when they were six years old in 1993.Credit: Dean Formosa He said Formosa’s 500th was “a huge achievement” There was only one time Dean didn’t want to play Dean felt it would be too painful to keep playing ‘Don’t give up doing what you love’,” Dean said [My teammates] made sure I always had something to do Marlene said: “The club opened their arms to me and the boys They put their arms around us and we kept going A pocket of the oval is now named after Peter Formosa who has known Dean for 20 years and used to play alongside him said the 500 games was a record for the club and an amazing milestone Dean said if the Cobras won the premiership this year Dean said he would like to be there at the sidelines for their games “I’d like to spend more time with them,” he says it helps shape them throughout life and teaches them good life lessons “I don’t think there’s a better place to be than a sporting club.” The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. In 1994, when Dean Formosa was seven years old, he played his first game for the Albanvale Cobras football club in Melbourne\\u2019s west. He kicked a goal and was stoked. \\u201CYou weren\\u2019t allowed to kick the ball off the ground in the under 10s, which I did, but they paid the goal anyway,\\u201D he said. And now, 29 years later, she\\u2019ll be there for his 500th game for the club on Saturday, at their home ground Robert Bruce Reserve in Deer Park. Marlene has only missed three of Dean\\u2019s games \\u2014 twice she was sick and one Saturday she had to work. She\\u2019s watched games in fog, pouring rain and hail, paying close attention to his possession count. \\u201CI just love watching him play,\\u201D she said. Dean said her support was probably the reason he had kept playing. \\u201CShe\\u2019s always supported and believed in what I wanted to do,\\u201D he said. Now 37, Dean estimates he has only missed about 20 Cobras games in total across the age levels since 1994. He said he had been lucky with few injuries, though in his first year of senior football, aged 18, he was elbowed in the eye. Dean had surgery to repair a torn tear duct, but only missed one game. And since turning 30 he\\u2019s had some hamstring issues. Dean trains with the team two nights a week and maintains a strict diet with plenty of vegetables. He only consumes alcohol and carbohydrates \\u2013 pasta \\u2013 on Saturday nights. He recently stopped playing for the senior team and is now in the reserves. On Saturday, there will be a presentation, a guard of honour and a banner when he runs out at noon, and celebrations after the senior game. Dean played in a reserves premiership in 2010 and a seniors flag \\u2013 the club\\u2019s first \\u2013 in 2015. His younger brother Jarryd, who has since retired from football, was a teammate on both occasions. For the Formosas, Albanvale Cobras players and supporters are like family. Dean\\u2019s best friend Michael Spatolisano, who stopped playing football last year and who played in the 2015 premiership, was a longtime teammate from when they were six years old, before they were even old enough to play in actual games. He said Formosa\\u2019s 500th was \\u201Ca huge achievement\\u201D. There was only one time Dean didn\\u2019t want to play. At training in 2002, when he was 16, Dean watched his father, Peter Formosa, an assistant coach, die of a heart attack, aged 45. At first, Dean felt it would be too painful to keep playing. But Marlene encouraged him to return. \\u201CShe said, \\u2018Don\\u2019t give up doing what you love\\u2019,\\u201D Dean said. \\u201CI was never on my own. [My teammates] made sure I always had something to do. Without them, I don\\u2019t know where I\\u2019d be now.\\u201D Marlene said: \\u201CThe club opened their arms to me and the boys, and it\\u2019s been like that ever since. They\\u2019re beautiful people. They put their arms around us and we kept going. \\u201CTwenty-one years later, we\\u2019re still there.\\u201D A pocket of the oval is now named after Peter Formosa. Club president Adam Borg, 39, who has known Dean for 20 years and used to play alongside him, said the 500 games was a record for the club and an amazing milestone. Borg said Dean was loyal, determined and competitive. \\u201CHe\\u2019s a very tactical player, he reads the game pretty well,\\u201D Borg said. Dean said if the Cobras won the premiership this year, he might retire from football. Dean coaches his children \\u2013 Dane, 6, and Nate, 9 \\u2013 at soccer in Caroline Springs. Dean said he would like to be there at the sidelines for their games, as Marlene was for him. \\u201CI\\u2019d like to spend more time with them,\\u201D he says. \\u201CI think parent support is everything, especially in junior sport, it helps shape them throughout life and teaches them good life lessons. It\\u2019s helped me meet people, helped me through tough times. \\u201CI don\\u2019t think there\\u2019s a better place to be than a sporting club.\\u201D The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. A woman accused of the murders of a woman and her four-year-old grandson had a relationship with the victim's husband, police allege. Chinese national Cia Liao allegedly attacked four-year-old Alistair Mach with a pair of garden shears and lay in wait for Mai Mach, 60, to return home from work, Detective Leading Senior Constable Tony Harwood told an out-of-sessions court hearing. Ms Liao, 45, has been charged with two counts of murder, one count of causing intentional injury and one count of assault and unlawful imprisonment. She appeared in the St Kilda Road police complex on Wednesday evening and was remanded in custody. Mai Mach was found dead in her Albanvale home with her grandson. Detective Harwood told the hearing the accused was in Australia on a tourist visa and had been in a relationship with Mrs Mach's husband, Brian, for three years, when his marriage had broken down. The 61-year-old had recently ended his relationship with Ms Liao. Alistair Mach and his grandmother were found dead in the Varsity Court, Albanvale, home Mrs Mach shared with her husband. Mr Mach was found bound and gagged inside the home. The hearing was told that Ms Liao turned up at the Albanvale property at about 6am on Tuesday, when an argument broke out between Mr Mach and the accused. Detective Harwood said Ms Liao then assaulted Mr Mach and bound and gagged him, before entering the bedroom where Alistair, who was being babysat by his grandparents while his parents were working, was laying in bed. A tribute to the dead in Albanvale.Credit: Simon O'Dwyer Detective Harwood said Ms Liao attacked the boy with a pair of garden shears. An autopsy revealed he had 18 stab and slash wounds, some of which were defensive. Ms Liao then waited at the home for 10 hours for Mrs Mach to return home, Detective Harwood said. When she was approaching the house's back door, Ms Liao allegedly attacked Mrs Mach with the same garden shears, inflicting 23 wounds. A neighbour allegedly witnessed the attack and called police, Detective Harwood said. Ms Liao was arrested at the scene. Mr Mach was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with minor injuries but was heavily sedated. Alistair's mother, Amy Mach, is the daughter of Mrs and Mr Mach. Alistair is the only child of Ms Mach and her husband Andrew Kwong. The accused was asked whether she was taking any medication, to which she said she was taking high blood pressure medication. When asked if she was on anything else, she paused and later said "no comment". Ms Liao otherwise stayed quiet and was assisted by an interpreter through her short appearance. Detective Harwood said Ms Liao stayed silent during her police interview. She was remanded in custody and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday morning. A woman accused of the murders of a woman and her four-year-old grandson had a relationship with the victim's husband, police allege. Detective Harwood told the hearing the accused was in Australia on a tourist visa and had been in a relationship with Mrs Mach's husband, Brian, for three years, when his marriage had broken down. The 61-year-old had recently ended his relationship with Ms Liao. Ms Liao then waited at the home for 10 hours for Mrs Mach to return home, Detective Harwood said. When she was approaching the house's back door, Ms Liao allegedly attacked Mrs Mach with the same garden shears, inflicting 23 wounds. Alistair's mother, Amy Mach, is the daughter of Mrs and Mr Mach. Alistair is the only child of Ms Mach and her husband Andrew Kwong. The accused was asked whether she was taking any medication, to which she said she was taking high blood pressure medication. When asked if she was on anything else, she paused and later said \\\"no comment\\\". ABC News News HomeGrandmother 4yo boy stabbed to death in 'horrific' altercation in MelbourneShare Grandmother 4yo boy stabbed to death in 'horrific' altercation in MelbourneTopic:Homicide Police have charged a 45-year-old woman with two counts of murder. (AAP: Joe Castro) Link copiedShareShare articleA woman has been charged over the alleged murder of a four-year-old boy and his grandmother, in what police have described as a "horrific" incident at a house in Melbourne's west. Police found a 60-year-old woman stabbed to death in the backyard of the home on Varsity Court in Albanvale and found her 61-year-old husband bound and gagged in the lounge. When police freed the man he asked about his grandson, who police found dead in a bedroom with stab wounds. A 45-year-old Albion woman has been charged with two counts of murder, intentionally causing injury and false imprisonment. Detective Senior Sergeant Stuart Bailey earlier said police were investigating the relationship between the 45-year-old woman, who was being questioned, and the man found gagged. "But the actual motive is yet to be established," he said. Senior Sergeant Bailey said officers were looking at the possibility the two were involved in a romantic relationship. "They've known each other for three years and the nature of their relationship is currently unknown," he said. Police said the grandparents looked after the boy every Tuesday while the parents, who have three more children, went to work. Police said the motive for the double stabbing at Albanvale had not been established. (ABC News) Senior Sergeant Bailey described the scene as horrific and said the child's parents were distraught. "It's an extremely distressing situation for the police as well, so police welfare services have also been contacted for the welfare of our police members," he said. "As you'd understand the members who uncovered this are quite distressed." The 61-year-old man is being treated in the Royal Melbourne Hospital for minor injuries. Neighbour Eddie Portelli said he did not know the family. He said the first he knew of the attack was when police started arriving at the house. "I never heard any screams or nothing," he said. Mr Portelli said he saw a woman being escorted from the house. "[Police] grabbed her, they put her in the van and took her away," he said. Another local, Mary Galea, said she was sickened by what had happened at the house. "I'm just worried, because I have grandchildren here too. It's scary," she said. The Albanvale writer and poet has just written and published her third book Earlier this year she gave her first two books The Wings Through the Wind and The Road to Uncertainty Ms Sokolovic writes in three languages: English from where she fled with her husband Asim and their two young sons Amir and Alen to escape the political upheaval in the Balkans in 1991 The young family first went to Hamburg before moving and settling for good in Melbourne The 61-year-old says her love for the written word materialised early in life “I loved writing and began to write poetry and stories as a child,” she says about tradition and experiences from [my] childhood “All the poetry and stories carry messages of respect love and a desire that war should never happen anywhere in the world.” A neighbour heroically jumped a fence and applied a hose to a woman who was later to die of burns allegedly inflicted by her husband allegedly died as a result of burns when her Albanvale home was set on fire on March 14 last year has been charged with murder over her death while there were four other occupants of the house as well at the time On the first day of what is scheduled to be a three-day committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday said he jumped over their fence and started to apply water to Ms Griffiths with a hose after noticing the fire 'I heard a loud bang,' Mr Hamilton told the court 'I assumed it was maybe related to a barbie,' he said Mr Hamilton said he also helped lift some children beyond the Griffiths' fence Under cross-examination from barrister John Saunders Mr Hamilton said he had encountered some 'difficulties' with Mr Griffiths who he said had threatened to burn down his own house 'It's been directed towards me and my family,' he said Mr Hamilton told the court the threats came after Mr Griffiths found out Mr Hamilton had made complaints about him to police and the Victorian housing department Mr Hamilton also told the court that he had heard Mr Griffiths say he 'doesn't care' if he went to jail while making the threats the court was told that Mr Griffiths displayed 'extreme concern' for the woman he allegedly murdered as he suffered from his own extreme burns Constable Brett Seychell confirmed that Mr Griffiths was 'expressing his love' for the alleged victim Constable Seychell confirmed that Griffiths 'started to shake' and tried to 'get up and leave' towards the other burns victims The court was told that according to his statement Griffiths turned to a teenager and said 'it wasn't supposed to get you' said he arrived at the scene to see Ms Griffiths being 'hosed down' by a neighbour in a driveway Constable Grenfell confirmed he had a conversation with the deceased on a nature strip after the incident who appeared in court via video from prison was largely expressionless throughout the hearing Firefighter Christopher Watson said in his witness statement that he provided oxygen to Ms Griffiths on his arrival and poured bottled water over her burns Mr Watson also observed the accused 'screaming in pain with serious burns to his back and shoulders' Griffiths spent two months in hospital last year before he was charged with Ms Griffiths' murder The committal hearing before magistrate Malcolm Thomas continues Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:.. 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It was one of the biggest floggings in the history of Aussie rules football But the North Sunshine Football Club’s 401-point drubbing at the hands of local rivals the Albanvale Cobras on Saturday may actually prove to be a blessing in disguise On the back of their 67.22 (424) to 3.5 (23) loss in Western Region Football League second division on Saturday AFL legend Matthew Richardson has offered to hold a training session with the Roadrunners who have not notched up a win in two years who has been fielding media inquiries all day following the schellacking said the visit from the former Richmond forward would boost the spirits of the demoralised team which was gaining notoriety for all the wrong reasons ‘‘It is a big loss and you’d expect some sort of comment on it but there’s no way I would have thought we would have received this amount of coverage,’’ Mr Neicho said ‘‘Matthew Richardson’s offer was a bit of surprise it definitely threw me back a bit that one ‘‘Knowing he’s going to come down and do a training run might pep the guys up enough and keep them motivated I just think that shows the character of the man.’’ who sometimes runs on for a game when numbers are dire said the team had been rocked by injuries on the day of their latest loss As a result a number of players had to double up and play two games Fourteen Cobras belted goals during the match thought to be the sixth biggest flogging in a seniors footy game ‘‘We knew we weren’t going out there with the best side we could possibly put on the ground,’’ he said ‘‘It is quite an unfortunate thing that’s happened to the guys We had a couple of guys that came off the field who were actually crying They were quite sad about what happened to them ‘‘But we have to be there for the guys and try to support them and try to be as positive as we can.’’ Mr Neicho said the seniors had been defeated by an average of 30-35 goals a week this year Their "best" game was when they were only beaten by 15 goals He said the Roadrunners had been trying to re-build after they recently spent two years playing in the first division then we couldn’t pay the players to stay in our side so they left us and we were left with a side that basically couldn’t compete But we have a five-year plan that we’ve put in place,’’ he said they have a good social life there," he said "We’re playing teams who pay $50,000-60,000 a year for their teams We’re just out there trying to have some fun." the two teams reportedly shared a beer in the clubhouse after the demolition But the North Sunshine Football Club\\u2019s 401-point drubbing at the hands of local rivals the Albanvale Cobras on Saturday may actually prove to be a blessing in disguise \\u2018\\u2018It is a big loss and you\\u2019d expect some sort of comment on it but there\\u2019s no way I would have thought we would have received this amount of coverage,\\u2019\\u2019 Mr Neicho said \\u2018\\u2018Matthew Richardson\\u2019s offer was a bit of surprise \\u2018\\u2018Knowing he\\u2019s going to come down and do a training run might pep the guys up enough and keep them motivated I just think that shows the character of the man.\\u2019\\u2019 \\u2018\\u2018We knew we weren\\u2019t going out there with the best side we could possibly put on the ground,\\u2019\\u2019 he said \\u2018\\u2018It is quite an unfortunate thing that\\u2019s happened to the guys \\u2018\\u2018But we have to be there for the guys and try to support them and try to be as positive as we can.\\u2019\\u2019 Their \\\"best\\\" game was when they were only beaten by 15 goals \\u2018\\u2018It cost us way too much money then we couldn\\u2019t pay the players to stay in our side so they left us and we were left with a side that basically couldn\\u2019t compete But we have a five-year plan that we\\u2019ve put in place,\\u2019\\u2019 he said they have a good social life there,\\\" he said \\\"We\\u2019re playing teams who pay $50,000-60,000 a year for their teams We\\u2019re just out there trying to have some fun.\\\" A husband has been charged with murder and attempted murder after allegedly setting fire to is family home while his wife and children were inside Roland Griffiths, 38, spent two months under police guard while receiving hospital treatment for burns he gained in the Melbourne house fire that killed his wife Kylie Griffith Detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad have alleged Mr Griffiths ignited the Albanvale home using a flammable liquid and 17-year-old daughter were inside the home at the time of the fire Witnesses said Mrs Griffiths had run out of the burning home with her back on fire and serious burns to her face Mr Griffiths faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court via video link from hospital on charges including murder and attempted murder Herald Sun reports he was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and compression gloves on both of his hands Mr Griffiths told the court he was taking an epilepsy medication - Epilim - and will again appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 7 for a committal mention Police allege Cai Xia Liao bound former lover then stabbed grandson and his wife to death using garden shears A woman will appear in court on Thursday accused of murdering a four-year-old boy and his grandmother with garden shears at a Melbourne home allegedly bound and gagged her former lover Brian Mach at his Albanvale home early on Tuesday morning before fatally stabbing his grandson Alistair Mach in the head and neck while he lay in bed She is accused of waiting at the property for 10 hours until Alistair’s grandmother Mai Mach before attacking and killing her in the backyard will appear in the Melbourne magistrates court charged with two counts of murder and one count each of intentionally causing injury and false imprisonment for about three years but he recently called it off Detective Leading Senior Constable Tony Harwood said He said Liao had showed up at Mach’s home about 6am on Tuesday – while he was babysitting his grandson Alistair and his wife was at work – and an argument erupted “Brian was assaulted and subdued,” Harwood told an out-of-sessions court hearing on Wednesday The accused entered a bedroom where Alistair was in bed while carrying a large pair of garden shears.” Harwood alleged Liao stabbed Alistair as he lay in bed with a postmortem examination revealing he had suffered more than 18 stab and slash wounds as well as defensive injuries Liao then allegedly waited for Mach to arrive home from work and continued to assault Mach Mach drove into the rear yard of her home and was confronted by Liao as she approached the door “Mai Mach was chased into the backyard by the accused and attacked with the same pair of garden shears also suffering extreme neck and head injuries,” he said She suffered more than 23 stab and slash-type injuries Harwood said the alleged killing had been witnessed by a neighbour Mach was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with minor injuries Liao declined to comment during the out-of-sessions hearing only telling the bail justice that she takes blood pressure medication Flowers and a toy have been placed outside the Mach’s Albanvale home You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream A house fire in Melbourne’s west which triggered evacuations in neighbouring homes has been deemed suspicious was unoccupied when a fire took hold at about 2am The property was fully engulfed in flames and neighbouring homes were evacuated as a precaution Fire Rescue Victoria brought the blaze under control in about 25 minutes A crime scene guard is at the property and police are investigating the cause of the fire police are also investigating a fire in Brunswick East last night Fire crews were able to contain that blaze to a Lee Street shed Press PLAY below to hear more from Victoria Police and where conditions for renters have easedDaniel Butkovich Surging demand for rentals in affordable pockets of the capitals has intensified competition with properties in some suburbs leasing just days after hitting the market Analysis of PropTrack data shows rental properties in some sought-after suburbs are leasing twice as fast as a year ago with demand for affordable rentals skyrocketing amid a housing shortage and cost of living crisis But while properties are renting rapidly in some areas making conditions a little less competitive for renters Examining how long rental properties spend on the market in each suburb can reveal how demand for rentals varies according to PropTrack senior economist Eleanor Creagh "When rental days on market are very low it generally indicates a strong demand for rental properties in that area," she said High rental demand in a suburb could be due to various factors such as an attractive location the data shows that competition has increased in many pockets of relative affordability within the capitals "2024 has not brought much relief for the rental market," Ms Creagh said "Vacancy rates are at record lows and declined in February 2024 in most markets while median advertised weekly rents have continued to push higher." demand has eased in many suburbs just outside the capitals that once appealed to renters seeking more space or in pricey areas where rents have reached unaffordable levels In some suburbs, units are renting in just nine days, with houses snapped up within 10 days – twice as fast as the national median of 19 days. "It is indicative of more competitive rental market conditions with demand outstripping the supply of available properties placing upward pressure on rental prices." "In these conditions renters are often forced to make quick decisions amid heightened competition." This four-bedroom house in Engadine is advertised for rent for $900 per week With the rental crisis ongoing and rental affordability at its worst level in at least 17 years "This has likely pushed many to look in parts of the cities that are relatively affordable compared to others." In Sydney, houses rent the quickest in several suburbs in the city’s south, including Heathcote, Engadine and Jannali with quick leasing times for units in these areas too These might not be the city’s cheapest suburbs but are a little less expensive than others in the area This two-bedroom unit in Cromer where properties rent twice as fast a year ago Units rent quickest in Dee Why and Cromer leasing in just nine days – the fastest of all suburbs in the country Rents in these suburbs are typically a bit more affordable than others on the Northern Beaches Greycliffe Property director Stephanie Grey said the relative affordability of units was driving demand while conditions had become less competitive for pricier houses which had been very popular with families seeking more space in the past few years "I think we're seeing a switch," she said "People are trying to curb spending where they can." In Dee Why, where properties lease faster than anywhere else in Australia, this two-bedroom apartment is listed for $950 per week House rents surged over the past year in many northern beaches suburbs but units are about half as expensive to rent several of the suburbs where properties rent quickest are clustered in the south east This three-bedroom Murrumbeena unit is listed for $650 per week Properties in the suburb typically lease in 14 days The most in-demand Perth suburbs for renters were either adjacent to pricey coastal suburbs Ms Creagh said these results were consistent with seasonal changes in the rental market "In some cases the period of very low rental days on market may have arisen with strong demand to rent during a peak season for moves such as during the summer or the start of an academic year in suburbs and areas in close proximity to universities or favoured by students." the suburbs where houses rent fastest were all in regional areas while for units most of the highest-demand suburbs are in inner Brisbane The Adelaide suburbs where properties rent quickest are mostly clustered in the city’s south west Houses in Glengowrie, like this four-bedroom home listed for $860 per week While conditions for renters are challenging in suburbs where properties lease quickly these suburbs may appeal to investors seeking desirable assets "Typically lower vacancy is associated with less time on market and upward pressure on rental prices," Ms Creagh said low or falling days on market minimises vacancy periods and potential loss of income." The data shows that rental demand has spiked in some suburbs with big reductions in the time it takes to rent a property Ms Creagh said this was a sign there weren’t enough rental properties in these areas to soak up demand from renters "When rental days on market are very low and declining it suggests that there is a shortage of available rental properties relative to demand to rent intensifying competition for available rentals and seeing them lease quickly after listing." Renters in Sydney are seeking more affordable properties with big decreases in days on market for units across the city’s west and south west particularly in suburbs where median rents are under $500 per week Units in Villawood lease about twice as fast as a year ago. This one-bedroom apartment is listed for $530 per week Houses are renting about twice as fast as a year ago in Kingsbury and Watsonia in Melbourne’s northeast and St Albans and Albanvale in the west Days on market have decreased significantly in Watsonia, where this three bedroom house is advertised for $500 per week Property manager Peter D’Aloia of Barry Plant St Albans said properties in the area were renting quicker due to a surge in demand amid falling supply but it’s still affordable compared to a lot of other areas and you’re still reasonably close to the city." Properties in affordable suburbs like St Albans in Melbourne's west are renting quicker than a year ago. This renovated three-bedroom house in St Albans is listed for $520 per week Many investors were selling as a result of higher interest rates Tenants with detailed applications and strong references would have the best success finding a home in a competitive market "Landlords are being more picky," he said "Owners are prepared to wait because they know there will be more people at the next open." This brand new townhouse in Stretton is listed for $750 per week Rental properties in the suburb are spending less time in the market amid heightened demand Demand has increased in pricey Perth suburbs like Swanbourne where this well-appointed five-bedroom home is listed for $2500 per week While conditions in the rental market have tightened across much of the country over the past year there are some suburbs where rental properties are staying on the market for longer than a year ago Ms Creagh said a reduction in days on market could be due to conditions easing after a period of intense competition amid a shortage on the market "When an area that previously had relatively low rental days on market experiences a normalisation it may indicate that local market conditions have shifted," she said "Conditions may have become more balanced with supply and demand more evenly matched." "There could also be more rental properties available easing competition which can see rental days on market increase as potential renters have more options." Properties are taking longer to rent in suburbs once popular with tree-changers, like Berry on the NSW south coast, where this two-bedroom house on a big block is advertised for $750 per week unaffordable rental prices may have caused a reduction in demand and an extension in the time it takes a rental property to lease "Rental prices may have increased during the period of low rental days on market reaching a point where the decline in rental affordability puts downward pressure on rental demand leading to a normalisation in rental turnover times." Many of the suburbs where properties are taking longer to rent are in areas just outside the capitals or on the coast where a surge of sea and tree changers during the pandemic drove extreme rental demand Houses are renting a little slower in southern highlands towns like Bundanoon where this renovated four-bedroom house is listed for $950 per week Conditions in many of these areas have normalised as demand shifted back to cities and it is difficult for many to find rentals with vacancy rates remaining a little over 1%," she said Southern highlands property manager Katie Schoonbeek of First National Real Estate Bowral said demand from people relocating from Sydney had eased recently causing properties to remain on the market longer "We used to get a large influx of Sydney people coming down they like to try before they buy," she said "I’m not seeing that as much now that they're having to go back to the office." The slowing demand had improved conditions for locals "I’ve had to reduce a few," she said "They’re not getting the high prices they were previously It’s definitely easier for locals now." An easing of the treechange trend has caused days on market for rental properties to increase in suburbs outside of Melbourne like Daylesford, where this renovated three-bedroom property is listed for rent The increase in days on market comes after these areas experienced strong demand in recent years as people looked for a lifestyle change outside the capitals "These trends have not reversed completely but have eased back to more average levels," Ms Creagh said third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. 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