A man has been charged and more than 300kg of illicit drugs have been seized following an investigation into large-scale drug supply across Sydney's south-west
Strike Force Grassy was established by officers attached to the Central Metropolitan Region Enforcement Squad (South) to target alleged known offenders involved in enhanced indoor cannabis cultivation
officers executed a search warrant about 8am yesterday (Tuesday 15 April 2025)
police seized 311kg of cannabis which has an estimated potential street value of $2,058,000
Police also located cocaine with an estimated potential street value of $125,700
Police arrested a 27-year-old man at the scene
He was taken to Fairfield Police Station where he was charged with three offences
supply prohibited drug – large commercial quantity
supply prohibited drug – commercial quantity
The man was refused bail and will appear before Fairfield Local Court today (Wednesday 16 April 2025)
Cabramatta Moon Festival 2023 won Best Multicultural Show/Event at the 2024 Western Sydney Tourism Awards
hosted by Western Sydney Tourism Taskforce NSW Inc
was a night to remember as industry leaders
government officials and tourism businesses came together to honour the best of the region's visitor economy
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If anyone were keeping tally of how many selfies had been taken with leaders throughout the 2025 election campaign
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kicked off his final week with a half-hour walk through the south-west Sydney suburb of Cabramatta
in one of the first public street walks done by either leader in this year’s campaign
It was replete with all the elements his team would have hoped for: babies
admiring passers-by and plenty of smartphones hoping to capture evidence of the prime minister crowded inside a media pack
Anthony Albanese was flooded with requests for selfies.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Both Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have steered clear of spontaneous visits to busy community centres while subject to tight security during this year’s election campaign as protesters and right-wing internet personalities gatecrashed early media appearances
But they are ramping up their schedules in the campaign’s final days. Dutton plans to visit 28 electorates before polling day and Albanese hit the hustings in the Sydney seats of Bennelong
after making his first visit to the Central Coast seat of Robertson earlier
It was a change of pace for the prime minister, whose previous two weeks had been characterised by low-key community events and intermittent public holidays rather than frenetic criss-crossing of the country
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton swung into a cafe in Cottesloe
But he sprung into stride on Monday as dozens of onlookers orbited his walk through Cabramatta
Albanese says he’s not complacent
He was warm with those who broke through the media pack to greet him; he happily obliged their photos; and he could not resist a jab at his opponent when he walked past Dutton Lane
a dead-end alley off Cabramatta’s main square
“It goes too far to the right and it doesn’t lead you anywhere,” Albanese said
But this joviality was not returned by everyone he encountered
A brief drop-in to a polling booth in the Liberal-held seat of Banks brought out some fury
With the political spectrum represented – this masthead observed an on-the-ground presence from the Liberals
Fatima Payman’s Australia’s Voice party and the Libertarians – it was
The prime minister was loudly heckled by Payman’s NSW Senate candidate
Another man in a van driving past yelled out: “You’re the reason we’re broke
“Hey Albo,” they shouted from their car window
before using an expletive – “you sick c---” – to give the prime minister a very Australian compliment
who was getting into the car at that moment
laughed loudly once inside – a sign that he was not offended
The residents of Fowler were more upbeat – again
given the electorate was safe Labor territory for decades
Labor hopes to regain Fowler from independent Dai Le
Labor is hoping to regain Fowler from popular independent Dai Le
who picked it up in a backlash to the party’s attempt to parachute former NSW premier Kristina Keneally into the seat
Albanese did his street walk on Monday with Labor hopeful Tu Le
the candidate overlooked in 2022 who is now contesting the seat
Punters watching the media circus in the heart of the shopping area said Labor had been asserting its presence in the area ahead of next weekend’s poll
in his most public appearance of the campaign
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter
in one of the first public street walks done by either leader in this year\\u2019s campaign
Both Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have steered clear of spontaneous visits to busy community centres while subject to tight security during this year\\u2019s election campaign as gatecrashed early media appearances
But they are ramping up their schedules in the campaign\\u2019s final days
and Albanese hit the hustings in the Sydney seats of Bennelong
It was a change of pace for the prime minister
whose previous two weeks had been and intermittent public holidays rather than frenetic criss-crossing of the country
a dead-end alley off Cabramatta\\u2019s main square
\\u201CIt goes too far to the right and it doesn\\u2019t lead you anywhere,\\u201D Albanese said
With the political spectrum represented \\u2013 this masthead observed an on-the-ground presence from the Liberals
Fatima Payman\\u2019s Australia\\u2019s Voice party and the Libertarians \\u2013 it was
The prime minister was loudly heckled by Payman\\u2019s NSW Senate candidate
Another man in a van driving past yelled out: \\u201CYou\\u2019re the reason we\\u2019re broke
\\u201CHey Albo,\\u201D they shouted from their car window
before using an expletive \\u2013 \\u201Cyou sick c---\\u201D \\u2013 to give the prime minister a very Australian compliment
laughed loudly once inside \\u2013 a sign that he was not offended
The residents of Fowler were more upbeat \\u2013 again
who picked it up in a backlash to the party\\u2019s attempt to parachute former NSW premier Kristina Keneally into the seat
Punters watching the media circus in the heart of the shopping area said Labor had been asserting its presence in the area ahead of next weekend\\u2019s poll
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ShareMay 2025 hit list See all stories.1 / 8Kreamu offers zesty sorbettos and Vietnamese-inspired gelato
Edwina Pickles2 / 8From left: Black sesame and Vietnamese yoghurt and sugarcane and calamansi sorbet.Edwina Pickles3 / 8Lychee tiramisu.Edwina Pickles4 / 8 Edwina Pickles5 / 8Vietnamese yoghurt.Edwina Pickles6 / 8Plum crush and coconut float.Edwina Pickles7 / 8 Edwina Pickles8 / 8Amy Phan
who makes the ice-cream and desserts.Edwina PicklesPrevious SlideNext SlideVietnamese$$$$
Kreamu in Cabramatta has the soul-reviving effect of a tropical holiday
thanks to its zesty sorbettos and Vietnamese-inspired gelato
The sugarcane and calamansi flavour has bracing lime shreds and roasted peanuts
and feels supercharged by a cheering surge of sunshine
It’s the most refreshing scoop I’ve tried this year
The dessert also freeze-frames an essential Cabramatta activity: grabbing a sugarcane juice from a nearby drink stand
“We wanted to capture that in a sorbetto form,” says Yvonne Huynh
who runs Kreamu with sister Chantelle and mother Amy Phan
Their dessert parlour opened in December in John Street
“Cabramatta is the heart of Vietnamese culture in Sydney,” says Yvonne
“That’s why it really made sense for us to start there.”
From left: Black sesame and Vietnamese yoghurt and sugarcane and calamansi sorbet.Edwina PicklesAdvertisementIt’s also logical in other ways
Walk through Cabramatta and the Asian grocers you pass are open-air perfume samplers of durian and other tropical ingredients you’ll find in Kreamu’s freezer cabinet
The shop’s colourful rows feature flavours such as pink dragonfruit and longan
light-gold jackfruit and other offerings in sunny shades
The full-blaze glow of passionfruit matches its wonderfully unrestrained flavour
Staff generously grant as many samples as you like
and it’s worth test-driving what’s on offer: do you prefer tangy tamarind and peanut
or the full-strength smokiness of Vietnamese coffee
but a Kreamu employee (who ranked it has her No.1 choice) talked me into it and I’m glad she did: the custardy
caramel-rich notes fully evoke the French-inspired dessert the Vietnamese turned into their own – banh flan
The same enthusiastic worker also swayed me into ordering the jackfruit sorbetto
and it was the most joyfully amped-up version of the ingredient I’ve ever tasted: the fruit’s funky bass notes are there
Lychee tiramisu.Edwina PicklesKreamu’s desserts are inspired by many family memories
from fruit platters served by grandma to their late grandfather’s caffeine habits
“We used to always steal sips of his coffee,” Chantelle recalls fondly
and came to Australia after the Vietnam War
Some of the menu showcases flavours Phan missed
such as after-school treats of ca ua (Vietnamese yoghurt)
Kreamu’s version is sweetened with mango-passionfruit puree and served in frozen plastic bags
Imagine an Asian remix of a Weis Bar with a Sunnyboy from the school canteen
If you associate black sesame with sweet Japanese lattes
Kreamu’s scoops are nuttier and more savoury
because they evoke a Vietnamese dessert soup called che me den
A sweetcorn flavour is inspired by a milky Vietnamese drink (sua bap) and pudding (che bap)
Colourful rows of flavours.Edwina PicklesIn March
Kreamu opened its second store in Marrickville
another area with a strong Vietnamese community (it’s also where the sisters grew up)
although Marrickville features more of the vegan sorbetto range
in which crushed ice is brightened with salted apricot preserve and the citrus tang of calamansi
I’ve tried to order the bo bia ngot (coconut crepes) from both shops
but they’re typically sold out – I’d love to know how they translate to ice-cream sandwich form
I’ve opted for the lychee tiramisu as a consolation prize in the meantime
it can offer a taste of home; for younger visitors
it’s a chance to explore roots they wish were stronger or discover Asian flavours they’re unfamiliar with
It can be a vital bridge across age groups
“We’ve had so many customers come with their grandparents on the weekend,” says Yvonne
“I think it’s the most beautiful thing to see.”
is interpreted in many colourful and theatrical ways here
The specials are worth trying (pina colada
but don’t miss the hazelnut and cafe au lait – it’s a permanent menu item for good reason
394 Sussex Street, Sydney, kakigorikaiji.com.au
Abu Hassan is known as Bubooza (“The Father of Ice-Cream”) and his stretchy, dense frozen desserts were perfected in Tripoli, Lebanon. You’ll find his booza at Shareefs: the chocolate flavour is fun
but the ashta (rosewater and orange blossom water) crumbled with pistachio is the standout
61 Majors Bay Road, Concord, shareefs.com.au
mega-sized cake or served inside garlic bread or a beetroot tart at the adjoining Erin wine bar
Gelato Messina’s headquarters offers all-encompassing (and hugely enjoyable) ways to get your frozen dessert fix
1 Rich Street, Marrickville, gelatomessina.com
This petrol-station food truck on Parramatta Road is serving some of Sydney’s best tacosThe lines are long, but Papi’s slow-cooked, spice-throbbing beef folded into cheesy tacos are worth the wait and messy hands.
This family-run cafe and pasticceria is an old Italian soul worth visitingIn a quiet suburban shopping strip, Maggio’s offers a cornucopia of maritozzi, sfogliatelle and excellent chicken schnitzel sandwiches.
A shocking display of racism almost brought a woman to tears as a man let loose with a tirade in one of the nation's most multicultural areas
A man was caught in a video posted to social media this week abusing staff at Daily Delicious Bakery 5 on Railway Parade in Cabramatta in Sydney's southwest.
A witness said the man approached the staff member preparing his drink and demanded: 'Take my order'.
The Vietnamese staff member politely explained that he would take the order after finishing the coffee he was currently making.
The witness said the racist Aussie reacted aggressively and threatened physical violence.
'The Australian man started cursing at him and threatening to punch him and do numerous other physical stuff,' the witness said.
In the video, the Aussie racist could be heard saying: 'I don't care where you are, you're in my country now.'
The Vietnamese worker initially tried to stay calm and avoid conflict, but eventually had enough of the threats and told the man to 'F*** off'.
But the Aussie racist didn't go away quietly.
'You f*** off. Talk to me like that, you spastic. You don't even belong here, what are you doing here,' he's heard saying.
'Smelly f***ing immigrant. I'll come back for you, c***. I'll come back.
The witness who shared the video on social media said he felt 'so bad because the Vietnamese old woman behind the counter looked like she was about to cry'.
'I'm 13 and I was terrified though because he said he would punch anyone who comes near him,' he said.
Aussies came to the bakery's support online after the video had nearly 100,000 views.
'Bogan with nothing better to do than complain,' one person wrote.
'It’s always these kinds of people that makes it hard for me to appreciate Australia,' another said.
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Real estate magnate Sam Arnaout has bought Sydney’s Cabramatta Hotel and the El Cortez Hotel in a deal worth more than $180 million
making them the most expensive pubs to change hands this year
the transaction brings the tally of Sydney metro pub sales to about $1 billion this year
when deal making surged after the worst of the pandemic passed
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Tu Le take photographs with members of the public during a visit to Freedom Plaza in the suburb of Cabramatta in the electorate of Fowler
Credit: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty ImagesFresh off winning the final debate
Anthony Albanese entered the last week of the election campaign ahead in the polls and with an air of confidence
but the Prime Minister appeared careful not to get too far ahead of himself as he spent Monday making local announcements
In a careful game of both offense and defence
it was one of the most colourful days of his campaign as Labor heads into the final sprint ahead of its opponent
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Get the NewsletterBy continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The bulk of their policy and pitch is out there for voters to see now
and the biggest task for the PM this week is to get the cohort of “soft”
currently held by Labor with a 2.2 per cent margin
then whichever party wins it this weekend will form Government
The electorate is also reeling from a horrific tragedy
after teenager Audrey Griffin was allegedly murdered last month
Domestic and family violence was top of mind for the PM as he announced $20m for a new women’s and children’s trauma recovery centre
The Coalition pledged the same — showing just how crucial this seat is to both side’s hopes of forming government
the PM went on a tour of marginal electorates
At a pre-poll centre in the ultra-marginal seat of Bennelong
held by Labor’s Jerome Laxale but now notionally Liberal after the redistribution
the PM was greeted by a throng of volunteers for both sides as he handed out “how to vote” cards
I’m the Prime Minister,” he told one bemused voter
one Liberal volunteer quipped: “It was sunny until he came along”
but Labor will be hoping it’s enough to swing some of the soft voters across the line
Held by shadow foreign affairs minister David Coleman
the seat hasn’t rated much of a mention this campaign
But the PM has made no secret of his dual tactics
He doesn’t want to just stem losses to the Coalition
If he is to avoid falling into minority Government
he was subjected to a lengthy spray by a candidate from Labor defector Fatima Payman’s new party
focusing instead on shaking hands with a young boy and speaking to a couple of voters
One - a “soft” voter leaning towards Labor — described the experience as being “surreal”
Increasingly, election campaigns have become very tightly managed and it’s rare for the leaders to interact with many “real”, unvetted people. Street walks have become few and far between — predominately because of security concerns.
As he walked through the iconic Freedom Plaza on Monday afternoon, Albanese’s large security contingent were close by as he was greeted like a rockstar.
He stopped in stores, posed for dozens of selfies, joked with a young boy about his oversized jumper (quipping: “you haven’t got any hands! Where are your hands?”), cuddled a baby and held up candidate Le’s hand defiantly in front of the iconic Pai Lau gate.
Albanese’s visit to Fowler in the last week, where every minute is crucial, shows that Labor hasn’t ruled out picking up seats.
Saturday will reveal whether it’s a gamble that’s paid off.
Latest EditionEdition Edition 5 May 20255 May 2025All-powerful Anthony Albanese says give me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T
A gathering of community and service providers as we come together to raise awareness of domestic violence
Gathering will be held at Cabravale Memorial Park on Friday 15 November from 10am - 1pm
10:00 am – Event will commence with a short speech by Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone.
10:15 am – Cabramatta High School will lead awareness walk around Cabravale Memorial Park
10:45 am – Cultural performances from Cabramatta High School and Fairfield Women's Health Service.
The following support services will be present on the day with information stalls:
From 11:30 am – Free community sausage sizzle delivered by South-West Sydney Men’s Shed.
Cabramatta Domestic Awareness Walk is supported by Cabramatta High School
and everyone is welcome to attend and show their support.
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was involved in some of Australia’s most intense gang operations
Deb was deployed to lead a gang task force in Cabramatta
The task force was low-budget and Deb didn’t have much experience to draw on at the time
so she decided to approach gang leaders of the 5T gang to find where to start
She said the gang at the time had an oddly “amicable” relationship with police
There was speculation that Tran wanted to move away from selling heroin
“He was concerned his own community would start using it
He could see the signs of the youngest street runners starting to taste the heroin,” Wallace told Crime Insiders
Those who relied on him for distribution saw it as a threat to their business Wallace said
Wallace approached gang leaders in the Cabramatta area
and told them about her newly-appointed position
“As much as I thought I knew this – I had been locking them up for five years – did I really understand them
So I went out and approached them,” Wallace said
so we are a snake without a head.’ But then they said
Three things will happen to us as senior gang members
go to jail because you used to do your job and lock us up
or if we’re lucky to survive the first two
but there’s always weeds to come through.“
The gang leaders referred to a younger generation of 5T members that were following in their footsteps
Wallace said the group originally came from refugee camps
were deciding not to go to school and their situation was worsening
“The challenge for you to stop the cycle is to give the ones coming through education
and then they go on not to do crime.“
Hear what Wallace did next on Crime Insiders, taking you beyond true crime
explore the world of policing and forensics through stories from the world’s most experienced and decorated experts
Get the latest updates direct to your inbox
A western Sydney man has been charged with six domestic violence offences after allegedly stalking
After responding to reports of a domestic violence incident in Cabramatta on Friday night
Fairfield police arrived at the Mallee Street home to find a 34-year-old woman with a stab wound in her back
Paramedics treated her at the scene before taking her to Liverpool Hospital
Fairfield police have arrested a 37-year-old man following an alleged stabbing.Credit: Nine News
Police arrested 37-year-old Ba Duy Le and took him to Fairfield Police Station
where he was charged with six offences including reckless wounding
Le appeared via audiovisual link in Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday afternoon wearing ripped jeans and a green prison-issued T-shirt
allegedly being choked by Le at the kitchen sink
He later told police that the pair were merely “play fighting”
Officers said when they arrived at the home
they found a knife in a puddle of spilt red wine
the sliding door was smashed and there was fruit scattered on the ground
Police prosecutor Chun Shieh told the court it was a “serious example of domestic violence”
who is originally from Vietnam and works as an excavator and lives in Australia on a bridging visa
offered up a $1000 surety that was not accepted by magistrate McGowan
“I think there is a huge possibility of failing to appear
I don’t think $1000 is going to cut it,” she said
He is due to appear at Fairfield Local Court January 20
a 23-year-old woman was also refused bail after she stood accused of stabbing another woman in the neck with a pair of scissors in Bidwell in Sydney’s west
Her legal aid solicitor told the court that the woman had a five-year-old daughter who was due to start school in a few weeks’ time
there seems to be an escalating history of violence,” magistrate McGowan remarked to the court
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter
He later told police that the pair were merely \\u201Cplay fighting\\u201D
Police prosecutor Chun Shieh told the court it was a \\u201Cserious example of domestic violence\\u201D
\\u201CI think there is a huge possibility of failing to appear
I don\\u2019t think $1000 is going to cut it,\\u201D she said
a 23-year-old woman was also refused bail after she stood accused of stabbing another woman in the neck with a pair of scissors in Bidwell in Sydney\\u2019s west
Her legal aid solicitor told the court that the woman had a five-year-old daughter who was due to start school in a few weeks\\u2019 time
there seems to be an escalating history of violence,\\u201D magistrate McGowan remarked to the court
Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories
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information for parents including how to choose a service and supporting your child for their transition to school
Skills NSW helps post high school students find courses in vocational training across a wide variety of industries and course providers
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Cabramatta Public School students were among the standout competitors at the Junior Australian Scrabble Championships
Cabramatta Public School students know how to get full value from their four-letter words
Students from the school were among the age group winners at the 2024 Junior Australian Scrabble Championships at Cabra-Vale Diggers Club on 25 August
The school took out the quinella in the U12 division at the championships
with Year 5 student Phi Long Ma the winner and Alvin Korn the runner-up
The school has an active Scrabble Club that recently attracted the attention of ABC 702 presenter
Mr Reucassel travelled to the school to record a video segment, which he posted to the ABC’s Facebook and Instagram platforms
All NSW participants at the championships attend public schools
is only 9 years old and defeated many older high school players in his run to the final
List of winners at the 2024 National Scrabble Championship
Year 4 – (U12 winner bumped up to overall 2nd)
U18: 1st - Nathan Tang - St John's Park HS
We recognise the Ongoing Custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live
We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge
We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education
Vung Tau Street Food is a Vietnamese food truck on the Hume Highway in Cabramatta
This unassuming location next to a car wash belies the food being made here
The food is cooked on charcoals within this small but mighty food truck and their signature is a southern Vietnamese speciality: banh khot crispy rice cakes
It had been 2 months since I last saw Monica
She had been overseas and we decided that our first adventure together after such a long time just had to be a fun adventure
She suggested Vung Tau food truck in Cabramatta and as soon as I saw the food on offer it was a resounding "YES!" from me
Vũng Tàu Street Food is named after the city in Southern Vietnam and their signature dish are these banh Khot rice cakes
In Vũng Tàu they are flatter and white in colour whereas elsewhere they are yellow from turmeric and have deeper cups
The food truck just celebrated its second birthday and it is run by Ly Tran and her family
Her sister stands at the charcoal grill (yes they have a charcoal grill in a small food truck!) and her aunt has just delivered a batch of food that she has prepared
The Vung Tau Street Food truck is located just near a car wash and an auto detailing business and there's a shaded eating area with tables and tiny chairs to perch on
We make our order at the truck asking for pretty much everything that catches our eye
They were also having a promotion where if you say "Happy Birthday" to them you get a 20% discount just for that week
Monica and I take a seat and don our coats and beanies as it is sunny but a bit chilly
Ly kindly brings us over a pot of tea to keep us warm which is such a sweet gesture
It is a pot of chrysanthemum tea with pandan leaves in it that keeps us perfectly warm
The first dish to arrive are the banh khot
crispy rice flour cakes typically found with prawn in them but here they have 5 varieties including a vegetarian version
Ly offered to make us a half batch of the two most popular; pork floss and Tom Prawns and then we also get a batch of the Dac Biet special rice cakes
These rice cakes come with nuoc mam which you can pour into each cup
They're wonderfully crisp and moreish and all very different in their own respective flavours
Pork floss is delicious but the classic prawn is too while the Bac Diet or special banh khot has prawns and squid with prawn powder on top so if you love seafoody flavours you'd probably like this
Ly also explains that when you cook banh khot on charcoal it gets much crispier than if you cooked it over gas
And even when I have another at the end of the meal
The next dish to arrive is the three tier bamboo stand which is a platter with a bit of everything
2x Pork sausage (nem nurong) and 3x pork (thit heo nuang) skewers
We both love the pork sausage wrapped in lettuce leaves with the vermicelli but Ly also brings out some rice paper for us to use too that is soft enough to eat without having to dip in water
Both Monica and I really like chickens feet and Ly explains that these are typically made with a sate that is a bit spicier but they make these milder for any kids that want them
Sate sauce in Vietnamese isn't like peanut satay
garlic and shallot paste that imparts big burst of flavour
The chicken's feet are split in half and cooked and then finished on the grill and on the side is a divine sauce made with condensed milk and Vietnamese sate sauce
It's so good that we buy two extra tubs of this each
I love Vietnamese charcoal grilled pork or cim suron nurong
It's one of the most comforting dishes especially when the pork is well seasoned with a nice sweet edge to it via the fish sauce and sugar marinade
The pork is on the bone and super juicy and really good with the rice but if I may
I'd suggest instead of the regular rice that you try pairing it with another type of rice
The Bamboo sticky rice is served in hollow bamboo and has pieces of coconut in it
This takes me back to travelling in Vietnam and China and the bamboo imparts a lovely aroma to the sticky rice
The rice goes perfectly with the pork and there are small pieces of coconut and the occasional bean in this satisyfingly chewy rice
The last savoury dish to arrive is the bbq corn on the cob or bap nep
The corn is so juicy and sweet it's almost reaching candy levels
It comes with sesame seeds and nuts and spring onions on top
We have one dessert which is pandan sticky rice that comes as crispy edged logs of pandan sticky rice with fresh coconut milk and fresh shredded coconut on top
It's a textural sensation and we love the pandan and coconut
do you have a favourite type of street food
https://www.instagram.com/vungtaustreetfood/?hl=en
home to celebrated grocers and restaurants
David Matthews shares the essential stops along John Street
ShareCabramatta’s recent history has been defined by migration
Italian and Yugoslav migrants were funnelled into the suburb
The hostels became the birthplace of a nascent Vietnamese community
driven by an influx of refugees fleeing the Vietnam War and the final abolition of the White Australia Policy in 1973
after another wave of migration in the ’90s
almost 38 per cent of Cabramatta’s 21,000 residents have Vietnamese heritage
But the restaurants and grocers in and around John Street also reflect the suburb’s large Chinese
Angie Hong, who ran Cabramatta’s Thanh Binh after buying the restaurant in the early ’90s, still visits the area regularly
Angie Hong outside UE Noodle restaurant in Cabramatta.Wolter PeetersThe former restaurateur (and, incidentally, mother of influential Merivale chefDan Hong)
says John Street has changed over the years
Pho Hien and Pho Phung are still there,” says Hong
Many of the original restaurants are now run by second-generation owners
newcomers continue to add new stories and new dimensions
which specialises in Hoi An-style chicken rice
Hughes Street and Arthur Street are all worth exploring
Step out of the station at breakfast and head
expect a bowl filled with handmade turmeric-tinted noodles in a pork and prawn broth
the accompanying lettuce and bean sprouts adding a refreshing element
Pro tip: Grab a bottle of first-press Hoang Gia Fish Sauce to take home too
Hoa Hung’s soft-set tofu pudding with ginger syrup.Jennifer SooAdvertisementHoa Hung TofuYou’ll see the crowds before you see the signage for Hoa Hung Tofu
spent most of his childhood in a Hong Kong immigration camp before arriving in Australia aged 15
but here at Ho’s second canary-yellow shop (the original is in Belmore) you can buy it fresh
fried or (the reason for those queues) as tau hu nuoc duong
soft-set tofu served with enough ginger syrup to drown in
42 John Street, hoahungtofu.com.au
Check the hot counter at Kaysone Sweets for Laotian snacks.Jennifer SooKaysone SweetsLook to your right and you’ll catch the ornamental Pai Lau gateway guarded by large bronze lions at the head of Freedom Plaza
Blenders behind the counter mean durian smoothies
and the build-it-yourself shaved ice desserts are a good time
but the hot counter – featuring Laotian snacks including banana fritters and sien savanh (traditional Laos sweet jerky) – is where it’s at
It’s a chance to order a tum mak hoong set too
Go for “B” and your spicy papaya salad will come with sticky rice
sien savanh and Lao sausage for good measure
Among the mint and perilla bunches at Always Greener
as well as sawtooth coriander and green mangoes galore
The Premium Meat Market is the place for pork belly
101-103 John StreetThe Premium Meat Market
Phnom Penh.Jennifer SooPhnom Penh Mini RestaurantSlip into Hong Kong Shopping Plaza and stop at A&A Cake Shop for a pork-filled pâté chaud
then loop back to the New World Centre and Phnom Penh Mini Restaurant
where members of the local Cambodian community fill tables
a rice noodle soup built on a base of pounded fish and aromats
97-99 John StreetPhnom Penh Mini Restaurant
Pho tai lan (Hanoi-style soup with wok-seared steak) at Huong Xua.Jennifer SooHuong XuaAdvertisementBy lunchtime
Skewer restaurants and bubble-tea shops draw young crowds
while grandmas set up stalls to sell lemongrass and fresh herbs
Apart from elegant northern-style pho tai lan
you’ll find com tam – Vietnam’s celebrated broken rice dish – while specials taped to the wall might include nom tai heo
a salad of pig’s ear that’s all about the crunch
Cafe Nho’s che nho featuring pandan and coconut jelly and red rubies over shaved ice
with coconut milk.Jennifer SooCafe Nho From Huong Xua
take a turn down Belvedere Arcade towards Cafe Nho
where locals congregate daily for Vietnamese coffee sweetened with condensed milk
while the Nguyen family’s che nho – a vibrant dessert featuring pandan and coconut jelly and red rubies over shaved ice
“drenched” in coconut milk – is unmissable
13 & 15 Belvedere Arcade, cafenho.com.au
beef and liver at Battambang II.Jennifer SooBattambang Restaurant IIOpposite
you’ll find the second outpost of Battambang
a Cambodian standby for Khmer cooking run by Soc Kieng Hua and her chef brother Khieng Hua Houch
expect crowds of all ages to flock for crisp chicken served on sweet-sour sauce
and delicate Phnom Penh noodles (dry or in broth) loaded with prawn
Pro tip: Don’t forget to ask for some of their secret sauce to take home
Sydney’s Com Ga Ba Nga Hoi An is adorned with pink bougainvillea.Jennifer SooCom Ga Ba Nga Hoi An SydneyTurn left onto John Street and you’ll find Com Ga Ba Nga Hoi An Sydney
The house signature is Hoi An-style chicken rice (com ga)
Whole birds are poached in turmeric-scented broth
then hand-pulled to order and served over rice infused with the stock
the house signature at Com Ga Ba Nga Hoi An.Jennifer Soo“There aren’t many restaurants from the middle of Vietnam – rather than the north or south – in Cabramatta
so I wanted to give the people something different,” says the restaurant’s director
The namesake dish comes with braised chicken offal – giblets
hearts – offset by a fresh green papaya salad
Viet Hoa Hot Bread is open all hours.Jennifer SooViet Hoa Hot BreadOpen 24/7
Viet Hoa stands out thanks to its safety-yellow menu board and cabinet filled with all the fixings to stuff into crusty rolls
Line up for banh mi thit and receive a baguette that’s juicy in the middle
with distinct hits of fish sauce and Maggi seasoning
Tan Viet Noodle House is best known for its chicken with shatteringly crisp skin.SuppliedTan Viet Noodle HouseWe’re reaching the end of the restaurant strip
the only real decisions to make are whether to go for the egg noodles or the tomato rice on the side – and when next to come back
100 John Street, tanviet.com.au
Spring rolls filled with sugar cane prawns and served with fresh herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce.Wolter PeetersPhu QuocHead around the bend, and spy Phu Quoc. Run by Hong’s former head chef Be Le, the restaurant pumps, its tables overflowing with pho and banh canh noodle soups, and com tam, Vietnam’s famous broken rice dish.
But it’s the spring rolls that take top billing, either glossy and crisp-fried, or served as the wrap-it-yourself rice-paper variety, filled with sugar cane prawns, perhaps.
Don’t miss the bo la lot either, which sees beef fried in betel leaves served with fresh herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce.
Almost two dozen residents have been evacuated from an apartment building in Sydney's south-west after the roof suddenly caved in
Emergency services rushed to the two-storey unit block on Myall Street in Cabramatta after the roof collapsed at 12.30pm on Wednesday
A NSW Ambulance spokesman said two people were assessed at the scene but did not require further treatment, with several treated for dust inhalation.
Fire and Rescue NSW said the building has sustained substantial damage. It is not yet known what caused the roof to collapse.
'Specialist FRNSW crews are assessing the extent of the damage to six two-level units within the complex,' a spokesperson said.
Fire and Rescue Superintendent Mat Sigmund told Daily Mail Australia there does not appear to be any external damage to the property.
He said fire crews had received reports the roof may have already been damaged before it collapsed.
A NSW Police spokeswoman said residents will not be allowed back into the unit block until it is cleared of further collapse and asbestos risk.
'Police have identified 13 residents, who needed to be relocated and have confirmed accommodation has been arranged,' the spokeswoman said.
Images from the scene showed the roof of the apartment building covered in large silver tarpaulins.
Several residents had gathered outside the apartment block after firefighters arrived and cordoned off the area.
Cladding from the roof had been ripped apart during the fall and debris and building materials has been scattered along a inner staircase.
Footage from the scene showed the street blocked off by a fire truck and other emergency service vehicles including a police car.
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Sydney
is like walking around Vietnam’s bustling streets (minus the humidity)
You’ll see elderly ladies hawking their lush
stalls selling fresh seafood just like at the wet markets
and excellent Vietnamese eateries dotted throughout
There’s also a ‘Hot Bread’ sign almost everywhere you look
meaning you are firmly in banh mi territory
a Cabramatta institution that has been knocking out authentic banh mi for more than three decades
Time Out tip: the roasted pork roll is only available after 6pm if you’re after more crunch
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has visited Cabramatta Public School on Friday morning alongside Labor’s candidate for Fowler Tu Le
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
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North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link]
Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders
a poet walks us through one of their works
Lang Leav reflects on tense trips to Cronulla beach in the 90s
But it was also a place of refuge’This article is more than 8 months oldEach week during Australian Poetry Month
I reflect on a quintessentially Australian pastime: a day at the beach
this ordinary activity could be fraught with tension
proved irresistible to teens seeking relief from the blistering heat of an Aussie summer
the beach had an undercurrent of danger well before the eruption of the 2005 riots
undeterred by the open hostility of the locals
Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning
After all, we were no strangers to peril, having grown up in a suburb dubbed as the drug capital of Australia. But for all its faults, Cabramatta was also a place of refuge and belonging – a contradiction I explore in my recent novel, Others Were Emeralds. Like my characters, my friends and I were regular teens, preoccupied with schoolwork, crushes and peer groups. Unlike typical teenagers, we were the children of refugees from war-torn countries who had suffered unimaginable horrors.
Free newsletterCatch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips
Read moreFor much of its terrifying reign
the Khmer Rouge destroyed photographs in an attempt to erase the past
I have never seen pictures of my parents before the war
I can only grasp fragments of my family’s history through the stories they tell
paints a vivid picture of his childhood home
the patch of dirt under his stilt house remained dry and barren until the monsoon came and the Mekong River swelled
A body of water would appear beneath him as if by magic
transforming his cherished boyhood home into an idyllic playground
I often imagine the ramshackle house on stilts
standing proud and sturdy before the devastation of Pol Pot and his killing fields
Australian Poetry Month runs throughout August and includes festivals, events, workshops and a commissioned poem of the day brought to you by Red Room Poetry. Find out more here
but these critics’ picks are among NSW’s most vital restaurants serving delicious food
ShareThis story appears in the SMH Good Food Guide Awards collection. See all stories.When The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2025 is published on November 12
it will contain 121 restaurants marked as a critics’ pick
the print publication would have to triple the number of these excellent places
from fish and chip shops in Lennox Head to cafes in Bondi and pubs in the Snowy Mountains
Unlike the Good Food Guide “chef’s hats” introduced in 1984, the critics’ pick is only in its second year. Marked by a tick symbol
it indicates a venue that we wholeheartedly recommend
They may not hit every metric in our traditional scoring system
but we can absolutely vouch for their delicious food and that each one is vital in its own way
are some of the most vital restaurants around
be they all-day spots in the regions listing taramasalata and wild-weed pie
pizza joints by beaches or even a drop-in drop-out Neil Perry establishment
these places add more texture and excitement to our dining scene
Alfie’s.Dexter KimAlfie’s A melee of CBD types packs Alfie’s for its promise to have its single main course on the table within 15 minutes
It’s complemented by a lively dining room and charcoal terrazzo bar
including essential hot chips with curry sauce
2/4-6 Bligh Street, Sydney, liquidandlarder.com.au/venues/alfies
14/20ReviewThis new chophouse promises steak on your table in 15 minutes – does it deliver in time?Deep-fried crispy pork casings at Battambang.Jennifer SooBattambang Run by brother and sister Soc Kieng Hua and Khieng Hua Houch
the twin Battambang restaurants are named after the Cambodian city in which the family has roots
served dry or with soup and customised to taste
while other favourites include crisp pork casings
and lemongrass-fragrant sweet-and-sour beef soup humming with turmeric
They are the most celebrated Khmer eating houses in Sydney for good reason
Bobbys is peak beachside dining in Cronulla.Edwina PicklesAdvertisementBobbys Cronulla Summer lovin’ doesn’t get much better than this
Perched on the edge of South Cronulla Beach
Or a spritz and grapefruit-laced kingfish ceviche
angle for a spot with a view of the boardwalk and watch the world go by
6R The Esplanade, Cronulla, bobbyscronulla.com.au
14/20ReviewThis breezy beachfront spot is all about relaxed summertime eating and drinkingCafe TanjaIf it weren’t for the other diners at Cafe Tanja
you might feel as if you’re in a north African home
Knick-knacks extend from embroidered cushions to a framed Zinedine Zidane football jersey (the Algerian connection) and
Sanah Djebli and Nadim El-Zein are characters in the small dining room
This is one of the city’s few places to get North African food: briny chicken tajines with more olives than a Turkish picnic; Algerian-style fried eggs spiced with cumin; and brittle brik pastry concealing potato
638 Crown Street, Surry Hills, instagram.com/cafetanjasurryhills
the house signature at Com Ga Ba Nga Hoi An.Jennifer SooCom Ga Ba Nga Hoi An The name Com Ga Ba Nga Hoi An gives a strong clue as to what’s on every table here: Hoi An-style com ga
the combination of gently poached and shredded chicken with sunshine-yellow turmeric rice
Chef Mori Hogashida making Gumshara’s signtature tonkotsu broth.James BrickwoodGumsharaMori Higashida moved Gumshara down the road in 2023
and the queue at his ramen bar only seems to have grown larger
Join the line and experience the unadulterated pleasure of his “number three” tonkotsu ramen
featuring incredibly giving slices of pork and an optional seasoned egg that’s essential
The dried fish-enhanced tonkotsu manages to pack in even more umami
and don’t forget extras from the self-serve table
9 Kimber Lane, Haymarket, gumshara.com
Ethiopian coffee service at Gursha.Jennifer SooGursha Ethiopian Husband and wife Yibeltal Tsegaw and Rahel Woldearegay opened Gursha in 2017
East African families regularly gather here for platters of injera covered in assorted wots
which appear like splodges on a painter’s palette
plus the yedoro wot featuring boiled eggs and long-simmered chicken legs
kitfo – finely chopped raw beef marinated in cardamom-infused butter – throbs with mitmita
3/115 Main Street, Blacktown, gurshaethiopian.au
14/20ReviewLaughter, music, spice: Rally a group for a hands-on feast instead of a weekend pub feedSteamed fish with coconut milk
fresh herbs and makrut lime leaf at Joe’s Table.James BrickwoodAdvertisementJoe’s Table For Joe Kitsana
He even welcomes BYO as an alternative to his good-value wine list
The food isn’t fancy and triggers nostalgia: crunchy spring rolls of chicken and black fungus
red curry of barbecue duck with apple eggplant
caramelised beef rib with pickled mustard greens and chilli
1/185A Bourke Street, Darlinghurst, joestable.com.au
with finely calibrated Korean fried chicken
Each piece is brined for days before being triple-fried
resulting in supercharged flavour and crunch
Fried chicken sandwich boxes come with chips and cooling pickled daikon – but you can also throw in some “fire” sauce for an eye-watering smack of heat
67 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale, instagram.com/joy.koreanfriedchicken
and they’re making sure you don’t leave hungry
Adobo-marinated chicken is bundled into a cheesy toasted flour burrito with black beans
while soft corn tacos are vividly flavoured and overflow with shredded beef ready for dipping in hot birria consomme
284 Bondi Road, Bondi, instagram.com/mamis.food.bondi
Nasi lemak at Medan Ciak.Christopher PearceMedan CiakSpecialising in the Malay-influenced cuisine of Medan
this CBD drawcard has been through several iterations since launching in 2016
undergoing two moves – first to Liverpool Street
then Sussex Street – then more recently opening a second outpost in Mascot
the fit-out is swisher and with so much clamour for banana-leaf-wrapped nasi bungkus on social media
long-simmered cassava leaves and sambal come standard
10/339 Sussex Street, Sydney, medanciak.com.au
Spencer Gulf king prawn cutlets with fermented chilli mayonnaise at Next Door.SuppliedNext Door It neighbours Margaret
but this sibling sketches out its own identity
Smoked oysters are spun into a heavenly dip
30-36 Bay Street, Double Bay, margaretdoublebay.com
Slowly but surely, Pocket Pizza is making the northern beaches a better place to eat pepperoni. What started as a Brooklyn-inspired bar and pizzeria in Manly is keeping a broad church of customers chuffed with margheritas in Brookvale and this snug candlelit pocket in Avalon
Come to share a bottle of easy-drinking red
vodka-sauce fusilli and the crumbled lamb sausage
eggplant and fresh mint-topped (ahem) Lamborghini pizza
1 Simmonds Lane, Avalon Beach, pocketpizza.com.au
the specials are scrawled in chalk behind the counter
with translucent potato noodles coiled in milk-white lamb broth
or a whole damn shank – with sweet-salty cumin on hand for sprinkling
6/380 Forest Road, Hurstville, facebook.com/shanglambsoup
Smoky Cravings’ line-up of barbecued meats.Dion GeorgopoulosSmoky Cravings It’s easy to see why Smoky Cravings
a one-time food truck now with four permanent sites
The menu balances well-known Filipino classics (try the barbecued
vinegar-sharpened chicken inasal) with plenty of deep cuts (batangas goto
a slow-cooked offal soup served over rice)
but we’re also big fans of the sweets at the counter
made locally by Sydney’s best Filipino bakers
1/20 Victoria Road, Parramatta, instagram.com/smokycravings
At this canary-yellow charcoal chook shop in Brunswick Heads
it’s all about the spinning birds – brined
bronzed and best enjoyed with chicken-salted chips and rich schmaltz gravy
You don’t want to miss the heartily buttered mashed spuds either
such as citrus-dressed charred broccoli scattered with peas and parmesan hum with freshness
Scoff it all on one of the stools provided or make a beeline to Brunswick River for a makeshift picnic
2/19 Booyun Street, Brunswick Heads, boprotisserie.com.au
Canteen’s spicy miso pork mince ramen with house-made black sesame paste and chilli oil.Supplied.CanteenThe bouldering gym and Capital Brewery have been attracting Canberrans to Fyshwick’s Dairy Road precinct for years
A mozzarella katsu sando splits into gooey strings
The pop shrooms – battered and fanned out – have serious yield
plus sake and small-production wines seal it
1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick, eatcanteen.com.au
Nick O’Leary Wines new cellar door and restaurant in Wallaroo.Lean TimmsHeywood Nick O’LearyAt Nick O’Leary’s lively winery restaurant
the polished concrete floor feels more inner city than something we’re used to finding in picturesque Hall Valley
A slab of seared Jersey-milk cheese from Marrickville’s Goldstreet Dairy
dolled up with compressed apple and fennel
is straight out of the modern Sydney wine bar playbook
duck breast and confit leg bolstered by a confident plum sauce makes a strong case for more Canberra District shiraz
149 Brooklands Road, Wallaroo, nickolearywines.com.au
Order at the counter and sit on the deck at The Salty Mangrove.Paul HarrisThe Salty Mangrove Surrounded by high tides and helmed by David Moyle
old Salty is for many things – coffee and Greek-style weed pie; a post-surf salad starring snapper wrapped in vine leaves; afternoon snacks featuring taramasalata with a dose of salted mullet roe
Then there’s kofta-ish lamb and buckwheat sausage stuffed into flatbread with marinated peppers
The kind of easy-going food that can easily lead to a three-hour lunch
50 River Street, New Brighton, thesaltymangrove.com
14/20ReviewThis relaxed shack’s fish sandwich is worth the eight-hour drive from SydneySundowners at Sunny’s Kiosk.SuppliedSunny’s Kiosk Perched on the water
It’s a seasonal destination (wine bar in summer
there’ll be beautiful food showcasing produce from neighbouring farms and fishermen
A charred zucchini and butterbean salad is punched up with preserved lemon and pine nuts
lumberjack cake and boat hire make lingering mandatory
68 Lakewood Drive, Merimbula, sunnyskiosk.com.au
The Good Food guide to Sydney’s best 20 bars, right nowCin, cin. It’s our annual list of the best gin joints, cantinas and cocktail lounges across town.
The finalists for the three biggest awards at the SMH Good Food Guide Awards, revealedThe line-up of finalists for the most coveted three awards in the Good Food Guide 2025 present a cheat sheet of the most exciting places to eat in the state.
Sydney’s cafe scene is the best and sunniest in the world. Here are our top 20We eat at restaurants, but we live in cafes. They get us going in the morning, act as settings for catch-ups and consistently soothe and surprise us.
One man has bought two of Sydney's biggest bars in a matter of months as he seeks to widen his business operations.
Sam Arnaout bought the Cabramatta Hotel in west Sydney and the El Cortez Hotel in Canley Heights in a deal worth close to $200 million.
The property billionaire purchased the venues for his Iris Capital operation which describes itself as a 'fully integrated development and hospitality group, driven by a passion for creating places people love'.
No exact dollar amount has been put on the sales as of yet but industry experts suggest that both were record-setting purchases in 2024.
HTL Property directors Andrew Jolliffe and Dan Dragicevich negotiated the sales of both hotels.
Mr Arnaout, who lives near Manly in the city's east, is a former panel beater who gained his $2.5billion net worth by purchasing hotels and developing properties.
The Cabramatta Hotel and the El Cortez Hotel are the latest in a long line of properties that Mr Arnaout now owns.
Others include the Steyne Hotel which he purchased for $65million and the Ivanhoe Hotel which are both in Manly.
Mr Arnaout now handles commercial and residential properties in both NSW and Queensland.
'Whilst Iris Capital operates on a national hospitality and development footprint; large format Sydney suburban hotels remain very attractive to our company,' he said.
The Cabramatta Hotel and the El Cortez Hotels have a combined 17,000sqm of commercial property which is ripe for development, Mr Arnaout added.
Redcape managing director Chris Unger, who formerly operated both hotels, said their sale will help his business going forward.
'The divestments will provide Redcape with capital to continue its redeployment into other opportunities in line with the fund's stated strategy,' Mr Unger said.
Mr Dragicevich said the sale of the property was easy as it was already a well-known hotel.
He added the fact that both it and the Cabramatta are on two separate land holdings 'adds materially to the additional use options from a development perspective'.
His colleague, Mr Jolliffe, said the sale of these latest hotels pushed Sydney hotel sales dollar value to $1billion in 2024 which is equal with the record set in 2022.
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Check out some of the photos below.LNY Cabramatta (Ashley Mar)
fun and practical.Get the latest with our podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.Watch on SBSSBS On Demand
Dramatic video footage has emerged of police and neighbours attempting to save the life of a man with links to the underworld after he was shot in a “targeted” daylight attack
with an alleged getaway car set ablaze in Sydney’s west
31-year-old David Khou left his home on St Johns Road in Cabramatta West and entered his car when an unknown person approached from Sutherland Street and shot him multiple times through the window
Police say Khou has links to Asian organised crime groups and the illicit drug trade
A man has been arrested and charged in relation to the shooting
Multiple neighbours said they heard three loud gunshots and saw Khou run from the car as he bled out
Video footage taken by a neighbour showed locals crowded around the man
including one with military experience and a first aid kit
attempting to stem the blood flow from gunshot wounds in his arms and abdomen before police and paramedics took over
A neighbour who asked to remain anonymous said he was standing outside when a man ran out of his car and started shooting at Khou
“I had to get my kids inside because I was scared he might shoot us,” he said
“[Khou] crossed the road and just collapsed … I was horrified … He was losing a lot of blood and it was too much for us to handle.”
Khou succumbed to his injuries in his neighbour’s front yard as the alleged shooter drove away at speed
Despite the best efforts of paramedics he could not be revived
Neighbour Karuina Wondeng said he ran out of his house after hearing gunshots
“He ran past looking for help … there was a lot of blood,” he said
A short time later in the nearby suburb of Wakeley a white Audi was found well alight on Bathurst Street
Police believe the car was used as part of the alleged targeted shooting
Police also identified a grey Jeep Cherokee they believe was used in the shooting
The car was intercepted on Monday morning in Cecil Hills and the driver
More than a dozen police also searched a house in Yass Close about 8.30am
On Monday afternoon the 33-year-old was charged with accessory after the fact to murder
and for refusing to disclose his identity as a driver
Police allege he was driving one of the getaway cars used in the shooting
Homicide squad commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said it was most likely that the shooting came down to the same motive seen in organised crime killings across Sydney: “drugs and greed”
“[In] any involvement in criminal activity and organised crime networks we’ve seen
people don’t always lead the high life and have the bling,” he said
“There’s always consequences if you’re going to be involved in organised crime networks
and we see it over and over again; they end up dead on the street in Sydney.”
a covert police operation has been working to dismantle organised crime networks with links to Asia under task force Lupin
More than $10 million worth of drugs have been seized and 33 people arrested
who police allege had connections to home invasions
kidnappings and firebombings carried out in pursuit of controlling the illicit drug trade in Sydney
Police said conflicts involving organised crime groups from Asia has been escalating in south-west Sydney
Police have asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter
Dramatic video footage has emerged of police and neighbours attempting to save the life of a man with links to the underworld after he was shot in a \\u201Ctargeted\\u201D daylight attack
with an alleged getaway car set ablaze in Sydney\\u2019s west
\\u201CI had to get my kids inside because I was scared he might shoot us,\\u201D he said
\\u201C[Khou] crossed the road and just collapsed \\u2026 I was horrified \\u2026 He was losing a lot of blood and it was too much for us to handle.\\u201D
Khou succumbed to his injuries in his neighbour\\u2019s front yard as the alleged shooter drove away at speed
\\u201CHe ran past looking for help \\u2026 there was a lot of blood,\\u201D he said
Homicide squad commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said it was most likely that the shooting came down to the same motive seen in organised crime killings across Sydney: \\u201Cdrugs and greed\\u201D
\\u201C[In] any involvement in criminal activity and organised crime networks we\\u2019ve seen
people don\\u2019t always lead the high life and have the bling,\\u201D he said
\\u201CThere\\u2019s always consequences if you\\u2019re going to be involved in organised crime networks
and we see it over and over again; they end up dead on the street in Sydney.\\u201D
with property billionaire Sam Arnaout snapping up two venues
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Candidate passed over in 2022 when former Labor senator Kristina Keneally was parachuted into seat before losing to independent Dai Le
Labor has set up the electoral battle for Fowler that could have taken place in 2022, announcing Tu Le as its candidate to take on the popular independent Dai Le
Tu Le was considered the shoo-in for preselection in the western Sydney seat
having won the backing of the former long-term Labor MP Chris Hayes before his retirement ahead of the last election
But backroom Labor powerbrokers parachuted in the former Labor senator Kristina Keneally in a bid to avoid a Senate preselection stoush between Keneally and her former Labor right colleague Deborah O’Neill
Keneally did not live in the electorate and the decision to pass over the Vietnamese Australian lawyer was seen as Labor ignoring the area’s diversity – at the time of the election
at least 16% of the electorate had Vietnamese ancestry
The backlash resulted in an 18.5% swing against Labor in the safe seat
and Dai Le became the first non-Labor representative in the electorate’s history
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Anthony Albanese has jumped in early to establish Tu Le as Labor’s candidate
No journalist at the Friday press conference announcing Tu Le’s Labor candidacy asked about the 2022 events, but Albanese was keen to push her ties to the area in his introduction.
“She lives here in Mount Pritchard,” he said.
“She is someone who is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. I’ve met her parents and her family, and they have lived in this community for a long period of time. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, a lawyer who currently works at a community legal centre. Tu also has extensive community experience, including advocating for exploited migrant workers, and as the co-founder of a local social enterprise.
“She lives locally with her husband, Kelvin, her son, Boston, and her dogs, Cleo and Kebab. We should have brought them along today.”
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Read moreTu Le said the people of Fowler “deserve a voice in the Labor government”
“I think my personal lived experiences have led me to dedicate my life to advocating for the needs of the community
and I am very excited to be the Labor candidate for Fowler to continue fighting for my community and standing up for our rights and values,” she said
The government has taken a constructive approach to dealing with members of the crossbench
although she is not part of the teal independent group
Dai Le has focused her questions to the government on the differences in infrastructure spending in western Sydney and the cost-of-living pressures her community has felt
While Dai Le holds Fowler with a 1.6% margin, Labor does not consider the seat to be an easy gain, with independent MPs often seen as better reflecting community needs and desires as they don’t carry the complications of party politics
and renewal in many Southeast Asian cultures
and a careful approach to life's challenges
As we gather for the 2025 Cabramatta Lunar New Year Festival
Join us for a vibrant celebration filled with cultural performances
and activities that honour the rich heritage of the Lunar New Year and the meaningful symbolism of the Snake
Click here to watch footage from Cabramatta Lunar New Year 2024
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Arrive early, slip through the rows of tables and prepare to enjoy bold (and very hands-on) Vietnamese classics at this unassuming but stellar local.
Dishes come out fast and furious, and are devoured just as efficiently by tables packed with friends and families. Spring rolls – scorchingly hot and shatteringly crisp – are a must, while deep-fried quails feature delicate, gamey meat beneath crisp skin.
Steaming bowls of banh canh cha ca, with fish cakes, faintly sweet broth and a swirl of fat among slippery noodles are inhaled in no time, but it’s the sugar cane prawns, fluffy and finely minced, that take pride of place on most tables, set to be snipped up with kitchen shears and eaten with soup or vermicelli and herbs.
Phu Quoc isn’t a place to linger, but when John Street’s other wonders are just around the corner, why would you?
ReviewPhu Quoc's spring rolls: get them while they're hotContinue this series
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