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) Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A man stabbed to death during a brawl on Chapel Street in the early hours of Sunday has been identified as 30-year-old father Ruka Carlson A witness described how he and others tried to save Carlson as he was “bleeding everywhere” on the ground near the corner of Chatham Street which at the time was busy with revellers enjoying the Easter long weekend was stabbed to death on Chapel Street on Sunday morning.Credit: Instagram was on a night out in Prahran with friends when he saw a large group of people surrounding Carlson who was from Mickleham in Melbourne’s north “I was really worried because the guy was bleeding badly .. we took his top off to see where he was bleeding from so we could put pressure on it.” Emergency services arrived just after 1.30am Police said the victim had been in a fight involving up to six men outside a licensed venue before he was chased and stabbed several times He was treated by paramedics but died before he reached hospital Nightclub industry sources speaking on the condition of anonymity said an altercation with a gun involving Carlson and other patrons broke out at Love Machine before the 30-year-old was chased along Chapel Street and stabbed Love Machine was the scene of a fatal drive-by shooting in 2019 when Jacob Elliott – son of late crime boss Nabil Maghnie – fired shots outside the nightclub killing two people and injuring three others Elliott was handed a life sentence in 2022 over the attack Al said he saw the group of men involved in Sunday’s stabbing run along Chapel Street towards Commercial Road afterwards Abz Al said he and others tried to help Carlson as he was bleeding on the ground.Credit: Chris Hopkins They should get locked up because you can’t kill someone take someone’s life in the middle of the street,” he said Tributes for Carlson began to flow on social media on Sunday afternoon “RIP my brother,” one tribute shared online read Carlson was stabbed outside a licensed venue after being chased by a group of men Police said he was known to them.Credit: Instagram Police are yet to arrest anyone over the killing Images of Carlson shared on social media show the heavily tattooed 30-year-old cuddling his children posing with his partner in traditional Maori dress and sitting with a friend at a venue on Chapel Street just two days before the stabbing Detective Acting Inspector Chris Ellway said the victim was known to police but it was not yet clear if he had any affiliations with organised crime or gangs Carlson had been due to appear in Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court next month Forensic police combed the scene.Credit: Chris Hopkins “I don’t think it was a random attack … but we’re still trying to work out what the circumstances are,” Ellway said at a press conference on Sunday morning Forensic investigators at the scene were seen removing a glass bottle which police believe was used in the attack It is unknown whether it was the source of the fatal stab wounds Police also seized what looked to be a firearm which Ellway said was still being analysed to determine whether it was genuine or an imitation It took police some time to tape off the crime scene due to the sheer number of people on the street Police officers on Chapel Street on Sunday morning.Credit: Chris Hopkins “No one wants to see violence when they come out for a good night out with their friends and family,” Ellway said and cars driving up and down the street … Police had some difficulties trying to contain what is quite a large scene on a busy street.” Spatters of blood could be seen on the road as forensic investigators combed the scene Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV/dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Get alerts on significant breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. A man stabbed to death during a brawl on Chapel Street in the early hours of Sunday has been identified as 30-year-old father Ruka Carlson. A witness described how he and others tried to save Carlson as he was \\u201Cbleeding everywhere\\u201D on the ground near the corner of Chatham Street, which at the time was busy with revellers enjoying the Easter long weekend. Abz Al, 31, was on a night out in Prahran with friends when he saw a large group of people surrounding Carlson, who was from Mickleham in Melbourne\\u2019s north. \\u201CThe guy was on the ground, bleeding everywhere, so we tried to help,\\u201D he said. \\u201CI was really worried because the guy was bleeding badly ... we took his top off to see where he was bleeding from so we could put pressure on it.\\u201D Emergency services arrived just after 1.30am. Police said the victim had been in a fight involving up to six men outside a licensed venue before he was chased and stabbed several times. He was treated by paramedics but died before he reached hospital. Nightclub industry sources speaking on the condition of anonymity said an altercation with a gun involving Carlson and other patrons broke out at Love Machine before the 30-year-old was chased along Chapel Street and stabbed. The weapon may have been a bottle, according to the sources. Love Machine was the scene of a , when Jacob Elliott \\u2013 son of late crime boss Nabil Maghnie \\u2013 fired shots outside the nightclub, killing two people and injuring three others. Elliott was handed a life sentence in 2022 over the attack. Al said he saw the group of men involved in Sunday\\u2019s stabbing run along Chapel Street towards Commercial Road afterwards. \\u201CThey should be in jail. They should get locked up because you can\\u2019t kill someone, take someone\\u2019s life in the middle of the street,\\u201D he said. Tributes for Carlson began to flow on social media on Sunday afternoon. \\u201CRIP my brother,\\u201D one tribute shared online read. \\u201CYou made a lasting impact on me, I love you.\\u201D Police are yet to arrest anyone over the killing. Images of Carlson shared on social media show the heavily tattooed 30-year-old cuddling his children, posing with his partner in traditional Maori dress, and sitting with a friend at a venue on Chapel Street just two days before the stabbing. Detective Acting Inspector Chris Ellway said the victim was known to police, but it was not yet clear if he had any affiliations with organised crime or gangs. Carlson had been due to appear in Heidelberg Magistrates\\u2019 Court next month, according to court records. \\u201CI don\\u2019t think it was a random attack \\u2026 but we\\u2019re still trying to work out what the circumstances are,\\u201D Ellway said at a press conference on Sunday morning. Forensic investigators at the scene were seen removing a glass bottle, which police believe was used in the attack. It is unknown whether it was the source of the fatal stab wounds. Police also seized what looked to be a firearm, which Ellway said was still being analysed to determine whether it was genuine or an imitation. It took police some time to tape off the crime scene due to the sheer number of people on the street. \\u201CNo one wants to see violence when they come out for a good night out with their friends and family,\\u201D Ellway said. \\u201CIt was a busy time, there was a lot of people walking, and cars driving up and down the street \\u2026 Police had some difficulties trying to contain what is quite a large scene on a busy street.\\u201D Spatters of blood could be seen on the road as forensic investigators combed the scene. Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV/dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or . Get alerts on significant breaking news as it happens. . 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. Thanks for reading our coverage of the Werribee and Prahran byelections. This is where we’ll leave it for tonight. As it stands, both seats are too close to call and counting is expected to continue on Monday morning, but we’ll bring you the latest updates and reactions on Sunday. In Werribee, Labor holds a slender lead on a two party preferred basis, with candidate John Lister at just over 50 per cent at 11.30pm. But pre-poll votes are yet to be counted in the seat that Labor has held since 1979. “It’s very, very tight, it’s going down to the wire,” Premier Jacinta Allan told supporters on Saturday night. In Prahran, the Liberal Party has edged in front on a two candidate preferred basis, but the seat is also too close to call. Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway has more than 51 per cent of the two party preferred vote, with about two-thirds of the ballots counted. The VEC just issued an 11pm update on the count in Werribee. With almost 75 per cent of votes counted, Liberal candidate Steve Murphy had his nose in front with just over 29 per cent of first preference votes, while Labor’s John Lister had more than 28 per cent. Independent candidate Paul Hopper had almost 15 per cent. On a two candidate preferred basis, Lister was leading with almost 53 per cent. There was no change to the Prahran numbers where, with about two-thirds counted, Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo and Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway locked at 36 per cent of the primary vote. At the latest update, Westaway was ahead on a two party preferred basis with almost 52 per cent. Almost 13 per cent have voted for independent Tony Lupton. This has been a humbling night for the Victorian Labor Party. Premier Jacinta Allan and her government expected Werribee to send them a message, but their ears will be fairly ringing for weeks and months to come. Jacinta Allan arriving at Labor’s election night bash. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui The size of the final swing against Labor is not yet known, nor whether its candidate, local teacher John Lister, can hang onto a seat that hasn’t been in Liberal hands since 1979. But if the pattern of the votes counted so far is indicative of what’s to come, voters have abandoned Labor in greater numbers than at any byelection since the Andrews government came to power 10 years ago. The problem for the Liberals, if they end up losing the seat on preferences, is that not enough of these same voters bought what they are selling, nor who they chose to sell it. Allan addressed party supporters just after 10pm at the Werribee Centrals Cricket Club and was humble in the face of a stinging voter backlash. “I am listening, my government is listening,” she said. “Whatever the result tonight, we must remember what we are fighting for, who we are fighting for.” Her remarks suggest that Allan and the Victorian Labor Party understand this is more than a customary byelection touch-up in a long held, safe Labor seat. Neither Werribee nor her government are safe now. Yet-to-be counted pre-poll votes could benefit the Liberal Party in Werribee as Labor sits slightly ahead after more than half the votes have been counted, says ABC election analyst Antony Green. “At the moment, if it’s just on the polling day votes, the Labor Party could probably get over the line. But there’s pre-polls to come, which normally don’t favour the Labor Party,” Green told ABC News. “And that’s why I think the premier is not prepared to call the result. They [Labor] may have seen scrutineers’ figures, but we are yet to see any numbers.” Green also said Prahran was coming down to the wire, with the Liberal Party in a slightly stronger position. “Prahran looks like the Liberals have a reasonable chance of picking it up,” said the election specialist. “At the moment, the Liberal party is ahead, but they’re not ahead by far enough to be able to call it. “At the end of the night, both seats remain in doubt. The Liberals are ahead in Prahran and it’s probably Labor ahead slightly in Werribee, but we’re really not sure because we haven’t seen the pre-poll vote counts.” The vote count in Werribee is still too close to call tonight, though Labor might be breathing just a little easier with slightly more than half of the vote counted. The Victorian Liberals have wrapped up proceedings at their gathering for the party faithful at Wolf on Watton, a bar overlooking a beautiful bend in the Werribee River, but have not conceded defeat. Deputy leader Sam Groth told the room Labor had suffered a strong swing in Werribee and the Liberals were still a chance to gain the seat for the first time since the 1970s. “We haven’t given up tonight,” Groth said. “We know there’s huge amounts of pre-poll numbers [to be counted]. “The swing that we’ve seen though, the swing that we’ve seen away from the government tonight, if we replicate that in 21 months’ time, we will see a change in government in Victoria.” Labor has edged slightly further ahead with 51 per cent of the votes counted. John Lister has 52.72 per cent of two-party preferred votes; Steve Murphy has 47.28 per cent. Groth conceded that the Liberals had disregarded the west in the past and said the party needed to work hard to demonstrate to voters in the west that they care, if they are to win government at the next state election. “The west is somewhere that we haven’t spent a lot of time as a party, and haven’t put a lot of effort into over a period of time. “The effort that we’ve seen, from not just the parliamentarians, from our grassroots members, from the supporters, from the donors, to come out and show that we really care about people in western Melbourne … you have our commitment that we are 100 per cent going to be back here. “We know that the west is part of our path to government in 2026.” Werribee candidate John Lister also took to the stage to praise the community bonds he’s discovered after knocking on thousands of doors. “We knew it was going to be a close count. But this might be longer than we expected,” Lister said. Premier Jacinta Allan, left, and Labor candidate for Werribee John Lister. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui “This was never going to be an easy election, and I was never going to take it for granted. “The community has grown a lot in the last 10 years. What we cannot forget is that these communities out here rely on Labor governments – strong, reforming Labor governments – governments who deliver for them. “While we’ve made a lot of progress out here, it’s clear that the community wants and needs more. That’s the message that they’ve sent tonight.” Premier Jacinta Allan has taken to the stage at Labor’s byelection function in Werribee. “There is still a way to go,” she says, referring to the fact that there is no result as of 10pm. “It’s very, very tight. It’s going down to the wire.” The premier added that byelections are a tough ask for any government and an opportunity for communities to “tell us how we’re feeling”. “I am listening. My government is listening,” Allan said. A mishap at the Victorian Electoral Commission’s early voting centre has left the Werribee byelection too close to call. A leak in the roof has delayed counting of pre-poll and postal votes, leaving just one third of votes counted by 10pm. Premier Jacinta Allan warned that the byelection remained tight and would likely go down to the wire. Greens MP Ellen Sandell has called on Greens volunteers to sign up to scrutineer on Monday morning, saying it’s too close to call tonight. “We need to make sure every vote for Angelica [Di Camillo] counts,” Sandell said. “But it is on a knife’s edge. “Prahran is always a really tightly held race. We need to make sure that here in Prahran that every single person who casts their vote is counted.” With thunderous applause, Di Camillo said there needed to be more voices outside the major parties and “nothing changes if nothing changes”. “Right now we are seeing a lot of disenfranchisement from young people, but all you have to do is lookout into the crowd and see … young people will get involved if they are fighting for the issues they care about. “I have so much pride and gratitude for all of you. We have won Prahran on a knife’s edge before and we can do it again.” The Liberal Party has just edged ahead ever so slightly in Prahran. As we’ve already mentioned, this seat will be go down to preferences and both the Liberals and the Greens are expecting this one to be very tight. Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway, at 9.45pm, was now ahead on a two-party preferred basis at 50.84 per cent over the Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo. This could keep changing as more votes are counted. Both the frontrunners have a primary vote of about 36 per cent. This is where we\\u2019ll leave it for tonight. As it stands, both seats are too close to call and counting is expected to continue on Monday morning, but we\\u2019ll bring you the latest updates and reactions on Sunday. \\u201CIt\\u2019s very, very tight, it\\u2019s going down to the wire,\\u201D Premier Jacinta Allan told supporters on Saturday night. With almost 75 per cent of votes counted, Liberal candidate Steve Murphy had his nose in front with just over 29 per cent of first preference votes, while Labor\\u2019s John Lister had more than 28 per cent. Independent candidate Paul Hopper had almost 15 per cent. The size of the final swing against Labor is not yet known, nor whether its candidate, local teacher John Lister, can hang onto a seat that hasn\\u2019t been in Liberal hands since 1979. But if the pattern of the votes counted so far is indicative of what\\u2019s to come, voters have abandoned Labor in greater numbers than at any byelection since the Andrews government came to power 10 years ago. \\u201CI am listening, my government is listening,\\u201D she said. \\u201CWhatever the result tonight, we must remember what we are fighting for, who we are fighting for.\\u201D \\u201CAt the moment, if it\\u2019s just on the polling day votes, the Labor Party could probably get over the line. But there\\u2019s pre-polls to come, which normally don\\u2019t favour the Labor Party,\\u201D Green told ABC News. \\u201CAnd that\\u2019s why I think the premier is not prepared to call the result. They [Labor] may have seen scrutineers\\u2019 figures, but we are yet to see any numbers.\\u201D \\u201CPrahran looks like the Liberals have a reasonable chance of picking it up,\\u201D said the election specialist. \\u201CAt the moment, the Liberal party is ahead, but they\\u2019re not ahead by far enough to be able to call it. \\u201CAt the end of the night, both seats remain in doubt. The Liberals are ahead in Prahran and it\\u2019s probably Labor ahead slightly in Werribee, but we\\u2019re really not sure because we haven\\u2019t seen the pre-poll vote counts.\\u201D \\u201CWe haven\\u2019t given up tonight,\\u201D Groth said. \\u201CWe know there\\u2019s huge amounts of pre-poll numbers [to be counted]. \\u201CThe swing that we\\u2019ve seen though, the swing that we\\u2019ve seen away from the government tonight, if we replicate that in 21 months\\u2019 time, we will see a change in government in Victoria.\\u201D \\u201CThe west is somewhere that we haven\\u2019t spent a lot of time as a party, and haven\\u2019t put a lot of effort into over a period of time. \\u201CThe effort that we\\u2019ve seen, from not just the parliamentarians, from our grassroots members, from the supporters, from the donors, to come out and show that we really care about people in western Melbourne \\u2026 you have our commitment that we are 100 per cent going to be back here. \\u201CWe know that the west is part of our path to government in 2026.\\u201D Werribee candidate John Lister also took to the stage to praise the community bonds he\\u2019s discovered after knocking on thousands of doors. \\u201CWe knew it was going to be a close count. But this might be longer than we expected,\\u201D Lister said. \\u201CThis was never going to be an easy election, and I was never going to take it for granted. \\u201CThe community has grown a lot in the last 10 years. What we cannot forget is that these communities out here rely on Labor governments \\u2013 strong, reforming Labor governments \\u2013 governments who deliver for them. \\u201CWhile we\\u2019ve made a lot of progress out here, it\\u2019s clear that the community wants and needs more. That\\u2019s the message that they\\u2019ve sent tonight.\\u201D Premier Jacinta Allan has taken to the stage at Labor\\u2019s byelection function in Werribee. \\u201CThere is still a way to go,\\u201D she says, referring to the fact that there is no result as of 10pm. \\u201CIt\\u2019s very, very tight. It\\u2019s going down to the wire.\\u201D The premier added that byelections are a tough ask for any government and an opportunity for communities to \\u201Ctell us how we\\u2019re feeling\\u201D. \\u201CI am listening. My government is listening,\\u201D Allan said. \\u201CWe have to do more and we will.\\u201D A mishap at the Victorian Electoral Commission\\u2019s early voting centre has left the Werribee byelection too close to call. Greens MP Ellen Sandell has called on Greens volunteers to sign up to scrutineer on Monday morning, saying it\\u2019s too close to call tonight. \\u201CWe need to make sure every vote for Angelica [Di Camillo] counts,\\u201D Sandell said. \\u201CBut it is on a knife\\u2019s edge. \\u201CPrahran is always a really tightly held race. We need to make sure that here in Prahran that every single person who casts their vote is counted.\\u201D With thunderous applause, Di Camillo said there needed to be more voices outside the major parties and \\u201Cnothing changes if nothing changes\\u201D. \\u201CRight now we are seeing a lot of disenfranchisement from young people, but all you have to do is lookout into the crowd and see \\u2026 young people will get involved if they are fighting for the issues they care about. \\u201CI have so much pride and gratitude for all of you. We have won Prahran on a knife\\u2019s edge before and we can do it again.\\u201D The Liberal Party has just edged ahead ever so slightly in Prahran. As we\\u2019ve already mentioned, this seat will be go down to preferences and both the Liberals and the Greens are expecting this one to be very tight. Play Duration: 6 minutes 18 seconds6m Brought to you by Prahran is an old part of Melbourne with a storied history. It has working class origins and was home for many new migrants who had come to Australia from far flung corners of the globe.   You remembered the department stores, long days at the market, op-shopping and the nightlife. Have a listen to Warwick Brown from Greville Records who has been selling vinyl in the suburb for forty years and has seen it change over the decades.  Prahran Market has been on Commercial Road, Prahran since 1891. (ABC News: Daryl Torpy) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio An environmental engineer originally picked to run in the now-abolished federal seat of Higgins has been chosen as the Victorian Greens’ candidate in the state seat of Prahran The party has announced Angelica Di Camillo will run for the Greens in the coming byelection, which was triggered by the resignation of Greens MP Sam Hibbins, who admitted to a relationship with a staffer Angelica Di Camillo will stand for the Greens in the Prahran byelection.Credit: Elke Meitzel “As a young person living in St Kilda East I know our community is struggling,” Di Camillo said young people have given up on the dream of ever owning a home and they’re worried about the climate.” Working as an environmental engineer, Di Camillo was picked by the party to run in Higgins at the next federal election, but the Australian Electoral Commission abolished the electorate in a redistribution Di Camillo said the stakes were high in Prahran as Labor’s decision not to field a candidate effectively made the poll a contest between the Greens and the Liberal Party and we deserve a progressive voice in parliament who fights to cap and freeze rents a clean and safe climate for future generations and to take on the big supermarkets’ price gouging,” she said and to make sure we have a candidate that actually represents us Hibbins held the seat by a 12 per cent margin after preferences but the Prahran campaign will be closely watched because the Greens Labor and the Liberals have all held the seat at times over the past two decades the three parties all received at least a quarter of the primary vote The byelection was considered a potential test for the Allan government’s popularity until Labor chose not to run will seek to translate their recent turnaround in opinion polls into an electoral win in what was once the party’s heartland Nominations for preselection close on Monday and a preselection convention is expected on December 15 The Resolve Political Monitor found last month that Opposition Leader John Pesutto had overtaken Jacinta Allan as preferred premier attracting support from 30 per cent of voters compared to 29 for the Labor leader The Coalition’s primary vote across Victoria compared to 28 per cent for Labor and 13 per cent for the Greens Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the byelection would be close “My message to the people of Prahran is simple: this byelection we need more independent voices outside the two major parties,” she said On Wednesday Allan defended Labor’s decision not to contest Prahran despite a push from some in the party to run “Labor [has] not run in seats it hasn’t held for the best part of a quarter of a century and that’s appropriate because we’re focused on all Victorians 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 An environmental engineer originally picked to run in the now-abolished federal seat of Higgins has been chosen as the Victorian Greens\\u2019 candidate in the state seat of Prahran The party has announced Angelica Di Camillo will run for the Greens in the coming byelection which was triggered by the resignation of who admitted to a relationship with a staffer \\u201CAs a young person living in St Kilda East I know our community is struggling,\\u201D Di Camillo said young people have given up on the dream of ever owning a home and they\\u2019re worried about the climate.\\u201D Di Camillo was picked by the party to run in Higgins at the next federal election but the Australian Electoral Commission in a redistribution as Labor\\u2019s decision not to field a candidate effectively made the poll a contest between the Greens and the Liberal Party and to take on the big supermarkets\\u2019 price gouging,\\u201D she said \\u201CEvery vote here in Prahran is powerful The byelection was considered a potential test for the Allan government\\u2019s popularity until Labor chose not to run will seek to translate their recent turnaround in opinion polls into an electoral win in what was once the party\\u2019s heartland The Resolve Political Monitor found last month that had overtaken Jacinta Allan as preferred premier The Coalition\\u2019s primary vote across Victoria \\u201CMy message to the people of Prahran is simple: this byelection we need more independent voices outside the two major parties,\\u201D she said On Wednesday Allan defended Labor\\u2019s decision not to contest Prahran \\u201CLabor [has] not run in seats it hasn\\u2019t held for the best part of a quarter of a century and that\\u2019s appropriate because we\\u2019re focused on all Victorians not on Liberal-Greens contests,\\u201D she said Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Commuters would pay just 50¢ a day to use the state’s public transport network if the government were to adopt the new policy the Victorian Greens are taking to the contest for the inner-city electorate of Prahran Greens candidate for Prahran Angelica Di Camillo will pitch the slashed fares which would save commuters more than $50 a week to locals on Saturday as the party faces off against the Liberals who hope to reclaim the seat at next month’s byelection Victorians will save up to $50 a week under a pitch by the Victorian Greens to trial 50¢ daily fares.Credit: Scott McNaughton The Greens’ proposal would initially trial a flat fare of 50¢ for unlimited travel on buses while concession cardholders are charged $5.50 which is 40¢ more than the cost of a daily fare last year The latest price rise comes off the back of two fare hikes within six months in 2023-24 when full-fare daily tickets rose by 80¢ and then 60¢ The Greens estimate the six-month trial will cost $339 million based on fare revenue figures for 2024. They say the trial would be funded by initiatives previously promoted by the minor party, including hiking the online gambling levy and introducing a state bank levy Acting Greens leader Sarah Mansfield said the slashed fares would save Victorians up to $50 a week The policy is based on Queensland’s recent 50¢ fare trial, launched in August by the then Labor government before the state election. The cheaper fares became a fixture of the election and both major parties pledged to make them permanent because of their popularity In November, the newly elected Liberal government estimated Queenslanders had saved $110 million since the trial began. Critics argue the slashing of fares was not well-thought-out The Greens intend to take the policy to the 2026 Victorian election but it will be unveiled on Saturday as a key policy to sway voters in the battle for Prahran as the Greens attempt to fend off Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway’s bid to reclaim what was once Liberal heartland a St Kilda local and environmental engineer who ran unsuccessfully for the outer-eastern federal electorate of Aston in 2023 said Queensland’s success proved cheaper fares were possible “People in Prahran love public transport but it’s expensive and in a cost-of-living crisis cutting fares to 50¢ will make a massive difference for our community who rely on public transport every day.” The February 8 byelection will test the strength of the Victorian Greens’ traditional base of inner-city voters. At the 2024 council elections, inner-south and south-east voters turned away from the party, which lost councillors in Port Phillip and Stonnington. At the federal level, recent polling found younger voters had drifted away from the minor party The Liberals ran second in Prahran at the 2022 state election pulling just over 30 per cent of the primary vote compared with 36.4 per cent for the Greens The Greens easily won the two-candidate count on Labor preferences The byelection was triggered when Greens MP Sam Hibbins, who snared the seat in 2014, resigned from parliament after admitting at the end of last year to an affair with a staffer Last month, new Liberal leader Brad Battin spent his first day in the role campaigning in Prahran and conceded the byelection would be a test for the party and his leadership the South Yarra-based president of the Thailand-Australia business association has focused her campaign on addressing cost-of-living pressures and funding for the Prahran police station Independent candidate and ex-Labor MP Tony Lupton denied his ticket would feed votes to the Liberal candidate Commuters would pay just 50\\u00A2 a day to use the state\\u2019s public transport network if the government were to adopt the new policy the Victorian Greens are taking to the contest for the inner-city electorate of Prahran who hope to reclaim the seat at next month\\u2019s byelection The Greens\\u2019 proposal would initially trial a flat fare of 50\\u00A2 for unlimited travel on buses which is 40\\u00A2 more than the cost of a daily fare last year when full-fare daily tickets rose by 80\\u00A2 and then 60\\u00A2 The Greens estimate the six-month trial will cost $339 million based on fare revenue figures for 2024 They say the trial would be funded by initiatives previously promoted by the minor party The policy is based on Queensland\\u2019s recent 50\\u00A2 fare trial launched in August by the then Labor government before the state election the newly elected Liberal government estimated Queenslanders had saved $110 million since the trial began the slashing of fares was not well-thought-out as the Greens attempt to fend off Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway\\u2019s bid to reclaim what was once Liberal heartland said Queensland\\u2019s success proved cheaper fares were possible \\u201CPeople in Prahran love public transport but it\\u2019s expensive and in a cost-of-living crisis cutting fares to 50\\u00A2 will make a massive difference for our community who rely on public transport every day.\\u201D The February 8 byelection will test the strength of the Victorian Greens\\u2019 traditional base of inner-city voters which lost councillors in Port Phillip and Stonnington found younger voters had drifted away from the minor party The byelection was triggered when Greens MP Sam Hibbins after admitting at the end of last year to an affair with a staffer new Liberal leader Brad Battin campaigning in Prahran and conceded the byelection would be a test for the party and his leadership Independent candidate and ex-Labor MP Tony Lupton would feed votes to the Liberal candidate Western suburbs voters have hammered the Labor government in the Werribee byelection with Premier Jacinta Allan conceding late on Saturday that the result in the heartland seat was too close to call where the Liberals held a narrow lead in a race that will also need to wait until next week to find a winner The Greens took the seat with a 12 per cent margin in 2022 A mishap at the Victorian Electoral Commission’s early voting centre slowed progress on the Werribee result with a leak in the roof delaying counting of pre-poll and postal votes leaving just a third of votes counted as 10pm neared officials had counted almost 75 per cent of the total votes Liberal candidate Steve Murphy had his nose in front with just over 29 per cent of first preference votes while Labor’s John Lister had more than 28 per cent Independent candidate Paul Hopper had almost 15 per cent Lister had a slender lead with just over 50 per cent at 11.30pm If the pattern of the count so far is indicative of what’s to come voters have abandoned Labor in greater numbers than at any byelection since the Andrews government came to power a decade ago Allan late on Saturday warned that the byelection remained tight and would likely go down to the wire with almost two-thirds of the total vote counted by 11pm Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo and Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway were locked at 36 per cent of the primary vote Almost 13 per cent voted for independent Tony Lupton Westaway was ahead on a two-party preferred basis with almost 52 per cent Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the result was “on a knife’s edge” She urged the parties’ volunteers to sign up to scrutineer when counting resumes on Monday morning “We need to make sure every vote for Angelica counts,” she said Victoria’s political leaders had earlier staked out the political contest beyond Saturday’s byelections with Allan promising to do more to ease the financial pressures on families while Opposition Leader Brad Battin vowed to continue the battle for Melbourne’s west Battin said erasing Labor’s margin in Werribee was a “massive massive ask” for Liberal candidate Murphy and regardless of the result his party would continue to work to break Labor’s stranglehold on Melbourne’s western suburbs you’ve been neglected for too long and we’ll be here for you,” he said There are 11 state electorates covering Melbourne’s west Allan made her final pitch to Werribee voters at a Wyndham Vale primary school with Labor’s candidate Lister She acknowledged that families were “doing it really really tough” and promised to do more to ease pressure on household budgets “I am particularly focused on those working families who need a Labor government championing for them after greeting Labor volunteers at Saturday night’s election party at the Werribee Centrals Cricket Club “We need to keep focused on our western suburbs and our northern suburbs and keep focusing on the people we were elected to represent; hard working Victorians that are aspirational want the best for their kids and want to get home so they can spend time with their families,” he said What we do know is we have more work to do I always knew this was always going to be a very tough byelection.” a nominally safe seat held two years ago by former treasurer Tim Pallas with a margin of nearly 11 per cent was fought on the central issues of transport infrastructure at a time when support for the Allan government has crashed to a historic low Allan addressed party supporters just after 10pm at the Werribee Centrals Cricket Club and was humble in the face of a stinging voter backlash voters echoed the key concerns that had framed the campaign “Living standards are getting worse,” said Kamaljit Kaur who cast her vote at the Iramoo Primary School in Wyndham Vale a growth suburb on the western edge of the city’s urban growth boundary “Crime is also getting worse – out of control.” the flow of preferences will determine the outcome in the seat with both Greens and Liberals describing the counting as very tight Greens MP Katherine Copsey said it looked like the result in Prahran would be a close call “It might come down to preferences,” she told supporters at the party’s function before congratulating the party on being “people powered” The Prahran byelection was prompted by the resignation of Greens MP Sam Hibbins after he had an affair with a staffer Westaway said there was a “real feeling of change” The Greens have held the seat for 10 years and entered the byelection campaign with a 12 per cent margin Labor chose not to field a candidate in Prahran but former Labor MP turned independent Lupton has campaigned aggressively against the Greens which he describes as an “extremist party” that has fostered antisemitism His presence in the race and decision to preference the Liberals has boosted the chances of the inner-Melbourne seat changing hands with a complex flow of preferences expected to decide the result Liberal Party supporters gathered at the Prahran Hotel on High Street were hopeful but realistic about Westaway’s chances of flipping the seat Battin arrived with the Liberal candidate at 9.30pm to chants of “Rachel “We are here and we are ready to step up and represent the community,” he said Battin said voters had shown they had had enough but acknowledged there was a long way to go in the count Westaway said she was deeply humbled and excited to see the results a senior member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal She campaigned on Saturday next to John Pesutto the Liberal leader ousted late last year in a party room coup after the Federal Court found he defamed one of his own MPs Greens candidate and environmental engineer Di Camillo was fighting to hold on for the minor party Greens volunteers followed the count at the Local Taphouse Tensions had been high at Prahran polling places amid an anti-Greens campaign backed by right-wing lobby group Advance Independent Buzz Billman pulled his volunteers off booths on Saturday Advance rejected this and said the only bad behaviour was from the Greens The Victorian Electoral Commission confirmed one formal complaint had been made in Prahran The electoral commission separately received a complaint from the Greens alleging Advance may have used federal donations to campaign against the Greens in the state byelection The VEC separately sought an injunction against Advance in the Supreme Court over political signs repeatedly placed within 100 metres of early polling booths The action was discontinued when Advance provided an undertaking it would remind its volunteers against it but Advance claimed the action was heavy-handed and “a politically motivated attack” Saturday’s byelections were the first chance for voters to have their say following the Liberal Party’s change of leaders in December after Battin successfully challenged John Pesutto who were anticipating a big swing against them in Werribee will analyse the results with an eye to next November’s state election and 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. Western suburbs voters have hammered the Labor government in the Werribee byelection, with Premier Jacinta Allan conceding late on Saturday that the result in the heartland seat was too close to call. The Greens, meanwhile, faced a serious challenge in Prahran, where the Liberals held a narrow lead in a race that will also need to wait until next week to find a winner. The Greens took the seat with a 12 per cent margin in 2022. A mishap at the Victorian Electoral Commission\\u2019s early voting centre slowed progress on the Werribee result, with a leak in the roof delaying counting of pre-poll and postal votes, leaving just a third of votes counted as 10pm neared. By 11pm, officials had counted almost 75 per cent of the total votes. Liberal candidate Steve Murphy had his nose in front with just over 29 per cent of first preference votes, while Labor\\u2019s John Lister had more than 28 per cent. Independent candidate Paul Hopper had almost 15 per cent. On a two-candidate preferred basis, Lister had a slender lead with just over 50 per cent at 11.30pm. If the pattern of the count so far is indicative of what\\u2019s to come, voters have abandoned Labor in greater numbers than at any byelection since the Andrews government came to power a decade ago. Allan late on Saturday warned that the byelection remained tight and would likely go down to the wire. \\u201CTonight it is very tight. It is too close to call,\\u201D she said. In Prahran, with almost two-thirds of the total vote counted by 11pm, Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo and Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway were locked at 36 per cent of the primary vote. Almost 13 per cent voted for independent Tony Lupton. At the latest update, Westaway was ahead on a two-party preferred basis with almost 52 per cent. Late on Saturday, Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the result was \\u201Con a knife\\u2019s edge\\u201D. She urged the parties\\u2019 volunteers to sign up to scrutineer when counting resumes on Monday morning. \\u201CWe need to make sure every vote for Angelica counts,\\u201D she said. Victoria\\u2019s political leaders had earlier staked out the political contest beyond Saturday\\u2019s byelections, with Allan promising to do more to ease the financial pressures on families while Opposition Leader Brad Battin vowed to continue the battle for Melbourne\\u2019s west. Speaking before counting began, Battin said erasing Labor\\u2019s margin in Werribee was a \\u201Cmassive, massive ask\\u201D for Liberal candidate Murphy and regardless of the result, his party would continue to work to break Labor\\u2019s stranglehold on Melbourne\\u2019s western suburbs. \\u201CAll of these seats throughout the west, you\\u2019ve been neglected for too long and we\\u2019ll be here for you,\\u201D he said. There are 11 state electorates covering Melbourne\\u2019s west. All are held by Labor. Allan made her final pitch to Werribee voters at a Wyndham Vale primary school with Labor\\u2019s candidate Lister, a local teacher. She acknowledged that families were \\u201Cdoing it really, really tough\\u201D and promised to do more to ease pressure on household budgets. \\u201CI am particularly focused on those working families, those working people, who need a Labor government championing for them, working hard for them, fighting for them,\\u201D she said. Deputy Premier Ben Carroll, after greeting Labor volunteers at Saturday night\\u2019s election party at the Werribee Centrals Cricket Club, said Allan retained his full support. \\u201CWe need to keep focused on our western suburbs and our northern suburbs and keep focusing on the people we were elected to represent; hard working Victorians that are aspirational, want the best for their kids and want to get home so they can spend time with their families,\\u201D he said. \\u201CByelections are always difficult. We always knew that. What we do know is we have more work to do. I always knew this was always going to be a very tough byelection.\\u201D The byelection in Werribee, a nominally safe seat held two years ago by former treasurer Tim Pallas with a margin of nearly 11 per cent, was fought on the central issues of transport infrastructure, cost of living and crime, at a time when support for the Allan government has crashed to a historic low. \\u201CI am listening, my government is listening,\\u201D she said. \\u201CWhatever the result tonight, we must remember what we are fighting for, who we are fighting for.\\u201D At the polling booths, voters echoed the key concerns that had framed the campaign. \\u201CLiving standards are getting worse,\\u201D said Kamaljit Kaur, who cast her vote at the Iramoo Primary School in Wyndham Vale, a growth suburb on the western edge of the city\\u2019s urban growth boundary. \\u201CCrime is also getting worse \\u2013 out of control.\\u201D In Prahran, the flow of preferences will determine the outcome in the seat, with both Greens and Liberals describing the counting as very tight. Greens MP Katherine Copsey said it looked like the result in Prahran would be a close call. \\u201CIt might come down to preferences,\\u201D she told supporters at the party\\u2019s function, before congratulating the party on being \\u201Cpeople powered\\u201D. The Prahran byelection was prompted by the resignation of Greens MP Sam Hibbins after he had an affair with a staffer. Westaway said there was a \\u201Creal feeling of change\\u201D. The Greens have held the seat for 10 years and entered the byelection campaign with a 12 per cent margin. Labor chose not to field a candidate in Prahran but former Labor MP turned independent Lupton has campaigned aggressively against the Greens, which he describes as an \\u201Cextremist party\\u201D that has fostered antisemitism. His presence in the race and decision to preference the Liberals has boosted the chances of the inner-Melbourne seat changing hands. It also complicated the vote count, with a complex flow of preferences expected to decide the result. Liberal Party supporters gathered at the Prahran Hotel on High Street, Windsor, were hopeful but realistic about Westaway\\u2019s chances of flipping the seat. Battin arrived with the Liberal candidate at 9.30pm to chants of \\u201CRachel, Rachel, Rachel\\u201D and he thanked the \\u201Csea of blue\\u201D. \\u201CWe are here and we are ready to step up and represent the community,\\u201D he said. Battin said voters had shown they had had enough, but acknowledged there was a long way to go in the count. Westaway said she was deeply humbled and excited to see the results, acknowledging it would be a close one. \\u201CThe Liberal Party is blossoming. We are there to represent you.\\u201D The 55-year-old mother of three was, until recently, a senior member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. She campaigned on Saturday next to John Pesutto, the Liberal leader ousted late last year in a party room coup after the Federal Court found he defamed one of his own MPs, Moira Deeming. Greens candidate and environmental engineer Di Camillo, 26, was fighting to hold on for the minor party. Greens volunteers followed the count at the Local Taphouse, nervously awaiting results. Tensions had been high at Prahran polling places amid an anti-Greens campaign backed by right-wing lobby group Advance. Independent Buzz Billman pulled his volunteers off booths on Saturday, alleging aggressive behaviour from them. Advance rejected this and said the only bad behaviour was from the Greens. The Victorian Electoral Commission confirmed one formal complaint had been made in Prahran. The electoral commission separately received a complaint from the Greens, alleging Advance may have used federal donations to campaign against the Greens in the state byelection. Advance disputes this. The VEC separately sought an injunction against Advance in the Supreme Court over political signs repeatedly placed within 100 metres of early polling booths. The action was discontinued when Advance provided an undertaking it would remind its volunteers against it, but Advance claimed the action was heavy-handed and \\u201Ca politically motivated attack\\u201D. Saturday\\u2019s byelections were the first chance for voters to have their say following the Liberal Party\\u2019s change of leaders in December after Battin successfully challenged John Pesutto. Labor strategists, who were anticipating a big swing against them in Werribee, will analyse the results with an eye to next November\\u2019s state election and, more immediately, this year\\u2019s federal poll. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . A new chance for sophisticated apartment living is on the horizon in Prahran Grandview Prahran, the latest project by the Abadeen Group, is rewriting the rules of upscale living for Melbourne buyers with its opulent design and environmentally friendly features.  This development benefits from the involvement of the Carr Design Group, renowned for their previous work on acclaimed projects such as 835 High St, Como Terraces, and The Berkeley.   Situated in a prime location on the Armadale border, Grandview Prahran is directly across from Hawksburn Village, merging convenience with upscale living.  Grandview Prahran is designed for buyers transitioning from expansive family homes who are unwilling to compromise on space and outdoor living.  A stunning curved facade showcases elegance and refinement, perfect for its leafy location. Andrew Leoncelli from the Abadeen Property Group explains, "They're for people coming from big family homes who still want some sense of greenery and a generous outdoor area for entertaining but don't really want lots of maintenance. "On the first and second floors, the two and three-bedroom apartments are—on average, about 15% larger than typical homes."  Strategically positioned on the Armadale border, it boasts a prime location with uninterrupted views of the tree canopies and the city skyline.  Leonard Teplin from Marshall White adds, "It's a very unique location on the border of Armadale. There's nothing like it around.   "You've got these beautiful uninterrupted views over the tree canopies."  The elegance of the project extends far beyond location.  "As a building, it's very unique too," says Teplin.  "In that most buildings are squares, this has got a beautiful curve to it. It uses solid materials including bricks—not lightweight materials. It's durable and robust."  Internally, the layouts are open and clean, with charming 3-metre ceilings adding a sense of grandeur.  Gallery (4 images)Sustainability in design These elegant apartments are not just about luxury but also a testament to sustainable living.  Grandview is the first all-electric building in Prahran, boasting an exceptional BESS score—10% above the industry average.  Double-glazed windows ensure energy efficiency, while smart, automated shade awnings add a layer of modern convenience.  The development is not just about individual luxury but also about fostering a sense of togetherness.  Residents can enjoy a private garden where like their last project Victoria & Burke will become the centre of the buildings community gatherings  Teplin notes, "The tree protects from noise and exposure, but it allows the natural light to come in. It's going to have beautiful smells and foliage."  While amenities are kept to a minimum to reduce costs and maintenance, the vibrant Hawksburn Village nearby ensures that everything residents need is within reach.  With a smart combination of amenities, residents can get everything they want without compromise. Grandview Prahran is backed by a committed builder, Manresa Construction, already signed up for the project, allowing buyers to purchase with confidence.  “This team has done half a dozen different projects of this calibre in Melbourne, and you can walk up and down the streets to check them out, which I think provides a lot of confidence. If you are looking at owning a property, that's what you want,” Teplin shares.  Additionally, buyers will benefit from a 52-week defect period and a ten-year building guarantee. Structure and water proofing guarantees are also ten years. Leoncelli highlights, "we expect the builders to come back for every defect even if it’s in the 51st or 52nd week.   "So, you know, it just gives our buyers a bit more comfort that they can settle in, live in the apartment, test every single element out, and ensure it works perfectly."  Construction is set to commence in mid-year, and pricing ranges from $1.4 million to $19 million for those wishing to combine penthouses.  Plus, buyers can enjoy significant savings of up to $419,000 in stamp duty, thanks to the Victorian government's new off-the-plan purchasing concessions.  Grandview Prahran East redefines luxury living with spacious sustainable apartments on the Armadale border it offers uninterrupted city and tree canopy views it exceeds industry sustainability standards With generous outdoor spaces and a heritage gumtree at its heart with significant stamp duty savings available 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. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Play Duration: 9 minutes 20 seconds9m Brought to you by Stonnington residents have told a police crime forum they feel less safe in their area during the day than at night.  The police-run event at the Prahran Town Hall was held to address growing concerns about crime and community safety in the area. Among those at the event was Prahran resident of 35 years Trevor, and Shadow Attorney-General Michael O'Brien. Press play to listen to their interviews on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne.  Chapel Street. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica) Published: 14h agoSun 4 May 2025 at 10:30pm VAFA STREAM LIVE: Tune in to watch the Division 1 Men’s Grand Final between Prahran and Parkside from Martin Reserve Saturday 14th September – 2:30pm start Another intriguing weekend of William Buck Premier Women’s action unfolded in Round 4 headlined by a top-four clash between Old Geelong and Old Scotch Prahran’s continued efforts to ‘tread water’ amidst an early-season injury crisis A largely competitive 16.18 (114) to 9.8 (62) loss Round 4 of the Division 4 Women’s competition saw Beaumaris and Westbourne each go a game clear of the rest of the pack on the ladder The VAFA acknowledge the traditional owners of country Sunday 9 FebruaryThanks for following along on the blog today The federal Labor party announced a $573m package it says will deliver more choice lower costs and better healthcare for women The package of measures includes the first PBS listing for new oral contraceptive pills in more than 30 years and larger Medicare payments and more bulk billing for IUDs and birth control implants More severe weather was forecast to hit north Queensland with already sodden parts of the state expecting further heavy rainfall after near-record flooding that isolated towns and required defence force assistance Forced displacement of people “is not consistent with international law”, finance minister Katy Gallagher said on ABC Insiders this morning Host David Speers asked a number of times for her response to Trump’s proposal that the US should “take over” Gaza and “own it” Two women in their 40s were hit by fragments of a tree after a lightning strike south-west of Sydney yesterday Allan said there is “more to do” before the next state election The Greens leader, Ellen Sandell, conceded the party has lost the Victorian state seat of Prahran in the byelection. Updated at 06.22 CET9 Feb 202505.44 CETBird flu case detected in Victoria’s northAustralia’s recent declaration of being bird flu-free has proved short-lived with the Victorian agriculture department announcing an outbreak at a farm in the state’s north The Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness conducted testing at Geelong confirming a H7N8 strain which is different to the strain that hit Victorian poultry farms last year The property has been placed in quarantine and arrangements made to ensure the disease does not spread from the Strathbogie shire in Victoria’s north-east the federal government announced Australia was officially bird flu-free after there had been no detections of H7 avian influenza since July More than 1.8 million birds were killed in a quest to rid the nation of the disease after Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT experienced outbreaks. The Victorian Agriculture Department warned people should contact the 24-hour hotline, on 1800 675 888, or their local vet if they have any suspicions about possible bird flu cases. “Consumers should not be concerned about eggs and poultry products from the supermarkets, they do not pose a risk and are safe to consume,” the department said. Cases among humans in direct contact with animals infected with avian influenza viruses are possible, the department noted. But it said the risk to the public remains low. Updated at 05.56 CET9 Feb 202505.33 CETBenita KolovosCrime a ‘massive issue’ in Prahran, Rachel Westaway says Rachel Westaway said she was so grateful to take on the seat, having worked “tirelessly every day” during the campaign to advocate for the community: As a 20-year local in the area, raising three children in this area, I know what we are feeling, and I know the results are demonstrative that this is a vote against the Allan Labor government. This is a vote against 10 years of waste that we’ve had. This is an opportunity, and this is an exciting time. I love Prahran, I love our Chapel Street … I will listen to every single one of the people of the Prahran electorate and work tirelessly for them. She said crime was a “major issue” in the electorate. Westaway says: Crime is a massive issue, it’s been spoken about constantly by me. People are feeling unsafe, whether it be South Yarra, Prahran, Windsor, St Kilda East – all the parts that cover this electorate with Chapel Street running through the centre of our electorate … They’ve seen more and more issues, people running down Chapel Street with a machete, firebombings, the firebombing of a local synagogue. These are outrageous things that we haven’t seen before and we’ve just got to get on top of it. Updated at 05.56 CET9 Feb 202505.19 CETBattin ‘very proud’ to claim victory in PrahranBenita KolovosEarlier this afternoon the Victorian Liberal leader, Brad Battin, claimed victory in the seat of Prahran. Joined by his soon-to-be Prahran MP, Rachel Westaway, he said she won by “listening to locals”: Updated at 06.47 CET9 Feb 202505.02 CETCait KellyFrom empty homes to dead possums, tenants reveal laundry list of problems in Victoria’s community housing One of Victoria’s largest community housing providers has been accused of leaving apartments empty for more than a year and failing to address maintenance issues raised by tenants, including broken windows, missing floorboards and dead possums left to rot. The claims come as housing advocates warn of widespread problems with community housing, including poor standards and a lack of transparency. Police are appealing for information after a firearm was discharged towards a home in Sydney’s west this morning, NSW police said in a media statement. Around 2am this morning, police were called to a home in Stanhope Gardens after reports of a break and enter. Officers were told a group of people broke into the home before fleeing the scene. No injuries were reported. Police found evidence that a firearm was discharged towards the home, according to the media statement. A crime scene was established and investigations are under way. Police ask any witnesses or people with dashcam footage nearby to contact Crime Stoppers. Updated at 04.28 CET9 Feb 202503.58 CETBusiness and consumer spirits expected to lift on hopes of rate cut Rising hopes of a Reserve Bank interest rate cut are expected to be reflected in growing confidence among businesses and consumers NAB will release its January survey of business conditions on Tuesday the same day as Westpac and the Melbourne Institute’s February consumer confidence index is unveiled NAB’s business survey for the December quarter expected business conditions in the next 12 months and [capital expenditure] plans in the next 12 months both improved – possibly boosted by the prospect of rate cuts recovering consumer demand and easing costs growth over 2025,” said the bank’s chief economist expectations the RBA would begin cutting rates at its February meeting have only increased further given the softer-than-expected CPI figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics at the end of January increased investor appetite for property could show up in lending figures released by the bureau on Wednesday As the Australian federal election approaches, political polls are coming thick and fast. Read the story below to see regular updates, so you can track who is polling up, how the independents are faring and how the parties stand with different demographics: with fears more severe weather and volatile conditions are on the way Heavy falls hit northern Queensland after a brief reprieve, with coastal and inland centres including Townsville, Cardwell and Ingham in the firing line. Major flood warnings are in place for the Herbert, Burdekin, Haughton, Flinders, Cape and Western rivers, with minor-to-moderate warnings in place for a number of other catchments through north-east and northern inland Queensland. Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Myriam Bradbury said 24-hour rainfall totals could reach up to 250mm. “This rain is falling on to saturated land, meaning it will quickly run off and top up already swollen rivers,” she said. This means that even moderate rainfall totals could cause swift river rises and could lead to dangerous flooding conditions. 0:56Queensland floods: aerial footage shows flooding in Ingham as heavy rains soak north – videoThe flood warnings come as communities in northern Western Australia remain on watch for a possible tropical cyclone. A tropical low is expected to move along the Kimberley coast on Sunday, whipping up damaging gusts of up to 100km/h. The low could reach tropical cyclone intensity late on Sunday or early Monday as it heads towards Broome and the Pilbara, bringing widespread falls. Bradbury said gales could develop as early as Monday morning with increased rain and large waves from late Sunday. “Forecast rainfall in the flood watch area is expected to result in river rises, areas of flooding and may adversely affect road conditions,” she said. “Roads may quickly become impassable and some communities may become isolated once that rain starts to fall.” Updated at 04.45 CET9 Feb 202503.11 CETKate Lyons‘Only buy what you need’: Flood-affected Queenslanders warned against panic buying Queenslanders have been warned against panic buying, as the deputy premier says that the government is working to restock and resupply areas of the state cut off by floods. “One of the challenges that I’m dealing with is supply and resupply to many areas, and as I indicated, far north Queensland has been cut off from road, rail, freight,” Jarrod Bleijie said on Sunday morning. I just plead with people, particularly in far north Queensland, when shops are resupplied, please only buy what you need, because there is difficulty in getting the supply. Bleijie said that government was using a range of methods to try to get stock to shops in flood-affected areas, including trucks which were ready to go as soon as rivers dropped sufficiently to allow them to safely cross, rail, air, and even barges. He offered the example of Weipa, a mining town on the Cape York peninsula. “I’ve got real concerns about resupplying to Weipa. We are currently loading barges up, which will take off from Cairns, but it’s a three-day trek to Weipa. We are looking at all options to get resupply into these areas that are cut off.” Bleijie said the Queenland government was working with the federal government to address supply needs. The premier, David Crisafulli, said that the government had spoken with the major supermarkets in far north Queensland several months ago about getting extra stock into warehouses in the area in case of flooding. “They got six weeks of the non-perishables into there,” he said. “There is food in those warehouses. The issue has been the access to the fresh fruit and veggies and the milk and the meats, the stuff that people really need and that’s why flying the aerial route became the only available option.” Updated at 04.44 CET9 Feb 202502.56 CETBenita KolovosGreens leader cites low turnout and lack of absentee voting as factors in Prahran loss Sandell also says turnout was also low. She believes a high proportion of young people who rent in the area may have moved since the 2022 election or were away over the summer university break and unable to vote absentee. When it was put to her by a reporter that people should check their enrolment, and that they had a week to get to Prahran and vote, Sandell replied: Updated at 03.12 CET9 Feb 202502.48 CETGreens leader concedes party has lost Prahran byelection to LiberalsBenita KolovosThe Greens leader, Ellen Sandell, has conceded the party has lost the Victorian state seat of Prahran in the byelection. What actually made the difference here is that we had the Labor party make a decision not to run a candidate in Prahran, which left the field open for a former Labor MP and unofficial Labor candidate to run and funnel preferences to the Liberals. Updated at 02.57 CET9 Feb 202502.42 CETBenita KolovosAllan says Liberals’ platform ‘hurting vulnerable people in our community’ Updated at 02.50 CET9 Feb 202502.41 CETBenita KolovosAllan says steady first-preference vote shows Victorians ‘do not trust the Liberal party’ A reporter notes despite the huge swing away from Labor, it didn’t reflect in a huge bump in first-preference voters to the Liberals. Asked what she makes of that, the premier said “Victorians can’t trust them”. They’re divided. They have a program of, what will they cut next, and what vulnerable members in our community will they hurt next? And it is absolutely clear that the Victorian community do not trust the Liberal party, because they are divided and all they want to do is hurt communities. Updated at 02.58 CET9 Feb 202502.31 CETBenita KolovosPremier says infrastructure projects elsewhere in Melbourne will benefit Werribee voters Asked whether she will reconsider going ahead with the Suburban Rail Loop project, which is set to benefit the eastern suburbs well before it makes its way to Werribee, Allan says: Updated at 02.48 CET9 Feb 202502.25 CETBenita KolovosPlaces like Werribee ‘looking for governments to do more’, Allan concedes Has the Victorian Labor government lost sight of the voters it’s meant to represent? Allan makes somewhat of a concession: Places like Werribee, some of the fastest growing places in the country, are looking to governments to do more. Now we have made meaningful investments in more schools, seven more schools, in road investments in the local community, but it is absolutely clear that there is more to do. Updated at 02.38 CET9 Feb 202502.19 CETBenita KolovosPremier says federal Labor will hear ‘message’ of Werribee byelection Does she think the result will translate in the upcoming federal election We know that the global cost-of-living crisis governments around the world are being sent a message Governments around the country are being sent a message People want their governments and their members of parliament focused on them and they’re looking for support from their governments they’ve rolled out a range of important initiatives that focus on working people and their families I think we all know that there is more to do This is probably not the page you’re looking for Watch 3m 11sStabbings and firebombings in the popular Chapel Street strip dominate news headlines, but a more localised crime wave could sway voters in next week's Prahran by-election. Stateline / By Victorian state political reporter Nicole Asher Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe If Labor loses – or even comes close to losing – the safe seat of Werribee in Melbourne’s west on Saturday, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s leadership will be at risk and the federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will have a path to election victory through the southern state says former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett Labor has held Werribee, which lies in a major growth corridor, since 1979 and Labor candidate John Lister heads into the byelection, triggered by the exit of longtime treasurer Tim Pallas SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. The unrelenting tempo of the never-ending campaign gives little space or time for it even in those rare moments when parliamentarians are willing to put down the party-tinted glasses and take an honest look The morning after a byelection should be one of those moments Neither Werribee nor Prahran was going to change the government but they tell us plenty about the state of politics in Victoria Federal Greens leader Adam Bandt and Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo hand out how-to-vote cards in South Yarra on Saturday morning.Credit: Penny Stephens What happens in November next year will be shaped by the extent to which the state’s three largest parties chose to accept or ignore what voters told them on Saturday the message from Werribee is a humbling one An electorate that has faithfully supported Labor for nearly half a century has dramatically turned its back on the government She insists she has heard them and won’t cop party colleagues trying to downplay the Werribee result A senior Labor figure was more blunt: “The hard heads in the party have taken a view that if a caucus member or cabinet minister comes out and says everything is fine that person is going to get f---ing punched in the face.” The only thing likely to keep the seat in Labor’s hands is that Werribee isn’t willing to throw its lot in with the Liberals the Liberals don’t know how to pick good candidates don’t know how to campaign and don’t know how to win Werribee by-election posters of the Liberal and Labor candidates this is the message he is determined to drum into any party room colleagues who after spending the past 10 years in opposition have delusions about voter fatigue with Labor being enough to deliver them government “Get out and work hard,” he told them on Sunday we’ve got to pick the right candidates now – pick the people that Victorians can trust.” The only party that still has the tinted glasses on is the Greens If they were a party with serious aspirations to govern the Greens would be mortified by the message delivered to them by Prahran voters more than 10,000 people voted for Labor in Prahran This meant there were roughly 10,000 votes up for grabs It is reasonable to assume that these voters having supported Labor at the last election Some of them knocked on the door of Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway and nearly 4000 parked their vote with Tony Lupton He is a former Labor MP who believes the Greens have fuelled a hateful protest movement and inflamed antisemitism in the community For all this mass migration of votes in Prahran Angelica Di Camillo’s share of the vote marginally shrank Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell and Greens MLC for Southern Metro Katherine Copsey in Melbourne on Sunday.Credit: Luis Ascui Greens leader Ellen Sandell offered a range of excuses She blamed Lupton for preferencing the Liberals which coincided with the tail-end of university holidays She blamed a low voter turnout and a lack of absentee voting “If you look at these results on this primary vote it bodes very well for the Greens,” she insisted Sandell should be asking why Labor voters can’t stomach her party She should be asking why Lupton directed preferences to the Liberal Party She should question the effectiveness of her party’s focus on the protracted and miserable conflict in the Middle East Sandell rejected that the Greens vote had suffered because of a concerted anti-Greens campaign backed by right-wing lobby group Advance which accused the minor party of fomenting antisemitism “I don’t believe it made a dent because of the high primary vote,” Sandell said Byelections offer a rare opportunity for self-reflection it appears the never-ending campaign will simply march on Modern politics is not, by nature, given to self-reflection. The unrelenting tempo of the never-ending campaign gives little space or time for it, even in those rare moments when parliamentarians are willing to put down the party-tinted glasses and take an honest look. The morning after a byelection should be one of those moments. Neither Werribee nor Prahran was going to change the government, but they tell us plenty about the state of politics in Victoria. What happens in November next year will be shaped by the extent to which the state\\u2019s three largest parties chose to accept or ignore what voters told them on Saturday. For Labor and Premier Jacinta Allan, the message from Werribee is a humbling one. An electorate that has faithfully supported Labor for nearly half a century has dramatically turned its back on the government. She insists she has heard them and won\\u2019t cop party colleagues trying to downplay the Werribee result. A senior Labor figure was more blunt: \\u201CThe hard heads in the party have taken a view that if a caucus member or cabinet minister comes out and says everything is fine, that person is going to get f---ing punched in the face.\\u201D The only thing likely to keep the seat in Labor\\u2019s hands is that, for now, Werribee isn\\u2019t willing to throw its lot in with the Liberals. When it comes to the west, the Liberals don\\u2019t know how to pick good candidates, don\\u2019t know how to campaign and don\\u2019t know how to win. For Brad Battin, this is the message he is determined to drum into any party room colleagues who, after spending the past 10 years in opposition, have delusions about voter fatigue with Labor being enough to deliver them government. \\u201CGet out and work hard,\\u201D he told them on Sunday. \\u201CBut I also say, we\\u2019ve got to pick the right candidates now \\u2013 pick the people that Victorians can trust.\\u201D The only party that still has the tinted glasses on is the Greens. If they were a party with serious aspirations to govern, the Greens would be mortified by the message delivered to them by Prahran voters. At the 2022 state election, more than 10,000 people voted for Labor in Prahran. In Saturday\\u2019s byelection, the Labor Party didn\\u2019t stand a candidate. This meant there were roughly 10,000 votes up for grabs. It is reasonable to assume that these voters, having supported Labor at the last election, hold to basic Labor values. Yet none of them, in the absence of a Labor candidate, was willing to doss down with the Greens. Some of them knocked on the door of Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway and nearly 4000 parked their vote with Tony Lupton. He is a former Labor MP who believes the Greens, since the October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel, have fuelled a hateful protest movement and inflamed antisemitism in the community. For all this mass migration of votes in Prahran, the Greens primary support barely budged. Angelica Di Camillo\\u2019s share of the vote marginally shrank, and her party\\u2019s 10-year hold on a hip, inner-city electorate came crashing down. In response, Greens leader Ellen Sandell offered a range of excuses. She blamed Lupton for preferencing the Liberals. She blamed the timing of the election, which coincided with the tail-end of university holidays. She blamed a low voter turnout and a lack of absentee voting. \\u201CIf you look at these results on this primary vote, it bodes very well for the Greens,\\u201D she insisted. Instead of making excuses, Sandell should be asking why Labor voters can\\u2019t stomach her party. She should be asking why Lupton directed preferences to the Liberal Party. She should question the effectiveness of her party\\u2019s focus on the protracted and miserable conflict in the Middle East, which is alienating Jewish voters. Sandell rejected that the Greens vote had suffered because of a concerted anti-Greens campaign backed by , which accused the minor party of fomenting antisemitism. \\u201CI don\\u2019t believe it made a dent because of the high primary vote,\\u201D Sandell said. Byelections offer a rare opportunity for self-reflection. Within the Victorian Greens, it appears the never-ending campaign will simply march on. On a day that featured everything from hail and rain to sunshine Prahran demonstrated once again why they have been the best team all season With Craige Milward taking the reins as Prahran coach this year his side has been unstoppable since round six winning 14 consecutive games to ultimately be crowned Division 1 Premiers In a Grand Final showdown between two heavyweights of the competition Prahran defeated Parkside by 14 points at Martin Reserve 5.6 (36) to 2.10 (22) The first term saw Prahran acclimatise to the conditions better — with their pressure forcing Devils defenders to retreat as Shaun Chapman proved too quick for Max Balassone in a foot race to kick the first of the game Luke Caldwell showed great composure across the half back line for the Devils — but once Matt Clifford soccered one through on the goal line Devils coach Rick Frost spoke to his players about the importance of taking risks to win the big games A head knock to Corey Mckay left the Devils without one of their in-form midfielders early in the second quarter The inside 50 battle was comfortably won by the Devils 11 to four — but Prahran were able to finish their opportunities slotting one straight over the goal umpire’s hat as Prahran defenders Joel Hume and Patrick Ribbands showed their ability to play fantastic one-on-one football Only being 16 points behind at the main break it gave the Devils plenty of confidence they could turn it around in the premiership quarter Hail and manic pressure made it tough for both sides to be clean in the contest — but some repeat entries gave Benedict Douglas the first for the Devils the margin was within 10 points and the Devils supporter base who braved it out in tough conditions could sense it was game on the margin was as narrow as eight points — but Prahran coach Craige Milward was still confident telling his group to take the energy away from the game and to give teammates better quality entries inside 50 Moving Shaun Chapman in the ruck for the opening centre bounce and Captain Rory Brodie forward was an inspired decision as the ruck-duo once again showed how hard they are to match up on A holding the man free kick given in the ruck gave Shaun Chapman the chance to end the game versatility and strength has been an integral part to Prahran’s side all season — earning the honours of best on ground “You put your heart and soul into footy for most of your life and to play in these sorts of games and to get this award is breathtaking,” Prahran’s Shaun Chapman said The Devils didn’t get the result they were after — but earning promotion in three consecutive seasons is a monumental effort “It’s hard to find a club that goes about it the right way week in week out … that’s why l call this joint home and that’s why you guys call this joint home,” Devils captain Michael Romano said both Parkside and Prahran will be promoted to Premier C for season 2025 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 The new member of Prahran says she’s under no illusion about the crime problem currently plaguing Chapel Street Liberal MP Rachel Westaway recently won the local by-election telling Jacqui Felgate the once-famed shopping and entertainment precinct was in desperate need of rejuvenation Click PLAY to hear Rachel Westaway’s FULL interview with 3AW “It has turned into a disappointing mess that we need to fix,” she said on 3AW Drive “There’s lots of issues we can work on.” Victoria’s election watchdog is investigating a complaint that right-wing lobby group Advance has not declared any donations in the state while bankrolling a campaign against the Greens in the hotly contested Prahran byelection Advance has funded T-shirts how-to-vote cards and social media advertisements urging voters to put the Greens last on ballot forms in Saturday’s three-way contest But the campaigners are yet to declare any donations with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) An Advance billboard campaigning against the Greens in the federal Melbourne seat of Macnamara A spokesman for Advance said all disclosures related to the Prahran byelection would be made in accordance with the law “This is just desperation from the Greens,” he said State donations greater than $1210 need to be declared on the disclosure log within 21 days Social media ads specifically targeting Prahran only began in the past fortnight meaning Advance has time to declare the funding behind them But Advance has also been running a national campaign on social media television advertisements and large billboards in federal electorates such as Macnamara which overlaps the state Prahran electorate The Greens argue those generic anti-Greens ads amounted to state-based campaigning once the writs for the byelection were issued on December 20 or else the intention of state donation rules could be easily undermined Angelica Di Camillo is running for the Greens in the Prahran byelection.Credit: Penny Stephens “These advertisements have the clear effect of influencing the vote of electors on the Prahran district byelection and are therefore election material and political expenditure,” the Greens complained in a December email to the VEC Federal donations cannot fund state campaign material One of Advance’s recent anti-Greens advertisements.Credit: Facebook “We therefore have concerns that the money used to pay for this substantial amount of advertising could be federal political donations in breach of the Electoral Act 2002,” the Greens wrote to the VEC Advance said its television and outdoor ads were part of a federal campaign that had run since June “to expose the truth about the Greens” It is a federal campaign,” the Advance spokesman said A VEC spokeswoman declined to comment on any complaint or investigation but said there was nothing to prevent federal campaigning during a state election “Signs about a Victorian state election and other election campaign material displayed or distributed by candidates including (but not limited to) how-to-vote cards and signs near to a voting centre during the hours of voting must comply with Victoria’s electoral laws,” the spokeswoman said Advance said it had bolstered its federal campaign in a “summer storm” ending on Sunday The lobby group has also been targeting the federal seat of Wills in Melbourne’s north and Queensland seats Brisbane “The Prahran byelection on February 8 sits squarely in the heart of our federal target electorates (Macnamara and Melbourne) This makes it a tactical move in our broader election strategy,” Advance executive director Matthew Sheahan wrote Sheahan said the Greens wanted voters to forget the circumstances in which former Prahran MP Sam Hibbins quit the parliament in November following an affair with a staffer “We’re meeting them head-on: over 100 volunteers are on the ground in ‘can’t vote Greens distributing ‘the Greens don’t stand for us’ flyers in every letterbox while our digital ads continue to saturate the electorate,” Sheahan wrote to Advance supporters “It’s a perfect fit with our ‘her truth’ and ‘Greens truth’ messaging ensuring the Greens don’t get a free pass to further expand their power at the federal election.” Donations in Victoria are capped at $4850 every four years. While no cap exists for federal donations, they must be disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commission if they exceed $16,900 in a year. The AEC on Monday released data on money raised and spent in 2023-24 revealing the biggest donation Advance received was $500,000 from the Liberal Party’s associated entity Advance had tripled its fundraising to more than $15 million More than $14 million of that fell below the disclosure threshold meaning donors did not have to be identified Advance said it had raised $6.77 million from 29,341 donors across the country since its “Greens truth” campaign began The lobby group unsuccessfully campaigned against Labor in the federal byelection in the outer Melbourne seat of Dunkley and helped defeat the Voice referendum but it has since narrowed its target to the Greens claiming the minor party has become an extremist organisation that fosters antisemitism That view is shared by ex-Labor MP and now independent candidate Tony Lupton who has given Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway a genuine chance of flipping the seat by swapping preferences Westaway and Advance all call on voters to put the Greens last on Saturday claimed Advance was a far-right disinformation group The Greens’ Prahran candidate, Angelica Di Camillo who is defending a 36.4 per cent primary vote said Prahran was a compassionate and inclusive community Trump-style politics has no place here,” she said including those below the disclosure threshold still has to be declared in annual returns to the VEC Advance did not lodge an annual return in 2023-24 which means it could not have received any state-based donations that year Victoria\\u2019s election watchdog is investigating a complaint that right-wing lobby group Advance has not declared any donations in the state while bankrolling a campaign against the Greens in the hotly contested Prahran byelection how-to-vote cards and social media advertisements urging voters to put the Greens last on ballot forms in Saturday\\u2019s three-way contest \\u201CThis is just desperation from the Greens,\\u201D he said \\u201CThese advertisements have the clear effect of influencing the vote of electors on the Prahran district byelection and are therefore election material and political expenditure,\\u201D the Greens complained in a December email to the VEC \\u201CWe therefore have concerns that the money used to pay for this substantial amount of advertising could be federal political donations in breach of the Electoral Act 2002,\\u201D the Greens wrote to the VEC Advance said its television and outdoor ads were part of a federal campaign that had run since June \\u201Cto expose the truth about the Greens\\u201D \\u201CIt has nothing to do with the byelection It is a federal campaign,\\u201D the Advance spokesman said \\u201CSigns about a Victorian state election and other election campaign material displayed or distributed by candidates must comply with Victoria\\u2019s electoral laws,\\u201D the spokeswoman said Advance said it had bolstered its federal campaign in a \\u201Csummer storm\\u201D ending on Sunday The lobby group has also been targeting the federal seat of Wills in Melbourne\\u2019s north and Queensland seats Brisbane \\u201CThe Prahran byelection on February 8 sits squarely in the heart of our federal target electorates (Macnamara and Melbourne) This makes it a tactical move in our broader election strategy,\\u201D Advance executive director Matthew Sheahan wrote Sheahan said the Greens wanted voters to forget the circumstances in which former Prahran MP in November following an affair with a staffer \\u201CWe\\u2019re meeting them head-on: over 100 volunteers are on the ground in \\u2018can\\u2019t vote Greens distributing \\u2018the Greens don\\u2019t stand for us\\u2019 flyers in every letterbox while our digital ads continue to saturate the electorate,\\u201D Sheahan wrote to Advance supporters \\u201CIt\\u2019s a perfect fit with our \\u2018her truth\\u2019 and \\u2018Greens truth\\u2019 messaging ensuring the Greens don\\u2019t get a free pass to further expand their power at the federal election.\\u201D Donations in Victoria are capped at $4850 every four years they must be disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commission if they exceed $16,900 in a year revealing the biggest donation Advance received was $500,000 from the Liberal Party\\u2019s associated entity Advance said it had raised $6.77 million from 29,341 donors across the country since its \\u201CGreens truth\\u201D campaign began The lobby group unsuccessfully campaigned against Labor in the federal byelection in the outer Melbourne and helped defeat That view is shared by ex-Labor MP and now Trump-style politics has no place here,\\u201D she said Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Melbourne straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy 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Melbourne In case you've been living under a rock (or don't obsess over doughnuts as much as we do), let us share the good news that the beloved vintage van has a glossy new bricks-and-mortar store at Prahran Market. Here you can pair your doughnut with a delicious cup of coffee for the ultimate market breakfast They've also just announced for the very first time ever new doughnut fillings beyond raspberry jam you can now fill a box with salted caramel There's also a new menu of nostalgia-inducing classic milkshakes and iced drinks The new shop features a fit-out that pays homage to the truck with the same open workstation so you can watch all that glorious doughnut magic take place – from the cutting and cooking to the royal filling and sugar treatment It's an immersive in-store experience guaranteed to enthral old-timers little ones and kids at heart alike.  not much needs to be said if you've tried them They've got the perfect Goldilocks level of oily crunch and they're piped with a sweet red dollop of classic raspberry plum jam (that's well worth getting your hands sticky for) It's the taste of childhood in a single bite Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us The rear of Victoria Gardens House at 88 Lewisham Rd North An award-winning Prahran house featuring a secret door to the park at its rear has been transformed in a renovation designed to reflect the area’s natural beauty Following a three-year upgrade and restoration of the circa-1880s residence, architect Lucy Clemenger, her husband Tony and two children moved into 88 Lewisham Rd North in 2015 director of South Yarra’s Lucy Clemenger Architects four-bedroom abode Victoria Gardens House in honour of the park behind it RELATED: Tiny South Yarra block of land smaller than a cinema screen listed for $1.2m+ Prahran: Actor Cate Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton sell glam investment property 134-year-old Victorian-era Prahran home brought back to life by modern-day restoration In a nod to the classic children’s novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett that Clemenger loved as a youngster their backyard’s fence features a door that blends seamlessly into the surrounding timber battens it’s like a backdoor and also like a door to a whole other world,” Clemenger says The family often walk their two dogs in Victoria Gardens while the house’s upstairs balcony is an ideal spot to enjoy Opera in the Park Owner and architect Lucy Clemenger retained the house’s circa-1880s facade as she wanted to keep the home’s history alive open fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows feature in the living and dining area A paper chandelier in the sitting room is among the home’s creative light fittings created by garden designer Fiona Brockhoff Clemenger and Tony retained the double-fronted brick house’s period facade during their renovation which adapted the front rooms for a variety of uses including a sitting room and main bedroom featuring a bay window walk-in wardrobe and marble-fitted ensuite The study is decorated with floral wallpaper imported from the Netherlands The dining table can be connected to the end of the kitchen bench At the house’s rear is a contemporary open plan living and dining area with a built-in bookcase open fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the garden The kitchen is fitted with an induction cooktop Oak panelling marks the transition from the older front part of the residence to the newer section concealing a wine cellar and powder room behind another secret door The striking floral wallpaper in the study was imported from the Netherlands showcasing a circa-1700s painting from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam from a company based in the street she previously lived in “The timber and natural material palette for the house were selected to reflect the materiality of the park,” Clemenger says warm caramels and deep greens mimic the textures and colours found in the foliage and branches of the significant plane trees.” a timber-clad cantilevered extension that Clemenger describes as looking “almost like a treehouse” offers two bedrooms Among Clemenger’s many architectural awards Victoria Gardens House won the 2017 Australian Timber Design Awards house alteration and addition gong Clemenger says she and her family are moving with plans to find their next project Green views make the home a peaceful and private retreat RT Edgar Toorak director Sarah Case says the home offers peace and privacy “It’s not only families that can enjoy this beautiful home a ground floor main bedroom means the home can be used as a single level living environment with the upstairs bedrooms providing a private space for guests adult children or a second working from home area,” Ms Case says The residence is for sale with a $4m-$4.4m asking range Expressions of interest close will close at midday on September 16 Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Kate Langbroek: TV, radio host and husband Peter Allan Lewis list St Kilda house Richmond: 1960s-style time capsule ‘The Green House’ ready for a new owner Influencer Rozalia Russian, Bar Bambi co-owner husband Nick Russian selling in Richmond Prahran's new apartment market is set for a bumper 2025 with several developments soon to come to market The latest entrant to the market is B&B Property Group, who have secured the longtime St Edmonds Road home of InterFlora the international flower and gift distributor who hve ben in the two-level office building for the last two decades They will be finalising plans over 2025, but won't settle on the $9 million purchase until 2026 when Interflora relocate their new head office in West Melbourne Gorman Commercial's Peter Bremner and Jonathon McCormack secured the Prahran sale of the 964 sqm site which came with a design and development overlay allowing multi-level apartments or a mixed-use development to be built on the site The property is centrally positioned in Prahran just off Greville Street near Prahran Train station and Chapel Street and between Malvern Road & High Street Ben Buxton of B&B Property Group said St Edmonds Road is a standout street in the suburb "The site and location presented us with a great opportunity to introduce an above market product to one of Melbourne’s oldest and most eclectic locales," Buxton says "The proposed building, designed by Cera Stribley Architects is a timeless homage to the colourful and creative spirit of the area." The apartments, which will sit above ground-floor commercial and retail offerings, will be enveloped in landscaping by Jack Merlo and feature interiors by Hecker Guthrie Gorman Commercial's Peter Bremner said the show of confidence by B&B Property Group to acquire the site despite some continuing headwinds in the development market indicates the strength of the location and lack of future supply of sites in this central Prahran area “There was interest in the property from owner occupiers seeking to buy the building for their own office headquarters but as it turned out the development value exceeded the office value which can often happen in these prime inner city fringe locations." We're on a mission to radically improve the quality of Urban communities being developed across Australia We aim to showcase every development in Australia to help you find the perfect new home Greens loss in Prahran a victory for mainstream Australians The voters of Prahran delivered a stinging rebuke to the Greens on Saturday after ADVANCE and local community groups joined forces to win a massive swing away from the radical left party After a close count overnight and further counting on Sunday morning This is an incredible result for the hundreds of amazing hard-working volunteers who suffered through days of abuse and inappropriate conduct from Greens activists Simonne and other community members from J United and was supported by ADVANCE who have been campaigning against the Greens for the past year Our campaign sent a simple message: the Greens used to be about the environment but they now instead embrace an extreme ideology that includes supporting violent pro-Hamas protests and turning a blind eye to the October 7 terror attacks With a policy agenda that also includes decriminalisation of all drugs including heroin and ice and slugging Australians with an inheritance tax – it’s clear that the Greens are not who they used to be // Attributable to ADVANCE spokeswoman Sandra Bourke This is a fantastic win for ADVANCE and its 330,000 supporters We have made reducing the Greens vote our mission and this win means we are on the right track More and more Australians are seeing the truth that the Greens are not who they used to be Australians don’t want the kind of politics the Greens offer We don’t want violence and chaos in our streets we don’t want our kids having easier access to drugs This result means we are going to double down on our campaign against the Greens This is an amazing result and win both for the Jewish community and all Australians from all walks of life have come together to support this campaign against the Greens We’ve had enough and we’re pushing back on the Greens because they have lost their way The engagement of multicultural and multifaith communities with everyday Australians is a clear sign that we have all had enough and couldn’t vote Greens Contact: [email protected] ABOUT CONTACT US TERMS OF SERVICE PRIVACY DONATION POLICY CAMPAIGNS The Liberal Party has broken its drought in Victoria declaring victory in the Prahran byelection and pushing Opposition Leader Brad Battin one seat closer to government in next year’s state election Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo conceded defeat on Sunday and congratulated Rachel Westaway for flipping the inner-Melbourne seat which had been in Greens hands for more than a decade Rachel Westaway outside Prahran Market on Sunday.Credit: Penny Stephens It is one less seat Battin would need to turn to get out of the political wilderness in hope of forming government in 2026 exuberant after pulling off double-digit swings in two-party preferred terms in Prahran and Werribee The opposition leader said the now 32 members of the parliamentary Liberal Party would be reminded every day they had a responsibility to their communities: “Go out and work hard we’ve got to pick the right candidates now and I actually think then people will come along and understand we are a genuine alternative.” was a senior member of the Commonwealth’s Administrative Appeals Tribunal until recently She has lived in the area for two decades and has volunteered for the Prahran Junior Football Club and Toorak Prahran Cricket Club Opposition Leader Brad Battin addresses the crowd at a Liberal Party event in Werribee.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui When The Age caught up with her at a Toorak Road cafe during pre-polling two passers-by separately stopped to chat: a parent from school as well as Westaway’s personal trainer and the circumstances under which former Greens MP Sam Hibbins quit parliament have all been floated as possible reasons for Prahran changing hands “I think it was being a 20-year local,” Westaway She also said residents wanted something new Chapel Street vacancies and crime rates came up through the campaign “This is a vote against 10 years of waste with the Greens,” Westaway said The Greens’ primary vote held up after Hibbins quit the party and then parliament following an affair with a staff member. But the minor party should have picked up a lot of Labor’s vote, given it did not contest the race the Greens vote was almost identical to 2022 Westaway and Di Camillo each polled just over 36 per cent of first-preference votes and the Greens’ 12 per cent margin in two-party preferred was completely eroded it’s clear that the Greens will fall just short of winning the Prahran byelection,” state Greens leader Ellen Sandell said after conceding defeat the Greens candidate for Prahran.Credit: Penny Stephens Former Labor MP turned independent candidate Tony Lupton had almost 13 per cent of the vote in Saturday’s byelection and helped push Westaway to 51.6 per cent two-party preferred Sandell claimed Labor had “handed the seat to the Liberals” by sitting the contest out and by Lupton preferencing the Liberals. But she rejected that the Greens vote had suffered because of a concerted anti-Greens campaign backed by right-wing lobby group Advance Advance spokeswoman Sandra Bourke said on Sunday that the lobby group would double down on its mission to reduce the Greens vote The Victorian Electoral Commission said it had counted all votes cast on Saturday all early votes and all postal votes that had been received so far Just 64.29 per cent of enrolled voters had their ballot counted though further postal votes will be returned Turnout tends to be lower during a byelection had particularly hurt the Greens because those disenfranchised or disengaged tended to be younger and renting About 57 per cent of residents in the electorate rented at the time of the 2021 census Labor had already decided not to run in Prahran when then-treasurer Tim Pallas announced his resignation as the MP for Werribee, but the party was relieved to focus its resources on the western suburbs byelection rather than being spread across two seats but the Liberal Party was not picking up many of its supporters on first preferences Both major parties were failing to reach 30 per cent on primaries with Labor candidate John Lister narrowly ahead on a two-party preferred basis 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. The Liberal Party has broken its drought in Victoria, declaring victory in the Prahran byelection and pushing Opposition Leader Brad Battin one seat closer to government in next year\\u2019s state election. Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo conceded defeat on Sunday and congratulated Rachel Westaway for flipping the inner-Melbourne seat, which had been in Greens hands for more than a decade. It is one less seat Battin would need to turn to get out of the political wilderness in hope of forming government in 2026. Battin, exuberant after pulling off double-digit swings in two-party preferred terms in Prahran and Werribee, is still short by 16 seats. The opposition leader said the now 32 members of the parliamentary Liberal Party would be reminded every day they had a responsibility to their communities: \\u201CGo out and work hard. But I also say, we\\u2019ve got to pick the right candidates now. Pick the people that Victorians can trust, put the platform forward, and I actually think then people will come along and understand we are a genuine alternative.\\u201D Westaway, a mother of three, was a senior member of the Commonwealth\\u2019s Administrative Appeals Tribunal until recently. She has lived in the area for two decades and has volunteered for the Prahran Junior Football Club and Toorak Prahran Cricket Club. When The Age caught up with her at a Toorak Road cafe during pre-polling, two passers-by separately stopped to chat: a parent from school as well as Westaway\\u2019s personal trainer. Labor\\u2019s decision to sit the contest out, an anti-Greens campaign, low voter turnout, preference deals, crime, and the circumstances under which former Greens MP Sam Hibbins quit parliament have all been floated as possible reasons for Prahran changing hands. \\u201CI think it was being a 20-year local,\\u201D Westaway, 55, said on Sunday at Prahran Market. She also said residents wanted something new. Chapel Street vacancies and crime rates came up through the campaign. \\u201CThis is a vote against 10 years of waste with the Greens,\\u201D Westaway said. The Greens\\u2019 primary vote held up after and then parliament following an affair with a staff member. But the minor party should have picked up a lot of Labor\\u2019s vote, given it did not contest . Instead, the Greens vote was almost identical to 2022. Westaway and Di Camillo each polled just over 36 per cent of first-preference votes, and the Greens\\u2019 12 per cent margin in two-party preferred was completely eroded. \\u201CThe results are incredibly close, but unfortunately, it\\u2019s clear that the Greens will fall just short of winning the Prahran byelection,\\u201D state Greens leader Ellen Sandell said after conceding defeat. Former Labor MP turned had almost 13 per cent of the vote in Saturday\\u2019s byelection and helped push Westaway to 51.6 per cent two-party preferred. Sandell claimed Labor had \\u201Chanded the seat to the Liberals\\u201D by sitting the contest out and by Lupton preferencing the Liberals. But she rejected that the Greens vote had suffered because of a concerted anti-Greens campaign backed by , which accused the minor party of fomenting antisemitism. Advance spokeswoman Sandra Bourke said on Sunday that the lobby group would double down on its mission to reduce the Greens vote. The Victorian Electoral Commission said it had counted all votes cast on Saturday, all early votes and all postal votes that had been received so far. Just 64.29 per cent of enrolled voters had their ballot counted, though further postal votes will be returned. Turnout tends to be lower during a byelection, but it was especially weak in Prahran. Sandell said the low turnout, with no absentee voting in byelections, had particularly hurt the Greens because those disenfranchised or disengaged tended to be younger and renting. About 57 per cent of residents in the electorate rented at the time of the 2021 census, double the state average. Labor had already decided not to run in Prahran when then-treasurer Tim Pallas announced his resignation as the MP for Werribee, but the party was relieved to focus its resources on the rather than being spread across two seats. That contest is still too close to call. Labor\\u2019s vote collapsed in Werribee, but the Liberal Party was not picking up many of its supporters on first preferences. Both major parties were failing to reach 30 per cent on primaries, with Labor candidate John Lister narrowly ahead on a two-party preferred basis. While MaxCap co-founder Wayne Lasky has been trimming staff numbers in the non-bank lender’s Melbourne HQ he’s had to do a little pruning of his own given he’s recently shaved $1 million off the price of his grand Prahran mansion The landmark Prahran mansion is on offer with a price guide of $17 million to $18.5 million Read MoreLuxury propertySalesAFR WeekendLatest In ResidentialFetching latest articles Play Duration: 19 minutes 29 seconds19m Brought to you by Voters in the seat of Prahran will head to the polls early next month to vote in the upcoming by-election.  The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Greens MP Sam Hibbins after he admitted to an affair with a staffer in the electorate, which covers suburbs like Prahran and South Yarra. Press play to hear the Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo and Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne Mornings with Raf Epstein at the Prahran Market Candidates talk to Raf Epstein at the Prahran Market live site.(ABC Radio Melbourne) Three bidders competed for the two-storey, four-bedroom home at 52 Chatsworth Road, which had a price guide of $5.2 million to $5.6 million. Marshall White’s James McCormack said the Prahran home drew three passive buyers who had not been searching for a home, but who were interested to buy this home in particular. “[They] came into the market because this was a special opportunity, a very rare home,” he said. “It is a beautiful example of a Victorian terrace home. “It was meticulously looked after, one of the most pristine examples you will see of a home like this.” He declined to comment on the interested buyers but said the auction was well paced with consistent bidding and that it will be a challenging listing to replace for the underbidders. He said the reserve was at the top of the range and the home was on the market just over the top end of the range. Well-positioned, A-list homes are selling well in this market, he said. Melbourne suburbs where house prices are falling fastest right now Buying an apartment in Melbourne: What to look out for, is it worth it, and everything to know according to an expert House in Melbourne’s east sells for $2,362,000 to surprise buyer Morrell and Koren buyer agent Emma Bloom watched the auction but didn’t bid. She said three buyers took part and bidding was so intense that the auctioneer lost his voice. “It was pretty hard and fast and it was a testament to the excitement, the agent lost his voice,” Bloom said. “He was so happy to be getting a great result for his vendor.” She said buyers were interested in the home because it was move-in ready. “It’s at the epicentre of Prahran and a lot of people could just move in. Those are the heroes at the moment, the turnkeys.” Two Bayside families seeking to upsize competed for a Beaumaris house at auction on Saturday that sold under the hammer for $2.13 million. There was spirited bidding for the five-bedroom home with a swimming pool at 58 Bonanza Road, next door to a park, and a guide price of between $1,825,000 and $1.9 million. 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing Bidding opened at $1.76 million with a vendor bid, with $1.8 million the first bid from a buyer. Twenty thousand dollar bids were placed most of the way until the home hit the market at $1.94 million. Bidding dropped soon after to $10,000 bids until it sold for $2.13 million. Matthew Pillios from Kay & Burton Bayside said the house had a resort-type feel with “palm trees, really large swimming pool, and huge accommodation.” Pillios said the beach suburb of Beaumaris is quiet for local residents as it has no train line. “It is a cross between a local beach suburb with a touch of holiday destination,” he said. Pillios said the Melbourne market is on the way up. “The energy that I’ve experienced in the last four weeks has probably been the best and most positive in 18 months,” he said. The vendor is downsizing locally in Bayside. The home last traded for $1,335,000, in 2008, records show. A four-bedroom house in Yarraville with two driveways sold for $1.74 million to a local buyer who was “absolutely stoked”. The elegant home was beautifully presented at 16 Fairlie Street, with Victorian period character and modern convenience. Guided between $1.65 million and $1.75 million, three were interested with two bidding. The weather was quite warm, and the auction was held on the wide tree-lined street before a crowd of thirty people. 1 Bath3 ParkingView listing Bidding opened at $1.65 million from a buyer’s advocate, and after a $10,000 bid, it was announced as on the market at $1.7 million. Bids from $10,000 to $2500 were placed until the home sold for $40,000 above its $1.7 million reserve for $1.74 million. Glen Baird from Jellis Craig Inner West said the market was quite strong at the moment as many are trying to settle before Christmas. Baird said the two driveways, one on the left and one on the right meant it would be easy to move cars around. “They don’t have off-street parking often [in this area] so this has ample room for as many cars as you want, which is good,” he said. The buyer is a young family from Seddon. The vendor will be relocating to Williamstown. The property last traded for $120,000 in 1989, records show. In Brunswick East, a two-bedroom weatherboard home with original wallpaper at 2 Parkview Avenue, sold for $370,000 above its $1.15 million reserve for $1.52 million to a local buyer from Brunswick West. The cottage with a big yard was marketed as a renovation project. Six families bid at the auction held before a crowd of 80 people. Bidding opened at $1.2 million after a $1 million opening bid was declined. Then fierce bids “went bonkers” as odd amounts ranging from $10,000 to $28,000 were placed until it sold for $1.52 million. 1 Bath2 ParkingView listing Ray White’s Jamil Allouche said there was a shift in the market. “What we’re seeing in the moment is a bit more potency in the market,” he said. The home had been in the vendor’s family for over fifty years. The vendor was “over the moon.” AMP’s chief economist Dr Shane Oliver said Melbourne’s clearance rate of 59.3 per cent was a reflection of the Victorian economy. “I suspect both cities [Melbourne and Sydney] will remain fairly soft until we get more confidence that interest rates are coming down, and that may not occur until at least three months away,” he said. Oliver expects rate cuts to occur in February, however, noted that others are saying May and “money markets are saying July… even August.” The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate Coff Property Group has secured approval for its $46 million townhouse project in Prahran The development is a partnership between Coff PropertyGroup and Monark Property Partners a non-bank lender with over $1 billion in funds under management The Stonnington Council’s approval process has been remarkably swift an impressive turnaround for a project of this scale on a small side street There will be 17 townhouses on a 2,200 sqm site at 113–115 Chomley Street - a rare addition to Prahran's apartment-dominated market “Prahran is a place that is dear to our team and we’re committed to ensuring what we do with this site will contribute positively to this cherished neighbourhood,” Adam Coff said Expected to be priced between $2.35 million and $3.2 million the residences will add much-needed stock to the inner south market and will benefit from recent stamp duty changes announced by the Victorian Government and were designed as an urban retreat with three-metre high ceilings private internal elevators and rooftop terraces Each townhouse is limited to two or three levels with a single-level basement providing two parking spaces per residence to reduce street congestion dining and kitchen area that extends to a private terrace Select residences will have north-facing exposure and city views from third-floor balconies and will be enhanced by private individual elevators from the side-by-side lockable garages Designed in collaboration with Cera Stribley Architects and Andrew Panton Design, the project takes inspiration from Prahran’s urban and eclectic character while incorporating modernist design elements and prioritising green spaces and community integration Materials such as bricks and metal detailing have been selected to create a contemporary yet understated aesthetic The development is divided into three clusters allowing for landscaped spaces that maintain the residential scale of Chomley Street and soften the visual impact of the buildings and a shared green pathway designed to enhance the streetscape and provide a more open feel compared to the existing structures on the site Located near High Street, the site offers excellent connectivity to local amenities. Residents will be within walking distance of some of Melbourne’s best parks, cafés, and restaurants, with Toorak Park and Victoria Gardens nearby The site is also a short drive from St Kilda Beach and approximately 30 minutes from the CBD The development will join other notable projects in the area, including Kincrest's parkside development The Osment The Osment will bring 22 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across a seven-level building at 3-7 Grattan Street, a site with a 35-metre frontage to the popular Prahran park The mixed-use plans by Cheah Saw Architecture will include two levels of strata offices and a ground-floor cafe and retail space that will face the park Alex Gavioli’s motto is “drink your good wines”. For the restaurateur, hospitality doesn’t need ego, pomp or rehearsed scripts to be artful – it just needs to be real. His focus is on delivering true enjoyment through delicious food, staff with personality, an elegant environment and an accessible pricepoint. That’s the mindset at Don’s the venue Gavioli opened in 2022 that quickly became a Prahran favourite thanks to its approachable wine list travel spots and more – curated by those who know the offering – which will also include pastas and raw dishes – will be curated to intuitively encourage certain pairings of entrees and mains The space, fitted out by Freudendal, an interior designer, and builder Julian Ross of Bush Built will have a Scandinavian-inspired sleekness where clean finishes are balanced by luscious timber seating and industrial stainless steel is offset by warm lighting A spiral staircase leads to the cellar – which seats just under 10 people – where diners can begin or end their meal with an intimate cocktail Cordelia will open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Saturday and will be walk-ins only Cordelia will open at 180 Rathdowne Street, Carlton in early May @cordelia.carlton Drinks and Snacks From $6 at Good Times’ Latest Bakeries and Restaurants That Opened or Closed in April 32 of the Hottest Dishes and Drinks in Melbourne Right Now A mishap at the Victorian Electoral Commission\\u2019s early voting centre slowed progress on the Werribee result while Labor\\u2019s John Lister had more than 28 per cent If the pattern of the count so far is indicative of what\\u2019s to come Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the result was \\u201Con a knife\\u2019s edge\\u201D She urged the parties\\u2019 volunteers to sign up to scrutineer when counting resumes on Monday morning \\u201CWe need to make sure every vote for Angelica counts,\\u201D she said Victoria\\u2019s political leaders had earlier staked out the political contest beyond Saturday\\u2019s byelections with Allan promising to do more to ease the financial pressures on families while Opposition Leader Brad Battin vowed to continue the battle for Melbourne\\u2019s west Battin said erasing Labor\\u2019s margin in Werribee was a \\u201Cmassive massive ask\\u201D for Liberal candidate Murphy and regardless of the result his party would continue to work to break Labor\\u2019s stranglehold on Melbourne\\u2019s western suburbs \\u201CAll of these seats throughout the west you\\u2019ve been neglected for too long and we\\u2019ll be here for you,\\u201D he said There are 11 state electorates covering Melbourne\\u2019s west Allan made her final pitch to Werribee voters at a Wyndham Vale primary school with Labor\\u2019s candidate Lister She acknowledged that families were \\u201Cdoing it really really tough\\u201D and promised to do more to ease pressure on household budgets \\u201CI am particularly focused on those working families after greeting Labor volunteers at Saturday night\\u2019s election party at the Werribee Centrals Cricket Club \\u201CWe need to keep focused on our western suburbs and our northern suburbs and keep focusing on the people we were elected to represent; hard working Victorians that are aspirational want the best for their kids and want to get home so they can spend time with their families,\\u201D he said I always knew this was always going to be a very tough byelection.\\u201D my government is listening,\\u201D she said \\u201CLiving standards are getting worse,\\u201D said Kamaljit Kaur a growth suburb on the western edge of the city\\u2019s urban growth boundary \\u201CCrime is also getting worse \\u2013 out of control.\\u201D \\u201CIt might come down to preferences,\\u201D she told supporters at the party\\u2019s function before congratulating the party on being \\u201Cpeople powered\\u201D Westaway said there was a \\u201Creal feeling of change\\u201D which he describes as an \\u201Cextremist party\\u201D that has fostered antisemitism were hopeful but realistic about Westaway\\u2019s chances of flipping the seat Battin arrived with the Liberal candidate at 9.30pm to chants of \\u201CRachel Rachel\\u201D and he thanked the \\u201Csea of blue\\u201D \\u201CWe are here and we are ready to step up and represent the community,\\u201D he said but Advance claimed the action was heavy-handed and \\u201Ca politically motivated attack\\u201D Saturday\\u2019s byelections were the first chance for voters to have their say following the Liberal Party\\u2019s change of leaders in December after Battin successfully challenged John Pesutto will analyse the results with an eye to next November\\u2019s state election and Prahran were clinical in their Qualifying Final defeating Parkside by 60 points, 12.8 (80) to 2.8 (20). The difficult conditions at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, meant both sides needed to adjust — with Prahran winning the toss and kicking with the breeze. Prahran’s midfield got to work early, winning the centre clearance battle five to nil in the first term — with Rory Brodie providing first use for his teammates. Parkside’s defence struggled to defend one-on-one and when Shaun Chapman put through his first, signs were looking ominous. With the Devils trailing at quarter time by only 19 points, Prahran knew they needed to apply elite pressure against the breeze, and they certainly did. “I thought our pressure applied to the ball carrier was outstanding, which was a real focus going into the game,” Prahran coach Craige Milward said. The Devils, a team that like to take the game on, were forced back on numerous occasions due to the ongoing heat. Even kicking against a four-goal breeze, Prahran were able to outscore their opposition with their remarkable efficiency, scoring three times from just four inside 50’s. At half time, the Prahran coaching staff would’ve been rapt with the team’s execution of the fundamentals — a tackle count of 22-12 in their favour and plenty of work to do for the Devils. The third term was owned by Prahran, as they continued to dominate the inside 50 battle 9-2. On any chance given — the numerous turnovers made by the Devils, in their defensive half were pounced upon. With Rory Brodie dominating in the ruck and taking big clunks down the line, there was nowhere to go for the Devils. “(Rory Brodie) was outstanding, for him to be able to ruck for three-quarters of the ground, for an entire game… just a tremendous athlete,” Milward said. Trailing by 53 points at three-quarter time, Devils coach Rick Frost wanted to hear more voice from his side and urged the players to build some momentum for next week’s Preliminary Final. Last term was a stalemate, as both sides were eager to get unscathed with injury. In the other fixture of the weekend (a win or go home eliminator), a late last quarter surge was not enough for Ormond, as UHS-VU held on in a five-point thriller, 7.12 (54) to 6.13 (49). The Vultures started strongly with the breeze, with Esubalew Ramsay and Harrison Kennedy dominating the contested ball against a young Monders midfield. As the Skipper steered one late in the quarter, to give them a 16-point buffer at quarter time. The Monders had a plethora of inside 50’s in the second quarter, but credit to youngster Archie Frazer, who showed a calm head down back for the Vultures. Only one goal was scored for the second term, as it was turning into a real arm-wrestle as UHS-VU lead by eight points at the main break. In the third the game opened up in favour of the Vultures, who kicked four goals to the Monders’ one. When Patrick Brookes kicked a ripping check side goal, his side were 26 points up at three-quarter time — but with the Monders kicking with the breeze in the last, it was never over. Ormond knew it had to be bold because there was no second chance and crucial clearance wins gave them the perfect start. Senin Seymour set the crowd alight with some strong dash across the half-back, as Jackson Hille started to throw his weight around and be influential in the contest. Noah Seiderman kicked a much-needed steadier for the Vultures, with seven minutes remaining — but Ethan Hanley responded with a big time goal on the run. Vultures skipper Harrison Kennedy won a match-defining centre clearance and his side were able to lock the ball in their forward half, for the dying minutes. Monders defender Benjamin Hardwick was exceptional on Div 1’s leading goal scorer Brandon Jackson keeping him scoreless and Matthew Oaten was superb down back. Starting in the thirds midway through the season, Vultures half-forward Tristan White played his role beautifully in his senior debut, embodying a great story of perseverance. “Our pressure and attack on the contest was as good as it has been for the year and after a slump mid-year, it’s been great to bounce back the way we have,” Vultures captain Harrison Kennedy said. A disappointing result for the Monders, who gave it their all to the very last second — but couldn’t hit September with the right momentum. This weekend, it’s a huge Preliminary final with Parkside taking on UHS-VU. Head-to-head the Vultures have beaten the Devils on both occasions this year, with a combined total of 18 points, so expect another beauty. Vultures forward Brandon Jackson has kicked a combined 10 goals against the Devils, so it will be interesting to see how Rick Frost’s men structure up. Another intriguing weekend of William Buck Premier Women’s action unfolded in Round 4, headlined by a top-four clash between Old Geelong and Old Scotch, while other contenders continued to build Prahran’s continued efforts to ‘tread water’ amidst an early-season injury crisis, have finally caught a break, although not on the scoreboard. A largely competitive 16.18 (114) to 9.8 (62) loss Round 4 of the Division 4 Women’s competition saw Beaumaris and Westbourne each go a game clear of the rest of the pack on the ladder, riding high after being The VAFA acknowledge the traditional owners of country, on which we play our great game, and pay our respects to them, their culture and Elders past and present. A Victorian state Greens MP has quit the party after revealing he had an affair with a female staffer leaving a furious party leader Ellen Sandell to declare he had lost her trust and was “never welcome back” whose seat also takes in upmarket Melbourne suburbs including South Yarra quit the Greens on Friday to sit as an independent ‭‭Located in the heart of Prahran, Melbourne, This Is A Studio offers a professional and‬ welcoming space for all your podcasting needs Whether you’re a seasoned podcaster or just‬ starting out the studio is designed to support your creative journey.‬ The studio has an experienced team of podcast producers The studio is equipped with high-quality gear Both‬ studio spaces also feature professional lighting setups to enhance your recordings.‬ the company aim to make podcasting a seamless experience From recording to‬ editing and producing ‭The company’s expertise extends beyond the studio It provides podcast production services for live‬ events and exhibitions including high-profile occasions like the AFL Grand Final Live Site,‬ CyberCon 2024 Conference ‭Through its partnership with Eclat Co-Working in Melbourne they offer technical podcast‬ support to their members fostering a collaborative and thriving podcasting community.‬ This is a press release which we link to from Podnews, our daily newsletter about podcasting and on-demand We may make small edits for editorial reasons.