“These changes provide more options and greater flexibility for users of the scheme and are expected to increase the number of older Australians choosing to participate.”
Reverse mortgages let older home owners borrow money secured against their property. If they don’t make payments, the debt compounds and is paid when the property is sold or the borrowers die. Commercial loans taken out since 2012 have a no negative equity guarantee, meaning borrowers cannot owe more than the value of their stake in their home, and this safeguard was also added to the government scheme this month.
Prior to 2019, participants in the government scheme could draw a fortnightly income up to the full pension rate, including any existing pension payments, making it effectively only available to part pensioners and some self-funded retirees. From July 2019, borrowers were able to borrow to fund a fortnightly income of up to 150 per cent of the full pension rate.
Meanwhile, figures from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority show the continuing decline of the commercial market. The value of outstanding reverse mortgage loans held by banks, building societies and credit unions fell to $2.21 billion by the end of March 2022, an 18 per cent fall from $2.7 billion from the same period in 2019.
In 2019 the Commonwealth Bank and its subsidiary Bankwest were the last of the big banks to exit the reverse mortgage market for new loans, but the products are still offered by a handful of smaller lenders charging 6 to 7 per cent interest a year.
Comparison site Canstar says lenders offering reverse mortgage loans include Household Capital, Heartland, IMB, P&N Bank, G&C Mutual Bank and Gateway Bank.
Steve Mickenbecker, a finance expert at comparison site Canstar, said commercial reverse mortgages had not lived up to expectations.
“Reverse mortgages were developed with great hope that they would provide the financial solution for asset-rich, cash-poor retirees to fund the retirement lifestyle they aspired to,” he said.
But Mickenbecker said early offerings in the reverse mortgage market delivered adverse outcomes to customers and while this was largely fixed by regulation, it still came with “significant trade-offs and some risk to the borrower”.
He said many providers withdrew from the reverse mortgage market during the global financial crisis because they were expensive to run, with an uncertain time frame. The market had not recovered, and it was unlikely to do so given rising interest rates would make the debt compound faster and may cause the value of the property to fail.
Deb Shroot, a financial counselor with the National Debt Helpline, said she sometimes recommended the Centrelink scheme to clients, adding it worked similarly to hardship programs run by councils to allow older people to defer their rates.
“If these forms of loans or hardship [schemes] are enabling people to stay in their homes longer, if that’s what they want to do, then they can be a really good option for people so long as they’re going through adequate checks to make sure that they’re suitable and then not charging an unaffordable interest,” Shroot said.
Shroot said the main reasons why older people rang the National Debt Helpline included credit card debts where they had only ever paid the minimum balance, utilities and energy bills and the rising cost of living generally, and unaffordable rates and strata debt.
In controversial scenes at Salter Oval, a try to North Queensland winger Murray Taulagi was overturned during the Cowboys’ 28-14 win over the Bulldogs.
After scoring in the 57th minute, the Bunker was called in to check the play for a knock-on.
In a decision which split the NRL community, the ball was judged to have traveled forward after bouncing off of Valentine Holmes’ shoulder as Tom Dearden passed to Taulagi.
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“We always try to find why it’s not a try,” Balmain Tigers great Steve Roach said in commentary for Fox League.
“How does it go forward?”
Fellow legend Billy Moore was equally staggered.
“For me that was a try,” Moore added.
Speaking after the game, North Queensland coach Todd Payten said the no-try decision was erroneous.
“I though it went backwards, definitely,” he said.
“If the try had gone up as a try then we would be celebrating, but watching from the lines, even Muzz (Taulagi) who caught it on the wing, had to reach backwards.
“So, that says to me the ball has gone backwards.”
Fortunately, the decision made no difference as the Cowboys shrugged off a slow start to win their third match in row and secure second spot on the ladder.
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Commonwealth Games in pictures: Netball semi-final delayed after a player broke the goal post
A small city in Alabama moved this week to disband its three-member police force after one of them sent a racist text message that then circulated on social media.
Pending an investigation into the text message, the City Council in Vincent, Ala., suspended the police chief and assistant chief at a meeting on Thursday and moved to dissolve the department, the mayor, James Latimer, said on Saturday. After that decision, the remaining member of the department resigned, the mayor said.
After the suspensions and resignations, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Friday that it was handling law enforcement emergency calls for the city. The statement added that officials at the Sheriff’s Office “equally condemn” the allegations of misconduct.
The city, which is about 30 miles southeast of Birmingham, has a little under 2,000 residents, 392 of them Black, according to census figures.
“This has turned this community apart,” a member of the City Council, Corey Abrams, said at the meeting, according to AL.com, which reported this week on the text message. Mr. Latimer said the assistant chief, John L. Goss, had sent the message, an offensive remark about slavery.
The Rev. Kenneth Dukes, the president of the Shelby County branch of the NAACP, said that the text was the “tip of the iceberg” and reflected unaddressed community concerns about racism in the community.
“I think now the Council, along with the mayor, see that this is totally unacceptable and that the people have said, ‘No more,’” he said.
Mr. Latimer said that the police chief, James Srygley, and Chief Goss had been suspended with pay at the council meeting on Thursday. An officer, Lee Carden, resigned. The council approved a resolution to pursue the termination of the chief and assistant chief, the mayor said.
Chiefs Srygley and Goss and Officer Carden could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
The council also agreed to draft an ordinance to dissolve the police department and to work with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to contract for law enforcement coverage.
The Rev. Dukes said his organization planned to meet with community members in the coming weeks to hear their feedback before the next City Council meeting on Aug. 16. He said he appreciated the city’s quick response to the text message allegation and was waiting to see if the chief and assistant chief would be terminated in keeping with the Council’s recommendation.
“I think at this moment we are pleased with the outcome and hopefully everybody will move forward, once it’s confirmed,” he said.
There are thousands of “zombie” houses in Australia – and they could hold the key to the country’s rental crisis.
There could even be one in your neighbourhood.
Put simply, “zombie” houses are properties that are sitting empty or are not being used 100 per cent of the time.
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“No one is renting them … no one’s living in them,” Finder money expert Rebecca Pike told 7NEWS.com.au.
And they are widespread – last year’s census revealed there were more than 1 million unoccupied dwellings, although that was during a time when much of the country was in lockdown and borders had been closed for more than a year.
But with Australia’s rents soaring and tenants struggling to find a roof over their heads, these ominously termed properties could be pushing prices up – and taking away rental properties from desperate families.
Governments around the country are working to clamp down on zombie homes and make them available for renters, but experts say more can be done.
What is a ‘zombie’ house?
It might be a terrifying term, but the idea of “zombie” houses came about in a much more benign way than their name suggests.
They can include short-term rentals and holiday homes – investors may choose to rent their property out short-term to make more money and have some flexibility.
“It seems safer to have Airbnb tenants just for a few days at a time, a week, couple of weeks – there’s less wear and tear to worry about,” Pike said.
And there’s more money to be made.
“The other side is you can just charge more money for an Airbnb. So, what you might get in a week’s rent, you can get in a weekend.”
But while there are benefits for investors, turning properties into short-term rentals means there are fewer homes up for rent, Pike said.
And that’s a problem at a time when residents have been priced out of the rental market as demand grows and rents increase – forcing some to live in their cars or stay in a caravan while they find a rental.
“Investors are putting their properties out for Airbnb, but it’s taking rental properties away from renters and that lack of … properties available to rent is driving demand and prices up,” she said.
Why landlords don’t want to change tack
Melbourne property investment adviser Goro Gupta understands the challenges of the rental crisis.
He has an Airbnb on the Gold Coast that doubles as a holiday home, and is in the process of turning a second property he owns into an Airbnb.
Gupta said he purchased the Gold Coast property – a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house – because it would have less of an impact on the rental market.
“Not all people need a four bed, two bath home for just one family,” he said.
“That’s why we purchased an Airbnb which wouldn’t really be affecting the market which is in crisis.”
He and his family fly up to the Gold Coast and use the property about every two months. Every other weekend, it’s booked out by travellers, Gupta said.
“It’s not like it’s sitting empty, it’s just empty on some of the weekdays,” he said.
“Typically, two families that want to have a family reunion or get together… at least have a house because it’s a nice four-bedroom house with a private pool.
“It’s cheaper for them to use our house than a hotel.
“With the second property, there was a long-term renter in there, but he wanted to go off and buy his own property.”
Using the property as an Airbnb generates about 10 per cent to 20 per cent more income than having a long-term rental.
“(And) it gives us the ability to use the house as a holiday house whenever we need to,” he said.
Brisbane resident Raine Gaisford knows there are struggles in the rental market, but needs her investment property listed on Airbnb.
She and her husband bought an investment property in Noosa last October, planning to use it as a holiday home that they would eventually move into – but that became too expensive with their mortgage.
Instead, they listed the property on Airbnb. It is now booked out about 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the time.
“It’s not a matter of us trying to make profit. It’s actually just about trying to pay the mortgage,” Gaisford said.
“We wouldn’t be able to service the mortgage if we didn’t have it as a short-term rental.
“We’d be making quite a significant loss … if we were to rent it out as a longer-term rental.”
The couple uses the property when they can, but need it to be rented out “for a good portion of the year in order to service (the loan)“.
What needs to be done?
While short-term rentals do contribute to the rental crisis, investors and Airbnb owners are not to blame, First National Real Estate CEO Ray Ellis said.
“You can’t blame the consumer or the property owner because they see it as an investment return,” Ellis told Money News.
“If we’ve got a good property in a regional town or close to the beach or even in inner Sydney, that’s getting $800 a week – if you can get that $1000 for the weekend, without … having long-term commitment with tenants, it’s an easy financial decision to make.”
Instead, the onus should be on state governments, Ellis said.
Across the country, local councils and state governments have introduced rules and restrictions on short-term rentals.
In Brisbane city council, owners who list residential properties on short stay websites will be hit with a 50 per cent surcharge on their current rate bill.
“Brisbane has plenty of great hotels with many more under construction, and our suburban streets were never meant to be home to mini hotels that house different tenants every week,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said in June.
File image of residential houses in Sydney. Credit: Getty Images
“It is my hope that instead of paying extra, many owners will return these houses and apartments to the long-term rental market, which will help ease our housing shortage.”
Across the border in NSW, owners who rent out their properties for short-term stays must register the accommodation with the state government and comply with a code of conduct.
In Greater Sydney and several regional areas, non-hosted short-term rentals – where the owner does not reside at the property – are limited to renting their property out for 180 days a year.
Still, more needs to be done to help ease the rental crisis.
“Australia hasn’t built enough houses,” Ellis said.
“As a government – state or federal – in the post-war period, the late ’50s, early ’60s, we built almost 240,000 of what we called social housing properties in those days.
“They were full and since then, no state government has made the same commitment to it.
“State governments must address it.”
Finder money expert Pike said the rental crisis is expected to get worse over the coming months and agrees it needs urgent action.
“We’re definitely seeing that demand for rental housing going up because we have so many more people coming into the country, whereas during COVID we really saw that drop,” Pike said.
“There is definitely more demand at the moment, but there’s also less supply.
“Also with the RBA cash rate, if investors are paying more for their loans, they’re potentially passing that on to renters.
An emotional tribute to the late, much-loved Gunditjmara-Bundjalung songman Archie Roach was at the heart of the National Indigenous Music awards in Darwin on Saturday night.
Led by Emma Donovan and Fred Leone, a group of artists including Shellie Morris, Leah Flanagan, Birdz, Yirrmal and William Barton gathered on stage to pay tribute to their beloved Uncle Archie, who died last week after a long illness aged 66.
They performed We Won’t Cry from his 2012 album Into the Bloodstream. Many in the crowd wiped away tears as they sang the uplifting ballad: “I’m here beside you/Don’t you forget it/I’m with you walking down this road/Give up what’s inside you/You won’t regret it/Together we can lighten this load.”
For the first time in two years, due to Covid restrictions, the National Indigenous Music awards were held under the stars in a live ceremony at the Darwin botanic gardens, on a perfect dry-season night, hosted by Kukuyalanji-Waanyi-Gangalidda-Woppaburra -Bundjalung-Biripi writer and performer Steven Oliver.
Earlier in the week, Oliver paid his respects to Roach, saying: “Some people will say that … we [have] lost a voice. But how do you lose a voice that’s become so ingrained within a people, a land and a country that it collectively becomes embedded within a spirit?
“More than a singer, he is a storyteller. More than a front man, he is a leader. More than a solo artist, he is so many of us hoping for a better, compassionate, truthful future,” Oliver said.
The night’s big winner was Yolngu superstar Baker Boy, who won artist of the year and album of the year for his debut, Gela.
Yolngu surf-rock band King Stingray won song of the year for the crowd’s favorite Milkumana, a song about passing on and sharing knowledge.
Malyangapa-Barkindji lyricist and musician Barkaa won film clip of the year for King Brown, a celebration of independent black women and the power of the black matriarchy.
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Proving musical brilliance runs in the family, Gumbaynggirr-Bundjalung indie artist Jem Cassar-Daley won the new talent award. Jem is the daughter of country music legend Troy Cassar-Daley, who has won an astonishing 44 golden guitar awards at the Country Music awards.
The Archie Roach Foundation award went to Murawari rapper and drummer Dobby.
The late Gurrumul was inducted into the hall of fame in a ceremony led by his brother and Saltwater Band co-founder Manuel Dhurrkay.
The evening hosted live performances by an incredible lineup of First Nations talent including King Stingray, Birdz and Fred Leone, Emma Donovan and the Putbacks, Yirrmal and the Red Flag Dancers.
“[I’m] so honored to … be at the Amphitheater with community,” the awards’ creative director, Ben Graetz, said. “Celebrating together in person will be something I will remember for a very long time. Also to remember, honor and pay tribute to Dr G and Uncle Archie was a true highlight.”
Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna fears Carlton’s terrific 2022 could be undone by ill-timed personnel issues, which has left Michael Voss’ team vulnerable at the most crucial stage of the season.
Michael Voss’ Blues are clinging to seventh spot on the ladder after a 33-point loss to Brisbane on Sunday – their fourth loss from their past six games.
They’ve been inside the top eight at the end of every round so far 1 this season, but are now in serious danger of missing out on finals with St Kilda and, particularly, Richmond and the Western Bulldogs still well placed to squeeze into the top eight. The last team to be in finals places every round except the last was Carlton in 1977.
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The Blues need to win one more game to guarantee a finals spot. But they would have upset one of Melbourne (3rd) or Collingwood (4th) over the next fortnight, while the Bulldogs and Tigers have ‘easier’ final games.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s First CrackMontagna said the Blues now had their “work cut out to play finals.”
It comes amid player availability issues in the most important part of the ground for Carlton, with George Hewett (back) and Matt Kennedy (fractured jaw) sidelined due to injury, while skipper Patrick Cripps could also miss matches due to a bump on Lion Cal Ah Chee that will attract MRO scrutiny.
Ban likely for Cripps after heavy bump | 02:00
The Blues have been renowned for their ruthless nature at the coalface this year, but Montagna on Sunday night pointed out the Blues had lost the hardball get count in the past two games against Brisbane and Adelaide by -20 and -15 respectively.
“They’re starting to get beaten up around the footy … and without that big three in the midfield, they look vulnerable to me,” Montagna told First Crack.
“They don’t look like the same side at the start of the year that was brutal, physical, aggressive, that was just bullying and beating up on teams through the midfield.
“The ‘Voss gloss’ might’ve worn off. They’ve got their work cut out now and they’re going to have to do some soul searching to try and play finals – and it might undo what has been such a terrific season up until the last sort of four or five weeks.”
Montagna also pointed out the Blues had only been in front for 26 per cent of game time in their matches against top-eight teams this year, while dual premiership Kangaroo David King highlighted the Blues are 10-1 this year when they’ve won the clearance count by at least +5 but 3-6 when that count has been +4 or less.
Brisbane stay in the hunt for top four | 02:26
“They’re clearance-based and contest-based – and they lose their best commodity,” King said.
In a must-win game, the Lions stunned the Blues in the first term with a fierce tackling display, laying 20 tackles to 13. That prompted dominance at clearance (+11), inside 50s (+13) and on the scoreboard (+ 29).
King said the Lions’ pressure was awesome, making Carlton look “jittery” and “panicky with the ball”.
The Kangaroos great put the heat on Blues backman Adam Saad, who finished with 24 disposals and 10 interceptions, but was arguably beaten by direct Brisbane opponent Charlie Cameron, who kicked two telling goals.
King pointed to a sloppy kick-in from Saad that led to a turnover and Dayne Zorko goal during the first term.
“What is that? I mean come on. This is high-level stakes,” he said.
“That’s not AFL standard, just waltzing out like that and just trying to be a little bit arrogant again with the ball.
Carlton Press Conference | 06:10
“He’s had a fantastic year, but his last two weeks he’s left opportunities on the floor for the opposition to take – and they have.”
Despite his club’s predicament, Voss said it must “embrace where we are at”.
“We are all about what’s in front of us. They are games to look forward to. We are playing in games that matter. This is an important phase in the development of our group,” Voss told reporters on Sunday.
“We need that exposure. We are going to the MCG next week against Melbourne, it will be a big game. The Collingwood game is being talked about already so we are getting exposure to these games and there can only be growth off the back of it.
“Tonight, it’s a bit of a tough one (lesson) but we’ve got to bring that fresh energy and we’ve got to correct ourselves pretty quick and we’ve got to get on with it.”
ORLANDO, Fla. – The National Hurricane Center is watching a tropical wave for possible development after weeks of silence in the Atlantic.
The wave is located off the west coast of Africa and is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the far eastern tropical Atlantic, according to the NHC.
“Environmental conditions appear generally conducive for gradual development of this system while it moves westward to west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic, and a tropical depression could form around the middle part of this week.”
The area has a 40% chance of development over the next five days and could potentially become a tropical depression by mid-week.
“If it were to become anything, this would be Danielle,” FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Ian Cassette said.
There has been no major hurricane to form this season, just three tropical storms: Alex, Bonnie, and Colin, and even though this is less active than past seasons, it is on schedule for an average season.
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We are now moving closer to the peak of hurricane season, which is Sept. 10, and roughly 90% of tropical activity occurs after Aug. 1. Therefore, both NOAA and Colorado State remain confident in their predictions.
The experts at Colorado State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released their updated 2022 Atlantic hurricane season outlooks Thursday. Both organizations decreased the forecast number of named storms from what they initially predicted in earlier outlooks, but they say you should still prepare for an active season.
CSU is still expecting an above-average season with 18 named storms, eight of which could become hurricanes with winds of at least 74 mph. Experts say out of the hurricanes, four of them could be major (Category 3 or higher) with winds of at least 115 mph.
NOAA expects a similar outcome to the Atlantic hurricane season, predicting 14 to 20 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes, which is a slight decrease from its initial outlook in May.
Make sure you have the FOX 35 Storm Team App downloaded and ready to receive daily forecasts and to be the first to know when severe weather is coming to your area.
If you’re not in Europe escaping the chill, you could instead bask in the glow of a good bargain when dining out. Melbourne restaurants and pubs are tackling the notoriously quiet winter months with all kinds of specials on food and drinks.
Monday might be pasta night, Tuesday brings deals on schnitzels and the bargains continue right through until Sunday, if you know where to look.
On Wednesdays at Superchido, people are ordering these $10 plates of tacos and $10 desserts. Photo: Jason South
Seddon restaurant Superchido serves a Mexican menu that’s broader in reach than many others around town. But on Wednesdays, people eat for tacos. Two tortillas loaded with pork, beer-battered barramundi or grilled veg are available for $10; desserts are the same price.
While it was initially a night targeted to locals, the restaurant now gets people traveling from all over Melbourne for the deal.
“It’s equivalent to the foot traffic we get on a Friday,” says chief marketing officer Beatrice Pineda.
Welcome to Brunswick does half-price barbecue on Saturday afternoons, with smoked meats, vegan options and plenty of sides. Photo: Chip Mooney
Pineda says that business is steady throughout the week, but the Wednesday special provides a mid-week boost. “That alleviates the pressure on Friday and Saturday night trades.”
While Wednesday diners will mostly stick to the discounted items on the menu, they will often spend more on drinks.
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Superchido, like other venues, has been offering these deals since the start of the year and say they haven’t noticed any change in their popularity in recent months, despite four consecutive interest rate rises and surging costs of essentials like fuel.
Specials like these could be helping to fuel continued growth in transactions on dining out and takeaway, which grew by 8.6 per cent in the June quarter according to latest ABS data.
Ripponlea Food and Wine has noticed that Friday and Saturday trade continues to be strong, with people ordering lots of cocktails. But on Wednesday and Thursday, diner spend per head is half what it is on weekends.
A long-running pasta and wine night for $40 each Wednesday helps keep tables full.
CBD restaurant Robata does a special deal on chicken katsu sandwich and a beer at lunchtime. Photo: Jake Roden
“Mid-week, you need to tap into value for money. Diners are not necessarily looking to spend $100 a head,” says director Lisa Slaughter.
Dining deals often become more common in winter, as venues compete against the pull of staying indoors.
Throughout August, restaurant booking platform The Fork has set up deals where venues offer set menus at $99, $79 or $49. In Victoria, 49 restaurants are participating, including big names like Turkish restaurant Tulum and Federation Square’s Taxi Kitchen.
People travel from all over Melbourne to get a cheap taco deal on Wednesdays, according to Superchido. Photo: Jason South
“It’s a good way for venues to acquire new customers,” says head of marketing James Walmsley. “We know it’s expensive for venues to do their own marketing… but the most expensive thing for a restaurant is an empty table.”
As interest rate decisions catch up with consumers, some say they’re starting to pull back their discretionary spending, or plan to in future. A third of those surveyed in July by restaurant booking platform SevenRooms said dining out would be the first budget item they’d cut.
That could mean more bargains are on the table for savvy diners in coming months, even as warmer weather arrives.
Epocha’s Sunday roast is more than that, with three courses for $65. Photo: Jacqueline Moussa
Where to find dining deals every day of the week in Melbourne
MONDAY
Cheap drinks and snacks or $40 dinner, Henry Sugar
Monday night is legendary here for the inventive snacks (starting at $7), $10 negronis and $50 carafes of wine that can get your week off to a naughty start. Otherwise, do the two-course dinner for $40. 296-298 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, henrysugar.com.au
The “beggars banquet” at Bar Margaux is a more affordable way to kickstart (or end) your night. Photo: Gareth Sobey
TUESDAY
$80 beggars banquet, Bar Margaux
That’s what they call this spread of oysters, steak tartare, fries and two glasses of Taittinger champagne. Head to this basement bar early (5pm-7pm) or late (10am-midnight), Wednesday to Saturday, to slump it in style. Basement, 111 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, barmargaux.com.au
Turkish restaurant Tulum in Balaclava is participating in a month of dining specials by The Fork to boost business in winter. Photo: Jake Roden
WEDNESDAY
$10 tacos and desserts, Superchido
Get two tacos for $10, with three different fillings on offer: al pastor (pork), fish (battered fish) or rajas (scorched pepper). Back it up with a $10 dessert: churros or chocolate cake with layers of sponge and custard. There’s also a happy hour before the food specials kick off. 82 Charles Street, Seddon, superchido.com.au
Kids’ pastas are free at Brunetti Classico in Carlton Monday to Thursday. Photo: Supplied
THURSDAY
$12 burgers at Burger Shurger
Normally costing between $19 and $13.50, the fillings on these loaded burgers are Indian in flavour: think butter chicken, fried chilli paneer and potato tikka. It’s a fun mash-up that gets even better with a discount (also available on Wednesdays). Locations in Elsternwick and Williamstown, burgershurger.com.au
Burger Shurger’s hefty fillings include butter chicken, aloo tikka and more, with most burgers $12 mid-week. Photo: Supplied
FRIDAY
Two-for-one drinks at Ripponlea Food and Wine
Relocate the home office to this bayside spot to make the most of its 3pm-5pm happy hour. Pay half for a couple of Asahis or Matilda Bay Original Ales or try a tap wine, including King Valley pinot grigio. 15 Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea, ripponleafoodandwine.com.au
SATURDAY
Half-price barbecue at Welcome To Brunswick
What’s normally a $19 plate of smoked meat (or veg, if that’s your preference) is all yours for less than a tenner on Saturday afternoons (noon-4pm). Choose your hero, add sides like mac and cheese and bring it home with fluffy bread, pickles or some croquettes. 1 Frith Street, Brunswick, welcometobrunswick.com.au
SUNDAY
$65 for three courses at Epocha
They call it a Sunday roast, but lunch here on Sunday is so much more. Kick off with shared entrees, perhaps whipped ricotta with bread, before moving on to swordfish with mandarin and sorrel. Then it’s the roast of the week with sides to match and duck-fat potatoes. Dessert is also included, so you’ll be rolling all the way home. 49 Rathdowne Street, Carlton, epocha.com.au
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
$20 specials at Paradise Valley Hotel
There are four ways to get dinner for $20, starting with steak on Monday. Fans of burgers, parmas and curry are also catered for throughout the week, then on Sunday there’s a roast special at market price. 249 Belgrave-Gembrook Road, Clematis, paradisevalleyhotel.com
Kids eat free at Brunetti Classico
From Monday to Thursday, margherita pizza, gnocchi and more kids’ pizza and pasta are free, as long as one adult orders a main meal. Does getting dinner on the house mean the kids will want even more gelato after? You bet. 380 Lygon Street, Carlton, brunetticlassico.com.au
$25 katsu sando and beer at Robata
Squishy white bread, crisp panko-crumbed chicken and lashings of Kewpie: this is how you do a sanga. With edamame for snacking and a refreshing Asahi, this is a lunchtime special that could have you skipping dinner. Talk about budget friendly. 2 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, robata.com.au
$60 prix-fixe lunch and wine at Philippe
Those in the know sniff out the lunch deal at this French CBD favourite. From Tuesday to Friday, two courses – onion soup and confit duck, perhaps – plus a carafe of wine, are all yours for nearly half the normal bill. Basement, 115-117 Collins Street, Melbourne, philipperestaurant.com.au
Kids eat free at The Orrong Hotel
Make dinnertime easy (and cheap!) at this renovated south-side pub, where kids aged 12 years and under eat on the house. Options include chicken schnitzel, spaghetti with napoli sauce and more. The deal’s available Monday to Wednesday, 4pm to 6pm. 709 High Street, Armadale, orronghotel.com
Liam and Luke Hemsworth go incognito on the streets of Byron Bay as the famous brothers run errands
By Ali Daher For Daily Mail Australia
Published: | Updated:
Despite being Hollywood stars, the Hemsworth brothers are still proud to call Australia home.
And on Wednesday, Liam, 32, and Luke, 41, were spotted chatting on the street in Byron Bay’s CBD.
Both casually dressed for the outing, Liam wore a plain white T-shirt and beige cargo pants.
Despite being Hollywood stars, the Hemsworth brothers are still proud to call Australia home. And on Wednesday, Liam, 32, and Luke, 41, were spotted chatting on the streets of Byron Bay
Meanwhile, Luke opted for a black long-sleeved top and black shorts which he teamed with a pair of colorful sneakers.
They both attempted to go incognito wearing tinted sunglasses and caps.
It comes after Chris revealed that his younger brother Liam was almost cast as Thor.
Liam wore a plain white T-shirt and beige cargo pants and black shoes
Meanwhile, Luke opted for a black long sleeve top and black shorts which he teamed with a pair of colorful sneakers.
‘My little brother almost got cast as Thor,’ the 38-year-old told website Mensxp this week.
‘He was one of the first people who got right down to the wire on getting the part so I could cross paths with him. That will be fun.’
Chris previously revealed that he blew his original audition for Thor, before Liam, 32, came in to test for the same part, and got much further in the process.
Last month Chris Hemsworth revealed that he wants Liam to appear in a Thor film as an alternative version of the iconic Marvel character. Pictured: Liam, Chris and Luke Hemsworth
That motivated Chris to ask for his manager to get him a callback to have another go, with the role ultimately going to him, not Liam, as a result.
‘I came in kind of with a little, I guess, motivation and maybe frustration that my little brother had gotten further than me,’ he told W Magazine.
‘It’s a little family, sibling rivalry sort of kicked up in me. Then it moved pretty quickly from there. It was cool.’
‘My little brother almost got cast as Thor,’ the 38-year-old told website Mensxp this week (pictured)
Thor is already a family affair, with Chris’ older brother Luke Hemsworth, 41, winning a role in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok.
Luke played an actor depicting Thor on stage.
The play-within-a-film storyline repapers in Thor: Love and Thunder, which is out now.
Luke again plays act actor taking on his brother’s role, dressed in full Thor regalia, including a wig and fake beard.
Chris has previously revealed that he blew his original audition for Thor, before Liam came in to test for the same part, and got much further in the process. Chris is pictured in Thor: Love and Thunder with co-star Natalie Portman
Chris has previously revealed that he blew his original audition for Thor, before Liam came in to test for the same part, and got much further in the process. That motivated Chris to ask for his manager from him to get him a callback to have another go
After a series of loan spells away from the club, centre-back William Saliba made an impressive first Arsenal start
Arsenal’s high-profile summer arrivals have claimed the headlines in a pre-season bubbling over with goals and optimism – but it was an “old” new face who made the biggest impression when the serious business started.
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have brought their winning mentality from Premier League champions Manchester City as they reunited with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as he tries to push the Gunners forward this season.
And while both showed quality and pedigree as Arsenal opened the season with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace, it was the defensive performance of 21-year-old William Saliba that outshone everyone else to create a real stir of excitement among the visiting fans .
Saliba took the scenic route to his first Premier League start after joining Arsenal from St Etienne for £27m in July 2019, taking in loan spells back at his parent club then at Nice and Marseille, impressing so much there that he won full France honours.
He was Ligue 1 Young Player Of The Season last year and his spell away from Emirates Stadium raised questions about where he fitted into Arteta’s plans, with Marseille keen to make his loan deal permanent.
Arteta insisted he was simply handling Saliba with care until his development reached a stage when his time had come – and judging by a truly outstanding display at Selhurst Park, it has now arrived.
Jesus, who will offer Arsenal pace, movement and goals, shone as they took the lead through Gabriel Martinelli but as the game went on and Palace raised a gallop at last, Saliba delivered such calm command and controlled power that he emerged as the game’s outstanding performer.
Saliba’s central defensive partnership with Gabriel is in his infancy and there were anxious moments when Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale was called into action to save from Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze.
Throughout, however, Saliba was unruffled and virtually faultless to delight his manager.
It is one game, an early call, and no-one at Arsenal will be getting carried away with their result or the performance.
Saliba, however, looked such an exciting, composed talent, confirming all the background noise that this was a top class defender ready for the Premier League, that a little excitement should be allowed.
Arsenal simply carried their thrilling pre-season form into this first game of the season, dominating possession and running Palace ragged in a fashion that suggested Arteta has used his time well, bolting young and established talent from last season onto his new acquisitions.
They had to survive pressure of sorts from Palace and it took a late Bukayo Saka shot deflected in by the head of Palace’s England defender Marc Guehi to seal the deal, but this was fully deserved win.
It was all so different from the opening Friday night of last season when a Covid-hit Arsenal were handed the unwanted assignment at newly promoted Brentford, sinking meekly without trace in an awful start to the season, £50m new boy Ben White enduring a nightmare debut, although he was not alone.
Here, Arsenal showed no nerves in the sort of atmosphere Selhurst Park specializes in and could have been ahead even before Martinelli opened the scoring, all Palace’s early enthusiasm given its only outlet by chasing the ball to all parts of the pitch.
Arteta has strongly hinted that there will be more new arrivals before the end of the transfer window, with Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans constantly linked, and while Manchester City and Liverpool are hotly tipped to conduct another two-horse title race, Chelsea are in a state of flux and Arsenal could easily mount a top four challenge.
Arsenal’s manager has received some lampooning for his style in the latest “All Or Nothing” access all areas documentary, but the opening evidence suggests he has done some smart work this summer.
Fabio Vieira, the £34m midfield signing from Porto, will be an asset when fit, while there was the welcome sight of Kieran Tierney restored to full health and coming on as a substitute, ready to restore his influence.
Arsenal’s fans will be wary of reaching conclusions too quickly but the imperious manner in which Saliba strode through a game that always presents a test, even with Palace short of their best, will have only added to the feelgood factor engendered by the addition of proven, winning quality in the shape of Jesus and Zinchenko.
The joyous Gunners fans chanted “top of the league” in the closing moments – tongue in cheek of course but a loud affirmation that this was a much more pleasurable experience than their last opening Friday night of Premier League action.
