NBL: Sam Young stars as Sydney Kings conquer Melbourne Tigers - Sydney Morning Herald

Down goes the ball as Sam Young dunks for Sydney against Melbourne. Photo: Getty Images

Sam Young's NBL debut was a fizzer. Game two told a very different story.

Sydney's highest-profile recruit in club history scored 14 points against the Wildcats last weekend in Perth when the Kings copped a 43-point hiding.

Young made amends in Melbourne on Sunday, dominating the Tigers at both ends of the floor as Sydney got back on a winning track with a 67-63 victory.

Sydney Kings import Sam Young dunks over Tigers veteran Mark Worthington in Melbourne. Photo: Getty Images

The former Memphis, Philadelphia and Indiana forward stared the match with a couple of mid-range jump shots but the Kings trailed 11-6 midway through the first quarter.

Young then peeled off a couple of spectacular slams, including a gravity-defying put-back dunk, as the visitors went on a 24-0 run to establish early dominance.

After leading 40-30 at half-time, the Kings went to sleep in the third quarter, scoring just seven points to hold a 47-44 lead heading into the final term.

The Tigers drew level midway through the third term and with two minutes remaining, it was still a deadlock at 62-62.

Young's on-court presence down the stretch, highlighted by a strong drive to the basket and another spin move in the paint which yielded another two points, helped Sydney kick again and close out the victory.

He finished with a game-high 27 points and 10 rebounds to be the difference between the two sides and lift Sydney to a 5-4 record for the season.

Charles Carmouche looked more comfortable in his second match running the point since the departure of fellow import Jesse Sanders, tallying 14 points, while centre AJ Ogilvy put in a much better performance after the Perth debacle, 10 points and 12 rebounds to go with four blocks.

A worrying sign for coach Shane Heal was Ben Madgen, normally a prolific scorer, was quiet for a second straight week, notching only three points on 1/6 shooting.

Chris Goulding (20) and Scott Morrison (20) were the standouts for the Tigers. Recent recruit Mustapha Farrakhan, who was close to a contract with the LA Cliippers in the NBA pre-season before getting cut, still looks like he's getting settled at Melbourne, registering six points in 20 minutes on the court.

Young will play his third straight road match for his new team on Saturday when Sydney travel to Wollongong before Kings fans finally get to see him strut his stuff at the Kingdome the following Saturday against the Hawks.

Poll: Will the Perth Wildcats win the NBL trophy in 2013-14?

Yes - nothing can stop them now

57%

No - they will again fade out in the finals

43%

Total votes: 38.

Would you like to vote?

You will need Cookies enabled to use our Voting Feature.

Poll closes in 3 days.

Vote now: Vote: after the Gabba

Disclaimer:

These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinion only of visitors who have chosen to participate.

Follow live coverage - with video - as Melbourne Heart host Adelaide United at ... - Herald Sun

IT's a battle of the cellar dwellers as Melbourne Heart host Adelaide United in a crunch A-League clash. Follow the action here.

Coaches John Aloisi and Josep Gombau are under intense pressure, and a win would be just the tonic for them.

Jean Paul De Marigny to be Melbourne Victory assistant - Sydney Morning Herald

Soccer

Jean Paul De Marigny during his time as an assistant at Newcastle. Photo: Jamie Wicks

Melbourne Victory is on Monday set to confirm that experienced former NSL player and A-League assisant coach Jean Paul De Marigny will be Kevin Muscat's assistant.

Muscat has been in charge for five games, with Victory having taken seven points out of a possible 15 with two wins, a draw and two defeats.

He has made it clear he wants an experienced local coach to help himself and former youth coach Darren Davies, who has been his number two since Muscat replaced Ange Postecoglou when the latter took over the national team last month.

Mauritius-born De Marigny played twice for Australia and spent all of his playing career in the NSL with Marconi Stallions.

Most recently he has been coaching Marconi in the NSW state league. He also coached the under-17 national team earlier in his career and was assistant at the Newcastle Jets in the A-League's first year.

Melbourne's Burmese community welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi in Dandenong - ABC Online

Updated December 01, 2013 13:16:55

The basketball stadium in Dandenong, in Melbourne's outer south-east, is not one of the usual stops on the tours of international dignitaries.

But this morning, hundreds of members of Melbourne's Burmese community mobbed Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as she arrived at the stadium, while teenagers played basketball on one of the courts.

The crowd was mostly dressed in traditional clothing.

They had been waiting since the early morning to catch a glimpse of a woman they idolise.

Sawm Suante is a Burmese refugee.

"I'm very excited to see someone from Burma who is a great leader and supporter of democracy," he said, while he waited for the Nobel Peace Laureate to arrive.

"She is a prominent leader for the Burmese, she's important because she believes in equality, she believes in democracy and she fights for that."

Aye Zaw grew up in Australia, but as a member of the local Burmese community she has grown to adore Ms Suu Kyi.

"We are all here to thank her and to support her so she can become the president of Burma," she said.

Ms Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest while her country was under military rule, intends to run for Myanmar's 2015 presidential elections.

Hau Api moved to Australia three years ago and will closely watch his homeland's election campaign.

He hopes Ms Suu Kyi, who leads the National League for Democracy, is successful.

"We need democracy," he said.

Ms Suu Kyi will address a World AIDS Day event at Government House in Melbourne later today in the final leg of her five-day Australian tour.

Topics: foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, dandenong-3175, vic

First posted December 01, 2013 11:25:26

Melbourne's Burmese community welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi in Dandenong - ABC Local

Updated December 01, 2013 11:34:19

The basketball stadium in Dandenong, in Melbourne's outer south-east, is not one of the usual stops on the tours of international dignitaries.

But this morning, hundreds of members of Melbourne's Burmese community mobbed Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as she arrived at the stadium, while teenagers played basketball on one of the courts.

The crowd was mostly dressed in traditional clothing.

They had been waiting since the early morning to catch a glimpse of a woman they idolise.

Sawm Suante is a Burmese refugee.

"I'm very excited to see someone from Burma who is a great leader and supporter of democracy," he said, while he waited for the Nobel Peace Laureate to arrive.

"She is a prominent leader for the Burmese, she's important because she believes in equality, she believes in democracy and she fights for that."

Aye Zaw grew up in Australia, but as a member of the local Burmese community she has grown to adore Ms Suu Kyi.

"We are all here to thank her and to support her so she can become the president of Burma," she said.

Ms Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest while her country was under military rule, intends to run for Myanmar's 2015 presidential elections.

Hau Api moved to Australia three years ago and will closely watch his homeland's election campaign.

He hopes Ms Suu Kyi, who leads the National League for Democracy, is successful.

"We need democracy," he said.

Ms Suu Kyi will address a World AIDS Day event at Government House in Melbourne later today in the final leg of her five-day Australian tour.

Topics: foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, dandenong-3175, vic

First posted December 01, 2013 11:25:26

Melbourne's Burmese community welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi in Dandenong - Yahoo!7 News

ABC Aung San Suu Kyi has visited Dandenong on the final leg of her Australian tour.

The basketball stadium in Dandenong, in Melbourne's outer south-east, is not one of the usual stops on the tours of international dignitaries.

But this morning, hundreds of members of Melbourne's Burmese community mobbed Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as she arrived at the stadium, while teenagers played basketball on one of the courts.

The crowd was mostly dressed in traditional clothing.

They had been waiting since the early morning to catch a glimpse of a woman they idolise.

Sawm Suante is a Burmese refugee.

"I'm very excited to see someone from Burma who is a great leader and supporter of democracy," he said, while he waited for the Nobel Peace Laureate to arrive.

"She is a prominent leader for the Burmese, she's important because she believes in equality, she believes in democracy and she fights for that."

Aye Zaw grew up in Australia, but as a member of the local Burmese community she has grown to adore Ms Suu Kyi.

"We are all here to thank her and to support her so she can become the president of Burma," she said.

Ms Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest while her country was under military rule, intends to run for Myanmar's 2015 presidential elections.

Hau Api moved to Australia three years ago and will closely watch his homeland's election campaign.

He hopes Ms Suu Kyi, who leads the National League for Democracy, is successful.

"We need democracy," he said.

Ms Suu Kyi will address a World AIDS Day event at Government House in Melbourne later today in the final leg of her five-day Australian tour.

Melbourne Tiger Chris Goulding maintains his focus - Sydney Morning Herald

On the charge: Chris Goulding drives to the basket against the New Zealand Breakers on Thursday. Photo: Getty Images

Chris Goulding is averaging 26.5 points a game, scoring at volumes no Melbourne Tiger has matched since the NBL moved to 40-minute matches.

So it's only natural people in basketball circles are already predicting Goulding will figure in most valuable player calculations at the end of the season and attract an NBA or European deal for next season.

But the 25-year-old isn't hearing any of that right now, or doesn't plan to entertain any talk of it this season. Instead, he is determined to end the Tigers' two-game losing streak on Sunday and then get his side back into the NBL finals.

''I try to stay focused with what we've got going on at the moment and not be thinking about anything else,'' Goulding said when asked about his playing future.

''I just want to keep playing well and try to play even better - it sounds cliched but I'm focused on our next match - that is all you can afford to do in a league as close as the NBL.''

The Tigers have Goulding under contract for next season although it's understood to include an NBA or European buyout clause that would net the club compensation should its star guard move on.

Goulding was also given encouragement from Australian Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis recently when he visited Tigers training, with the coach telling Goulding if he keeps improving his game he could force his way back into the national squad.

The Tigers face a pivotal match when they host Sydney Kings at the State Netball and Hockey Centre on Sunday.

The Tigers dropped their clash with Townsville last Sunday, and then were overrun by the New Zealand Breakers on Thursday night.

In the space of a week they have gone from a two-game winning streak to a two-game losing streak and with the Kings beating them in round one, a loss would see the Tigers lose the season series.

That means if the two sides are tied for a finals place, it would go to the Kings.

Both sides have recently added imports, with the Kings adding former NBA forward Sam Young and cutting point guard Jesse Sanders, while the Tigers parted ways with guard Ayinde Ubaka and replaced him with Mustapha Farrakhan.

The Kings were thrashed 98-55 by Perth Wildcats in Young's first match last Sunday night.

''Sydney is in a similar position to us coming into this match and you know they will come out with all guns blazing,'' Goulding said.

The addition of former Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies forward Young has created some headlines for Sydney considering the Pacers thought highly enough of Young to have him guard Miami superstar Lebron James during last year's NBA play-offs.

But Young only scored 14 points against Perth on debut while the Kings sorely lacked a chief ball-handler without Sanders.

Goulding isn't overawed about facing Young but is happy to see another NBA-calibre player in the league.

''I don't think we need any extra motivation for this game - two bad losses are all you need,'' Goulding said.

Likely starters: Melbourne - Nate Tomlinson, Chris Goulding, Lucas Walker, Mark Worthington, Scott Morrison. Sydney - Charles Carmouche, Ben Madgen, Sam Young, Tom Garlepp, A.J. Ogilvy.

Poll: Will the Perth Wildcats win the NBL trophy in 2013-14?

Yes - nothing can stop them now

52%

No - they will again fade out in the finals

48%

Total votes: 21.

Would you like to vote?

You will need Cookies enabled to use our Voting Feature.

Poll closes in 4 days.

Vote now: Vote: after the Gabba

Disclaimer:

These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinion only of visitors who have chosen to participate.

Fugitive driver arrested in India over Melbourne death - The Australian

Icon Mandela

In one of his last interviews before falling critically ill, Nelson Mandela tells how he never expected to be freed from prison. The video is part of the 21 Icons series shot by Australian filmmaker Adrian Steirn, and premiered by News Corp Australia.

1:40

21 Icons - Phillip Tobias

An interview with Phillip Tobias, South Africa's most decorated scientist of the 20th century. Filmed two years before his death in 2012.

3:10

Tattoo enthusiasts gather in Melbourne to celebrate body art - SBS

Thousands of tattoo enthusiasts have converged on Melbourne for what's been billed as the biggest body art exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere. With more than 1 in 7 Australians now sporting ink, it's a growth industry but so is the tattoo removal business.

Nabbed drivers shocked by phone fines in Melbourne's outer-west - The Age

Drivers in Melbourne's outer west have been stung with new hefty fines for using mobile phones while driving.

A Melton Highway Patrol two-day blitz in Melton and Caroline Springs found 16 drivers using mobile phones hit with fines of $433 and a licence cost of four demerit points. Drivers on a full licence who accumulate 12 demerit points in three years can lose their licence.

In total 54 drivers were intercepted by police on Monday and on Friday between 1pm and 9pm with 41 found to have broken the law. Five motorists were fined for failing to wear seatbelts, three for speeding between 10-25km/h over the legal limit, two for driving unregistered vehicles and three for driving without a licence and for driving while suspended.

Acting Sergeant Adam Wojcik from Melton Highway Patrol said drivers were shocked by the hefty mobile phone fines. Twelve of the 16 fined were nabbed in just a couple of hours in Caroline Springs, he said.

“Jaws dropped and the realisation of the financial penalty set in," Acting Sergeant Adam Wojcik said.

"It's a big fine, and hopefully a big deterrent for those who got caught," he said.

He said some drivers did not think about the ramifications of using a phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

“The consequences are literally life threatening and could also have a life long impact on family and loved ones.”

The blitz is part of Victoria Police's Summer Stay road enforcement campaign aimed at reducing road trauma over the high risk holiday season.

The campaign focuses on five fatal factors that contribute to road trauma – speed, alcohol and drug driving, fatigue, driver distraction and seatbelt offences.

Scienceworks exhibition Think Ahead launches December 5 in Melbourne - The Age

Return to video

Video settings

Please Log in to update your video settings

Video will begin in 5 seconds.

Return to video

Video settings

Please Log in to update your video settings

Behind-the-scenes of the future

What will our future be like? Take a peek at Museum Victoria's preparation department as they design and construct their models for the upcoming Scienceworks exhibition Think Ahead.

PT2M33S http://www.theage.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-2xi6k 620 349 November 30, 2013 - 12:52AM

• Autoplay OnOff


• Video feedback


• Video settings

In the future cars will be solar powered, they'll fly and have force fields to protect them. Humans, if there are any left, will have evolved into super swimmers with engorged feet and hands, be more reptilian or perhaps part machine.

Sound fantastic? These were some of the ideas about future living held by children consulted by Scienceworks for its forthcoming exhibition, Think Ahead. Spanning themes including cities, medicine, transport, food and housing, Think Ahead will be permanently installed from Thursday, thus presenting curators with a difficult task: how to explore life in the future without ruling out the unknown, even far-fetched, possibilities it may hold?

''This all came out of our research with kids, particularly with the younger age group,'' senior curator Kate Phillips said. ''For them, anything was possible.''

Melbourne Museum's Dean Smith peers inside the bedroom of a modern child. The model display will feature as part of the futuristic Think Ahead exhibition at Scienceworks. Photo: Simon Schluter

The distinction, it was decided, would come down to peep holes. For ideas more grounded in science-fiction than fact (mutant humans, for example) visitors will have to peer through small window displays to see the models and the museum's interpretation of what lies before us. ''Plausible visions'' of the future are openly displayed and often interactive, such as Swinburne University's ''Ruby'', a pair of robotic hands that can solve a Rubix cube in 10 seconds; or a prototype Holden car that never made it to the display room floor but was designed to explore future ideas of fuel efficiency and space.

One major feature of the exhibit, however, was never going to fit inside a small viewing box.

Using multiple touch screens and large projections, Melbourne interactive design firm ENESS' future car project encourages users to ''build'' a car and all its accoutrements: choices range from amphibious fins, wings, a bamboo chassis or perhaps an invisibility cloak. ENESS, which regularly takes on museum projects such as Bunjilaka's majestic kinetic sculpture in its First Peoples exhibit, were also the team behind Pixel Picnic, an immersive 3D performance during this year's White Night festival. In Museum Victoria's preparation department, artists, model makers and taxidermists have worked for four months on items for Think Ahead, crafting the face of an astronaut in cryogenic sleep out of silicone and animal hair or creating tiny comic books to scatter around miniature bedrooms.

The input of children, drawn from Museum Victoria's membership group as well as local primary school students, has been crucial to the exhibition's development. And for some, their dystopian visions of the future - planet Earth as a flaming pile of rubbish, is one example - have been illuminating.

Co-curator David Perkins said it's for this reason that the exhibition tries to present many possible futures.

''We wanted to give children this idea that the future isn't a set place that we're going, that it can actually change,'' he said.

Think Ahead opens at Scienceworks on December 5.

Melbourne Heart to face Adelaide United without Harry Kewell - Sydney Morning Herald

Soccer

Harry Kewell will not play against Adelaide United on Sunday. Photo: Wayne Taylor

Former Socceroo star Harry Kewell will not return to action for Melbourne Heart in its must win clash with Adelaide United on Sunday afternoon.

Winless all season, coach John Aloisi has been at the centre of media speculation about his futre, but on Saturday morning he told reporters he had not been given any ultimatums by the club's board.

But, he said Kewell, who was widely expected to return this weekend, would not.

"He hasn't come through a training session as well as we would have liked. There is no point risking him unless he is fit. There are still 20 games to go," he said.

Former Heart coach John Van't Schip, who remains linked to the club as a technical director, flew in from Europe overnight and will spend the next few weeks assisting the under pressure Aloisi.

"It's always good to have another set of eyes and he is very experienced," Aloisi said.

Asked about his future, Aloisi said he had been in tough situations where he had faced enormous personal pressure as a player and he had come through them. He was confident his side could turn things round this time as well.

"We can't let the outside pressure affect us. There's always speculation. Management have told me to just concentrate on my job. They haven't said to me John this is your last chance and you are out."

My secret Melbourne ... Beci Orpin - The Age

She's crafty: Beci Orpin at the Royal Botanic Gardens glasshouse. Photo: James Boddington

What artwork has best captured your sense of the city?

I guess it's more an artist than a specific work - Mirka Mora. I have known and loved her work for a long time, as my mum was always a fan, too. I'm impressed by her absolute passion for her art and also her hilarious and debaucherous stories of Melbourne's bohemian art scene. In my late 20s, I moved to Richmond and I used to see her all the time. I once helped her in the supermarket with some buckets. Later, in the queue, she bought my son, Tyke, a set of cars. It was so kind-hearted - I was almost brought to tears and beyond star-struck. That embodies Melbourne's creative scene - it can be very supportive and open. Also, it's small enough to bump into people who are local heroes.

Where do you go for inspiration?

At Melbourne Airport in 1985.

I go to the museum with my children and Melbourne has great independent galleries. Another thing I do is ride my bike. I collect things all the time subconsciously, so I'm never short of ideas, but it's nice to get out of my head space. If you change scenery, then sometimes you'll find inspiration incidentally.

Your favourite sign?

The skipping girl. I use lots of images of female forms and girls and nostalgia, so I think the skipping girl almost embodies or influences my work. I grew up in Kew and my parents used to go to Brunswick Street and Lygon Street to have dinner, so I remember travelling up Victoria Street and seeing it as a child. It was lit up at night and I'd be excited, because it was on the way to doing something. I also loved it because a lot of signs didn't have little girls on them. I lived in a commune until I was nine or 10 and then my parents bought a house in Kew East, so we didn't move far; it was nice to have a house.

Richmond's skipping girl. Photo: Angela Wylie

The first time you went overseas?

I was 12 in Melbourne Airport in 1985 (see photo) and about to embark on my first overseas trip. Family friends Annie and Norm had booked a trip to China and asked if I would like to keep their son, Drew, company. The trip blew me away and sparked my love of Asian culture and travel. I travelled extensively in my 20s, but each time I would return with an assurance that Melbourne was happily my home.

Your favourite park?

The Robin Boyd house. Photo: Angela Wylie

I love going to the botanic gardens. There's a turn-of-the-century greenhouse, which hosts a whole bunch of orchids; that's really beautiful. The plants there are quite strange and exotic and the glasshouse has a beautiful old frame and looks otherworldly. One of the nice things about the botanic gardens is the sense of history.

The best architecture?

I really like the Robin Boyd house in Walsh Street, South Yarra. It's split into two, so it's got a garden in the middle that's really beautiful. The way Boyd used levels and open plan is beautiful, as well. We used to live on Walsh Street when our first son was born, so I was out with the pram all the time. The house had a red gate and, apart from that, you couldn't see very much, but I had a sense it was amazing. A few years later, it was acquired by the Robin Boyd Foundation and one of my friends had a lunch there for his birthday, so I got to see it.

Mirka Mora. Photo: Penny Stephens

What's your favourite suburb?

I'd have to say Brunswick, because that's where I live. When we bought our house here, it was the first time I lived on the north side, and it felt like I had come home. It has a lot of good food and there are like-minded people around. I also really like Studley Park, although I don't think I could live there. It's got lots of mid-century architecture, which I really like.

Which doorway would you most like to go through?

The Melbourne Club. I used to see its walled garden and when I found out it was the Melbourne Club it became even more mysterious, because women aren't allowed in there. For the pure fact that women aren't allowed and I'm a rebel, I'd like to go in. It's probably not half as exciting as what's in my imagination.

■ Beci Orpin's new book, Home (Hardie Grant) is out now.

Melbourne Victory in control but no killer blow - The Age

Mariners 0 Victory 0

Toe-to-toe: Victory's Kosta Barbarouses tries to keep away the Mariners' Marco Flores on Friday night. Photo: Getty Images

On a cold, wet and dreary night, in front of a paltry crowd, bidding farewell to two icons of the club and hearing news that the Mariners were contemplating withdrawing from the Asian Champions League and looking into a partial relocation, you could forgive them for wanting to surrender against Melbourne Victory. But they didn't.

Friday night's match marked an end of an era at Bluetongue Stadium as former coach Graham Arnold and chairman Peter Turnbull publicly said adieu to the club they love, but the players showed that the fighting spirit of the Central Coast Mariners did not depart with their leaders.

They were outplayed, outpaced and outgunned by the free-flowing football of Melbourne Victory but they had just enough determination to hold out waves of attacks.

Victory was content to sit deep away from home but when the Mariners invited them to hit them on the counter, the visitors were more than happy to accept their offer. Their pace on the break nearly gave them the lead after 11 minutes when a sweeping Kosta Barbarouses pass found James Troisi, who beat the offside trap with an angled run. He attempted to round goalkeeper Liam Reddy but a heavy touch spilled the ball wide of the goal.

Despite some fluid passes throughout the Mariners' midfield, the tone remained the same for the rest of the first half.

With just four players in their starting line-up who were part of their grand final triumph, the Mariners never looked like their title-winning team. They survived another lucky escape when another counter attack down Victory's right flank gave Mark Milligan a free shot from the edge of the box, but the Socceroo's powerful effort was skewed narrowly wide. The Victory captain was in the thick of it in the final minutes of the first half after a two-foot lunge on his former teammate Marcos Flores was met with a yellow card. He let fly with a tirade to suggest there was no love lost between him and his former colleague.

There was a hint of life in the Mariners after half-time but poor errors continued to give Victory space and possession in dangerous territory. Only brave defending and an intrepid linesman prevented it from translating its dominance into shots on target. Victory's frustration simmered to the surfaced in the 58th minute when a spurned chance for Thompson resulted in internal squabbles among their strikers.

Victory had been tightening the screws on the Mariners for 79 minutes and eventually wore down even the most desperate of their defending, and stayed onside, but even then they couldn't find the opener. Gui Finkler received a clever slide pass from Connor Pain deep inside the area and placed his shot into the far corner of the net.

But it was Reddy who flicked the ball inches wide of his goal.

That save provided the Mariners with some much-needed inspiration and a glimmer of hope that they could steal three points.

Josh Rose, who had not enjoyed his best performance, was out to make amends with a superb long ball to Daniel McBreen who ran free through the middle to bear down on goal.

He slipped the ball beneath Nathan Coe and it trickled into the net, but just as he was joining the fans' celebrations, he was shown a yellow for playing on after a late linesman call for offside.

Comancheros bikie gang's neighbours in Williamstown in Melbourne lose ... - ABC Online

By Dan Oakes

Updated November 29, 2013 17:36:07

Warehouse owners at a Melbourne industrial estate will lose their insurance because a neighbouring property is used as a clubhouse by an outlaw motorcycle gang.

The development follows months of drive-by shootings and fire-bombings at bikie clubhouses across the city.

The ABC has learned that insurance giant GIO has written to the owners of six warehouses in Techno Park Drive, Williamstown, telling them their insurance cover will not be renewed while the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang occupies one of the properties.

The owner of the warehouse rented to the Comancheros would not comment when approached by the ABC, but it is understood that he did not know his tenants were members of an outlaw motorcycle gang until after they moved in.

The owner has tried unsuccessfully to evict the bikies, but is now trying to sell the property, triggering a clause that would force the Comancheros to move out.

A spokesman for GIO confirmed that the company had told the property owners that their insurance would not be renewed unless the bikies were evicted, because it was now considered too risky to insure the properties.

The insurer acted after somebody emailed them in October to warn them that the Comancheros were renting the property.

GIO originally set a deadline of 4:00pm (AEDT) today for the coverage to cease, but that was subsequently extended to next Friday to give owners time to consider their options.

The Comancheros are considered one of Australia's big four bikie clubs, along with the Rebels, Hells Angels and Bandidos.

There was an explosion of violence in October between the Hells Angels and Comancheros.

A gym and tattoo parlour linked to the Comancheros' Victorian president, Mick Murray, were sprayed with bullets, while the Hells Angels' "Darkside" chapter clubhouse at Seaford was also the target of a drive-by shooting.

There have also been attacks on other bikie gangs' clubhouses this year, including the Bandidos at Dandenong and the Rock Machine at Clayton South. The small Rock Machine chapter has since been absorbed by the Bandidos.

After the Bandidos clubhouse was shot up and bombed in July, insurance company CHU Underwriting Agencies told business owners in the surrounding industrial estate that it would not renew their common insurance policy.

The owners corporation at that estate wrote to the Bandidos asking them to move out and the bikie club later did.

The Comancheros Williamstown clubhouse has not been shot at or bombed, but a senior member of the chapter, Faafatia Faaloia, was shot and wounded on the Mornington Peninsula earlier this year.

Know more? Email: investigations@abc.net.au

Topics: law-crime-and-justice, crime, insurance, williamstown-3016, vic, australia

First posted November 29, 2013 15:01:47

Melbourne Rebels hooker Tom Sexton to miss 2014 Super Rugby season - Sydney Morning Herald

Super Rugby Rebels Union News

The Melbourne Rebels have been dealt a major blow as Irish recruit Tom Sexton will miss the entire 2014 campaign with a knee injury.

Sexton, who was born in Melbourne and played with Irish club Leinster until signing for the Rebels earlier this year, has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Revels head coach Tony McGahan said the loss was a major blow but Sexton would still play a role at the club.

"We are still committed to helping Tom play Super Rugby for the club in the future, it will just take a little longer than we originally thought," McGahan said.

The injury took place in a standard Rebels training session, with the club saying there was "nothing malicious, just a freak thing".

McGahan will use Sexton on game day in a non-playing capacity, with Sexton agreeing to help develop the game in Victoria during his injury lay-off.

Sexton signed for the Rebels on a two-year deal, with the club still holding hope the hooker can turn out for the Rebels in 2015.

AAP

Woman charged overr Melbourne hit-run - The West Australian

AAP A woman has been charged over a Melbourne hit-and-run that left a cyclist (2L) with severe injuries.

A woman has been charged over a hit-and-run collision that left a Melbourne cyclist fighting for his life in hospital.

Brighton East man Julian Paul, 53, was cycling home on Tuesday night when he was hit from behind by a car, leaving him with severe spine and brain injuries.

A 31-year-old Moorabbin woman was charged on Friday with failing to stop after an accident and failing to render assistance.

She has been bailed and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on December 4.

Marcos Flores ready to make Melbourne Victory pay on and off pitch in A ... - Sydney Morning Herald

Familiar foe: Marcos Flores is preparing to face his former club on Friday night. Photo: Getty Images

Melbourne Victory have found themselves in a bizarre situation: paying the wages of their title rivals' star player.

Incredibly, Victory pay more of Marcos Flores' salary than Central Coast, despite Flores lining up in the Mariners' No.10 shirt this season.

At Bluetongue Stadium on Friday night, Victory will see how their ''cast-off'' is faring first-hand.

So eager were Victory to offload their marquee from last season they paid more than $200,000 of his contract for this season, allowing the Mariners to squeeze him inside their salary cap.

But Flores does not harbour any resentment about the way things ended in Victoria.

''I feel good, as I always do when I play in Bluetongue in front of my home support. I have nothing to prove to anyone,'' he said. ''I have to keep smiling, that's what my coach wants. For me, it's another great opportunity on the pitch.

''Things happen in life, and I play a different role now to what I played in Melbourne. I did my best, they have their memories about me, and I did give them the goal of the year, so maybe they should remember that moment.''

The main reason Victory axed the 28-year-old was because he did not fit the playing style of then-coach Ange Postecoglou. He scored four goals in 24 games and never hit full stride. ''Leaving Melbourne was the right decision for my life, and I find myself freedom to play my role, to use my strengths and I love playing as a No.10,'' he said. ''On the Coast, I'm lucky enough that they embraced my game and they let me be the playmaker.''

Postecoglou wanted to move Flores on so he could bring in Italian attacker Fabrizio Miccoli - only for the deal to fall through when the player's wife scuppered the move.

In the end, Victory arguably underwhelmed with their marquee signing by choosing 35-year-old Chilean centre-back Pablo Contreras, who, despite boasting silky skills, has raised eyebrows with some irresponsible defending.

Now Contreras will have to monitor everything Flores does, for the Mariners have made him their creative outlet in feeding the attacking trio of Michael McGlinchey, Mitch Duke and Daniel McBreen.

''I really believe in the Mariners' philosophy with all of my heart. Why? Because it matches my philosophy,'' Flores said. ''So every time I come to Bluetongue to play, I come away covered with happiness.''

Although Flores was disappointed when the Mariners lost the services of Graham Arnold, he is confident Phil Moss will prove an adequate replacement. ''Things happen in life - it's a great move for Graham, who is an amazing person and an amazing coach. He deserves it,'' he said. ''But 'Mossy' is also very good and [he learnt] under Graham, so it's nothing we can be worried about.

''He has the same passion and the same philosophy. We're moving forward and we have a really strong group with some amazing senior players who will keep everyone in line.''

Woman charged overr Melbourne hit-run - Ninemsn

Brighton East man Julian Paul, 53, was cycling home on Tuesday night when he was hit from behind by a car, leaving him with severe spine and brain injuries.

A 31-year-old Moorabbin woman was charged on Friday with failing to stop after an accident and failing to render assistance.

She has been bailed and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on December 4.

Comancheros bikie gang's neighbours in Williamstown in Melbourne lose ... - Yahoo!7 News

Warehouse owners at a Melbourne industrial estate will lose their insurance because a neighbouring property is used as a clubhouse by an outlaw motorcycle gang.

The development follows months of drive-by shootings and fire-bombings at bikie clubhouses across the city.

The ABC has learned that insurance giant GIO has written to the owners of six warehouses in Techno Park Drive, Williamstown, telling them their insurance cover will not be renewed while the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang occupies one of the properties.

The owner of the warehouse rented to the Comancheros would not comment when approached by the ABC, but it is understood that he did not know his tenants were members of an outlaw motorcycle gang until after they moved in.

The owner has tried unsuccessfully to evict the bikies, but is now trying to sell the property, triggering a clause that would force the Comancheros to move out.

A spokesman for GIO confirmed that the company had told the property owners that their insurance would not be renewed unless the bikies were evicted, because it was now considered too risky to insure the properties.

The insurer acted after somebody emailed them in October to warn them that the Comancheros were renting the property.

GIO originally set a deadline of 4:00pm (AEDT) today for the coverage to cease, but that was subsequently extended to next Friday to give owners time to consider their options.

Gym, tattoo parlour linked to Comancheros previous drive-by targets

The Comancheros are considered one of Australia's big four bikie clubs, along with the Rebels, Hells Angels and Bandidos.

There was an explosion of violence in October between the Hells Angels and Comancheros.

A gym and tattoo parlour linked to the Comancheros' Victorian president, Mick Murray, were sprayed with bullets, while the Hells Angels' "Darkside" chapter clubhouse at Seaford was also the target of a drive-by shooting.

There have also been attacks on other bikie gangs' clubhouses this year, including the Bandidos at Dandenong and the Rock Machine at Clayton South. The small Rock Machine chapter has since been absorbed by the Bandidos.

After the Bandidos clubhouse was shot up and bombed in July, insurance company CHU Underwriting Agencies told business owners in the surrounding industrial estate that it would not renew their common insurance policy.

The owners corporation at that estate wrote to the Bandidos asking them to move out and the bikie club later did.

The Comancheros Williamstown clubhouse has not been shot at or bombed, but a senior member of the chapter, Faafatia Faaloia, was shot and wounded on the Mornington Peninsula earlier this year.

Know more? Email: investigations@abc.net.au

The Roots' Questlove Announces Melbourne DJ Set - theMusic

Founding member of The Roots, the acclaimed ?uestlove has announced he'll play a one-off DJ set in Melbourne while he's out here with his bandmates for their upcoming festival and headline appearances.

The multi-faceted muso will spin tracks at Melbourne venue Roxanne on Saturday 28 December, just after The Roots performance at the Festival Hall. Tickets for the DJ set go on sale Monday 2 December at 9am.

Aussie fans of the boundary-pushing collective are sure to be getting excited for The Roots' visit, considering it's been six years since they last toured our shores. They're headlining Falls Festival and Southbound, along with Solange, Vampire Weekend, Johnny Marr and more.

Check out theGuide for more info.

Not that hot: summer weather forecast for Melbourne - Tasmania Examiner

Nov. 29, 2013, 9:48 a.m.

It's been a warm spring in Melbourne but – notwithstanding a hot spell next week – it's shaping up to be an average summer, according to weather forecasters.

Maximum temperatures in the spring we've just had were the 21st warmest on record, according to Weatherzone. Minimum temperatures were the sixth-warmest on record.

In total, adding maximum and minimum temperatures, it was the equal ninth-warmest spring on record.

Spring rainfall for Melbourne was only just above average, however. As of Friday morning, it was 194 millimetres, just over the long-term average of 185 millimetres.

Much of the warmth, and indeed most of the rain, came early in the season. It was, after all, the warmest September on record.

"It was a warm start and a wet start and then it plateaued and went back close to the average," Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said.

November's temperatures were slightly warmer than average although rainfall was down substantially – 46.6 millimetres compared with an average of 60.

The long-term summer forecasts for Victoria prepared by the National Climate Centre predict a season that will be average in both temperature and rainfall.

Most of Victoria will experience average rainfall between December and February, according to the forecast, although south-western Victoria may be slighter wetter than usual and far-eastern Victoria slightly drier than usual.

The same goes for temperature. "Over most of South Australia, Victoria and western New South Wales the chances of receiving a cooler or warmer than normal summer are close to 50 per cent, or roughly equal," the NCC forecast states.

Friday's expected top is 18 and Saturday, 21. Showers are expected on both days, according to the Bureau.

After that, temperatures will warm drastically. The first day of summer, Sunday, is tipped to reach 30 while Monday will reach 34 and Tuesday 31. Wednesday will be back to 20, with rain.

Phoenix Apartments brings the skinny tower to Melbourne - The Age

A blue ribbon of steel wraps its way around the 6.7-metre wide tower. Photo: Angela Wylie

Phoenix Apartments

Fender Katsalidis Architects

82 Flinders St, Melbourne

Skinny buildings. You see them everywhere in cities such as Tokyo and Hong Kong; tall residential towers on impossibly narrow sites.

They've made a comeback of sorts in New York, too. But in the 1980s, when they began to sprout there, ''sliver'' buildings, as they were dubbed, were almost outlawed amid a flurry of protest and litigation to prevent them from soaring over lower neighbours without any hint of contextual concern. The NYC planning commission even went so far as to enact a zoning law, called the sliver rule, to prevent the construction of pencil-thin towers on sites narrower than 13.7 metres.

There appears to be no sliver rule in Melbourne for the moment, and what is likely the city's tallest skinny tower is now coming to completion in Flinders Street, on the site of the old Phoenix Hotel, once owned by Collingwood football legend Lou Richards.

In the glory days of newspaper publishing in Flinders Street, Lou's pub was the drinking hole of choice for hacks from the Herald and Weekly Times.

Called the Phoenix Apartments (why wouldn't you?) and designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects, the tower rises for 28 storeys on a site just 6.7 metres wide, not much wider than a Fitzroy or Carlton terrace and less than half the New York requirement.

It was originally proposed to be 40 storeys, was lodged to Melbourne City Council at 35 storeys and got knocked back to its current height because of concerns it would look too tall.

Sandwiched through its lower floors, between a seven-storey deco-inspired pile known as One Exhibition to one side and a glass-fronted apartment hotel on the other, the tower stands like a knife blade in the skyline.

But to fully appreciate what I mean, you really need to stand on the other side of the river, because it is only from a distance that you can understand how thin the building truly is.

Set nearly on axis with the Exhibition Street extension, this will no doubt come to be seen as a gateway building into the city.

With just one apartment per floor, spaces are tight but the views are spectacular, especially looking out across Birrarung Marr Park, the Yarra, the Botanic Gardens, Federation Square, the MCG and the city skyline to the west.

Spaces are so tight, in fact, that aside from a tiny public lobby, entry is via lift directly into each apartment. Even fire stairs open directly into each apartment.

Parking is via a nine-storey stacker - the tallest in Australia - where cars are slotted on and off what amounts to a car hoist and stacked one above the other.

This, I reckon, will be the stuff for resident fights, especially if your car is stuck on top and you have to wait your turn.

A water ballast tank on the roof serves to give the tower stability in high winds.

And here's a potential problem: with fewer substantial sites on the market and more people wishing to live in the city, we could see a proliferation of paper-thin buildings shooting up all over town.

And when every millimetre of space counts, it will take an inventive architect to give towers like this sculptural form. The Phoenix tower is given graphic and visual interest by a blue ribbon of steel that wraps its way around the front and sides of the building. It was a requirement of the planning approval. Without it, it could well have been no more than a dumb concrete sheath in the skyline.

Equiset, the other Grollo company, is planning a 54-storey, 180-metre tower on an 11-metre site at 464 Collins Street.

Cool change after sweaty Melbourne night - 3AW (blog)

Melbourne sweated through an unseasonably warm night, with the temperature remaining above 25 degrees.

Blustery wind has seen the temperature dip down to 24.7 at 7am.

However, a full cool change is not expected until this evening after Melbourne reaches an expected top of 27.

The weather bureau's Phil King said last night's warm temperature was not a record, but was close.

"It's pretty rare to have temperatures up this high overnight in November," he told 3AW News.

The cool change is expect to bring an overnight low of 13 degrees.

Friday: 17 - Cloudy. Isolated showers.

Saturday: 21 - Partly cloudy. Isolated light showers in the morning.

Sunday: 27 - Mostly sunny.

Monday: 32 - Mostly sunny morning. The chance of drizzle in the evening.

Share

Not that hot: summer weather forecast for Melbourne - Sydney Morning Herald

Weatherzone: Melbourne storm tracker

It's been a warm spring in Melbourne but – notwithstanding a hot spell next week – it's shaping up to be an average summer, according to weather forecasters.

Maximum temperatures in the spring we've just had were the 21st warmest on record, according to Weatherzone. Minimum temperatures were the sixth-warmest on record.

In total, adding maximum and minimum temperatures, it was the equal ninth-warmest spring on record.

Spring rainfall for Melbourne was only just above average, however. As of Friday morning, it was 194 millimetres, just over the long-term average of 185 millimetres.

Much of the warmth, and indeed most of the rain, came early in the season. It was, after all, the warmest September on record.

"It was a warm start and a wet start and then it plateaued and went back close to the average," Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said.

November's temperatures were slightly warmer than average although rainfall was down substantially – 46.6 millimetres compared with an average of 60.

The long-term summer forecasts for Victoria prepared by the National Climate Centre predict a season that will be average in both temperature and rainfall.

Most of Victoria will experience average rainfall between December and February, according to the forecast, although south-western Victoria may be slighter wetter than usual and far-eastern Victoria slightly drier than usual.

The same goes for temperature. "Over most of South Australia, Victoria and western New South Wales the chances of receiving a cooler or warmer than normal summer are close to 50 per cent, or roughly equal," the NCC forecast states.

Friday's expected top is 18 and Saturday, 21. Showers are expected on both days, according to the Bureau.

After that, temperatures will warm drastically. The first day of summer, Sunday, is tipped to reach 30 while Monday will reach 34 and Tuesday 31. Wednesday will be back to 20, with rain.

New Zealand hoodoo still haunting Melbourne Tigers - Sydney Morning Herald

Basketball

The last time Melbourne Tigers won a regular-season NBL match in New Zealand, Chris Anstey was still playing.

The Tigers' losing streak continued on Thursday night with a 78-68 loss to the New Zealand Breakers on the back of a stellar last term from the three-time NBL champions at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland.

With a slim lead early in the final term, Mika Vukona (14 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists) and Thomas Abercrombie (14 points) inspired their side to victory.

Chris Goulding (23 points) and Scott Morrison (21 points, 13 rebounds) led the Anstey-coached Melbourne team.

The Tigers talked all week about being desperate to make a good start, and after a shaky opening, were fired into action by new import Mustapha Farrakhan who scored six points as the visitors took a 26-21 quarter-time lead.

The second term proved to be all for the Breakers, who beat the Tigers 20-12 for the quarter to take a 41-38 lead.

The home side also led 60-58 at the final change.

The Tigers host Sydney Kings, including former NBA player Sam Young, at the State Netball and Hockey Centre on Sunday.

Der Ring des Nibelungen, Melbourne Arts Centre, Australia - Financial Times

Melbourne’s first Ring cycle in a century achieves tremendous clarity at the expense of pace

Australia has its own Wagnerian history. Europeans may scoff, but as Europe geared up to destroy itself in the first world war, the people of Melbourne and Sydney were happily consuming Wagner’s Ring cycle. British entrepreneur Thomas Quinlan brought the piece – sung in English, with cuts and a reduced orchestra – Down Under, and Australians adored it.

Exactly a century later, Melbourne is hosting its second ever Ring cycle, this time Australian-made, uncut and in German. Australia is no longer the place Quinlan visited, cut off from European debate and unaccustomed to live Wagner. There have been two Rings since, both in Adelaide. In 1998, the city imported Pierre Strosser’s Paris production. It was received so well that in 2004, the same house hosted Australia’s first-ever home-made Ring cycle. Director Elke Neidhardt, who died on Monday, created a brash, upbeat, unashamedly comic Ring for the State Opera of South Australia. Her production deserved a longer life, but Adelaide’s political decision makers lost their faith in German high culture.

Enter Opera Australia. The Sydney Opera House might seem the obvious place to stage a Ring, but the orchestra pit is too small and the acoustics are dodgy. Melbourne, on the other hand, where the national company plays for two seasons every year, is home to the 2,000-seat Arts Centre, which was happy to fork out Aus$4m ($3.7m) to expand the state theatre’s orchestra pit to Wagnerian dimensions for the occasion. Lyndon Terracini, artistic director of Opera Australia since 2009, set his sights on producing his company’s first-ever Ring, to be staged by Australian director Neil Armfield and conducted by Australian composer Richard Mills.

The last decision proved ill-judged. Mills withdrew from the production during June rehearsals, citing “a lack of unity, chemistry and vision”, and Opera Australia was able to secure young Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen, unexpectedly free after the crisis-fuelled implosion of the Palermo Ring.

Together, Inkinen and Armfield have created an inward-looking Ring, low on gimmicks and as darkly still as Neidhardt’s was brightly energetic. Armfield’s premise is to tell the Ring as a tale of the human race today, steadily destroying its own environment while failing tragically at the business of love. Wagner’s magic is translated as showbusiness sleight of hand. The Tarnhelm is a magician’s box, the rainbow bridge a line-up of showgirls with plumed fans, Fafner’s lair is a dressing-room table on an empty stage. But there it ends. Notung is a sword, Wotan carries a spear, and despite the addition of a puff of red confetti, when Fafner dies, he bleeds. Though the stage metaphor recurs, its use remains inconsistent.

A writhing mass of humanity – supernumeraries in dun-coloured swimwear – forms the Rhine as this Ring opens, returning fleetingly to deposit the Valkyries’ dead heroes, wave Siegfried on his way down the Rhine, and watch Valhalla go up in flames. Stuffed animals (zebra, thylacine, aardvark, etc) provide a nod to endangered species, but prove just one of many threads that are dropped in the course of this slow journey through Nibelung history.

And it is slow. Inkinen strives for, and achieves, both richness and clarity with the specially formed Melbourne Ring Orchestra, but it comes at a high price. Both Das Rheingold and Die Walküre are so slow that at times they almost seem to be going backwards, and while the pace picks up for the remaining two operas, Inkinen never manages to communicate a sense of forward drive or internal architecture.

He supports his singers to the point of self-abnegation, which ensures audibility at all times, but results in some lapses of taste and a tendency to drag. Fortunately, good orchestral playing and a great deal of excellent singing prove considerable consolation.

As Wotan/Wanderer, Terje Stensvold gives a performance that is imposing, powerful and moving. Stuart Skelton produces glorious sounds as Siegmund, Jud Arthur makes a terrifying Hunding and a believably psychotic Fafner, and Susan Bullock brings experience, intelligence and much-needed passion to the role of Brünnhilde. Stefan Vinke’s Siegfried is everything you could wish for in the role, unflagging in strength and lyricism, perfectly paced and genuinely heroic. Warwick Fyfe’s Alberich is a mild schemer, Deborah Humble’s Erda improves as the Ring wears on, Norns and Rhinemaidens acquit their tasks with flair.

With singers of this calibre, this Ring should thrill more than it does. Armfield frequently abandons them to freeze in the footlights and stare at the conductor, most culpably in Die Walküre, and all too often they fall back on standard gestures or movements borrowed from earlier productions.

The Melbourne Ring cost Aus$20m to stage, and tickets for all three cycles were sold out within 24 hours of going on sale. Australians love their Wagner, and Opera Australia hopes that the Melbourne Ring can win enough support to become a regular event. A euphoric audience response proved that Armfield and Inkinen, as well as their cast, had the enthusiastic approval of their public. If this Ring is to return, perhaps the production will gain maturity, depth and meaning. That would make the Wagneroos (as Australian Wagnerians call themselves) and visitors very happy.

melbourneringcycle.com.au

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013. You may share using our article tools.

Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.