A TRILINGUAL budgie, a divisive Mark "Chopper" Read mural and public support for police and a firefighter injured in a gas explosion are among the stories making news across Melbourne this week.
Multilingual bird flies the nest
IF a budgie lands in your backyard and demands a kiss, don't be alarmed.
It might just be Duda, the multilingual budgie.
Duda, who speaks smatterings of English, Arabic and Greek, flew the coop from his Epping home last Saturday and his owners have put out a desperate plea for help to find him.
Duda the multilingual budgie from Epping is missing. Source: Supplied
Chopper mural wiped clean
ARTISTS were dismayed after an aerosol mural they painted of Mark "Chopper" Read was painted over by the Department of Justice.
The mural, at the back of Kennards near the Narre Warren train station car park, was painted voluntarily, and legally, by a group of five artists who wanted to address heavy vandalism in the area.
Even Read's widow, Margaret, weighed in on the debate over the mural's letigimacy. Which do you prefer, mural or blank wall?
Before the clean-up ... Source: Supplied
... and after the clean-up. Source: News Limited
Snake sizzler fried by police
IT'S a total fire ban day and you see a snake in your yard. What do you do: A) strike it with a shovel; B) set your backyard alight to flush it out; C) none of the above.
The answer, most people know, is C. But not for one Dandenong man, who chose answer B - start a fire to get rid of the snake.
Emergency services were called after a neighbour noticed the fire and luckily no one was harmed (not sure about the snake - it wasn't found). Police were not amused.
Police have warned not to do anything to harm snakes. Source: News Limited
Poached roach shocks diner
YOU'VE heard of pub grub - but this diner wasn't expecting to receive just that when he tucked into a meal in Heidelberg recently.
Danny McDonald was celebrating his engagement at the Old England Hotel on Lower Heidelberg Rd with a tasty steak when he was horrified to find a dead cockroach.
Mr McDonald, on holiday from Perth, said he was twirling sauteed spinach - which came with his meal - when he noticed the cockroach about 6pm on December 29.
Danny McDonald found a dead cockroach in his spinach at Heidelberg's Old England Hotel. Source: Supplied
Tributes flow for police injured in gas explosion
IF ever you needed your faith in human kindness restored, this story will do it.
Port Phillip's police and fire stations have been inundated with dozens of flowers, cards, hampers and messages of support from the public since the January 4 Middle Park apartment explosion.
Constables Emma Quick, 28, and Varli Blake, remain in The Alfred Hospital in a serious but stable condition while Sergeant Tony Scully, 54, is listed as stable after the explosion.
The trio attended the Hambleton St flat after a report a man was threatening self-harm, when thick gas from an opened barbecue bottle exploded.
Senior Sergeant Bob Hope and Acting Inspector Mark Denton with some of the flowers sent to the South Melbourne Police Station after the Middle Park apartment explosion. Photo: Josie Hayden Source: News Limited
Slow recovery for injured firefighter
MEANWHILE, the brave firefighter who ignored his own injuries to rescue the hurt police has told of his slow recovery.
Speaking from his Patterson Lakes home where he is recuperating, Andrew Wood, from Port Melbourne Fire Station, said it could take months before the burns to his face got better.
But Mr Wood said he was "just doing my job" when he went back to carry out an injured police officer, ignoring his badly burned face.
"I am not the first firefighter to do something like that, in the job we do we are faced with things like that all the time. It is what firefighters do, police do the same and so do paramedics," he said.
Hero firefighter Andrew Wood and his wife Tahnee. Source: News Limited
Backpacker's road trip plans ruined
AN English backpacker's travel plans have hit the skids after his newly purchased dual-cab utility was stolen from a Brunswick street.
Kris Serwecinski had just relocated to Melbourne after fruit picking in Griffith when his 1990 white Mitsubishi Triton, which was parked in front of a friend's home in Donald St, was pinched last month while he returned to London to visit family.
Only when he arrived back at Melbourne Airport with his girlfriend did he receive a text message that revealed the car was missing.
English backpacker Kris Serwecinski’s car was stolen from a Brunswick street. Photo: Steve Tanner Source: News Limited
Step closer to Batman name change
STILL in the north, and a push to give the Batman electorate an Aboriginal name has gained momentum after a majority of Darebin councillors backed a proposal for change.
At the final council meeting of 2013, all but two of the seven councillors present supported Rucker Ward Greens councillor Trent McCarthy's motion to back the campaign by Wurundjeri elders and other Aboriginal leaders.
The calls came after Batman federal Labor MP David Feeney sent a Christmas card to constituents that featured an image of pioneer John Batman negotiating a treaty with Wurundjeri residents in June 1835 by the Merri Creek.
Darebin Koori spokesman Alan Brown contacted the Leader after receiving the card, saying it was time to reconsider the name of the electorate because "Batman symbolised dispossession and loss of Aboriginal lands".
Wurundjeri elder Ian Hunter and Cr Trent McCarthy in Batman Park. Source: News Limited
Teen takes US beauty pageants by storm
A LOWER Templestowe teenager has shown up US competitors at their own beauty pageants.
Lexi Nolan, 15, claimed the "Mega Ultimate Grand Supreme" crown from 80 other competitors at a Universal Royalty pageant.
She scored top points in all six categories of the competition in California, including "Mommy and Me".
Lexi Nolan showed up US competitors at their own beauty pageants. Photo: Richard Serong Source: News Limited
Claims of ethnic doctor shortage in inner city
ARE you part of one of the inner city's many multicultural communities? Do you feel you miss out on seeing a doctor from your own background or language?
Carlton clinic owner Dr Andrew Monk claims Federal Government red tape means the suburb's ethnic communities are being denied this opportunity.
He said Carlton was one of the most multicultural suburbs in the country, with large numbers of African migrants, Asian students and Greek and Italian communities.
He wanted to employ more doctors from those countries but Federal Government regulations resulted in them being sent to country towns.
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