logo
Trump v Powell: US President calls Fed Chair 'stupid'

Trump v Powell: US President calls Fed Chair 'stupid'

SBS Australia2 days ago

Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.
Your email address
*
Morning (Mon–Fri)
Afternoon (Mon–Fri)
Weekend
Subscribe
By subscribing, you agree to SBS's terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Foul reality behind city's newly-approved micro-apartment development
Foul reality behind city's newly-approved micro-apartment development

News.com.au

time3 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Foul reality behind city's newly-approved micro-apartment development

Filthy scenes of human waste, used needles and makeshift beds are commonplace for this inner-city strip, but a new development might be what finally flushes it clean. Stirling Street in Perth, a whisper from the notorious local homeless 'badlands', was last week approved for the $22 million development of a new micro apartment complex. Locals say it's a long overdue solution for a problem that has been spiralling out of control for years, costing them thousands in signage and clean-up fees. Of the 88 flats, 64 will be just 26 sqm and the rest will be 41 sqm lofts. 'We've had people defecating and urinating out the back. We've actually got a sign now telling people not to do it,' director at local business Media Junction Interact Digital, Justin Walker said. 'The worst thing is the dumpings. You'll get a homeless person that will stay out the front for a day or two but then when they leave there's a whole heap of rubbish.' He added that police nor the local council were prepared to 'do anything about it', and routinely thrust the onus onto businesses to keep the area presentable. 'There's a very bad homeless situation, all the businesses have been affected,' Mr Walker said. 'People live at the back of their businesses for months on end, we had one next door for about four months.' It wasn't just unpleasant on the eyes and nose, the disaster has also been posing safety risks. 'The guy two doors down is dealing with syringes, so he's got a duty of care issue for himself and his staff. So he can't be not cleaning this stuff up,' Mr Walker said. 'It's a shame because it has the potential to be a really good part of Perth. 'But put it this way, there's nothing we haven't seen at this point.' An overhaul of Stirling street was long overdue Mr Walker argued, and he wasn't alone. 'This area needs a bit more gentrification, because at night-time it's not very nice,' director at Cable 8, also on Stirling Street, Ren Stefanuto said. Asked if the area would be too dangerous for an average person to visit at night, he replied 'sh*t yeah', adding 'I don't think you should come near it'. Mr Stefanuto hoped the development would attract a suite of different people including hospitality workers and holiday-makers. 'I think it's a great idea,' he said. Owner of nearby cult eatery Compton Burgers, John, echoed the sentiment. 'I think it will be good for the neighbourhood, and there will be more people around,' he said. He had high hopes the block would attract 'good people' who would have a positive impact on the street, particularly in the evenings. 'It's not a good environment here at night, you get all sorts of people coming here,' John said. There has been cautious optimism the complex will help clean up the street and its surrounding businesses, but some locals anonymously told they weren't convinced. They argued it would take far more than a new building to solve such a raging problem, that has routinely forced businesses to close for weeks at a time due to destructive behaviour. A few streets over is the Zen Apartments which was the first to development – going up in 2014 – to contain micro units for Perth, with the smallest measuring in at 33 sqm. South of the river in O'Conner is another complex, built in 2019, that has units as small as 25 sqm. The new Stirling Street apartments will be some of the smallest in Australia, measuring a square metre or two under the standard 'micro apartment' benchmark. They will be fully furnished with a balcony, bed, kitchenette, bathroom, lounge and dining space. There is a proposed communal roof terrace, office space, gym and laundry. The apartments are not for individual sale but would be leased by a dedicated property manager, with leases running between three months and three years. Developers say FIFO workers, students and young professionals without cars will be the target market – for a building of 88 apartments, there are 25 car spaces. There are many established micro apartment complexes across Australia, and this latest project is not the first in Perth. But Perth is in the grips of a massive spike in property prices, on the same galactic trajectory as Adelaide and Brisbane.

Hutt St Centre planning to open dedicated women's shelter as domestic violence crisis deepens
Hutt St Centre planning to open dedicated women's shelter as domestic violence crisis deepens

News.com.au

time5 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Hutt St Centre planning to open dedicated women's shelter as domestic violence crisis deepens

South Australia's housing crisis remains at breaking point, with one of the biggest homeless shelters fearing it could be forced to turn away clients as it hits capacity within years. The Hutt St Centre is even planning on opening a dedicated shelter, just for women and kids, as it fights to keep with a concerning rise in families being forced onto the streets. The charity had almost 43,000 visits from South Australians doing it tough in the past 12 months - the most in its 70-year history. It also handed out more than 22,000 pieces of material aid, such as clothing and personal hygiene, and served over 47,000 meals. Staggeringly, there has been a 116 per cent increase in visits to its Wellbeing Centre since 2020/2021. Women are the fastest growing group experiencing homelessness in SA, with the centre experiencing a 38 per cent jump in females accessing assistance this financial year compared to 2020/21. There has also been a nearly 50 per cent rise in people who had never previously experienced homelessness visiting the centre over the same period. It has also seen a reduction in clients with a criminal history or drug and alcohol problems. Hutt Street chief executive Chris Burns feared demand would only increase in the coming years, with the cost-of-living, domestic violence and housing crises pushing more people out -of-stable accommodation. 'The face of homelessness is changing; you're reminded of (that) every day,' Mr Burns said. 'People with great jobs and brilliant qualifications can still become homeless and we've got former senior public servants, high school teachers, people very high up in business who are now accessing our services. 'We've all got to remember, this could happen to you, or someone you love or someone very near to you in a heartbeat, it just takes one bad event. 'We can't see what is going to abate the cost-of-living crisis … the number of houses needed are decades away.' The Hutt Street Centre recently underwent a $2.2 million upgrade, boasting a new private retreat for families, medical treatment rooms, creative hub and all-weather outdoor courtyard for dining and group activities. Despite the fresh facilities, the welfare centre is set to reach its capacity - 71,500 visits a year - by late 2028. Mr Burns said the centre may have to turn away clients, without another significant expansion or government support. They are now considering opening another centre just for women and children due to the concerning rise in clients experiencing domestic violence. 'For every woman that comes to us for help, there's probably another one who doesn't want to come into the centre because there's men there,' he said. 'If we don't do something between now and December 2028, we're going to get to the point where we will have to turn people, which is totally against our ethos.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store