Tag Archives: oceania

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Comedian John Oliver makes offer to buy a controversial banana statue for $10

Comedian John Oliver has offered to buy a controversial banana statue that was pulled off the streets of Melbourne after being attacked by vandals last year.

The comedian offered to buy the almost two-metre art piece, called Fallen Fruit, for $10 and donate $10,000 to a local food bank.

He made the offer on his popular HBO show Last Week Tonight overnight.

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However, the Yarra City Council has resisted the offer, instead inviting Oliver to come to Australia to see it in person.

As a sweetener, Oliver offered his prop crocodile statue as a replacement.

"Since the citizens of Melbourne seem to think that their money has been wasted, I might have a solution for you because I will gladly take that banana off your hands," Oliver told viewers.

"What could be more Australian than a dangerous animal telling anyone who comes near it to go f–k themselves?"

Taking to social media, Food Bank Victoria responded to the offer.

"If you know the whereabouts of this giant banana, $10,000 (20,000 meals) could go to helping us feed Victorians doing it tough right now! Just sayin'," to post said.

The almost two-metre tall statue, was created by artist Adam Stone and commissioned by the City of Yarra.

The $22,000 installation was created by artist Adam Stone and was commissioned by the council through a Transport Accident Commission.

The artwork is part of an initiative to activate and improve road safety on Rose Street.

The statue is currently kept safe in storage.

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Strangers leap onto train tracks to save man in wheelchair

Gary Stapleton and his wife Sue had been having a wretched week.

Days earlier, the Melbourne couple's grandson had suddenly died and they were left feeling hollowed out by their grief.

Casting about for anything to take their mind off things, the pair decided to take a trip to Moonee Ponds and spend some time by the lake watching the ducks.

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CCTV shows Gary Stapleton on the platform of Jacana Station on April 16.

But when they got to the local train station, at Jacana in the city's north, on that day – April 16 – things took another unexpected and traumatic turn.

Both Gary and Sue need an electric wheelchair to get around.

Gary, 62, has been using a wheelchair for the past two years after being diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease.

Travelling along the platform at Jacana Station, Gary suddenly lost control of his wheelchair.

"He wasn't concentrating, we had just lost our grandson, we couldn't concentrate," Sue said.

CCTV vision, obtained from the Department of Transport by 9news.com.au, shows Gary in his electric wheelchair abruptly veering to the right and tipping off the edge of the platform, falling onto the tracks below.

CCTV footage shows Gary Stapleton on the platform of Jacana Station in Melbourne.

"I just screamed, 'help, help', I didn't know what else to do," Sue, who was also on the platform in her wheelchair at the time, said.

Within seconds, two bystanders came running.

Pausing only to put their belongings onto a nearby bench, both of the men jumped down onto the tracks and lifted Gary back up onto the platform.

Meanwhile, rail workers in the nearby control centre at Broadmeadows Station saw the accident unfolding on CCTV in real time.

Staff immediately advised Metro's central train control and stopped trains in the area, including one approaching the station.

Over the next five minutes, several other commuters on the platform also rushed to Gary's aid.

The group worked together to heave his heavy electric wheelchair back onto the platform.

Sue said she was extremely thankful to all of the people who stepped in to save her husband.

"I would just like to say thank you very much and I'm very grateful for what they did," she said.

Lisa Gibson is pictured with her dad Gary Stapleton. The family hopes they can find the strangers who helped him and say thank you.

While she and her husband had experienced many frustrating moments in their wheelchairs, none had been as terrifying as this, Sue said. 

"The train stations are not built for wheelchairs," she said.

"You have to be so careful when you go past the chairs because there is not really enough room on the platform."

Sue and Gary's daughter, Lisa Gibson, said the family was hoping to speak to the strangers who rushed to his aid, but had no way of contacting them.

"I would like to reach out and thank them for saving my dad," she said, adding she hoped they would see this article and get in touch.

Were you involved in Gary's rescue? Contact reporter Emily McPherson at em********@******om.au.

Metro Trains Melbourne General Manager Safety Operations Adrian Rowland also thanked the commuters for their selfless actions.

"We thank the bystanders that were able to come to the aid of this man and help him back onto the platform," he said.

"Safety is our number one priority and following the accident we stopped trains immediately to ensure the gentleman could be attended to safely."

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Sydney dog-napper escapes conviction but fined for not wearing mask

A woman has escaped conviction after snatching a beloved pet dog from outside a home in Sydney's west last year.

Atlas, a Japanese Spitz, was taken from outside her Fairfield home in August last year.

The fluffy white dog was returned to his owners two days later.

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Atlas, a Japanese Spitz, was taken from outside her Fairfield home last year.

Sandi Mooshi, 24, told the court today she was sorry for taking the dog.

She was fined $500 for not wearing a mask as the incident took place during the height of Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown.

At the time it was compulsory to wear a face mask under the state's COVID-19 restrictions.