A metal statue of political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi has been stolen from a charity in Melbourne's south-east.

Police believe the 400kg solid bronze statue of the global peace figure was taken from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville just before 1am on Monday, January 12.

The thieves used an angle grinder to cut the statue at the ankles, according to CCTV.

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Australian Indian Community Charitable Trust chairperson Vasan Srinivasan said the brazen theft had left the community angry and upset.

"Gandhi means a lot to us – a father of the nation who fought for India's freedom without bloodshed," he said.

"We adored this Gandhi statue, there are so many school children, families come here and take pictures with it."

He doesn't suspect the theft of the statue, which has an estimated value of $60,000, had racist or political motivations.

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"There was no defacing, there was no spraying of any graffiti, it's cut and taken it very cleanly,"

"We're treating this as a theft of the statue, they took it for metallic value."

Scrap metal dealers are warned to look out for the statue as the thieves may be looking to on-sell it.

The statue was gifted to the centre in 2021 by the Indian government.

It was vandalised just days after then-prime minister Scott Morrison inaugurated it, when thieves failed in their attempts to remove the head of the statue.

The Indian government's Ministry of External Affairs today denounced the robbery.

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"We strongly condemn the vandalisation and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne by unidentified people," ministry spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaiswal said.

"We have strongly raised the matter with Australian authorities and urged them to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and hold the culprits accountable."

The investigation remains ongoing. 

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Emergency services were called to a home on Adams Flat Rd in Crichton on January 23.

Emergency services could not save the child, who died at the scene.

Former tennis pro and ex-state Liberal deputy leader Sam Groth has announced he will quit Victorian politics next week, triggering a byelection in his seat of Nepean on the Mornington Peninsula just months out from the 2026 state election.

The first-term MP made the announcement this afternoon in a statement.

"Next week I will resign from the Parliament of Victoria as the Member for Nepean to pursue other opportunities," Groth said.

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"It has been an honour to serve the people of Nepean and I sincerely thank them for the trust they placed in me for the opportunity to represent our community.

"I am very grateful to my staff for their professionalism, dedication and tireless work in supporting the people of Nepean."

Last month, the Nepean MP revealed he would not contest this year's state election, citing party infighting and "public pressure" placed on his family.

"I wish (Opposition Leader) Jess (Wilson) and the Liberal team all the very best for the November election," he said today.

"Most importantly, I thank my family, my wife Britt and our twin boys, for their unwavering love and support."

The 38-year-old was elected to represent Nepean in 2022 with a 7.1 per cent swing in his favour, segueing into the political world after retiring from the professional tennis circuit in 2018.

He was selected unopposed as Liberal deputy leader in December 2024, under the new leadership of Brad Battin.

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He maintained the role under the current leader Jess Wilson until January 27 this year, when he resigned and was replaced by David Southwick.

Groth informed Wilson of his plans to quit parliament early yesterday, she told media this afternoon.

"This is a decision Sam's taken in the best interest of his family, I completely understand that, I completely respect that, and I understand his decision," Wilson said.

The Liberals are yet to announce a candidate for the byelection.

"We're working through all the normal processes as the party does in terms of candidates," Wilson said.

Wilson, who is the Victorian Liberal Party's third leader in 12 months, insisted Nepean locals would see "a united team on the ground in Nepean".

"The upcoming Nepean byelection is an opportunity that my team is excited for," she said.

"It's an opportunity to listen to the people of Nepean, to earn their trust and to outline our priorities.

"I'm excited to get on the ground with my team and take the first step to change the government in November this year."

Easing the cost of living, reducing crime, ensuring quality healthcare and "restoring the dream of homeownership" will be the Liberal Party's key priorities ahead of the by-election, she said.

Groth's departure from politics comes after he and wife Brittany sued the Herald Sun over the newspaper's reporting about their relationship.

Brittany Groth had criticised the report as a "disgraceful smear campaign" which she said pressured her "to disclose intimate details of my personal and private life".

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A private settlement was reached between the two parties in November last year.

The father-of-two described his time in public life as "an extremely challenging period for my family".

"We took on this role for the right reasons, to contribute to our community and try to make a positive difference," Groth said.

"That purpose has never changed, but the environment around it has."

In May last year, Groth was forced to defend using a taxpayer-funded vehicle to get him and his wife from the Australian Open to their Mornington Peninsula home in January 2024.

Groth entered the pro tennis circuit in 2006 and peaked at world No.53 in the men's singles in 2015.

He reached a career high of world No.24 in the doubles rankings, making the semi-finals of the 2014 French Open, as well as the semi-finals of the mixed doubles at the 2017 Australian Open alongside fellow Aussie Sam Stosur.

He holds the record for the fastest-ever recorded serve, hitting 263 km/h at the ATP Challenger in Busan in 2012.

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Police have described the behaviour of a swarm of young e-bike riders driving along the Sydney Harbour Bridge as "stupid and downright dangerous" as they continue to identify the people involved in yesterday's stunt.

Authorities received multiple calls after dozens of young e-bike riders were filmed riding over the Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday.

About 40 people, including at least one without a helmet, rode across the NSW landmark during peak hour traffic yesterday.

The ride was organised by Los Angeles e-bike influencer, Sur Ronster.

The content creator has more than 5 million online followers.

Under current laws, it's illegal to ride any bike, including e-bikes, on the main deck of the bridge and a cycleway is provided separate from the roadway.

"Apart from that behaviour being illegal, it was incredibly irresponsible, stupid and downright dangerous," Assistant Commissioner David Driver said.

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"The bike riders made U-turns in front of oncoming traffic.

"Heavy vehicles had to brake (to) avoid them.

"We don't want to be knocking on your door and telling you your child has been killed in one of these stupid rideouts," Driver said.

The Assistant Commissioner said that some of these e-rideables have been modified to "effectively become motorbikes", which he urged makes them significantly more dangerous.

NSW Police confirmed officers were called to Hickson Road, Sydney, around 4.30pm yesterday following multiple reports of a large group riding dangerously.

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About 40 riders were located riding on the Harbour Bridge dangerously, but dispersed when police arrived.

Police have said they have identified license plates, school uniforms and "very clear footage" which they will use to prosecute those who took part in the dangerous stunt.

"Police could not initiate a pursuit due to safety concerns," a spokesperson told 9news.com.au.

"About 5.30pm on the same day, police located the group at Mrs Macquarie's Chair, where they were spoken to and dispersed."

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There were no reported injuries or property damage, and inquiries are ongoing.

Footage of the Harbour Bridge stunt has prompted renewed calls for stronger rules governing e-bike use on Australian roads and footpaths.

Premier Chris Minns called the actions of e-bike hoons "intolerable", and the government is working on a solution.

"It's regrettable that the original decision was made to have a 500 watt output rather than a 250 watt output because we're now in a situation where we're trying to close the barn door after close to a million of these machines are on Sydney streets," he said.

"We're working on a program and we'll have more to say soon."

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Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward said wattage limits aren't enough.

"Joy rides on the Sydney Harbour Bridge are stupid, unsafe and a middle finger to the police and the community," she said in Parliament yesterday.

"These kids know they are unaccountable and untouchable until there is compulsory licence plates, enforcement and accountability."

She said e-bike riders doing the wrong thing know there are no consequences and called on Transport Minister John Graham to introduce e-bike license plates to restore accountability.

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More copycat posters in the style of artist Peter Drew have been plastered across Melbourne after similar images of alleged Bondi gunman Naveed Akram were seen in the CBD.

Pictures of accused shooter Akram with the caption "Aussie" – imitating famous street artist Drew's "Aussie" series – were spotted in the Victorian capital yesterday, sparking a furious response from Melbourne's mayor.

Now, images of the man accused of throwing hot coffee on a baby in Brisbane and jailed serial rapist Bilal Skaf with the same caption have appeared in Melbourne's inner south-east.

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Posters showing the CCTV image of the man accused of scalding baby Luka with hot coffee in 2024 were placed on a construction site wall on Chapel Street in Prahan.

A mug shot of Skaf, who was jailed in 2002 for his part in a series of gang rapes in Sydney's south-west, was also posted to a wall on the same street.

Nine.com.au has contacted the City of Stonnington for comment.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece yesterday described the posters of Akram as "absolutely abhorrent".

"(Drew's) posters are a good example of the role contemporary street art can play in politics as a means of social activism," Reece said in a statement.

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"For Drew's work to be hijacked and appropriated into images of hatred and division is absolutely abhorrent.

"To use the image of the Bondi shooter is just sick. Families are still grieving, the community is still grieving."

Reece said his team has worked around the clock to remove the posters.

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Drew also condemned the person behind the posters.

"Whoever made these posters doesn't believe in Australia," he said.

"They are not patriotic. They claim to be patriots, but we're the patriots. We're the ones who love Australia."

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While much of the world's developed countries are focused on economic growth, Australians are worried about far more basic food and shelter needs, according to new global research.

US analytics and advisory firm Gallup has asked about 1000 people across 107 countries what single issue matters most to them as part of a worldwide survey of national priorities.

More adults named economic concerns – the likes of standard of living, high prices, or low wages – than any other issue, with 23 per cent.

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That figure is more than double the next-highest concerns of work, politics and safety.

Only three per cent were primarily worried about the far more basic concerns of food and shelter, and seven out of the 10 countries where those were named as the top concern are in sub-Saharan Africa.

However, Australia appeared third on that list, along with two other high-income countries that are also facing housing crises: Ireland and Canada.

"All three countries face well-documented housing crises, with younger adults most likely to say that affording basic needs is the country's biggest problem," the report stated.

"The scale of dissatisfaction with housing in these three countries shows how people's struggles to afford basic needs like housing may colour their perceptions of the national economy, even in prosperous nations."

The research found Australians' satisfaction with the availability of good and affordable housing has significantly dropped over the decade to 2025, falling from just under 50 per cent to 25 per cent.

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It comes as data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics today showed living costs rose for all household types in the 12 months to the December quarter due to the rising cost of housing, food and non-alcoholic drinks.

"Rises in annual living costs ranged from 2.3 per cent to 4.2 per cent in the December 2025 quarter, depending on the expenditure patterns of the different household types," ABS head of price statistics Michelle Marquardt said.

This was reflected in the latest inflation figures, which saw the consumer price index rise from 3.4 per cent to 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to December, sparking yesterday's interest rate rise.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has defended the government's spending levels and cost-of-living measures, saying temporary factors like the energy rebate and rising travel costs and persistent factors like housing were to blame.

"I take responsibility for all aspects of my job, including my part in the fight against inflation, but more than that, we're taking action," he told reporters yesterday.

"We know that Australians are under pressure."

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NZTA says vandalism of the Matakana Rd camera did not stop it working.

‘The assumption is that because we’re SPCA, we deal with everything.’

Officials have confirmed recent discussions with the movie mogul’s people about the plan.