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Buckling under tax bills Ahead of today’s State Budget, manufacturers, such as Angie Ramos, pictured, are railing against land tax bills that they say are hampering their businesses. Ramos says he may close his 52-year-old Dandenong South firm DH Corrosion & DPC Coatings after his land tax bill has soared from $8703 to $203,600 in the past decade. The State Government argues that it is shifting the tax burden from small landowners, but South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) is calling for a cap on land tax for manufacturers. More on the story, turn to page 2
(Stewart Chambers: 478404)
Carjack carnage A County Court judge said it was as bad a case of dangerous driving during a police pursuit that he’d ever seen. Brody Hopkins, 26, was jailed over a wild afternoon escapade in which he crashed and carjacked multiple vehicles across Melbourne and the South East in company with a 15-year-old boy.
In about 90 minutes, he fled from Sandown Park Hotel, repeatedly ran red lights, overtook on the wrong side of the road and collided with several cars in heavy traffic as well as reaching speeds up to 200 km/h on 22 June 2023. At one point, Hopkins attempted to stab a man during one of the four carjackings, in which he “ripped” drivers from their cars.
In another instance, he mounted a footpath narrowly missing a pedestrian. Hopkins crashed into multiple cars, including two police vehicles, on Dingley Bypass, Westall Road, Eastern Freeway and Hoddle Street. People could have been killed at several points during the “brazen” and “extremely dangerous” conduct, judge Scott Johns said in sentencing
on 16 May. Raised in neglect, disadvantage and violence, Hopkins posed a “real danger to lives and safety” when on the run from police and using illicit drugs. “The facts speak for themselves,” the judge said as he jailed Hopkins for up to six years - including a three-and-a-half-year non-parole period. More on the story, turn to page 5
12743930-FR03-25