Charles Perrottet faces intense scrutiny at the Icac corruption inquiry, denying any cash dealings with developer Jean Nassif — despite claims of $2 million in political favors and “branch stacking” between 2020 and 2023. Perrottet admits to occasionally embellishing advice to Nassif for payment, now claiming he can’t recall key messages and may have been overly supportive. A damning message — “Charles fucked this whole thing” — surfaced after Nassif’s project was halted, which Perrottet denies was part of a payoff scheme. He also refutes that his secret “Back to Basics” group chat was a covert plan for private payments. Then came a suspicious $148,500 deposit from Nassif’s company the day after a cryptic message from Ellis — a man currently overseas who hasn’t responded to investigators. Perrottet calls it coincidence — but the evidence keeps piling up.

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Tobacco taxes are at the center of a fierce political battle: the Coalition wants to slash cigarette taxes by 80% and legalize vapes to crush the illegal market, while public health experts warn it’ll spike smoking rates and undo decades of progress — with some economists arguing the only way to win is by flooding the black market with cheap, legal alternatives.

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A housing showdown erupts in Melbourne’s southeast as developer SEMZ seeks to fast-track its East Village project in Bentleigh East — but local council is raising red flags. Originally planned for 3,000 homes, the project may now be scaled back to just 1,800–2,400 units, potentially derailing regional housing targets. The developer is using Victoria’s Development Facilitation Program to bypass council approval, a move Glen Eira’s mayor warns could set a dangerous precedent. She accuses SEMZ of prioritizing retail profits over community needs and demands a meeting with the Planning Minister. Meanwhile, SEMZ insists no dwelling numbers have changed — they’re just optimizing amenities to speed up delivery. This clash exposes a growing rift between developers chasing efficiency and councils fighting to meet housing goals in Australia’s most constrained urban areas.

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