Aussies tuned in to a strange episode of Nine’s A Current Affair, where news of a Melbourne man questioned by his local council for filling a hole left by a 25 metre gum tree that toppled outside his home ended in his receiving a massive fine.
Adam Marsal, a landscaper and pool builder by trade, said he felt like a criminal facing murder charges. He said he took it upon himself to fill a hole left by a 25 metre gum tree that toppled outside his Frankston home — only to be fined $11,500 by his local council for dumping “waste”.
The news raked in a Total TV National Reach of 1,547,000 and Total TV National Average Audience of 1,016,000.
“I waited six months for it to get cleaned up and nothing was happening,” said Marsal.
He was told to return the site to its previous state.
“I sort of did joke I should have sent them an invoice for the work I (had) done,” Marsal said.
Despite the council initially declining to comment on camera, when asked about the fine today, Frankston City Council Mayor Nathan Conroy said the council would not allow residents to “fill holes on land that is not theirs”.
“It’s very strange to me someone decided to fill a hole with illegal fill that has potentially detrimental impacts on the community,” said Conroy.
Over on Seven, The Front Bar saw the boys back together – Sam, Mick, and Andy – as they chatted all things AFL. The episode raked in a Total TV National Reach of 1,266,000 and a Total TV National Average Audience of 572,000. Also on Seven, Home and Away, and The Chase Australia raked in a Total TV National Reach of 1,390,000 and 1,384,000, respectively.
On 10, Bondi Rescue’s season 18 premiere aired which saw Andy Reid back on the beach after four years away from the hit series. New episodes are airing back-to-back every Wednesday, and there’s more action than ever before. B&T interviewed the Bondi Rescue cast about the new season.
“The wind in my hair, the sand between my toes, and the thrills that come with the summer of lifeguarding on Bondi!” exclaimed Reidy.
In its 18th season, Bondi Rescue follows the team through one of the busiest summers in a decade, including one day in December when the team of seven lifeguards had over 120 rescues.
