"Students Are Not ATMs": Melbourne Vocational College Fee Protest Education · Consumer Affairs "Students Are Not ATMs": International Students Protest Outside Melbourne Vocational College Over Alleged Hidden Fees Melbourne, VIC · 22 July 2026 Outside a Lonsdale Street office building in Melbourne's CBD this week, two students stood holding a hand-painted placard reading "SCAM IN EDUCATION HISTORY." The sign named the Australian School of Commerce (ASOC) , a registered training organisation (RTO ID 41089, CRICOS code 03489A), and accused the college of charging thousands of dollars in fees the students say they were never properly told about. The allegations According to the protesters, one student — enrolled in a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery and later a Certificate IV in Kitchen Management — was charged approximately $11,000 more than he says he expected when he first enrolled. The protest sign lists several speci...
Australia's Property Illusion — A Business Critic's Take The Property Brief · Critical Analysis June 2026 · Australia Opinion Real Estate The Great Australian Property Illusion Is Cracking By Business Critic · Long Read · 5 min · June 5, 2026 ❧ National Verdict Partially True Sydney / Melbourne Confirmed ↓ Perth / Darwin Rising ↑ RBA Cash Rate 4.35% Australia has a long and proud tradition of treating its housing market like a religion. Property is the national wealth store, the dinner-party obsession, the retirement plan, and the social status card — all wrapped in one. So when cracks appear, the denial runs deep. This is that moment. 01 — The Evidence Floor Stop Calling It a Soft Landing. Call It What It Is. National home prices flatlined in May 2026. Not a t...