Melbourne Express: October 2, 2014

Update on the Thomastown attack: Leading investigator Detective Senior Constable Daniel Chrystie told our reporter the gang asked for “cash, money, mobile phones, wallets, and whatever they [the boys] had on them”. He further called the attack "cowardly". “It’s concerning that eight people would take on two young males for apparently no reason.”

Update on the Thomastown attack: Police have told our reporter the eight gang members, aged between 20 and 25, locked the two teenagers in an illegally parked car on a bridge near Johnson Street, for a maximum of 30 minutes, before an anonymous caller contacted triple-0. Leading investigator Detective Senior Constable Daniel Chrystie said: "it's concerning that eight people would take on two young males for apparently no reason."

Updating the headlines this morning and James Hird faces the axe today; state MP Cesar Melhem found to have doled out more than $100,000 from a controversial slush fund to groups linked to branch-stacking; Turkey says it may send troops into Syria to fight Islamic State as Islamists surround a town on its southern border and aid agency rejects cash for Ebola response from Australia, asking the country instead to deploy medical teams to west Africa.

The first of eight Melbourne Art Trams has hit our streets and the rest will be on the network by the end of the month. The first tram in the series is designed by renowned street artist Rone. The new Art Trams are a joint project of the Victorian Government, Yarra Trams and the Melbourne Festival. More detail HERE. 

What are your thoughts on a cheese stick-less Melbourne? Former premier Jeff Kennett says he is disappointed the East West Link will displace the dramatic entrance to the city. Tweet your view to @timnajacks or @theage.

Craving pork stir-fried in garlic, chilli and soy? You can find it at new Malaysian restaurant SugarBun on Russel Street in the CBD. 

Our political reporter Henrietta Cook is at the the launch of the East West Link headquarters - a swish office building on St Kilda Road - where Tony Abbott and Denis Napthine are holding a press conference. "This is city-changing," Mr Abbott told reporters. The visit followed the Premier signing contracts for the $6.8 billion East West Link on Monday, after a move to halt the project was thrown out of court. The federal government has committed $1.5 billion towards the controversial road. 

Mixed feelings from Essendon fans who are taking to social media this morning, as the club board weighs up James Hird's future as senior coach.