The Aporia · Brisbane’s coffee king on the city’s new cafe scene

Dominique Tassell

33 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 At a press conference announcing her resignation, Camm said she would not concede mistakes had been made in her two years in charge of a sensitive and scrutinised portfolio. “I have delivered the biggest reform to these portfolios in the last two years than any minister before me in 20 years,” she said.

2026-10-31 · assertive framing · Kids left in the lurch by collapse of millionaire’s residential care business

🔮 Notorious Queensland paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith has been extradited to NSW, where he is expected to be charged with hundreds of child sex offences.

2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Notorious paedophile extradited to NSW to face hundreds of charges

🔮 “We’re continuing to work closely with Queensland Police and will take further action as their investigation progresses.

2026-10-27 · assertive framing · Dog involved in park attack dies from gunshot wound

🔮 Council can still decide to issue new destruction orders, which Evans would then have another 14 days to respond to.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · Council withdraws destruction order for dogs involved in Chermside attack

🔮 We will reopen as soon as possible and continue to be accessible to the community and contactable while this temporary closure is in place.” Wells’ staff is still taking calls from the public as usual. The incident occurred days after Indi MP Helen Haines was attacked outside her electoral office in Wangaratta. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · Anika Wells’ Brisbane office closed over security incident

🔮 Family friend Aryan Sirohi launched a fundraising campaign for Malik and his wife, writing that Malik will be unable to work for a long time. “What should have been an ordinary evening became a frightening, life-changing experience.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Family raises support for dog mauling victim as park death probe continues

🔮 The court heard that Smith’s disease is progressive, irreversible, and will be fatal.

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Dying man wins record $1.9 million asbestosis payout

🔮 Maybe it has grown and developed over the years.

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Artist Phoebe Paradise on Brisbane’s bizarre past, and how the city inspires her work

🔮 Multiple early learning centres in Queensland are set to close after Edge Early Learning failed to secure takeover offers for 11 operations following the company’s plunge into administration two months ago.

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Multiple early learning centres to close after failed bid to find buyers

🔮 Slipping property prices could reduce the number of new homes built in Brisbane, Queensland’s housing minister has warned, echoing his leader’s criticism of federal Labor’s tax changes in the May budget.

2026-10-12 · assertive framing · Property price dip could restrict Brisbane’s housing supply: minister

Also by Dominique Tassell

Kids left in the lurch by collapse of millionaire’s residential care business

2026-10-31 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Shocking Polair footage released of cop chase through Brisbane suburbs

2026-10-31 · The Sydney Morning Herald

One man dead, another seriously injured, after being struck by car in inner-city

2026-10-30 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Notorious paedophile extradited to NSW to face hundreds of charges

2026-10-28 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 33 articles by Dominique Tassell →

Neesha Sinnya

4 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 This week they told Phillips they were closing and while he’s glad the couple are getting some well-deserved rest, he doesn’t know what he will do without his lunch ritual. “It’s extremely sad.

2026-10-27 · assertive framing · ‘Make friends, not profit’: Valley workers mourn looming closure of cult-like sandwich bar

🔮 Maybe it has grown and developed over the years.

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Artist Phoebe Paradise on Brisbane’s bizarre past, and how the city inspires her work

🔮 Well, I will say the barefoot bowls is helping to support our club, and it’s great to see all the young people out there.

2026-09-29 · assertive framing · Brisbane’s coffee king on the city’s new cafe scene

🔮 Before training Bentley to be her support dog, Angel Oliver was living with a constant state of severe anxiety, and dealing with a rollercoaster of health issues. But now Oliver, who struggles with anxiety, ADHD, autism and autoimmune issues, has found huge solace in having Bentley the golden digger by her side. “I couldn’t do so many of the everyday things others take for granted, like not being able to stand in a packed lift or walk through a crowded building without a panic attack,” she said.

2026-09-19 · assertive framing · How Angel’s ‘soul dog’ helped her overcome trauma

Also by Neesha Sinnya

‘Make friends, not profit’: Valley workers mourn looming closure of cult-like sandwich bar

2026-10-27 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Artist Phoebe Paradise on Brisbane’s bizarre past, and how the city inspires her work

2026-10-13 · The Sydney Morning Herald

How Angel’s ‘soul dog’ helped her overcome trauma

2026-09-19 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

Welcome to CityChats, where Brisbane Times meets our city’s most interesting characters on our most iconic form of transport. asserted

Times → welcome → transport

This week, Merlo Coffee founder Dean Merlo tells us about growing up in a cafe and the changing hospitality scene across the city. asserted

Merlo → tell → city

We meet Merlo at Sydney Street ferry terminal, the first time in this series we’ve visited the stop. asserted

we → meet → stop

It’s near Merlo’s home, as well as his beloved New Farm Bowls Club, and a short drive from the Merlo Coffee Cafe at Bowen Hills. asserted

It → ’ → Hills

What’s your controversial Brisbane opinion? asserted

opinion → ’ → ?

I’d like to see more help for small business. asserted

I → like → business

We don’t seem to get a lot of that. asserted

We → seem → that

And small business does run the country. asserted

business → run → country

I’d also like to see more money getting to the community clubs out there. asserted

money → like → clubs

For my sins, I’m president of New Farm Bowls Club, and have been for about 10 years. asserted

I → ’m → years

I can’t get out! asserted

I → get → ?

But I love that club, I love the sense of community, I love the fact that it’s a real place for people when they’re on the older side of things and they’re losing friends. asserted

they → love → friends

They all rally around that club and the game of bowls, and they find real friendship there. asserted

they → rally → friendship

And I think it’s so important that we harness that club and community feel. asserted

we → think → feel

I think we’re losing that a bit. asserted

we → think → that

That’s interesting you bring that up, because I had someone say the other day that down south has pub culture and we have bowls culture. asserted

we → ’ → culture

[Merlo laughs. asserted

Merlo → laugh → ?

] Like more and more young people are going to their local bowls. asserted

people → go → bowls

Well, I will say the barefoot bowls is helping to support our club, and it’s great to see all the young people out there. asserted

it → say → people

And they have so much fun playing bowls and having a beer, you know, it’s great. asserted

it → have → beer

But I think that there should be more money to those clubs, you know, ’cause it’s hard to keep the doors open. asserted

it → think → doors

I’ve been out there for 10 years trying to get money. asserted

I → try → money

It’s not easy. asserted

It → ’ → ?

It’s really tough to get grant money. asserted

It → ’ → money

But we’re still out there trying. asserted

we → ’re → ?

So, that’s good. asserted

that → ’ → ?

What do you love about Brisbane? I love the coffee culture! asserted

I → love → culture

Who couldn’t love it? asserted

Who → love → it

It’s a morning place, and we love the fact that people love their coffee. asserted

people → ’ → coffee

We love foodies, and we love people who talk to you about extraction rates, things like that. asserted

who → love → that

I love talking coffee with people. asserted

I → talk → people

We go to so much trouble at Merlo to make that coffee in the cup served to you as good as it could possibly be. uncertain

it → go → you

So when people appreciate that, I’m stoked with that. asserted

I → appreciate → that

Can you tell me a bit about how you got into the hospitality industry? asserted

you → tell → industry

My dad had the Milano restaurant. asserted

dad → have → restaurant

It was a big restaurant, we had the best wine cellar in the country for many years, and it was always in the top five restaurants nationally. asserted

it → have → restaurants

So I was brought up in that environment. asserted

I → bring → environment

But I also saw how destructive it can be to your own personal life and your family life. asserted

it → see → life

We never saw our dad, he was always working. asserted

he → see → dad

And it took its toll on him. asserted

it → take → him

…and 49 more, not listed.

Brisbane’s coffee king on the city’s new cafe scene

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