<P> Ben Astoni, played by Rohan Nichol, made his first appearance on 20 June 2017 . Nichol previously appeared in the show in 2004 as Stafford McRae . Nichol relocated from Melbourne to Manly, so he would be closer to Palm Beach for the role . Ben moves to Summer Bay along with his wife Maggie (Kestie Morassi) and their two daughters Coco (Anna Cocquerel) and Ziggy Astoni (Sophie Dillman). The Astonis are the first nuclear family to join the soap opera in 17 years, since the arrival of the Sutherlands in 2000 . </P> <P> After his daughter, Ziggy, runs away from him, Ben asks Brody Morgan (Jackson Heywood) if he has seen her . At home, Ben confronts Ziggy about stealing a car and then learns that his youngest daughter, Coco, has been suspended from school . His wife Maggie suggests that they get away from the city and visit her mother, but after Ben leaves the main road, they end up in Summer Bay . When they go to leave, the car does not start . Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) offers them a caravan, while the car is fixed overnight . After Ziggy gets into trouble for stealing, Ben asks Martin Ashford (George Mason) if the car is ready, and Ash admits the clutch is not stable . The family try to leave, but Ben accidentally reverses the car into a water tank, causing a pipe to burst . He tells Alf that he will fix it, leading the family to stay in the Bay for a week . Ben befriends Justin Morgan (James Stewart). Maggie falls in love with the Farmhouse and she and Ben decide to buy it and the Pier, which leads them to clash with business owners Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou), Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) and Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher). Ben and Maggie learn Ziggy has befriended Brody, who is a recovering drug addict, and ask her to stay away from him . Ben's renovation plans cause tension between Maggie and Leah, and Maggie asks him to reconsider the plans, but later changes her mind . </P> <P> Ben and Maggie learn that Ziggy has been dating Brody in secret and they disapprove of the relationship . Ziggy leaves the house and Ben tells her not to come back . He apologises to her the next day, but does not accept her relationship with Brody, so Ziggy refuses to come home . Brody later breaks up with her . Ben begins making surf boards to sell at the pier . Ben finds Coco convulsing in the garden and he and Maggie learn she has bulimia . Ziggy later leaves home . Days later, Ben sees her with Brody, who is attempting to bring her home, and punches him in the face . Olivia Fraser Richards (Raechelle Banno) tells Sergeant Phillip McCarthy (Nicholas Cassim) and Ben is arrested . McCarthy and Kat Chapman (Pia Miller) learns he has a criminal record for assaulting his brother . Ben insults Kat, which leads to him being charged . Maggie secures a loan to get him out on bail . Maggie's mother, Diana (Sarah Chadwick) came to Summer Bay to visit the family and Diana told Ben and Maggie that she is the one who bailed Ben out of jail . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Maggie Astoni </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Home and Away character </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Portrayed by </Th> <Td> Kestie Morassi </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Duration </Th> <Td> 2017--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> First appearance </Th> <Td> 21 June 2017 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Introduced by </Th> <Td> Lucy Addario </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Classification </Th> <Td> Present; regular </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Profile </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Occupation </Th> <Td> Principal of Summer Bay High </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Home </Th> <Td> The Farmhouse </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> show Family </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Father </Th> <Td> Richard Walford </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mother </Th> <Td> Diana Walford </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Sisters </Th> <Td> Kate Walford </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Husband </Th> <Td> Ben Astoni </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Daughters </Th> <Td> Ziggy Astoni Coco Astoni </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who did ben assault in home and away