Month: May 2025

Source: Australian National Party

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

NT Police Force is calling for information in relation to an aggravated robbery that occurred in Wadeye on Tuesday evening.

Around 5:30pm, police received reports that five employees from an animal management clinic were approached by a group of youths as they left the facility in their vehicle. The youths were allegedly armed with weapons, including wooden planks and machetes. One of the offenders opened the driver’s side door, threatened the driver with a machete, and demanded the vehicle keys. The victim complied and exited the vehicle.

Employees at a nearby construction site observed the incident taking place and came to the aid of the victims, causing the group of offenders to flee the scene.

Police conducted patrols of the area and spoke with community members leading to the stolen keys being handed in. The alleged offenders remain outstanding, and investigations are ongoing.

If you have any information about the incident, police urge you to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number NTP2500052080. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

Source:

A group of local volunteer firefighters have been honoured with National Emergency Medals for their efforts at the Hamilton Airbase during the 2019-2020 Australian bushfire crisis.

The National Emergency Medal is part of Australia’s Honours and Awards system and recognises meaningful service to others in a nationally significant Australian emergency.

At a presentation ceremony held at the Hamilton Institute of Rural Learning on Friday 16 May, 17 firefighters from the region became the latest of more than 5,500 CFA members to receive the honour for the 2019-2020 fires.

Water bombing aircraft operating out of Hamilton Airbase has long been a key component of CFA’s incident response, supporting firefighting efforts at ground level with direct suppression of fire activity via aerial attack.

Aircraft operating out of the base rely on a volunteer bomber loader crew support to help prepare and load water and retardant and enable repeated water bombing runs to be conducted on request.

CFA Deputy Chief Officer South West Adrian Gutsche presented the medals and said they were an important recognition of the valiant efforts of CFA members.

“It is a great honour to receive the National Emergency Medal, and I hope it goes a small way to thanking our members for their service,” Adrian said.

“The work that the bomber loader crews undertake is hot, strenuous and requires a high degree of care and precision so that ongoing aerial attack operations can be conducted successfully.”

The Hamilton Airbase was activated on a total of 26 days during the 2019-20 National Emergency declaration for Glenelg and Southern Grampians, including a period of 15 consecutive days from 20 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 when fire activity was at its highest.

“We are incredibly grateful for the important contributions bomber loader crews made during this period to protect the community,” Adrian said.

“These volunteers come from brigades in Hamilton and surrounding areas and are members who have already dedicated many years of service within CFA.”

Hamilton Airbase Manager and medal recipient, Ron Huf said it was an honour to be formally recognised.

“I’m proud to be able to provide support to the community, through what I do at the airbase. It was my first year in that role and I had just done my training, which was fairly intense, but great preparation for what was to come,” Ron said.

“I’ve been within CFA for 45 years, and spent years as a Captain and Strike Team Leader, and I got to the point where I wanted a change from being out on the fire trucks and command vehicles.

“I found having an interest in aircraft and aviation, that I was drawn to helping in the airbase setting, and having managed resources, staff and other complexities in my past leadership roles I thought it would be a good opportunity to contribute in a different way.   

Ron said the back-to-back days are long and hot, but the crew enjoy the camaraderie of the team environment.  

“It is hard to quantify the work our members do at the airbase, and we all do different things within the group, but those out there loading planes definitely deserve to be recognised,” Ron said.

“While working at the airbase in a voluntary capacity, CFA provided us with welfare support, whether that was meals, accommodation and everything in between, they really looked after us.”

Submitted by	CFA media

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

The share hire e-scooter trial in urban Bendigo will be extended for another 12 months, following a decision at Council last Monday night.

Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said the trial extension was approved after much deliberation.

“Council carefully considered all of the findings from the community survey, data, and feedback from an external stakeholder group – this includes Victoria Police and Bendigo Health, who have been involved since the trial began last year,” Cr Metcalf said.

“Much of community feedback centred on issues such as poorly parked e-scooters obstructing footpaths and buildings, and unsafe behaviour from some riders who are not complying with stricter Victorian road rules for e-scooters.

“The survey also highlighted that regular users, particularly people aged under 34, have benefited from the share hire service. For this group, the trial e-scooters are seen as a convenient and useful transport option, improving connectivity between precincts in urban Bendigo.

“There were also calls in the feedback to expand the operating area to include Golden Square, Long Gully and White Hills to align with the shared walking/cycling networks in place.

“The survey and stakeholder collaboration was intentionally designed to focus on areas where the City has the authority to act. While we understand there are broader concerns about e-scooters, the aim was to collect feedback that could directly inform potential improvements or policy decisions within our jurisdiction.

“Council has very much taken all of this on board which has resulted in the trial being extended for another 12 months. This next phase will incorporate key learnings from the initial trial and provide opportunities for further improvement based on a set of recommendations.

“New technology to curb illegal footpath riding has been proposed by the Victorian Government for share hire e-scooters, which is something we welcome, together with tougher e-scooter Victorian Road Rules and penalties that are enforced by Victoria Police.

“Improved parameters during the extended trial will allow for a more accurate assessment of whether or not share hire e-scooters can serve as a viable alternative transport option to meet the needs of community members and tourists.”

Beam Mobility (Beam), which has operated the trial for the past 12 months, will have its contract extended temporarily until the procurement process for a commercial operator is finalised.

The trial has been operating a small trial area in urban Bendigo to provide better links between precincts and encourage a shift away from cars for shorter trips.

The share hire e-scooters are only available for hire between 5am and 11pm, 7 days a week. The maximum speed limit is set at 20km/h, and 15km/h in some busy areas, and e-scooters are only allowed to ride on roads, bicycle lanes, and shared cycle paths in line with Victorian road rules. It is illegal to ride e-scooters on footpaths and significant penalties apply. The Victorian Police enforce fines.

To view more survey results, visit:

Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

Consumer Affairs Victoria is warning anyone wanting to buy jewellery from Shannakian Jewellery to be careful, after receiving 67 complaints from consumers about the company.

Trading as Shannakian Fine Jewellery, the company sells jewellery on its website, Instagram and in its Melbourne showroom. Most of the complaints received by Consumer Affairs Victoria are from sales on their Instagram page, which has over 25,000 followers.

Since 15 February 2021, complaints have been received from consumers across Australia and overseas who allege the business:

• accepted payment for jewellery but failed to provide it in a reasonable time, or at all
• failed to provide refunds when requested and required, and
• failed to provide a refund for faulty products.

In one case, a consumer claimed to have paid the business $27,000 for a necklace. The jewellery was not provided. After following up many times, the consumer asked for a refund, which was not provided.

Consumer Affairs Victoria Acting Director, David Joyner, is urging consumers to be wary before purchasing Shannakian Fine Jewellery products.

If you have had a bad experience with Shannakian Fine Jewellery, contact us through our complaint form, email or by calling 1300 55 81 81.

Read our public warning:

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

NT Police Force general duties members arrested a 22-year-old male in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Johnston last night.

About 8pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report that an incident was unfolding at a residential address, with a male assaulting a female known to him.

Neighbours, upon hearing the disturbance contacted Triple Zero and rendered assistance and provided first aid prior to St John Ambulance and police attending.

Upon police arrival, the offender was arrested and conveyed to Palmerston Watch House, where he remains in custody as investigations continue.

The victim, a 22-year-old female, was conveyed by St John Ambulance to Royal Darwin Hospital in a critical condition.

The Domestic Violence Investigation Unit has carriage of the investigation.

NT Police appreciate the intervention and aid provided by neighbours and urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact police on 131 444. Please reference to job number P25138375.

If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC will not oppose Insurance Australia Group Limited’s (ASX: IAG) proposed acquisition of RACQ Insurance Limited (RACQI).

IAG and RACQI supply general insurance products, including home and contents insurance and motor insurance. They predominantly overlap in the supply of insurance products in Queensland.

The ACCC’s review considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on the supply of home and contents insurance and the supply of motor insurance, focussing on the level of competition provided by other existing insurance providers, how competitive RACQI is now, and the likely impact of the acquisition on insurance prices, service offering, and coverage.

The ACCC found that alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance would continue to compete with and provide a competitive constraint on IAG after the acquisition.

“Several alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance, including the market leader Suncorp, more established insurers Allianz and QBE, and newer entrants such as Youi, Auto & General, and Hollard will continue to compete in Queensland,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

The ACCC’s investigation also found RACQI has not been a particularly vigorous competitor in recent times and that it has been losing market share since 2019.

“While RACQI has strong brand recognition in Queensland, our review found that it does not differentiate in terms of price or coverage. Its prices are generally higher than many alternative suppliers, and that it does not meaningfully differentiate on coverage or service offering in the supply of home and contents insurance and motor insurance,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

The ACCC also closely considered the level of competition RACQI would provide in the alternative scenario where it is not acquired by IAG.

In particular, the ACCC considered the significant challenges faced by the insurance industry, including the growth in the number of extreme weather events over time and rising reinsurance and regulatory costs. The ACCC also considered how these challenges affected RACQI in particular.

“RACQI faces material challenges in continuing to provide competitive insurance due to it serving some areas of higher natural hazard risk, and limited access to capital as a mutual organisation. These challenges have placed limitations on its capacity to compete,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

The ACCC also considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on markets for the acquisition of smash repair services, windscreen repair and replacement services, and building repair services.

The ACCC found that the proposed acquisition is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in these markets as IAG is unlikely to have the ability to diminish prices or supply terms after the acquisition due to its position in the market relative to other insurers and acquirers of these services.

The ACCC is currently reviewing Allianz Australia Insurance Limited’s proposed acquisition of RAA Insurance Holdings Limited and is aware of IAG’s proposed acquisition of RAC Insurance from RAC WA. This decision in relation to IAG and RACQ should not be treated as being indicative of the ACCC’s decision or further consideration of these transactions. The competitive dynamics and issues in each transaction are unique and the ACCC is considering (or will consider) each transaction individually.

Further information can be found on the ACCC’s public register: IAG Limited – RACQ Insurance Limited

Background

As part of the proposed acquisition, IAG will acquire 90 per cent of the shares in RACQI from The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited (RACQ), with an option to acquire the additional 10 per cent after two years. The proposed acquisition does not include RACQ’s membership-based business, which includes its roadside assistance business.

IAG is a general insurance company operating in Australia and New Zealand. IAG provides a range of personal and commercial insurance products under various brands, including NRMA Insurance, Swann Insurance, ROLLiN’, Cylo, and Lumley Special Vehicles.

IAG also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, People’s Choice Bank, ANZ, and Coles (transitioning to Auto & General by October 2025).

RACQ is a Queensland based member-owned organisation that provides roadside assistance, insurance, banking, and member/community services. RACQ issues general insurance products to customers through its wholly-owned subsidiary RACQI.

RACQI also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Honey Insurance (which provides insurance products to Aldi Insurance, Bank Australia, and Bank of Queensland) and Royal Automobile Club WA.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Yesterday, detectives from the Southern Drug Investigation Unit executed multiple search warrants at commercial premises resulting in three arrests and significant seizures of methamphetamine, ketamine and cannabis.

In the morning, police executed a search warrant at a hotel where they located and seized a less than commercial quantity of methamphetamine, a commercial quantity of ketamine and a less than traffickable amount of cannabis. A 47-year-old female was arrested and charged with:

• Supply Schedule 1 (Ketamine) – Commercial Quantity
• Supply Schedule 1 (Methamphetamine) – Less than commercial quantity
• Possess Schedule 1 (Ketamine) – Commercial Quantity
• Possess Schedule 1 (Methamphetamine) – Less than commercial quantity
• Possess Schedule 2 (Cannabis) – Less than traffickable

She was remanded to appear in the Alice Springs Local Court today.

In a separate incident that afternoon, detectives conducted searches at the airport where they located and seized several packages containing a significant amount of methamphetamine. A 44-year-old male and a 51-year-old male were arrested and charged with:

• Possess schedule 1 (Methamphetamine) – commercial quantity
• Supply schedule 1 (Methamphetamine) – commercial quantity

Both males were remanded to appear in the Alice Springs Local Court today.

Detective Acting Superintendent Deanne Ward said, “If these drugs had entered our regional township and communities, it could have had devastating impacts on people’s lives and social cohesion.”

Anyone with information on the supply of alcohol or drugs into remote communities can call police on 131 444 or make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: Tasmania Police

Issued: 20 May 2025

A bold new collaboration is set to transform water quality monitoring, analysis and publication across the Great Barrier Reef and South-east Queensland (SEQ) catchments.

The Queensland Government is teaming up with leading universities to form the new Catchment Water Quality Alliance.

The University of Queensland’s (UQ) Reef Catchments Science Partnership and James Cook University’s (JCU) TropWATER will work with the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) to safeguard precious waterways, undertaking water quality monitoring across Queensland.

The Alliance aims to assist communities and organisations take better care of Queensland ecosystems. This will be achieved by improving water quality monitoring, innovative data sharing platforms and engaging regional stakeholders.

The water quality monitoring data will be used for a range of purposes including reporting on the health of the waterways, rivers and reef and guiding best practice for improving catchment management initiatives across Queensland.

The collaboration will also allow for a deeper exploration of data that has been collected over the past 20 years.

The efforts of the Alliance will build on work already underway such as the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Loads Monitoring Program (GBRCLMP) and the South East Queensland (SEQ) Catchments Water Quality Monitoring Program.

GBRCLMP involves First Nations, industry and Natural Resource Management (NRM) groups as well as landholders to undergo comprehensive training, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to track long-term trends in catchment health, while fostering a deep understanding of local waterways.

The South East Queensland (SEQ) Catchments Water Quality Monitoring Program is essential for identifying sediment and nutrient sources and guiding resource management.

Queensland Chief Scientist Professor Kerrie Wilson said this collaborative initiative will play a vital role in protecting Queensland’s iconic ecosystems and ensure the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef and SEQ catchments for generations to come.

“By harnessing scientific expertise from both government and academia, and using innovative approaches in Reef and SEQ catchment areas, it will help us to stay at the forefront of water quality assessment,” Professor Wilson said.

“The Alliance will help to provide the science and real-world data to inform environmental decision-makers.”

JCU TropWATER Director Professor Damien Burrows said TropWATER brings over three decades of experience working with growers, graziers and governments to monitor and improve water quality in the Great Barrier Reef.

“Being based in North Queensland, close to reef catchments, gives us a unique ability to respond quickly to local weather events to capture critical data that feeds directly into government datasets – building a clearer, more regionally informed picture of water quality issues,” he said.

“Our strength is not just in monitoring, but in how we work with communities. We focus on communicating the science clearly and directly to growers and regional groups, allowing the data to be understood and used where it matters most.

“With Alliance staff based in Townsville, we’re well positioned to connect local insights, water quality science and decision-making. This partnership will enhance how data, communication and collaboration can drive water quality solutions.”

University of Queensland Head of the School of Environment, Professor Steve Chenoweth said UQ is excited to be joining the Alliance.

“It’s a new model for how universities can work more effectively with government,” he said.

“Not only is it an opportunity to focus our world-leading scientific capability on delivering what’s needed for Queensland’s outstanding catchments and reefs, the Alliance also offers unique training opportunities for Queensland’s future environmental scientists who will be better equipped to understand how they can deliver real-world impacts.”

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Pedestrian in critical condition after Devonport crash

Wednesday, 21 May 2025 – 4:56 pm.

A 75-year-old woman seriously injured when hit by a car in Devonport on Wednesday morning remains in a critical condition in Royal Hobart Hospital.
The crash happened about 8.55am at the intersection of William and Best streets, Devonport, with initial investigations indicating the female pedestrian was attempting to cross the intersection at the lights when she was struck by a black Lexus.
The crash was witnessed by a several people, who provided assistance at the scene.
The woman was initially transported to Launceston General Hospital for treatment however, her condition deteriorated and she was then transported by helicopter to RHH.
Any witnesses who saw the incident or drove past the area and may have dash-cam footage are asked to call police on 131 444 or contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information to Crime Stoppers can be provided anonymously.