Month: June 2025

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

Jim Chalmers:

I’ve got a number of issues that I wanted to cover today, but to begin by acknowledging the statements that the Prime Minister has just made, and obviously we’ve seen statements by the Americans and the Iranians as well. This remains a perilous time in the Middle East and for the global economy and that’s why we have consistently been advocating for stabilisation and de‑escalation. We urge the parties to implement the ceasefire which was announced by President Trump today. We need to see an enduring ceasefire in the Middle East. We need this ceasefire to stick. That is in the interests of the region and it’s in the interests of the global economy as well, and the Prime Minister has made all of that clear in the last few minutes.

Regardless of what happens in the next day or 2 in the Middle East, it remains the case that there is a great deal of global economic uncertainty. We are seeing a global economy which is defined by unpredictability and volatility and uncertainty, and these will be the primary influences on the government and on our country and its economy as we make important decisions about how we manage the economy in uncertain times.

In this context, I welcome the opportunity to speak once again with my American counterpart, the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tomorrow morning our time. This will be an opportunity to engage once again on issues which are central to this very important economic relationship between the United States and Australia. I expect the conversation to traverse issues like critical minerals, legislation before the US Congress, obviously trade and tariffs, but also this global economic uncertainty that we’re seeing around the world in the Middle East but also in Eastern Europe, also closer to home.

We do have very substantial concerns about the global economy, whether it’s the impact on oil prices of what we’re seeing in the Middle East, whether it’s the ongoing implications of Russian aggression in Ukraine, whether it’s the potential impact on global demand of these escalating trade tensions. The global economy is a dangerous place right now and that’s why one of our overriding economic goals is to make the Australian economy more resilient.

When it comes to oil prices, we’ve seen oil prices come up quite substantially over the course of this month. Remember the barrel price was about $82 at the start of the year, it got down to $62 at the start of this month, it got up to $79 at the start of this week and now it’s trading at around $69. This gives you a sense of the quite extraordinary volatility in the oil price and that obviously has implications for the global economy, for our own economy and also for the prices that Australians pay at the petrol bowser.

I have written today to the Chair of the ACCC to make sure that Australians are treated fairly at the bowser. We don’t want to see service stations do the wrong thing by Australian motorists. We want to make sure that the market is operating effectively when it comes to the petrol price and what’s happening with this volatility in the global oil price but we call on the service stations to do the right thing by their customers. We’ve empowered and asked the ACCC to use its monitoring powers to make sure that the servos are doing the right thing by Australian motorists. We don’t want to see this volatility in global oil prices lead to more than justifiable changes in the price that Australian motorists pay at the bowser, I’ve made that very clear with my instructions to the ACCC today.

Tomorrow we will get the monthly inflation data for May. That monthly figure is notoriously volatile and hard to predict but the very strong expectation is that we will see monthly inflation in the Reserve Bank’s target band once again. This will be a very substantial indication that we have got inflation down substantially and sustainably in our economy. This monthly inflation data is not as reliable as the quarterly figures but it’s an important indication of the progress that Australians have made together when it comes to the fight against inflation.

The monthly figure bounces around a bit. We may see that in the numbers tomorrow but regardless, we expect to see another month where inflation is within the Reserve Bank’s target band, that’s a good thing given the very high and rising inflation that we inherited 3 years ago when we came to office.

We’ve made a lot of progress together on inflation but I wanted to run through today the very substantial additional help that we will be providing Australians from the 1st of July. More help is on the way a week from today when it comes to cost‑of‑living help. We’ve made this progress on inflation together, though we know that the job is not done because people are still under pressure and that’s why there is more help on the way a week from today when 8 new measures come into effect from the 1st of July which is a week away now.

I wanted to briefly run through the 8 changes that will come into effect from next Tuesday. First of all, the national minimum wage and award wages will go up by 3 and a half per cent. That will benefit 2.9 million Australians on low and award wages.

Secondly, superannuation goes up to 12 per cent. We’re very proud to see the superannuation guarantee rise to 12 per cent. That will benefit 14 and a half million Australian employees, and it means tens of thousands of dollars extra in people’s super at retirement.

We’re also increasing the duration of paid parental leave from 22 to 24 weeks and we’ll be paying super on government‑paid parental leave. That is a very substantial change and we’re very proud of that as well. That’s the third big change that comes into effect from the 1st of July.

The fourth one is that we’ve extended the energy bill rebates from the 1st of July for another 6 months. That means another $150 of help for 10 million households and one million small businesses as well.

The fifth change from the 1st of July is that our $10,000 incentive payments for apprentices to top up their wages in housing construction will come into place as well, and that will help us build the homes that we need, recognising that we need the tradies, the builders, to build those 1.2 million homes.

The sixth change is our cheaper home batteries program kicks in from the 1st of July. That means that households and businesses could be eligible for around 30 per cent of the up‑front cost of installing a battery.

The seventh one is that we are increasing the amount people can earn before they have to start paying back their student debt. Subject to the passage of that legislation, that change will be effective in the middle of this year.

The eighth change is that we’re seeing an increase to the social security payments with the indexation and lifting the asset limits for payments like family payments. And this will benefit more than 2.4 million people.

So there are 8 different ways that we are helping Australians with the cost of living. We’re getting inflation down, we’re getting on top of inflation in welcome and encouraging ways, we’re still helping with the cost of living, but because we’re making progress on inflation and because we’re helping with the cost of living, that also allows for an even bigger focus on our 3 priority areas this term which are productivity, budget sustainability and resilience in the face of global economic uncertainty and that’s what the roundtable is all about that I’ll be convening next month in Canberra.

I’ve had some very productive conversations with businesses and unions already. Today at their invitation I briefed and then had a good conversation with the Transurban board, meeting here in Brisbane. I’ll be meeting with the Business Council of Australia again today after this press conference. I’ve had good engagement with the unions and others to see what progress we can make together when it comes to reforming our economy, making it more productive, making our budget more sustainable and making our economy more resilient at the same time as well.

I’m in the process of finalising the invitation list for the Economic Reform Roundtable in August. But the guidance is already very clear – we want people to come with an eye to the national interest. We want people to understand and engage and propose trade‑offs, and we want people to come with specific ideas, not just problem identification. If people do that, I’m confident that we will make progress at the Economic Reform Roundtable in August. People will be in the room able to contribute, but also there’ll be opportunities for people outside the room to make a contribution as well. I’ve been really heartened and encouraged by the amount of interest that people have shown already in the Economic Reform Roundtable, and I think that augers well for the next steps in the already very substantial program of economic progress and reform that we have undertaken.

Journalist:

Just on that reform roundtable, will the Opposition have a place, given they’ve asked to be involved?

Chalmers:

I’ve made it clear to Ted O’Brien, the Shadow Treasurer, this morning that there is an invitation for him to the economic roundtable in August. I’ve provided that invitation in good faith. I think it would be a good thing for the country to have the Shadow Treasurer engaged at the Economic Reform Roundtable. I think it would give us a better chance of making the kind of progress that we desperately need to see on reform and in our economy more broadly. So I’ve issued an invitation to Ted O’Brien. I’ve had a brief exchange with him earlier this morning about that. I hope that he accepts that invitation. It’s certainly been offered in good faith.

This is a big chance for Australians either side of the parliament, for Australians in business, in unions, in the community sector, the community more broadly to engage where we can in a non‑partisan way in the interests of our people and their economy. And so I hope Ted O’Brien accepts that invitation. We are still finalising all of the other invitations, but I think there’s heightened public interest in whether the Opposition has been invited, and that’s why we’ve got the question from you, Kate and I want to make it clear today we have offered that invitation to the Shadow Treasurer, and we hope that he accepts it.

Journalist:

Treasurer, I want to ask you a question about GST. How serious do you think the states are about wanting to reform the GST?

Chalmers:

I think it remains to be seen. From time to time the states have made that proposal, not just the current batch of premiers and treasurers, but from time to time we’ve seen that idea pitched up. What I’ve tried to do, what I said at the National Press Club last week – I think everybody knows and understands the comments that I’ve made on the GST in the past. I’m not walking away from those comments but I’m not trying to artificially limit the contribution that people might want to make in and around the Economic Reform Roundtable in August.

I think inevitably there is, from time to time, tension between the Commonwealth and the states about Commonwealth funding. Every state and territory wants more funding from the Commonwealth. From time to time, they pitch up ideas like this one. I like to engage with the states and territories in good faith from both sides of the political equation and I hope that at the Economic Reform Roundtable, however we work out the best way to involve the states in this process – whether inside or outside the room – I hope that people come to this in a constructive way, and I suspect they will.

Journalist:

And what would be the prerequisites for you to seriously consider any reforms in this space?

Chalmers:

Well, I’ve made it clear that the major prerequisites for the reform roundtable are first of all to try and take a national view and not just a sectoral view or a state or territory view but to try and see the whole national economic interests, as governments are invited to do. I’ve asked people to make sure that where they are proposing a change, whether it’s in tax or productivity in or in other areas around resilience, that that’s done recognising the trade‑offs, particularly the fiscal trade‑offs. We’ve got to make the budget more sustainable, not less sustainable, so that’s an important guiding principle. And thirdly, to make sure that people come with specific and realistic ideas and that they try and build consensus around those ideas. And so that’s the guidance we’ve provided to business, to unions, to the community sector, to the states and territories, to everyone who’s shown an interest. And that will apply to everyone, not just the government.

Journalist:

Do you – and I know you made the opening statements about Israel and Iran, but do you have faith that Donald Trump’s declaration there will be a ceasefire will actually eventuate?

Chalmers:

Look, obviously I’ve seen the more recent comments from the Iranians – I think it was the Foreign Minister – in relation to the ceasefire. I think the region and the world desperately needs this ceasefire to be implemented and we need it to stick. The best way out of this perilous time in the Middle East is for people to come to the table to engage in dialogue and diplomacy as the Prime Minister said a few minutes ago and that’s what we want to see.

Journalist:

And do you – or are you able to update us at all on efforts to assist Australians leaving Iran or Israel or plans for broader updates to travel advice?

Chalmers:

Can I say that Penny Wong’s colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are outstanding people working around the clock to try and keep our people safe. There are thousands of Australians who have registered to come out of Iran or Israel and DFAT is working around the clock to make that possible. There have been some people that have been able to be extracted from this dangerous part of the world and the assurance that we give to everyone else – and I’ve been part of some of these but not all of these conversations and I’ve seen for myself the very hard and tireless work being done by DFAT to get people out – they will continue to do the very best they can. We understand that there’s a lot of concern, people in those dangerous places and their family members around the world, including here in Australia, and we’ll do everything that we can to keep them safe.

Journalist:

And can I just ask one more about the eSafety Commissioner’s found children are experiencing harm more often on YouTube than any other platform. Would it undermine the purpose of the ban to leave it out?

Chalmers:

I’ll leave some of those questions in the very capable hands of Anika Wells. Obviously our objective here is to keep young people safe online in particular. We’ll work through all of those issues to make sure that we’ve got the most effective regime. We know that people have got views about what’s included and what’s excluded. I think that’s natural when you’re proposing a change of this magnitude. We pay close attention to the sorts of data that you’re referring to and we will finalise the best regime that we can.

We shouldn’t lose sight of the major objective here. A lot of us – you don’t have to be a parent but certainly parents around Australia, including this one speaking right now – are very concerned about the safety of young Australians online. We’re doing what we can to help out. We’ll take into consideration all of those kinds of views and that kind of data like the one you’re asking me about.

Thanks very much.

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering more real, practical and ongoing help with the cost of living for Australians, with more support set to roll out a week from today.

This is more responsible, meaningful hip pocket help for households.

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering what we said we would at last month’s election, rolling out billions of dollars’ worth of responsible support from 1 July:

• The National Minimum Wage and award wages will increase by 3.5 per cent from 1 July, benefitting up to 2.9 million Australians on low and award wages.
• Employers’ minimum required contribution to employees’ superannuation accounts will rise to 12 per cent.
• Paid Parental Leave (PPL) will increase to 24 weeks, and individual and family income limits will increase.
• Super will be paid on all Government PPL.
• Every household and around one million small businesses will receive a further $150 in energy bill relief before the end of the year.
• New tradies who take up apprenticeships in housing construction will receive $10,000 in incentive payments, on top of their wages.
• Households and businesses looking to lower their energy bills will be eligible for around 30 per cent off the cost of installing a battery system alongside solar energy, with the Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program.
• In addition to cutting 20 per cent off student loan debts for 3 million Australians, the Government will also increase the amount that people can earn before they are required to start paying back their loans to $67,000, subject to the passage of legislation.
• Commonwealth Prac Payments start for nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work students.
• Important social security payments will increase by 2.4 per cent.

After 1 July, our meaningful, responsible cost of living relief will continue rolling out through the remainder of 2025:

• Another 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will open throughout the rest of the year, and bulk billing is expanding from November.
• The Government is freezing the indexation of draught beer excise for two years from August 1.
• Hard‑working aged care nurses will receive the next instalment of their pay rise in October, following the first instalment in March this year.

Under Labor, inflation is down substantially, real wages are up, unemployment is low, our economy is growing, debt is down and interest rates are falling, but we know people are still under pressure.

All this progress we have made together means we are well placed and well prepared at a time of global economic uncertainty and volatility.

In our second term, the Albanese Labor Government will continue to help Australians with the cost of living, finish the fight against inflation, strengthen Medicare and build a stronger economy.

Source:

The Cadets line up in front of the Central Highlands Training Centre Gas Prop

From May 16 to 18, 36 inspiring young CFA volunteers came together for an unforgettable Cadet Camp — and what a weekend it was!

Held at YMCA’s Lady Northcote Discovery Camp, our 16 to 17-year-old volunteers (cadets) from across Victoria took part in a jam-packed program of team building, personal development and hands-on training at Central Highlands VEMTC.

Throughout the camp, they forged friendships, built confidence, and deepened their commitment to serving their communities — all while having a whole lot of fun.

Highlights included:

• A live drafting session with Ballarat City and Rowsley brigades
• CFA’s simulation table, offering real-time decision-making experience
• Pumper and rescue demo from Ballan Fire Brigade
• Visit from La Trobe University’s Aspire program, sharing opportunities for further development
• Words of encouragement from CFA CEO Greg Leach AFSM, reminding cadets to embrace every opportunity.
  

The Cadet Camp weekend isn’t just about preparing for the future. It is a powerful reminder that our young members are not just tomorrow’s leaders — they are here now, taking their place and playing their part in keeping Victorian communities safe.

Submitted by	Chris Melenhorst

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force no longer holds concern for the welfare of Regene.

He was located safe and well in bushland 4km from Nulawan Outstation a short time ago, and has been conveyed to the local clinic for assessment.

Police would like to thank the public for their assistance.

Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we meet on today – the Jagera and Turrbal peoples – and pay my respects to their elders past and present.

I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.

Ministers don’t get to choose their portfolio, but if I did, it would have been Early Childhood Education and Care.

I’m proud to have been an early years advocate for many years, in my time representing educators with the Big Steps campaign – to respect and value this overwhelmingly female workforce.

A workforce that was expected to love their work, but live with their low wages, for way too long.

So it was already an honour to be a member of the Albanese Government team, and to be there in the chamber, with educators in the gallery, when Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced we would fund educators’ historic 15 percent payrise last May.

And it’s a huge honour to continue our work, now as Minister, and to have the job of helping to deliver the Prime Minister’s ambition of universal early education for every child, no matter their postcode or what their parents do.

“Together for our children”

Today marks only five weeks in the job – so I feel like a combination of veteran and new starter.

It is wonderful to have the opportunity to be in a room with so many experts and advocates who have been at the forefront of advancing early childhood development, with such impact. Big congrats to the Investment Dialogue for Australia’s Children for bringing together an amazing room of leaders.

And I‘m really pleased that you’ll hear tomorrow from my friend and colleague Tanya Plibersek.

The theme of the summit – Together for our children – couldn’t be more appropriate or timely.

And I really look forward to working together with you to extend the benefits of quality early education to more children, in more families, in the locations that need it most.

Value of ECEC – the opportunity

I don’t need to tell people in this room the benefits of giving children the best start in life.

And I don’t need to tell you about the evidence.

We have known the benefits of high quality early learning for decades.

In particular, the importance of play-based learning to support language development, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.

To foster curiosity and confidence.

To ready children for school and for life.

And if high quality early learning is good for all children, we know it is even better for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

So if we care about all children having the best start, we have to care about quality education and care.

I know that for many people in this room, this week’s release of the 2024 Australian Early Development Census only serves to underscore the importance of continued government investment in quality early learning.

There is more to do.

And when there’s work to be done, it’s always important to consider where we’ve come from, to chart the best path forward.

Ambition and past progress

This country has a proud history of great reforms in early education.

Reforms like those of the Rudd-Gillard Government to:
•    Deliver our world-leading National Quality Framework
•    Mandate educator to child ratios
•    Establish minimum qualifications for educators
•    Increase access to early learning for indigenous children
•    And launch the first national curriculum

And as a result of these reforms, the trajectory of quality in early education has consistently been one of improvement, to this day.

These historic reforms happened because of a combination of values and leadership, and unity of purpose.

Values that every child deserves the opportunity to grow and learn and be ready for the future, no matter where they live or what their parents do.

Leadership like that shown by Julia Gillard, Jenny Macklin and Kate Ellis who knew the evidence that early education is a gamechanger, and acted on it.

Leadership reflected in the advocacy of so many in this room, to achieve so much reform in those critical years.  

And unity of purpose, as the sector came together to engage with government to advance their commitment to professionalisation and quality.

Towards universal ECEC

Those same values and leadership have underpinned the work of my colleague and Cabinet Minister Jason Clare and my predecessor Anne Aly who have continued the significant journey of the previous Labor government.

Their focus has been to build out four pillars of universal early education.

And critically, again, the sector has united to embrace reform and make it happen.

In particular, to build the first pillar of reform – a stable and respected workforce.

We know that our 15% payrise is already paying big dividends.

I’ve heard the difference its made again and again as I’ve visited centres. It helps with the bills. It helps educators to save more and stress less.

And by valuing our dedicated educators in their pay packets, we are seeing significant reductions in staff turnover, as educators see a future in the jobs they love.

And that future means more children are enjoying the ongoing relationships and connections with educators that they need to thrive.

It means more quality early education delivered to families.

Second, we are building more affordable early education and care through:
•    Our changes to the Child Care Subsidy. Today a family on $120,000 per year is more than $4,600 better off – having cut their out of pocket costs by more than a third.

•    And through our 3 Day Guarantee replacing the Activity Test – a test which excludes children from early learning based on what their parents do, not what’s best for them.

•    The 3 Day Guarantee will be in effect from January, with an entitlement for every child of 72 hours per fortnight subsidised early learning.   And for First Nations children that is a full 100 hours per fortnight.

The third pillar is building supply in areas that need it the most, with our billion dollar Building Early Education Fund to deliver early learning in underserved areas in outer suburbs and regions.

A big commitment from the Commonwealth to extend early education into those child care deserts that leave so many children behind.

And the final pillar is quality and safety.

There is no quality without a stable workforce that can stay in jobs they love.

And there is no quality without putting safety first.

In recent months we have all seen images which are hard to watch.

It can both be true that the actions we have seen are utterly unacceptable and must be stopped, and that the vast majority of children are safe and well cared for by outstanding professionals.

Professionals who tell me they feel betrayed by what they are seeing and reading.

Yesterday we announced tougher child safety rules that have  been agreed by all governments, including 24 hour mandatory reporting, and restrictions on the use of personal mobile devices in centres.

And, the Commonwealth is exploring using our powers to crack down on dodgy operators that put profit before children’s safety by restricting their access to Commonwealth funding – cutting off the Child Care Subsidy for existing repeat offenders, and preventing further expansion.

Ensuring that children are safe, and that their families are confident of this, underpins everything we are doing now, and all of the reform that we want to lead.

Bringing the system “together for our children” to create change

To conclude, right now, we are building the pillars of universal early education – workforce, affordability, accessibility, and quality.

As we build towards universal early learning and care, we have:
•    A mountain of evidence of the benefits; 
•    Shared values and leadership, in this room and beyond 
•    A sector uniting for reform
•    And – critically – a Prime Minister who sees and understands the benefits of universal early education, and is ready to build on our proud Labor legacy in the early years.

Everyone in this room has a stake in helping to build that future, and nobody can do it alone.

And I know you have many ideas and much expertise to make change happen.

Change that gives children the best start, no matter their postcode or what their parents do.

I look forward to working with all of you to deliver that future. 
 

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Stay safe on winter walks

Tuesday, 24 June 2025 – 12:44 pm.

Walking in Tasmania’s wilderness areas in winter comes with special reward, but Tasmania Police warns there are also greater risks.The Tasmania Police search and rescue helicopter crew has been called out to almost 200 missions in the 2024/25 financial year, with a number of these rescue incidents avoidable had people undertaken better planning and preparation.Tasmania Police Search and Rescue Acting Inspector Paul Johns said the winter period often involved the crew attending missions where people had not been prepared for the often-harsh conditions of the Tasmanian wilderness.One incident involved two walkers who underestimated the terrain and distance of a walk, believing they would complete the track in six hours. The pair was rescued by the helicopter crew after spending a night in near-freezing conditions.A similar incident involved a family with a small child that spent two nights huddled together in blizzard conditions in the state’s north.The group was unprepared and only equipped for a day’s walking. When the weather turned, they became disorientated and lost.Remote search and rescue personnel located the group the next day and provided medical assistance until the rescue helicopter could attend and extract the group.Tasmania Police and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania joined forces on Tuesday (June 24) to reinforce a winter walking safety message.Acting Inspector Johns urged people to adequately plan and prepare before they ventured into the Tasmanian outdoors.“At any time of the year, it’s important people research their intended trip, have appropriate equipment and that the walk or the track they are attempting is within their abilities and fitness level,” he said.“Tasmania’s weather conditions, particularly in our alpine areas, can change quickly.“In winter, you have added layers of complexity brought on by difficult conditions such as strong wind, rain, sleet and snow; there are much shorter daylight hours, and you can have very cold to freezing temperatures.”Acting Inspector Johns said it was important people who felt they were in difficulty did not leave it to the last minute to seek advice or raise the alarm.“Due to the harsh and inclement weather conditions experienced in Tasmania there are times the rescue helicopter will not be able to reach certain locations,” he said.“Rescue personnel will be in attendance however, if you find yourself in a situation where you believe you require assistance, let people or emergency services know as soon as possible.“Being able to locate people in the wilderness from the helicopter during daylight hours is safer and far less complex than when the sun goes down.“If, however, you do find yourself requiring assistance at night, a light source of any kind is invaluable. The crew on board the helicopter utilises night vision goggles which enhance any light source, be it a torch or mobile phone.”Advice for bushwalkersTasmania Police offers the following advice in reminding bushwalkers of the potential risks in the Tasmanian wilderness.• Police strongly advise bushwalkers against walking alone, and to ensure they carry sufficient warm clothing and food, and emergency communication devices. A Personal Locator Beacon and preferably also a two-way messaging emergency device (known as a ‘SEND’ – Satellite Emergency Notification Device) should also be carried. Take sufficient resources even if you are only undertaking a day walk.• Ensure you’re prepared with appropriate equipment – take a map and torch, clothing and footwear to suit any conditions. Have a waterproof jacket; adequate food and water and first-aid kit.• Research your intended trip. Ensure the trip is within your abilities and fitness level, and you have a route plan, map and check the expected weather forecast. Note that some walks are extremely demanding and should not be conducted without sufficient experience, and ensure you are mentally and physically prepared.• Let someone know before you go. Ensure someone knows your route and expected return time.• Always carry a fully charged mobile phone and consider a portable charger to extend battery life. Batteries do not last as long when cold and mobile navigation apps deplete batteries quicker than other apps.• Be aware that a PLB is a one-way communication device only and the nature of the emergency will not be known by rescue authorities.• Be mindful that assistance may take some time to arrive depending on the location and weather. You must be prepared to survive until assistance arrives.• Be flexible and have a contingency plan. Be prepared to turn back or change plans if severe weather is forecast or eventuates during the walk, or the trip is harder than you thought. Making the decision to push on when you should turn back can put you in danger.

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger-in-Charge Brendan Moodie, left, and Tasmania Police Search and Rescue Senior Constable Phil Rule urge bushwalkers to be fully prepared for adventures in the Tasmanian wilderness. Picture: Tasmania Police

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The NT Police Force arrested a 27-year-old male after responding to a domestic disturbance in Wulagi yesterday afternoon.

About 1:30pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of an ongoing domestic incident involving a 27-year-old male and his family. It is alleged the offender had smashed a vehicle window before threatening a female victim who is believed to be his partner.

Police deployed general duties, Strike Force Trident, Traffic and specialist members to the scene and set up a cordon. An arrest plan was enacted resulting in the male being arrested without incident, and the victim and children involved being safely removed from the residence at the time.

 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:

The Cadets line up in front of the Central Highlands Training Centre Gas Prop

From May 16 to 18, 36 inspiring young CFA volunteers came together for an unforgettable Cadet Camp — and what a weekend it was!

Held at YMCA’s Lady Northcote Discovery Camp, our 16 to 17-year-old volunteers (cadets) from across Victoria took part in a jam-packed program of team building, personal development and hands-on training at Central Highlands VEMTC.

Throughout the camp, they forged friendships, built confidence, and deepened their commitment to serving their communities — all while having a whole lot of fun.

Highlights included:

• A live drafting session with Ballarat City and Rowsley brigades
• CFA’s simulation table, offering real-time decision-making experience
• Pumper and rescue demo from Ballan Fire Brigade
• Visit from La Trobe University’s Aspire program, sharing opportunities for further development
• Words of encouragement from CFA CEO Greg Leach AFSM, reminding cadets to embrace every opportunity.
  

The Cadet Camp weekend isn’t just about preparing for the future. It is a powerful reminder that our young members are not just tomorrow’s leaders — they are here now, taking their place and playing their part in keeping Victorian communities safe.

Submitted by	Chris Melenhorst

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is continuing its search for 19-year-old Regen who has not been seen since Sunday.

Regen is believed to have departed his home address in Ngukurr on Sunday 22 June at 6am and did not arrive at his destination. It is believed Regen was travelling on a motorbike towards the Nulawan Outstation, 23km to the east of Ngukurr Community.

Yesterday, the Search and Rescue Section (SRS) deployed aerial assets including Police Airwing, Challenger Jet Aircraft and helicopters to conduct searches in the area.

Local police, alongside members from Numbulwar and Katherine, and with the assistance of local rangers and community volunteers, coordinated a ground search, and door knocks have been conducted in Ngukurr Community. Members from the Territory Response Group (TRG) were also deployed to assist with the ground search utilising ATVs and motorbikes.

Search efforts are expected to continue today, with additional resources from the Territory Safety Division (TSD) and NT Emergency Services volunteers being deployed.

Police hold concerns for Regen’s welfare and urge anyone with information to call Triple Zero (000) or 131 444. Please quote reference P25168347.