Month: September 2025

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Arson, burglary charges over Lune River house fire

Thursday, 18 September 2025 – 1:36 pm.

UPDATE: SUSPICIOUS HOUSE FIRE AT LUNE RIVER
Following the arrest last night of a 22-year-old man from Clarendon Vale after a house fire at Lune River, detectives from South East CIB have charged him with:

Arson
Aggravated burglary
Burglary x 2
Stealing x 2
Unlawfully possess dangerous article in a public place
Possess controlled plant or its products.
The man was bailed with strict conditions to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on 12 January, 2025.

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

The Albanese Labor Government’s clear and credible Net Zero Plan will help Australia grasp the jobs and opportunities of the global energy transformation.

Treasury modelling of three scenarios released today overwhelmingly shows an orderly path to net zero is a path that leads to growing wages and living standards, more jobs and economic opportunity around the country.

This modelling confirms Australia can make the most of our nation’s net zero potential and unique comparative advantages and ensure more Australians share in the benefits.

Our targets and this modelling are all about providing investor certainty, so we can attract the private capital to finance this transformation.

There are five key conclusions from the modelling:

1. Australia can be a primary beneficiary from the global net zero transformation if we continue to take decisive action on climate change.
2. Cheaper, cleaner energy will strengthen Australia’s international competitiveness.
3. Clear and credible climate action will lead to more jobs, higher wages, and better living standards for all Australians.
4. Our orderly net zero plan gives businesses the clarity and certainty they need to seize the opportunity and invest in Australia with confidence.
5. A disorderly transition would mean fewer jobs, less business investment, lower wages, lower living standards and higher power prices in a smaller economy.

The Treasury modelled two orderly net zero scenarios consistent with our government’s approach and 2035 targets, a Baseline Scenario and a Renewable Exports Upside Scenario.

It also modelled a Disorderly Transition Scenario, which assumes Australia does not set a credible 2035 emissions reduction target, but in 2040 resumes a trajectory to net zero by 2050.

Under the Baseline Scenario, by 2050 Australia’s economy would be $2.2 trillion bigger, real GDP per capita would be $36,000 higher, 5.1 million more Australians would be in jobs and investment in the economy would be around 80 per cent higher than it is today.

The economy would be even bigger under the Renewable Exports Upside Scenario and our green exports from industries like green metals could add $68 billion to exports in 2050 compared to the Baseline Scenario.

By contrast, under the Disorderly Transition Scenario the economy is projected to be a cumulative $2 trillion smaller by 2050 with wholesale electricity prices around 50 per cent higher in the 2040s, compared to the Renewable Exports Upside Scenario.

In addition, per capita GDP is projected to be $4,500 lower when compared to the Renewable Exports Upside Scenario by 2050.

Treasury did not model a pathway that abandoned reaching net zero by 2050 but concluded that that approach would be worse than the results of the Disorderly Transition scenario.

“Not pursuing net zero by 2050 risks lower economic growth, reduced investment, missed export and employment opportunities, and higher electricity prices,” the report says.

The Treasury was tasked to undertake this modelling to inform the development of Australia’s Net Zero Plan.

A link to the modelling is available on the Treasury website.

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Serious assault – Hobart Road, Kings Meadows

Thursday, 18 September 2025 – 11:19 am.

Tasmania Police are investigating a serious assault that occurred at about 9.15pm last night, outside Zap Fitness on Hobart Road, Kings Meadows.
A 40-year-old Launceston man was allegedly assaulted by an unknown man following a brief verbal exchange. The victim sustained serious head injuries and was transported to the Launceston General Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
Investigators are appealing to the public for any witnesses or dashcam footage from the area around the time of the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au and quote job number 387-17092025.Information can be provided anonymously.

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Suspicious house fire at Lune River, man arrested

Thursday, 18 September 2025 – 9:50 am.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested and remains in custody on charges of aggravated burglary and arson following a suspicious house fire last night at Lune River, in Tasmania’s south.
The fire started about 6.05pm Wednesday with brigades from Southport, Dover and Geeveston called in. The fire crews arrived a short time later to find the building on Lune River Road fully engulfed in flames, and it has been destroyed by the fire.
A crime scene has been declared, with forensics officers, a fire scene examiner and Criminal Investigation Branch detectives on site this morning.
Information to police identified a vehicle leaving the house around the time the fire started.
Officers from Dover Police Station were dispatched to the fire and intercepted a Holden station wagon, observing items in the car which police will allege were stolen from the property.
Southern CIB Detective Inspector David Gill said police arrested the 22-year-old driver and seized the vehicle for further examination.
“While investigations are continuing, the quick thinking and diligence of attending uniform officers is commended,” Detective Inspector Gill said.
“The interception and search of the vehicle led to the identification of evidence and timely arrest of the suspect”.
Anyone with information about the incident or has dash-cam or CCTV footage that may assist police, is asked to contact 131 444.
You can also report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

Source: Australian Attorney General’s Agencies

This week, the World Trade Organization’s first Agreement to bolster sustainable fishing starts – an initiative championed by Australia with Pacific WTO Members.

This is the first multilateral trade treaty with an explicitly environmental objective, which responds to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.6 on ocean sustainability.

The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies prohibits harmful subsidies relating to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the fishing of overfished stocks, and fishing on the unregulated high seas; a key priority for Pacific Island countries. Australia, together with Pacific partners, played a pivotal role in securing the Agreement at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in 2022.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that over one-third of global fish stocks are currently overfished. Of the $16.2 billion (AUD) that governments spend each year in support to the fishing industry, 65 per cent risks encouraging overfishing and illegal fishing.

The Agreement’s entry into force also unlocks the benefits of the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism (the “Fish Fund’), which will provide targeted technical assistance and capacity building to help developing and least-developed countries implement the Agreement. Australia was a founding donor to the Fish Fund, contributing $2 million (AUD).

WTO Members have agreed to continue negotiating further restrictions on subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing within four years.

Quotes attributable to Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism:

“I am proud of the role Australia played in delivering the groundbreaking Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.

“Its entry into force represents a significant achievement for the Pacific region, for environmental sustainability and for the WTO – which remains the preeminent forum for creating, monitoring and enforcing global trade rules.”

Quotes attributable to the Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for Pacific Island Affairs:

“This treaty, which was developed with Pacific partners, is great news for our region.

“The jobs and economic development opportunities created by fishing are critical to many Pacific communities.

“I welcome this acknowledgement of the important role that governments must play in supporting sustainable fishing and protecting the marine environment.”

Source: Tasmania Police

Issued: 17 Sep 2025

Fossil remains of an extinct species of a large ground-dwelling bird recently discovered at Riversleigh, are believed to date back approximately 17 to 18 million years.

Closely related to today’s native lyrebirds, the fossil found within Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) provides key evidence that the roots of Australia’s unique songbirds run deep.

The fossil, a wrist bone, is anatomically similar to modern lyrebirds and suggests that the extinct species – Menura tyawanoides – was a large, mainly terrestrial bird with reduced capacity for flight.

It is believed that the species lived in the dense understorey of ancient lowland tropical rainforests.

This discovery highlights the value of Riversleigh, part of the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites World Heritage Area, as a window to the past and indicates why it is one of the top 10 fossil sites in the world.

Not only do fossil records enrich our understanding of Australia’s natural heritage, but they also reinforce the scientific importance of protecting sites that continue yielding world-class palaeontological insights.

Paleo-tourism presents a huge opportunity for Queensland and is expected to generate $82 million for the economy in the next 15 years.

Ranger Lea Ezzy said Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) is one of Queensland’s most popular outback national parks with plenty of paleo-tourism experiences.

“Boodjamulla National Park (Aboriginal Land) also encompasses Lawn Hill Gorge, renowned for its stunning emerald-green waters, towering sandstone cliffs and diverse wildlife.

“From its exceptional views and walks to its fossil deposits, which are among the richest and most extensive in the world, this natural and cultural haven is a must-visit when in the Outback.

“We are dedicated to protecting and preserving this protected area for generations to come.”

Professor at the University of New South Wales Professor, Mike Archer, said Riversleigh is a key place for fossil discoveries and to learn more about the history of how Australia’s environment has changed.

“The Riversleigh section of the World Heritage Area is a wonderfully fossil-rich window into Australia’s past, offering an unparalleled glimpse into ecosystems that existed millions of years ago. Its thousands of fossil discoveries are helping us piece together the story of life on this continent.

“As one of the four most significant fossil sites in the world, Riversleigh has revealed hundreds of extraordinary extinct species that were challenged by previous cycles of climate change.

“This record is providing us with insights into how today’s ecosystems are likely to change in the future and what we might be able to do to avoid climate-change-driven extinctions threatening the living animals of Australia – many of which, like lyrebirds, had ancestors at Riversleigh that faced and survived similar challenges.”

Source: New South Wales – News

About midnight this morning Thursday 18 September, police and fire crews were called to a restaurant on Jetty Road to reports of a fire.

Police and emergency services were quickly on scene to extinguish the blaze.

Fire Cause Investigators were in attendance to determine the cause of the fire.

Police ask anyone who may have seen or heard any suspicious activity or has CCTV or dash cam that may assist with the investigation to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au you can remain anonymous.

Please reference 241305

Source: New South Wales – News

About 9.35pm on Wednesday 17 September, police and emergency services were called to West Road after reports that a Hyundai station wagon had left the road and crashed into a tree.

The driver and sole occupant, a 70-year-old woman from Sunlands died at the scene.

Major Crash officers attended the scene and the road was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

The woman’s death is the 62^nd life lost on South Australian roads this year.

Source: New South Wales – News

The breakthrough in the cold case was made late today following the discovery of human remains, believed to be those of Susan Goodwin, buried in the backyard of a Port Lincoln house.

A 64-year-old man from Port Lincoln has been charged with murder and will appear in Port Lincoln Magistrates Court tomorrow, Thursday 18 September.

Susan Goodwin was reported missing on Friday 19 July 2002 from her home on Moonta Crescent at Port Lincoln.

Susan was last seen around lunchtime that day, after shopping at Coles and Woolworths in Port Lincoln. At about 4.45pm Susan’s vehicle was found in the driveway of her home address.

Extensive searches in areas surrounding Port Lincoln over the past two decades have been unsuccessful in locating her remains.

The renewed search in recent days, with the assistance of Port Lincoln and Australian Federal Police officers, focused on a property in Pamir Court at Port Lincoln. The new search used specialised radar equipment provided by the AFP.

Early on Wednesday, initial excavations discovered bones that were examined by an anthropologist from Forensic Science SA. This examination confirmed they are human remains. Additional resources from SAPOL’s Forensic Response Section and Major Crime Investigation Branch have travelled to Port Lincoln to continue investigations.

Major Crime Investigation Branch Acting Detective Superintendent Andrew Macrae said today’s breakthrough followed an ongoing review of the cold case and all available evidence.

“It does not matter how old the case is, we will continue to review all available evidence and look for opportunities to resolve the matter,” he said.

“This investigation is 23 years old and should provide reassurance to the family and friends of other victims that Major Crime Investigation Branch continues to investigate cold case homicides.

“We would not have discovered these remains without information from the public. I would implore anyone who has information about any homicide to put themselves in the position of a family or friend of the victim and come forward by either contacting police directly or by contacting Crime Stoppers.”

Source: Australian Green Party

NSW Health is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a confirmed case who was infectious while visiting several locations in Northern NSW and Sydney, including flights from Perth to Sydney and Sydney to Gold Coast. ​
The case recently returned from Western Australia, where there is an active outbreak of measles.
Passengers and crew on board the flights or people who attended the following locations should watch for the development of symptoms. These locations do not pose an ongoing risk:
Friday 12 September 2025

​Virgin Australia flight VA572 from Perth to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (T2) departing at 12am and arriving 6.29am
Sydney Kingsford Smith airport (T2) from 6:30 – 7:00am
Virgin Australia flight VA505 from Sydney Domestic airport (T2) to Gold Coast – Coolangatta airport (main terminal) departing at 7:08am and arriving 8:31am
Gold Coast airport main terminal baggage and arrival area, 8:30 to 9:20am

Monday 15 September 2025

​Tweed Valley Hospital Emergency Department, 9:30am to 11am.

North Coast Population and Public Health Director, Dr Valerie Delpech, said while these locations pose no ongoing risk, if you or someone you know visited the above locations at those times, you should monitor for symptoms.
“Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that is spread through the air when someone who is infectious coughs or sneezes,” Dr Delpech said.
“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body.
“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until Wednesday 3 October 2025.
“It’s important for people to stay vigilant if they’ve been exposed, and if they develop symptoms, to please call ahead to their GP or emergency department to ensure they do not spend time in the waiting room with other patients.
“We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough.
“This should be a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious.
“Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.”
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective and is given free for children at 12 and 18 months of age. It is also free in NSW for anyone born after 1965 who hasn’t already had two doses.
Children under the age of 12 months can have a dose of MMR from six months of age if they are travelling overseas. Parents should consult their GP.
People who are unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as additional doses are safe. This is particularly important prior to travel. MMR vaccine is available from GPs (all ages) and pharmacies (people over 5 years of age).
For more information on measles, view the measles factsheet.
If you, or a loved one, is experiencing measles symptoms, or have questions about measles, please call your GP or Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.