Month: September 2025

Source: Mental Health Australia

Seven major road corridors in Sydney’s rapidly growing south-west have been identified for future upgrades under a $65 million joint planning initiative by the Australian and New South Wales governments. 

The expanded South West Sydney Roads – Planning Project aims to ease traffic congestion, improve road safety, and support ongoing housing and job growth in Sydney’s Greater Macarthur and South West regions. 

Business cases and planning investigations will be prepared for the seven priority corridors, which together comprise some 76.5 km of roads that carry more than 100,000 vehicles daily. 

These will provide a road map of staged delivery of improvements including widening key routes, adding new entry and exits points, new intersections and town centre bypasses. 

The focus is on busting road congestion, improving safety and supporting ongoing housing and job growth as the South West and Greater Macarthur communities grow. 

These routes are vital links between residential communities, employment hubs and freight routes. It is essential to plan for the infrastructure the region needs now, and to plan for the next round of major road infrastructure projects. Planning for jointly funded upgrades have been identified for four key corridors, including: 

Hume Motorway – Narellan Road to Picton Road: A strategic options plan and access strategy will examine improvements to entry and exit points and traffic flow along this critical freight route, which carries more than 52,000 vehicles daily. 

Cowpasture Road – M7 Motorway to Camden Valley Way: Widening from four to six lanes is proposed to support housing development around Bradfield City and the Western Sydney Airport precinct. The corridor currently sees more than 41,000 vehicles each day. 

Camden Valley Way – M5 Motorway to Narellan Road: Also set for widening from four to six lanes, this route services suburbs that have grown significantly in recent years, adding over 20,000 residents and 5,000 jobs. 

Menangle Road – Tindall Street, Campbelltown to Cummins Road, Menangle Park: Widening is planned to boost capacity along what is seen as an increasingly important local corridor.  

Additionally, three more corridors will now be investigated and plans developed as part of the $65 million program: 

Campbelltown Road – between the Hume Highway and Brooks Road – proposed to expand from two to four lanes to improve safety and reduce congestion for the 34,000 vehicles using it daily. 

Appin town centre bypass – to divert traffic away from the historic village and prepare for future demand. 

Jersey Road – from Oran Park to Bradfield – subject to a planning study to support better public transport connections and road access between two of the region’s fastest-growing centres. Oran Park is forecast to create more than 2,500 jobs by 2026. 

This consolidated program of planning for South West Sydney roads sits alongside a broader pipeline of committed infrastructure investments across Western Sydney, including: 

• More than $2 billion for the toll-free M12 Motorway linking the M7 Motorway to the new Western Sydney Airport (Australian and NSW Government funding).
• $1 billion (Australian and NSW Government funding) to upgrade Fifteenth Avenue, including a six-kilometre section between Cowpasture and Devonshire roads.
• $380 million (Australian and NSW Government funding) to upgrade the M5 westbound between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway.
• $800 million for the upgrade of the priority section of Elizabeth Drive upgrade to improve safety and reduce congestion (Australian and NSW Government funding).

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

Today we’re releasing letters from 38 Commonwealth regulators containing more than 400 ideas to reduce regulatory burden and support productivity growth in our economy.

We’re cutting red tape where we responsibly can to ease the burden on businesses and consumers and make our economy more prosperous and productive.

As part of the Reform Roundtable, we wrote to 38 Commonwealth regulators requesting new ideas to improve regulation and reduce unnecessary compliance burdens.

Regulators have responded. Today we’re releasing these letters which include more than 400 ideas including around 150 new actions to consider that could be taken without budget or legislative change.

We won’t always agree with every suggestion but we will give them careful consideration. The ideas will inform more targeted engagement with industry and regulators to identify priority areas.

Today I have written to the Council of Financial Regulators (CFR) and other financial sector regulators asking them to identify additional actions to de‑clutter and improve regulation, including facilitating a deep dive on financial sector regulation.

The CFR will coordinate this work, with input from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Taxation Office, AUSTRAC and the Australian Financial Security Authority.

I have asked the CFR to prioritise the streamlining and harmonising of data collection and consult with stakeholders on other priority areas.

Better regulation was a big focus of the Economic Reform Roundtable and it will be a big focus of Labor’s economic agenda moving forward.

The Government will progress further work identified at the Roundtable.

We will:

• Alter statements of expectations for Commonwealth regulators to emphasise the reduction of red tape and a better balance between outcomes and risk.
• Progress the ‘tell‑us‑once’ principle on how individuals and businesses engage with the government, to remove frustrating duplicative processes.
• Conduct deep dives for priority sectors to streamline regulation.

Regulator letters are published on the Department of Finance website.

Whether it’s our occupational licensing reforms, the Single Front Door for investment, or our work on approvals, we’ve made plenty of progress on regulatory reform already, but we recognise there’s more to do and that’s what these efforts are all about.

We’re grateful for the clear consensus that was built around regulatory reform at the Roundtable and leading up to it, and these contributions will continue to inform the government’s decisions on economic reform in the lead up to the budget and beyond.

Better regulation will deliver big benefits to businesses, workers and the broader economy.

Source:

05 September 2025

An augmented reality (AR) project is bringing meaningful art murals inspired by local geography, flora, fauna and culture to life in a small country town on the Southern Yorke Peninsula.

Warooka’s Moving Murals Project blends technology with art, transforming static artworks on main street buildings and infrastructure into immersive experiences for residents and visitors.

Under the auspices of the Warooka Progress Association, in collaboration with UniSA academics, the Moving Murals project has launched as part of the 2025 Yorke Peninsula Grounded Festival, held within the state-wide South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival.

The innovative project was initiated by local community members to extend the popular Yorke Peninsula Art Trail with interactive mural experiences in aim of attracting more visitors to the southern part of the region.

Lead artist Jasmine Swales worked with a team of local artists to create the three public art murals located in the main street of Warooka;

• ‘Molly’s Tank’ a large, concrete water tank, depicting an ‘under the jetty’ ocean experience.
• The side of the Foodworks supermarket, illustrating what is found in the local native landscape and creatures such as the brush-tailed bettong, goanna and mallee fowl.
• The side of Warooka Hardware, showcasing the dramatic coastal landscape and its flora and fauna; the nautilus shell, osprey, coastal saltbush, plovers, oyster catchers and a sea eagle.

The Molly’s Tank and Foodworks murals include ‘trigger images’; designs embedded within the artwork that visitors scan to access an AR story that expands on the artworks’ design and content.

The local artists worked with students from the Warooka Primary School who also contributed to the murals’ designs, stories and painting.

Researchers from UniSA’s Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE), Dr Ben Stubbs and Dr Kim Munro from UniSA’s Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre (CP3) were engaged for the AR technology used in the project and travelled to Warooka to meet with the project team.

They presented at a series of workshops and community consultations on how AR could be used in storytelling, and activated AR for two of the three murals. The hardware store mural requires further funding before the AR technology is developed.

“When visitors scan the QR code, they are taken to an immersive AR app where they access stories about the murals and how they reflect local life and environments,” Dr Stubbs says.

“While we could help with the technology, the planning, and the logistics of thinking about story and place, this was a community-instigated and led project where stories that were meaningful to the people who lived in the region were created.

“The underwater themed mural on Molly’s Tank includes an AR story of an underwater diver, and a local Narungga story of the shark. Across the road at Foodworks is the local, native landscape mural that includes AR stories of the re-wilding (natural restoration) process and local habitats.”

Project coordinator and local resident Carolyn Ramsey says the AR technology brings the mural artworks to life, telling stories and sharing culture by creating immersive story experiences that connect audiences of all ages more deeply with the art.

“Moving Murals contributes to Warooka’s cultural vibrancy and helps attract regional art tourism,” she says. “By combining technology with visual art, the murals appeal to a broad audience and foster a deeper connection and understanding of the area’s artistic, natural and cultural heritages.”

Ramsey says the project would not have been possible without the collaboration of UniSA and the region’s many remarkable artists.

“The partnership between UniSA and the local artists has been a great success,” she says. “The trialling of this new technology and the creative thinking that was done would not have occurred otherwise. With Warooka being 300km from Adelaide, we are always open to any opportunity to attract more visitors, showcase local creativity, support local businesses and exceed people’s expectations.”

Warooka’s Moving Murals Project was funded by Warooka Progress Association, Foundation for Regional and Remote Renewal, Northern and Yorke Landscape Board and Country Arts SA, Yorke Peninsula Council, Ballara Art and Lifestyle Retreat and Warooka Hardware.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Contacts for interview: Dr Ben Stubbs, Senior Lecturer, UniSA E: Ben.Stubbs@unisa.edu.au
Moving Murals Project coordinator Carolyn Ramsey E: cramsey61@outlook.com
Media contact: Melissa Keogh, Communications Officer, UniSA M: +61 403 659 154 E: Melissa.Keogh@unisa.edu.au

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is investigating after a young child was injured after being struck by a slow-moving vehicle on an outstation north of Alice Springs yesterday.

Around 5:40pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre (JESCC) received a report that a 2-year-old child had been struck by a reversing vehicle on the property.

Emergency services met the family halfway to Alice Springs and the child was conveyed to Alice Springs Hospital by St John Ambulance with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Southern Traffic have carriage of the investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444. Please quote reference P25236217. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Search and Rescue – Freycinet National Park

Friday, 5 September 2025 – 3:18 am.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Search and Rescue officers were dispatched about 8:30pm tonight to a lost bushwalker in the Freycinet National Park.
Sergeant Ricki Eaves advises “The 22 year old man had walked from Sleepy Bay to Mount Parsons, before separating from his group. Due to the weather, a walking party deployed and located the man about 11:30pm, safely returning him to his friends. The man was cold and tired but suffered no injuries.”
Bushwalker safety advice:
Tasmania Police would like to take the opportunity to remind bushwalkers of the dangers of the Tasmanian environment.
Police advise bushwalkers against walking alone, and to ensure they carry sufficient warm clothing and food, and emergency communication devices such as a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). A two-way messaging emergency device is preferred.
Always carry a fully charged mobile phone and consider a portable charger to extend battery life.
Ensure you’re prepared with appropriate equipment. Take a map and torch, clothing and footwear to suit any conditions, regardless of the season take a waterproof jacket; and a personal first aid kit.

Source: Tasmania Police

Issued: 4 Sep 2025

Rangers and police have successfully intercepted a man following the theft of copper gutters from heritage-listed buildings at Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park.

On 11 April 2025, rangers from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) were alerted to suspicious activity in the conservation park.

Rangers followed a white utility until it was intercepted by police on Cape Pallarenda Road, and the vehicle was allegedly carrying copper gutters.

Police have charged a 30-year-old Stuart man in relation to the incident with the following offences:

• Enter premises and commit indictable offence
• Wilful damage
• Receiving tainted property.

The man is scheduled to re-appear before the Townsville Magistrates Court on 9 September 2025.

Ranger Joe Jess said the alleged theft of copper gutters damages Queensland’s heritage and imposes a financial burden on the community.

“Taxpayer funds are required to repair and replace the damaged infrastructure,” Mr Jess said.

“We are urging the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to in our protected areas to QPWS or the Queensland Police Service.

“Reports can play a critical role in protecting our parks and facilities and ensuring offenders are held accountable.”

People can report suspicious activity or antisocial behaviour in QPWS protected areas by calling 1300 130 372.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Source: Mental Health Australia

Thousands of bus passengers and motorists will benefit from road improvements at Bondi Junction which will boost reliability and travel times.

The work will extend a right turn lane on Old South Head by 65 metres to create a longer lane for vehicles turning right onto Syd Einfeld Drive, allowing more buses and vehicles to move through the intersection more efficiently.

A Transport for NSW spokesperson said extending the lane will improve travel times for buses and reduce delays for all traffic.

“The intersection of Old South Head Road, Bondi Road and Syd Einfeld Drive is a key junction for two major bus corridors in and out of Bondi Junction,” the spokesperson said.

“At weekday peak times it is congested with long traffic queues. This treatment is expected to significantly reduce peak time queue lengths and allow traffic to flow more freely.

“More than 24,000 bus passengers each weekday will benefit from improved reliability and journey times as well as the extended lane reducing general traffic congestion. In addition, we expect less weaving of traffic and safer, easier and more reliable journeys for bus passengers, as well as general traffic.”

The change will reduce the northern footpath width from four metres to two metres. 

Two trees will need to be removed, and Transport will try to retain two other trees during construction. 

Tree replacement will be done in collaboration with Woollahra Council.

“We are grateful to those who took part in our consultation on the project. We are working through a detailed design and will continue to update the community and nearby property owners and provide further updates to the project webpage.”

The work is being carried out under the Bus Priority Infrastructure Program (BPIP), a rolling program that delivers infrastructure improvements to address the reliability and efficiency of bus services in Greater Sydney.

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

The Albanese Labor Government has today passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025 through the Senate, to make sure Australia’s payments system delivers for our modern economy.

These changes will modernise our payments system and help make our economy more productive.

This is all about making our payments system more seamless, safer and stronger, and suitable for the times.

The Bill modernises the regulatory framework for the payments system by broadening the definitions of ‘payment system’ and ‘participant’.

This means the vast array of new services and platforms, including digital wallets and Buy Now Pay Later services, can be regulated effectively by the Reserve Bank of Australia, and address risks posed by new and emerging technologies.

The Bill also introduces a new ministerial power that allows the Treasurer to designate payment systems in the national interest, for example where a system presents risks to national security.

Those designated systems and system participants would then be subject to additional oversight by appropriate regulators.

These changes are another important step in delivering a modern, world‑class and efficient payments system in Australia.

A safer, more trusted and more accessible payments system will help boost competition, innovation and productivity across the economy.