Month: June 2026

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is investigating a fatal single vehicle crash in Nhulunbuy yesterday.

Around 5:15pm, police received a report that an off-duty emergency worker had come across a Toyota Landcruiser that is believed to have rolled on the inbound lane of Dhupuma Road, East Arnhem.

St John Ambulance deployed to the scene and an 81-year-old man was located deceased.

A crime scene was established and investigations into the crash remain ongoing.

Police are urging anyone with information, particularly motorists in the area with dash-cam between 12pm and 5:15pm yesterday to contact police on 131 444 or visit your local station. Please quote reference P26176954.

The lives lost on Territory roads currently stands at 14.

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

KIERAN GILBERT: Prime Minister, thanks for your time. So, why have you made this call to continue the fuel excise relief?
 
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Source: Prime Minister of Australia

he Albanese Government will extend fuel excise relief for another month, making petrol and diesel 16 cents per litre cheaper versus normal prices for July, saving Australians around $11 per tank.
 
This is more temporary support that will help take the sting out of petrol prices and help Australians with the cost of living.
 
In addition, the Albanese Government will reduce the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge by 16 cents for the same period to help truckies keep Australia moving.
 
We acknowledge the contribution of the States and Territories to use their GST revenue to fund a 5.7% portion of the fuel excise cut over the last three months and will seek support from the states for July at National Cabinet on Monday.
 
We welcome the agreement this week by the United States and Iran, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
 
The extension to the fuel excise cut we’ve announced today recognises that economic and fuel stability recovery will take time, and our action provides a graduated return to normal settings for the fuel excise.
 
We’ll continue to do what we can to shield Australians from the worst impacts of this conflict including securing additional fuel from our partners.
 
Despite the welcome and substantial drop in the price of petrol recently, we recognise people are still under pressure.
 
This extra month of fuel discount will help Australian motorists and businesses with the cost of living as this support tapers off.
 
We announced a three-month cut to the fuel excise of 32 cents per litre back in March alongside reducing the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge to zero and deferring the next scheduled increase by six months.
 
The 16 cents a litre extension to the fuel tax cut that we’ve announced today will reduce the cost of a 65L tank of fuel by around $11.
 
On top of our other cost of living help including more tax cuts for every taxpayer, this will make a meaningful difference when it comes to helping Australians make ends meet.
This cut will commence from 1 July and run to 2 August.
 
That means that from next month, we’ll have more temporary help with the cost of living in an extension to the fuel tax cut, and more permanent help with the cost of living in another round of tax cuts for every taxpayer, both beginning on July 1.
 
By tapering off the fuel tax cut, this will also help to manage demand at service stations towards the end of the month.
 
The cost of the extension to the fuel excise cut and the reduction in the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge will be around $400 million.
 
We’re slashing the fuel excise and the road user charge for truckies and we expect the savings to be passed on to Australians.
 
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is continuing to monitor fuel prices to help ensure that the lower excise rate is fully passed on at the bowser, backed by stronger penalties and additional enforcement resourcing.
 
In addition to today’s announcement, since the conflict in the Middle East began in February, the Albanese Government has taken swift action on fuel including:

• Allocating $2.9 billion to more than halve the fuel excise and reduce the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero for three months from 1 April to 30 June.
• Creating the $7.5 billion Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility supporting additional supply and storage
• Boosting the Minimum Stockholding Obligation for all fuel types
• Providing $3.2 billion to establish the Australian Fuel Security Reserve and bring our total stocks of diesel and jet fuel to 50 days
• Securing nearly 800 million litres of diesel and 150 million litres of jet fuel through Export Finance Australia
• Legislating new ACCC powers to enable faster, coordinated industry responses during exceptional circumstances
• Releasing $1.1 billion in support for domestic production of low carbon liquid fuels
• Providing over $80 million to roll out more kerbside and regional EV chargers and electrify Australia Post’s delivery fleet
• Fair Work Commission Fuel Cost Recovery Chain Order, which came into effect on 21 April 2026, facilitating the ability of road transport businesses to pass on increased fuel costs through the contractual chain
• $1 billion Economic Resilience Program under the National Reconstruction Fund, providing zero‑interest loans to eligible SMEs, including heavy vehicle operators
• ATO support measures, including extended debt repayment arrangements for businesses facing fuel‑related financial pressures

Since the end of March, petrol prices in most capital cities are around 90 cents per litre lower and diesel prices in most capital cities are around $1 per litre lower. Since the conflict started at the end of February, petrol prices are lower in almost all capital cities and diesel prices are on average around 20 cents per litre higher.
 
Today’s decision recognises that although fuel prices have moderated significantly from their peaks, people remain under cost-of-living pressure.
 
Whether it’s slashing the fuel tax, slashing the road user charge for truckies or tax cuts for every taxpayer, we’re taking action to ease pressure on Australians.
 
Our economic plan is all about helping Australians with the cost of living, addressing inflation and making our economy more productive and extending the fuel excise is an important part of that plan.
 

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 30-year-old male following a domestic violence related aggravated assault in Katherine yesterday evening.

Around 8:50pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report that a male was assaulting his partner aged in her 30s at a residence in Katherine South.

Upon attendance, police identified both the victim and her father, aged in his 60s, had allegedly been assaulted by the offender with a blunt object. Both suffered serious injuries and were conveyed to Katherine District Hospital by St John Ambulance.

The male victim was subsequently further conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital in a critical condition.

The 30-year-old offender was arrested at the scene and assessed at Katherine District Hospital for minor injuries suffered prior to arrest. He remains in police custody and investigations are ongoing.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444, quoting reference P26176273. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au.

If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline 131 114.

Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Three long-time contributors to Australia’s scientific and logistical endeavours in Antarctica have been awarded the prestigious Australian Antarctic Medal in recognition of their service to the Australian Antarctic Program.
The three medal recipients were announced by the Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, on a special Honours List for Midwinter’s Day.
The Australian Antarctic Medal, previously called the Antarctic Medal, is awarded for outstanding service in scientific research or exploration in connection with an Australian Antarctic expedition, or for support of such work.
The 2026 recipients of the Antarctic Medal are:
This content was last updated 7 minutes ago on 21 June 2026.

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Can I begin by acknowledging the bravery of the Socceroos, and they certainly gave everything on the field there in Seattle, and I’m sure I speak on behalf of all Australians. When we say we’re proud of you, we look forward to the game against Paraguay, and to us qualifying through to the next round. So, to Tony Popovic and all the Socceroos, well done. It’s tough having a home game, of course, for the United States, but certainly the way that they played out the entire 90 minutes, plus six, plus a little bit extra for the referee, getting, getting cramped. Something I haven’t seen before on a football field there. It was something that was an extraordinary effort and we are proud of you. And for all the Australians as well, who are there cheering on the Socceroos, it’s fantastic to see such strong support for our national team. And I do note the pride that’s there in them. Chanting out as well that, we have free health care, was a particularly good chant, I think that certainly warmed my heart. It is something that we should be really proud of as a nation and clearly our fans over there are and demonstrated that. I’m joined, of course, by my Minister for the weekly update when it comes to fuel. From the very outset of the conflict in the Middle East, my government has worked really hard to shield Australians from the worst impacts. We’ve said, even though the conflict is on the other side of the world and we were not protagonists, the impact has been felt right around the world with an increase in fuel prices, the greatest the world has ever seen, and an impact, of course, on supply as well. And we’ve worked really hard to ensure that Australia remains resilient and that Australia remains prepared for this. My government is focused on building Australia’s resilience to global challenges and working to deliver cost of living relief. And that includes new cost of living measures coming in from the first of July, including, of course, the tax cut for every single Australian taxpayer. Today I can announce also that Export Finance Australia has secured with the private sector an additional 50 million litres of diesel and that this shipment is now headed for Port Botany. That brings, since February, through Export Finance Australia, the figures of securing nearly 800 million litres of diesel, 155 million litres of jet fuel and 340,000 tonnes of fertiliser. This is a context, of course, where prior to Easter, the Coalition and the right-wing parties were all saying that it was inevitable that there would be restrictions on people’s access to petrol and diesel and that there would be restrictions brought in. What we’ve done is work really hard and I want to pay tribute to the Minister, but also to our private sector partners who’ve made sure that we’ve been able to secure, up to this point, really successfully, the fuel that Australia needs. And since February 28th, of course, we’ve seen an actual increase in the amount of fuel that’s here in Australia compared with then, rather than a decrease. I will go through with the Minister now. We’ll go through every one of the latest weekly figures and then we’re happy to take some questions.
 
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Source: Government of Victoria 3

What is the issue?

Since January 2026, there have been six cases of acute liver injury in Victoria in people who have used an unapproved peptide product, labelled as Retatrutide.

These products include:

• Retatrutide
• Reta
• R-10, R-20

Investigations are ongoing; however, it is believed similar cases may have been reported in some other Australian jurisdictions.

These products have been purchased online, through friends and through social media accounts. Retatrutide is an experimental drug not approved for sale as a safe medical product in Australia. It is marketed widely online for muscle growth, fat loss, recovery and anti-ageing.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) published a warning last month on the risks of importing unapproved peptide products online.

Unapproved peptides, such as Retatrutide, have not been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or effectiveness. These products, particularly when they are injected, can carry significant health risks, including contamination, infection, local tissue damage or potentially life-threatening reactions.

The clinical presentation of the cases reported to date suggest additional contaminants may be contributing to the observed liver toxicity in the products. Further investigation of the contents of these products is underway.

Who is at risk?

• People who have bought products labelled Retatrutide, Reta, R-10 or R-20.
• People using peptide products bought online, through social media or overseas.
• People using unapproved or experimental peptide products.

Images: Examples of products linked to liver toxicity

Symptoms and investigations

Patients have experience various symptoms including:

• tiredness or malaise
• jaundice
• abdominal pain
• dark urine
• abnormal bruising

Investigation results include abnormal liver function tests showing transaminitis with possible raised bilirubin and coagulopathy.

Recommendations

For the general public

• Do not use unapproved peptide products that have not been prescribed by a medical practitioner.
• Anyone who has purchased Retatrutide previously should not use the product and should dispose of it safely.
• Anyone who has used Retatrutide and has developed unusual or unexpected symptoms should seek medical care promptly. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
• Dispose of any needles in an approved sharps container and return them to a Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) or participating pharmacy. Do not put needles in household rubbish or recycling. Find your local Needle and Syringe Program.
• The Victorian Poisons Information Centre can be contacted 24/7 on 13 11 26 to provide more information about poisons and what to do in suspected cases of poisonings linked to this product.
• In Australia, most peptides are prescribed medications and should only be taken under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
• Prescription medications should only be purchased from a licensed pharmacy or chemist.
• People who continue to use Retatrutide should be alert for symptoms and arrange review with their GP for consideration of liver function tests

For health professionals

• Be alert for patients with abnormal liver function tests or any signs or symptoms of an acute liver injury who have used the unapproved peptide product, Retatrutide.
• Ask patients who present with compatible signs and symptoms about peptide use. Consider asking any patients about their use of online products including peptides.
• Collect specific information about the product including the name, advertised ingredients, recommended and actual dose taken and place of purchase. Where possible, obtain a sample or photos of the product and packaging.
• For any patients presenting with compatible illness, inform the Victorian Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 who can provide clinical and specific testing advice.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

A 48-year-old female has been arrested and charged following a police pursuit in Alice Springs last night.

Around 10:35pm, a Southern Traffic Operations unit attempted to conduct a traffic apprehension on a white Ford Ranger for the purpose of conducting a random breath test on Barrett Drive.

The vehicle failed to stop, and a pursuit was initiated. The vehicle travelled onto Stephens Road before it failed to negotiate the South Terrace intersection and crashed into a brick retaining wall. The vehicle was travelling at approximately 30km/h during the crash.

As members approached the vehicle, the offender reversed and drove from the scene.

Police investigations commenced and the vehicle and offender were later located in Amoonguna.

The 48-year-old was arrested and has been charged with:

• Dangerous Driving in a Pursuit
• Failing to Remain After a Crash
• Failing to Supply Sample – Alcohol
• Failing to Provide Sample – Drugs

She was remanded to appear in court on Monday 22 June.

Source: Tasmania Police

Kayakers rescued in south-west wilderness

Friday, 19 June 2026 – 5:28 pm.

Tasmania Police Search and Rescue officers have today assisted two Queensland men who struck difficulty on a kayaking trip on the Huon River, deep in the state’s rugged south-west wilderness.
The men raised the alarm about 1.20pm today by activating their Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).
They were located up a steep cliff, northwest of the Cracroft River junction about 3.20pm by a crew on the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, and transferred to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Pictures available here.
Due to the significant rainfall and rising river, the conditions meant the men had to abandon the kayaks and walk to shore after being immersed in the cold water.
Both males were suffering symptoms of hypothermia and very fatigued, but otherwise not injured.
Search and Rescue Sergeant Bernard Peters said the men had been walking in the bush for some time after abandoning their kayaks.
“This incident proves once again the importance of being prepared for venturing out in the Tasmanian wilderness. Things can, and often do go wrong, and you need to be equipped for an emergency,” Sergeant Peters said.
“Thankfully in this situation, the men had sufficient equipment for the difficult conditions and were equipped with a personal location device which meant we were able to accurately pinpoint their location when they called for our help.”
The men had been on a kayaking adventure on the Huon River which began on Monday.
“They were in serious danger of succumbing to hypothermia after being exposed to those cold and wet conditions,” Sergeant Peters said.
He said the men did the right thing in carrying a PLB and calling in the authorities when there was still sufficient daylight to utilise helicopter resources.
Police re-iterate the need to carefully monitor the impending weather and reconsider plans if necessary.
The two kayaks have yet to be located but if found, can be reported to police on 131 444.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 26-year-old man in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Alice Springs this morning.

At 5am, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report of an assault at a residence in Jay Creek. It is alleged a 26-year-old man, armed with a stick and an edged weapon, had assaulted his partner aged in her 30s as well as another woman and a teenage child who intervened in the assault.

The victims left the scene and were met near Alice Springs by police and St John Ambulance. The child suffered a minor laceration to their arm, and the women both suffered multiple non-life-threatening injuries. All three were conveyed to Alice Springs Hospital.

The 26-year-old offender was subsequently arrested in the vicinity of the hospital, where he received treatment for an injury to his arm suffered prior to arrest. He remains under police guard with charges expected to follow.

Around 1:20pm, police investigating the incident attended Jay Creek and discovered the residence had been burnt down. A crime scene was established, and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444, quoting reference NTP2600058963. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au.

If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline 131 114.