Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

em>Shlama lokon.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

And today we celebrate the indigenous people of Iraq – the Assyrian people.

I’d also like to acknowledge Hermiz Shahen, President of the Assyrian National Council, representatives of the Assyrian Church of the East, and my colleagues from across Parliament.

It is with great pleasure that I wish you a happy Assyrian New Year. 

For Assyrian Australians, this vibrant festival is a wonderful way to honour your connections to a shared past. And what an extraordinary past it is.

You are part of a remarkable story, one that has made an enduring mark on the world.

Arising out of ancient Mesopotamia, it is the story of a remarkable civilisation and a powerful empire. Most of all, it is the story of a people.

Today is a celebration – of culture, identity and community, and of the proud place Assyrian Australians occupy in the story of our country.

It is also an assertion of resilience and survival.

Through the tides of history and fate, through the shifting of borders and the rise and fall of nations and empires, the Assyrian identity has stood proud and unbowed – against the odds.

That is an achievement built by the generations who have gone before you, and whose flame you carry so proudly in your hearts.

Thanks to the work of so many in your community, particularly organisations such as the Assyrian National Council of Australia, it is a flame that is kept burning so brightly its glow will touch generations to come.

What a powerful demonstration of the love, dedication and devotion that is the beating heart of cultural identity.

The Assyrian calendar is entering the year 6776. With such a rich and long past, you are so well equipped to look to what is coming.

For just as much as this festival about celebrating your history and everything that has brought Assyrians to this point, it is also about strengthening your cultural foundations for the future.

For generations, your community has been writing your chapter in the great story of Australia, sending your roots in this country ever deeper without ever surrendering the birthright of your heritage, and your enduring connection to the land that was its cradle.

Of course, the connection is not a straightforward one. The Assyrian story is one shaped in no small part by displacement, persecution and the struggle for cultural rights and recognition in the lands of your ancestors.

Yet what defines the Assyrian spirit is a strength and resilience that’s up to so much more than just survival.

It is a spirit that has flourished here. Through hard work, aspiration and love of this country, your community has made Australia a better nation for us all.

I would like to express my gratitude to the organisers and to every hardworking member of this community who gives so much of themselves every year to make this festival the wonderful reality that it is.

This festival plays such an important role. That is why our Government pledged to deliver $200,000 – not just to keep it going, but to keep it growing.

To help you keep adding to the success you have been building with such love and care over the years.

I wish you all a wonderful celebration. May it bring you together – and keep bringing you together. 

Basima raba. Thank you for having me. Happy New Year to you all.

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

want to acknowledge my dear friend, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, for his leadership of this community and for his ongoing contribution to our nation.

I want to acknowledge as well all the other members of the clergy who are with us today; my ministerial colleague, the Leader of the Government in the House of Representatives and the proud Member for Watson, Tony Burke; my friend Sophie Cotsis, representing the Premier of New South Wales; other public representatives who are here, the Ambassador from Greece, the High Commissioner for Cyprus, the Consul-General of Greece, other representatives; particularly, welcome to the representatives from the Parliament of the Hellenic Republic who’ve joined us here today.

I want to give a special shout out to the wonderful young Greek Australians who are here in their traditional dress, celebrating their culture. You look fabulous and you enrich our nation of Australia by celebrating your culture.

Whenever we come to this sacred memorial here, we come solemnly. We gather in respect. We gather in gratitude. Above all, we gather to remember.

We remember all who have stood against darkness and all who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

We remember all who were lost and everyone they left behind.

We remember all who lived to keep fighting and all who finally made it home, but with the battle still echoing in their hearts.

We reflect on all they went through and all they were up against, and we give thanks for the difference they made just when the world needed it most.

This week, we remembered when the Greeks were crying out for freedom, and we remember an honour all who answered that call.

Greek and Independence Day, 205 years since the great revolt in the Peloponnese that saw a people rise to their feet and so decisively put centuries of occupation to an end.

We celebrate a great nation born in liberty and remember the revolutionaries who so courageously put their own lives on the line. They did it armed with one of the most powerful mottoes ever heard around this earth. Eleftheria i Thanatos. Freedom or death.

It was a remarkable moment in the story of a remarkable nation that has given so much to the world, not least of which is of course the gift of democracy and so much of the philosophy that shapes modern Australia today.

Yet perhaps most powerful of all is that hunger for freedom and independence. It was, of course, not Greece’s final fight. In time, Australians would join Greeks in their struggle against those who tried to take that precious independence away.

Earlier this month, we marked the passing of the remarkable Les Cook. Les Cook was 104 years old when he passed.

Les Cook marched on Anzac Day at the age of 100. And I spoke to him at the Australian War Memorial after that march. And I said, “You could have gone in a car.” And Les Cook, age 100, courageous man that he was, said, “No. I walked just like I fought, going forward with courage and I made it. “

And indeed, he did make it. Because he was one of the last surviving veterans of the Battle of Crete. A place very special for my friend, His Eminence.

He was one of the many Anzacs who took up arms alongside Greeks against the Nazi invaders. Many Anzacs were protected and sheltered by Greek civilians during that bleak time. Many Anzacs were fated to never come home, and they rest for eternity in the earth beneath the Greek sky.

We stood together then, and we stand together today. What else came out of that war was the remarkable story of Greek immigration to Australia, to a land that represented the possibility of a peaceful and prosperous future.

Thanks in no small part to the immigrants who arrived in the post-war years, Australia has what is proudly one of the biggest Greek diasporas in the world, and Little Greece is right in Marrickville, my home.

I will always be proud of growing up with my fellow Greek friends, and I’m proud to be Prime Minister of a country that has a heart which has long had in part a Hellenic beat to it.

Australia without Greeks is beyond imagining. You are cherished, you are celebrated, and well and truly cemented into how we see ourselves as a country.

I thank Greek Australians for all you have added to Australia through your energy, aspiration, and hard work. The small businesses you’ve created, those small businesses that have grown into very large and successful businesses indeed.

Your love for this country is so perfectly balanced with the love of the land of your heritage, and Australia will always celebrate your contribution to our great nation.

As we gather here in remembrance of those who gave everything, we are once again reminded that the cause of peace and freedom can sometimes feel elusive, but it is a cause that we never stop fighting for.

We give our humble and enduring gratitude to those who so bravely took up that fight and we carefully tend the flame of memory so its glow touches generations to come.

As we say whenever we are at these grand memorials in Australia, lest we forget.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested multiple offenders after a series of violent incidents in Wadeye yesterday.

Around 7am on Saturday, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports that two women driving a Toyota Hilux were attacked by 6 offenders armed with rocks and edged weapons at the intersection of Pultchen Street and Banthan Street. The offenders surrounded the vehicle, smashed two of vehicle’s windows, and brandished edged weapons while demanding the vehicle keys. The offenders removed the women from the vehicle, and drove away shortly afterwards.

At 3:30pm that day, while police were conducting enquires into the stolen vehicle, the vehicle drove directly at police multiple times, each time throwing rocks and edged weapons. Police recovered the stolen vehicle a short time later.

Over the course of the evening, 5 youth and one adult were identified and arrested.

An additional 5 other offenders were identified for other serious violence offences involving the use of edged weapons and cross-bows for unrelated matters in Wadeye.

Investigations remain ongoing and further arrests are expected.

Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to make contact on 131 444 quoting reference number NTP2600030094. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

The town of Stawell came alive last night (Saturday 28 March) as more than 40 CFA brigades and one from Western Australia, took part in the CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships Torchlight Procession.

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Firstly, if I can make some comments about Tropical Cyclone Narelle, because it’s been a really tough night for so many people in Western Australia. Please continue to look after each other. The system’s been downgraded, but it is still dangerous and the aftermath of heavy winds and rainfall is continuing. We’re in touch regularly with the WA Government and stand ready to assist with the recovery. And can I just give a big shout out to the emergency service workers. When you looked at the news last night, what you saw was locals being pretty courageous amongst what were really difficult circumstances. And that included, of course, those people who were helping their fellow Australians. At the worst of times, we always see the best of the Australian character. And we’re seeing that in Western Australia at the moment. It does say something about extreme weather conditions, that you can have a cyclone cross the coast at Cape York and has continued right across the Northern Territory, right across to WA and down the WA coast as well. So, our thoughts are with everyone in Western Australia at the moment, but also those who are continuing to be impacted in the Northern Territory and Queensland from the aftermath of this cyclone.

Today, I want to make some important comments about decisions that the Government has made regarding our response to the fuel security issues arising from the war in the Middle East. This is a war that is across the other side of the world, but it’s having a real impact here, as it is in every nation. Here, people in local communities, farmers, small businesses, miners are all being impacted. If you go to your local petrol station and there’s no fuel, that causes understandable distress. We are working around the clock to make sure we deal with the fuel security issues. And today we have a really important announcement. The Government is taking national action to help get the fuel restocked. We know that six out of 81 ships that were scheduled to arrive in April cancelled, those arrivals have been more than replaced by other arrivals that have now been scheduled. We’re working to get more fuel to Australia, but we’re also working on distribution to get it to where it needs to go. Which is why we’ve ensured, for example, that the fuel reserves that have been released are going to regional areas, to areas that are most in need.

Today, I announce that Australia will establish new powers to get fuel here for Australians. Our new fuel security powers will enable the Government to underwrite the purchase of fuel by the private sector. Importantly, it will also allow for the purchase of fertiliser and other essentials as well. I want us to have the strongest possible plans, so we’re ready for what may come. I want to keep our people, our economy, and our nation moving. We’re already in discussions with local and international fuel suppliers to help firm up and source new cargoes required to keep Australia moving. Put simply, we will use Export Finance Australia to underwrite the purchase of shiploads of fuel that will add to supply here in Australia. This support from the Government will not be business as usual. It has to be additional supplies that are available on the international market, and it literally will be underwriting the purchase of shiploads of fuel to get here to Australia. We’ve been working on this over the last few days, and I want to thank the officials in Chris’s department, in mine, in Treasury and Finance, and others as well, working with the business community on this plan.

How it will work is that on Monday we’ll introduce into the House of Representatives amendments to the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act. These powers will be used to help acquire the additional supply that’s so valuable for Australia’s fuel security, where it would be cost prohibitive for private suppliers to source on commercial terms without government support. Put simply, there is a risk of a private purchase of a shipload of fuel at higher prices because there is so much uncertainty with the war in the Middle East that this is about risk mitigation for them to add to supply here. It will give suppliers the confidence to secure additional and discretionary cargoes and use it to service uncontracted demand, including for regional and independent fuel suppliers. So, we want more fuel here, and we want to make sure it gets to the right place as well.

While Australia’s fuel supply outlook remains secure in the near term because of the actions that the Government has taken, let’s be clear that the longer this war goes on, the more the impacts will be. So what we want to do is to be overprepared, and that is essentially the action that we’re taking now to prepare and shield Australians from the potential implications which are there. This is another example following on from all of the other actions that we’ve taken, the actions of the ACCC, the actions of the Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator, the work that we’ve done with international suppliers to keep those scheduled fuel supplies coming to Australia as well. This is in addition to that. And I want to assure Australians that we will do whatever is necessary to make sure that their interests are looked after, because we understand that this is a really difficult time here in Australia, as it is right around the world. I’ll call upon the minister and then we’ll take some questions.

< CHRIS BOWEN, MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE & ENERGY:

Also, I can give a little update that since we released the Minimum Stock Obligation, the 20 per cent, a few examples – I’ve given figures in recent days about how much fuel is flowing extra to regional Australia, but just a little update. For example, one provider has provided an additional 20 per cent to go to farmers and regional communities out of fuel. Another provider has provided 1,200 kilolitres extra diesel to a regional distributor, and one provider has provided an extra 400 kilolitres to the rural Dubbo region, which is so important and seeding at the moment, to fill bulk tanks. Now, we know that demand, particularly in rural Australia, because agriculture is at a very busy time, remains exceedingly high. And this supply is still not enough, but we are increasing supply and working in a very complicated supply chain to get the fuel to where it needs to go. To add to the Prime Minister’s remarks about today’s important announcement, our very close consultation with the fuel industry over the last week or so has told us that while the ships continue to come to Australia, and while the six cancellations have been more than replaced with new orders, the fact of the matter is cargo internationally is available, but is getting increasingly expensive and increasingly risky in a volatile environment as the Prime Minister said, oil prices moving up and down.

And so, companies who do want to order more cargoes in the national interest are also facing very difficult decisions. That’s in the national interest that that cargo comes to Australia, not other countries. So, we want to help the companies make the decision to buy those cargoes. So, as the PM said, on Monday, we’ll be introducing legislation, which will give Export Finance Australia the capacity to have a very flexible suite of measures to work with companies. They can provide insurance, they can provide derivatives, they can provide loans and other arrangements to make sure that those companies can go and get those cargoes for Australia and for Australians. At the moment, those companies are making those commercial decisions. They are buying cargoes, but at elevated prices. If those prices continue to move around, there’ll be cargoes that Australia misses out on unless the Government acts in close partnership.

So that’s exactly what we’re doing today. I want to thank, as the PM said, my ministerial colleagues, the Treasurer, the Trade Minister and others for working with us to make this a reality. It will also, as the PM said, support Minister Julie Collins in her work to get fertiliser and other key resources into Australia to make sure that we are ahead of the curve. The supply chain is strong, but in this environment, Australia needs to stay one step ahead and under this Prime Minister, we are one step ahead of the curve, seeing what is coming down the road, that this is going to get more volatile, potentially. The prices internationally will go up more, potentially, so we need to be prepared for that, not just for today, but for the coming weeks. And under this new arrangement, which we’ll get through the Parliament, hopefully – we ask all parties to support this, we’ll obviously be providing relevant briefings to get it through the Parliament quickly so it can start work in the best interests of Australians. Thank you.

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

< JOURNALIST:

< PRIME MINISTER: 

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

A 26-year-old male prisoner has died at the Darwin Correctional Centre this morning.

The man was found unresponsive in his cell by correctional officers at around 7:50am.

Medical assistance was provided but the man was declared deceased at the scene. The death is not believed to be suspicious.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

he Albanese Government is acting to shield Australia against any future fuel supply chain disruptions, by establishing new fuel security powers, enabling government to work with fuel suppliers to keep fuel flowing to Australia.

Next week the Government will introduce amendments to the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act, formalising the Commonwealth’s ability to underwrite additional cargoes and other vital strategic reserves as needed. 

We are already in discussions with local and international fuel suppliers to help them source additional cargoes as needed to keep our nation and our people moving.

Our focus will be on ensuring additional supply helps address regional shortages and critical supply gaps.

The deal making expertise of Export Finance Australia will allow them to enter contracts of insurance or indemnity, give guarantees, make loans, or enter arrangements needed to help secure fuel supply from international markets.

Commonwealth powers will only be used to help acquire additional supply that is valuable for Australia’s fuel security and where would be cost prohibitive for private suppliers to source on commercial terms without government support.

Support will not replace or subsidise fuel that importers are already contracted to supply.

While Australia’s fuel supply outlook remains secure over the near term due to the actions the Government has taken to date, the Government has been clear – the longer this war goes the worse the impacts will be. 

We are acting now to prepare and shield Australians from the worst of it.

Despite stable national supply, global price pressures and a doubling in demand has seen parts of Australia’s regional fuel market come under significant strain. This has had an unacceptable impact on regional customers who source their fuel this way, including farmers.

The Fuel Security powers help to address this by giving suppliers confidence to secure additional and discretionary cargoes – which will be used to service uncontracted demand, including regional and independent fuel suppliers.

Eligibility for underwriting support will be structured to ensure additional supply can be delivered quickly through trusted operators with the capability and networks to get fuel where it needs to go.

Our Government is undertaking every practical measure required to shield our nation from the worst of this global uncertainty.

Ensuring our farmers, our regional communities and the services all Australians rely on can continue to access the fuel they need.

Across the board, the Albanese Government has been working through and planning for the impacts of this crisis and protecting Australians from the worst of this global challenge.

Source: Government of Western Australia

Wanneroo Council has voted to progress the draft Yanchep Lagoon Foreshore Management Plan (LFMP) to the Western Australian Planning Commission for consideration.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for witnesses in relation to an alleged indecent act that occurred yesterday evening in Alice Springs.

Around 10:30pm, it is alleged an adult female was indecently touched by a male not known to her on the eastern bank of the Todd River, near the botanic gardens.

The male allegedly approached the victim in the vicinity of Benstead Street and continued to engage with the victim as she walked north to Bagot Street, before entering the Todd River just north of the Tuncks Road causeway.

The offender is described as being of Aboriginal in appearance, aged in his early 30s, about 5 ft 7 inches with a slim, athletic build, a dark complexion, dark curly hair with brown eyes and no facial hair. He was described as wearing a white long-sleeved soccer-style shirt with navy stripes and matching knee-length navy blue shorts.

Investigations are ongoing to identify him.

Police are urging anyone with information, including dashcam footage, or who may have witnessed the offender in the vicinity of Benstead Street, Bagot Street, South Terrace or Tuncks Road yesterday evening, to contact police on 131 444. Please quote reference NTP2600029777.

Source: Tasmania Police

Rocherlea house fire under investigation

Friday, 27 March 2026 – 5:12 pm.

Police are seeking information into a suspicious house fire at Rocherlea today.
About 11.25am, emergency services were called to a fire at Sage Place, in the Launceston suburb of Rocherlea, with reports of flames coming from a room of a house.
Tasmania Fire Service units were quickly on the scene to extinguish the fire which had taken hold in a rear bedroom, then spread through the rear of the house and the roof cavity, causing significant damage.
There was no-one inside the property at the time of the fire, and no injuries reported.
TFS fire investigators have determined the fire is suspicious, with investigations continuing.
Tasmania Police would like to hear from people with information on the fire, or if there is video or CCTV footage which shows anyone acting suspiciously in the Sage Place area earlier today.
Contact police on 131 444 or you can report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperstas.com.au Please quote OR 801170