Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thank you so much for joining us. Our tax reforms will make it easier for Australians to buy their first home and they’ll cut taxes for every Australian worker. Our tax reforms give support to small business. And we will amend our legislation to give every active small business generous capital gains tax concessions. Our tax reforms will give better alignment for income earned from work with income earned from assets and wealth. Most Australians have nothing to sell but their time. Nothing to give but their hard work. And that’s how they earn an income. That’s how they put food on the table. And we want those people, those hard-working Australians, to have the opportunity to own their own home.

Today we have secured support to get this legislation through the Parliament with the majority of senators. I expect that just as the three right-wing parties have opposed every one of our tax cuts, every pay rise for workers, every cost of living measure, every policy to build more homes and help more people buy a first home, they will oppose these measures and continue in their race to the bottom to see who can be more anti-aspirational, more anti-worker and confirm that they’re defined purely by what they’re against. My government is defined by what we are in favour of. Delivering real change in the national interest, making difficult decisions, but so that Australia can move forward. We’ll continue to be defined by that. These reforms are important. They’re a result of an ambitious Budget that was handed down in the interests of the Australian people. We’ll hear from the Treasurer, then the Health Minister, then the Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Finance Minister and then we’ll take questions.

< JIM CHALMERS, TREASURER

There is also, agreed with The Greens in the Senate that we will take an additional step when it comes to limited recourse borrowing arrangements. Now, many of you would know that super funds are, generally, are prohibited from borrowing to make investments, but this has been an exception in the system. And so the changes that we’ve agreed today will strengthen the rules that limit borrowing by superannuation funds. We will ban these arrangements for residential property going forward, but we will leave the existing arrangements in place for those existing investments and also have a 45 day transition period for any investments which are currently midstream, and that’s important as well. In 2014, David Murray, in the review that he led for the Coalition, recommended that these arrangements be banned. In 2019 and 2022, the Council of Financial Regulators also highlighted the risks in these arrangements and we will be dealing with that with this amendment in the Senate. This is a very small part of the housing market. SMSFs, for example, are less than one per cent of total residential property borrowing and less than half a per cent of new residential borrowing each year. So, a small part of the market. Now, this is an important change in its own right, but it also reflects the realities of a Senate where nobody has the numbers on their own. And that’s why we are willing to support these arrangements today, the changes to these arrangements today. I’ll hand you to Mark and then to Katy.

< MARK BUTLER, MINISTER FOR HEALTH

It was obviously pretty clear to us as we came back to Parliament that it was going to be next to impossible to have this bill dealt with over the course of this fortnight. The Opposition had indicated, in spite of some encouraging comments from the Leader of the Opposition in his Budget Reply speech, that they were looking at a six month delay to this bill being dealt with in the Parliament. Let me be clear, a six month extension would cost the Budget billions of dollars, but would also delay our ability to get those cost blowouts under control, to clear up eligibility rules and to crack down on the fraud and the integrity issues that the community knows are there with the NDIS. And that is why we have agreed to an extension of this inquiry that’s been underway for the last several weeks, for another eight weeks to report on 14 August. This is another opportunity for us to provide ongoing reassurances about our intentions around this package and the degree to which this is an important reform to secure the long term future of this important social program. We’ve also agreed to a series of amendments in areas that we’d been considering over the course of this inquiry to make it very clear what support determinations would be able to be made and restricting them only to social activity and therapy areas, making sure that there is no impact on the ability of participants to continue to engage in employment. Also to clarify what appropriate treatment might be that we would expect participants or applicants for the scheme to undertake before they would be considered for entry into the scheme, particularly to ensure that that does not involve any restrictive practices and also only considers treatment that would be publicly funded. So, this is obviously, as Jim said, a reflection of the realities in the Senate. We think this reform is the right direction for the country. We think reform is urgent and needs to be considered by the Parliament immediately after this report is delivered on the 14th of August. But there obviously was not, there was not a pathway to consider this bill over the course of this fortnight.

< KATY GALLAGHER, MANAGER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE SENATE

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< PRIME MINISTERWest Australian. That’s something that wasn’t done. And when I went to Geoscience Australia, I was somewhat shocked. I encourage people who are Canberrans here or people who are visitors to our great bush capital here to go and visit them, see the work that they’re doing, the scientists making an enormous difference for Australia. So, we’ll work constructively, we’ll engage constructively because that’s what defines our government.

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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

A Northern Territory Police Task Force is continuing to investigate the death of a 57-year-old male on Len Kittle Drive in Alice Springs on the evening of Wednesday 20 May.

Around 9pm, the 57-year-old male victim was on Len Kittle Drive when several vehicles have passed by.

The Police Task Force have identified a further vehicle that is likely to contain potential witnesses.

This vehicle is believed to be a BA – BF Falcon that was recorded earlier on Tom Brown roundabout.

Police are seeking to make contact with the driver of this vehicle.

Police wish to speak to any occupant of those vehicles or persons who can identify the vehicles. If you believe you were a driver or occupant of one of these vehicles, please contact police on 131 444 or attend your local police station.

Anyone who witnessed the crash, or who has dashcam or CCTV footage from the area between 8:10pm – 9:45pm, is also urged to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P26144819. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force hold concerns for the welfare of Peter MacMurray.

Peter was last seen around 9:45am on Monday 15 June 2026 at his residence in Coolalinga.

Despite extensive enquiries and CCTV reviews across multiple locations, there have been no confirmed sightings of Peter since this time.

It is believed he indicated he would be prospecting in the Marrakai area; however, he has since failed to return.

He may be travelling on a pushbike, and police hold concerns for his welfare.

Anyone with information in relation to his whereabouts is urged to contact police on 131 444. 

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

Job seekers and employers will have the chance to connect in a relaxed, face-to-face setting at the upcoming Coffee with the Boss event on Tuesday July 7.

The free event will take place from 3pm to 5pm at the 1887 Café, located at Bendigo TAFE at 132-160 McCrae Street (previously the training restaurant).

It aims to bring together local employers and job seekers in an informal environment designed to make networking easier and more accessible for all.

Coffee with the Boss is a collaborative initiative presented by the Skills and Job Centre – Bendigo TAFE, Workforce Australia Local Jobs, City of Greater Bendigo and Be.Bendigo.

The employers participating in Coffee with the Boss are from a variety of sectors including administration, hospitality, automotive, health care and social assistance.

City Manager Economy & Experience James Myatt said it was a job matching event for job seekers and employers locally.

“Coffee with the Boss creates a relaxed, casual environment where people can connect with potential employers and feel more confident talking about their goals, skills, experience and what they hope to achieve in their working lives,” Mr Myatt said.

“This is an ideal opportunity for people looking for work, entering, or returning to the workforce, exploring career pathways, or considering their next career move. Attendees can come along and engage directly with potential employers over a cup of coffee and a pizza slice.

“A strong variety of businesses from different industries and sectors will be attending. They are passionate about what they do and are keen to meet people interested in joining their team.”

Be.Bendigo CEO Hayley Tibbett encouraged local businesses and job seekers to attend.

“Local businesses are still telling us that finding the right people is a real challenge. Coffee with the Boss creates a simple way to connect employers with job seekers who are ready to work, build skills or take the next step,” Ms Tibbett said.

Source: Government of Western Australia

University Lead Chief Investigator Project Funding The University of Western Australia Dr Caitlin Liddelow Stepping Back In: Walking Sport for Postpartum Women in Western Australia $373,655 The University of Western Australia Dr Vincent Oreste Mancini Underage and Undetected: How WA children are already gambling online $99,872 Cancer Council Victoria Professor Helen Dixon Driving Improved Regulation of Infant and Toddler Food Marketing for Health $99,509 Curtin University Dr Hamsini Sivaramakrishnan Co-Designing Effective Physical Activity Messaging with Young People $99,946 Curtin University Professor Nyanda McBride Alcohol, other drugs, mental health and sexual health in ‘partygoing’ youth in regional WA $99,489 The University of Western Australia Dr Amy Finlay-Jones Early Steps: A Digital Tool to Support Families with Children Aged 0-5 $99,970 Cancer Council Victoria Dr Ashleigh Haynes Building public support for a floor price for alcohol in WA $99,970 Curtin University Associate Professor Katharina Wolf Nicotine Pouches in WA: Availability, Composition and Youth Appeal $99,954 Total     $1,072,365

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Miyagi Pty Ltd, a company offering health and wellbeing programs, and its founder and CEO, Shane Da Costa.

It is alleged that between November 2023 and January 2025 the company used contracts with unfair contract terms that prevented many consumers from cancelling the health and wellbeing programs, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.

In addition, the ACCC alleges that between January 2022 and January 2025 Miyagi made false and misleading representations about the rights of consumers to cancel and obtain a refund for its health and wellness programs, and about its staff members’ professional affiliations.

The ACCC also alleges that Mr Da Costa, who was also the Head of Sales and Head of Marketing and oversaw the day-to-day management of Miyagi, was involved in the breaches, including by approving Miyagi’s contract terms and the telephone scripts that sales staff used when seeking to sign up consumers.

Miyagi provided programs to thousands of consumers experiencing health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnoea and menopause. Consumers were charged total costs of between about $1800 and $7500 for six to 18-month programs, which had to be paid in full either up front or through a payment plan.

Miyagi denied the cancellation and refund requests of many consumers who bought programs, including when the consumers’ requests were made shortly after entering the contract and, in some cases, before they had accessed any services.

“We are taking this action because we are extremely concerned that consumers, including many with complex health conditions, signed up to Miyagi’s program on a false premise, under unfair contract terms and after having been given incorrect information about their consumer rights,” ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward said.

“By providing consumers with information that we say was inaccurate and misleading, Miyagi diminished people’s ability to both make informed decisions and exercise their consumer law rights.”

Miyagi published advertisements on social media inviting consumers to ‘book an obligation free call’.

During the initial sales call, Miyagi directed its sales staff to make statements to consumers such as:

• In my professional opinion, with your [disease], it’s safe to say that you’re at risk of things getting worse…if things don’t change because it’s a scientific FACT that carrying extra kilos, leading a sedentary lifestyle, eating poorly and having risk factors such as [hypertension, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol]…reduce not just the quality of your life…but reduce your actual life expectancy.

The ACCC alleges these statements represented that Miyagi sales representatives were health or medical professionals and therefore had an approval from, or affiliation with, a professional health or medical institute or organisation. Miyagi’s sales staff did not possess any formal health or medical qualifications.

If consumers agreed to purchase a health program from Miyagi during this initial sales call, they were sent a copy of the contract by text or email, which included allegedly unfair contract terms. Consumers were asked to review and agree to the contract terms during the call while the Miyagi sales representative was waiting, which limited their ability to consider the terms.

The ACCC commenced an enforcement investigation after becoming aware of a large number of consumer complaints about Miyagi.

“Many consumers were left significantly out of pocket as a result of Miyagi’s alleged misrepresentations and reliance on unfair contract terms,” Mr Woodward said.

“As well as the human impact, we are concerned that a business which misleads consumers and uses unfair contract terms has an unfair advantage over its law-abiding competitors.”

“We are also taking action against Miyagi’s CEO, Mr Da Costa, who we say was involved in the alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law,” Mr Woodward said.

The ACCC is seeking declarations, consumer redress, penalties and other orders against Miyagi and Mr Da Costa, as well as an order disqualifying Mr Da Costa from managing a business.

Background

Miyagi is an Australian company that provides online health and wellbeing programs that include phone calls with dietitians, online educational content, and access to an online support group.

Miyagi offers programs under brand names such as Diabetes Wellness Australia, and Heart Smart Australia. It also previously offered programs under other brand names such as Healthy Gut Australia, Master Menopause Australia, and Defeat Sleep Apnoea.

This case aligns with three of the ACCC’s 2026-27 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities: improving industry compliance with consumer guarantees; unfair contract terms in consumer contracts; and manipulative and false practices and unsafe consumer goods in digital markets.

It also aligns with the ACCC’s enduring priority relating to consumers experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage, and our focus on the accountability of senior executives, particularly where there appears to be a poor compliance culture within the business.  

Concise statement

This document contains the ACCC’s initiating court document in relation to this matter. We will not be uploading further documents in the event this initial document is subsequently amended.

ACCC v Miyagi and Mr Da Costa Concise Statement ( PDF 2.32 MB )

Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

New homeowner protections start on 1 July 2026 for domestic building contracts signed from that date on.  

The new Home Warranty insurance provides stronger protections than current domestic building insurance. You’ll be able to make a claim sooner for incomplete, defective, faulty or non-compliant work. This applies even if the builder is still trading.  

These protections cover homes up to 3 storeys and apply to contracts that are worth more than $20,000.  
  
If you’re planning to build or renovate, try to wait until 1 July 2026 before signing any building contracts. 

Cover will be available at every stage of the build: before work starts, during construction and after completion. If work hasn’t started, you can claim up to 5% of your deposit. You may also get support for accommodation, removal and storage costs if delays or faulty work cause you extra expenses. 

Find out more about Home Warranty insurance.  

Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

New homeowner protections start on 1 July 2026 for domestic building contracts signed from that date on.  

The new Home Warranty insurance provides stronger protections than current domestic building insurance. You’ll be able to make a claim sooner for incomplete, defective, faulty or non-compliant work. This applies even if the builder is still trading.  

These protections cover homes up to 3 storeys and apply to contracts that are worth more than $20,000.  
  
If you’re planning to build or renovate, try to wait until 1 July 2026 before signing any building contracts. 

Cover will be available at every stage of the build: before work starts, during construction and after completion. If work hasn’t started, you can claim up to 5% of your deposit. You may also get support for accommodation, removal and storage costs if delays or faulty work cause you extra expenses. 

Find out more about Home Warranty insurance.  

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

he Albanese Government is another step closer to delivering its tax reforms for workers, home buyers, and businesses. 

These reforms will make it easier for Australians to buy their first home, cut taxes for over 13 million workers, and better align the tax treatment of labour and asset income.

Today the Greens have confirmed they will support passage of the first tranche of tax reform legislation.

It is now a question for the rest of the Parliament whether they will get on board with tax cuts for workers and a fairer tax system for first home buyers.

The three right wing parties voted against these tax cuts and in favour of big tax breaks for property investors in the House, and now they’re planning to vote the same way in the Senate which will mean voting against tax concessions for small businesses as well.

Government amendments to the legislation will mean all 2.7 million active small businesses and 98 per cent of all active businesses will be eligible for generous Capital Gains Tax (CGT) concessions.

The Government will make a number of additional amendments, in line with our announcement on 18 June, to provide as much certainty on the implementation details as possible.

The Government will also support amendments to the NDIS legislation to clarify the implementation of the reforms. 

In addition, the Government has agreed to support an amendment that will be moved by the Greens to ban future limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBAs) for residential property by superannuation funds. 

Superannuation funds are generally prohibited from borrowing money to invest, with the exception of LRBAs that are used by SMSFs. 

Multiple inquiries have raised concerns that these arrangements raise risks for superannuation investors, including the 2014 Murray Financial System Inquiry conducted for the Coalition, and limiting new arrangements going forward will help protect people’s savings.

These arrangements constitute less than 1 per cent of total residential property borrowing and less than half a per cent of new residential borrowing each year.

These changes don’t in any way change the tax arrangements for superannuation, don’t impact any existing SMSF borrowing arrangements and provide time to finalise arrangements that are in train.

Labor built superannuation and we’ll always look to make it stronger and fairer, and agreeing to these changes will reduce the risks to retirement savings while also securing passage of these important reforms to make the tax system fairer.

Passage of this important legislation this fortnight will provide workers, businesses and investors certainty about the core tax settings that will apply from 1 July 2027.

The Government will continue to develop further tranches of legislation to implement the Budget tax reform package, consistent with the process for legislating other large tax reform packages in the past.

Source: Tasmania Police

Serious Traffic Crash – Derwent Terrace New Norfolk

Tuesday, 23 June 2026 – 10:27 am.

Police are investigating a serious crash in New Norfolk this afternoon, where a teenager received serious injuries.
Emergency services were called to the scene on Derwent Terrace shortly after 4pm, after a petrol-powered pushbike collided with a bus.
Initial inquiries indicate the rider of the bike, a 17-year-old, turned right onto Derwent Terrace when he collided with a passenger bus travelling in the opposite direction.
While investigators are working to determine the location of both vehicles on the roadway, at this stage it appears the bike may have travelled into the oncoming lane, into the path of the bus.
The rider sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital in a critical condition after receiving medical attention at the scene.
The bike also had an 18-year-old passenger on board, who received non-life-threatening injuries.
The bus driver, a man in his 50s, was not physically injured, and there were no passengers on board at the time of the crash.
Derwent Terrace was closed for several hours while scene examinations were undertaken.
Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash and are calling for any witnesses who haven’t already provided information to contact them on 131 444 and quote ESCAD 306-22062026.
Investigators would also like to hear from anyone who has relevant dash cam or other footage of either vehicle before the crash occurred.
Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers Tasmania at crimestopperstas.com.au