Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Car rental platform pays penalty over concerning pricing representations

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

An international car rental booking platform has paid a penalty of $39,600 after the ACCC issued it with two ACCC infringement notices.

SIA Booking Group Corporation, which operates under the name EconomyBookings, allegedly breached Australian Consumer Law in the way it displayed prices to consumers on its website.

The ACCC alleges that EconomyBookings, in the booking process on its website, failed to prominently display the total price for car rental services as a single figure and made a false or misleading representation about whether a pre-selected optional extra was included in the rental price.

“Any business offering goods or services to Australian consumers must comply with Australian Consumer Law,” ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward said.

“Businesses must prominently display the total price of goods and services as a single figure, inclusive of selected optional extras.”

“All businesses, including online providers, should ensure that their pricing displays do not mislead consumers, or they may face enforcement action by the ACCC,” Mr Woodward said.

The ACCC alleges that in the early stages of the booking process, EconomyBookings displayed a price for a car rental on its website that did not prominently specify the rental price, including the pre-selected optional extras, as a single figure.

Pre-selected optional extras included “Last Minute Cancellation”, “Roadside assistance” and “Full coverage” for insurance.

The ACCC also alleges that EconomyBookings showed a pre-selected optional extra in its online booking process for a car rental under a heading “Your car rental includes” next to a price that did not include the price for that optional extra.

“We allege that EconomyBookings made a false or misleading representation early in the booking process that the displayed price included the cost of the pre-selected extra option when it did not,” Mr Woodward said.

In one example, the initial car price displayed was $147.10, but the total price charged with the pre-selected optional extras was $315.04.

Screenshot of the ‘Options page’ on the EconomyBookings website on 20 August 2025, showing the pre-selected extra options but the price of $147.10 does not include the options

Screenshot of the ‘Details and payment page’ on the EconomyBookings website on 20 August 2025 showing the actual total price of $315.04, which includes the pre-selected extra options

More information about the laws about how businesses must display their prices is available on the ACCC website.

Background

EconomyBookings is an online car rental booking platform, which provides a car rental price comparison and booking services for third-party car rental companies. The ACCC does not allege that the third-party companies were involved in the alleged conduct.

EconomyBookings is the operating name of SIA Booking Group Corporation, which has its headquarters in Riga, Latvia.

Note to editors

The ACCC can issue an infringement notice when it has reasonable grounds to believe a person or business has contravened certain consumer protection provisions in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

The payment of a penalty specified in an infringement notice is not an admission of a contravention of the ACL. The ACL sets the penalty amount.

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Increased heat-related health risks

Source: FairTrading New South Wales

Health advisory

Status:
Active
Advisory number:
260127
Date issued:
26 Jan 2026
Issued by:
Dr Caroline McElnay, Chief Health Officer
Issued to:
Health professionals and the Victorian community

Key messages

  • Victoria is experiencing a rare heatwave event.
  • Heat-related illness kills more Australians than any other natural disaster.
  • Extreme heat can affect anybody. Those more at-risk include people over the age of 65, babies and young children, pregnant women, people with acute or chronic health problems and people who are socially isolated.
  • Heat can cause serious and potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, trigger sudden events like heart attack or stroke, or worsen existing medical conditions like kidney or lung disease.
  • Take steps to protect yourself and others by keeping cool, staying hydrated, planning ahead to avoid the heat and checking in with others.
  • Recognising early symptoms of heat-related health problems and taking action is crucial.
  • To keep you and others safe, know the risks, be prepared and stay healthy.
  • For those people in fire impacted areas that have lost homes but may still be on their properties, we urge them to take extra care in the heat, seek support from their local government or register for supports through the Emergency Recovery Support Hotline – 1800 560 760.
  • Healthcare professionals can help reduce heat-related illness by identifying at-risk people and implementing strategies to reduce risk.

What is the issue?

Heat can cause serious and potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, trigger sudden events like heart attack or stroke, or worsen existing medical conditions like kidney or lung disease.

Who is at risk?

Extreme heat can affect anybody. Those more at-risk include:

  • people over the age of 65 years
  • infants and young children
  • people who are overweight or obese
  • pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers
  • people who have low cardiovascular fitness
  • people who are not acclimatised to hot weather
  • people with acute or chronic health problems
  • people who are socially isolated.

Symptoms

Be on the lookout for signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke (which can be life threatening), or worsening of chronic medical conditions:

  • Dehydration: Thirst, dry mouth, dizziness or altered mental state, passing less urine, or urine that is dark or strong smelling.
    • Recommended action: Move to a cool area and drink fluids.
  • Heat exhaustion: Sweating, pale complexion, muscle cramps, rapid pulse, dizziness or fainting.
  • Heatstroke: Very high body temperature, dry skin, loss of consciousness, confusion, rapid breathing.
    • Recommended action: This is life threatening. Call 000 for an ambulance.

Recommendations

For the general public

Keep cool

  • Avoid exposure to the heat as much as possible.
  • Use air conditioning and/or a fan.
  • Wear light and loose-fitting clothing.
  • Keep skin wet, using a spray bottle or damp sponge.
  • Take cool showers or foot baths in cool tap water.
  • Wrap ice cubes in a damp towel and drape around your neck.
  • Block heat from entering your home with blinds or curtains. Open windows and doors if you think it is hotter indoors than outdoors.
  • Consider spending some time in a cool place such as an air-conditioned shopping centre or public library.

Stay hydrated

  • During days when you are exposed to extreme heat, keep drinking water before you feel thirsty, especially if outdoors and performing physical activity.
  • Whenever you leave home, always take a water bottle with you.

Plan ahead

  • Cancel or reschedule activities for the coolest part of the day, and avoid exercising and being outdoors in the heat.
  • Monitor the weather forecast and the Bureau of Meteorology Heatwave warnings online or via the Bureau’s app.
  • Stay connected; check in with others. Let family, friends and neighbours know you are okay or check in with those at increased risk or who may need your support during days of extreme heat.
  • Power failures can happen during times of extreme heat.
  • Ensure you have a torch, battery-operated radio, fully charged mobile phone or battery back-up, food items that don’t require refrigeration, medications, plenty of drinking water and other essential items. Have a cool-box available to store ice or cool packs with medications.

For health professionals

Clinicians, particularly those in general practice, emergency departments and pharmacies, have a key role in preventing and managing heat-related illness.

In extreme heat, body temperature regulation is affected:

  • The body can lose heat to, and gain heat from, the environment.
  • Heat loss is controlled by the flow of blood to the skin and evaporation of sweat.
  • When the environment is hot, sweating is the main means by which the body can increase heat loss.
  • Sweating and heat loss can be impaired by humidity, excess fat, skin disorders and excessive layers of clothing.
  • Some medicines can increase the risk of heat-related illness, or may be less effective or more toxic when stored at high temperatures.
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13-2026: List of treatment providers update: treatment provider suspended – İltav İnşaat Haşere İlaçlama Tavukçuluk Tarım Turizm Gıda San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (AEI: TR0024TP)

Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture

27 January 2026

Who does this notice affect?

Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including vessel masters, freight forwarders, offshore treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, principal agents and master consolidators.

What has changed?

Following identification of critical non-compliance, we have listed İltav İnşaat Haşere İlaçlama Tavukçuluk Tarım Turizm Gıda San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (AEI…

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Call for information – Theft – Lyons

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for information in relation to a theft that occurred in Lyons over the weekend.

Around 10:35am today, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports that a significant quantity of copper wiring was stolen from air conditioner units at a facility along Damabila Drive between 22 January and 27 January 2026.

Police are urging anyone with information about the incident or CCTV footage in the area to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number NTP2600009077.

Anonymous reports can be made through Crime stoppers on 1800 333 000 https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

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Call for information – Indecent assault – Alice Springs

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for information in relation to an indecent assault that occurred in Alice Springs over the weekend.

Around 6am on Sunday, police received a report that a male had entered a residence on Erumba Street, Braitling, and allegedly attempted to indecently assault a young woman.

The male was confronted by another resident and fled the scene on foot.

Police attended the scene and arrested a 16-year-old male a short time later.

He has since been released from custody pending further investigations.

Police are urging anyone with information that could assist with investigations to make contact on 131 444 and quote reference number P26025563 . Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

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Arrest – Aggravated assault – Minyerri

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 25-year-old male in relation to a disturbance that occurred in Minyerri on Monday afternoon.

Around 12:45pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of a group of up to 50 people fighting, some of whom were armed with weapons, resulting in one adult male suffering serious injuries.

It is alleged that during the incident, a 25-year-old male assaulted a 20-year-old male with an edged weapon before police attended and the group dispersed.

The victim was conveyed to the local clinic, where he was treated for wounds to his neck, abdomen and shoulder. He has since been transported to Royal Darwin Hospital via CareFlight in a serious but stable condition.

The 25-year-old alleged offender was later located and arrested. He remains in police custody and investigations are ongoing.

Police urge anyone with information about the incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P26026573. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

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Total Fire Ban for Wimmera and North East

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

A Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared for the Wimmera and North East districts tomorrow, Wednesday, 28 January 2026.

Tomorrow’s conditions in the Wimmer and the North East will be a continuation of the hot, dry, and windy conditions we have seen over the past few days. 

Temperatures are set to reach the mid-forties with south westerly winds.  

A Total Fire Ban means no fire can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12.01am to 11.59pm on the day of the Total Fire Ban.  

CFA Chief Officer, Jason Heffernan, said the TFB has been declared due to the expected conditions and the current fires in the landscape across the Wimmera and the North East tomorrow.  

“Tomorrow’s conditions will make it difficult to suppress new fire starts, as well as providing a challenge for firefighters already working hard on containing existing fires,” he said.  

“Even in areas not under total fire ban we are urging people to reconsider the need for things that have the potential to start fires. 

“Crews all over the state have been working incredibly hard around the clock and we can thank them by following the strict conditions associated with a total fire ban.” 

Victorians can find out if it is a Total Fire Ban on the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au, where it is usually published by 5pm the day before a Total Fire Ban.  

For more information on what you can and can’t do visit the Can I or Can’t I page on the CFA website.  

Victorians should also make sure they have access to more than one source of information.  

They include: 

  • The VicEmergency App 

Submitted by CFA Media
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New research projects aim to address gaps in women’s health

Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

For decades, women have often been excluded from medical research, leading to gaps in knowledge and limited attention to how many health issues can disproportionately and differently affect them compared to men. A Department of Health led research funding initiative is helping to address this by supporting innovative research into women’s health.

The Women’s Health Research Catalyst Grants program is being delivered as part of the Victorian Government’s $153.9 million Women’s Health and Wellbeing package, aiming to change the way women’s health issues are treated in Victoria.

Fifteen projects have received funding through the Women’s Health Research Catalyst Grants program, with grants of up to $150,000. The research funding aims to advance understanding of how disease and health conditions affect women, and to strengthen evidence in areas previously overlooked.

The successful grant recipients are conducting research across a range of priority areas, including sexual and reproductive health, cardiovascular health, oncology, neurodegenerative conditions and chronic pain. The projects will contribute to a growing body of knowledge focused on women’s health.

Among the grant recipients is Professor Priscilla Dunk-West of Victoria University, who received funding to investigate how LGBTQ+ Victorians experience, interpret and navigate menopause as a bodily experience. The research aims to highlight the diversity of experiences within this community and develop a practice guide for health professionals to support LGBTQ+ people during menopause.

Professor Dunk-West, is a sociologist with a background in sexual health. She says there is limited research in Australia about how LGBTQ+ people navigate menopause and notes that her own experiences helped shape her interest in the topic.

“I come to my research with a lived experience lens which includes some very challenging years of perimenopause.

“There is a lot of emphasis on medical aspects to menopause such as managing symptoms but there is so much more to menopause than symptoms. I wondered how people navigate menopause in their queer relationships, how menopause was experienced in LGBTQ+ communities and how, as a broader community, we understand menopause for queer people. Our research team is thrilled to be able to undertake this important work,” Professor Dunk-West says.

Professor Dunk-West says she has high hopes for the research outcomes, with her research designed to draw directly on lived experience.

“We are asking participants to tell us what they think health professionals need to know, and thus drawing from the collective wisdom of LGBTQ+ people to inform the care and service needs in Victoria and beyond,” Professor Dunk-West says.

The study is currently seeking participants in Victoria who are LGBTQ+ and have experienced, or are experiencing, any stage of menopause, including perimenopause or postmenopause.

Find out more about the study and access the survey External Link .

Find out more about how the Department of Health is bridging the gap in women’s healthcare through the Women’s Health and Wellbeing Program.

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Seatbelts, speeders, drug and drink drivers

Source: Tasmania Police

Seatbelts, speeders, drug and drink drivers

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 – 12:23 pm.

Western District police maintained a strong presence on local roads over the past week, including targeted traffic operations over the Australia Day long weekend.
Acting Inspector Luke Negri said the focus was on reducing serious injury and death on our roads by detecting and removing dangerous drivers.
“Across the period, police detected 20 drug drivers, all of whom will be summonsed to appear in court,” he said.
“Drug driving remains a significant cause of serious and fatal crashes, and motorists should expect ongoing enforcement.”
Several drink drivers were also detected, including:
A 49-year-old man charged with failing a breath analysis, failing to comply with a direction to undergo testing and possessing an open container of alcohol. He received a two year disqualification.A 53-year-old George Town woman (0.053), to be proceeded against by summons.A 23-year-old Heybridge woman (0.051) charged with exceeding the prescribed limit, breaching learner licence conditions and driving unaccompanied.A 34-year-old Queensland man (0.192) charged with exceeding the prescribed limit.A 30-year-old Ambleside woman who failed to provide a breath analysis – to be proceeded against by summons.A 37-year-old Burnie woman (0.039) charged with driving unlicensed and exceeding the prescribed limit.A 51-year-old Eugenana woman (0.250) charged with drink driving and failing to stop after a crash. She was remanded in custody.
Inspector Negri said speeding remains a significant concern, with 152 detections recorded in the district in the past week.
“On Monday, officers detected a 35 year old East Devonport man travelling at 117 km/h in a 60 km/h zone,” he said.
“His vehicle was clamped for 28 days, and he received a $1,178.75 infringement, six demerit points and a four month disqualification.”
Notable examples on Saturday included:
A 30 year old Beauty Point man travelling 100 km/h in a 40 km/h zone on Bakers Point Road in Narawntapu National Park.A 28 year old Victorian woman travelling 95 km/h in a 60 km/h zone at Kimberley.A 23 year old Burnie man travelling 147 km/h in a 110 km/h zone at West Ulverstone.
Inspector Negri said the use of seatbelts was also a focus of police.
“Officers conducted an operation in Smithton on Monday and detected five drivers or passengers not wearing seatbelts, all within one hour.”
“Seatbelts are one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent serious injury or death in a crash,” Inspector Negri said.
“There’s no excuse for not wearing one. These are entirely preventable offences, and police will continue targeting this behaviour.”
“Both drivers and unrestrained passengers may receive an infringement, attracting a $410 fine and three demerit points.”
Anyone with information about dangerous driving should contact police on 131 444, or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.

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The balance between studying and volunteering

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

CFA’s youngest first lieutenant Brodie Hanks is one of the many young people in CFA who has juggled volunteering with studying.

The 18-year-old joined Jancourt Fire Brigade when he was 16, signing up on his birthday because he couldn’t wait any longer.

“I was elected to the role of first lieutenant in July when I was 17 and I am working hard to pursue becoming a career firefighter,” Brodie said. “CFA has given me a place to explore something I am passionate about as well as giving me lifelong friends and skills.”

Brodie recently finished year 12 and for him volunteering alongside going to school was a complementary experience.

“CFA was an outlet for me to do something outside of school that wasn’t sport,” he said.

“I learned a lot of things through CFA that helped me at school like leadership skills, resilience and communication. These things aren’t necessarily taught in a classroom setting.”

Brodie said he takes on as much as he can in his brigade including strike teams – and he didn’t miss a single callout in his first year. But he believes volunteers can work this commitment around their lives and take on what suits.

“There have been a couple of times when I have got straight off the bus and put my turnout gear over my school uniform,” he said.

“If you know you have an exam coming up, you don’t have to go to the callouts in the middle of the night, but if you’re slugged down in study turning out can provide a really good brain break.

“Training fits pretty well around a school schedule and everyone is really supportive.”

Brodie said being part of CFA is a great opportunity for all young people. “Everyone gets around each other. It’s such a supportive environment, it looks great on a resume, and you have a lot of fun,” he said.

Submitted by News and Media