Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source:

Toora members use a fine-spray to control the HAZMAT chemical spill simulation

Brigades from across South Gippsland have participated in a range of training scenarios at Barry Beach Marine Terminal – the main supply depot for Esso Australia’s Bass Strait oil and gas operations.

The exercises included a complex search and rescue in a smoke-filled building, communication exercises using new CFA radios, and a HAZMAT situation involving a chemical spill. 

This training allowed members to practice their skills in a realistic environment and improve their response capabilities, with the exercises designed to enhance their preparedness for potential emergencies within the marine terminal and surrounding areas.

“We chose to engage with Qube Energy as the Barry Beach Martine Terminal is a major piece of infrastructure in the region,” Deputy Group Officer Training Ray Argento said.

“We’re also expecting the number of people onsite at Barry Beach to grow significantly over the coming years with the proposed offshore rig decommissioning activities and the development of the Gippsland offshore wind zone.”

The key was for members to practice their skills, and the site at Barry Beach was chosen to provide a foundation for collaboration.

Members from Welshpool, Toora, Foster, Meeniyan-Stony Creek, Inverloch, Tarwin Lower & District, Fish Creek & District, Pound Creek and Dumbalk brigades participated in the training.

Ambulance Victoria members were also on scene during the exercise to provide support and expertise in patient lift and extraction techniques.

“I think the exercises challenged brigades and members,” Mr Argento continued. “They were able to call on the experiences of others and their training to consider the best way to deal with each of the scenarios they were presented with.

“We sincerely thank Qube Energy for the opportunity to use their site, their willingness to be so involved in the process – and particularly for supporting volunteers to learn vital skills.”

Source: Ministers for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Robotics pioneer Luminous has been selected to receive $4.9 million in funding as the first recipient of ARENA’s $100 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge, which sought to supercharge innovation and crowdsource ideas from around the world on how to reduce the cost of large-scale solar. 

Luminous’ project will introduce and demonstrate their LUMI robot, an AI-powered pick and place technology designed to streamline utility scale solar construction. LUMI addresses one of the industry’s most labour-intensive tasks: panel installation. LUMI autonomously places solar modules onto racking structures, allowing onsite workers to complete the final securing process, reducing manual labour and improving installation speed, safety and cost-efficiency. 

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said that reducing operation and maintenance costs in deployment of large-scale solar is a critical lever in achieving ARENA’s ultra low-cost solar vision. 

“ARENA has set an ambitious goal to reduce the installed cost of solar to 30 cents per watt and bring the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) below $20 per megawatt hour. These are important targets, because at this cost solar will form the foundation for Australia’s renewable energy “superpower” future.” 

“To achieve net zero, Australia will need immense amounts of solar power at ultra-low cost. We’ve already proven our ability to manufacture advanced technologies. It’s now time to apply that capability to solar PV, a cornerstone of the nation’s clean energy future.”  

“Solutions like LUMI are key to reducing costs and maintaining Australia’s leading role in the development and innovation of solar technologies. The Solar ScaleUp Challenge brought together local and global thinkers, innovators and developers to collaborate and find innovative and groundbreaking solutions to transform the solar industry. This project is a great example of that ingenuity,” Mr Miller said. 

Luminous hopes the LUMI robot will enhance productivity and safety on Australian solar farms by helping the existing workforce to install solar panels up to 3.5 times faster, without any need for heavy lifting. While LUMI has already demonstrated cost reductions on solar farms in the US, the ARENA project marks the first global deployment of a full fleet of five LUMI robots, unlocking the potential to lower solar farm costs by up to 6.2%. 

Luminous has partnered with Equans, a global engineering, procurement and construction firm, to deploy LUMI at two Australian solar farms: the 440MW Neoen Culcairn Solar Farm in New South Wales; and the 250MW Engie Goorambat East Solar Farm in Victoria. 

Luminous CEO Jay M. Wong said they were thrilled to work with ARENA and Equans to showcase the future of solar construction in one of the world’s most advanced solar markets. 

“With LUMI, we’re not just introducing a robot – we’re setting out to redefine the standard for how solar farms are built and help sites energise faster and safer. Deploying our LUMI fleet in Australia will allow us to capture the data, performance insights and real-world impact needed to drive global adoption – the kind of scale and transformation we founded Luminous to achieve.” 

The project continues ARENA’s support of Australian innovation in the solar PV industry. ARENA has provided over $388 million to over 200 solar research and development projects since 2009 through funding programs inherited from the Australian Solar Institute or delivered by ARENA since 2012. 

Although the ScaleUp Challenge has closed, ARENA’s work to accelerate the pace of innovation in renewable energy technologies continues. If you’re an investor, developer, researcher or entrepreneur with a vision for low-cost large-scale solar, now is the time to engage.  

ARENA will continue to support big ideas and back breakthroughs that power Australia’s clean energy future. Read more about our Ultra Low-Cost Solar priorities.   

Apply for funding through the Advancing Renewables Program or Solar Sunshot Program. 

ARENA media contact:

media@arena.gov.au

Download this media release (PDF 151KB)

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

The City of Greater Bendigo is excited to announce the opening of the 2025 Knuldoorong Art Exhibition this Friday July 4, featuring works from First Nations artists and creatives.

The annual Knuldoorong Art Exhibition is a major highlight of local NAIDOC Week (July 6 to 13) events, anchoring the start of celebrations across Bendigo.

This year’s exhibition explores the NAIDOC theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy, through the talented cohort of First Nations artists exhibiting their artwork.

The theme is reflected in the artists themselves, with artists exhibiting at different stages in their careers and life’s journey, from well-established Elders to first-time exhibitors and young First Nations artists. There is also a special showcase from the Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative kindergarten.

For the past nine years, the Knuldoorong Art Exhibition has been a cornerstone of NAIDOC Week celebrations, taking place in Dudley House.

Artworks will be available for purchase, although items will remain on display in Dudley House until the exhibition ends.

The City’s Arts Officer First Nations and exhibition curator Michellie Charvat said this exhibition is a beautiful reflection of multiple generations of artists coming together.

“This year’s Knuldoorong Art Exhibition showcases an outstanding collection of artworks created by incredibly talented artists, from right across Bendigo and beyond,” Ms Charvat said.

“It was amazing to curate the exhibition with the intention that the NAIDOC theme is embodied through the artists themselves, offering a subtle theme of The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy.

“Each artwork reflects the culture and identity of the artist, deepening the connection to NAIDOC, community, and First Nations individuals.

“It was also a special exhibition for me to curate personally as this is where my career as an artist and curator began years ago, so to support and encourage young artists to exhibit their work for the first time in this exhibition is really special.”

The Knuldoorong Art Exhibition will be open to the public from Friday July 4 to Sunday July 13.

The exhibition is free to attend and will be open daily from 11am to 4pm.

Source: Airservices Australia

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and The Treasury welcome the release of a public consultation today by Australian Payments Network and Australian Payments Plus on the future of the account-to-account payments system.

Formulating a clear vision for the account-to-account payments system that is consistent with public interest considerations is a foundational recommendation of the recent RBA Risk Assessment on the proposed decommissioning of the Bulk Electronic Clearing System.

RBA Assistant Governor (Financial System) Brad Jones said: “The account-to-account system supports consumers, businesses and government agencies in their everyday economic activities. It is a vital part of Australia’s financial infrastructure. This consultation provides a broad range of stakeholders the chance to provide input into how the system can be modernised to meet the opportunities and challenges of the future, in the public interest.”

To support the development of the vision, the RBA is publishing a paper outlining our public interest framework for the account-to-account payments system. Central to the success of the future system is its ability to provide all end users with access to payments options that are capable of meeting their needs, and that are cost-effective, reliable and safe. Achievement of these objectives will require effective industry governance arrangements, resilient infrastructure and competition and innovation among participants.

Background

Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet) is the self-regulatory body for the payments industry. It administers the framework for the Bulk Electronic Clearing System – Australia’s system for processing batch account-to-account payments, including payroll and welfare payments.

Australian Payments Plus (AP+) is the provider of Australia’s fast payment system – the New Payments Platform – as well as the BPAY billing service.

The consultation paper, and details about the submission process, can be accessed at either of the following locations:

www.auspaynet.com.au/insights/consultations/A2Avision

www.auspayplus.com.au/stakeholder-engagement/public-consultations

Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Most people will never see Antarctic sea ice up close, but its presence or absence affects our day-to-day lives.
Now scientists are questioning whether a ‘regime shift’ to a new state of diminished Antarctic sea-ice coverage is underway, due to recent record lows.
If so, it will have impacts across climate, ecological and societal systems, according to new research published in PNAS Nexus.

These impacts include ocean warming, increased iceberg calving, habitat loss and sea-level rise, and effects on fisheries, Antarctic tourism, and even the mental health of the global human population.
Led by Australian Antarctic Program Partnership oceanographer Dr Edward Doddridge, the international team assessed the impacts of extreme summer sea-ice lows, and the challenges to predicting and mitigating change.
“Antarctic sea ice provides climate and ecosystem services of regional and global significance,” Dr Doddridge said.
“There are far reaching negative impacts caused by sea-ice loss.
“However, we do not sufficiently understand the baseline system to be able to predict how it will respond to the dramatic changes we are already observing.
“To predict future changes, and to potentially mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on Antarctica, we urgently need to improve our knowledge through new observations and modelling studies.”
What’s at stake?
While sea-ice loss affects many things, the research team identified three key impacts:

Reduced summer sea-ice cover exposes more of the ocean to sunlight. This leads to surface water warming that promotes further sea-ice loss. Ocean warming increases melting under glacial ice shelves, which could lead to increased iceberg calving. Warmer water also affects the flow of deep-water currents that help move ocean heat around the globe, influencing the planet’s climate.
Sea-ice loss exposes the ice shelves that fringe the Antarctic continent to damaging ocean swells and storms. These can weaken the ice shelves, leading to iceberg calving. As ice shelves slow the flow of ice from the interior of the Antarctic continent to the coast, iceberg calving allows this interior ice flow to speed up, contributing to sea-level rise.
Sea ice provides breeding habitat for penguin and seal species, and a refuge for many marine species from predators. It is also an important nursery habitat and source of food (sea-ice algae) for Antarctic krill – an important prey species for many Southern Ocean inhabitants. Adverse sea-ice conditions that persist over several seasons could see population declines in these sea-ice dependent species.

The research team also identified socio-economic and wellbeing impacts, affecting fisheries, tourism, scientific research, ice-navigation, coastal operations, and the mental health (climate anxiety) of the global population.
For example, shorter sea-ice seasons will reduce the window for over-ice resupplies of Antarctic stations. There could also be increased shipping pressures on the continent, including from alien species incursions, fuel spills and an increase in the number and movement of tourist vessels to and from new locations.
Research co-author and sea-ice system expert, Dr Petra Heil, from the Australian Antarctic Division, said the paper highlighted the need for ongoing, year-round, field-based and satellite measurements of circumpolar sea-ice variables (especially thickness), and sub-surface ocean variables.
This would allow integrated analyses of the Southern Ocean processes contributing to the recent sea-ice deficits.
“As shown in climate simulations, continued greenhouse gas emissions, even at reduced rate, will further accelerate persistent deficits of sea ice, and with it a lack of the critical climate and ecosystem functions it provides,” Dr Heil said.
“To conserve and preserve the physical environment and ecosystems of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean we must prioritise an immediate and sustained transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
“Ultimately our decison for immediate and deep action will provide the maximum future proofing we can have in terms of lifestyle and economic values.”
Learn more about Antarctic sea ice in our feature ‘Sea ice in crisis’.
This content was last updated 8 minutes ago on 2 July 2025.

Source: Tasmania Police

Issued: 1 Jul 2025

Wildlife rangers have humanely euthanised a three-metre estuarine (saltwater) crocodile on the banks of the Mary River at Dundathu, near Maryborough in the Wide Bay region due to the ongoing public safety risk.

The crocodile was reported to Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation by a member of the public on 24 June 2025.

The department thanks the person for submitting the crocodile sighting report.

Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing an online crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

Source: Tasmania Police

Issued: 1 Jul 2025

Wildlife rangers are asking for public assistance to find the owner of a snake and enclosure that was found on a footpath in the Bundaberg suburb of Avenell Heights.

A man walking his dog made the unusual discovery and took snake and enclosure home before calling a local snake catcher.

After retrieving the snake and the enclosure, the snake catcher handed it in to the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

Senior Wildlife Ranger Amanda Yates said the snake is an albino Darwin carpet python, and it was most likely captive-bred and raised.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

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Source: New South Wales – News

Police attended a Paralowie address this morning, Tuesday 1 July, where officers allegedly discovered explosives components.

Further police resources attended, including Bomb Response Unit, CIB detectives, Dog Operations and crime scene investigators.

A thorough search of the home allegedly uncovered additional weapons, including firearms, swords and crossbows.

A 30-year-old Paralowie man was arrested at the home and charged with possess firearm without a licence and possess prohibited weapon.

He was bailed to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on 7 August.

A 30-year-old Paralowie woman was reported for possess firearm (gel blaster) and will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

Investigations are continuing.

Anyone with information about illicit firearms or weapons in our community can report it to police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services