The Cadets line up in front of the Central Highlands Training Centre Gas Prop
From May 16 to 18, 36 inspiring young CFA volunteers came together for an unforgettable Cadet Camp — and what a weekend it was!
Held at YMCA’s Lady Northcote Discovery Camp, our 16 to 17-year-old volunteers (cadets) from across Victoria took part in a jam-packed program of team building, personal development and hands-on training at Central Highlands VEMTC.
Throughout the camp, they forged friendships, built confidence, and deepened their commitment to serving their communities — all while having a whole lot of fun.
Highlights included:
A live drafting session with Ballarat City and Rowsley brigades
Visit from La Trobe University’s Aspire program, sharing opportunities for further development
Words of encouragement from CFA CEO Greg Leach AFSM, reminding cadets to embrace every opportunity.
The Cadet Camp weekend isn’t just about preparing for the future. It is a powerful reminder that our young members are not just tomorrow’s leaders — they are here now, taking their place and playing their part in keeping Victorian communities safe.
Regen is believed to have departed his home address in Ngukurr on Sunday 22 June at 6am and did not arrive at his destination. It is believed Regen was travelling on a motorbike towards the Nulawan Outstation, 23km to the east of Ngukurr Community.
Yesterday, the Search and Rescue Section (SRS) deployed aerial assets including Police Airwing, Challenger Jet Aircraft and helicopters to conduct searches in the area.
Local police, alongside members from Numbulwar and Katherine, and with the assistance of local rangers and community volunteers, coordinated a ground search, and door knocks have been conducted in Ngukurr Community. Members from the Territory Response Group (TRG) were also deployed to assist with the ground search utilising ATVs and motorbikes.
Search efforts are expected to continue today, with additional resources from the Territory Safety Division (TSD) and NT Emergency Services volunteers being deployed.
Police hold concerns for Regen’s welfare and urge anyone with information to call Triple Zero (000) or 131 444. Please quote reference P25168347.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
ACT Budget 2025–26: RSPCA ACT Project Home Moves to Next Stage – Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate
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The ACT Government is delivering on its commitment to support a new, modern home for RSPCA ACT, with an initial $2 million investment to progress pre-construction work on the much-anticipated Project Home facility.
The grant will enable RSPCA ACT to advance critical work including finalising the facility’s design, securing development approvals and commencing procurement processes ahead of construction.
Minister for City Services Tara Cheyne said the investment marks a significant milestone in the delivery of a purpose-built, fit-for-purpose facility that will enhance animal welfare in the ACT.
“This is an exciting step forward in building a better home for RSPCA ACT and the animals they care for,” Minister Cheyne said.
“The current facilities are ageing and no longer meet the needs of the animals housed there, nor the community and staff. A modern facility will improve safety, support best practice in animal management and deliver better outcomes for animals and the people who care for them.”
“We’re working closely with RSPCA ACT to ensure this project is delivered in a way that meets community expectations and supports their vital work across the Territory,” Minister Cheyne said.
“The ACT Government met with the RSPCA ACT Board and CEO last week to discuss the project’s next phase, with strong commitment from all parties to get the project construction ready.”
“This new facility will support RSPCA ACT to continue their crucial role as a strategic partner of the ACT Government in promoting animal welfare and protecting companion animals across our city,” Minister Cheyne said.
The initial $2 million investment will enable RSPCA ACT to partner with a designer and builder to determine how to complete the facility within the balance of the ACT Government’s total $40 million commitment. The remainder of the funding will be released in a second grant when the project is ready to move into the construction phase.
Treasurer Chris Steel said the funding reflects the ACT Government’s commitment to delivering on election promises while supporting the infrastructure needs of key community partners.
“This funding is part of our responsible Budget strategy to invest in projects that make a meaningful difference – in this case, supporting the RSPCA to provide modern, safe and compassionate care for animals,” said Treasurer Chris Steel.
New research has revealed the trauma faced by journalists during the height of the pandemic, caused by exposure to online threats, disturbing information and disrupted work routines that exacerbated an industry already under pressure from the rise of social media and online news.
Journalism and media experts from the University of South Australia have explored the impact of online trauma and threats faced by media professionals during lockdown and restriction periods of the pandemic.
Findings suggest that while journalists were able to work from home, their reliance on online and digital tools increased, exposing them to potential threats such as trolling, cyber stalking, graphic content, fake news and disturbing information, as well as disrupted work routines.
A survey of 60 people from around the world found that journalists’ reliance on online resources significantly increased during COVID-19. Before the pandemic only 9% of surveyed journalists spent less than two hours per day online for work. By the time lockdowns occurred, that figure rose to 100%. Almost two-thirds of journalists said fake news and dangerous information was the most potent online danger following the height of the pandemic.
Lead researcher PhD student Amantha Perera has worked as a journalist for more than 20 years, his work appearing in TIME, Reuters, The Washington Post, The Guardian and al-Jazeera.
He says the pandemic left journalists in a constant state of uncertainty and feeling anxious and nervous for long periods of time. They also felt they lacked the effective resources and skills to create relief from that environment.
“The traditional journalism practices like tight deadlines, attention to detail and the competition to report stories before others made it more difficult for journalists to switch off. Those we surveyed described COVID-19 as an intense, fast-moving and dynamic story with constant emphasis that it was global and potentially fatal. The threat of infection was always present,” Perera says.
“An overwhelming 97.6% of the survey participants agreed that more resources should be diverted to help journalists build skills to mitigate online trauma which can include disturbing information, graphic content, and abuse and threats.”
One survey participant described the isolation of working and living in a hyper-active information environment and being connected 24/7.
“I was alone a lot in front of the computer. I could not move around in my city. I felt trapped, often interviewing people in very difficult situations. That made things more pronounced for me, and I couldn’t escape it by doing things I usually enjoyed as I was stuck at home,” they said.
The exponential rise in social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, as well as other online resources, have made it easier for audiences to engage immediately with the news cycle and journalists themselves.
“Social media, messaging groups and user comments on stories make it easy for readers to be anonymous and this has created a new digital challenge for journalists who work online,” Perera says.
“The more time that journalists spend inside social media communities, means the more exposure to online toxicity. This is combined with journalists being required to produce often lifesaving public safety information while working long hours and often in remote workspaces during the height of COVID-19.
“This challenging reporting environment resulted in feelings of fatigue, frustration and anxiety – all of which can manifest in journalists reporting under other potentially traumatic situations like natural disasters.”
UniSA PhD student Amantha Perera, right, reports on the post-conflict impact of drought and climate extremities in a rural Sri Lanka village Andigama in 2017.
Perera has proposed the development of a ‘digital flak jacket’ for journalists – a suite of tools and training which adequately prepares journalists for work in digital spaces. His idea was influenced by time he spent reporting the war in Sri Lanka. Every time Perera entered an active conflict zone, he would put on a flak jacket, which is a form of body armour.
“I did this to make sure that I was prepared and relatively safe from potential hazardous reporting situations. In a similar vein, the digital flak jacket proposes a digital equivalent; a set of resources and interventions, which would allow journalists to report within digital or hybrid workspaces safely. For the digital flak jacket to be effective, the individual journalist needs to assess the current threat exposure levels and decide on the most suitable interventions,” he says.
While COVID-19 restrictions have long eased, urgent humanitarian situations in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Israel and Gaza leave journalists to face similar and potentially dangerous working situations while reliant on online resources.
“Our ongoing work investigating current work conditions faced by journalists in the Asia Pacific has shown that journalism is now functioning in a hybrid workspace where the online and the offline interchange seamlessly,” he says.
“This has in turn increased the exposure levels to what we now define as technology facilitated threats. There is also heightened concerns over the impact of generative AI from job losses to fake content to eroding trust. The digital flak jacket is an essential work tool now.”
Bowel cancer is no longer just a disease of the elderly. In Australia and around the world, there’s been a concerning rise in bowel cancer cases among people under 50, and no one yet knows exactly why.
Leading cancer researcher Professor Michael Samuel – from the Centre for Cancer Biology based at the University of South Australia and the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research – is at the forefront of a major effort to find answers.
Backed by a $573,833 grant from Bowel Cancer Australia through Cancer Australia, his team has launched a three-year research project to uncover why younger people are increasingly affected and why a significant number of patients relapse after treatment.
“We’ve come a long way in the fight against bowel cancer,” Professor Samuel explains. “Thanks to better screening, fewer people are dying from it. But early-onset cases are growing, and that’s a mystery we urgently need to solve.”
Recent statistics from the University of Melbourne show that someone born in 1990 is up to three times more likely to be diagnosed with bowel cancer than someone born in 1950.
And the challenge doesn’t end with diagnosis.
About one-third of patients who have their bowel cancer surgically removed later see the cancer return, but there’s currently no way to predict who’s at risk. In people under 50 diagnosed with cancer, the relapse rate is closer to 50%.
“That means that some people are going through intense monitoring and therapy that they might not need, while others who opt out may end up facing a relapse that could have been prevented,” says Professor Samuel. “It’s not good enough. We need tools to predict, prevent, and personalise treatment.”
This is where the team’s breakthrough focus comes in: 10 key biomarkers. These biomarkers (chemicals produced by tumours) are being investigated as potential indicators of both the risk of developing early-onset bowel cancer and the likelihood of a recurrence.
Over the past 12 months, Professor Samuel’s team has worked intensively to lay the groundwork for this biomarker research. Their goal is to use what they learn to:
Identify people at higher risk of early-onset bowel cancer
Predict which patients are likely to experience a relapse
Help guide more accurate and personalised treatment plans
Reduce unnecessary treatments and the side effects they bring.
Bowel Cancer Australia CEO Julien Wiggins says the risk of being diagnosed before age 40 has more than doubled since 2000, and 1-in-9 new bowel cancer cases now occur in people under age 50.
“We need to know the “why” around the substantial increase in younger people getting bowel cancer,” he says. “Investing in innovative and collaborative research across all aspects of early-onset bowel cancer has the potential to improve survival and/or help build a path toward a cure.”
With the investigation into the 10 biomarkers now fully underway, this research offers hope for earlier detection, smarter treatment, and ultimately, better outcomes for bowel cancer patients of all ages.
This research project is a collaboration of the UniSA’s and SA Pathology’s Centre for Cancer Biology, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network’s (CALHN) and the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research.
Professor Samuel discusses the project in this video.
NAB today announced the appointment of Pete Steel as Group Executive, Digital, Data & Artificial Intelligence.
In this new role reporting to NAB Group Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Irvine, Mr Steel will lead the bank’s digital, data and AI teams and initiatives to deliver better experiences for customers. He will also be accountable for design, customer onboarding and NAB’s digital bank ubank.
“Digital, data and AI are critical enablers for the delivery of our strategic ambition of customer-centricity and now is the right time to have an executive solely accountable and focussed on accelerating our progress in these areas,” Mr Irvine said.
“Pete’s deep experience in using digital and technology solutions to deliver for customers and driving commercial outcomes will be a valuable addition to my Executive Leadership Team.”
Mr Steel is Managing Director, Customer Engagement, at Lloyds Banking Group in the UK, leading a division of approximately 16,000 people responsible for consumer sales and service, digital, artificial intelligence, personalisation, branches, call centres and advisers.
Prior to joining Lloyds, he founded fintech startup Expertli and served as a Senior Adviser on digital transformation at Boston Consulting Group. Previously, he spent 16 years at CBA in executive roles including Group Chief Digital Officer.
Mr Steel will start at NAB on January 5, 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and on completing his employment at Lloyds.
Following these changes, Group Chief Operating Officer Les Matheson will continue to have responsibility for several of NAB’s key strategic priorities including Business-led Technology Modernisation, Payments, Customer Experience, Group Marketing and Enterprise Simplification.
The City of Greater Bendigo is pleased to announce a new work placement initiative aimed at encouraging more young women to explore careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Applications are now open for the Young Women in STEM Work Placement Program which is aimed at high school students in Years 9 and 10 across Greater Bendigo. The program will offer week-long placements in selected City units where STEM skills are actively applied such as Bendigo Airport, Bendigo Venues & Events, Engineering and Financial Strategy.
Applicants will undergo a competitive selection process managed by the respective unit.
Director Corporate Performance Jess Howard said the City was proud to present the new STEM placement program.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for 12 young women to gain hands-on experience and valuable insights on what STEM careers look like within local government,” Ms Howard said.
“Students will be selected through a competitive application process and placed in departments where they will see how STEM skills are used every day.
“The City is deeply committed to advancing gender equality both in the workplace and across our community. This program reflects our goal to build strong, diverse teams that deliver high-quality services.
“STEM offers a wide range of exciting and evolving career pathways, and these skills are increasingly valued by employers. I hope this experience inspires students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths. It’s vital that organisations like ours, and local businesses in the region, continue to attract emerging talent and embrace the benefits of a diverse workforce.”
The following City business units are championing the program and offering placement opportunities that highlight STEM in action:
Bendigo Venues & Events: August 25-29, 2025
Resource Recovery & Education: August 25-29 or September 1-5, 2025
Climate Change & Environment: September 1-5 or September 15-19, 2025
Engineering: September 1-5 or November 10-14, 2025
Financial Strategy: September 8-12 or October 20-24, 2025
Bendigo Airport: October 6-10 or November 10-14, 2025
Information Technology: November 10-14, 2025
Today also marks International Women in Engineering Day, a global celebration of the achievements of women engineers and a call to action for more women to shape the world through engineering. The City proudly acknowledges the contributions of its women engineers: Saran O’Connor-Williams (Infrastructure Engineer), Larnie Ham (Graduate Design Engineer), and Kylie Douglas (Senior Landfill Engineer).
“Their work demonstrates the innovation and impact of women in engineering and highlights the exciting range of career opportunities available in STEM,” Ms Howard said.
The City presents around 60 work placements a year for high school and university students, of which 12 will be linked to the Young Women in STEM Work Placement Program. The other City placements are open to everyone who meets the criteria.
On Friday 20 June 2025, Mental Health Australia provided an Incoming Government Brief on psychosocial disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to Minister for Disability and the NDIS, the Hon Mark Butler MP and Minister for the NDIS, Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister.
The brief acknowledges that while the NDIS has been life changing for many people with psychosocial disability, their family, carers and kin, it is clear that overall there is a need for a more tailored and effective use of the funding committed to the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability. The brief outlines practical solutions to deliver this approach and recommends priority actions for the first 100 days and first year of this government, informed by sector and lived experience expertise. Actions include introducing a new approach to NDIS support for people with psychosocial disability, getting navigation reforms right for people with psychosocial disability, understanding the recent decline in NDIS access rates, shifting from encouraging dependence to supporting recovery, ensuring psychosocial expertise is informing NDIS reforms and fixing NDIS pricing. The brief also discusses implementation of General Foundational Supports for people with psychosocial disability and addressing the unmet need for psychosocial support outside the NDIS.
Read the full Incoming Government Brief by clicking on the PDF link below.
Victorian renters and rental providers now have a fast and free service to help resolve simple rental disputes.
Launched today, Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (RDRV) is a dispute resolution service to help settle disputes over bonds, compensation, repairs, and excessive rents.
Victorians can access RDRV by phone, online, or in person. Experts are available to:
provide information
contact the other party to seek a resolution
and support both renters and rental providers throughout the process.
The free service offers a faster, more accessible pathway to a fair outcome, and is available to anyone experiencing a rental dispute.
It provides an alternative to more costly options, such as Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) hearings.
Visit the RDRV website to learn how they can help.
All residential aged care providers will be required to complete a new Care Minutes Performance Statement, which must be externally audited and submitted to the 2025–26 Aged Care Financial Report. Find out how to prepare for these new requirements.