A truck driver was arrested after a crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist at Blackwood yesterday afternoon.
Just after 3.30pm on Thursday 22 May, police were called to Shepherds Hill Road, Blackwood after reports of a collision between a truck and motorcycle.
The rider, a 46-year-old man from Blackwood, sustained serious injuries in the crash and was rushed to hospital. He remains in a critical condition.
The truck driver, a 38-year-old man from Holden Hill, was not injured.
Major Crash Investigators attended the scene to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Last night, the truck driver was arrested and charged with cause serious harm by dangerous driving. He was issued with an immediate loss of licence until further order and bailed to appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on 31 July.
Anyone who witnessed the crash and hasn’t yet spoken to police or has dashcam or CCTV footage that captured the collision or either the truck or motorcycle in the vicinity of Shepherds Hill Road yesterday is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Three males, aged 13, 15 and 20-years-old, have been arrested after assaulting workers in a carpark of a shopping centre in Casuarina.
About 8:25pm last night, police received reports of four cleaners being assaulted by three males in separate incidents. It is alleged the first three cleaners were physically assaulted and the fourth cleaner was threatened with a hammer while the group demanded money and jewellery. No injuries were reported.
Casuarina General Duties and the Dog Operations Unit deployed and arrested the three males nearby.
The 13-year-old male will be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
The 15-year-old male was charged with Assault with Intent to Steal and is awaiting bail review.
The 20-year-old male was charged with Assault with Intent to Steal and was remanded to appear in the Darwin Local Court later today.
Casuarina General Duties Officers have carriage of the investigation.
Anyone who witnesses or experiences crime or anti-social behaviour is urged to contact police on 131 444. In an emergency dial Triple Zero.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Strike Force Trident have arrested four youths in relation to a stolen motor vehicle and pursuit in Palmerston yesterday afternoon.
Around 2:30pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of a Toyota Hilux driving dangerously through Berrimah along the Stuart Highway. Checks of the vehicle’s registration identified that it had been stolen from an address in Darwin City.
A short time later, Trident members sighted the vehicle stationary on Bailey Circuit, Driver, with one male youth exiting before it drove away. The 16-year-old male attempted to flee on foot but was arrested at the scene.
A pursuit of the vehicle was initiated; however, it was terminated shortly after when it ran through a red light.
A search was commenced involving Strike Force Trident, Dog Operations Unit, General Duties and CCTV operators resulting in the vehicle being sighted on Osgood Drive, Eaton, where the group abandoned it and fled the scene on foot. After a short foot pursuit, three youths were apprehended.
A 15-year-old male was charged with multiple offences including, Damage property, Drive whilst unlicensed, Driving, riding, Using motor vehicle without consent, Drive motor vehicle speed dangerous, and Dangerous driving during a pursuit. He was remanded to appear in court on 23 May 2025.
Three youths aged 15, 16 and 17 will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act 2005.
Police continue to urge those who witness a crime or anti-social behaviour to make contact on 131 444. Anonymous reports can also be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
The National Anti-Scam Centre’s Job Scam Fusion Cell removed more than 29,000 scam social media accounts and 1850 fake job advertisements in a crackdown on employment scams targeting vulnerable Australians looking to ease cost of living pressures.
The fusion cell, which ran from September 2024 to March 2025, has published its report highlighting the combined efforts of government, law enforcement, academics, and the private sector in a coordinated effort to tackle the sharp rise in job and employment scams.
From 2022 to 2023, financial losses due to job scams increased by 151 per cent. In 2024, Scamwatch received more than 3000 reports of job scams, with reported losses totalling $13.7 million. Average losses to these scams were 5.1 per cent higher than the average for all other scam types.
“Job scams have been one of the fastest growing scam types, as scammers are increasingly preying on people seeking relief from cost-of-living pressures,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
“These scams disproportionately impact people on low incomes, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, international students, non-resident visa holders, people with caring responsibilities, and others with limited employment options.”
“Job scams result in significant financial losses and put people at risk of identity theft through loss of personal information. That’s why we’ve worked collaboratively to disrupt these scams through intelligence-sharing, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions,” Ms Lowe said.
Key initiatives undertaken and implemented by the Job Scam Fusion Cell include:
Working with Meta to remove 29,000 accounts sharing job scam content
Referring 836 scammer cryptocurrency wallets to digital currency exchanges for analysis and investigation, leading to blocking and blacklisting of wallets
Referring 1850 scam enablers such as websites and scam job advertisements for removal
Disrupting scammers’ impersonation of Australian Government entities, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Home Affairs, and APSJobs
Holding awareness and prevention forums with organisations across the tertiary education sector to enable them to deliver scams awareness messaging
Coordinating a social media campaign, tailored for at-risk groups
Creating guides for businesses, including about how to protect themselves and the community from impersonation of their business and regarding identification and disruption of Job Scam Payments
Establishing data sharing arrangements with cryptocurrency platforms
The fusion cell identified key risks with the impersonation of healthcare providers in scam job advertisements being used to harvest personal information and extract money from job seekers.
The National Anti-Scam Centre provided tailored advice to more than 40 organisations in the sector, including major state and territory hospitals, and small healthcare services, to help better protect job seekers. These efforts contributed to a near elimination of Scamwatch reports involving impersonation of healthcare organisations by March 2025.
In addition to these specific initiatives, the fusion cell provides a great sandbox environment – participants can move beyond saying to doing, to try different techniques and see what works. A number of Job Scam Fusion Cell initiatives are now being examined for their application to other scam types. Others have become part of business-as-usual activity past the life of the fusion cell.
“The work of the job scam fusion cell has been strategically targeted, drawing on data from victims’ experiences, Scamwatch and ReportCyber reports, stakeholder insights, and intelligence from participants. This approach has helped prevent and disrupt scams and has achieved significant and encouraging results,” Ms Lowe said.
The National Anti-Scam Centre continues to work with partners across sectors to analyse emerging threats, raise awareness, and implement targeted interventions that disrupt scams before they reach consumers.
Job and employment scams
Scammers advertise job opportunities so they can steal money and personal information. Stop and check any job ad that requires payment of money to make money. It could be a scam.
Scammers offer jobs that claim to pay well with low effort. But it’s only the scammer that will make money in the end. Often the job doesn’t exist at all.
Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies and online shopping platforms. They also impersonate well-known recruitment agencies.
Scammers may make contact unexpectedly through text message or encrypted message platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram.
Scammers often ask for payment claiming it is required so you can start the role and get the income they’ve promised. Don’t enter any arrangement that asks for up-front payment via bank transfer, PayID or cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or USDT. It’s rare to get money back that is sent this way.
Don’t trust a job ad is real just because it appears on a trusted platform or website – scammers post fake ads too. If you come across a scammer, report it to the platform or agency and to scamwatch.gov.au.
Never send passport, identity documents, or bank account details to an employer or recruitment firm unless certain they are genuine.
How to spot and avoid scams
STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if you’re unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency. Don’t rush to act. Say ‘no’, hang up, delete.
CHECK – Ask yourself could the call or text be fake? Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Contact the organisation using information you source independently, so that you can verify if the call is real or not.
PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank immediately if you lose money. If you have provided personal information call IDCARE on 1800 595 160. The more we talk the less power they have. Report scams to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch service at scamwatch.gov.au when you see them. If you’re contacted on a messaging platform like WhatsApp or iMessage, please also report the scam in the app.
Background
Fusion cells are time-limited taskforces designed to bring together expertise from government and the private sector to take timely action to address specific, urgent scam issues. The National Anti-Scam Centre is coordinating a series of fusion cells with different participants to address significant scam issues.
The second fusion cell was announced in July 2024, following the first fusion cell on combatting investment scams.
If you’re a PAYG instalment amount payer, your instalments have been increased by the gross domestic product (GDP) adjustment factor. For the 2025–26 income year, the GDP adjustment factor is 4%.
We’ll use the latest information you’ve provided to us when you lodge your SMSF annual return to calculate your new PAYG instalments amount or rate.
You can vary your PAYG instalments if you think your current instalments will be more or less than your expected tax liability for the year. Your varied amount or rate will apply for the remainder of your income year or until you make another variation. You can lodge your variation through Online Services for Business.
We encourage you to review your tax position regularly, so that your PAYG instalments reflect your expected tax for the year. Calculating and paying the right PAYG instalments will help you manage SMSF investments.
Contact a registered tax agent if you need help or tax advice.
Sparked by the recent spike in battery fires, the Queensland Government has committed $2 million to put out the battery fire risk in Queensland by expanding collection points.
With more than 200 battery-related fires in Queensland in the past year, the Local Government Battery Collection Program is part of the Queensland Government’s three-point plan to tackle battery safety.
Grants of up to $100,000 are available for Queensland councils or groups of councils to expand battery collection points and provide safer and more convenient disposal of problem batteries that currently have limited options for disposal.
By supporting Queensland councils to expand the number of collection points, this funding will not only make it safer and easier to properly dispose of batteries; but environmental risks and fires caused by battery combustion in council waste collection trucks and facilities will also be reduced.
Executive Director at the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation Claire Andersen said the three-point plan addresses risks to human safety, council infrastructure and the environment.
“Lithium-ion batteries power our everyday lives – from simple AA batteries to e-scooters to rechargeable toothbrushes.
“But when disposed of incorrectly they can spark dangerous fires that put lives at risk, shut down essential services and leave councils and ratepayers footing the bill of costly damage and repairs.
“With the increase in battery fires over the past year, it was clear that urgent action was needed – so we quickly established our three-point plan which is rolling out now.
“This is an integral aspect of this plan; these grants are available to all Queensland councils or groups of councils to expand their battery collection points.
“Not only are we funding battery collection expansion, but we are also working with industry to implement strategies and powering up public awareness and education.
“Our message is simple: don’t bin your batteries.”
The man received a hefty fine for unlawfully dumping the rubbish.
DETSI investigates every case of illegal dumping.
A man has received a hefty fine for unlawfully dumping rubbish in bushland in the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park.
Remote cameras captured a ute with rubbish in the tray entering the conservation park on 16 March 2025. The vehicle was later captured leaving the conservation park with an empty tray.
Rangers from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) conducted a site inspection and discovered the waste, which included air-conditioning units, empty boxes and other general waste.
Executive Director Waste and Enforcement Jackie McKeay said officers from DETSI’s Litter and Illegal Dumping Compliance Operations issued a show cause notice to the driver of the vehicle.
“The man admitted that he dumped the waste in the conservation park, and he went back to clean it up,” Ms McKeay said.
“He was issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for $2,580. This fine is a reminder to Queenslanders that our remote cameras can be anywhere at any time.
“We take a zero-tolerance approach to illegal dumping, and we investigate every report we receive.
“Recently, the Queensland Government made it easier for people to report illegal dumping with the new Litter and Illegal Dumping Online Reporting System.
“Unlawfully dumping waste is a pollution risk and a fire hazard, and it can harm our native animals.”
People can report littering and illegal dumping to their local council or via the online reporting tool: Report it.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
In brief:
The 2025-26 international cricket schedule has launched.
This includes two matches in Canberra at Manuka Oval.
This article includes details plus the full Season 2025-26 international schedule around Australia.
Canberra will host two international cricket matches this summer.
In the much-anticipated summer of cricket, featuring the next edition of the Ashes against England, 26 international matches will be played in 11 cities across Australia.
For the first time in 17 years, there will be matches in every state and territory capital.
The international season kicks off in August 2025 with a men’s ODI and T20I series against South Africa and concludes eight months later in March 2026 with a women’s test match against India.
Australia to face India in Canberra
Both the Australian men’s and women’s teams will take on India at Manuka Oval.
The Men’s T20I Series v India match will be played on Wednesday, 29 October 2025.
The men’s blockbuster white ball series will include the first five-match T20I series between the cricket heavyweights.
The Women’s T20I Series v India will be played on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
The Australian women will host a multiformat series against the rapidly emerging Indian team.
Canberrans flocked to see international, domestic and local cricket played at Manuka Oval last summer.
This included the most-ever attendees to a women’s international fixture played at Manuka Oval.
Ticket details
International ticket pre-sales will begin on Tuesday, 3 June. This is for fans who have registered through Cricket Australia.
General public tickets will go on sale on Friday, 13 June.
The schedule at a glance
NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes includes Gabba D/N Test and Adelaide Christmas Test
Blockbuster India men’s white ball series features first five match T20 series
Women’s multiformat series against India with Test Match at the redeveloped WACA Ground and three big stadium games
Northern Series returns in tourist hot spots Darwin, Cairns and Mackay.
2025–26 International Schedule
Men’s T20I Series v South Africa
Sunday, August 10: Marrara Stadium, Darwin (N)
Tuesday August 12: Marrara Stadium, Darwin, (N)
Saturday, August 16: Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, (N)
Men’s ODI Series v South Africa
Tuesday, August 19: Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, (D/N)
Friday, August 22: Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, (D/N)
Sunday, August 24: Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, (D/N)
Men’s ODI Series v India
Sunday, October 19: Perth Stadium, Perth, (D/N)
Thursday, October 23: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, (D/N)
Saturday, October 25: SCG, Sydney, (D/N)
Men’s T20I Series v India
Wednesday, October 29: Manuka Oval, Canberra, (N)
Friday, October 31: MCG, Melbourne, (N)
Monday, November 2: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, (N)
Thursday, November 6: Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast, (N)
A motorcycle rider has been seriously injured in a crash at Blackwood this afternoon.
Just after 3.30pm on Thursday 22 May, police were called to Shepherds Hill Road after reports of a collision between a truck and motorcycle.
The rider, a 46-year-old man from Blackwood, sustained serious injuries in the crash and rushed to hospital. He remains in a critical condition.
The truck driver, a 38-year-old man from Holden Hill, was not injured.
Traffic was blocked for westbound traffic from the Blackwood roundabout for several hours but reopened about 9.15pm.
Major Crash Investigators attended the scene to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Anyone who witnessed the crash and hasn’t yet spoken to police is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
Despite numerous warnings to bushwalkers of being prepared, police were again required to rescue two walkers from the west coast wilderness today.
Police search and rescue personnel including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter were deployed to rescue a party of two who had become lost in the Savage River Regional Reserve.
The party had entered the area with insufficient equipment and limited knowledge of the area.
After two days in the area, they attempted to call triple zero for assistance however were unable to get phone coverage in the remote area. They eventually were able to hike to high ground and call for assistance.
“Police cannot reiterate enough that If hiking in a remote area ensure you not only have a mobile phone with adequate battery and backup battery but also carry navigation devices that work even when out of cellular coverage and a personal locator beacon,” Inspector Steve Jones said.
“Never solely rely on a mobile phone. Always carry enough adequate equipment and supplies for the intended journey and additional emergency supplies to survive when a trip does not go as intended.”