Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: New South Wales – News

Already this year more than $1 million has been lost to 84 romance scams reported in South Australia, compared to $12 million across 1415 scams reported in Australia overall, with women over 55 suffering the highest individual losses.

In 2024, cold-hearted swindlers stole more than $23.5 million across 3204 reported Australian-based scams. In South Australia alone, more than $1.7 million was lost to 176 reported scams.

“Romance scammers are criminals who fabricate a fairytale romantic connection with the intention to persuade or pressure someone into sending money,” Cybercrime Sergeant David Mitchell said.

“They often make contact through online dating websites or via social media. These scams are known as ‘catfishing’, where scammers typically create fake online profiles designed to lure people in.

“It’s important to ask many questions of your would-be soulmate – scammers prefer to talk about you instead of themselves, so look for inconsistencies in their stories.

“They may use a fictional name, or falsely take on the identities of real, trusted people such as military personnel, aid workers or professionals working abroad.

“If you’re unsure, speak to family or friends about the relationship.”

Red flags:

• A convincing sob story highlighting the need to borrow money.
• Quick to fall in love or you develop a fast, close friendship.
• Promises of love, overly flirtatious and complimentary.
• They ask you to only trust them and keep things secret.
• Scammers may send their victim small gifts to “ensure they are genuine”.
• Their webcam isn’t working.
• Promises to meet in person, however there is always an excuse to delay/postpone.
• Scammers will tell you what to say to bank tellers/checkout operators when they ask what you want money/gift cards for.

Tips to help keep you safe:

• Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.
• Always consider the possibility that the approach may be a scam and try to remove the emotion from your decision.
• Conduct an image search of your admirer to help determine if they really are who they say they are.
• Be alert to things like spelling and grammar mistakes, inconsistencies in their stories and other signs that it may be a scam such as their camera never working.
• Be cautious when sharing personal pictures or videos with prospective partners, especially if you’ve never met them before. Scammers are known to blackmail their targets using compromising material.

Real-life example:

Six months ago, Julie met someone who she believed was the love of her life on an online dating platform. She shared a lot in common with her newfound love, and planned for this partner to fly from the United States to Adelaide to buy a house together. However, her new partner fell ill, and unable to pay for their hospital bills, asked if Julie would help. Julie sent $5000 to cover the initial hospital bill, but soon they required surgery and needed additional money. After $20,000 was sent, her partner was better, but then they began having issues with their visa, unless Julie could send through money to help. Julie sent through another $5000 to get their partner to Perth, but once there they fell ill again, requiring more money for surgery. Julie, blinded by love, was about to send more money but her daughter was able to stop her, convincing her mother that she was being scammed. Julie was left emotionally broken and $30,000 poorer.

Report

– If you have suffered harm or loss because of a scam, make a report at www.cyber.gov.au/report or attend your local police station.

Support

– Talk to friends and family

– eSafety Commissioner – www.esafety.gov.au

– Victims of Crime SA – www.voc.sa.gov.au

– Lifeline – 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au

– Rebuild Victim Counselling – www.rasa.org.au

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is warning against the risks of accessing superannuation (super) early to pay for non-critical medical procedures or lifestyle expenses.

ATO Deputy Commissioner Emma Rosenzweig cautions those who are considering accessing their super to carefully consider their circumstances and the impacts it can have both short and long term.

‘Superannuation is saving for your retirement. Your employer pays 12% super on top of your salary or wages as a long-term investment which grows over time and generally cannot be accessed until you reach preservation age or retire.

‘Access to super on compassionate grounds is available in very limited circumstances for critical medical procedures and should only be considered as a last resort where all other options of paying for the eligible expenses have been exhausted.

‘We have seen an increase in dodgy advice and misconceptions around when individuals can access their super early, and we want to make it clear that Australians should not be considering early access unless they are eligible and it is absolutely necessary for their circumstances,’ said Ms Rosenzweig.

‘My dentist advised me I can use my superannuation for cosmetic veneers’

Health practitioners prepare medical reports that are used by their patients to apply for early access to super on compassionate grounds. We rely on the information within these reports when assessing applications, so it is important that practitioners undertake proper examinations of their patients and provide complete, true and correct information in their reports that reflect their professional opinion.

‘We are aware of various reports about the conduct of some health practitioners who support individuals to access their superannuation on compassionate grounds,’ said Ms Rosenzweig.

While we believe most health practitioners act in their patients’ best interests, we are increasingly hearing about concerning behaviours, including:

• preparing inaccurate medical reports to support patients access their super where they are ineligible, such as for cosmetic purposes
• preparing a medical report where the practitioner hasn’t performed a comprehensive consultation or examination of the patient
• placing profits ahead of patient care, by recommending higher cost treatments, premium pricing or over-servicing without providing information on all available treatment options
• collecting and using patients’ myGov details to submit applications, when individuals are required to submit applications themselves 
• charging fees to assist patients prepare or submit applications without being a registered tax agent
• encouraging or advising patients to access their super to pay for health treatments without an Australian Financial Services license.

‘When preparing medical reports to support an application, health practitioners must ensure they perform their role ethically and to the expected standard, whilst ensuring they don’t provide services they aren’t competent to provide or trained for,’ said Ms Rosenzweig.

‘We are working with other regulators including the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to address any inappropriate behaviour.’

‘Just fudge the form, everybody does it and the ATO will never find out’

‘Individuals who apply with the assistance of a third party need to review their application and the supporting documents before it is submitted, to ensure it is accurate. Where a third party acts inappropriately on an individual’s behalf, the individual can still be liable for any consequences, including penalties for making a false or misleading statement.

‘Applications for early access of super on compassionate grounds must only be completed by the person seeking the release. If someone requires assistance in completing an application for compassionate release of super, help is available on our website or by phoning 13 10 20,’ Ms Rosenzweig said.

‘I can access my superannuation for cosmetic treatments’

Medical treatments undertaken solely with cosmetic intent wouldn’t normally qualify for compassionate release of super as, under the law, an individual must require the treatment to either:

• treat a life-threatening illness or injury
• alleviate acute or chronic pain, or
• alleviate acute or chronic mental illness.

‘Applicants should be aware that submitting an application for health treatments that are not necessary for one of these reasons would be making a false or misleading statement to the Commissioner, which can attract severe penalties,’ said Ms Rosenzweig.

These penalties can also apply to health practitioners who make false or misleading statements in medical reports.

‘I can access my superannuation for investments, holidays and day-to-day expenses’

Accessing super on compassionate grounds is only available in very limited circumstances where individuals are unable to pay for an eligible expense using any other means. It is not ‘free money’, and it will reduce the amount available in retirement and results in you paying more tax,’ Ms Rosenzweig said.

‘Individuals who apply need to ensure they are eligible and that they provide accurate information and documents in their application. Where applications are approved, individuals should remember that they have declared in their application that they will use the money to pay for the approved purpose and keep receipts to support this.

‘There can be significant consequences for people who attempt to inappropriately access their super, including severe penalties for making false or misleading statements or adjustments to their income tax return so they are required to pay additional tax.’

Notes to journalists

ATO stock footage and images are available for use in news bulletins from our media centre.

Early access to super

Access on compassionate grounds

Compassionate grounds – Information for Registered Agents

Compassionate grounds – Information for Health Practitioners

Inappropriate access to super on compassionate grounds

Joint Statement by Ahpra and the Dental and Medical Boards of Australia

A headshot (JPEG, 1.08MB) of ATO Deputy Commissioner Emma Rosenzweig is available from the ATO media centre.

Source: New South Wales – News

Just before 3pm on Monday 25 August, police and emergency services were called to Oldham Road after reports a Hyundai sedan collided with a pedestrian who was standing at a bus stop.

Tragically the pedestrian, a 62-year-old woman from Craigmore, died at the scene.

Major Crash officers attended the scene to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The road was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

Anyone who witnessed the crash who hasn’t yet spoken with police is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 3333 000.

The woman’s death is the 56th life lost on SA roads this year.

219877

Source: Premier of Victoria

New NAB customers will be asked to take a ‘selfie’ as part of a new process when opening an account or product online to help protect customers from fraud and scams.

The initiative is aimed at reducing fraud such as identify theft which occurs when an individual’s details are stolen by criminals.
In addition, they’ll be required to scan their identification document like a Driver’s License or Passport and hold their mobile phone up to their face to match the image.

The initiative will begin rolling out across select products in September, with further expansion to additional products and account types planned over the coming months.

It follows other actions NAB has taken to protect customers, including rolling out confirmation of payee in digital banking channels in line with industry, removing links from text messages, introducing payment alerts to digital banking and making it harder for criminals to infiltrate bank phone numbers and text message threads.

NAB Group Chief Operating Officer Les Matheson said the facial biometrics initiative would provide a critical further step in safety for customers and make life tougher for criminals.

“We still have more to do, but this is a simple and fast way we can help protect customers against fraud and scams,” Mr Matheson said.

“This initiative will make it harder for criminals to open fraudulent accounts or apply for fraudulent credit cards using documents they’ve stolen from the dark web or from someone’s letter box.

“This sort of technology is already used for other services, including things like passport applications and we’ve designed the experience to be simple for customers to follow.”

NAB already uses biometric technology in other ways with about 2 million customers a month using FaceID or fingerprints to log in to the NAB App or Internet Banking.

NAB also uses another form of behavioural biometrics to help identify and detect suspicious transactions.

The facial biometric identification initiative is part of NAB’s bank-wide scam strategy and the banking industry’s Scam Safe Accord launched in 2023. The Accord outlines key areas the banking industry will focus on to take actions against scams.

“While we must do more and we will, criminals operate beyond laws and regulations,” Mr Matheson said.

“That’s why every part of the scam ecosystem needs to remain focused on stopping the crime before it happens.”

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

The Albanese Government has today passed legislation to establish a mandatory National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence.

Not enough has been done in our universities to address sexual assault and sexual harassment and for too long, students haven’t been heard.

The National Code will help to change that and will strengthen the work of the National Student Ombudsman.

For the first time, the National Code will set standards and requirements that all higher education providers must meet to make students and staff safer, including in student accommodation.

Under the National Code, universities will be required to take evidence-based steps to prevent gender-based violence, including providing education and training to students and staff.

It will introduce accountability at the highest level, help drive cultural change, and make sure staff are qualified to support victim-survivors.

It means universities must comply with the recommendations of the Student Ombudsman in relation to gender-based violence.

Universities’ compliance with the obligations in the Code will be monitored and enforced through a range of compliance powers, with serious penalties for non-compliance.

The National Code has been developed in consultation with victim-survivor advocates, students, the higher education sector, gender-based violence experts, states and territories and relevant Australian Government agencies.

Addressing sexual assault and sexual harassment in universities was one of five priority actions from the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report.

The National Code and Student Ombudsman are key measures of the Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education, agreed by Education Ministers in February 2024.

They contribute to the work to end gender-based violence in one generation as outlined in the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“Every student deserves to feel safe from sexual violence on campus. This new National Code makes that non-negotiable.

“We’ve listened to students and survivors on what needs to be done to drive long overdue cultural change on our campuses.

“Universities aren’t just places where people work and study, they are also places where people live, and we need to ensure they are safe.

“This Code will make sure universities are taking action to prevent sexual violence from happening in the first place.

“And when the worst does happen, the Code mandates staff and students get the response and support they deserve, every time.

“If universities fail to act on sexual violence, this Code will give the Student Ombudsman real teeth to hold them to account.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek:

“University should be a time of excitement, learning and discovery. A time for making new and lifelong friends. But for too many students, it becomes a nightmare.  

“One in six students have reported sexual harassment and one in 20 have reported being sexually assaulted on campus. One in two felt they weren’t being heard when they made a complaint.

“How a survivor of violence is supported by their university has lifelong consequences. Victim-survivors must be heard and supported and universities must make every effort to stop violence in the first place.

“The National Code will make this a reality. It will hold all higher education providers to consistently high standards to proactively prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

“Students on campus deserve to feel safe and I’m so proud our Government has taken action.”
 

Source: Mental Health Australia

With delivery of Australia’s first new city in 100 years underway, the first road signs pointing to Bradfield have also been installed.

The new signs on Badgerys Creek Road and The Northern Road are the first to show Bradfield City as the major destination it is set to become. 

Bradfield City will deliver 20,000 jobs,10,000 homes, and significant economic benefits for the people of Western Sydney. At 114 hectares and with more than 30% green open space, Bradfield City will be a high quality urban environment with advanced industries at its heart. 

Momentum of delivery at the city is strong, with the First Building now welcoming visitors to Bradfield City after opening in March this year, and other major projects such as an iconic 2 hectare Central Park, an advanced industry focused Second Building, and civil works enabling private sector development well progressed. 

At present there are four new road signs pointing to the city, and as Bradfield grows in the future, road signage will be upgraded further.

Source: Mental Health Australia

From Wednesday 3 September until mid-December 2025, there will be temporary traffic changes on the M5 Motorway between Heathcote Road in Wattle Grove and the Hume Highway in Casula due to pavement and geotechnical investigation work along the M5 corridor.

This work is part of the early phase of the M5 Westbound upgrade, a major infrastructure project aimed at easing congestion and improving safety for motorists and freight operators.

Work will be carried out during the day from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, with night work scheduled from 8pm to 5am Sunday to Friday.

Partial lane closures and traffic control will be in place for the safety of workers and road users. No full road closures will be in place for this work.

Road users are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the direction of signs and traffic control.

Transport for NSW thanks the community for their patience during this time. 

For the latest traffic updates across the network, ring 132 701, visit livetraffic.com or download the Live Traffic NSW App.