Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

The City is calling for expressions of interest from residents interested in being part of the City’s Farming and Agribusiness Reference Group.

City of Greater Bendigo Environment and Climate Change Manager Michelle Wyatt said Greater Bendigo has a diverse range of farming and agribusiness enterprises.

“Our region includes broadacre cropping, intensive and extensive livestock production, orchards and wineries, small scale agricultural production, as well as suppliers, logistics and business consultants,” Ms Wyatt said.

“The aim of the City’s Farming Advisory Reference Group is to provide strategic input to the City on matters concerning farming, agribusiness and local rural communities.  The group will also act as a collaborative meeting place for agricultural stakeholders in Greater Bendigo.

“The City are seeking up to ten community members to serve on the reference group which will meet four times each year.  

“We are looking for people who have demonstrated experience in farming or agribusinesses in the City, can consider issues strategically and impartially and have the capacity to represent the views of the wider community.”  

Expressions of interest will open on Monday August 25 and close on Friday September 19, 2025.

Any questions can be emailed to [email protected]

To complete an Expression of Interest and to read the Groups Terms of Reference, please visit:

Source:

25 August 2025

The Australian legal system is grappling with a disruptive new movement that is not only tying up the courts, councils and police, but also posing an unprecedented threat to democracy.

In a new paper published in the Alternative Law Journal, UniSA Associate Professor of Law Joe McIntyre documents the rapid rise of pseudolaw – false legal theories that mimic the language and rituals of the law but without any real substance.

Examples include ‘Bunnings Karen’ citing Magna Carta to avoid a mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic; motorists using pseudo arguments to contest the legality of speeding tickets; and litigants accusing judges of treason and witchcraft.

Common claims include insisting that courts lack authority because the wrong coat of arms is displayed, or that an individual is a “natural person” and immune from legal obligations.

Characterised by so-called Sovereign Citizens who question authority, embrace conspiracy theories and co-opt legal language to create an ‘alternative’ legal universe, pseudolaw cases have proliferated since COVID, now numbering hundreds of cases in NSW alone in the past six months.

Assoc Prof McIntyre says the rise of the pseudolaw movement – often likened to a cult – overlaps with the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), threatening the justice system.

“At its heart, pseudolaw mistakes the form of legal argument for its substance. It uses archaic language, ceremonial rituals and legal-sounding jargon to create the illusion of meaning – an illusion that can be both compelling and deeply disruptive,” according to Assoc Prof McIntyre.

“It is also beginning to intersect with another emerging phenomenon – the widespread use of GenAI and particularly large language models in a manner that is particularly alarming.”

Litigants are increasingly using these language models to generate written legal responses as well as oral submissions to the bench in real time.

“In both cases the public is engaging with inherently complex and inaccessible forms of technology that produce outputs which can look plausible but are far from it.”

Assoc Prof McIntyre warns that the convergence of pseudolaw and AI could “turbocharge” misinformation in courts, overwhelming judges and administrators.

Once on the fringes, pseudolaw cases are now a daily occurrence in Australian law courts, wasting judicial resources and holding up genuine litigation.

“One South Australian judge recently described its impact as having changed the whole face of the civil justice system, noting the strain it places on registries and courtrooms,” Assoc Prof McIntyre says.

The UniSA law lecturer says that pseudolaw thrives because many people feel alienated from the legal system and lack the ability to distinguish genuine law from its imitation.

“To the untrained eye, pseudolegal documents and arguments look authentic. In a system already burdened by archaic language and rituals, it’s easy for people to mistake confidence and theatrical performance for competence.”

Although pseudolaw can seem absurd – even comical at times – Assoc Prof McIntyre says it has serious consequences for our democracy.

“It is undermining trust in our institutions, threatening judicial officers and harming vulnerable litigants who are misled by websites peddling promises of legal loopholes.”

Ironically, it is also a symptom of the existing legal system, which alienates the public due to its use of convoluted language, providing “fertile fields” for misinformation.

“Pseudolaw is forcing us to reflect upon our own legal institutions and how we are contributing to this phenomenon,” Assoc Prof McIntyre says.

“The law matters, but so does meaningful public engagement. Pseudolaw is the consequence of 50 years of diminishing access to justice and a chronic underinvestment in civics and legal literacy education. It is time we addressed that.”

‘Pseudolaw and the illusion of legal meaning’ is published in the Alternative Law Journal.
DOI: 10.1177/1037969X251362538

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Researcher contact: Associate Professor Joe McIntyre M: +61 423 662 642
E: joe.mcintyre@unisa.edu.au

Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

Source: New South Wales – News

Police will allege that in mid-August, the woman demanded money from a man and threatened that if she did not receive payment, she would report false allegations against him to police.

The victim paid the money to the accused but was then threatened a second time.

On Friday 15 August, Eastern District CIB arrested a 43-year-old woman from Holden Hill and charged her with two counts of blackmail. The victim’s money was recovered.

She was refused police bail and attended at Adelaide Magistrates Court where she was granted bail to reappear on 26 November.

Detectives continue to investigate the incidents and are urging any other potential victim of similar threats to come forward and contact police.

Anyone with information on the incidents is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.

207961

CO22500033932

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

Australians reported more than 108,000 scams and financial losses of about $175 million to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch service in the first half of 2025, with fake websites, online advertisements, and contact through social media criminals’ preferred methods of reaching people.

This Scams Awareness Week (25-29 August), the National Anti-Scam Centre is joining together with government, business, community groups, consumer protection groups, educational organisations and individuals to reinforce the three simple actions that can help protect Australians: ‘Stop. Check. Protect’ before clicking, sharing, or paying.

It comes as Scamwatch received 108,305 reports about scams in the first six months of 2025, which is a 24 per cent decrease in reports compared to the same period last year. While total number of reports are down, reports involving losses have increased significantly.

The $174.8 million reported lost is a 26 per cent increase compared to the first half of 2024. There has been a 40.5 percent increase in reports involving losses and this is higher for some demographic groups: about 44 per cent among individuals who speak English as a second language, and 55.3 percent for First Nations Australians compared to the same period in 2024.

The 2025 losses still represent but a 39 per cent decrease compared to the equivalent period in 2023. Financial losses to scams peaked in 2022 and early 2023. The average reported loss was $12,212 – a decrease of about 10 per cent.

Losses to phishing scams were $19.5 million in 2025, driven in part by a rise in cryptocurrency impersonation scams. 14,235 reports involved losses to crypto scams. These scams closely mirror bank impersonation tactics and have resulted in significant financial harm to victims.

“Technology is helping scammers reach more people than ever before and we see scams becoming more sophisticated and harder for people to detect,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

“This Scams Awareness Week, we’re encouraging everyone to talk about scams, watch for the signs and remember three simple words that can help make all the difference: Stop. Check. Protect. As scams become more sophisticated, we are urging more businesses to join the NASC and share data to improve disruption capability across the ecosystem.”

“Scams don’t discriminate and can affect anyone, which is why open conversations with loved ones and greater awareness are so important. Government, business and individuals all have a role to play in building a scam-aware community and reaching every group, including those who may face extra barriers to understanding or reporting scams,” Ms Lowe said.

The National Anti-Scam Centre encourages consumers to be particularly vigilant when shopping online – carefully scrutinise deals that seem too good to be true, and check websites before making a purchase.

Scamwatch received more than 6,300 reports of financial loss to shopping scams in the first half of 2025: the highest of any scam type. Scamwatch data shows that scammers achieved this by creating convincing online shopping platforms, advertising fraudulent products and luring consumers with deals that appear too good to pass up.

An individual who reported to Scamwatch lost more than $11,000 to an online shopping scam involving a fake travel agent. The scammer operated a convincing website and offered a ‘free digital travel assistant’ service. After the victim made an airline booking through the website, the scammer cancelled the booking but kept the money. Attempts to contact the agent failed once the scam was revealed.

Source: New South Wales – News

Just before 9am Sunday 24 August, police and emergency services were called to Kempe Road, about 21km’s southwest of Oodnadatta, after reports of a single vehicle rollover.

Tragically the driver of the Toyota 4WD, an 18-year-old man from New South Wales, died at the scene.

His passenger, a 20-year-old man from Coober Pedy, was taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Major Crash officers flew to the scene from Adelaide to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash.

A minor detour was in place on Kempe Road between Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta for most of the day but normal traffic conditions resumed just before 7pm.

The man’s death is the 55th life lost on SA roads this year.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force hold concerns for the welfare of a 50-year-old Charmaine Tambling, who last spoke with family in Driver on Tuesday 12 August 2025.

Charmaine was last seen wearing grey leopard print tights, a black shirt and to be carrying a red bag. 

A missing person’s report was filed with police today and investigations have commenced.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference number NTP2500084761.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force are seeking information in relation to an alleged assault that occurred in Alice Springs overnight.

Around 10pm, Police believe an altercation occurred in the Anzac Oval carpark between two men, aged 34 and 57, who are known to each other.

Both men suffered injuries and were conveyed to Alice Springs Hospital.

The 57-year-old male suffered serious injuries and remains in hospital receiving treatment while the 34-year-old has since been arrested and is assisting with enquiries.

Police urge anyone who was in the vicinity of Anzac Oval around 10:00pm on Friday, 22 August 2025, or who may have information relevant to the incident, to contact 131 444 and quote reference NTP2500084425. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Northern Territory Police can report that the 51-year-old absconded prisoner returned to corrections custody this morning.

The man self-presented to the Alice Springs Correctional Facility and is now back in custody.

The NT Police would like to thank the public for their assistance.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Northern Territory Department of Corrections prisoner 51-year-old man David Namatjira has failed to return from his leave permit in Alice Springs.

David failed to return to his designated pickup location at 4pm today and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

NT Police are now investigating.

Anyone with information on David’s whereabouts is urged to contact police on 131 444 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: I spoke to the Early Childhood Education Minister, Jess Walsh, a short time ago. Minister, welcome to the program. When will the national register be up and running?

SENATOR DR JESS WALSH, MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND MINISTER FOR YOUTH: Well, thanks for having me, PK. Yes, these are really big reforms. This is a really strong and significant package of reforms to keep children safe in early childhood education. And parents wanted us to come together and make some big decisions today, and that’s exactly what the Commonwealth and State and Territory Ministers have done. One of the pieces of reform, as you’ve said, is the first ever nationwide register for early childhood educators. Work on that will start immediately now that we have approved that register. And it will start in December and become mandatory in February.

KARVELAS: And how will workers keep that registration? How will that register be different, for instance, to a Working with Children’s Check? 

WALSH: So this is the first nationwide register that will allow regulators to know who’s working in early childhood education and where they’re working. At the moment, state regulators can’t see that information, even for their own state. And we’re going to allow regulators to see that information and share it. And what we want is for regulators to be able to track patterns of behaviour of early childhood educators and raise red flags. It’s also going to be really useful in the event that terrible circumstances like this ever happen again in early childhood education. We’ve had a situation in Victoria where police have had to use search and seize powers to go in and find pieces of paper to tell us where the alleged Victorian offender worked. That’s not good enough. That information should be available at the touch of a button, and it will be with this register. 

KARVELAS: So what sort of issues can lead to people losing their registration? 

WALSH: This is really a register, PK, the first nationwide register of early childhood educators. It’s about who they are, where they work, and it will allow regulators to track their behaviours and also share information about concerns about those regulators. Down the track, as we build up this system, professional registration of the kind that you’re talking about can be added on. Right now, our priority is to stand up this register so that we know where our early childhood educators are working and regulators can direct their action based on that information. 

KARVELAS: Teachers can lose their registration. So when can child care workers lose their registration in the same way? 

WALSH: So, we’re talking about a couple of different things, I think, here, PK. This is the first nationwide register that allows us to know where early educators are, where they’re working. And it will allow regulators to have information and to be able to share it and to raise red flags. Some of the issues that you’re talking about there, I think, go to when someone is prohibited from working in early childhood education. And those prohibitions do occur, and those prohibitions will also be included in this first ever nationwide register. 

KARVELAS: Right. So, the prohibitions will lead to someone being deregistered officially? 

WALSH: That’s right. If someone is prohibited – and that can happen today – they won’t be able to work in early childhood education. And I think it’s worth noting, PK, a lot of the discussion around the table today with Ministers from across the country was focused on really reinforcing just how dedicated and committed and professional the vast majority of our early childhood educators are. And this package of reforms is about supporting them to do a good job while we’re making sure that we close the door on that small minority of people who might seek to do harm. And one of the really big investments that we want to make together is in training for that workforce. We will make mandatory child safety training. Of course, there is already training for educators about how to keep children safe. But this training is targeted to deal with some of the really horrific issues that we’ve been seeing in early childhood education. It’s about seeing signs of abuse in children, also seeing signs of grooming of children amongst colleagues. It’s really important. It’s going to help educators identify those signs, support them to speak up. And, again, we know that the vast majority of educators are there to do the right thing every day. 

KARVELAS: CCTV is a trial. Why is it just a trial? What are you looking for in terms of success? 

WALSH: So we want to make an assessment of the role of CCTV in early childhood education. And that assessment will start later this year with up to 300 services participating. We know that CCTV can be a really important tool in helping to keep children safe, in preventing behaviour and also in prosecuting behaviour as well. But there are also questions about the role of CCTV in early education as well and what the guardrails might be that we need to have it in place to use it safely as part of the tool kit for keeping children safe. So we will appoint an independent expert to oversee that assessment and they’ll come back to this Education Ministers Meeting with advice about the best way to use CCTV with guardrails to help keep children safe. 

KARVELAS: The provision of more information for parents so they know the conditions of the centres that their children are attending, what sort of information are they going to be able to obtain? 

WALSH: Yeah, that’s right. We think parents have a right to know clearly whether their service is meeting standards, whether any conditions might have been imposed on the centre that their children go to by regulators, whether there are any compliance breaches and what the nature of these breaches are. We think that that information should just be freely available to parents. In many cases it will just give them confidence about the service that their children are in. In other cases, it might generate a conversation with the centre director, with the centre manager about what’s going on. In other cases where there really are concerns it helps to hold providers accountable that they will know that parents get this information. Initially we will host that information on the national quality authority’s website – it’s called Starting Blocks – and people will be able to see that information within the next few weeks. Over time we want to move to a system where that information is actually posted in a way that parents can see when they’re doing pickups and drop-offs. Again, we think that, you know, sunlight is important here. Parents have a right to know, and we know that it will drive providers to do better when that information is public to parents. 

KARVELAS: The Victorian rapid review that was released yesterday says for-profit centres are an issue that need to be investigated. Is the Federal Government prepared to look at this issue? 

WALSH: So, the Victorian review did make those comments, PK. And it also called for the rights of children and the interests of children to be paramount in earlier childhood education and paramount in the decision-making of everyone who has responsibility in the sector. And today we adopted that change and we committed to amend the national law. We think that’s a really important reform to make it abundantly clear that providers have to put children ahead of profits. And the measures that we’re talking about today, of course, follow on from our legislation to give us the ability to cut funding from those providers who do the wrong thing and who do put profit ahead of child safety. And, of course, we’ve just issued, our department has issued, the first set of around 30 compliance notices to providers who are doing the wrong thing. So this package of reforms is really about keeping children safe wherever they are, putting children’s interests paramount, including ahead of profits, in the sector and putting those for profits on notice that if they don’t put child safety first. We have the capacity to cut their Commonwealth funding, and we’ll use it. 

KARVELAS: Minister, thank you so much for joining us. 

WALSH: Thanks, PK.