Man charged after police seize firearms during targeted Mowbray search
Thursday, 3 April 2025 – 3:42 pm.
A man has been charged after police seized four firearms, a silencer, and quantities of illicit substances during a targeted search at Mowbray yesterday.
Members of Northern Drug and Firearms Unit executed a search warrant at the private residence, seizing a 3D printed pistol, a shortened rifle, an unregistered rifle, and a 12-gauge shotgun.
A 23-year-old Mowbray man presented to Launceston Police Station this morning, and was charged with multiple firearms-related offences including possess a prohibited firearm to which a firearms licence may not be issued, possess a shortened firearm, and possess a silencer.
He was also charged with recklessly discharging a firearm in relation to an incident on 1 February and wounding over an incident on 19 January.
He will appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court at a later date.
Anyone with information about illegal firearms should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
We’ve reviewed our travel advice for Vietnam and continue to advise exercise normal safety precautions. You can apply online for an eVisa for tourism or business. You must have a visa before travelling to Vietnam and ensure your visa details are correct before you travel (See ‘Travel’).
Source: NSW Government puts trust in NAB to transform banking and payments
03 04 2025 – Media release
Top (L-R): Global Producers Exchange recipients Ramu Productions (Devina McPherson, Jodie Bell) and Unless Pictures (Meg O’Connell).Bottom (L-R): Talent Gateway recipients Jean Tong, Timothy Lee and Kacie Anning.
Australians in Film (AiF) and Screen Australia are pleased to announce the 2025 participants in the internationally recognized Talent Gateway (TG) and Global Producers Exchange (GPE).
These highly coveted programs are designed to elevate Australian screen creatives, enhancing their professional skills and expanding their global reach.
Running online since 2021, Talent Gateway supports Australian writer/directors who have demonstrated recent success, providing them with the tools, industry access, and relationships necessary to succeed on the global stage.
Global Producers Exchange aims to strengthen Australian producers’ international capabilities by facilitating global collaborations and offering key insights to develop Australian stories with a global outlook.
Peter Ritchie, Executive Director of Australians in Film, said, “Screen Australia’s strategic investment in expanding the international reach of Australian talent and businesses is essential for the continued success of Australian screen stories. These stories not only captivate international audiences but also generate significant economic growth, cementing Australia’s reputation internationally as a breeding ground for exciting new talent. We look forward to working with the outstanding 2025 participants.”
Screen Australia COO Grainne Brunsdon said, “We’re thrilled to support the 2025 Talent Gateway and Global Producers Exchange participants, whose talents highlight the strength of Australia’s screen industry. These programs offer invaluable opportunities to expand their international reach and create new pathways for collaboration. As global demand for Australian stories continues to grow, initiatives like these ensure our talent remains at the forefront of the international screen community, driving both creative innovation and economic growth.”
Supporting Partners for these programs include Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screenwest and VicScreen. Industry Partners are Australian Directors’ Guild, Australian Writers’ Guild, Screen Producers Australia, Screen Canberra, Screen Tasmania, Screen Territory, Screenworks and South Australian Film Corporation.
Talent Gateway 2025 Participants:
Clare Sladden (QLD): Clare is a Meanjin/Brisbane-based writer passionate about female-driven narratives. Her recent television credits include Good Cop/Bad Cop (Jungle Entertainment and Future Shack for Stan, Roku and The CW), NCIS: Sydney (Endemol Shine AU for Paramount+), and Sunny Nights (Jungle Entertainment & Echo Lake Entertainment for Stan, premiering in 2025). In the audio space, Clare wrote on the Wentworth spin-off podcast (Fremantle Media for Audible) and wrote and directed the narrative podcast Winding Road, starring Dacre Montgomery and Yael Stone. Clare has also received Screen Australia development funding for her debut feature, Sophie Next Door.
Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes (NSW): This writing/directing duo from Sydney is known for their breakout work on Sissy, which was selected for SXSW and Sydney Film Festival, winning multiple audience awards globally. Their debut feature, For Now, garnered international festival nominations for Best Film. Recently, they received Premium Development Funding from Screen Australia for their next project, Cooch, and were named Inside Film’s Rising Stars. Their work continues to captivate global audiences with fresh and innovative storytelling.
Jean Tong (VIC): Jean is a multi-talented writer and director for stage and screen. Their television credits include episodes of Heartbreak High (Netflix), Safe Home (SBS), and Erotic Stories (SBS). Jean’s stage work includes critically acclaimed plays like Hungry Ghosts (Melbourne Theatre Company) and Romeo is Not the Only Fruit (Malthouse Theatre). They were also the inaugural Melbourne Theatre Company Playwriting Fellow in 2023. Jean is currently directing the world premiere of Benjamin Law’s adaptation of Dying: A Memoir for Melbourne Theatre Company.
Kacie Anning (NSW): Kacie is the creator, writer, director, and executive producer of Class of ’07 (Amazon Prime). She has directed and written for several high-profile series, including The Other Guy (Stan), Diary of a Future President (Disney+), Upload (Prime Video), and Hardball (ABC Me). She has won two Australian Directors’ Guild Awards. Her work as set-up director and EP on Madam (Channel 9), starring Rachel Griffiths, won Best Comedy Series at the Berlin Series Festival and Monte Carlo Television Festival.
Thomas Wilson White (NSW): Thomas is an award-winning writer and director, best known for his work on the International Emmy Award-winning Heartbreak High (Netflix). His debut feature The Greenhouse (2021) won the Australian Directors Guild Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film under $1M. Thomas is currently developing a slate of original TV shows and a second feature film while adapting a best-selling novel for Warner Brothers.
Timothy Lee (NSW): Timothy is the co-creator and writer of the Australian neo-Western Territory (Netflix), which topped the charts in 11 countries and reached #2 globally on Netflix. He also wrote on Mystery Road (ABC) and Mystery Road: Origin, earning AACTA nominations for Best Screenplay in Television. His writing credits include Bump (Stan/Netflix), Doctor Doctor (Nine), and The Unlisted (Netflix).
Global Producers Exchange 2025 Participants:
Carver Films – Sarah Shaw and Anna McLeish (VIC): Carver Films is led by award-winning producers Sarah Shaw and Anna McLeish. Their 2023 feature Run Rabbit Run, starring Sarah Snook and directed by Daina Reid, premiered at Sundance and became the top-streamed English-language film on Netflix in Australia and the USA. Their previous credits include Relic (2020), Sunshine (2018), and Snowtown (2011), which debuted at Cannes Critics Week. Carver is currently in postproduction on Saccharine with director Natalie Erika James.
Future Pictures – Matt Govoni and Adam White (VIC): Founded by Matt Govoni and Adam White, Future Pictures is known for producing world-class content. Their recent projects include Late Night with the Devil (2023), which premiered at SXSW and won Best Screenplay at Sitges, and Lone Wolf (2021), which premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Future Pictures continues to break box office records and achieve critical success in the global marketplace.
Martin Brown Films – Martin Brown and John Collee (NSW): Martin Brown Films is a Sydney-based screen production company founded by Martin Brown and John Collee. Martin Produced Moulin Rouge and Co-produced Romeo+Juliet. John recently adapted the TV series Boy Swallows Universe, which was Netflix’s most successful Australian-made show to date. Martin and John are recognized individually for their expertise in content development and international co-productions. Their company has a number of exciting projects in development.
Ramu Productions – Jodie Bell and Devina McPherson (WA): Based in Broome, Western Australia, Ramu Productions specializes in First Nations storytelling. CEO Jodie Bell, a Butchella and Jagera woman, has produced numerous award-winning short films and documentaries, including Putuparri and the Rainmakers. Devina McPherson, a Widi Yamatji and Noongar woman, is an experienced development and associate producer. Together, they focus on creating authentic First Nations content with a strong cultural lens.
Thirdborn – Nicole O’Donohue (NSW): Thirdborn, founded by filmmakers Shaun Grant, Justin Kurzel and Nicole O’Donohue, is committed to developing bold films and premium television series. Their debut series, Exposure (2024), was nominated for seven AACTA Awards. With a focus on distinctive storytelling, Thirdborn partners with extraordinary cast, crew, and producers with a shared creative ambition and passion for original storytelling to deliver impactful narratives for global audiences.
Unless Pictures – Meg O’Connell (NSW): International Emmy-winning producer Meg O’Connell founded Unless Pictures, a creative production company known for innovative storytelling. Meg’s credits include the AACTA-winning Robbie Hood (SBS/NITV), the Rose d’Or-winning Content (ABC), and the international hit Bluey (ABC/BBC/Disney+). Her most recent project is the feature film Windcatcher (Stan/ACTF).
An applicant for a mining lease, other than the state applicant, must provide proof of readily available funds in its operating bank account of no less than 50% of the total projected capital costs upon lodgement of the application, as a precondition to the grant of a mining lease (section 62(a)(v)). We assume that the reference to ‘operating bank account’ means the bank account of a licence holder in a bank in PNG.
Furthermore, the Bill provides that the holder of a mining lease whose RMCP has been approved must submit financial assurance that supports the performance of the RMCP obligations, to ensure that the state may not be liable for meeting the costs of the performance of closure obligations.
Under the Bill, the holder of a mining lease whose RMCP is approved, will not be able to commence any mining or related operations until this financial assurance has been submitted.
The financial assurance must be 20% of the total RMCP cost of implementation, and should include a letter of credit; insurance company bond; security interests in unencumbered assets; or other forms of financial assurance. The remaining 80% of the full cost is expected to be paid by the mining lease holder in annual instalments into a trust fund, established for the purpose, two years before the planned closure. This amount must be reviewed and updated every time the RMCP is updated.
Fourth youth charged following Launceston burglaries
Thursday, 3 April 2025 – 12:23 pm.
A fourth youth has been charged as part of an investigation into a number of burglaries at residential and commercial properties in the Launceston area.
The 17-year-old boy was charged overnight with 11 burglaries and 7 stealings – alleged to have occurred between February and April.
He was detained to appear in the Youth Justice Division of the Launceston Magistrates Court today.
Three youths – a 14-year-old-boy and two 17-year-old boys – were previously charged with numerous offences as part of the investigation by Northern Criminal Investigation Branch.
Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Released 03/04/2025
A new state-of-the-art system is speeding up the delivery of samples from the Emergency Department to ACT Pathology, allowing clinicians to receive results faster and start patient treatment earlier.
The first of its kind in Australia, the Tempus600 is an automated sample tube delivery system connecting the Emergency Department to ACT Pathology on the Canberra Hospital campus.
Team members in the Emergency Department place a patient sample contained in a test tube in a ‘hole in the wall’, and the sample is delivered directly to laboratory analysers, with no human intervention.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the new sample delivery system eliminates manual processes to prepare, pack and unpack samples, reduces the possibility of error, and frees up time to focus on other important tasks.
“Most clinical sample delivery systems require multiple steps to prepare and send a sample, which can create a bottleneck at certain points in the process of sending a sample to the laboratory,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.
“The new Tempus system is one touch technology – put the clinical sample in the Tempus machine, and the system does the rest. Samples take approximately 40 seconds to travel from the Emergency Department to the lab in Pathology, which is a big time-saver when processing around 100,000 clinical samples each year.”
“This new technology means samples can be analysed sooner, which leads to faster patient diagnosis, earlier treatment, and a shorter stay in hospital. The system is also directly linked into the Digital Health Record, maintaining accuracy and assurance of the right test results for the right patients.
“In addition to speeding up the delivery of clinical samples, the Tempus system also provides greater consistency in how long it takes for results to be available. When treating a seriously ill patient in Emergency, these factors can make all the difference to their health outcomes.”
Quotes attributable to Greg Brylski, Executive Director of Pathology and Allied Health, Canberra Health Services:
“The implementation of the Tempus Pathology system at Canberra Health Services offers a significant advancement in delivering patient centred care. The Tempus streamlines pathology workflows allowing faster access to patient results, without compromising patient care.
“This Australian first innovation brings pathology services closer to the patient, facilitating quicker diagnoses while efficiently reducing administrative burdens on the healthcare system, when our healthcare professionals are required to focus on patient care.”
A further 14 volunteer firefighters from Wairewa have been honoured with National Emergency Medals for their efforts in the 2019-20 Australian bushfire crisis.
The National Emergency Medal is part of Australia’s Honours and Awards system and recognises significant or sustained service to others in a nationally significant Australian emergency.
At a ceremony on Saturday 29 March, firefighters from across the Wairewa region became the latest of more than 5,500 CFA members to receive the honour for the 2019-20 fires.
Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Aaron Worcester presented the medals and said they were an important recognition of the valiant efforts of CFA members.
“The National Emergency Medal is a formal recognition that Australia appreciates the efforts and contributions of CFA members during the 2019-20 bushfire crisis,” Aaron said.
“It is a great honour to receive this medal, and I hope it goes a small way to thanking our members for their service.”
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan spoke of his pride for the CFA members’ efforts.
“The 2019-20 fires devastated East Gippsland and the North East of Victoria,” Jason said.
“But from that crisis arose the most remarkable human spirit of generosity and ‘lending a hand’.
“Our medal recipients have exemplified that spirit, and I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them.
“Whether they joined a firefighting strike team, worked in an Incident Control Centre or provided other assistance to affected communities – every contribution was valuable made a real difference.”
Wairewa Fire Brigade Captain and medal recipient Julian Davies said it was an honour to be formally recognised.
“Volunteer fireys don’t do the job for praise or awards – we do it to help out fellow Australians in need,” Julian said.
“That said, it is nice for the hard work of our volunteers to be formally recognised in this way.”
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
The ACCC has commenced legal proceedings in the Federal Court against Fewstone Pty Ltd, trading as City Beach, for allegedly selling products containing button batteries which did not comply with mandatory product safety and information standards, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.
It is alleged that between 22 June 2022 and 24 October 2024, surf, skatewear and accessories retailer City Beach offered for sale 70 product lines containing button batteries which did not comply with Australia’s mandatory button battery standards.
It also allegedly supplied 57,358 individual non-compliant button battery products.
The product lines sold by City Beach include novelty products such as toys, digital notepads, keyrings, lights and light-up Jibbitz accessories for Crocs shoes.
“We are taking this action because, we allege, City Beach exposed consumers to the risks associated with button batteries and failed to inform them of these risks,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
“Button batteries are incredibly dangerous for young children, and tragically in some cases have led to serious injuries or death when swallowed, inserted or ingested.”
“Australia’s button battery standards exist to reduce the risk of death or serious injury posed by button batteries,” Ms Lowe said.
“We are concerned that these items are likely to be in homes with young children. Many of these items were brightly coloured or had light-up features or both, meaning young children may be drawn to playing with them. We urge consumers to check the Product Safety Australia website for details of recalled products and return them to the supplier or to dispose of them safely.”
“The ACCC is responsible for enforcing the button battery standards and works in partnership with state-based consumer agencies. This action is a result of that partnership, with concerns about City Beach’s supply of button battery products first identified through surveillance and then progressed to the ACCC for investigation,” Ms Lowe said.
“In 2022 and 2023, City Beach received warnings from NSW Fair Trading and Queensland Office of Fair Trading in relation to the supply of potentially non-compliant button battery products.”
“The standards have been in existence since 2020, in effect since 2022 and have been the subject of escalating compliance and enforcement work by ACL regulators, including the ACCC. There is simply no excuse for non-compliance and we will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action against businesses that do not comply with these important and potentially life-saving standards,” Ms Lowe said.
The safety standard requires products to have secure battery compartments that are designed to be resistant to being opened by children.
This is to prevent children from gaining access to the batteries.
To comply with the safety standard, a representative sample of products containing button batteries must be tested.
The information standard requires safety warnings to be provided with products, including advice to seek medical attention.
The ACCC is seeking penalties, declarations, injunctive relief and costs.
The ACCC has issued a series of infringement notices and accepted a court enforceable undertaking and compliance commitments for alleged breaches of the button battery standards since they became mandatory in mid-2022.
This is the first case to be bought by the ACCC before the Federal Court for an alleged breach of the button battery standards.
Recalled products
City Beach is conducting a voluntary recall. Consumers can return recalled products to City Beach for a full refund.
Examples of recalled product lines supplied to consumers
ACCC advice to consumers
Button batteries are dangerous to children if swallowed or inserted. They can become stuck in your child’s throat and result in serious lifelong injuries or death. Insertion of button batteries into body parts such as the ears or nose can lead to serious injuries.
Children up to 5 years of age are at greatest risk because of their narrower oesophagus and tendency to place small objects into their mouths, ears and noses. Preventing access to button batteries is critical.
If you suspect a child has swallowed or inserted a button battery:
Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if your child is having any difficulty breathing.
Call the Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26. You can call at any hour for expert advice. The Poisons Information Centre can direct you to an appropriate medical facility. Not every health facility can manage injuries from button batteries. Prompt action is critical.
This document contains the ACCC’s initiating court document in relation to this matter. We will not be uploading further documents in the event this initial document is subsequently amended.
If you haven’t lodged your NFP self-review return yet, take action now. The 31 March 2025 due date for the 2023–24 NFP self-review return has now passed.
While you don’t need to call us to request extra time to lodge, you must get started as soon as possible. We are supporting NFPs who are genuinely trying to get it right, including those who have missed the deadline. This support includes suspending penalties as part of our transitional support arrangements for the first year of NFP self-review return lodgment.
However, from July 2025 we will start to review NFPs who intentionally ignore their obligations. To avoid a review, act now to demonstrate your NFP has taken steps to meet its lodgment obligation.
How to lodge
Lodge your NFP’s self-review return through Online services for business or by phoning our automated self-help phone service on 13 72 26. Alternatively, a registered tax agent can lodge the return on your behalf.
To lodge online, you will need to complete several steps to access to Online services for business. You can follow the NFP self-review return – update, connect and lodge PDF for a written 5 step guide on how to get access to lodge.
Any requests to update your NFP’s ABN details should already be underway – if you still need to update your details, do this without delay.
have available your organisation’s ABN and a reference number from any letter we have posted to it – you will need this if lodging through the self-help phone service.
When your NFP is ready with the required information, the return typically takes around 10 minutes to lodge.
If your NFP needs help, phone our NFP Advice Service on 1300 130 248, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm AEST.
Keep up to date
We have tailored communication channels for the not-for-profit sector to keep you up to date with key tax and super information:
Sadly, a woman in her 80s has died after a single-vehicle crash at Devonport.
Police and emergency services were called to the Bass Highway about 6.30am Thursday after reports a vehicle had rolled.
A woman – who was a passenger in the vehicle – sadly died at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle was taken to the North West Regional Hospital for treatment.
Investigations into the crash are ongoing, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
Our thoughts are with the woman’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.
Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au