Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Tasmania Police

Fuel theft near Oatlands under investigation

Friday, 27 March 2026 – 3:18 pm.

Police are investigating the overnight theft of a significant quantity of diesel from a storage trailer parked on a property near Oatlands.
The theft took place between 5pm Thursday, 26 March and 6.30am Friday, 27 March, with offenders breaking into the property located in a rural area, then stealing several hundred litres of fuel.
Anyone with information, or who observed suspicious activity on Interlaken Road near the intersection with the Midland Highway, is asked to contact police on 131 444.
Police urge property and vehicle owners to be vigilant to potential fuel theft by taking steps to secure vehicles, machinery and storage tanks.
Storing vehicles, tools and fuel cells / tanks in secure buildings, or in areas with high visibility or CCTV coverage, can discourage opportunistic or targeted theft.

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

With the Bendigo Easter Festival only a week away, now is the time to start planning your trip to the major event over the long weekend.

Several road closures and detours will be in place in the city centre to facilitate the staging of the region’s biggest homegrown community festival. Some of the closures and detours will be in effect from Wednesday April 1 to Monday April 6.

No unauthorised vehicles will be permitted within the Bendigo Easter Festival precinct/road closure areas during event times. These areas have been declared a temporary tow away zone.

Residents and visitors are strongly advised not to park or leave a car overnight in the tow away zone. Any unauthorised vehicle left in the road closure area during the event times will be towed to a location outside of the closure area if Victoria Police is unable to contact the owner to move the vehicle.

For the first time, Arnold Street (from Bridge Street to McCrae Street) has been included among the partial road closures where only local and emergency services access will be given, with residents and businesses needing to show proof. This comes into effect from 6am to 6pm on Saturday April 4 and 6am to 6pm on Sunday April 5. People travelling by car to the festival are advised to seek alternative route. Maps are available on the Bendigo Easter website with all the important information.

Works have begun on the Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment with fencing and hoarding now installed around the site. This means there are some changes to pedestrian access on View Street and for some paths close to the rear of the gallery in Rosalind Park. There will be no footpath access or viewing area directly in front of the gallery on View Street, so this section will not be available for seating or for watching the two parades. For more details, please refer to the map on the Bendigo Easter Festival website. Footpaths remain open outside Dudley House, The Engine Room, The Capital, as well as on the opposite side of View Street.

City of Greater Bendigo Manager Economy & Experience James Myatt said it was important for people to be aware in advance of the road closures and the tow away zone.

“The road closures and the tow away zone across the festival precinct are necessary to meet the needs of staging Bendigo’s biggest community festival and accommodate thousands of people attending events and activities,” Mr Myatt said.

“The City would like to take this opportunity to thank residents and local businesses for their understanding and patience while these temporary road closures are in place.

“The festival’s many sponsors play an important role in the event’s success and the City would like to thank them all for their ongoing support, particularly premium sponsor Agnico Eagle and gold sponsors Sherridon Homes, Gold FM, La Trobe University and Bendigo Advertiser.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Northern Territory Police Force is calling for information after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted early this morning in Woodroffe.

Police believe that between 3am and 4am, a woman aged in her 40’s was allegedly sexually assaulted near a bus stop on Woodroffe Avenue.

The woman flagged down police a short time later and was conveyed to hospital for assessment.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the assault, or who has information or CCTV that could assist investigators, to come forward.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444, quote reference P26089887 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersnt.com.au.  

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for information in relation to a violent assault that occurred in Darwin City on Wednesday evening.

Around 7pm on 25 March 2026, the victim, a 36-year-old male, was walking with a group on Bennett Street, near West Lane.

It is alleged three males known to him assaulted him causing non-life-threatening injuries to his head and body. During the assault, one of the offenders allegedly drove at the victim and crashed into a parked vehicle occupied by a member of the public, narrowly missing other pedestrians in the area.

Police have arrested the three males involved and are continuing to investigate the incident.

The Northern Territory Police Force is urging anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, to make contact through 131 444. Please quote reference NTP2600028533. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppers.com.au.

Domestic and Family Violence continues to be a significant concern in the Northern Territory and perpetrators of domestic violence will be held accountable for their actions. If you have witnessed or experienced domestic and family violence, call police on 131 444 or 000 in an emergency.

If you or someone you know is experience difficulties as a result of domestic violence, support services are available including but not limited to 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline 131 114.

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

Retail petrol and diesel prices continued to climb in the week to 25 March as international refined petrol and diesel benchmark prices rose further, but diesel price increases at both the wholesale and retail levels are outpacing petrol prices, the ACCC’s weekly fuel price monitoring update shows.

Across Australia’s five largest cities, daily average retail diesel prices on 25 March were 303.5 cents per litre (cpl), an increase of 27.8 cpl (10 per cent) from the previous week.

In comparison, average retail prices on 25 March for regular unleaded petrol across the five largest cities were 252.2 cpl, an increase of 18.1 cpl (8 per cent) from the previous week.

On 25 March, daily average retail diesel prices across the more than 190 regional locations the ACCC monitors were 307.6 cpl, an increase of 28.6 cpl (10 per cent) from the previous week.

These price increases are on the back of movements in international benchmark prices. The international benchmark price for diesel (Singapore Gasoil 10 ppm) increased by about 17 per cent from the previous week, whereas the international benchmark price for refined petrol (Singapore Mogas 95) increased by about 9 per cent.

“We’re continuing to watch the fuel market very closely and are engaging with the fuel industry, Government, state and territory regulators and consumers through this very volatile period,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.

“We remain concerned about supply issues for both petrol and diesel impacting a range of locations, including capital city suburbs, regional towns and remote areas. Last week we granted urgent interim authorisation, with conditions, to the Australian Institute of Petroleum and its current members to coordinate as needed to manage supply chain issues.”

“Having already granted urgent interim authorisation, we this week commenced consultation on the Australian Institute of Petroleum’s 12-month authorisation application,” Mr Keogh said.

“Many consumers have contacted us about petrol and diesel prices over the last few weeks and we are assessing those reports. Any potential breaches of our competition and consumer laws will be prioritised and taken very seriously.”

Retail prices in the capital cities

On 25 March, Hobart had the highest daily average retail petrol prices among Australia’s eight capital cities (257.2 cpl), and Brisbane had the lowest (250.3 cpl). From the previous week, Hobart experienced the largest increase in average prices (22.0 cpl).

On 25 March, Canberra had the highest daily average retail diesel prices among the eight cities (306.0 cpl), and Perth had the lowest (300.3 cpl). From the previous week, Brisbane experienced the largest increase in average prices (29.1 cpl).

Daily average retail regular unleaded petrol prices – cents per litre

Daily average retail regular diesel prices – cents per litre

International crude oil and refined fuel benchmark prices

International crude oil and refined fuel benchmark prices were volatile in the week to 25 March, with both daily price increases and decreases.

Singapore Mogas 95 was around 138 cpl (Australian) in the week to 25 March, an increase of about 11 cpl from the previous week.

Singapore Gasoil 10 ppm was around 193 cpl (Australian) in the week to 25 March, an increase of about 28 cpl from the previous week.

Weekly average international crude oil and refined fuel benchmark prices

Consumer reports to the ACCC

Between 1 and 24 March the ACCC received over 3,000 reports from consumers and small businesses about fuel prices. Fuel related contacts made up nearly one-third of all contacts to the ACCC in March, with reports peaking in the second week of March.

Reports have raised a variety of issues, including multiple price rises in the same day in some jurisdictions, large jumps in fuel prices overnight, and some service stations either setting volume limits on fuel or running out of fuel completely.

Note to editors

The international benchmark price for refined fuel is the largest component of retail fuel prices. The international benchmark for Australian retail petrol prices is Singapore Mogas 95 (Mogas 95). The international benchmark for Australian retail diesel prices is Singapore Gasoil 10 with 10 parts per million sulphur content (Gasoil 10 ppm).

Both petrol and diesel are refined from crude oil and their prices generally tend to follow similar movements over the long term. However, the different fuels have their own supply and demand characteristics (for example, compared with petrol, diesel also has remote energy generation and industrial uses) and the different refined fuels have their own international benchmark prices. It is these benchmarks that drive retail diesel and retail petrol prices.

Australian retail fuel prices are largely determined by movements in international benchmark refined fuel prices (which are driven by international crude oil prices), and the AUD-USD exchange rate. International benchmark prices movements drive domestic wholesale prices, which then influence retail fuel prices.

Additionally, in the five largest capital cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth), retail petrol prices have typically moved up and down in regular patterns, known as petrol price cycles. The ACCC website has more information on these price cycles. Retail diesel prices do not move in cycles.

‘Terminal gate’ or wholesale prices are prices that wholesalers charge for petrol and diesel in the spot market. The major wholesalers post these prices on their websites on a regular basis. Although few wholesale transactions occur at terminal gate prices and actual costs can vary across brands and cities, they are typically indicative of average wholesale prices. Terminal gate prices are indicative of the wholesale price of petrol and diesel only, and exclude transport and other retail operating costs. The ACCC recently heard from market participants that some transactions have been quite different to published terminal gate prices.

Background

The ACCC is an independent statutory government authority and Australia’s peak consumer protection and competition agency.

The ACCC uses a range of tools to promote compliance with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and the Australian Consumer Law.

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Women’s Network members learn about fire tower operations from Michael Robertson

On 19 March, the District 7 Women’s Network held its latest quarterly activity – a visit to the Mt Anakie fire tower.

This was a highly requested activity, and with limited access within the tower, places were capped to 20 participants.

The evening was structured to give participants an understanding of preparedness and readiness activities that take place behind the scenes during the fire season.

Fire tower operator Michael Robertson stepped participants through the day-to-day duties of the role. This includes scanning the landscape for smoke, understanding how weather, visibility and local knowledge all come together in early fire detection, and what happens when a fire is detected.

Commander Sam Miaolo then provided an overview of district readiness and what happens behind the scenes leading up to an elevated fire behaviour day. Participants learned about the District Readiness Matrix, how and when resources are stood up, and the coordination required between groups and the district to ensure crews are prepared to respond.

The session helped connect local brigade activities to the bigger operational picture, with one attendee noting, “It was good to hear how it works at district level.”

The third session focused on fire behaviour, with Anakie Group Officer Brooke Killen speaking about the Anakie Group area, which participants had a fantastic view over from the top of the mountain. He described past fires in the region and covered the Australian Fire Danger Rating System Fire Behaviour Index, which is what determines readiness levels.

One participant reflected, “It was really interesting going through the history of the fires.”

The evening wrapped up with a relaxed networking supper, giving everyone the opportunity to connect, share experiences and continue conversations.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting how valuable it was to gain an insight into what happens behind the scenes during the Fire Danger Period.

Submitted by	Jessica Brittain

Source: Tasmania Police

Man in custody as dangerous driving, carjacking investigation continues

Friday, 27 March 2026 – 12:01 pm.

A 22-year-old Glenorchy man is in police custody following a series of alleged dangerous driving incidents and an attempted carjacking on Thursday.
The man was arrested at Lawitta, on the Lyell Highway, yesterday evening, with police apprehending him as he allegedly tried to steal a car while a female occupant was in the vehicle.
The woman, who was not known to the man, was not physically injured.
Earlier, the man is alleged to have evaded police in a stolen vehicle in the Molesworth area, before he engaged in dangerous driving through Glenorchy, Bridgewater, Brighton and New Norfolk, between 4pm and 5.15pm.
In one instance, the man is alleged to have driven against the flow of traffic while crossing the Bridgewater Bridge.
Further, a police vehicle was damaged at Molesworth, and a police vehicle and private vehicle were damaged in separate collisions at New Norfolk. There were no injuries reported.
Police had initially wanted to question the man on Thursday in relation to unresolved matters in the Bridgewater area.
Investigations are continuing.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has CCTV or dashcam footage of a Mazda BT50 four-wheel-drive being driven in an erratic manner in the Glenorchy, Bridgewater and Derwent Valley areas, is asked to contact police on 131 444.
You can also report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through www.crimestopperstas.com.au

Source: Tasmania Police

12 new constables join Tasmania Police ranks

Friday, 27 March 2026 – 11:53 am.

Tasmania Police has today welcomed 12 new constables into its ranks.
Acting Commander Craig Joel congratulated the new police officers, who have successfully completed an intensive 28-week course.
“Recruit Training Course 5 of 2025 comprises six women and six men, ranging in age from 18 to 32, and I look forward to seeing the contribution they will make to policing in Tasmania,” he said.
Constable Clara Lewis has been awarded Dux of the Course and will be posted to Bellerive.
The 22-year-old said she was “always up for a challenge”.
“Every shift is different in policing and I am excited for a career where I can be challenged and learn something new each day,” she said.
“As a police officer I hope to be able to help vulnerable people within my community.”
Constable Jack Van Voorthuizen has been awarded Runner up Dux and will be posted to Burnie.
The 31-year-old former carpenter decided to join Tasmania Police for a lifelong career.
“I have always been interested in policing – in primary school when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up I still remember writing ‘a policeman’,” he said.
“I am looking forward to contributing to the wider community in a role that not only supports me, but my family.”
Acting Commander Joel said Tasmania Police offered a career with endless opportunities.
“The Tasmania Police Academy continues to play a central role in preparing every Tasmania Police recruit for operational policing,” he said.
“Today’s graduation follows a major milestone earlier this month, when the Academy celebrated 50 years since its doors opened . With further courses scheduled to graduate throughout the year, Tasmania Police will continue to invest in building a contemporary, well trained and community focused workforce.
“If you have ever thought about joining Tasmania Police, we encourage you to get in touch with our recruitment team.”
The new constables will be posted to Hobart, Launceston, Glenorchy, and Burnie, where they will commence duties next week.
“We wish our new constables well and we are confident that the commitment and promise they have shown to reach this point means they will go on to have successful and rewarding careers, as they work to keep our communities safe,” Acting Commander Joel said.
Information about the recruitment process is available at https://recruitment.police.tas.gov.au/

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Hundreds of volunteers are fired up for the final weekend of the CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships this weekend with many teams returning after years away from the track.

Multiple running teams from brigades across the state have been training for several months, gearing up for some friendly competition in Stawell on 28 and 29 March.

After hanging up their running boots nearly a decade ago, Wodonga West has formed a new Rural Seniors team who are ready to give it red hot go this weekend.

Wodonga West Fire Brigade volunteer firefighter Aneka Newport helped form the running team of five members from the brigade, three of which will be competing at the State Championships.

“We’re a bit nervous as it’s our first time competing at the State Championships in the seniors competition, but we’re ready to give it a go,” Aneka said.

“One of our team members, Addi Pearce, has been competing for several years in the junior State Championships but she’s just transitioned to seniors which has been great for our team.

“We’ve been training every week for the past few months in the lead up to this event.

“Competing in the champs is a great way to represent our brigade but it’s also a lot of fun and I really enjoy it.”

Aneka encourages CFA volunteers to form a team in the future to be part of the action.

“You’re not on the fireground, you’re trying a new learning experience, meeting new people and having some friendly competition,” Aneka said.

CFA Acting Chief Officer Alen Slijepcevic AFSM said it was exciting to see the youngsters battle it out last weekend and looks forward to seeing some good rivalry this weekend.

“The Championships are an important and much-loved event on the CFA calendar, which builds strong relationships and helps grow the future of the organisation,” Alen said.

“The teams work hard for many months, some train year-round, and compete in several regional events in the lead up to the major event.

“Congratulations to everyone involved, including those behind the scenes who help make this momentous event happen.

“Good luck to all the competitors this weekend!”

Wodonga West will join the other 152 Urban Senior and Rural Senior and Junior teams at Stawell’s North Park Recreation Reserve this Saturday from 8am.

Submitted by	CFA media

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

While we may still have some hot days ahead and parts of Victoria are still dry, we wanted to say a huge thank you to all our members after what was a very big summer season for CFA.

Some key stats from the season: 

Submitted by	A/CEO Jason Heffernan and A/Chief Officer Alen Slijepcevic AFSM