Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers
The Australian Government plans to change the Health Insurance Act to improve the Bonded Medical Program and is seeking feedback on related Rule changes. You can share your views by completing the questionnaire by 11:59 pm (AEDT) on Monday, 10 November 2025.
Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers
We want to hear from Support at Home providers to help design a pooled funding trial, starting in 2026. Register interest by 5pm (AEDT) 5 November 2025 for the opportunity to participate in an online workshop or give written feedback.
Source: Mental Health Australia
Initial design and investigation milestones have been met on the East Nowra Sub Arterial Road (ENSA) project, bringing the alternative connection between the Nowra CBD and the suburbs and villages east of Nowra another step closer.
Initial design and investigation milestones have been met on the East Nowra Sub Arterial Road (ENSA) project (PDF, 209.62 KB), bringing the alternative connection between the Nowra CBD and the suburbs and villages east of Nowra another step closer.
The State Government provided $12 million to Shoalhaven City Council to complete this phase of the project, consisting of project management, site investigations, design and early construction works.
Source: New South Wales Ministerial News
The City of Greater Bendigo is delighted to be the first regional Victorian city to host the Australian Society of Travel Writers annual Convention, which is taking place from October 30 to November 2 to mark its 50th anniversary.
Presented in collaboration with Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon, Business Events Victoria and the City, the Australian Society of Travel Writers Convention will host a delegation of 90 writers, publishers, editors, photographers and public relations members from across Australia and New Zealand to celebrate this special anniversary milestone.
As this is first time the Australian Society of Travel Writers Convention has been hosted by a Victorian regional city in its 50-year history, the coveted event will showcase the Bendigo Regions reputation as a UNESCO City and Region of Gastronomy and its visitor destination offerings from arts, history and cultural experiences to its unique natural beauty.
Delegates will be welcomed by the Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf at a welcome opening event of the program at Ulumbarra Theatre.
A two-day program at the Lakeside Hotel will have a host of inspiring panellists and guest speakers, a cocktail function spotlighting local producers and artisans, and the Awards for Excellence gala dinner at Mackenzie Quarters. The convention program will finish with media familiarisation tours for delegates, showcasing more than 40 businesses, experiences and products from across Bendigo, Heathcote and Loddon Valley. This includes attractions, tours, wineries, breweries, galleries, hospitality venues and accommodation providers. With so many travel writers visiting the Bendigo Region for the convention, these tours are designed to inspire editorial stories, blogs and social media content for leading publications from across Australia.
Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon’s James Myatt said being the first regional Victorian city selected to host the Australian Society of Travel Writers 50th anniversary convention is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the region’s diverse attractions.
“This is an extraordinary accolade for our region to be chosen as the destination for a large contingent of esteemed travel journalists and publicists,” Mr Myatt said.
“To be celebrated by the travel writing community in this way is a fitting recognition of our region’s vibrant appeal.
“Hosting a convention like this demonstrates that our beautiful region, and all of the experiences it has to offer, can compete with the rest of world’s most appealing travel destinations.”
Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture
30 October 2025
All clients required to use the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON) website during the unplanned outage.
All shipping agents or operators of maritime conveyances who were required to report pre-arrival information during the unplanned outage.
Restored time:
As of: 06:00 Thursday 30 October 2025 (AEDT).
Detail:
Between 03:00 to 06…
Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority
Credit: Alistair Walker, Lockwood 2nd Lieutenant
The dedicated volunteers captivated a large crowd during the tough conditions with the help of many stakeholders, to hold a joyful community market on Sunday (26 October).
Held on the bowling green and within the town hall, stalls were set up for all ages, with Kelly Sports, face painting and badge making for the kids, and a silent auction and raffle on offer for the adults.
Lockwood Fire Brigade Captain of 5 years and CFA volunteer for 44 years, Dean Heather said the event was the biggest and most successful he had seen for the brigade.
“There has been such a large amount of work and organisation put into this event by many members of our brigade, and we’re really pleased with how well it turned out,” Dean said.
“Having been involved in the brigade for 25 years, it was exciting to be a part of such a large community engagement day.
“This year we decided to make it a real community affair, hoping to engage more closely with families and it was a great result.
“We had the community engagement vehicle set up so people could refresh their summer fire safety too, and plenty of food and drink to keep the day moving.”
Neighbouring CFA brigades from Kangaroo Flat, Marong, Maiden Gully and Oscar 1 rescue were on site in support throughout the day coordinating displays with Marong VICSES.
“They battled the weather but were still able to get some target shooting with the hose and water fire extinguishers going which people enjoyed,” Dean said.
Dean said it was particularly special on the weekend to acknowledge their dedicated years of service in front of those they serve.
“We had a certificate provided to us by CFA, unveiled behind red curtains and it was great to have CFA District 2 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Archie Conroy come down to speak,” Dean said.
“We had a number of speeches touching on various stories through the decades.”
As a rural fire brigade specialising in grass and scrub fires, volunteers first operated out of a station on the Calder Highway, before moving to the new and existing site on Crusoe Road in 2002, with better access to the town and more room to house vehicles.
Over the years, brigade members have been deployed to major bushfires including the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, 2009’s Black Saturday and the 2019-20 season.
When taking on the captaincy, Dean said it was a good opportunity to start afresh in the brigade and praises the willingness of the members to put up their hand to help.
“Having identified the strengths of our members, it has made delegation a lot easier, and they have been awesome at offering their assistance and expertise,” Dean said.
“We have around 34 members, with 20 operational and a core unit who are able to turn out to each incident. With a highway running through our patch, we do get motor vehicle incidents too.
“I try to acknowledge and thank our members as much as I can for their efforts because I think that matters. You have to give them credit for the work they do, and they appreciate it.”
Dean’s entire family is part of CFA, with his two sons involved with the brigade, the youngest being 17, and his wife Mel a Brigade Administrative Support Officer in District 2.
“As a family, CFA has been a pretty big part of our life and my wife used to say as soon as the pager went off, it emptied our house,” Dean said.
“Mel has aspirations to start training with the brigade too, to assist with her knowledge and get a handle of what is involved so she has a better understanding in her own work environment.”
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Source: Mental Health Australia
Passengers using the public transport network this weekend are advised to plan ahead, with a full Metro closure, partial L1 Dulwich Hill Line closure and Sydney Trains trackwork.
Metro
Across the weekend, Metro services do not run between Tallawong and Sydenham. Buses replace trains between Tallawong and Chatswood only. This closure is essential to completing the integration and testing of the control systems that will enable the M1 Line to extend beyond Sydenham to Bankstown next year.
Passengers should use T1 North Shore Line services between Chatswood and Wynyard or T9 Northern Line services between Epping and Central, and T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line services between Martin Place and Sydenham. For travel between Wynyard and Central, use L2 or L3 light rail services. For travel to and from Waterloo, use local buses or trains from Redfern.
Light Rail
From Saturday 1 November to Friday 7 November inclusive, Sydney’s L1 Dulwich Hill Line services will not run between Central and Convention, as crews carry out critical upgrades to maintain the safety and reliability of the network.
The line will remain operational between Convention and Dulwich Hill, but customers travelling to or from Central will need to use replacement bus services, regular buses, or walk where practical.
Buses will run every six minutes in the peak and 15 off peak, though exact timings may vary depending on road conditions.
However, replacement buses will not stop at several intermediate light rail stations: Capitol Square, Paddy’s Markets, Exhibition Centre, and Pyrmont Bay.
Rail
On the Sydney Trains network, trains do not run on the City Circle or between Central and Wynyard from 10pm Friday across the weekend. For travel around the City, use T4 trains, light rail or local buses. L2 and L3 light rail services run between Central and Circular Quay.
On the T1 Western Line and T5 Cumberland Line, buses replace trains between Richmond and Riverstone. Trains run between Riverstone and Liverpool.
On the T2 Leppington & Inner West Line and T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line, buses replace Inner West trains all weekend between Strathfield and Central.
On the South Coast Line, on Sunday from 9am to 6:30pm, buses replace trains between Port Kembla and Wollongong.
Trackwork on other lines may affect how you travel. Trains may run to a changed timetable and stopping pattern. Passengers may need to change trains to complete their journey and are encouraged to allow extra travel time and plan ahead by visiting transportnsw.info/alerts or using trip planning apps.
Source: Mental Health Australia
Travellers on Victoria Pass have had an early Christmas present with all lanes of traffic to reopen for the first time in three years.
The westbound slow lane at Victoria Pass, west of Mount Victoria, has been closed since July 2022 after two slopes were significantly damaged during extreme weather that was later declared a natural disaster.
Repair work started in April 2025 with the aim of finishing before Christmas, however, hard-working crews have smashed that deadline with all lanes of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass expected to reopen to traffic in the week of Monday 10 November.
Read the full media release here (PDF, 907.52 KB).
Source: Mental Health Australia
The Tuncurry community is being invited to ‘have your say’ on a proposal to construct the Tuncurry Boat Maintenance Facility.
The proposal follows the closure of the Tuncurry Slipway in 2023 after decades of deterioration. Since 1875 the slipway site has been an important part of the community, beginning its life as a sawmill and shipyard.
Transport for NSW has prepared a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) to seek environmental approval to construct the new facility.
The REF has been developed together with local council and other agencies, and feedback is sought on key aspects of the proposal, including the installation of a noise wall and measures to improve safety for workers and the community.
Key details in the proposal include modernising the facility with a 75 tonne travel lift and installing a commercial wastewater treatment system which will protect the local waterway environment.
It is anticipated that construction of the new facility will take approximately 14 months to complete.
Transport for NSW Maritime Executive Director, Mark Hutchings says the project is a welcome renewal of an important maritime site for the community.
“Boat maintenance facilities are vital maritime infrastructure because they keep boats safe, support local jobs and tourism, and protect our waterways,” said Mr Hutchings.
“This new facility will not only modernise maintenance operations, it will improve safety for workers and the community while reducing environmental hazards”.
The community is invited to meet the project team and learn more about the proposal at Forster Civic Centre, Wallamba Room, 4 Lake Street, Forster:
For more information on the proposal and to share your feedback visit the website.
To download artist impressions of the proposed facility visit here.
Have your say closes Monday 24 November 2025.
Source: Government of Australia Capital Territory
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 30/10/2025
The ACT Government is asking the Tuggeranong community to have their say on a range of proposed options to restore and improve the water quality of Lake Tuggeranong.
Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water Suzanne Orr MLA, said restoring the health of Lake Tuggeranong is a priority for the ACT Government.
“Lake Tuggeranong, like many of our waterways, is under pressure from nutrient pollutants that wash off gardens and driveways,” Minister Orr said.
“Fallen leaves, fertiliser, grass clippings and soil end up in stormwater drains, increasing the risk of blue-green algal blooms and lake closures.
“Over the last decade, the ACT Government’s Healthy Waterways Program has built wetlands, upgraded stormwater systems, and delivered community education programs to improve water quality in and around Lake Tuggeranong.
“The wetlands have helped reduce nutrient pollution from within the stormwater system entering the lake, but we now know that the most effective way to reduce blue-green algal blooms is to prevent nutrient pollution at its source.
“This means that we must shift our focus from building infrastructure in the stormwater system to interventions that stop pollution at the source.
“Through this consultation, we are presenting a range of options that will require community action, from reducing fertiliser use in gardens to storm water recycling at sports fields and increased street sweeping.
“The community will be invited to have their say on how the lake’s conditions affect them, how implementing these options will impact them, and to help identify the best ways to support residents to adopt practical solutions.
“The Government already provides a range of ongoing services to help reduce nutrient pollution, but we must also understand how the community is willing to help.
“This feedback will help shape a 10-year plan towards the Government’s aim of keeping Lake Tuggeranong more consistently free of algal blooms,” said Minister Orr.
Community consultation is open now until Friday 12 December 2025.
For more information and to have your say, visit the ACT Government’s YourSay Conversations.
– Statement ends –
Suzanne Orr, MLA | Media Releases