Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Tasmania Police

Medals and awards presented to Northern District officers

Monday, 27 October 2025 – 3:55 pm.

An officer who chased down a violent offender in suburban Launceston while off-duty and a group of search and rescue heroes who saved a family stranded in the wilderness were among those recognised today with commendations from Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams.
Members of Tasmania Police Northern District and members of the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management attended a ceremony in Launceston at which medals and clasps were presented to long-serving officers, and Commissioner’s Commendations and Certificates of Appreciation were awarded in recognition of exceptional courage, dedication and professionalism.
Also receiving Certificates of Commendation from Commissioner Adams were six Tasmania Police officers and one civilian who responded to a critical incident in the state’s north in November 2021.
And Inspector Michael Johnston, now retired, was presented with a 40-year service clasp in recognition of his career (1985-2025) in the state’s Northern and Western Districts, in roles including uniform, traffic, drug investigation and criminal investigation.
During the ceremony, Commissioner Adams also presented the inaugural Keith Smith Community Policing Award to Senior Constable Annabel Shegog, and the Investigator of the Year Award to Detective Sergeant Paul Turner of the Cyber Investigations Unit.
Commissioner Adams acknowledged the dedication of all Tasmania Police officers and their positive contributions to their communities.“While the medals and awards that are given out today recognise the service of individuals, they also represent the behaviours and commitment we seek to define our organisation by,” Commissioner Adams said.
“It is not always the large public incidents that demonstrates the commitment and diligence of our people. It’s the everyday response to emergency situations where diligent service, support, and a commitment to helping the community we serve is routinely displayed.”
Today, Detective Senior Constable Thomas Moir received a Certificate of Commendation for his quick response and courageous actions in March this year when – although off duty – he intervened in a violent altercation in a West Launceston neighbourhood and then chased down and apprehended the suspect.
“I was having dinner with my family, and I recall hearing the scream of a female who was obviously in extreme distress. As I stood up, I saw a male with a face covering, standing over the female on the other side of the road,” Senior-Constable Moir said.
“I first checked on the victim, who was visibly injured, who then pointed me in the direction of where the male had run.
“I gave chase and saw him a short time later some way up the street. I had torn my hamstring playing hockey for Tassie in the Australian Police Emergency Services Games the week prior but, thankfully, it just held together to allow me to catch up to him and apprehend him.”
“For me, it was right place at the right time and I’m glad I could be there to help.
“To be able to bring some level of comfort to the victim of this crime, and to my own family and the tight knit neighbourhood affected by it, means more than any formal recognition.”
Detective Senior Constable Moir joined Tasmania Police in 2014 as a 19-year-old and is currently in the Northern Drugs and Firearms Unit.
A Certificate of Commendation was awarded to a search and rescue team which displayed exceptional courage, endurance, and professionalism during an operation in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park on July 14 to 16 last year.
A family of three, including a child, had got into difficulty in the park and was at serious risk as they raised the alarm with extreme weather closing in.
With hazardous conditions preventing the deployment of the rescue helicopter, the search and rescue team trekked kilometres through swollen rivers, snow, and sub-zero temperatures to locate and provide lifesaving treatment to the family, who were suffering hypothermia.
Tasmania Police Search and Rescue officers Sergeant Leighton Riggall and Senior Constable Simon Triffitt were joined on Monday by Ambulance Tasmania wilderness paramedics Edith Wirsu and Nichola James, and Tasmania SES search and rescue volunteers John Cannell, Thorlene Egerton, Justin Welch and Kym Blechynden.
Sergeant Riggall said it had been an “exceptional outcome” for the team, who had to walk in to the stricken party, and then stay with them for two nights until they could be rescued by helicopter.
“It’s a real privilege to have been involved in this incident, where we hiked through a blizzard for five hours, in freezing temperatures and were able to save three lives, including a nine-year-old boy,” he said.
Six Northern officers and a civilian were awarded a Certificate of Commendation for their actions during a critical incident at Ravenswood in November 2021.
Senior Constable Jason Conroy, Constable Laura Bestwick, Constable William Mazengarb, Constable Jessica Newell, Constable Deanna Wadley and Constable Dominic Watson responded to an incident at a Ravenswood home in which they located Taiye Whiting giving lifesaving first-aid to his mother. All recipients showed extraordinary bravery during the incident and provided lifesaving assistance at the scene.

Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams presents a Certificate of Commendation to Detective Senior Constable Thomas Moir on Monday. Picture: Tasmania Police

Source: Mental Health Australia

Road users are advised of changed traffic conditions at the intersection of Hume Highway, Hoxton Park Road and Macquarie Street, Liverpool.

The changes are necessary to carry out traffic signal upgrades. 

We will work for up to eight-nights between Sunday 16 November and Thursday 4 December 2025, weather permitting.

Work hours are from8pm to 5am, Sunday to Thursday. No work will occur on Friday or Saturday nights.

There will be temporary traffic changes while we complete this work. This includes lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h. 

Please drive and ride to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic controllers. 

Thank you for your patience during this time.

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

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

CFA brigades are sometimes faced with narrow streets that are blocked by parked cars on both sides of the road, or encounter narrow driveways into rural properties that make it difficult or impossible to get in.

To address these issues, CFA has recently produced resources for brigades to help the community understand the importance of providing clear access for emergency vehicles on their own properties and in local streets.

CFA examined the types of resources being produced at a local level and consulted with members across the state. When developing any resources we need to understand what the problem is we are trying to solve, who the audience is, and what messages we want to convey.

CFA then developed a video, brochure and postcards.

Under the Victorian Planning Scheme, in many instances CFA is able to prescribe requirements for access to properties and water access during the permit application process. But for existing properties, we can only appeal to people to do the right thing so that our trucks can reach them during an emergency.

“The standard permit conditions provide great best-practice specifications for our messaging to the broader community so we can provide them guidance on how to help us help them,” CFA Manager Natural Environment and Bushfire Safety Mark Holland said.

“In most cases we can’t compel people to comply, but we can present them with our problem and appeal to them to help.”

CFA members from Boneo, Dromana and Rosebud fire brigades helped us create a video to help get the message out to communities.

“It’s important for us to highlight to the community the challenges we face when we respond to an incident and make them aware that any help we can get from them to make our response quick and effective will reduce the impact on them,” Peninsula Group Officer and Rye Captain Eddie Matt said.

“These resources go a long way to help communicate this.”

Brigades can order the new resources from community engagement coordinators at region and district offices, and downloaded from the Community Engagement Content Portal. 

Submitted by	News and Media

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Nikki Gill, Jon Croft and CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan

A Melbourne man has been recognised for his extraordinary courage after rescuing a disabled woman trapped inside her burning home on New Year’s Day 2024.

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: Mental Health Australia

The next stage of Hume Highway rehabilitation at Marulan will feature a high-strength asphalt instead of concrete, with the new approach aimed at improving the roads long-term performance.

Source: Mental Health Australia

Road users are advised of changed traffic conditions on the M7 Motorway in Prestons from Thursday 6 November to Wednesday 12 November 2025, between 9pm and 5am for road resurfacing work.

The M7 Motorway southbound lanes will be closed to all traffic between Cowpasture Road and Camden Valley Way during these works. 

Vehicles travelling under a permit must not travel off the approved route listed in their permit unless an updated permit is obtained from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

Please keep to the speed limits and follow the direction of traffic controllers and signs.

Transport for NSW thanks road users for their patience during this time.

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

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Credit: Upper Beaconsfield Fire Brigade

Upper Beaconsfield Fire Brigade has been serving their community for 100 years and this weekend they came together to celebrate the milestone.

The main event was held on Sunday 26 October with brigade members welcoming the community to their station for a day of festivities.

This included the long-awaited unveiling of the new mural that has been lovingly painted on the side of the station by artist Keira Slootjes.

The brigade has been operating since 1925, when a group of residents formed the initial Beaconsfield Upper Bush Fire Brigade. Local resident Ulick A’Beckett was the first Captain.

At this time there was no specialised firefighting equipment. Brigade members relied on horses to get to the fire and used gum boughs to beat out the flames.

In 1949, the brigade became one of the first to use radio communication to coordinate firefighting activities. While, in the early 1980s they continued to make history when they welcomed women.

Captain of the brigade, Ian Pinney said it was fabulous to be able to celebrate the brigade’s history and everything they have achieved in the last 100 years.

“We have a long history, and we have had many milestones, and many challenges,” Ian said.

“It has been great to be able to celebrate everything we have done for the community over that time, and everything they have done for us.”

One such challenge was when the town was completely destroyed by the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires that swept across Victoria.

The Upper Beaconsfield blaze took the lives of 21 people, including 12 firefighters.

“It certainly was a challenging time, but we try and focus on the good where we can, whilst remembering those we lost,” Ian said.

Now the brigade is stronger than ever with 54 members, and 31 of them as operational firefighters. The brigade also has a non-operational auxiliary that turns 50 this year.

Ian said the mural was a celebration of the brigade’s entire history, from the first truck, a 1920s T model Ford, all the way through to their most recent one.

“It is honouring our membership past and present, and it is something to be really proud of,” Ian said.

“We are hoping that people will actually come to visit the mural like they visit the silo art in the area, and it can become something really special for the whole town.”

“We would like to thank everyone who helped us put this together, our sponsors, and of course Keira, we are really so grateful.”

Alongside the mural unveiling on Sunday, they hosted their Get Fire Ready event, helping to inform the community about the upcoming season and what they can do to be best prepared.

“With everything that has changed in the past hundred years, we are still here to help the community, that will never change,” Ian said.

Submitted by	CFA media

Source: Mental Health Australia

Critical road link Mamre Road will be widened to two lanes in each direction as part of a $1 billion upgrade by the Australian and NSW Governments to ease traffic and improve safety in Western Sydney.

Early designs and an environmental assessment for Stage 2 of the Mamre Road upgrade between Erskine Park Road and Kerrs Road have been released today, showing its transformation from suburban road to major arterial link across the west.
 

Also released was a flythrough that shows how the 6.1 km route from St Clair to Kemps Creek will be developed to support the growth of local communities. Some 20,000 vehicles currently use the route daily and this is expected to double by 2041.
 

Mamre Road is a key link to Western Sydney’s growing employment areas, including the future Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, and the upgrade will support more reliable travel as the region continues to expand.
 

This project builds on the $290M, 3.8 km Mamre Road Stage 1, already underway, and will improve the connection between the M4 Motorway and Elizabeth Drive.
 

The community has been asked to have their say on the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) which considers project impacts including noise, traffic, air quality, flooding, biodiversity and heritage. Community feedback on the REF will help shape the final design and reduce potential impacts.
 

The Mamre Road 2 upgrade is proposed to include:
• New traffic lights with pedestrian crossings at Abbotts Road and Darrabarra Avenue
• Safer shared paths for walking and cycling
• Improved bus stops and drainage
• A smoother, safer drive with less congestion in peak times
 

Pending planning approvals, construction is expected to get underway in 2026 with construction expected to be completed in 2029.
 

This is one of several major road projects transforming travel in Western Sydney, including:
• The new toll-free $2.1 billion M12 Motorway (opening 2026)
• $800 million in upgrades to Elizabeth Drive
• A $1 billion overhaul of Fifteenth Avenue between Cowpasture and Devonshire roads
 

The local community is invited to the view plans and environmental report, and have their say by visiting www.transport.nsw.gov.au/mamreroadupgradeS2, emailing mamreroadupgradeS2@transport.nsw.gov.au or call 1800 696 564.

Source: Mental Health Australia

Road users are advised of changed traffic conditions on Narellan Road west of Waterworth Drive, Mount Annan.

The changes are necessary to install new Variable Messaging Signs (VMS) as part of the Network Efficiency Program.

We will work for up to four-night shifts between Tuesday 11 November and Friday 19 December 2025, weather permitting, to install the foundation for the Narellan Road site.

Installation of all three VMS structures will then be completed over 12-night shifts (four nights at each location) from Monday 17 November 2025, weather permitting.

• Narellan Road west of Waterworth Drive, Mount Annan
• The Northern Road south of Fairwater Drive, Harrington Park, and
• Camden Valley Way south of Anderson Road, Smeaton Grange.

Night working hours will be between 8pm and 5am. No work will occur on Friday or Saturday nights. 

There will be five-day shifts for final testing from Monday 15 December 2025, weather permitting. The boards will become operational after testing.

Our day work hours are 7am to 5pm.

There will be temporary traffic changes while we complete this work. This includes lane closures, and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h. Traffic control will help road users and pedestrians through the work area if required.

Please drive and ride to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic controllers. 

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

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

With community input the City of Greater Bendigo has developed a Rosalind Park Management Plan: Coexistence with Flying Fox and Ibis that is now available to view on the City’s Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo website until November 30, 2025.

City of Greater Bendigo Presentation and Assets Director Brian Westley said the management plan developed by consultants Ecosure, was informed by the results of a 2024 community survey on the City’s Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo website that was completed by over 300 people.

“The management plan outlines a range of actions to foster coexistence, minimise human-wildlife conflict and maintaining public use of the park whilst ensuring conservation of the protected wildlife that reside in Rosalind Park,” Mr Westley said.

“While the City already has a masterplan that guides the future development of the entire Rosalind Park precinct, the development of a management plan is about meeting the day-to-day management requirements of the park and ensuring we are fulfilling our obligations under the Wildlife Act for the protected species being the Grey Headed Flying Fox and White Ibis that live in the park.

“Rosalind Park is one of Greater Bendigo’s premier parklands for recreation and major events and the City is obligated under legislation to ensure we are not doing anything that impacts the animals which means finding a balance between people and the native animals.”

The management plan includes a range of short, medium and long-term actions to reopen the historic fernery, reduce nesting and numbers of Ibis in the park, foster co-existence with flying foxes and Ibis and prepare for large influxes of Flying Fox.

Some key action recommendations include:

• Undertake staged works to re-open the fernery
• Remove old Ibis nests across the park once all chicks have fledged
• Prune nesting trees prior to each nesting seasons to reduce nesting platforms
• Continue routine maintenance to clean fences, gates, walkways, park benches, rotunda, lawns and vegetation
• Continue regular tree health assessments to ensure tree health and safety of park users
• Investigate additional resources for periodic flying-fox influxes and ibis nesting periods to allow additional cleaning/blowing of footpaths and chairs/path sweeping, etc.
• Limit mess on paths through a combination of strategic minor tree trimming and path covers/shelters in key areas
• Consider deterring flying-foxes from strategic areas with canopy-mounted sprinklers on a rotational basis, if required, to allow areas to recover whilst also allowing flying-foxes to remain in the park. Canopy-mounted sprinklers, and/or selective trimming, may also be used where flying-foxes are roosting in highly undesirable areas, such as the schools
• Plant additional jasmine on the entire fernery fence line to assist in masking odour and increase shading around the periphery to improve conditions for ferns

The City recognises the ecological and cultural importance of flying-foxes and ibis in sustaining the region’s unique biodiversity. The City also acknowledges the impact flying foxes and ibis may have on the community and is committed to implementing management actions that minimise impacts while also encouraging co-existence.

The City faces significant challenges in managing Rosalind Park which is home to a number of important heritage trees and other attractions such as the poppet head tower, the conservatory, the cascades and the fernery.

Since 2010 the park has also been home to a colony of native protected Grey Headed Flying Fox who have established a breeding and maternity camp at the site and more recently White Ibis have taken up residency in the fernery.

The Grey Headed Flying Fox is protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth), the Wildlife Act 1975 (Vic) and the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic).  White Ibis are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975.

The City doesn’t have the authority to remove or relocate the bats as they are a protected species. It is also illegal to scare, harm or disturb them without permission or a permit from the relevant responsible authorities.

To view the plan, visit: