Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

CASSANDRA FERNANDO, MEMBER FOR HOLT: It’s great to be here at Goodstart Early Learning Centre in Hampton Park in the heart of my electorate. I’m honoured to be here today with the Prime Minister of Australia and Minister Clare and Minister Walsh. Holt is one of the youngest electorates in the country. It is where people come here to start their families, buy their first homes. It is a welcoming community. And by saying that, now I would like to welcome the Prime Minister to talk more about the announcement today.

< ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: 

So, this decision today will make an enormous difference. On top of that, of course, every single worker here, like all 14 million workers around Australia will get a tax cut in just a couple of weeks’ time. This is about cost-of-living and dealing with practical issues in a real way that makes a real difference for families in this electorate and indeed families right around Australia. And I want to pay tribute to the incredible staff who work at centres like this, because what I see is people who are very passionate about what they do. They’re passionate about making a difference for our youngest Australians, making sure that they get the best start in life so that they can fulfil all of their potential. We know that in the first five years of life, over 90 per cent of brain development has already occurred. And that is why this is an investment in Australia’s future as well as investing in the workers here, but investing in the youngest Australians as well.

We’re going to hear from one of the staff members here, Elizabeth, and then we’ll hear from the ministers and then hear from the representatives of Goodstart and also of the United Workers Union, who look after the early education sector.

< ELIZABETH LA’FORGUE, EDUCATOR: 

< JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: 

What happens here changes lives. And you wouldn’t know that from what people used to be paid. That’s why the changes that we made 18 months ago are so important, and that’s why cementing it in with what we’re doing here is so important. And to give you an idea about the impact that it’s had, the boss said a moment ago that this was a sector in crisis when we came to office. There are now 20,000 more people working in child care centres today than when we put this in place 18 months ago. The vacancy rate for staff in centres across the country has dropped by 31 per cent in 18 months. Now that tells you something, doesn’t it? It tells you that if you pay people more, more people want to do the job, and people who left the job that they loved because they couldn’t afford to keep doing it and went and got a job at Woolies or Bunnings are coming back. That means that our kids have got more full-time permanent staff to look after them, to educate them and to keep them safe. I think, Ros, the number of agency staff that you employ dropped by like 69 per cent.

< ROS BAXTER, GOODSTART CEO:

< MINISTER CLARE: 

But just one more thing, a new condition that we’re adding today. And that is to say, if you want this funding for your staff, then you’ve got to make sure you meet the National Safety Standard. 95 per cent of centres meet that standard today. I want it to be 100 per cent. Parents watching today expect it to be 100 per cent. Our kids deserve for it to be 100 per cent. All of us were shocked and sickened by the revelations of the last 12 months. And I’ve been pretty blunt that not enough has been done to keep our kids safe by any government, Labor, Liberal, state, federal. That’s now changing with the banning of phones, with the national register, with the CCTV trial, with workforce training and now 99 per cent of staff have done that in the first couple of months. But now we take the next step and we say that if we’re giving you this funding, you’ve got to meet the National Safety Standard as well. And I reckon most mums and dads would say that’s just about right.

< JESS WALSH, MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: 

< ROS BAXTER: 

I was in a really interesting position on the day that the first money for this wages subsidy hit our educators’ accounts. I was in one of our Goodstart centres here in Melbourne in Clarinda and I was in the break room. We were having a little morning tea in between having some visits. And the women in the break room started checking their phones because they had heard that the money was hitting their accounts that day, but I think they didn’t quite believe it until they saw it. And I’ve got to say, it was not just the educators who were having a cry in the break room that day. I think we all ended up in tears at this momentous moment for early learning.

Early learning matters. The first five years are a crucial window of opportunity in young lives. They are the foundation of young lives, but they are also the foundation of our economy and the productivity of our economy. And I’m super proud to be standing here today alongside a government and a Prime Minister that has backed that moment. So, thank you all for coming.

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Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

A former real estate agent has been convicted and sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order after illegally transferring rental payments.

Daniela Vella took $164,000 of client funds and deposited it in a third-party account, through 56 transactions of between $400 and $5000, between June and October 2020.

In the same year, she also illegally moved nearly $230,000 between trust and business accounts at the now defunct Harrison Parker Real Estate.

Vella pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to two offences under the Estate Agents Act. The court noted she would have faced a jail sentence had she not entered an early guilty plea.

Vella was ordered to repay $164,000 to the Victorian Property Fund. She must also complete 300 hours of community service under her 18-month community corrections order.

Consumer Affairs Victoria began investigating Vella and her agency following complaints by rental providers and claims made through the Victorian Property Fund. The fund provides compensation to consumers who have suffered financial loss due to an estate agent’s mishandling of their money.

The accounts were frozen by the then Minister for Consumer Affairs when the investigation began, so no further money could be removed.

Vella obtained her estate agent’s licence in 2012 and was sole director of Harrison Parker Real Estate Pty Ltd in Greenvale from 2013. The company and Vella’s estate agent licences were cancelled in September 2020 and September 2021, respectively. The agency was deregistered as a company in May 2023.

Consumer Affairs Director Nicole Rich said the sentence was a reminder to agents about their responsibility managing trust account funds.

‘Handling trust account money is a serious obligation, and consumers should never have to worry that their funds could be misused for personal gain,’ she said.

‘We will continue to investigate and take action against agents who mishandle their clients’ money and damage the industry’s reputation’.

Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

A former real estate agent has been convicted and sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order after illegally transferring rental payments.

Daniela Vella took $164,000 of client funds and deposited it in a third-party account, through 56 transactions of between $400 and $5000, between June and October 2020.

In the same year, she also illegally moved nearly $230,000 between trust and business accounts at the now defunct Harrison Parker Real Estate.

Vella pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to two offences under the Estate Agents Act. The court noted she would have faced a jail sentence had she not entered an early guilty plea.

Vella was ordered to repay $164,000 to the Victorian Property Fund. She must also complete 300 hours of community service under her 18-month community corrections order.

Consumer Affairs Victoria began investigating Vella and her agency following complaints by rental providers and claims made through the Victorian Property Fund. The fund provides compensation to consumers who have suffered financial loss due to an estate agent’s mishandling of their money.

The accounts were frozen by the then Minister for Consumer Affairs when the investigation began, so no further money could be removed.

Vella obtained her estate agent’s licence in 2012 and was sole director of Harrison Parker Real Estate Pty Ltd in Greenvale from 2013. The company and Vella’s estate agent licences were cancelled in September 2020 and September 2021, respectively. The agency was deregistered as a company in May 2023.

Consumer Affairs Director Nicole Rich said the sentence was a reminder to agents about their responsibility managing trust account funds.

‘Handling trust account money is a serious obligation, and consumers should never have to worry that their funds could be misused for personal gain,’ she said.

‘We will continue to investigate and take action against agents who mishandle their clients’ money and damage the industry’s reputation’.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested four offenders following a violent disturbance in Alice Springs this morning.

Around 8:05am, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received multiple reports of up to ten people engaged in fighting on Gregory Terrace in the Alice Springs CBD.

It is alleged one of the offenders was armed with a metal pole and another with a stick, and multiple rocks were reportedly being thrown.

Police responded and dispersed the group, which included OC spray being deployed. Two females aged 29 and 32, along with a 29-year-old male, were arrested at the scene. They remain in custody and charges are expected to follow.

No injuries were reported to police.

A 15-year-old female was also arrested and subsequently conveyed home into the care of a responsible adult.

Investigations are ongoing and anyone with information, including with dashcam or CCTV footage, is urged to contact police on 131 444, quoting reference P26172232. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au.

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Three women are now at the helm of Lyons Fire Brigade, leading a small community in the far southwest of Victoria, paving the way for generations to come.

Newly elected Captain Melissa Free, who has been with CFA for 18 years, is following in the footsteps of her husband, Percy, who has stepped down after seven years in the role.

“It is a privilege to be the Captain, and I hope to do as good of a job as Percy did,” Melissa said.

“I just want to give the community more awareness that we are here, and to make sure we’re out and about so everyone can see what is going on and that we’re here to help them.

“It is critical we build a good relationship with the community we’ve got.

“Women in leadership roles within CFA are really important, and I belong to the Women’s Advisory Committee and that is something we’re really trying to achieve.

“To have the three of us here is a really good start.”

Before making the treechange to Lyons, Melissa first started at Chocolyn Fire Brigade, after her grandfather and father moved from Warneet. During this time, she moved through the ranks from Training Officer, to Lieutenant and inevitably, Captain.

Outside of Lyons she is also the Captain of the District 4 Headquarters brigade and a CFA Community Engagement Coordinator.

“I love looking after our community and helping keep people safe,” Melissa said.

“I’ve made so many friendships over the years that I never would have met before and the training we get is amazing.

“We’re a very small brigade, with 12 members, including nine who are active, but when that siren goes off, we’re out the door very quickly.”

For 1st Lieutenant and six-year member Sarah Bolte who has grown up in the area, it is the community connection and network hub that comes with it that she enjoys most.

“There was a need for more members, and they wanted to get some younger members to come in and get the brigade going again – it has been great to help out our community.” Sarah said.

“While we all knew each other in a roundabout way, we’ve built a stronger connection since being part of the brigade.

“As a part time farmer and bank worker in town, being within the agricultural sector, it doesn’t really matter to me if we’re male or female, we just get the job done and we all chip in. But it is nice to have a female’s perspective on things.”

Since leaving veterinary services five years ago, 2nd Lieutenant Amanda Macdonald said CFA has become a higher priority for her now that she is able to give more time to it as a full time farmer.

“I used to do a lot of on call work and late nights, and since I’ve stopped that I’ve had a bit of an opening in my life. The brigade was struggling with numbers, and I wanted to help keep the brigade operating and the truck getting to fires, so I joined up.” Amanda said. 

“I think it is a great tradition to be part of CFA as an Australian farmer. The skills and knowledge we have are valuable, and it goes both ways. We’ve built skills through what CFA has helped give us, and the skills that we offer to CFA are really important to a healthy rural community.

“Driving trucks and vehicles off road has been a big part of my life as a farmer and a vet, as well as working pumps and understanding fire behaviour. But it has been really helpful from a farming perspective to get a deeper understanding of how firefighting works.

While Sarah and Amanda remain in town during summer responding to local call outs due to being busy on the farm, Melissa, who has completed her strike team leader course and is undergoing endorsement, usually deploys across the state where needed during fire season.

“I always doubted myself and that course was the one thing I didn’t think I’d ever get through, but I’ve done the training and I’m really excited about it.,” Melissa said.

Submitted by	CFA media

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested and charged two male youths after two vehicles were stolen in Alice Springs early yesterday morning.

Around 2am, it alleged two male youths unlawfully entered a residence on Cramer Street in Kilgariff and stole two motor vehicles.

Strike Force Viper took carriage of the investigation and yesterday afternoon the two offenders, aged 13 and 14, were located and arrested in Arumbera.

The stolen vehicles were also located and recovered by police.

Both offenders have been charged with:

• Aggravated Burglary
• Theft
• Ride / Use motor vehicle without consent

They were remanded to appear in court today.

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

Nominations are now open for the third City of Greater Bendigo Youth Awards to celebrate and recognise the everyday contributions, skills, accomplishments and achievements of young people aged between 12 and 25 years of age who work, live and study in Greater Bendigo.

The awards aim to recognize and honour the skills and accomplishments of young individuals across various areas, as reflected in the six award categories: 

• Creativity and innovation
• Contribution to the community
• Excellence in leadership
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Sustainability and environment
• Inclusion and equity

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Thomas Prince said the awards program recognises the everyday contributions of local young people that often go unrecognised.

“We have brilliant young people in Greater Bendigo who use their skills and talent to make Greater Bendigo a better place. Nominating a young person for the awards not only showcases their efforts, it also inspires others,” Cr Prince said.

“Young people are the leaders of tomorrow, but we know that many are already leaders today so if you know a young person who should be acknowledged please consider nominating them.”

Greater Bendigo Youth Mayor Alyssa Beaton said the actions and efforts of young people across Greater Bendigo are truly invaluable to our community.

“Having a chance to express our gratitude whilst sharing these stories is such an uplifting opportunity,” Ms Beaton said.

“Youth Awards offer a platform to show our appreciation and celebrate the phenomenal things young people are doing for our community.”

Judging will be carried out by a panel made up of Youth Councillors and City staff.

Finalists and their families, Youth Councillors, Councillors and key stakeholders will be invited to the Awards Ceremony at The Conservatory, All Seasons Bendigo McIvor Road, Strathdale on Friday, 20 November 2026.

Nominations to the Greater Bendigo Youth Awards may also be considered for the 2027 City of Greater Bendigo Young Citizen of the Year award.

Greater Bendigo Youth Awards were developed with significant input from the City’s Youth Council.

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

Australian households with fixed-line (not wireless or satellite) NBN connections received on average 99.4 per cent of their internet plan’s download speed during the peak evening period when network demand is highest, the ACCC’s latest Measuring Broadband Australia report finds.

In comparison, the last report in March 2026 showed average fixed-line download speeds during the peak evening period (busy hours) were 98.5 per cent of plan speeds.  

Today’s report is the final publication in the ACCC’s long-running Measuring Broadband Australia program. It was established in 2017 to provide Australians with accurate and independent information about broadband speed performance.

The ACCC’s early Measuring Broadband Australia reports revealed average download speeds on NBN Co’s fixed-line network of between 80 and 85 per cent of plan speeds during busy hours. In recent years, the reports have consistently measured this result to be close to 100 per cent of plan speeds.

“The Measuring Broadband Australia program has brought transparency and scrutiny to broadband performance, and it has helped to ensure that consumers receive the quality of service that they pay for,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.  

“The program’s conclusion comes after key changes to NBN Co’s wholesale products, such as the removal of capacity-based charging on all fixed-line and fixed wireless services. Recent results from our broadband monitoring show that there is less differentiation between providers’ performance than when we published our first report in 2018 and considerable improvement in overall performance since the program’s inception.”

“Internet providers have a responsibility to deliver a service that meets the speed and performance that they advertise, and the ACCC will continue to take strong enforcement action where we see evidence of misleading claims,” Ms Brakey said.

The ACCC will also continue to closely monitor broadband performance using data that it collects from service providers via its record keeping rules, such as the NBN service quality and network performance record keeping rule.

Over the last eight years, the Measuring Broadband Australia program has also observed a decrease in the proportion of services underperforming on the NBN fixed-line network.

In May 2018, 13.9 per cent of NBN fixed-line services were underperforming. In today’s final report, the equivalent figure is 5.6 per cent.

Fixed wireless plans

The report shows that NBN Co’s fixed wireless network continues to provide a high-speed broadband alternative for Australians living outside the fixed-line network footprint.

The report measured average busy hour speeds of 160.5 Mbps for downloads and 12.6 Mbps for uploads on the NBN Fixed Wireless Home Fast plan.

The NBN Fixed Wireless Plus plan, which is the most popular fixed wireless plan in the Measuring Broadband Australia sample, can provide download speeds close to 100 Mbps during peak evening periods.

Volunteers

The Measuring Broadband Australia program relied on thousands of households volunteering to receive a hardware-based device called a “Whitebox” that tested the performance of their broadband service when it was not in use. This equipment was manufactured and supplied by the program’s testing provider SamKnows.

“The volunteers in this program allowed us to gather the necessary data to bring greater transparency and accountability to Australia’s broadband market,” Ms Brakey said.

“We sincerely thank all of the volunteers who contributed to Measuring Broadband Australia over many years.”

Background

Data for the Measuring Broadband Australia program is provided by UK-based firm SamKnows using methodology based on speed testing programs delivered in the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand.

The report defines an underperforming service as one that records a speed above 75 per cent of the plan speed in fewer than five per cent of download speed tests. “Busy hours” refers to tests measured between 7-11pm on weekdays, when networks experience higher user activity that may affect service performance.

NBN services may exceed their maximum plan download speed due to overprovisioning. This is where NBN Co provides a slightly higher data rate than the wholesale plan download speed to accommodate for the portion of a connection’s data rate lost in retrieving information that enables a download to occur. NBN Co does not currently overprovision the uplink for NBN fixed-line connections.

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

very day early educators help children learn, grow and get ready for school.

It’s one of the most important jobs in the country and they should be paid fairly for that work.

That’s why the Albanese Government funded a 15 per cent pay rise for Early Education and Care Workers.

Today, the Albanese Government is investing a further $3.6 billion over the next two years to lock in this historic 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators.

This investment will be tied to a commitment from Child Care Centres to limit fee increases. We want to make sure workers can be fairly paid without the costs being passed on to families.

When combined with our support for minimum wage rises, this will mean $255 more per week for a typical full-time educator and $410 more per week for early childhood teachers, compared to December 2024 when the Government first implemented the pay rise.

For the first time employees in the Family Day Care and In-Home Care sectors will also be eligible for the payment, starting from July. More information on applications and criteria will be available soon.

Keeping costs for families down

This funding will continue to be tied to a commitment from services receiving the payment to limit fee increases for parents.

We are making sure workers can be fairly paid without the costs being passed on to families.

That’s helping to ease cost-of-living pressure while delivering better early learning for children.

This is part of the Albanese Government’s work to make early education and care more affordable, more accessible and high quality.

We also introduced the 3 Day Guarantee this year to make sure every child who needs it is eligible for three days of subsidised early learning each week, no matter what their parents do.

Strengthening safety

The Government will now require services to meet the national safety standard as a condition of the payment.

Today 95 per cent of early learning services are meeting the safety standard, more than ever before, but we want that number to be higher.

From July 2027, if services don’t meet the National Quality Standard when it comes to safety, their funding will be cut or suspended.

Parents deserve confidence that their child is safe in care.

If a service is not meeting the standard that parents expect and children deserve, it risks this funding being cut off.

This requirement builds on the Albanese Government’s reforms to strengthen safety in early education and care.

More educators, lower costs

The payment has worked to bolster our early educator workforce and keep costs for families down.

Since it was announced: 

• There are around 20,000 more ECEC workers, about an 8 per cent increase.
• Job vacancies in early education have decreased by almost 31 per cent.
• Fees at centres receiving the payment have grown at around half the rate of centres that don’t.
• The percentage of services operating with a staffing waiver has fallen from 8.9 per cent to 5.1 per cent.
• Use of casual staff by Australia’s largest child care provider, Goodstart Early Learning, fell by 5 per cent and use of agency staff decreased by 69 per cent in the first year of the program.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Early educators help give our children the best start in life.

“They do incredibly important work and they deserve to be fairly paid for it.

“Only child care centres who agree to limit their fees for parents will be eligible to receive funding for this wage increase for workers.

“We’re making child care more affordable, lifting standards and backing the people who help shape the next generation of Australians.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare

“This is good news for workers and it’s good news for families.

“Caring for and teaching kids is some of the most important work in the country.

“Our early educators deserve every cent they get and this funding locks their pay rise in.

“The payment has worked to bring more people into the early education workforce and to keep costs down for families.

“Turns out if you pay people more, more people want to do the job.

“Over the last year, working with the states and territories, we’ve done a lot to strengthen safety in early education and care.

“We’re taking the next step today, tying this funding to safety standards.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our kids.

“This will help to make sure safety and quality in early education is what parents expect and what our children deserve.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth

“Early childhood educators deserve more than our thanks, they deserve a pay rise.

“The Albanese Labor Government changed Australia’s workplace laws to deliver pay rises for early educators and to allow more multi-employer bargaining, especially in undervalued, feminised sectors of the economy like early education.

“Our Government has consistently advocated for a minimum wage rise and for undervalued workers to earn what they deserve and this has led to full-time early childhood educators typically earning $410 more per week.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Jess Walsh

“For too long, our early childhood educators were underpaid, undervalued and overlooked. 

“And as a result, they were walking out the door.

“With the Albanese Labor Government’s 15 per cent pay rise, we’re seeing that turn around.

“This helps create a long-term stable workforce, and that strengthens the whole sector.

“Today’s announcement is the foundation of our reforms to improve quality in early education and care and to make it more affordable for families by properly valuing our early educators.”

Source: Prime Minister of Australia

he Albanese Government has delivered on its election commitment to open an additional 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics with the final clinic opening in Caloundra, Queensland today.

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are providing cost of living relief, helping families access healthcare without the cost, providing free Medicare-backed care close to home.

The opening is a historic milestone meaning all 137 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics promised by the Government are now operating around the country.

Clinics provide free Medicare-backed care for urgent, but not life-threatening, illnesses and injuries. No appointment needed. No out-of-pocket costs. And they are here to stay.

The Albanese Government delivered a major Medicare investment in the Budget, making Medicare Urgent Care Clinics a permanent part of Australia’s health system.

The significant health measure includes an additional $1.8 billion over five years from 2025-26 and $525.6 million a year ongoing from 2030-31 to keep Medicare Urgent Care Clinics open and free.

There have been more than 3.1 million visits to Medicare Urgent Care Clinics across Australia since the first one opened in June 2023, with projections to deliver 2 million instances of care per year with all clinics now open.

More than one in four of these presentations were patients aged under 15 years old, more than one in four were on weekends, and one in four were after 5pm on weekdays when many GPs are not available.

A recent interim evaluation report of the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics Program found:  

• Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are achieving their purpose in delivering urgent care services and reducing equivalent Emergency Department presentations by around 10% nationally.
• 45% of patients reported that they would have sought care in an Emergency Department or called an ambulance if the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic was not available. This increased to 48% in the afterhours period.
• Patients are satisfied with the care they receive, and staff enjoy the variety of working across both general practice and urgent care.

With the opening of the final clinic, four out of five Australians will now live within a 20-minute drive of a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

The Caloundra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will be the 26th clinic to open in Queensland, located at Shop 1, Little Mountain Central Shopping Centre, 65 Pierce Avenue, Little Mountain.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“Medicare Urgent Care Clinics help patients get the care they need for free and ease pressure on hospitals.

“Now that all of Labor’s clinics are open, four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk billed Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

“When you go to an Urgent Care Clinic, all you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card.”

Quotes attributable to Minister Butler

“Labor promised an additional 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics at the last election and our Government has delivered on that promise.

“Across Australia, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are fulfilling their promise by making sure Australians can walk in and receive urgent care quickly and for free, seven days a week over extended hours.

“They are making a real difference, for patients and for busy hospital emergency departments. More clinics, in more locations, and all patients need is their Medicare card.”

Quotes attributable to Senator Mulholland

“The Albanese Government is delivering for people in Caloundra with the opening of the Caloundra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

“This clinic will be a game changer in an area of high population growth, particularly young families.

“All people in Caloundra and the surrounding region will need is their Medicare card, not their credit card, to get the urgent care they need.”