Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC has today commenced civil proceedings in the Federal Court against four suppliers and three senior executives for alleged price fixing while supplying fresh vegetables to ALDI, in breach of Australia’s cartel laws.

The alleged cartel conduct involved price fixing in the supply of fresh produce, including broccoli, cauliflower, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, Brussels sprouts and zucchini, to ALDI stores in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland between 2018 and 2024.

The ACCC alleges cartel conduct by each of:

• Perfection Fresh Australia
• Hydro Produce (Aust)
• Veli Velisha Fresh Produce and Velisha National Farms, its Director and Chief Executive Catherine Velisha, and its Senior Sales Manager Kaushik Vora
• M. Fragapane & Sons, and its General Sales Manager Roberto Nave.

“Cartel conduct, whether by coordinating prices or agreeing on terms of bids with competitors, is anti-competitive, and is illegal,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

“Businesses acting together instead of competing can drive up prices and harm consumers, while disadvantaging other businesses that are seeking to compete fairly.”

“In this instance, we allege that price fixing conduct involving some essential household vegetables took place across three states,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

“Protecting competition in our fresh food supply chains is extremely important to drive price competition for the benefit of Australian consumers.”

The ACCC alleges that on 28 occasions, two or more of the suppliers made, or attempted to make, arrangements or understandings that had the purpose, effect or likely effect of fixing, controlling or maintaining the price of broccoli, cauliflower, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, Brussels sprouts or zucchini.

The ACCC also alleges that on 48 occasions, one or more of the suppliers then submitted prices to ALDI in accordance with these arrangements or understandings.

“The ACCC continues to prioritise investigating allegations of cartel behaviour and will bring enforcement action where appropriate,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

The ACCC is seeking declarations, civil penalties, compliance orders and costs against the businesses, and declarations, civil penalties, disqualification orders, non-indemnification orders and costs against the individuals.

Background

Perfection Fresh Australia Pty Ltd is a fresh produce wholesaler based in New South Wales. Perfection Fresh is the second largest fresh vegetable supplier in Australia, supplying a broad range of produce, including cauliflower, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, Brussels sprouts, broccolini and celery, to all states.

Hydro Produce (Aust) Pty Ltd is a fresh produce wholesaler and grower based in New South Wales, with farms in every state. It supplies a broad range of produce, including cauliflower, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, kale, sweet potato and celery, to all states.

Veli Velisha Fresh Produce Pty Ltd was a grower and supplier of fresh produce based in Victoria. It ceased operations around June 2019 when its business was sold to Velisha National Farms. It supplies a broad range of produce including cauliflower, cucumber, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, zucchini, spring onion and Brussels sprouts.

Velisha National Farms Pty Ltd is a fresh produce wholesaler and grower of a limited range of produce based in Victoria. It supplies produce to at least Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. It supplies cauliflower, cucumber, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, zucchini and spring onion.

M. Fragapane & Sons Pty Ltd (trading as Fragapane Farms) is a fresh produce grower and supplier based in Victoria. It supplies cauliflower, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, and celery to at least Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

The supply of fresh produce to ALDI is divided into three categories:

• Agile
• Standard
• Fixed cost

Agile pricing is the most flexible, with suppliers required to submit weekly quotes. ALDI uses agile pricing for vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower and iceberg lettuce.

The price fixing allegations in this case are predominantly in relation to agile supplying.

Notes to editors

A cartel exists when businesses agree to act together instead of competing with each other.

More information about different types of cartel conduct can be found on the ACCC’s website at Cartels.

The ACCC works to detect alleged cartels including through education programs, proactive intelligence gathering and data assessment and working with overseas counterparts to identify alleged cartels that operate on a global level.

Anyone who thinks they may be involved in alleged cartel conduct is urged to call the ACCC Cartel Immunity Hotline on (02) 9230 3894. More information about the immunity process is available on the ACCC website at Cartels. They can also report alleged cartel conduct by using the anonymous cartel portal.

For conduct that occurred before 9 November 2022, the maximum civil penalty that may be ordered by the Court against businesses for each breach is the greater of:

• $10 million;
• if the court can determine the total value of the benefits that have been obtained by one or more persons and that are reasonably attributable to the act or omission – three times the total value of the benefits; or
• if the Court cannot determine the total value of the benefits, 10 per cent of the annual turnover (as defined) of the body corporate during the 12 months ending at the end of the month in which the act or omission occurred.

The maximum penalty for individuals is $500,000 for each contravention.

For conduct that occurred after 9 November 2022, the maximum civil penalty that may be ordered by the Court against businesses for each breach is the greatest of:

• $50 million;
• Three times the value of the “reasonably attributable” benefit obtained from the conduct, if the court can determine this; or
• If a court cannot determine the benefit, 30% of adjusted turnover during the breach turnover period.

The maximum penalty for individuals is $2.5 million for each contravention.

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

The City is again offering grants of up to $2,000 to help community groups host festive meal events or provide food relief hampers for distribution during the December Christmas and New Year period.

The Community Festive Season Meals Grants supports food security, social inclusion, and stronger local community connections, especially for residents who may be experiencing financial hardship, social isolation, or exclusion.

The grants are aimed at supporting a range of small, local activities across Greater Bendigo between Monday December 1 and Wednesday December 31, 2025.

Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said that community meal events held at Christmas and throughout the holiday season are consistently well attended and provide connection and companionship to those experiencing disadvantage or social isolation at this time of year.

“In Greater Bendigo, we’re fortunate to have wonderful community groups that support residents who may not have others to celebrate with during the festive season,” Cr Metcalf said.

“This support would not be possible without the commitment of volunteers and local businesses.

“This year, we have seen how the cost of living is affecting many people and we hope these grants will help bridge a gap at a time when many other supports are unavailable.”

Applications are now open and will close at 3pm Wednesday September 24, 2025.

Source: Mental Health Australia

Students at Coomealla High School and other road users in the state’s south-west will benefit from improved safety with the installation of a 40 km/h school zone on the Silver City Highway.

A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the introduction of the school zone speed limit was to ensure the school precinct is compliant with NSW safety standards.

“The NSW Speed Zone Standards state a school zone has a speed limit of 40 km/h and is to be installed wherever there is a point of entry from a public road which is used by school students,” the spokesperson said.

“The northern boundary of Coomealla High School has direct access to the Silver City Highway so this change will allow students and their families to get to and from school safely during busy periods on our roads.”

The school zone, which will come into effect on Monday 15 September, will be installed from 50 metres west of Tallawalla Road to 330 metres east of Tallawalla Road.

As a result of the change, the existing 100 km/h speed limit to the east of Coomealla High School will be moved and will now start 450 metres east of Tallawalla Road.

“The changes will add just a few seconds to motorists’ travel times but will importantly help protect children at times and places where they are often present in high numbers,” the spokesperson said.

“Children are among our most vulnerable road users and Transport for NSW is committed to ensuring they can travel safely to and from school every day.”

There have been no recorded crashes within the review area in the last five years of finalised data.

Line-marking and signage to advise motorists of the new speed limit will be installed over three shifts between Monday 1 September and Friday 12 September. Work hours will be 10am to 2pm with a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h in place during the work.

Members of the community can sign up at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/topics-tips/speeding/have-your-say/speed-limits-have-your-say to receive the latest updates on speed limits changes in their nominated area and to have their say on speed limits.
 

Source: Mental Health Australia

NSW TrainLink is introducing changes to the timetable for its temporary premium Sydney to Grafton and return coach service to improve run times, reliability and overall passenger experience. 

Since late April this year, two premium coach services have temporarily run in place of trains in both directions between Sydney and Grafton, freeing up trains to undergo maintenance as part of the XPT life extension project.

Following the first few months of operations, NSW TrainLink is making improvements to the timetable to address on time running issues.

Changes to the coach timetable will take effect from Sunday 7 September.

Changes include route adjustments, as well as removal of stops at Hornsby and Eungai to avoid areas of traffic congestion.

There will also be changes to timetabled arrival and departure times at some locations and passengers are advised to take note of the new timings which may differ by as little as five minutes or up to 55 minutes.

At Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads, the stops will be relocated from the train station to existing coach stops used by private coach operators, specifically designed for coach arrivals and departures.

Newcastle Interchange and Broadmeadow stops have also been changed to pick up only northbound and drop off only southbound.

The new timetable for the premium Grafton coach service will have no impact on NSW TrainLink’s other north coast services including the Sydney to Brisbane and Sydney to Casino daily return train services.

Acting Chief Executive of NSW TrainLink Robert Macey said the new timetable from 7 September will enhance the end to end journey experience for passengers.

“We have heard and have responded to our passengers on our Sydney to Grafton premium coach services, who want a more reliable service, which we’ve worked hard to improve in recent months,” Mr Macey said.

“Better aligning routes and making changes to the stopping patterns will give passengers a more reliable service offering,” he said.

“I encourage passengers to familiarise themselves with the changes and thank them for their patience as we continue our commitment to providing safe and reliable public transport to and from the north coast of NSW.”

Passengers can now go online to plan journeys beyond 7 September using the new Grafton coach service timetable via Trip Planner at www.transportnsw.info/trip and a range of transport apps.

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

We welcome action taken by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) to terminate the registration of Sydney-based tax agent William GageExternal Link, following the identification of fraud and misconduct during ATO and TPB investigations.

The process that led to Mr Gage’s deregistration followed an examination of his affairs by the ATO Wealth Program. This uncovered a key element of Mr Gage’s fraud – an altered receipt for falsely claiming a personal tax deduction.

Speaking about the case, Chair of the TPB, Peter de Cure AM, commented, “The integrity of the tax profession relies on tax practitioners upholding the highest ethical standards, and this case demonstrates the TPB’s commitment to taking decisive action against those who fail to do so. Mr Gage’s misconduct spanned many years and undermined public confidence, making his deregistration a necessary step in maintaining trust in the system.”

The subsequent TPB investigation confirmed misconduct committed by Mr Gage, which included false claims of rental deductions and losses, and failure to submit multiple tax returns and business activity statements for associated entities.

The Wealth Program is an important initiative under the Tax Avoidance Taskforce. It investigates privately owned and wealthy groups, and their advisers, that are deliberately and persistently avoiding tax obligations.

The program regularly engages early with other regulatory bodies, such as the TPB, to enable timely action to address misconduct.

ATO Assistant Commissioner for the Wealth Program, Sarah Taylor, said:

“This outcome is an example of the tax system working effectively to identify and take action on non-compliance. Cross-agency collaboration has contributed to decisive action on wrongdoing.”

Peter de Cure AM commented, “Tax practitioners hold a trusted position in the community. They must meet the highest standards of integrity and compliance in how they meet their own tax obligations. Most tax practitioners will welcome this result as such behaviour undermines trust in their profession.”

For more information on the Wealth Program and its role in supporting tax compliance, visit Wealth Program tackling serious tax avoidance.

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Hadspen man charged: Police seize $50,000 of stolen property

Monday, 1 September 2025 – 9:56 am.

Police have charged a 37-year-old Hadspen man with multiple firearms, drug and stolen property offences as part of an investigation led by Taskforce Raven.
Detective Acting Inspector Aziz Melick said several search warrants were executed at various Hadspen addresses last week, with police locating illicit drugs, ammunition and a firearm, as well as more than $50,000 of stolen property.
“As well as locating illicit drugs, a firearm and ammunition, officers from Taskforce Raven and the Northern Criminal Investigation Division seized a significant amount of power tools, household appliances and industrial materials believed to be stolen,” he said.
“Police believe the stolen property relates to multiple offences committed in northern Tasmania recently.”
“The 37-year-old man was charged with more than 15 offences, and will appear in court at a later date.”
“Our Taskforce Raven members will continue to work alongside our uniform and criminal investigation areas to keep our communities safe.”
“Community support and information is vital to reducing crime.”
“If you see something, or you know something, call police or submit a tip to Crime Stoppers.”
Information can be provided police on 131 444 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperstas.com.au

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Source:

Ahead of the looming fire season, a recent CFA survey revealed that 40 per cent of Victorians living in bushfire-prone areas do not have a bushfire plan in place to save their family.

One in five people in these areas do not believe “leaving early” in a fire emergency is the best way to safeguard their loved ones, and 16 per cent would stay to protect their property.

CFA’s annual post-season bushfire community survey has been conducted every year since 2009 to understand the attitudes, behaviours and preparedness of householders living in bushfire risk locations in Victoria.

Despite the recent AFAC Spring Seasonal Bushfire Outlook indicating increased fire risk across several drought-affected parts of the state, the survey found that out of the 611 people interviewed, 24 per cent did not feel adequately prepared around their home.

Over the last two years, the survey shows the perception of a bushfire being a threat to Victorians and their property has declined from very large to small, with 50 per cent of people not showing concern and nearly 40 per cent are not alarmed enough to warrant direct interaction with CFA.

Worryingly, those least concerned, and less likely to be prepared were located just 500 metres to one kilometre from bushland.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan expressed his concerns about the distressing statistics, warning Victorians that now is not the time to be complacent with an earlier and more active fire season predicted.  

“It is never too early to prepare. Don’t gamble with your safety this season. Residents living in high fire-risk areas must take their preparation more seriously,” Jason said.

“Take a moment to sit down with your household and make a plan so everyone knows what they need to do and where they need to go if a fire threatens your local area.

“It’s easy to panic and make poor decisions if you’re not prepared, and the last thing you want in an emergency is to become trapped. Leaving early is your greatest form of protection.”

A further 31 per cent of respondents would delay leaving until threatened by a bushfire, waiting for the danger to increase or for instructions from emergency services.

“It is vital you understand the risks of your residential area and where you are travelling this summer. The best way to do this is to download the VicEmergency App and set your watch zones to your locations so you are alerted to warnings wherever you are,” Jason said.

“Don’t wait for an official warning before you take action to protect your family.

“We have a number of resources available on our website to actively help you prepare before it is too late, and our volunteers are always happy to help you with any questions you may have.”

CFA will be running a Get Fire Ready weekend on Saturday 4 October and Sunday 5 October, where many brigades will open their doors to connect with local community members, hoping to build public awareness and preparedness across Victoria.

“We’re seeing a concerning decline in property preparedness around Victorian households, so we’re really encouraging you to tidy up around your homes over coming weeks,” Jason said.

“Before the warmer weather arrives, ensure you move your winter piles away from your houses and sheds, give your trees a prune, clear your gutters and maintain the length of your grass.

“Get your emergency kit packed and ready to go, fill it with clothes, medications, toiletries, chargers and blankets and take it with you when you head to shelter.

“As we witnessed throughout the fires in the Grampians last season, the mountain of work done in the lead up to summer can make all the difference in lessening devastation on communities.

“We want to be really clear this summer. Our members will always be prepared and on hand to assist you, but fire safety is a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role to play.

“We cannot have a fire truck at every property during a major bushfire. We need you to do your bit too and take small steps to be more fire safe this year.”

Source: New South Wales – News

Detective Sergeant Bradley Galpin and Brevet Sergeant Gregory Blieden are among those recognised as part of today’s Australian Bravery Decorations Wattle Day 2025 Honours List.

The accolade recognises acts of bravery where people selflessly put themselves in jeopardy to protect the lives or property of others.

On 18 May 2019, the two SAPOL officers were tasked to a house fire. After neighbours advised people were still inside (then Constable) Blieden and Detective Sergeant Galpin gained access to the rear of the property, where they heard a five-year-old child crying.

They entered the residence but were forced to withdraw due to heat and smoke. The officers found an alternate entry by smashing a window, crawling on their hands and knees to try and reach the child while the dwelling was still ablaze.

The officers were again forced to withdraw as parts of the ceiling and structures began to collapse. Detective Sergeant Galpin assisted in physically removing Constable Blieden from the premises through a window after he suffered smoke inhalation and a wound to his arm.

At this time, Metropolitan Fire Service officers gained entry and located the child, who after medical intervention survived the incident.  A female occupant unfortunately could not be saved.

Both officers received a Police Bravery Medal in 2022 for their actions during the same incident. Two other SAPOL members also received a Certificate of Merit for their assistance during the housefire.

Acting Commissioner of Police Linda Williams commended Detective Sergeant Galpin and Brevet Sergeant Blieden on this esteemed national recognition.

“In a moment of peril, these police officers chose to act and put their lives in danger to save a child,” she said.

“Both these members demonstrated outstanding and sustained acts of bravery in the face of danger and are both deserving of this accolade.”

Detective Sergeant Galpin joined SAPOL 18 years ago and currently works in the Criminal Investigations Branch. He considered the rescue a team effort.

“I’m humbled to receive this award and grateful for the recognition,” he said.

“It was a collective effort from every person there that night.”

Brevet Sergeant Blieden graduated from SAPOL’s academy in 2014 and currently works at the Security Response Section, in Special Tasks and Rescue Group.

“I feel deeply honoured to receive this commendation, though it’s a recognition I share with the other officers and emergency first responders who were there that night,” he echoed.

“We were all working together, doing everything we could in a dangerous and confronting situation.

“While I’m grateful for the acknowledgement, my thoughts are with the family who suffered such a tragic loss. The outcome will always stay with me.”

Both officers claimed the recognition reinforced their commitment to their colleagues and the community.

“This accolade serves as a reminder of why we as police do what we do, why we respond without hesitation, and why teamwork is vital in moments where seconds matter,” Brevet Sergeant Blieden added.

The Commendation for Brave Conduct features a silver-gilt sprig of mimosa mounted at a 45-degree angle on a blood-red ribbon. This will be presented by the Governor-General of Australia at a later date.

Detective Sergeant Galpin

Brevet Sergeant Gregory Blieden

Source: New South Wales – News

The estimated crowds of 15,000 people were generally well-behaved, however, there were three arrests.

Two men, both aged 32, from Andrews Farm and Salisbury East, were arrested on East Terrace for wearing articles of disguise and fail to state personal details.

A 23-year-old Christie Downs man was arrested at Peace Park for assault police.

All three men were bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 20 October.