Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Drones have become CFA’s latest eyes in the sky, already proving their effectiveness during the 2025-26 fire season.

CFA embarked on a Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) drone trial a year ago to boost our firefighting intelligence from above.

The 12-month pilot program, hosted at Rowville and Edithvale brigades including volunteer pilots from Melbourne’s outer east and southeast was used  for a range of emergency situations including identifying hot spots, hazmats, rope rescue and urban search and rescue, aerial thermal imaging, impact assessment, fire investigation, searches, amongst other live video and training benefits.

The success of the trial was proven during the January 2026 fire season on various firegrounds across the state allowing incident controllers and fireground command personnel to make timely and informed decisions.

Incredible vision was captured during a bushfire at Rhyll at Phillip Island on 22 January, on the edge of the Koala Conservation Reserve, where firefighters were seen standing over the top of a hot spot. The RPAS crew informed the firefighters on the ground and they were able to start raking and watering down the hotspot, showing smoke billowing out of the ground.

The Incident Controller Damien O’Connor stated through the ability to have the holistic view, they were able to find several hot spots outside of the main fire.

“This prevented the fire restarting in unburnt land and gave us the confidence to leave the fireground knowing our suppression techniques were successful,” Damien said.

“These hot spots were identified at night, and we were able to guide crews to their location through the use of the drone spotlight as well as by radio communications watching the image on the screen.

“I have no doubt the use of the RPAS program at this incident not only saved the local brigades many hours and potential outbreaks, it also ensured the conservation of the Koala program and its continual success to limit the spread of the fire.”

Rowville Fire Brigade Captain and RPAS pilot Cien Pereira works as an air traffic controller and said she was keen for CFA to try a new specialty which happened to align with the work she does.

“Drones provide incredible intelligence and there are long term benefits of where this program can go,” Cien said.

“There are incident controllers out there that don’t realise this is an option for them, so we’re doing demonstrations across the state to try and get the word out.

“RPAS provides more accurate, more up to date information and intelligence for better decision making, so this makes everything safer for both the community and our firefighters.”

CFA Commander and Manager of Aviation John Katakouzinos AFSM said the 12-month pilot program has been very successful and hopes to roll it out further in the future.

“We’re got 21 highly trained drone pilots at the moment who have been responding to a range of incidents across the state, particularly over summer,” John said.

“The varying capabilities such as still images, 4K video, HD video, optical zoom and thermal imaging provide invaluable insights to our incident controllers and firefighters.

“The RPAS program is a remarkable asset to CFA now and into the future.”

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Greenhouse gases trapped in 3,000 year-old Antarctic ice are being extracted and analysed for clues to Earth’s climate past.
The gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – were trapped as snow gradually compressed into ice, about one hundred metres below the snow’s surface in East Antarctica.
The gas analysis follows two successful drilling seasons for Australia’s Million Year Ice Core (MYIC) project, which saw scientists retrieve ice cores dating back to the end of the last ice age 13,100 years ago.
In coming seasons the MYIC team aims to retrieve ice with a climate record dating back more than one million years, from the drilling site at Dome C North, near Australia’s Casey research station.

Gas analysts, Dr Daniel Baggenstos from the Australian Antarctic Division and Dr Andy Menking from the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, are developing two methods to measure the gases in a purpose-built laboratory at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies.
One method measures gas concentrations at discrete points in time, while the other measures it continuously through the ice cores.
“Ice cores are amazing for studying greenhouse gases because they preserve the air so well in the bubbles, and this allows us to study the ancient atmosphere directly,” Dr Baggenstos said.
“We have a good idea of what we’ll see in the top 800,000 years, as this has been measured in other ice cores. But after that we are in uncharted waters.”
This extended climate record, inferred from trapped gases, chemicals, dust and other particles in the ice, will help solve a climate mystery involving a shift in the timing of ice-age cycles that occurred around one million years ago.
The record will help determine what role greenhouse gases may have played in this ice-age cycle shift, from once every 40,000 years to once every 100,000 years.
A leading theory is that declining atmospheric CO2 levels were the cause of the longer, colder ice ages lasting 100,000 years.
As well as helping to answer this, the Million Year Ice Core will place current changes in climate and greenhouse gas concentrations into a deeper context, providing important information to test climate models and better predict future climate.
Moments in time
To measure gas concentrations at specific points in time, Dr Baggenstos uses a process called ‘sublimation’, which releases the gases without melting the ice.
To do this, he places a five centimetre piece of ice, weighing 50 grams, in a vacuum chamber and warms it with a heat lamp.
In these low pressure conditions the ice turns directly into water vapour, and the atmospheric gases, trapped in air bubbles, are released.  
The water vapour rises into a cooling ring where it re-freezes. The other greenhouse gases, which freeze at lower temperatures, are captured in a thin metal tube.
“Over about 90 minutes, our 50 grams of ice will give us four to five millilitres of air, which is enough for all our analyses,” Dr Baggenstos said.
An absorption spectrometer is then used to measures the concentration of each gas, by detecting how much light each one absorbs at specific wavelengths.
The team hopes to analyse at least one ice sample for every 1,000 years. But as the ice cores get deeper, the yearly layers of ice get compressed into thinner bands. This means a five centimetre sample will represent hundreds of years of greenhouse gas history.
Continuous variation
Measuring the gas concentrations continuously through the ice could provide more accurate information at these greater depths and increase the speed of analysis.
“We hope the ‘continuous flow analysis’ method will let us measure about 20 metres of ice per day, and it may better resolve variations in gas concentrations, especially in the deeper ice where layers are very thin,” Dr Menking said.
The continuous flow method only measures methane, as other gases dissolve in water when the ice melts.
Thin, metre-long sticks of ice are melted in a way that ensures the ice melts vertically, in the order it formed, and the air is released in the order it became trapped.
The water and air then flow through a series of tubes that separate the bubbles from the water and direct the gas stream to a laser spectrometer for analysis.
“We’re really curious about the relationship between climate and methane, and the natural fluctuations of the gas before humans had an impact,” Dr Menking said.
“When the cycle of ice-ages changed from once every 40,000 years to once every 100,000, did methane follow the ‘rules’? Did it continue to go up and down in regular ways or was there some kind of decoupling?
“It’s also important to measure methane because it’s one of the gases we could potentially remove from the atmosphere quite quickly, by changing our agricultural or industrial practices, because it has a relatively short lifespan.”
As methane mixes evenly through the Earth’s atmosphere, scientists can also use it to date the air bubbles in ice cores, by matching concentrations to other ice core records.
The team expects their gas processing to be fully underway before the next drilling season begins in December. Then, scientists hope to drill to a depth of 1,000 metres, recovering more ice from a core that will eventually reach the base of the ice sheet, at 3,000 metres depth, by 2029-30.
“It’s going to be really exciting to measure something that nobody has measured before and to produce some data that adds to our understanding of the climate system,” Dr Baggenstos said.
This content was last updated 4 minutes ago on 2 June 2026.

Source: Tasmania Police

Man charged as police dismantle illegal firearms manufacturing operation

Tuesday, 2 June 2026 – 12:22 pm.

A Risdon Vale man has been charged after police uncovered a significant illegal firearms manufacturing operation in southern Tasmania.
Detective Inspector Richard Penney said members of the Southern Drugs and Firearms Unit executed a search warrant at the Risdon Vale property yesterday, with the assistance of Tasmania Police dogs and their handlers.
“The search uncovered what police will allege was a sophisticated operation, involved in the manufacturing of illegal firearms using advanced 3D printing technology,” he said.
“Police seized a range of items consistent with the production of illicit firearms, including seven 3D printers, 13 firearms and numerous firearm components and quantities of ammunition.”
“In addition, investigators identified electronic files containing detailed blueprints and manufacturing instructions for 3D printed firearms.”
“A 43-year-old man was arrested at the scene and has since been charged.”
The man has been charged with significant firearms possession offences, as well as dealing in firearms when not the holder of a firearms dealer licence and unlawfully possess digital blueprint for manufacture of firearm.
He has been remanded in custody to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court today.
Detective Inspector Penney said the seizure represents a significant disruption to the illegal manufacture of firearms in Tasmania.
“This investigation has uncovered and dismantled a sophisticated firearms manufacturing operation, and the seizure of these items has prevented a significant number of illegal firearms from entering the Tasmanian community.”
“Removing these firearms and associated manufacturing equipment from circulation significantly reduces the risk they pose to community safety.”
“Police remain committed to identifying and disrupting those involved in the manufacture, distribution and possession of illegal firearms.”
Investigations remain ongoing. Anyone with information about illegal firearms activity in Tasmania is encouraged to contact police on 131 444, or Crime Stoppers Tasmania on 1800 333 000, or online at crimestopperstas.com.au.
You can stay anonymous.

Source: Australia Bureau of Meteorology

IDS21035
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Adelaide Region

for HEAVY RAINFALL

For people in parts of Mount Barker, Adelaide Hills and Adelaide council areas.

Issued at 11:58 am Tuesday, 2 June 2026.

Heavy rainfall occurring in showers about Adelaide and the hills.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 10:20 am, a severe thunderstorm likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding was detected near Burnside, Glen Osmond and Cleland Conservation Park. This thunderstorm is moving towards the east. It is forecast to affect Woodside and Balhannah by 10:50 am and Lobethal and Lenswood by 11:20 am.

20.8 mm was recorded at Crafers West in the 30 minutes to 11:47 am.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Don’t drive, ride or walk through flood water.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* Stay indoors, away from windows, while storms are nearby.

The next warning is due to be issued by 1:00 pm.

A more general severe thunderstorm warning is also current for parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Metropolitan and Murraylands districts. Other warnings may be current.

Check https://www.bom.gov.au/weather-and-climate/warnings-and-alerts. Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.

Source: Tasmania Police

George Town man charged with grievous bodily harm

Tuesday, 2 June 2026 – 11:25 am.

A 30-year-old George Town man has been arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm after an incident in George Town.
Police will allege he assaulted another man at a residence in Friend Street between 10pm on Sunday (31 May) and 10am on Monday (1 June).
The alleged victim suffered significant injuries and was transferred to the Royal Hobart Hospital where he is receiving medical attention. It is believed the two men are known to each other.
The man will appear in court at a later date.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Tasmania at crimestopperstas.com.au. Please quote OR807024.

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Loch Fire Brigade is better equipped to respond to road crash incidents thanks to their new rescue truck.

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: Tasmania Police

Two more people charged over Chigwell attempted murder

Tuesday, 2 June 2026 – 10:36 am.

Police have charged a further two people over an alleged attempted murder at Taree Street, Chigwell on 5 April.
Detectives from Glenorchy CIB are continuing their investigations into the incident, where a 29-year-old man from Bridgewater sustained a serious gunshot wound to the head and neck area.
Last week investigators charged a 29-year-old Chigwell man with attempted murder, and a 33-year-old Collinsvale man with being an accessory after the fact to attempted murder.
The 29-year-old has been remanded in custody to reappear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on 25 June. The other man has been bailed to appear on 31 August.
A 33-year-old Chigwell man was charged with attempted murder last month, after being extradited back to Tasmania from Victoria.
Anyone with further information about the incident who hasn’t already contacted police should call Glenorchy CIB on 131 444 and quote OR 802048.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers Tasmania at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000.

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

The C270gben Planning Scheme amendment which covers Golden Square, part of Ironbark and part of the city centre has been approved by the Minister for Planning and has come into effect.

The Amendment implements key strategic work adopted by Council in 2022, including the Golden Square Structure Plan (City of Greater Bendigo, January 2022), Golden Square Urban Design Framework (City of Greater Bendigo, January 2022), and the Golden Square Heritage Study Stage 2, Volumes 1 and 2 (City of Greater Bendigo, Minerva Heritage, Context and Homewood Consulting, January 2022).

Manager Strategic Planning Anthony Petherbridge said extensive planning work was required to prepare the amendment.

“The amendment provides clarity and important updates that has meant changing some overlays and zones where it was deemed appropriate,” Mr Petherbridge said.

“Amendment C270gben represents an important milestone for Golden Square. It implements key strategies from the Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework, strengthens heritage protection by updating and refining Heritage Overlay coverage, and provides a clear planning framework to support the area’s future development.”

The amendment changes included:

• Rezoning 2.76ha of land at Allingham Street and Ham Street, Golden Square from General Residential Zone to Industrial 3 Zone
• Rezoning 7930sqm of land at Belle Vue Road, Godfrey Street and Hattam Street, Golden Square from General Residential Zone and Industrial 1 Zone to Industrial 3 Zone
• Deleting 31 heritage overlays, revise 4 heritage precinct boundaries, insert 12 new heritage precincts and 31 new individual heritage places affecting 1,298 properties
• Applying the Design and Development Overlay, Schedule 34 to properties around Golden Square Neighbourhood Activity Centre
• Deleting the Neighbourhood Character Overlay from properties where a heritage overlay is proposed
• Updating the existing local planning policies relating to settlement, activity centres, urban forest interface, landscaping, location of residential development, business, industrial land supply, public transport, freight links, social and cultural infrastructure and open space and public land to incorporate relevant strategies from the Golden Square Structure Plan
• Inserting new local planning policies relating to walking, cycling, health facilities and cultural facilities to incorporate relevant strategies from the Golden Square Structure Plan
• Updating operational provisions to introduce incorporated and background documents, new map pages and revise further strategic work clauses to reflect the work undertaken as part of this amendment.

At the Greater Bendigo Council meeting in October 2025, Councillors adopted the revised C270gben Planning Scheme Amendment, incorporating changes recommended by the Planning Panel and City officers, and resolved to submit the adopted amendment to the Minister.

Council endorsed the independent Panel’s recommendation to retain a Heritage Overlay for a property at 46-48 Old Violet Street, Bendigo, along with several nearby properties on Pitt and Olive Streets.

One of the independent Panel’s recommendations was not supported. The amendment originally proposed removing the existing Heritage Overlay from a property at 130 High Street and applying a new individual HO986. The building was demolished following significant structural damage to the property in July 2025.  Consequently, Council endorsed the recommendation not to apply a Heritage Overlay.

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC is investigating the supply of banned and potentially deadly toys and games containing small high-powered magnets, including ‘magnetic chess’ or ‘magnetic battle chess’ style games being sold to Australian consumers online.

Certain separable or loose, small, high-powered magnets are covered by a permanent ban under Australian Consumer Law because of the danger of injury or death if swallowed.

“Small high-powered magnets can cause catastrophic, life-threatening internal injuries if swallowed, particularly for young children. Multiple magnets can stick together in the intestine or digestive tissue. They are also a choking risk,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

“We are extremely concerned that our investigation has detected sellers listing these banned products on online marketplaces, and we urge all online marketplaces to do more to prevent listings of these products to keep consumers, and especially young children, safe.”

The ACCC has sent Amazon, eBay, Kogan, and Fruugo take down requests for the affected listings and sought additional measures to be taken to prevent sellers relisting the same or similar products. Amazon, eBay, Kogan, and Fruugo have committed to taking these actions and to contacting affected customers to warn them about the safety risks.

Kogan, Amazon and Fruugo have also provided, or offered to provide, refunds to customers that purchased the affected products subject to the ACCC’s investigation.

“We are urging consumers who have bought this type of product to stop using them immediately, keep them out of reach of children, and contact the seller for a refund. Consumers who purchased affected products on Kogan, Amazon and Fruugo may alternatively contact those online marketplaces for a refund.” Ms Lowe said.

“Online marketplaces have a critical role in preventing listings of unsafe or banned products. We are continuing to engage with online marketplaces to ensure affected customers are contacted and warned about the risks and that adequate steps are taken to prevent future listings of these products,” Ms Lowe said.

Since the start of the ACCC’s investigation , several products containing small, high-powered magnets have been recalled from sale.

A mandatory product safety standard for toys containing magnets is also in place, and the ACCC is concerned that suppliers have listed on online marketplaces products that were banned or non-compliant with the mandatory safety standards.

Businesses must not sell banned products and should take appropriate measures to ensure they comply with their product safety obligations. Where an unsafe or non-compliant product is identified, businesses should recall it immediately and notify the ACCC within two business days of taking recall action. 

“We urge all online and bricks and mortar businesses to review their toys and games immediately and to act quickly to conduct a recall and provide refunds if non-compliant products are identified,” Ms Lowe said.

“We will continue to investigate the supply of banned products and consider enforcement action, where appropriate, in accordance with the ACCC’s Compliance and Enforcement policy. The ACCC’s 2026/2027 Compliance and Enforcement priorities have a focus on unsafe products in digital markets and consumer product safety issues for young children.”

Examples of affected products

Information about further voluntary recalls, is available on the Product Safety website.

Examples of magnetic games that have been voluntarily recalled by the supplier for non-compliance with the permanent ban.

Background

The magnets covered by the permanent ban are separable or loose small high-powered magnets that are supplied in multiples of two or more in toys, games, puzzles, construction or modelling kits or jewellery. The ban applies to magnets that are small enough to swallow and have a flux index greater than 50 (kG)² mm², a technical rating used to identify strong magnets.

The permanent ban on certain small, high-powered magnets has been in place since 2012. It specifies the types of consumer goods covered by the ban. The ACCC may take enforcement action, including potential enforcement proceedings seeking penalty orders.

Suppliers of banned products should conduct an immediate voluntary recall when they become aware that the products are banned.

The mandatory product safety standard sets design and construction requirements for magnetic toys, to prevent children from being able to access small magnets. This includes testing to make sure a magnet won’t separate from the toy during play.

The only toys allowed to contain loose, small high-powered magnets are magnetic or electrical experimental sets intended for children 8 years and over. The product safety standard sets out warning requirements to accompany magnetic or electrical experimental sets.

In May 2026, the ACCC commenced Federal Court proceedings against Amazon Commercial Services Pty Ltd (Amazon AU) alleging kids backpacks in its possession or control for sale on its online marketplace failed to comply with mandatory button battery warning requirements. This is the first Federal Court case brought by the ACCC against an online marketplace alleging non-compliance with mandatory product safety standards.

Today’s media release, which is consistent with the ACCC’s priority focus on unsafe products in digital markets, aims to avoid further sales of affected toys and games and warn consumers to be alert to the dangers of products with banned small high-powered magnets.

Consumers are also encouraged to report unsafe products to the ACCC.

Information for businesses

Businesses should review all products with magnets for sale. If a business is not sure whether a product is part of the ban, they should carry out compliance checks before making products available to consumers, and should not sell a product if they are unsure whether it is covered by a permanent product safety ban.

If a business identifies that they are supplying or facilitating the supply of non-compliant products, they should stop immediately. Businesses should conduct a recall for any products that have already been sold or distributed, and notify the ACCC within two days of taking recall action. Businesses can initiate a product safety recall using this form. Guidance on conducting a recall is available on the ACCC Product Safety website.

Advice for consumers

Remember: Quick clicks. Real risks. Be cautious if buying products online with small parts or small high-powered magnets.

Consider if the business or online marketplace includes information about its compliance with Australian product safety standards. 

Consumers that purchased products containing affected small high-powered magnets should stop using them immediately and keep them out of reach of children.

• Store the product securely and do not allow children to play with it. If any magnets have become loose, collect them immediately and keep them in a sealed container out of reach of children.
• If you think a child has swallowed one or more magnets, seek urgent medical attention immediately.
• Contact the seller or, if they’ve agreed to provide the assistance, online marketplace you bought it from to ask about a return, refund or recall information, and keep records of your purchase.
• If you become aware of the product continuing to be sold in Australia, you can report it to the ACCC at its Product Safety website.

Small magnets pose serious health risks when swallowed

Source: © All rights reserved. Magnets safety. Health Canada, 2025. Reproduced with permission from the Minister of Health. 2026. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/toy-safety/magnets.html

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force are investigating a series of alleged vehicle thefts overnight that resulted in a fatal crash in Katherine this morning.

Police received a report just before 10:30pm yesterday of an unlawful entry at a property on Zimin Drive, where a vehicle had allegedly been stolen.

It is alleged the occupants subsequently travelled to Charles Darwin University, where the stolen vehicle was abandoned before two additional vehicles were allegedly stolen.

Throughout the evening, the vehicles were observed driving erratically through the Katherine CBD. The occupants allegedly attempted to provoke police by baiting patrol vehicles and throwing objects at officers, resulting in damage to a police vehicle.

Due to the dangerous manner of driving, officers did not engage in a pursuit of the vehicle.

At around 6am this morning, one of the stolen vehicles was involved in a single-vehicle rollover on the Stuart Highway, just north of the Katherine CBD.

Emergency services attended the scene, where three 14-year-old youths were conveyed to hospital. A 16-year-old male suffered critical injuries and, despite the efforts of paramedics, was declared deceased at the scene.

A crime scene has been established, and sections of the Stuart Highway remain closed while investigations continue. Motorists should expect delays in the area throughout the morning.

Major Crash Detectives are investigating the fatal crash, with assistance from Katherine Criminal Investigation Branch and Northern Traffic Operations, and police continue inquiries into the alleged vehicle thefts and related offending.

Acting Commander Mark Grieve said the incident was both tragic and complex.

“We are investigating a significant series of offences, as well as the death of a 16-year-old male following extremely dangerous driving behaviour that placed the lives of the community at risk,” Acting Commander Grieve said.

“Our investigators will work to establish the full circumstances surrounding these events, and we continue to appeal to anyone with information to come forward.”

Investigations remain ongoing.