Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC will not oppose Cleanaway Waste Management Limited’s (ASX:CWY) proposed acquisition of Contract Resources Group Pty Ltd.

Cleanaway and Contract Resources both supply a range of industrial services in Australia, including maintenance and cleaning of industrial facilities and equipment. Cleanaway is also one of the largest waste management companies in Australia.

The ACCC’s review considered the likely effect of the proposed acquisition on competition for the provision of industrial services.

The review found Contract Resources primarily provides specialist industrial services, such as catalyst handling, which Cleanaway does not supply.

For other types of industrial services that both Cleanaway and Contract Resources supply, the ACCC’s review found the merged entity would continue to face competition from alternative suppliers and, in some cases, customers would be able to effectively sponsor the entry of a new supplier.

“Cleanaway and Contract Resources compete mainly for customers in the oil and gas sector. These customers are generally large, well-resourced organisations that could sponsor new entry or sponsor the expansion of existing rival suppliers” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.

“We have seen oil and gas companies sponsor new entry before”.

The ACCC’s review also considered the likely effect of the acquisition on competition in the supply of waste management services.

The review focused on whether the merged entity would be able to profitably leverage Contract Resources’ strong position in the supply of specialist industrial services into Cleanaway’s waste management offering – for example, by requiring customers to acquire their waste management services as a condition of supplying specialist industrial services. 

The ACCC found that this is unlikely to be a profitable strategy because customers have other options to source these specialist industrial services.

“Overall, we did not find that the proposed acquisition is likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of industrial services or waste management services,” Dr Williams said.

More information can be found on the ACCC’s public register here: Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd – Contract Resources Group Pty Ltd

Notes to editor

In considering the proposed acquisition, the ACCC applies the legal test set out in section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Act.

In general terms, section 50 prohibits acquisitions that would have the effect, or be likely to have the effect, of substantially lessening competition in any market.

Background

Cleanaway Waste Management Limited (Cleanaway) proposes to acquire 100 per cent of the shares in Contract Resources Group Pty Ltd (Contract Resources). Contract Resources’ majority shareholders are two private equity firms, SCF Partners Inc and Viburnum Funds Pty Ltd.

Cleanaway is an Australian-based recycling, waste management, and industrial services company.

Contract Resources is a specialist provider of industrial services for complex and high value assets in the energy and oil and gas sectors.

Industrial services involve the provision of maintenance and cleaning services to industrial facilities, plants, and equipment, with many customers for these services operating in the mining, infrastructure, and oil and gas sectors.

Cleanaway and Contract Resources each provide ‘baseline’ industrial services, including high pressure water services, vacuum loading, non-destructive digging, cold cutting, tank cleaning and maintenance, emergency response, and decontamination and chemical cleaning.

Contract Resources also provides specialist industrial services such as catalyst handling and specialised mechanical services:

• ‘catalyst handling’ involves the removal, replacement and maintenance of catalysts used in energy and industrial processes, and
• ‘specialised mechanical services’ involves the repair and maintenance of complex industrial equipment such as reactors and heat exchangers.

Customers of specialist industrial services are generally customers in oil, gas and mining sectors.

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC will not oppose DP World Australia Limited’s proposed acquisition of Silk Logistics Holdings Limited (ASX:SLH).

Following an extensive investigation, including considering detailed responses to its statement of issues, the ACCC concluded that the proposed acquisition would not likely result in a substantial lessening of competition.

DP World Australia operates container stevedores at the Ports of Botany (Sydney), Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle. On average, DP World Australia services approximately a third of the containers processed at these ports.

Silk is a national container logistics provider in Australia. It hauls import and export containers using trucks to and from ports where DP World Australia operates.

The ACCC considered the integration of DP World Australia’s container terminals with Silk’s national container transport and warehousing business and the potential impact on container transport service providers in the supply chain. 

The ACCC focussed on whether DP World Australia would have the ability and incentive to engage in discriminatory conduct against Silk’s container transport rivals by raising their costs or lowering their quality of access to DP World Australia’s terminals.

ACCC analysis indicated that DP World Australia is unlikely to engage in forms of discriminatory conduct which would lead to material operational delays and disruption at DP World’s terminals. A reduction in DP World Australia’s ability to efficiently process containers at its terminals would risk DP World Australia losing shipping lines to other terminals, damaging its own business. 

“Although DP World Australia may be able to engage in subtle forms of discrimination without adversely affecting its primary function as a container terminal, such conduct is unlikely to reach a level so as to substantially lessen competition,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.

“DP World Australia would continue to face competition from a range of established and prospective container transport providers.”

The ACCC has an ongoing role in monitoring Australia’s container freight industry. This involves tracking prices, costs and profits of container terminals, gathering information from the container freight industry, and providing a monitoring report to the government each year.

More information on the ACCC’s role in this area can be found here: Container stevedoring monitoring.

Further information on this transaction can be found on the ACCC’s public register: DP World Australia Limited – Silk Logistics Holdings Limited.

Background

Container stevedores are responsible for lifting containers on and off container ships. They are a key part of international trade.

DP World Australia provides port and general logistics services. Its main business is the provision of container stevedoring services and operation of container terminals at each of the Ports of Melbourne, Botany, Brisbane and Fremantle.

In addition to its stevedoring services, DP World Australia:

• operates an empty container park in each of the areas surrounding the Ports of Brisbane, Melbourne and Botany,
• has a 50 per cent interest in a vehicle booking system, that container transport providers use for the purpose of collecting/delivering containers at several Australian ports, and
• operates a limited fleet of container transport trucks in Melbourne and Sydney.

DP World Australia is an indirect subsidiary of DP World Limited (DPW). DPW provides freight forwarding and contract logistics services in Australia.

Silk is an ASX listed port-to-door services provider offering warehousing, distribution and port logistics services. It operates 46 facilities across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Silk’s operations are categorised into two divisions:

• port logistics: road transport of import and export containers to and from ports in Australia, in addition to ancillary services (such as fumigation, quarantine inspection, packing/unpacking services), and
• contract logistics: warehousing and distribution services. Warehousing services relate to receiving containerised freight, unpacking it, palletising it, storing it and then packing and dispatching it to the destination. Distribution services refer to the transportation of goods from warehouses to delivery points, such as retail premises, factories or households.

Below is a diagram summarising the movement of containers along the supply chain and the typical commercial relationships between key parties. The blue boxes refer to parts of the supply chain at the port precinct.

Source:

04 July 2025

An ambitious housing project led by the University of South Australia, the SA Government and industry partners is making homes in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands more comfortable and energy efficient.

The APY Lands Energy Efficiency Retrofit Pilot, part of the national RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre, is improving energy efficiency in desert housing, where summer temperatures soar above 45°C and winter nights plunge below freezing.

Since launching the pilot in December 2023, the project team has installed energy monitoring devices in 12 households and completed retrofits on six homes in an APY community. The homes are managed by key project delivery partner, the SA Housing Trust.

The trial retrofits are targeted solutions to reduce air leakage, increase insulation, and reduce thermal bridging – where heat or cold bypasses insulation through the steel building frames.

With 15 project and industry partners, the team has assessed 20 homes, interviewed residents, installed monitoring equipment, built two test rooms in Adelaide, and modelled over 100 retrofit scenarios.

In addition to the retrofit work, the team has produced household energy efficiency and trade training education materials in consultation with the community, to ensure residents know how to get the best outcomes in their homes. Local trades will take part in rolling out the retrofits to remaining APY households.

Lead investigator, UniSA Sustainable Engineering Systems researcher Professor Ke Xing, says the project combines scientific rigour with practical on-the-ground training.

“This pilot is not only improving living conditions in one of the toughest climates in Australia; it’s also creating a blueprint for future upgrades in remote and regional communities across the country,” Prof Xing says.

“In the past year we have collaborated closely with the community, local maintenance workers and our industry partners, all of whom have shown an extraordinary commitment.”

Key findings so far show that addressing uncontrolled air leakage delivers the greatest improvements in thermal comfort and energy efficiency.

Currently winter – more so than summer – is the most uncomfortable period for APY communities. Households rely heavily on inefficient electric radiant heaters, with some resorting to ovens for warmth – an unsafe and costly practice.

Upgrades so far include new bulk insulation in the roof and adding continuous insulation to external walls, self-closing exhaust fans, evaporative cooling dampers, and sealing common air leakage points throughout the homes.

Local tradespeople were trained on-site, supported by custom training resources and guidance from retrofit experts.

Importantly, residents themselves are noticing the difference.

“Common feedback from residents was that their homes were cooler this summer, due to the retrofits. That anecdotal feedback supports our early testing, and we are in the process of conducting full evaluations over the 2025 winter,” says Prof Xing.

UniSA researchers partnered with the SA Department for Energy and Mining, the SA Housing Trust, and community focused organisations such as Healthabitat and Nganampa Health Council. They worked closely with the Iwantja Community Council and local residents, including Aṉangu Energy Education Workers supported by MoneyMob Talkabout.

The project also involves organisations with technical expertise who have provided knowledge and product support, including the Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand (ICANZ), Kingspan, Sika Australia, Powertech Energy, Efficiency Matrix, and the Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association (ATTMA).

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation in the Attorney-General’s Department has also partnered and contributed to the project, and TAFE SA, CodeSafe Solutions and Pointsbuild have contributed the development to the trade training program.

As part of the Pilot’s legacy, trade training programs have been developed to support a broader rollout of housing retrofit skills in remote communities. A “train-the-trainer” event was held in Adelaide in 2024, involving TAFE, SA Housing Trust, Renewal SA and Building Contractor (Furnell’s) staff. Local TAFE students were provided with Net Zero Energy Builder Scholarships to support energy efficient construction in the APY Lands.

The next steps include re-testing the retrofitted homes and expanding the model to other APY communities.

“Ultimately, we want this project to inform national guidelines for remote housing upgrades, tailored to the needs and voices of Aboriginal communities,” says SA Department for Energy and Mining Project Manager Lynda Curtis.

“Aboriginal people have lived in Australia’s desert regions for tens of thousands of years, but temperature extremes have become more pronounced due to climate change,” Ms Curtis says.

“With broader climate extremes and overall hotter summers predicted for the future, how people are living and maintaining healthy communities on Country is of growing concern, and we are invested in providing solutions to those challenges.”

Notes for editors

RACE for 2030 (Reliable, Affordable Clean Energy) is an innovative, collaborative research centre for energy and carbon transition. The Federal Government has provided $68.5 million, supplemented by $280 million in cash and in-kind contributions from partners. Its aim is to deliver $3.8 billion of cumulative energy productivity benefits and 20 megatons of cumulative carbon emission savings by 2030.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Contact for interview: Professor Ke Xing E: ke.xing@unisa.edu.au

Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

The City of Greater Bendigo is again holding a series of free events to highlight the region’s natural environment and biodiversity during the July School Holidays.

City of Greater Bendigo Climate Change and Environment Manager Michelle Wyatt said the free events will both educate and entertain participants.

“We held a series of similar events during the last school holidays which proved very popular,” Ms Wyatt said.

“Our region has a diversity of wildlife and the free sessions help residents to learn about their unique characteristics and understand the importance of caring for the habitats they live in.”

The free events include:

• Evening Bat Fly-out on Tuesday July 8 and Tuesday July 15, 5pm – 6.30pm at Rosalind Park
• Nature by Night on Thursday July 10 and Thursday July 17, 5.30pm – 7pm along the O’Keefe Rail Trail
• Winter Wander on Saturday July 12, 10am – 12pm in Junortoun Flora and Fauna Reserve
• Bats of Bendigo on Tuesday July 15, 10am – 11.30am at Rosalind Park
• Nature in the Mall on Thursday July 17, 11am – 2pm at Hargreaves Mall

For more information, or to book, visit:

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Yesterday, Northern Territory Police arrested a man in relation to a sexual assault that occurred in Berrimah on Friday 27 June 2025.

It is alleged the 60-year-old man sexually assaulted a woman who is known to him at an address in Berrimah.

He has since been arrested and charged with sexual intercourse without consent and will face Darwin Local Court 4 July 2025.

Police from the Sex Crimes Section are continuing to investigate the incident.

Detectives urge anyone who has information about the assault to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2500065760.

Anonymous reports can also be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppers.com.au/.

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

From solar-powered hydrogen reactors to wi-fi that works deep underground, 39 research projects have been awarded support through the Albanese Government’s Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Innovate program.

More than $93 million in grants has been awarded to projects including:

• A cleaner energy future – The University of Adelaide is working with industry to develop a solar hydrogen reactor that could dramatically cut the cost of green hydrogen production.
• Smarter farming – The University of Melbourne is developing an affordable soil monitoring system for shallow and deep-rooted crops, helping farmers grow more with less.
• Safer mining – The University of Sydney is creating a long-range wi-fi system to keep underground workers connected in real time.
• High-tech weed control – Central Queensland University is teaming up with Aussie businesses to create an innovative weed management system that reduces the need for chemicals.

These projects are part of a broader push to fast-track commercialisation of Australian research in critical areas like renewables, agriculture, medical technology, defence and critical minerals.

AEA is designed to bridge the gap between research and real-world application and help researchers partner with industry to take ideas out of the lab and into the economy.

The Olives the Australian Way project from the University of South Australia is an example of AEA in action. Starting in the Seed round and now progressing to Innovate, the project aims to double Australia’s olive plantations by 2035 and create new jobs in rural and regional areas.

More than $178 million has now been awarded to Australian innovators through AEA Seed, Ignite and Innovate rounds as part of the $1.6 billion AEA program.

The next round of Ignite and Innovate grants will open on 23 July, making an additional $150 million available to projects with potential to deliver the next wave of breakthroughs.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“These investments allow our world-class universities and researchers to work on game-changing projects that are good for our economy and good for Australia. 

“This is a strategic investment that will help to deliver the solutions we need for the challenges ahead.”

 

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Bronx is serving up a variety of delicious thin crust pizzas that fold into your mouth perfectly – just like they do it in the USA.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force are continuing to call for information in relation to a hit and run in Leanyer on Friday, 27 June 2025.

About 7:05pm on Friday, emergency services received reports of a hit and run along Leanyer Drive and responded to the incident. A female and male were allegedly struck with the female suffering serious injuries.

Initially police called for information relating to any witnesses of a white Yaris or Getz hatchback in the area at the time; however, upon further investigation police do not believe it was a hatchback and instead are looking for a white Holden Commodore VE Calais SS Station Wagon as pictured. The white Holden Commodore is believed to be missing the passenger side mirror and may have damage on the left side of the vehicle following the incident.

Police are encouraging the driver to make contact on 131 444.

Anyone who may have witnessed this car within the vicinity of Leanyer Drive around the time of this incident, particularly anyone with dash cam footage, is urged to contact police on 131 444. Please quote reference number NTP2500065618.

Source:

A beloved dog who went missing for two days has been safely rescued after falling down an abandoned mine shaft in the Wombat State Forest in Langdons Hill.

Submitted by	CFA Media