Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

Retail petrol prices across Australia’s five largest cities moved higher in the March quarter 2025, according to the ACCC’s latest quarterly petrol monitoring report.

In the March quarter 2025, average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) were 182.2 cents per litre (cpl), an increase of 2.4 cpl from the previous quarter.

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Quarterly average retail prices were higher in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth and only marginally lower in Melbourne (by 0.7 cpl) and Adelaide (by 0.4 cpl).

A lower AUD-USD exchange rate was the main contributor to higher average retail prices

Higher retail petrol prices on average largely reflected the impact of a lower AUD-USD exchange rate, which makes the international cost of refined petrol relatively more expensive in Australian dollar terms.

In the March quarter 2025, the AUD-USD exchange rate averaged US 62.7 cents, which was the lowest quarterly average AUD-USD exchange rate in more than 20 years.

The international price of refined petrol (Mogas 95) is traded in US dollars in global markets and made up the largest component of average retail petrol prices.

The following figure shows the impact of changes in various components on average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities between the December quarter 2024 and the March quarter 2025.

Components of average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities – Australian cpl

If the quarterly average AUD–USD exchange rate had remained the same, Mogas 95 prices would have decreased by 0.5 cpl in the quarter. Instead, the lower AUD–USD exchange rate meant that average Mogas 95 prices increased by 2.9 cpl in Australian dollar terms.

“The lower AUD-USD exchange rate meant that consumers paid higher prices on average at the bowser in the most recent quarter,” Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

Other components of retail prices include taxes, wholesale costs and margins, and retail costs and margins (represented by gross indicative retail differences). Gross indicative retail differences are a broad indicator of gross retail margins and include both retail operating costs and retail profits.

Petrol gross indicative retail differences were 14.4 cpl across the five largest cities in the quarter, a decrease of 2.8 cpl from the previous quarter. They varied between the five largest cities, and were lowest in Adelaide (7.6 cpl) and highest in Brisbane (24.2 cpl).

Average retail petrol prices were higher in the smaller capital cities and on average across the regions

In Canberra, Hobart and Darwin quarterly average retail petrol prices were also higher from the previous quarter. Quarterly average retail petrol prices in Canberra were the highest among the eight capital cities.

Across 190 regional locations that the ACCC monitors, average retail petrol prices across regional locations (in aggregate) were 184.3 cpl, an increase of 4.8 cpl from the previous quarter. On average, regional retail prices across all locations were 2.1 cpl higher than prices across the five largest cities (182.2 cpl).

“We continue to encourage consumers to use information available through fuel price apps and websites to find lower priced retailers and save money where possible,” Ms Brakey said.

“Fuel price transparency schemes collect price data for display on fuel price apps and websites. In January, the Victorian Government announced a price transparency scheme to be phased in over 2025, which would then mean every jurisdiction in Australia is covered by one of these schemes.”

After initial uptick, international crude oil prices then trended downward in the quarter

International prices for refined petrol (Mogas 95) are largely driven by international crude oil prices. In the March quarter 2025, after an initial increase, crude oil prices largely trended downward.

This downward trend was influenced by international factors, including concerns of lower demand stemming from the United States’ plans for higher tariffs, the potential for Russian oil supply to re-enter the market as part of a peace deal with Ukraine, and several OPEC countries increasing supply.

Diesel prices were higher in all capital cities for the first time in four consecutive quarters

Quarterly average retail diesel prices increased in all eight capital cities. Across the five largest cities, quarterly average retail diesel prices were 186.9 cpl, an increase of 9.8 cpl from the previous quarter. Retail diesel prices generally followed international diesel benchmark prices, which accounted for the largest component of retail diesel prices.

The higher quarterly prices followed four consecutive quarters of decline, from the December quarter 2023 to the December quarter 2024.

Note to editors

‘Petrol’ means regular unleaded petrol unless otherwise specified.

Price changes are reported in nominal terms unless otherwise specified.

Singapore Mogas 95 Unleaded (Mogas 95) is the relevant international benchmark for the wholesale price of petrol in Australia. Singapore Gasoil with 10 parts per million sulphur content (Gasoil 10 ppm) is the international benchmark for the wholesale price of diesel.

Background

The ACCC has been monitoring retail prices in all capital cities and over 190 regional locations across Australia since 2007.

On 14 December 2022, the Treasurer issued a direction to the ACCC to continue to monitor the prices, costs and profits relating to the supply of petroleum products in the petroleum industry in Australia and produce a report every quarter for a further three years.

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

What is provisional justified trust

Provisional justified trust is a pathway to justified trust for Top 500 groups that are tax assured but are yet to implement a tax governance framework.

Provisional justified trust provides eligible groups with a pause in assurance activities so that the group can dedicate their resources to implementing effective tax governance.

Eligibility for provisional justified trust

Top 500 groups that haven’t achieved justified trust will be eligible for provisional justified trust if:

• all material tax issues arising from the group’s income earning activities and the ways in which wealth has been extracted have been assured up to the penultimate year lodged (for example, the group has achieved full tax assurance)
• the Top 500 group commits to implementing an effective tax governance framework within 12 months.

When a Top 500 group has achieved full tax assurance for the first time, they will have the option to enter provisional justified trust. Top 500 groups in the general category that have previously achieved full tax assurance, and had one year of monitoring and maintenance, will have the option to enter provisional justified trust at the end of each assurance refresh engagement.

Approach to provisional justified tax

There are 2 approaches to provisional justified trust for Top 500 groups: one that applies to predominantly passive investment groups and another for all other groups.

Passive investor groups, in general, tend to treat their tax issues correctly, so the provisional justified trust approach for passive investor groups doesn’t require operational effectiveness testing of the group’s tax governance before the group can achieve justified trust.

For all other groups, the provisional justified trust approach maintains the requirement to test the group’s tax governance for operational effectiveness, including extending timeframes where necessary to allow for the group’s lodgment cycle, before the group can achieve justified trust.

Passive investor groups

The Top 500 program defines a passive investor group as groups that generate 90% or more of their income from passive income sources, with limited to no business activity done by the group.

This may include investments:

• held with banks (such as term deposits)
• in securities such as shares, funds, and bonds (whether held directly, through a family office, or managed externally)
• in commercial and residential property assets
• that involve certain rights to income (such as mining royalties).

Eligible passive investor groups will have 12 months from entering provisional justified trust to develop an effective tax governance framework, including over any wealth extraction activities and material related-party transactions. During this 12-month period, no assurance activities will be carried out. Our passive investor guide for Top 500 groups provides examples that may help groups with passive investments to develop tax governance over their material tax issues.

The group must produce a draft tax governance framework across the 4 key principles of tax governance within 6 months of entering provisional justified trust. Effective tax governance criteria for Top 500 private groups and the following content provides guidance regarding the criteria for achieving a high level of assurance for tax governance.

Guidelines for passive investor groups

The ATO case team will have 2 months to provide the group with feedback on their draft tax governance framework.

The group will have a further 2 months to make any required amendments, and then return the framework to the ATO case team for final assessment.

For tax governance, only the effectiveness of the design of the Top 500 group’s tax governance framework will be assessed by the ATO case team. Operational effectiveness testing is not required as part of our case team’s assessment.

If the Top 500 group doesn’t develop an effective tax governance framework within 12 months, they will be removed from provisional justified trust and assurance activities will restart from the last assured financial year.

If they design an effective tax governance framework, they will enter justified trust. The 3-year monitoring and maintenance period will start from the financial year following the year that provisional justified trust was provided.

At the end of the 3 years of monitoring and maintenance, we may ask the Top 500 group to show us they have tested the operational effectiveness of their tax governance framework. This is to assure that the group has been following the prescribed processes and procedures.

Non-passive investor groups

Unlike Top 500 groups that are considered passive investors, non-passive investor groups require effectiveness testing of the tax governance framework before being placed in justified trust. The following procedure is to be followed.

Guidelines for non-passive investor groups

The Top 500 group will have 12 months from entering provisional justified trust to develop an effective tax governance framework, including over any wealth extraction activities and material related-party transactions. During this 12-month period, no assurance activities will be carried out.

The Top 500 group must produce a draft tax governance framework across the 4 key principles of tax governance within 6 months of entering provisional justified trust. Our effective tax governance criteria for Top 500 groups provides guidance regarding the criteria for achieving a high level of assurance for tax governance.

The ATO case team will have 2 months to provide the group with feedback on their draft tax governance framework.

The Top 500 group will have a further 2 months to make any required amendments, and then return the framework to the ATO case team for final assessment.

For practical reasons around timing, groups may be granted a further 6 months of provisional justified trust (with scope to extend by an additional 6 months where necessary to cover the group’s lodgment cycle) to provide evidence that their tax governance framework is operating effectively.

If the Top 500 group doesn’t develop an effective tax governance framework within the stipulated timeframe, they will be removed from provisional justified trust and assurance activities will restart from the last assured financial year.

If the Top 500 group implements an effective tax governance framework, and provides evidence that the framework is operating effectively, they will enter justified trust. The 3-year monitoring and maintenance period will start from the lodgment year following the year that provisional justified trust was provided.

Example of the timeline for groups taking the provisional trust pathway

Lodgment year	Engagement approach	Engagement completed (may vary depending on lodgement cycle)
2023	Full Tax Assurance (Standard assurance engagement)	2025
2024	Provisional justified trust (Break from assurance engagement)	2026
2025	Monitoring & Maintenance (1st year of Justified Trust; operational effectiveness testing of tax governance if required)	2027
2026	Monitoring & Maintenance (2nd year of Justified Trust)	2028
2027	Monitoring & Maintenance (3rd year of Justified Trust)	2029
2028 & 2029	Justified Trust Refresh Engagement	2030

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Drug and Organised Crime Detectives have seized 113 kilograms of cannabis and approximately $270,000 in cash in a major drug interdiction operation that has significantly disrupted the activities of a Vietnamese organised crime syndicate operating across state borders.  A small amount of cocaine was also seized.

The seizure occurred on Monday 2 June, after a targeted traffic stop on Willard Road in Holtze. Intelligence indicated the vehicle was transporting a commercial quantity of cannabis intended for distribution within the Territory through established criminal networks.

Detective Superintendent Lee Morgan from the Drug and Organised Crime Division said the seizure is a major blow to those attempting to profit from the harm inflicted on Territory communities.

“This seizure strikes at the heart of a sophisticated criminal syndicate responsible for trafficking large quantities of illicit drugs into the Northern Territory,” said Detective Superintendent Morgan.

“This is not a case of low-level offending. This syndicate is part of a broader Vietnamese organised crime network intent on exploiting vulnerable communities for financial gain.”

“Removing 113 kilograms of cannabis from the supply chain will have an immediate and significant impact on the local drug market. The reduced availability of cannabis will interrupt the operations of street-level dealers and limit the reach of this syndicate into our community.”

Cannabis remains the most used illicit drug in the Northern Territory. Its misuse is closely linked to a range of community harms, including mental health issues, domestic violence, road trauma, and reduced outcomes in education and employment.

Criminal groups use cannabis distribution as a gateway to entrench their influence and introduce more dangerous drugs into the market.

This operation is part of an ongoing commitment by the NT Police Force to dismantle criminal networks that attempt to profit at the expense of public safety.

Two men from Victoria aged, 27 and 56, and a local 26-year-old man were arrested.  The two Victorian men are expected to appear in court today with the local man expected to appear on Wednesday 4 June.

The 27-year-old male has been charged with:

• Supply schedule 2 drug – Commercial quantity
• Possess schedule 2 drug – Commercial quantity
• Receive property – Commission of Offence.
• Possessing schedule 1 drug – Less than traffickable quantity

The 56-year-old man was charged with:

• Supply schedule 2 drug – Commercial quantity
• Possess schedule 2 drug – Commercial quantity
• Receive property – Commission of Offence

The local 26-year-old man was charged with:

• Supply schedule 2 drug – Commercial quantity
• Possess schedule 2 drug – Commercial quantity
• Receive property – Commission of Offence

Anyone with information on the supply of alcohol or drugs to our communities can call police on 131 444 or make an anonymously report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

Our commitment to you

We are committed to providing you with accurate, consistent and clear information to help you understand your rights and entitlements and meet your obligations.

If you follow our information and it turns out to be incorrect, or it is misleading and you make a mistake as a result, we will take that into account when determining what action, if any, we should take.

Some of the information on this website applies to a specific financial year. This is clearly marked. Make sure you have the information for the right year before making decisions based on that information.

If you feel that our information does not fully cover your circumstances, or you are unsure how it applies to you, contact us or seek professional advice.

Copyright notice

© Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia

You are free to copy, adapt, modify, transmit and distribute this material as you wish (but not in any way that suggests the ATO or the Commonwealth endorses you or any of your services or products).

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

The Global Anti-Base Erosion Model Rules (GloBE rules) provide for a coordinated system of taxation intended to ensure multinational enterprise groups (MNE groups) are subject to a global minimum tax rate of 15% in each of the jurisdictions where they operate.

On 10 December 2024, the Taxation (Multinational—Global and Domestic Minimum Tax) Act 2024 (the Act) received Royal Assent. It is part of a primary legislation package which implements the framework of the GloBE rules in Australia.

Certain entities in MNE groups are excluded from the operation of the Australian global and domestic minimum tax. Relevantly, the Act provides an exclusion for entities considered to be a ‘non-profit organisation’.

The ATO will consult with members of the Not-for-profit Stewardship Group and tertiary education sector representatives to inform its understanding of the scope of the ‘non-profit organisation’ exclusion and broader administration of the new measure.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Police are calling for information in relation to a vehicle fire that occurred in Alice Springs on Saturday evening.

Around 8:20pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received multiple reports of a vehicle fire on Barrett Drive. It is alleged that two females and a male were involved in an altercation before one of the females set the vehicle alight.

NT Police and NT Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene and the fire was extinguished.

The three allegedly involved in the altercation are assisting police with their enquiries.

Investigations remain ongoing.

Police urge anyone with information in relation to the incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25147814. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

Source: Australian Department of Communications

AUSTRAC has refused to renew a crypto ATM operator’s registration and placed operating conditions, including transaction limits, on other Australian crypto ATM providers.
The conditions come after an AUSTRAC taskforce flagged worrying trends in crypto ATM compliance.
AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said over several months, the taskforce observed customer activity that bears the hallmarks of scams, fraud, and other illicit activity.

Source:

Metcalfe FIre Brigade Captain Graeme Smith and Mary-Anne Thomas MP

Construction is officially underway on a new fire station for Metcalfe Fire Brigade, marking a major milestone for the local community.

CFA Acting Deputy Chief Officer for North West Region Gavin Wright joined brigade members on-site for a ceremonial sod turn on Sunday 2 June, commemorating the start of the project.

The new station, to be built on Malmsbury-Metcalfe Road, will replace the brigade’s current facility located nearby.

Metcalfe Fire Brigade Captain Graeme Smith said the upgraded station will better support the brigade’s operations for years to come.

“We’ve been working with the community and pushing for this project, so to see it finally happening is just fantastic,” Graeme said.

“Our hope is that it’ll also serve as a staging area for any large-scale incidents in the region.
It’s not just an asset for the brigade — it’ll benefit the entire community.”

Graeme added the new station is also expected to boost recruitment.

“When it’s completed, we think it’ll be a real drawcard for new members,” he said.

“We’ll be able to offer state-of-the-art facilities and a great environment to be a part of.”

The new fit-for-purpose station will include a motor room with two reverse-in bays, operational areas, dedicated storage, a multipurpose room, and external car parking. It will also feature separate turnout areas and private change facilities to support both male and female volunteers.

Acting Deputy Chief Officer Gavin Wright said the new design reflects CFA’s commitment to volunteer safety, inclusivity, and sustainability.

“Sustainability features such as solar panels, rainwater recycling, EV charging readiness, and water-sensitive landscaping have all been incorporated,” he said.

“This facility is built not just for today, but for the future needs of the brigade and the broader community.”

Established in 1885, Metcalfe Fire Brigade currently has 54 members (17 women and 36 men), 29 operational firefighters, and two tankers. The brigade responds to an average of 20 incidents a year across Mount Alexander Shire.

Construction is expected to be completed by early 2026.

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Here are the results:

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

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In brief:

• This article provides answers to frequently asked recycling questions.
• It includes information on local recycling and disposal options.

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Whether it’s about cans, little fish-shaped soy sauce containers or bulky waste, recycling isn’t always straight forward.

We have answered some of Canberra’s most frequently asked recycling questions.

What can I put in my household recycling bin?

What can’t I put in my household recycling bin?

You can check the A-Z guide to recycling and waste or the quick bin guide for information on how to dispose of specific items.

What’s the largest item I can recycle?

As long as the item is listed above under what you can put into your recycling bin and it fits in your bin with the lid closed, you can recycle it. Items like large cardboard boxes must be empty and flattened.

For items that are too big to fit in your recycling bin, you can:

What’s the smallest item I can recycle?

Avoid placing anything smaller than the size of a credit card in your recycling. These can slip through the machines and won’t be recycled.

Oh, and those little plastic fish-shaped soy sauce containers belong in landfill, as they are made from different grades of plastic and are too small for the machines.

I saw someone rummaging through my recycling bin. What can I do?

Some individuals have reported that their recycling bins are being checked for containers eligible for the 10-cent refund container deposit scheme.

If you have experienced this, you can contact the ACT No Waste Team to request stickers for your bins, indicating that you do not have any eligible containers (such as 10-cent bottles).

What about containers with food or liquid remaining?

Make sure to wipe, scrape or rinse out any food or drink before placing containers in the recycling bin. Clean and empty containers are ideal.

Why can’t I recycle plastic or metal lids?

Metal and plastic lids smaller than a credit card will fall through the machines can’t be recycled.

If you group metal lids (and coat hangers) together, you can place them all together and take to the scrap metal area at the resource management centres at Mitchell or Mugga Lane.

Plastic lids can be recycled through Lids4Kids who have a range of options. Lids4Kids is a Canberra-based volunteer organisation that rescues plastic bottle lids, and lots of other small items from landfill and recycles them into new items which you can purchase.

They also have a local school program, so if your child’s school participates in Lids4Kids, you can drop them off there.

Empty blister packs, and medicine packs can be dropped off at all ACT Chemist Warehouse stores.

For more disposal options visit the A-Z guide to recycling and waste.

What about polystyrene?

Polystyrene is not recyclable in ACT recycling bins or at recycling drop-off centres.

You can ask the retailer where you purchased your goods if they can take it back. If a retail take-back option is not available, please dispose of it in your rubbish (red or dark-green lid) bin.

For large quantities, you can dispose of polystyrene at the Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre or the Mitchell Resource Management Centre, fees apply.

Is there a recycling option for soft plastics?

Unfortunately, there is no soft plastic recycling in the ACT and they must be disposed of in your household landfill bin. This includes all plastics which can be easily scrunched such as chip packets, plastic bags, freezer bags, bread bags, bubble wrap and pasta bags.

The best thing you can do to recycle soft plastics like plastic shopping bags or freezer bags is to re-use them.

There are a few national services that provide paid soft plastic recycling options.

What is hazardous waste and why can’t it go in my bins?

If you’ve recently updated your house with a lick of paint, have left over fertiliser, or have an old gas bottle lying around these are classed as hazardous waste. These items cannot go in household landfill or recycling bins for safety and environmental reasons.

For the full list of hazardous waste items and how to dispose of them, check the A-Z guide to recycling and waste.

Why can’t I put batteries in my landfill or recycling bin?

It’s important to keep batteries out of household landfill and recycling bins. This includes devices like phones, laptops, or toys if they contain embedded batteries.

When batteries are compressed and crushed in waste collection trucks and facilities, they can spark fires putting staff’s lives, collection trucks, facilities and the environment at risk.

Batteries also contain chemicals like lead which can be harmful to human health and the environment.

Find out where to safely dispose of your batteries through specialised battery recycling programs.

Can I recycle old paint brushes?

Brushes can be re-used for craft projects or if good condition, may be dropped off for free at Goodies Junction.

However, if the bristles of your paintbrush are stiff or don’t move, they should be disposed of in landfill.

Paint and paint tins are considered hazardous materials. A few options for them:

How do I recycle my old clothes?

A huge number of textiles end up in landfill each year.

Clothing, blankets, and fabrics cannot be placed in your recycling bin. They can get tangled and damage the machinery, which is designed to recycle household packaging.

Canberra has a vibrant second-hand clothing community. You can find a store or organisation near you by checking for a drop-off location or consider donating through an online Buy Nothing page.

Where can I dispose of my car seats and prams?

Roundabout Canberra provides safe, high quality, essential baby and children’s items to families in need. They take donations for a range of good quality second-hand children’s items especially car seats and prams.

Find out more about how you can donate your car seats, prams and children’s items.

Still have more recycling-related questions? Check the A-Z guide to recycling and waste or the quick bin guide for information on how to dispose of specific items.

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