Woman, youth charged by Taskforce Raven during CBD patrol
Wednesday, 9 April 2025 – 11:56 am.
An 18-year-old woman and 17-year-old girl have been arrested following an incident in the Launceston CBD yesterday afternoon.
Members of Taskforce Raven were conducting routine patrols of the CBD at the time, and arrested the 18-year-old who was wanted in relation to outstanding shoplifting matters.
She was charged with five counts of stealing, unlawful possession of property believed to be stolen, and possessing and consuming liquor in a public place.
She will appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court at a later date.
The youth will be proceeded against by summons for possessing and consuming liquor in a public place.
Taskforce Raven is continuing to target recidivist offenders, including youth offenders, through routine patrols and proactive investigations.
Anyone with information should contact the taskforce on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
Police investigate serious pedestrian crash in Hobart’s CBD
Wednesday, 9 April 2025 – 11:40 am.
Police are continuing to investigate a serious crash involving a pedestrian and a vehicle in Hobart’s CBD last night.Police and emergency services were called to the scene in Davey St near the intersection of Hunter St just before 8pm.Initial investigations suggest that a 75 year old man and a 73 year old woman were crossing the road just down from the traffic lights when the man was hit by a vehicle travelling along Davey St.Upon arrival, the man was provided with medical assistance and then taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital for further treatment. He remains in a critical condition.The woman was not physically injured but was taken to hospital as a precaution.Two lanes of Davey St were blocked for 2.5 hours while specialist resources including crash investigation and forensics attended the scene to carry out examinations.Police are calling for witnesses or anyone who has CCTV or dash cam footage to contact police on 131444.
Leadership during a bushfire is a complicated and multifaceted undertaking, something that CFA Goroke Group Officer Justin Batson came to understand firsthand this fire season.
Not only are you preoccupied with ensuring resources are where they need to be, trucks in position, crews supported and plans in place, you’re also carrying the weight of decisions that can affect an entire community.
In the early hours of 2 February, after a sudden wind change pushed the fast-moving Little Desert National Park bushfire toward the small community of Goroke in Victoria’s west, CFA Goroke Group Officer Justin Batson was forced to make an uncomfortable decision: Should we issue an emergency warning to leave immediately?
With conditions worsening and the fire’s behaviour becoming more erratic, Justin made the call.
“It was the first time I’d ever been asked to make that kind of call, and it was something I didn’t take lightly,” Justin said. But with the fire behaviour we were seeing, there was no question in my mind. We had to get people out.”
The fire had jumped containment lines and was moving quickly. Crews had trucks and fallback plans in place, but the risk to life was too high to not take action.
“We had plan A, B and C ready to go,” Justin said. “But we also knew if the fire broke through at the wrong time, we’d be dealing with houses under threat, maybe worse.
“If people left early, it meant we didn’t have to wonder who was still in the town, or where they were.
That knowledge changes everything for our firefighters and community reassurance.”
The decision was made, and the emergency warning was sent. To Justin’s relief, the community responded exactly as hoped.
“There was no pushback. People understood the risk and they trusted us. That’s not always the case during emergencies, and it made a huge difference.”
Knowing residents were safe allowed firefighters to focus entirely on asset protection and fire suppression.
“We were dealing with winds that changed without warning,” he added.
“The fire did things that didn’t make sense, it didn’t follow the usual patterns. There’s no rulebook for something like that.
“We’re all so thankful to CFA strike teams from across the state who assisted us, working in tough conditions, and to the local farmers and private units who did their bit too,” Justin said.
“It was a team effort, and everyone was doing what they could to protect their neighbours and stop the fire from escaping the desert. The work on the ground was huge.”
In the end, no lives were lost. No lived-in homes were destroyed. And while the nearby Little Desert Nature Lodge was sadly destroyed, the town was spared the worst.
“People thank us for the outcome, but I think the community deserves just as much credit,” Justin said.
“Their trust gave us the breathing room to do our job.”
“You don’t forget the weight of that call. You think about the elderly, the families, your own mates.
You’re asking people to leave their homes, maybe not knowing if they’ll have one to come back to. But when it’s life or death, you can’t afford to hesitate.”
In the days that followed, messages of thanks poured in, from handwritten notes by local schoolkids to homemade meals delivered to staging areas.
“If I had my time again, I’m sure we’d make the same call.
I didn’t want to issue the emergency warning. But I’m glad we did,” Justin said.
The City of Greater Bendigo is developing Environmental Management Plans for Kennington Reservoir, Riley Street, Ryalls Lane and Crusoe Reservoir and No. 7 Park Natural Reserves and is inviting the community to have input into the plans.
City of Greater Bendigo Climate Change and Environment Michelle Wyatt said the purpose of developing the plans is to establish a set of goals for the protection and enhancement of local biodiversity.
“The plans will identify the values and threats of each site and establish goals and actions aimed at enhancing environmental and passive recreation opportunities for the community,” Ms Wyatt said.
“The community has a wealth of knowledge of the flora, fauna and ecological communities and use many of the natural reserves we manage. Their feedback is important to help us understand how they use the sites, what is important to them and how the City can enhance the values and use of each site.”
Community engagement is currently underway to gather information on how the community uses the following reserves and their priorities for future management:
Crusoe Reservoir and No.7 Park (Big Hill) Home to Box-Ironbark forest, reservoirs, walking and cycling trails and abundant native flora and fauna, including 190 species of bird
Kennington Reservoir (Kennington) This site supports recovering Box-Ironbark forest and a reservoir which is home to three species of turtle, abundant birdlife and several fish, frog and mammal species
Ryalls Lane and Sheepwash Creek (Owl’s Roost Reserve) (Strathfieldsaye) This site encompasses parts of Sheepwash Creek and a number of smaller tributaries that support creekline grassy woodland and plains woodland vegetation communities. The Ryalls Lane site was a recent acquisition and is a popular roosting spot for the endangered Powerful Owl
Riley Street Natural Reserve (East Bendigo) This former quarry has been transformed into an important urban natural reserve, supporting threatened fish species and providing a haven for frogs, reptiles, mammals and birds. Formed tracks allow walking and nature watching
Residents can have their say on the City’s Let’s Talk website until 5pm on Friday May 9, 2025.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Prescribed hazard reduction burns in Hardy’s Range and Uriarra – Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Two prescribed hazard reduction burns in Hardy’s Range and Uriarra Station will commence today, subject to suitable weather and fuel moisture conditions.
The prescribed hazard reduction burns in Hardy’s Range and Uriarra Station are being conducted to reduce the fire hazard in the area.
Experienced ACT Parks and Conservation Service fire managers will conduct and oversee the burning operations. Every effort is made to conduct burns in weather conditions that will minimise the impact of smoke, but temporary smoke cover is possible and may be visible across parts of Canberra.
Fire crews will be on the ground monitoring and patrolling the prescribed burns to their conclusions.
Smoke, flame, and glowing embers may be seen at these sites, which is normal for these types of operations. The public are asked not to call emergency triple-zero unless they see any unattended fire.
Prescribed burns are an important part of the ACT’s annual Bushfire Operations Plan to enhance ecological quality, reduce the risk of bushfires and help keep Canberrans safe.
More information about prescribed hazard reduction burns is available on the Parks ACT website.
Overdue bushwalker rescued from state’s west coast
Wednesday, 9 April 2025 – 10:40 am.
An overdue 81 year old Victorian bushwalker has been rescued from Mount Murchison on the state’s west coast early this morning.Police were notified about 8.30pm last night, with Search and Rescue ground crews safely locating the man about 2am.Inspector Andrew Hanson said that the man was an experienced bushwalker and had taken appropriate steps to prepare, including notifying his family of his expected return.“It’s pleasing that the man took steps to prepare, which enabled his family to raise the alarm when he became overdue,” he said.“It’s a timely reminder for everyone of the dangers of the Tasmanian wilderness.”Police advise bushwalkers against walking alone, and to ensure they carry sufficient warm clothing and food, and emergency communication devices. A two-way messaging emergency device is preferred.• Ensure you’re prepared with appropriate equipment – take a map and torch, clothing and footwear to suit any conditions, regardless of the season take a waterproof jacket; adequate food and water, first aid kit.• Research your intended trip – ensure the trip is within your abilities and fitness level, and you have a route plan, map and check the expected weather forecast.• Let someone know before you go – ensure someone knows your route and expected return time.• Always carry a fully charged mobile phone and consider a portable charger to extend battery life. Batteries do not last as long when cold and mobile navigation apps deplete batteries quicker than other apps.• Carry a Personal Locator Beacon but be aware that they are a one-way communication device.• Be flexible. Be prepared to turn back or change plans if severe weather is forecast or eventuates during the walk. Making the decision to push on when you should turn back can put you in danger.
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
The ACCC will not oppose Woolworths Group Limited’s (ASX:WOW) proposed acquisition of Beak & Johnston Holdings Pty Ltd (B&J).
Woolworths currently holds a minority 23 per cent interest in B&J City Kitchen Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of B&J which manufactures ready meals and pastries for wholesale and retail sale. The proposed acquisition will result in Woolworths ultimately owning 100 per cent of B&J’s subsidiaries, including Beak & Johnston NZ Pty Ltd. The New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) is also considering a clearance application from Woolworths for its proposed acquisition of B&J.
The ACCC considered whether rival ready meal producers to B&J could continue to maintain competitively effective operations even if Woolworths only stocked or otherwise advantaged B&J’s products.
“Our investigation found that while Woolworths has significant bargaining power in its dealings with ready meal suppliers, in this case it was unlikely the acquisition would have a substantial anti-competitive effect,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.
“Rival suppliers of ready meals will continue to have access to other supermarkets and convenience stores. Ready meal suppliers can also distribute through other channels, such as food service wholesaling and direct-to-consumer models.”
The ACCC also investigated whether Woolworths would have the incentive to prevent the supply of B&J products to rival retailers and any associated impact on competition.
The review found that there are a number of large competing suppliers of ready meals with similar scale and capabilities to B&J, including some that do not currently supply to Woolworths. There are also several smaller suppliers offering high quality products for niche product segments.
“Rival retailers will continue to have options for sourcing quality ready meals to suit a variety of consumer preferences,” Dr Williams said.
“Ultimately, we did not find that the proposed acquisition is likely to substantially lessen competition in any market.”
Woolworths is Australia’s largest grocery retailer that primarily operates supermarkets, within which it sells chilled and frozen ready meals among other products.
B&J is a manufacturer of chilled ready meals and pastries and a small amount of frozen ready meals. B&J supplies these products through supermarkets, petrol and convenience stores, as well as food service wholesaling, such as airlines.
A separate B&J subsidiary, Beak & Johnston Pty Ltd, which primarily manufactures sauces, soups and slow-cooked meats at its Greenacre, NSW facility, will be excluded from the transaction perimeter and will operate as an independent business post-acquisition.
The NZCC is also considering a clearance application related to Woolworths’ proposed acquisition of B&J.
The B&J brands that will be included in the proposed acquisition include:
Strength Meals Co: Chilled and frozen ready meals
Simmone Logue: Gourmet pies, pastries, and cakes
Pitango: Soups and other meals
Artisano: Soups, sauces, and other meals
Pasta Master: Chilled lasagne and past-based ready meals.
Real estate agents are being reminded of their responsibilities under Victoria’s underquoting laws – and the potential consequences of not meeting them – as our taskforce launched legal action this week against a Yarraville estate agency and its director.
The action comes as the taskforce continues to monitor sales campaigns and auctions around Melbourne, on Saturday visiting suburbs in the city’s north-east.
Nicholas Skapoulas and his agency, Nicholas Scott Real Estate, will face a VCAT hearing after our Underquoting taskforce initiated its first disciplinary proceeding.
Disciplinary proceedings can lead to the suspension or permanent cancellation of an estate agent’s licence.
The taskforce reviewed multiple sales campaigns managed by Nicholas Scott. We allege that Skapoulas and his agency committed several breaches of underquoting laws for 11 separate properties they were engaged to sell, including:
repeatedly supplying Statements of Information that did not comply with the law. Examples included advertising an indicative selling price lower than the estimated selling price they’d given the seller, or not listing the median selling price or comparable properties in the area
failing to provide information as required under a statutory notice issued by our taskforce officers.
Skapoulos has almost 30 years’ experience as an agent. Nicholas Scott employs 3 other licensed estate agents, along with agents’ representatives.
Under Victoria’s underquoting laws, Statements of Information are important documents that must be provided for all properties for sale. They contain guidance for buyers who are assessing whether a property is likely to be one they can afford, including:
the indicative selling price
the median selling price for properties in the same suburb, and
the details of 3 comparable properties recently sold, when available.
The matter has been filed at VCAT and will be heard at a date to be determined.
We’ve reviewed our advice and continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution in Algeria due to the threat of terrorism and kidnapping. Higher levels apply in some areas. You must get a visa in advance of arrival to enter Algeria. Only tourists arriving and departing by cruise ship can get visas on arrival.
Police are investigating a break-in at a McLaren Vale business in the early hours of Tuesday 1 April.
Just before 5.30am on Tuesday 1 April, a shed on Main Road, McLaren Vale was broken into and a number of surfboards, 20 wetsuits, and power tools, including a Makita sander, lawnmower and whipper snipper were stolen.
CCTV captured a small blue hatchback towing a caged trailer travelling east along Main Road, McLaren Vale before turning onto Tatachilla Road and entering the rear of the property via a laneway.
Anyone who recognises the vehicle or has any dashcam or CCTV footage from the area that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au