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Source: New South Wales – News

Police and emergency services were called to the Hub Shopping Centre, Hub Drive, Aberfoyle Park just after midday on Saturday 12 July by reports of a crash.

A vehicle lurched forward while parking and collided with two pedestrians.

The pedestrians were knocked to the ground and both sustained minor injuries and grazes.  One of the pedestrians, a man aged in 70s, was taken to hospital as a precaution.

The Holden Commodore sedan also sideswiped a car parked alongside it and struck the chicken shop.

The driver, a 20-year-old man from Old Noarlunga, only holds a learner’s permit and did not have a qualified supervising driver present.

Neither he, nor his young passengers, were injured in the crash.

The driver is expected to receive an expiation notice for failing to maintain proper control of his vehicle and breaches of his learner’s permit conditions.

The Holden was towed from the scene.

Source: New South Wales – News

Just before 4pm on Friday 11 July, police were called to Brighton Road, South Brighton after two males were seen walking along Brighton Road, one carrying a machete.

Witnesses also reported that a male in a grey or silver car appeared to point a firearm out the vehicle towards the other males.

There were no reported injuries.

As a result of the subsequent investigation, Youth and Street Gangs Task Force investigators, with the assistance of Western District patrols, located and stopped a silver Mitsubishi in Fulham Gardens.

Officers searched the vehicle and allegedly located an imitation firearm and machetes.

All five occupants of the vehicle, aged 16, 17, 18, 24 and 29, were arrested and charged with carry offensive weapon and possess firearm.

The 17-year-old boy from Edwardstown was also charged with aggravated robbery allegedly committed on 3 July at Croydon Park where a machete was produced.

All five were refused police bail and will appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates and Adelaide Youth Courts on Monday, 14 July.

The Mitsubishi was seized for further forensic examination.

Anyone who witnessed this incident who has not yet spoken to police is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Source: New South Wales – News

The single vehicle collision occurred about 10.15am on Saturday 12 July on Main South Road, Sellicks Hill.

The road is expected to be closed for northbound traffic while emergency services are at the scene.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.

Source: New South Wales – News

Just before 4am on Saturday 12 July, police and fire crews were called to Fitzroy Terrace, Thorngate by reports of a car on fire in a driveway.

The BMW was fully alight when patrols arrived.

The fire was extinguished was MFS crews and is being treated as suspicious.

Anyone who saw or heard any suspicious activity or vehicles in the area or has any dashcam or CCTV footage that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Source: New South Wales – News

The single vehicle collision occurred on Parawa Road, Torrens Vale about 3.45am on Saturday 12 July.

Parawa Road is closed in both directions between Range Road and Torrens Vale Road while Major Crash investigators examine the scene.

Motorists are asked to avoid the area this morning.

Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

The Meadowbrook Health Centre promised during the 2019 federal election and fully funded by the Albanese Labor Government is now open to patients.

It will provide better healthcare, quicker and closer to home for thousands of people.

The Albanese Government has officially handed over the $33.4 million centre to be operated by Queensland Health.

Federal Minister for Health Mark Butler said the centre will provide care to the Logan community from today and into the future.

“The Albanese Government’s $33.4 million investment builds on our reforms to strengthen Medicare and ensure people get the care they need, where they need it,” he said.

“This centre will keep locals out of busy hospital emergency departments.”

Located opposite the Logan Hospital, the centre includes a minor injury and illness clinic which is open now, enabling residents to access vital non‑life‑threatening care without needing to go to the hospital emergency department.

This new centre will work as part of an established urgent care service network with the Logan Medicare Urgent Care Clinic also operating nearby.

Federal Treasurer and Member for Rankin Jim Chalmers said along with a minor injury and illness clinic, the centre included a women’s health outpatient centre providing gynaecology and antenatal services which would open soon.

“This is a gamechanger for our local area,” he said.

“This new centre will ease pressure on the emergency department at Logan Hospital and it will give our community easier access to quality care.

“It means better healthcare, quicker and closer to home for thousands of people in our community.”

Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the opening of the Meadowbrook Health Centre and the new Minor Injury and Illness Clinic was a valuable addition to the Logan community.

“We are doing all we can to take the load off our busy EDs and this new clinic is vital in ensuring patients who don’t need to be in emergency can get the medical care they need in a timely fashion,” Minister Nicholls said.

“These facilities are designed to provide members of the community with same day walk‑in, walk‑out care and services for non‑life‑threatening conditions.”

The Crisafulli Government will ensure ongoing delivery of services at the centre through continual funding.

Member for Forde Rowan Holzberger said he was pleased to see this investment from the Albanese Labor Government delivering real benefits for his community through this new health centre.

“My priority is delivering for our local community and the new health centre is a great example of how we are responding to the needs of the community,” he said.

“The new health centre at Meadowbrook will ease the pressure on nearby health facilities, which are already operating at capacity, as well as provide local families with the reassurance they deserve to know they can get treatment for their loved ones when and as they need it.”

Metro South Health Chief Executive Noelle Cridland said the Meadowbrook Health Centre would support and work in collaboration with Logan Hospital.

She said Metro South Health was proud to provide another modern, accessible, convenient facility designed to provide better access to care, including women’s health services previously located at Logan Hospital.

“We have already seen an amazing response from people attending the Satellite Health Centre’s at Eight Mile Plains and Redlands, so I’m thrilled that Logan residents will have the same opportunity to access free, high‑quality care locally in this rapidly growing community,” Ms Cridland said.

Meadowbrook Health Centre Facility Manager Tracey McTigue said patients could walk in at any time during opening hours to access care in the Minor Injury and Illness Clinic.

“The Minor Injuries and Illness Clinic on the ground floor will be open from 8am to 10pm daily to treat simple fractures, sprains and strains, fevers and coughs, head injuries without loss of consciousness, and a range of other non‑life‑threatening conditions,” Ms McTigue said.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 22-year-old male in relation to a criminal damage incident that occurred at a restaurant in the Alice Springs CBD on Tuesday, where significant damage was caused to the premises.

The offender was located and arrested by Alice Springs police a short time ago in The Gap. 

He remains in custody and is expected to be charged with Damage to property, Armed with an offensive weapon and Possession of a prohibited weapon.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The NT Police Force are calling for information in relation to an assault that occurred at the intersection of Dick Ward Drive and Progress Drive yesterday evening.

About 10pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report that a female was allegedly physically and sexually assaulted by a male who then ran from the area.

Members of the public intervened and assisted police in locating the suspect, who was arrested a short time later. The 19-year-old male was taken into police custody and investigations are ongoing. The detail of any relationship between the parties forms part of the investigation.

The victim was conveyed to the Royal Darwin Hospital for medical assessment.

Detective Senior Sergeant Caragh Hen said, “This incident occurred in a very public place, in full view of pedestrians and motorists.  The reported offending is abhorrent and brazen and has no place in our Community.”

Investigations remain ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 and reference job number NTP2500070146. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

If you have CCTV or dashcam footage of the incident, it may be uploaded here: https://ntpol.au.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/ntp2500070146

The NT Police Force thanks the witnesses who intervened on this occasion to protect the victim and prevent further violence.

If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline (131 114).

Source:

Statement by Steve Knott AM, Chief Executive
Australian Resources & Energy Employer Association (AREEA)

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has today granted “same job same pay” orders covering Operations Services (OS) employees working at three BHP Queensland coal mines, finding OS employees were supplied to BHP Coal for their labour rather than to provide services.

The decision is considered an important test case of the same job same pay laws, marking the first time an employer has sought to rely upon provisions that prevent the FWC from making orders where arrangements are for the provision of services rather than the supply of labour.

Known as the “service contractor exemption”, these provisions were negotiated into the same job same pay laws by AREEA when it became clear in late 2023 that the Albanese Government had enough support in the Senate to legislate their long-held policy.

To determine whether an arrangement is for the provision of a service or for the supply of labour, the FWC must consider several criteria including how involved the employer is in the performance of work, who supervises or controls employees, and which entity supplies the systems, equipment and structures of work.

Today’s decision reflects the FWC’s considerations of how work is performed at the relevant BHP sites and its view that the BHP-OS arrangements do not satisfy the service contractor exemption.

Having carefully reviewed the Full Bench’s conclusions, it’s clear the FWC is prevented from making orders covering genuine service contracting arrangements.

This exemption will apply to any service business – from specialist mining contractors to cleaning and catering companies – where they demonstrate they supervise their own employees, control their performance of work, supply them with equipment, and other factors.

As stated by the Full Bench:

Subsection (1) confers the power, and obligation, to make a regulated labour hire arrangement order. That section is rendered inoperative unless the Commission is positively satisfied that the performance of work is not or will not be for the provision of a service, rather than the supply of labour.
– Paragraph 23, [2025] FWCFB 134

AREEA intervened in this important FWC matter to reaffirm the commitments made by the Government at the time of our negotiations that it did not intend for the same job same pay laws to cover genuine service contracting arrangements.

We note it is open to the affected employers to appeal the FWC’s decision to the Federal Court should they believe jurisdictional or factual errors have been made.

With the Federal Government focused on national productivity, it’s also important to consider the wider commercial ramifications of such decisions.

Increasing labour costs at some of Australia’s most productive mining operations, in this case to the tune of some $1.3 billion, will fundamentally impact long-term investment and employment decisions.

This will be to the detriment of the mining sector workforce, regional communities, and all the small and medium businesses that service large project operators along the supply chain.

AREEA’s position is amendments are needed to ensure the ‘same job same pay’ is targeted at clear cases where there is evidence that labour hire is being used to undermine, undercut or avoid the payment of enterprise agreement wages.

Businesses that supply labour to clients via legitimate and lawful above-award arrangements provide an invaluable service to the economy, and they must be allowed to do so with certainty and confidence.