AU Engine

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

Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, the crisis gripping Australia’s child care sector is deepening, with a second man charged in connection to an abuse investigation that led to the arrest of a Melbourne worker.

JAYNE AZZOPARDI: The Victorian Government has announced a major crackdown which will include a phone ban inside centres. But action is needed at a national level and it is needed now. So, for more on this, we’re bringing in Federal Education Minister Jason Clare. Minister, good morning to you. You revealed yesterday that you actually know a family that has been impacted by all of this. How are they doing?

JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: One of my best friend’s daughters is caught up in this. Two of her little girls. She’s burning with rage, as you would expect her to be, and we’ve spoken a bit over the last 48 hours. She’s angry, she’s confused, she’s feeling all of the guilt and shame and anger that any mum or dad would be feeling when you get that notification. And she’s grappling with what she needs to do now to make sure that her girls are safe. 

This is sickening and it’s serious. It’s not the sort of stuff we like to talk about on breakfast TV. But people can’t turn away. We’ve got to act here. There’s steps that we’ve already taken, but not enough and not fast enough. One of the things that I will do as the Minister for Education, is, when the Parliament returns later this month, introduce legislation that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t meeting our safety standards or our quality standards. If they’re repeat offenders, if they’re not meeting the sort of safety standards that we meet, that we need and we demand as a country, then we’ve got to cut off their funding. That’s the big weapon that the Commonwealth Government has to wield here.

STEFANOVIC: I’ll circle back to some of those things in a second. This is such a difficult case, right, and it’s difficult too, because there’s a running narrative on the side of this and they’re just charges. But there are so many families affected and, you know, one. And I was just thinking about this the other day. Jayne has kids as well, and I was just going, if that was me, I don’t know what I’d do, but I’d be baying for blood. So, to try and wrestle all those emotions around this is incredibly difficult.

CLARE: And she is. She is. Look, it’s impossible to put yourself in that position until you’re there. I’ve got a sense of it because of the fact that it’s one of my best friends. And these are allegations put aside this individual case. There was an individual that was arrested, charged and convicted with serious acts. Australia’s worst serial paedophile was arrested for actions in child care centres in Queensland a couple of years ago. It’s what prompted me to conduct a child safety review. It’s what’s prompted the actions on mobile phones in centres, as well as mandatory reporting. But it’s also the reason why we’ve got to go further, whether that’s a national register of workers in centres or the sort of action that’s now being taken in NSW and in Victoria around CCTV. Or for that matter, the action that I will take as Minister to introduce that legislation to cut funding to centres that aren’t up to scratch. The fact is that about 70 per cent of the funding that runs the centre comes from Australian taxpayers, comes from the Commonwealth Government through the child care subsidy. It’s what makes these centres work. And if they’re not working in the interest of our kids, then we’ve got to have the power to be able to cut that funding off.

AZZOPARDI: Minister, as a dad yourself, who would be personally paying child care centres, as we do, to look after our children and to have the expectation that they are going to be not only safe, but nurtured and nourished, do you think your Government has done enough here?

CLARE: The honest answer is no, of course we haven’t. We haven’t done enough and we haven’t done it fast enough. 

You’re right. One of my little guys is in child care right now. Can I use this opportunity to say thank you to all of the extraordinary child care workers, early educators across the country. They’re as angry as I am, as my friend is right now. I remember the day that we told my big guy, my 8 year old, that Louise was pregnant with his little brother. The first thing he said when we told him that he was going to be a big brother is, “I can’t wait to tell Kelly.” And Kelly is the woman that looked after him when he was in early education and care. And that reminds me that that special bond and connection that our children have with our educators. This is an essential service for mums and dads to help them get back to work. But it’s much more than that for our kids. It helps them to get ready for school, it helps them to get ready for life. Every educator out there that’s seeing this is angry and furious as well. And the responsibility rests with me as well as every other educator in the country to make sure that we make our centres safer than they are today. Not enough’s been done, more needs to be done.

STEFANOVIC: We had a lady on just about half an hour ago saying the men at these child care centres should be banned. There are going to be all sorts of people wanting certain reforms, some of them easily done, some of them not. So, is that something that you would consider?

CLARE: I don’t think that’s going to be the solution here. Have a look at the Four Corners exposé from earlier this year that Adele Ferguson led on. That showed abuse in our child care centres and neglect in our centres, and they weren’t blokes. We’ve had a Royal Commission, we’ve had the child care safety review that I led. We’ve got recommendations there around registers and CCTV and legislation. We know what we need to do, Karl. Now, the obligation on us is to get busy and implement these recommendations.

STEFANOVIC: So, what’s stopping you? And I know you’re a really hardworking guy. I know you deeply feel this story, you raised the Four Corners story. When that happened, we all said, let’s change it, let’s install these reforms and let’s protect our kids. Nothing happened. So, what’s it going to be?

CLARE: People watching aren’t interested in bloody excuses, they’re interested in action. When we got the Four Corners Report, we said we’d introduce that legislation and that’s what I’ll do when Parliament returns. The New South Wales Government also commissioned the former Deputy Ombudsman to do a review. We got that report last week and the former Deputy Ombudsman briefed Education Ministers on Friday. That’s where CCTV reform’s coming from. That’s where increasing penalties and more information for parents is coming from. We’ve got to bring all of these recommendations together. That’s happening now and we’ve got to actually do the work, we’ve got to implement them.

AZZOPARDI: So, when parents who are watching now, what can you tell them? When will this all be in place?

CLARE: Number one, there’s already action being taken on mobile phones. But more action will happen in September when regulations come into effect. Legislation will be introduced into the Federal Parliament when Parliament returns in the first sitting fortnight. And as I said, that’s about cutting off funding to bad actors, to people that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our kids. And Early Education Ministers will meet again next month on the next stage of reform. 

There’s another part to this as well, Jane, and that’s the Working With Children Checks. Not enough has been done to make sure that they work in the interest of our kids. They’re not a silver bullet because a lot of these offenders haven’t got a criminal record. So, they’re not caught by the system. But the Attorney-General has said yesterday that Attorney-Generals across the country will meet next month to make sure they work better, that there’s exchange of information, but that they’re also updated in near real-time. And Victoria and New South Wales have also announced a package of reforms. I strongly back that. We want to see that rolled out right across the country.

STEFANOVIC: I know your pain will help motivate you to get this done. It needs to be done, pronto. There’s so much, so much at stake. Jason, thank you. And a reminder, a dedicated advice line for parents impacted in Melbourne has been established. You can call 1800 791 241. Just still rattled by all that story.

AZZOPARDI: Completely. Completely.