NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Craig Reintroduces Legislation to Ban Members of Congress from Trading Stocks

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, as part of her continued efforts to fight corruption and reform Washington, U.S. Representative Angie Craig reintroduced her NO STOCK Resolution. Rep. Craig’s legislation would require every sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives to immediately sell their individual stocks and refrain from future stock ownership while in office. Rep. Craig first introduced this legislation in 2022. 

    “Lawmakers should be focused on serving their constituents, not their own self-interests,” said Rep. Craig. “There’s no denying that just by nature of their jobs, Members of Congress have access to information that everyday Americans do not. That’s why I’m proud to be reintroducing this common-sense legislation to prevent Members of Congress from playing the stock market and profiting from their positions while they’re in office.” 

    Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has led the charge to fight corruption and restore integrity to Washington, DC. 

    This week, Rep. Craig joined her colleagues in introducing the End Corruption Now legislative agenda, which aims to confront political corruption and clean up government by introducing six bills that will put power back in the hands of the American people. These bills will prevent the President, Executive Branch officials, and Members of Congress from personally benefiting from their offices.

    As part of the End Corruption Now agenda, Rep. Craig reintroduced her Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution to ban Members of the House from serving on corporate boards while also serving in office.

    Earlier this Congress, she reintroduced her Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act — a broader package of reforms that would ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress, eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members and eliminate automatic pay raises for Members of Congress.

    In January of 2024, Rep. Craig led a bipartisan coalition of 26 Members pushing Speaker Johnson and House leaders to bring a Congressional stock trading ban to a vote. Then, again in July of last year, ahead of the Senate markup of the legislation to ban Congressional stock trading, she led her colleagues in urging Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer and Congressional leaders to bring the bill to the House Floor for a vote.  

    You can read Rep. Craig’s NO STOCK Resolution here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 20,000 malicious IPs and domains taken down in INTERPOL infostealer crackdown

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    11 June 2025

    SINGAPORE – More than 20,000 malicious IP addresses or domains linked to information stealers have been taken down in an INTERPOL-coordinated operation against cybercriminal infrastructure.

    During Operation Secure (January – April 2025) law enforcement agencies from 26 countries worked to locate servers, map physical networks and execute targeted takedowns.

    Ahead of the operation, INTERPOL cooperated with private-sector partners Group-IB, Kaspersky and Trend Micro to produce Cyber Activity Reports, sharing critical intelligence with cyber teams across Asia. These coordinated efforts resulted in the takedown of 79 per cent of identified suspicious IP addresses.

    Participating countries reported the seizure of 41 servers and over 100 GB of data, as well as the arrest of 32 suspects linked to illegal cyber activities.

    What are infostealers?

    Infostealer malware is a primary tool for gaining unauthorized access to organizational networks. This type of malicious software extracts sensitive data from infected devices, often referred to as bots. The stolen information typically includes browser credentials, passwords, cookies, credit card details and cryptocurrency wallet data.

    Additionally, logs harvested by infostealers are increasingly traded on the cybercriminal underground and are frequently used as a gateway for further attacks. These logs often enable initial access for ransomware deployments, data breaches, and cyber-enabled fraud schemes such as Business Email Compromise (BEC).

    Following the operation, authorities notified over 216,000 victims and potential victims so they could take immediate action – such as changing passwords, freezing accounts, or removing unauthorized access.

    Operational highlights

    Vietnamese police arrested 18 suspects, seizing devices from their homes and workplaces. The group’s leader was found with over VND 300 million (USD 11,500) in cash, SIM cards and business registration documents, pointing to a scheme to open and sell corporate accounts.

    As part of their respective enforcement efforts under Operation Secure, house raids were carried out by authorities in Sri Lanka and Nauru. These actions led to the arrest of 14 individuals – 12 in Sri Lanka and two in Nauru – as well as the identification of 40 victims.

    The Hong Kong Police analysed over 1,700 pieces of intelligence provided by INTERPOL and identified 117 command-and-control servers hosted across 89 internet service providers. These servers were used by cybercriminals as central hubs to launch and manage malicious campaigns, including phishing, online fraud and social media scams.

    Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime, said:

    “INTERPOL continues to support practical, collaborative action against global cyber threats. Operation Secure has once again shown the power of intelligence sharing in disrupting malicious infrastructure and preventing large-scale harm to both individuals and businesses.”

    Notes to editors

    Operation Secure is a regional initiative organized under the Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations Against Cybercrime (ASPJOC) Project.

    Participating countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Korea (Rep of), Laos, Macau (China), Malaysia, Maldives, Nauru, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Beni: Judicial Actors and Police Officers Trained in Criminal Investigation Techniques


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    About twenty staff members from the military and civil judicial administration of Beni and Butembo, as well as Congolese police officers, attended two simultaneous training sessions from May 26 to June 5, 2025, at MONUSCO’s headquarters in Beni. The first focused on ballistic expertise applied to criminal trials, while the second centered on cybercrime and digital investigation techniques.

    Over the ten days, the trainees—including public prosecutors, judicial police officers, and police agents—followed a comprehensive training program combining theoretical presentations, practical workshops, case studies, and experience sharing. The sessions were led by experts in ballistics and judicial investigation from MONUSCO’s Justice Support Section.

    According to the participants, the training helped deepen their technical and legal skills in response to firearm-related crime. Among them was Commissioner Dieumerci Lomoyo Bongwalo of the Congolese National Police, who said he learned many important concepts related to criminality.

    He praised the quality of the training, stating that it would enhance his professional skills and help the Congolese justice system better respond to challenges, particularly those arising from the development of new technologies.

    “We learned a lot about techniques, methods, etc. We explored the different types of ballistics: internal ballistics, external ballistics, and terminal ballistics. All of this was new to us. We also learned how things work with firearms and different types of ammunition. This added real value to our profession. From now on, we’ll be able to conduct ballistic investigations and write reports for the appropriate authorities. We’re going to improve the way we work because we’ve gained new knowledge” he stated.

    Like the other participants, Commissioner Dieumerci Lomoyo Bongwalo expressed hope that MONUSCO would organize more training sessions of this kind to help judicial administration agents deepen their understanding of criminality and investigative procedures.

    “This will really help us. These are lifelong skills. We won’t lose them. It’s a real asset” the officer emphasized.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Los Angeles Mayor Announces Curfew in Downtown

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    LOS ANGELES, June 11 (Xinhua) — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced on Tuesday evening that the second-largest U.S. city will impose a curfew in the city center from 8 p.m. local time (03:00 GMT Wednesday) to 6 a.m. Wednesday (13:00 GMT).

    The curfew, as K. Bass noted, will cover an area of about 1 square mile.

    Local authorities imposed a limited curfew in response to looting and vandalism that occurred in the city centre on Monday evening following largely peaceful daytime protests, she said.

    The curfew does not apply to area residents, homeless people, members of the media, and public safety or emergency personnel, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Bass announced the curfew as protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids entered their fifth day. Local media reported that demonstrators had taken to the 101 Freeway, blocking traffic in both directions, shortly before the curfew was ordered. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Los Angeles mayor announces curfew in downtown area

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Tuesday evening that the second largest city in the United States has imposed a curfew in the downtown area from local time 8:00 p.m. (0300 GMT Wednesday) to 6:00 a.m. (1300 GMT) Wednesday.

    The curfew would cover about 1 square mile, Bass said.

    She said that the local authorities imposed the limited curfew in response to looting and vandalism that occurred downtown Monday night, following largely peaceful daytime protests.

    The curfew exempts residents of the designated area, homeless individuals, credentialed media and public safety or emergency officials, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Bass announced the curfew as protests against raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stretched into the fifth day, with local media reporting demonstrators surged onto the 101 Freeway, blocking traffic in both directions, shortly before the order was issued. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Neighbourhood-scale batteries charge ahead

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.

    You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers is a start, but Australia and its allies must do more

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Whyte, Scientia Associate Professor of Philosophy and ARC Future Fellow, UNSW Sydney

    The Australian government is imposing financial and travel sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers: Itamar Ben-Gvir (the national security minister) and Bezalel Smotrich (finance minister).

    This is a significant development. While Australia has previously sanctioned seven individual Israeli settlers, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are the most high-profile Israeli nationals to face such sanctions.

    Civil society organisations have long called for sanctions against these ministers and others in the Israeli cabinet.

    Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong previously rebuffed such calls by saying that “going it alone gets us nowhere”. These latest sanctions have been imposed by a coalition of five states: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.

    A joint statement by the foreign ministers of these countries says Ben Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights.”

    Explaining the sanctions further, Wong told ABC Smotrich and Ben-Gvir are the “most extreme proponents of the unlawful and violent Israeli settlement enterprise”.

    A history of violent statements

    There is no doubt both men are extremists.

    Ben-Gvir, who is responsible for Israel’s police force, was convicted of racist incitement in 2007.

    As national security minister, he has handed out thousands of assault rifles to West Bank settlers. He has also boasted he’s worsened the “abominable conditions” of Palestinian prisoners.

    Smotrich has overseen a dramatic expansion of unlawful settlements in the West Bank. He’s vowed to annex the occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of international law.

    He has also complained no one would allow Israel “to cause two million civilians to die of hunger, even though it might be justified and moral until our hostages are returned.”

    Last month, he argued that “until the last hostage is returned, we should not even be sending water” to Gaza.

    The joint statement by the foreign ministers explains Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have been sanctioned for “inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank”.

    The statement notes these measures “cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza”. However, it also goes on to express “unwavering support for Israel’s security” and vows to “continue to work with the Israeli government”.

    It does not note that the International Court of Justice has found Palestinians in Gaza are facing a plausible risk of genocide.

    Nor does it make clear Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are not bad apples; they are integral members of the far-right Israeli government that is responsible for the destruction of Gaza and the starvation of its people.

    Indeed, just this week, a UN independent fact-finding commission report found Israel was committing the “crime against humanity of extermination” in Gaza, among other war crimes.

    What are Magnitsky sanctions?

    Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have been sanctioned under Australia’s Autonomous Sanctions Act 2011. This act grants the foreign minister broad discretionary powers to impose sanctions.

    In 2021, the Australian government amended this act to allow the government to impose sanctions on specific “themes”, such as:

    • serious violations or serious abuses of human rights
    • threats to international peace and security
    • activities undermining good governance or the rule of law, including serious corruption.

    These targeted sanctions on human rights abuses are often called “Magnitsky-style sanctions” after the Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in custody after exposing serious corruption in Russia. They enable a government to freeze the assets of and impose travel bans on individuals and specific entities, not just countries.

    Since coming into force, Australia has imposed the Magnitsky-style sanctions on numerous Russian military leaders, members of Myanmar’s junta, and the commander in chief of the Iranian Army.

    But Australia does not only sanction individuals from these countries. It also imposes country-wide sanctions on Russia, Myanmar and Iran.

    These broader sanctions restrict all trade in arms, including weapons, ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, as well as spare parts and accessories.

    Australia can – and should – do more

    The Australian Centre for International Justice, which had lobbied the government to sanction Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, welcomed the decision. It called it:

    an important demonstration of Australia’s commitment to upholding international law and human rights.

    But the centre’s acting executive director, Lara Khider, stressed the need for further concrete action. This includes “the imposition of a comprehensive two-way arms embargo on Israel”.

    Indeed, sanctions are not just political or diplomatic tools that states can apply at their discretion. International law can require states to apply sanctions, such as through a resolution of the UN Security Council.

    Last July, the International Court of Justice declared that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, including its imposition of a regime of racial segregation, is unlawful.

    In that advisory opinion, the court also clarified the legal obligations of all states concerning Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Such obligations include the duty on all states to “take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation”.

    Nothing less than a two-way trade and arms embargo is adequate now. Just as Australia imposes such sanctions on Russia, Myanmar and Iran, it must do the same for Israel.

    Jessica Whyte receives funding from the Australian Research Council. With Sara Dehm, she co-authored a submission to the 2024 inquiry into Australia’s sanctions regime which criticised Australia’s failure to impose sanctions on the state of Israel.

    Sara Dehm receives funding from the Australian Research Council. With Jessica Whyte, she co-authored a submission to the 2024 inquiry into Australia’s sanctions regime which criticised Australia’s failure to impose sanctions on the state of Israel.

    – ref. Sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers is a start, but Australia and its allies must do more – https://theconversation.com/sanctioning-extremist-israeli-ministers-is-a-start-but-australia-and-its-allies-must-do-more-258688

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Johnson’s Statement on the White House Deploying National Guard to Los Angeles

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

    Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) released the following statement on the White House deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles during protests against Trump’s immigration policies:

    “President Trump’s unilateral deployment of the National Guard onto the streets of Los Angeles at a time when state and local law enforcement were defusing the fallout from ICE raids that terrorized immigrant neighborhoods and workplaces, was a move calculated to escalate what had been largely peaceful protests into violence that would create a pretext for suspending habeas corpus and imposing Martial Law.

    “Similar to the Chinese Communist Party government crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, Martial Law would create the opportunity for Trump to crackdown on dissent throughout America, stifling freedom and liberty as the 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence from monarchal tyranny approaches.”

    “I stand with my brothers and sisters who are peacefully protesting not only the cruelty of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdowns but the dictatorship he so desperately is trying to create, and I urge all those engaging in protest and demonstrations to remain non-violent. The time is now for all good people to find and get into trouble. Good trouble. Necessary trouble.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • US envoy says he does not think Palestinian state is US policy goal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Washington’s ambassador to Israel said he did not think an independent Palestinian state remains a U.S. foreign policy goal, prompting the State Department to say he spoke for himself while the White House referred to past comments from President Donald Trump expressing doubts about a two-state solution.

    “I don’t think so,” U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said in an interview with Bloomberg News published on Tuesday, when asked if a Palestinian state remains a goal of U.S. policy.

    Asked about Huckabee’s comments, the White House referred to remarks earlier this year by Trump when he proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza, which was condemned globally by rights groups, Arab states, Palestinians and the U.N. as a proposal of “ethnic cleansing.”

    The White House also referred to remarks by Trump from last year before he won the 2024 election when he said: “I’m not sure a two-state solution anymore is going to work.”

    Asked whether Huckabee’s remarks represented a change in U.S. policy, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on Tuesday, saying policy-making was a matter for Trump and the White House.

    “I’m not going to explain them or really comment on them at all. I think he certainly speaks for himself,” Bruce told reporters.

    Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, is a staunch pro-Israel conservative.

    “Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there’s no room for it,” Huckabee was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. Those probably won’t happen “in our lifetime,” he said.

    Trump, in his first term, was relatively tepid in his approach to a two-state solution, a longtime pillar of U.S. Middle East policy. Trump has given little sign of where he stands on the issue in his second term.

    Huckabee suggested a piece of land could be carved out of a Muslim country rather than asking Israel to make room. “Does it have to be in Judea and Samaria?” Huckabee said, using the biblical name the Israeli government favors for the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where some 3 million Palestinians live.

    Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, has been a vocal supporter of Israel throughout his political career and a longtime defender of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

    Trump has pursued strongly pro-Israel policies as president and his choice of Huckabee as ambassador signaled that they would continue.

    The United States has for decades backed a two-state solution between the Israelis and the Palestinians that would create a state for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel.

    The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli allies.

    U.S. ally Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, while internally displacing nearly Gaza’s entire population and causing a hunger crisis. The assault has also triggered accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI USA: Underwood’s Bipartisan Baby Changing on Board Act Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

    WASHINGTON – Rep. Lauren Underwood’s bipartisan legislation that would require new Amtrak trains to be equipped with baby changing stations in all restrooms, the Baby Changing On Board Act (H.R. 248), has passed the House with unanimous support. The legislation is co-led by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

    Amtrak serves millions of families as a reliable and affordable transportation option, but many trains still lack basic facilities such as baby changing stations, creating unnecessary challenges for parents and caregivers. Under the Baby Changing on Board Act, Amtrak would utilize existing funds to install baby changing stations in new train cars, making sure all trains meet a minimum service standard for family amenities.

    “Parents and caregivers shouldn’t have to worry about whether there’s a safe, clean place to care for their kids while traveling,” said Rep. Underwood. “I am so pleased that this legislation has passed the House and is now one step closer to becoming law. This common-sense, bipartisan legislation is a practical and necessary step to make sure families have access to the amenities they need on Amtrak.”

    The Baby Changing on Board Act represents a significant step forward for families, especially those undertaking long journeys on Amtrak routes. By ensuring new trains are equipped with basic, family-friendly facilities, this legislation promotes a more inclusive and accessible travel experience for parents and caregivers nationwide.

    The Baby Changing on Board Act is supported by leading organizations, including A Better Balance, MomsRising Together, and the National Women’s Law Center.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Found Missing Person

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Missing US aviation student, William Henry Johnson, has been located and Police have confirmed they have no concern for his welfare.

    24-year-old Johnson was reported missing by his family on 9 June, after not contacting them for several days.

    Enquiries by Police have enabled them to make contact and confirm he is now safe and with his family.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Indecent assault and burglary – Parap

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Police are calling for information after an indecent assault and burglary that occurred in Parap overnight.

    Around 11:40pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report that a female had been indecently assaulted while she slept in her residence. It is alleged that she woke to a naked male indecently assaulting her.

    The victim was able to push the offender off her before he fled the scene, allegedly stealing a camera in the process.

    Police attended and the victim described the offender as being approximately 20 years of age, slim build, with dark skin and approximately 180cm to 185cm tall.

    The NT Police Force Sex Crimes Section have carriage of the incident and investigations are ongoing.

    Detectives urge anyone with information about the incident to contact 131 444 and quote reference number P25156934. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash: Bowicks Road, Cust.

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A person has died after their vehicle rolled on Bowicks Road, Cust this afternoon.

    Emergency services were called to the crash at about 1.25pm.

    One person died at the scene.

    The Serious Crash Unit has conducted a scene examination.

    Police would like to thank the emergency response teams who assisted at the scene.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Search continues for Victorian man at Cradle Mountain

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Search continues for Victorian man at Cradle Mountain

    Wednesday, 11 June 2025 – 3:12 pm.

    A search at Cradle Mountain today involving police officers, SES volunteers, a helicopter crew and drone operators has yet to locate Victorian man Christopher Inwood.
    Mr Inwood, 52, is believed to have been in the Cradle Mountain area since Monday night and police have concerns for his welfare.
    His white Toyota HiAce van was found in the car park of a ranger station on Cradle Mountain Road on Tuesday morning. A backpack which police believe may belong to Mr Inwood was found 500m away from the ranger station, in a direction heading to Dove Lake.
    Search efforts today have involved four officers from Tasmania Police Search and Rescue, four State Emergency Service volunteers, a wilderness paramedic, two police drone operators and a helicopter team of two police officers and a paramedic.
    The helicopter team has landed to check huts and emergency shelters along the Overland Track and also conducted wider aerial searches of the northern section of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
    Foot patrols have focused on walking tracks and bushland spanning out from the ranger station where Mr Inwood’s vehicle was found parked. (pictures attached)
    Weather conditions at Cradle Mountain today have been clear although cold, with the temperature at 3pm around 5C. Overnight temperatures have been below freezing.
    Mr Inwood was last seen in Kindred on Monday about 8.30pm and police believe he drove to Cradle Mountain later that night.
    Anyone who has information that could assist police locate Mr Inwood is urged to call 131 444.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Deadline for comments into CPA discussion papers looms 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Deadline for comments into CPA discussion papers looms 

    The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD) is appealing to citizens to make their voices heard as the deadline for comments into the discussion papers for the review of the Criminal Procedure Act draws closer. 

    Last month, the Deputy Ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster welcomed the publication of the discussion papers on the review of the Act which were released by the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC).

    The review seeks to address systemic challenges in the Act, particularly in relation to provisions that deal with arrest, bail, alternative dispute resolution, and victim participation in the criminal justice process.

    In an interview with SAnews, the Deputy Director-General for Court Administration at the DOJ&CD Lucky Mohalaba said the Act was outdated.

    “It’s a pre-1994 piece of legislation and one of the key areas which the department and the [JCPS] cluster is faced with, is how do we ensure that important legislation like the Criminal Procedure Act [CPA] is reviewed to be in line with the Constitution? Our Constitution actually was signed into law after the Criminal Procedure Act,” he remarked of the 1977 legislation.

    The act makes provision for procedures and related matters in criminal proceedings.

    “This initiative from the department as led by Deputy Minister [Andries] Nel is really a milestone. Firstly to ensure that we comply and are in line with the constitutional imperatives including the issues that relate to equality [and] transparency.  
    “The work that the Law Reform Commission has undertaken is going to result in the reform of legislation, including the Criminal Procedure Act,” said Mohalaba.

    The SALRC released the discussion papers covering the pre-trial stage on the Bail System Reform, Arrest Dispensation Reform, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Criminal Matters and the Non-Trial Resolutions (NTRs): Deferred Prosecution, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Non-Prosecution.

    “In the main, there are components where the issue of the bail dispensation is going to be looked at. Secondly, the issues that relate to the arrest dispensation is going to be looked at. Part of the issues raised there is [that] should people be arrested for having committed certain crimes or should they be given dates to come to court and appear in court for those crimes? 

    “Are we not increasing the numbers in our correctional centres by arresting everyone? So those are the areas that the research papers are looking at,” the DDG said of the four papers that were first published on 20 February 2025.

    This as the comment period into the documents will close on 31 March 2025.

    Content of the documents

    The Bail System Reform discussion document speaks to ensuring a balanced approach that upholds the rights of accused persons while addressing public safety concerns, reducing lengthy pre-trial detention, and easing overcrowding in correctional facilities.

    Chapter 1 of the Review of South Africa’s Bail System document, states that the country’s bail law forms an “integral part of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977 a law of apartheid extraction which has been in existence for almost five decades.” 

    It further states that it is “also probable that the relevant provisions have become obsolete and redundant.”

    South Africa’s bail system is regulated under Chapter 9 of the CPA with the review aiming to align bail laws with constitutional principles while also tackling inefficiencies.

    Challenges with bail for foreign nationals, limited police powers in the granting of bail, the strict verification of accused persons’ residential addresses as well as affordability issues that prevent accused individuals from securing bail are some of the deficiencies identified in the current bail system according to Chapter 2 of the document.

    The proposals for reform include enhancing victim rights where courts should consider victim safety when granting bail as well as that victims should be informed of bail proceedings and allowed to express their concerns. 

    The proposals for reform in the document also talks to reducing delays and overcrowding where automatic bail reviews to avoid unnecessary detentions is introduced while revising bail conditions. The proposal is that alternative measures be found for those who can’t afford bail.

    The document states that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Commission “lamented the failure of the law to cater specifically for victims of crime. It argued, at the time, that if the position of victims was not drastically reformed in the criminal justice system, it would lead to a legitimacy crisis.”

    The Arrest Dispensation Reform speaks to promoting alternative measures, such as summons, to secure court attendance and reduce unlawful and unnecessary arrests. 

    Chapter 3 of this discussion paper states that the CPA outlines the methods for securing the court attendance of accused persons. This as Section 38 of the legislation “provides that the methods of securing the court appearance of accused persons are arrest, written notice, summons and indictment.” 

    However, the CPA doesn’t specify which of the measures should be used in “certain situations, nor does it mandate the utilisation of the least intrusive measure.”

    The paper notes that arrest should only be used as a last resort when other methods (summons, written notices) are inadequate and that police discretion in arrest decisions is broad, often leading to unnecessary detentions and overcrowding in prisons. 

    The paper proposes the amendment of Section 39 of the CPA to define the purpose of arrest, preventing misuse as well as the amendment of Section 40 to restrict arrests without warrants, ensuring judicial oversight.

    Section 39 of the Act states that an arrest can be effected with or without a warrant and, unless the person to be arrested submits to custody, by actually touching his body or, if the circumstances so require, by forcibly confining his body.

    It also states that at the time of effecting the arrest or immediately after effecting the arrest, the person effecting it should inform the arrested person of the cause of the arrest. It adds that in an arrest effected by virtue of a warrant, upon demand of the person arrested, a copy of the warrant must be given.

    Meanwhile, section 40 of the Act talks to the arrest by peace officers. This is whereby a peace officer may without  a warrant arrest any person who commits or attempts to commit any offence in his presence or a person who has escaped or who attempts to escape from lawful custody, among others.

    According to the CPA, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development has the power to declare by notice in the Government Gazette any category of persons, by virtue of their office, as peace officers for specific purposes.
    This as peace officers are not police officials. 

    The proposal made in the document speaks to clarifying the powers of peace officers as well as creating an oversight mechanism. It also notes that electronic summons and written notice could replace many physical arrests among others.

    The third document which is the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Criminal Matters, speaks to challenges in the criminal justice system such as the over-reliance on imprisonment leading to overcrowding and the high costs of traditional prosecution among others.

    The document notes that the country’s “legal system does not make provision for the coherent and unified regulation of ADR in criminal matters, a concept which, in foreign jurisdictions may be referred to in a number of ways, including discretionary prosecution, waiver of prosecution and out of court settlements.”

    The proposed reforms it makes include the expanded use of ADR for minor offenses. This includes conditional withdrawals of prosecution, greater victim participation in ADR processes as well as focussing on restorative justice that includes victim-offender mediation. This also includes community-based sentencing alternatives such as rehabilitation programmes and community service.

    The fourth discussion document known as the Non-Trial Resolutions (NTRs): Deferred Prosecution, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Non-Prosecution explores NTRs as an alternative to traditional criminal prosecutions. 

    It focuses on Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and Non-Prosecution Agreements (NPAs), particularly in corruption and financial crime cases.

    It states that traditional criminal trials for corporate and economic crimes are slow, costly, and complex adding that NTRs encourage self-reporting, corporate reform, and financial restitution without lengthy trials.

    It states that the country lacks a structured legal framework for non-trial resolutions, unlike countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

    The document adds that the Zondo Commission recommends the proposed introduction of   Deferred Prosecution Agreements for companies implicated in corruption.  Appointed by the President, The Zondo Commission was a commission of inquiry that investigated state capture in South Africa.

    The DPAs allow companies to admit wrongdoing, pay fines, and commit to reforms in exchange for prosecutorial leniency.
    The benefits of NTRs are that they encourage companies to cooperate with law enforcement and also reduces court backlogs while prioritising serious cases for trial.

    The recommendation is that NTRs should be legislated to provide clear guidelines for corporate settlements as well as ensure judicial oversight to prevent abuse among others.

    In November 2023, former Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola appointed an Advisory Committee consisting of eight experts chaired by the former Judge President of Mpumalanga, Justice Francis Legodi to advise the Law Reform Commission on the review of the Criminal Justice System. 

    The Law Reform Commission is currently chaired by former Constitutional Court judge, Justice Chris Jafta.

    Reforming SA’s laws 

    At the release of the discussion papers, Deputy Minister Nel spoke of the need to transform the justice system.
    The DDG said discussion documents provide an opportunity for citizens to debate the proposals.

    “I’m quite certain that given the launch of the discussion documents these then will present an opportunity for South Africans to debate the proposals made in the documents which will ultimately result in the Criminal Procedure Bill which will replace the current Criminal Procedure Act of 1977 so that we are more aligned to our constitutional values as a country.

    “We really wish to welcome members of the public, NGOs [non-government organisations], community organisations to make sure that they make inputs into the discussion papers. This is quite an important area for us as a country going forward to reform and modernise the laws that are applicable currently,” he said.

    The discussion papers which were released at a media briefing in Pretoria 20 February, can be accessed at https://www.justice.gov.za/salrc/dpapers.htm .  
    –SAnews.gov.za

    Neo

    5430 views

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ18: Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreational Facilities

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is a question by the Hon Holden Chow and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (June 11):
     
    Question:
     
    In the 2017 Policy Address, the Government proposed the “Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreation Facilities” to launch 26 projects to develop new and improve existing sports and recreation facilities. However, the Government indicated in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026 that four out of such 26 ‍projects are still under planning. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) in respect of the aforesaid four projects still under planning, of (i) the dates when they were proposed, and (ii) the time lag to date since their proposal (set out in a table);
     
    (2) as the Government has advised that among the aforesaid four projects, the project of Sports Ground and Open Space with Public Vehicle Park in Area 16, Tuen Mun (TMA16 Project) can only proceed after the depots of two franchised bus companies currently at the site concerned are relocated, and that the Government will actively co-ordinate in expediting the implementation of the depot relocation plans for the two franchised bus companies, of the latest progress of the relevant work, and how the Government will push forward the commencement of the TMA16 Project; and
     
    (3) whether it will consider proceeding to tendering for the engagement of engineering consultants for the TMA16 Project as the first step, so as to kick-start the engineering design and submission of the planning applications as early as possible, thereby compressing the overall timeline of the project; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    The Government announced in the 2017 Policy Address the “Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreation Facilities” with a view to commencing 26 projects to increase and improve sports and recreation facilities. Among which, 13 projects have been opened or partially opened for public use while four projects are still under planning. Having consulted the relevant policy bureaux and departments, my reply to the questions raised by the Hon Holden Chow is set out below:

    (1) In order to make optimal use of land resources, the Government announced in the 2018 Policy Address that the principle of “single site, multiple uses” would be adopted when implementing public works projects. In view of the public demand for parking spaces in the relevant districts, the Government has proposed to incorporate public vehicle parks into four sports and recreation facility projects under planning to meet the public needs for sports and recreation facilities and alleviate the demand for parking spaces in the districts concerned. The latest progress of the four projects is set out below:
     

    Project Date of obtaining support from the District Council (DC) upon revision of the proposed project facilities Number of years since the date of obtaining support from the DC and current progress (up to 2025)
    Sports Ground and Open Space with Public Vehicle Park in Area 16, Tuen Mun (TMA16 Project) Support was obtained from Tuen Mun DC in February 2019
    • Around six years
    • The relevant site is currently used for several temporary purposes, including bus depots of the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) and the Citybus Limited (Citybus), the Tuen Mun Training Ground and Testing Centre of the Construction Industry Council, as well as a fee-paying public vehicle park. The two bus companies have preliminarily identified new sites and submitted their applications for short-term tenancy (STT) to the Lands Department with a view to relocating their bus depots and returning the site for taking forward the project.
    Football-cum-Rugby Pitch with Public Vehicle Park in Area 33, Tai Po
         		 Support was obtained from Tai Po DC in November 2018.
     
     
    • Around six years
    • The Government consulted the DC about the conceptual design of the project on September 4, 2024.
    • “Design and build” (D&B) model will be adopted for the project. The Government will take the project forward in accordance with public works procedures.
    Sports Facilities with Public Vehicle Park in Tung Tau Industrial Area, Yuen Long
         		 Support was obtained from Yuen Long DC in January 2019.
     
     
    • Around six years
    • D&B model will be adopted for the project. The Government will take the project forward in accordance with public works procedures.
    Open Space with Public Vehicle Park in Area 17, Tuen Mun
         		 Support was obtained from Tuen Mun DC in June 2019
    • Around six years
    • The Government has engaged a consultant to undertake the design and planning applications for the project.

    The Government will continue to review the order of priority of works projects under planning and update their works schedules as appropriate for using public resources more effectively.

    (2) Regarding the TMA16 Project, relevant government departments have been actively assisting franchised bus operators in identifying sites for relocating the bus depots so as to vacate the site early for taking forward the project. Both the KMB and Citybus have submitted STT applications to the Lands Department for the use of government sites at the southern and northern ends of Ho Wo Street respectively for relocating the bus depots currently located at Area 16, Tuen Mun. The site at the southern end of Ho Wo Street was handed over to the KMB in March 2025. The KMB will carry out site formation and associated works as soon as practicable to expedite the commencement of the new bus depot thereat.

    As for the site at the northern end of Ho Wo Street which Citybus has applied for, its underground drainage facilities pose certain technical constraints on the use of the land, including the feasibility of setting up petrol stations and vehicle-washing machines at the site. In this regard, relevant government departments are actively liaising with Citybus and exploring possible solutions. Upon the granting of STT, Citybus will commence the preparatory work for relocating its bus depot.

    Relevant bureaux and departments will continue to co-ordinate and assist the two bus companies in the relocation exercise to ensure that the bus depots can be moved out and the site can be cleared as soon as practicable. Meanwhile, other preparatory work will continue to be carried out so that the works can be commenced immediately after the tender exercise is completed and funding approval is obtained from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.

    (3) To implement the TMA16 Project, the Government will adopt the D&B model under which bids for design works and building works will be invited under a single contract. The successful contractor is required to engage construction and design teams to carry out detailed design for the project simultaneously to shorten the overall construction period as well as make best use of its expertise and experience on building materials and construction techniques to enhance the design quality and cost-effectiveness of the project.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ1: On-street parking spaces

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹Following is a question by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 11):

    Question:

         Many members of the public have relayed that under the circumstances of a lack of parking spaces, some businesses are occupying on-street parking spaces in various districts on a long-term basis or blocking them with objects in order to use such parking spaces for commercial activities. There are views that such practices defeat the original purpose of installing parking meters to prevent prolonged parking and occupation of road space by vehicles, violate the principle of fair use of public resources, and adversely affect motorists’ convenience when going out. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the measures taken by the Government in the past three years to combat the illegal long-term occupation of on-street parking spaces, and the relevant enforcement situation;

    (2) as there are views pointing out that the long-term occupation of on-street parking spaces or their blockage with objects by businesses has existed in various districts for many years, what specific measures the Government has in place to step up efforts in combatting such practices; and

    (3) as it is learnt that at present, some Mainland cities have implemented number plate recognition systems by installing sensors to identify vehicles in parking spaces to assist with enforcement, whether the authorities will consider introducing similar systems or other innovative technological devices at on-street parking spaces to assist law enforcement agencies in combatting the illegal occupation of on-street parking spaces, including long-term occupation, blockage with objects and holding of commercial activities?

    Reply:

    President,

    It is the Government’s policy to centre on public transport, and the Government encourages the public to make good use of the public transport services as far as possible, so as to avoid aggravating the burden on road traffic resulting from excessive private cars (PCs). In response to the parking demand for both PCs and commercial vehicles, over the past years, the Government has been actively pursuing a host of short-term and medium-to-long-term measures, to increase the supply of parking spaces where circumstances permit. Over the past three years, the number of metered parking spaces (metered spaces) has increased by more than 2 300. Having consulted the Transport Department (TD) and the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), a consolidated reply in response to the questions raised by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee is as follows:

    (1) and (2) The Government has all along been combatting the illegal occupation of metered spaces, deterring fare evasion and other forms of illegal use, to enhance turnover and ensure these spaces meet short-term parking needs. The HKPF conducts inspections and takes enforcement actions against unpaid parking, and maintains close co-ordination with relevant departments, such as the TD, at the district level for ongoing monitoring. Since 2021, the new-generation parking meter system, equipped with sensors, can detect real-time occupancy and enable the TD to identify unpaid metered spaces through its backend computer system. The TD shares this information with the HKPF via a dedicated application to facilitate enforcement. In terms of actual operation, the meter operator engaged by the TD provides information of unpaid but occupied metered spaces detected by the meters’ sensors to the HKPF for follow-up, and dispatches personnel to regularly patrol parking meters in various districts. If any unlawful occupation of metered spaces is observed, the contractor will report the situation to relevant departments (for example, the HKPF, the Lands Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department) for enforcement. Currently, the contractor conducts daily inspections, and refers an average of about 120 000 cases per year to the HKPF for non-payment of parking fees, and the number of referrals concerning parking spaces occupied by non-vehicle items to the HKPF and other relevant departments has risen over the past three years to over 200 cases. The TD also refers public complaints to the appropriate authorities for action. Additionally, the HKPF continues its public awareness and education efforts. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of metered spaces increased by over 10 per cent, while revenue from metered parking fees rose by more than 40 per cent, suggesting improved compliance with paid parking regulations.

    Regarding enforcement against other forms of illegal occupation, section 4A of the Summary Offences Ordinance stipulates that anyone who leaves objects in a public place – such as pallets/shop goods to reserve spaces – without reasonable excuse, causing obstruction, inconvenience, or danger to others or vehicles, is liable to a Level 4 fine ($25,000) or three months’ imprisonment.

    (3) As mentioned above, the new generation parking meter system is equipped with sensors to detect the usage status of parking spaces in real time. The purpose of collecting information is to provide motorists with locations of vacant on-street parking spaces in real time, and does not have the function of identifying number plate numbers.

    Having said that, this information could assist the HKPF and the TD in identifying cases where metered spaces are occupied without payment, enabling targeted enforcement actions by the HKPF. The departments will continue to draw on experiences from other places and advancements in relevant technologies, actively exploring the adoption of new technologies to enhance the management and operational efficiency of metered spaces. The TD plans to conduct a two-month pilot scheme in the fourth quarter of 2025, adopting artificial intelligence sensors in targeted areas with greater demand for metered spaces and higher rates of illegal occupation of parking spaces. Depending on the success of the trial, we will expand the coverage of the scheme. Regarding number plate recognition systems, the TD remains open-minded and will assess their reliability alongside the cost-effectiveness of upgrading the meter system’s hardware and software holistically to determine their suitability for application in Hong Kong.

    Thank you, President.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eulogy by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Special Provincial Funeral of Rev Dr Tshenuwani Farisani, University of Venda Stadium, Thohoyandou

    Source: President of South Africa –

    Programme Directors,
    The Farisani Family,
    Premier of Limpopo, Dr Phophi Ramathuba,
    Representatives of the African National Congress and the broader liberation movement,
    Leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa,
    Traditional and religious leaders present,
    Leadership of the University of Venda,
    Fellow Mourners,
     
    Fellow South Africans, batho ba Limpopo, muta waDean Farisani,
     
    We are to bid farewell to Dean Tshenuwani Farisani.
     
    His life bears witness to the mission of Christ espoused in the Gospel of Luke chapter 4.
     
    “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed.”
     
    We have lost an extraordinary man who led an extraordinary life.
     
    He was born in 1948, a year that was a turning point in South Africa’s history. 
     
    This was the year the National Party swept to power and ushered in the reviled system of apartheid.
     
    Dean Farisani was born into circumstances that mirrored the lives of millions of black South Africans at the time.
     
    He was just a child, barely three years old, when his family was confronted with the ugly face of injustice.
     
    Many years later, in 1996, he would testify at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on how his family were victims of forced removed from the Songozi Tsapila area near then Louis Trichardt, now Makhado.
     
    The authorities arrived one day without warning, and his parents were ordered to vacate the area immediately.
     
    He recounted how they had to carry their belongings on their backs and leave, on foot. That which could not be carried, including all the family’s livestock, was left behind.
     
    They were relocated to another empty piece of land and told this was their new home. They were never compensated for the land that was stolen from them.
     
    Eight years later, in 1959, the family were forcibly removed again. 
     
    Two years later, in 1961, again.
     
    These experiences instilled in him a deep sense of justice. 
     
    They planted the seeds of his political consciousness when he was still in his teens.
     
    He only entered formal schooling at the age of 12. Like most children in rural areas at the time, he was a child labourer on the white farms.
     
    At school a missionary from the Evangelical Lutheran Church noticed his academic brilliance and he was prepared to enter theological training.
     
    It was at Maphumulo Theological Seminary in KwaZulu-Natal that he first became acquainted with the Black Consciousness Movement.
     
    Its teachings fired his growing political awareness.
     
    For him, there was no contradiction between the teachings of his faith and the mission of national liberation.
     
    He soon became attracted to liberation theology, and its message that true Christian faith demands active resistance to all forms of oppression and solidarity with the poor.
     
    Apartheid was a great injustice, and he, heroic heart, was not content to choose a quiet life of pastoralism.
     
    He was eventually expelled from the seminary after hebecame involved with underground political organisations like the South African Students Organisation, the Black People’s Convention and the Black Consciousness Movement.
     
    By then he was at the Beuster Mission at Maungani outside Thohoyandou and a rising figure in the BCM, going on to be elected its president in 1973.
     
    I first met Dean Farisani when he spoke at my high school, Mpaphuli.
     
    We formed an immediate and lasting bond.
     
    For many years we worked alongside each other in the Black Evangelical Youth Organisation.
     
    There were many points in the life of the great man we lay to rest today where he found himself sorely tested.
     
    During the late 1970s and 1980s was arrested on a number of occasions for his political activities. But it was his third detention, in 1981, that he found his courage truly tested. His faith tested. His principles tested.
     
    He was detained by the Venda police on suspicion of being involved in the bombing of a police station in Sibasa. 
     
    He was held for more than eight months and severely tortured. 
     
    In his book, Diary from a South African Prison, he recounts the unimaginable ordeal of beatings, electricshocks, being forced to squat for days and being smothered.
     
    In an interview given years later he recounts how his torturers tried everything to force a confession, even offering him the position of Bishop of Venda.
     
    And yet he, strong in will, did not yield.
     
    Fellow Mourners, Comrades, 
    Fellow South Africans,
     
    Dean Farisani was a courageous revolutionary who inspired a generation to reclaim their pride and stand up for their rights. I was amongst them.
     
    He was a beloved father and a grandfather who will be sorely missed by his wife, mufumakadzi Mudzunga, his daughters Nzumbululo and Ndamulelo, by his son Zwovhonala and by the entire extended family.
     
    He was a renowned academic and prolific scholar whose writings gave voice to the voiceless. 
     
    He was a guide and mentor to many. He was a dear friend.
     
    And yet it is Dean Farisani’s most salient quality that I will most remember him for: he was a man of unwavering principle.
     
    Nothing could sway him from what was right, from his dedication to the cause of the South African people, and to their total emancipation.
     
    In detention, he was offered positions and status. He refused them.
     
    When he was released and went into exile in the United States, he could have easily put the entire experience behind him and led a quiet life. 
     
    Instead he campaigned vigorously against the regime from abroad.
     
    When Venda was proclaimed as a so-called independent homeland by the apartheid regime he was outspoken in his opposition, even when this brought him into conflict with church leaders in his circuit.
     
    His activism continued into the democratic South Africa.
     
    He was determined to be part of the struggle to overcome the injustice and inequality bred of apartheid.
     
    He was elected to the first democratic Parliament in 1994. 
     
    He would go on to serve further as an MEC here in Limpopo and as speaker of the Legislature.
     
    These roles placed him in a position of power and influence. Yet they did not change him. 
     
    He did not succumb to the allure of high office. He was never arrogant. 
     
    He was a servant leader who came, served and left, and continued to contribute to the betterment of his beloved country.
     
    He did not regard loyalty to a political cause or party as being above his own principles.
     
    When he saw corruption being perpetrated by those entrusted with public funds, he was vocal and scathing in his criticism. He held power to account.
     
    The Foundation that bears his name continues to be an influential voice in the public space in advancing social justice, including for apartheid’s many victims.
     
    Fellow Mourners,
     
    Neither beatings nor torture could make Dean Farisani surrender his principles. The trappings of power did not interest him. He was content to walk in the footsteps of his Lord with the downtrodden, the oppressed and the marginalised.
     
    He understood his life’s mission and it was not negotiable.
     
    These are the greatest lessons we take from his life. These are the reflections we take today as we lay this great son of the soil to rest.
     
    To the family, we share in your great sorrow. Yet even amidst our mourning we celebrate a man who has left such a deep and lasting impact on all of us. He was an inspiration. 
     
    In Dean Farisani’s book of poetry, titled Justice in my Tears, there is a moving poem.
     
    It is called “The Lord is my Shepherd: Psalm 23 in Pietermaritzburg and Howick.”
     
    It was published in 1977, the period of his first imprisonment.
     
    In it he writes:
     
    “The Lord is my shepherd, 
    I shall not buckle
    He rests me in the land of freedom
    I drink from the cup of liberty,
    Even when I wander in the valley of torture.
    I shall fear no human beasts,
     
    He shall fight my fight.
    His angels and his visions
    Guide me through brutal interrogations
    He gives me life in the hands of murderers
    Giving me a crown for a victory his own”
     
    Dean Farisani, yours was a life of service to others. As the South African people we crown you as you go to your eternal rest.
     
    In the words of the Psalm 23 you so loved, surely goodness and mercy did follow you all the days of your life. May you dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
     
    Fare well brother, comrade, friend, patriot.
     
    I thank you.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President mourns passing of Justice Sangoni, former Judge President of the Eastern Cape

    Source: President of South Africa –

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted with sadness the passing of former Judge President of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, Justice Clement Temba Sangoni.

    Judge Sangoni retired in 2017 and passed away earlier today, Tuesday, 10 June 2025, after a short illness.

    President Ramaphosa offers his condolences to the extended family of the late Judge Sangoni Aah! Dilizintaba, who was a senior traditional leader of the Qokolweni-Zimbane Traditional Council at Mthatha.

    President Ramaphosa said: “The passing of Justice Sangoni is a devastating loss to his family and immediate community and it is a profound loss to our judiciary and our legal heritage.

    “Judge Sangoni lived for justice and the improvement of the material conditions of communities in the Eastern Cape and elsewhere through constitutionally sound, progressive jurisprudence.

    “Under his leadership, the Judiciary in the Eastern Cape also applied its mind collectively and individually to matters pertaining to the development of this economically vital province.

    “Judge Sangoni served the people of the Eastern Cape from the Bench and through his deep involvement in community life in his role as a traditional leader – a role which enriched his adjudication of a broad range of matters placed before the courts.

    “We will continue to appreciate his contribution to the rule of law and the wisdom of law in our country and to the communities in which he lived and served with distinction.

    “May his soul rest in peace.”

    Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

    Issued by: The Presidency
    Pretoria
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the National Dialogue

    Source: President of South Africa –

    My Fellow South Africans, 

    Today, I wish to address you about the National Dialogue, an initiative that has been in discussion by a number of leaders in our country and many other people for some time now. 

    This initiative has been gathering great support and enthusiasm since it was proposed last year. It has been endorsed by a wide range of formations across society. 

    Over the last few months, we have been engaged in discussions with various entities on the purpose and the form of the National Dialogue. 

    In the wake of these consultations, there is broad agreement that given the challenges our country is facing at the moment, we should convene the National Dialogue. 

    The idea of holding a dialogue is not a new concept in our country. In many ways having dialogues is part of our DNA as a nation. 

    At every important moment in the history of our country, we have come together as a nation to confront our challenges and forge a path into the future in dialogue with one another. 

    Through dialogue we were able to deal with the challenges that the apartheid system caused in our country and achieved peace and overcame violence. 

    We established a democracy and ended apartheid. 

    Following the negotiations process, we used dialogue to start building a united nation where once there had only been conflict and division. 

    We achieved all this because we came together in dialogue to discuss our difficulties, our concerns, our hopes and our aspirations as a people. 

    For more than 30 years, we have worked together to realise the promise of our democratic Constitution. 

    We have made great strides as a nation, expanding freedom, deepening democracy and building a better life for millions. 

    Yet we face persistent challenges. 

    Poverty, unemployment and inequality are deep wounds that prevent us from reaching our full potential as a nation and as a country. 

    Millions of people are under-employed and unemployed. Many of those who work earn wages that cannot sustain them or their families. 

    Crime, gender-based violence and corruption are prevalent across our society. 

    We are therefore called upon at this moment to direct all our efforts to build a thriving, inclusive economy that creates jobs and opportunities. 

    We are called upon to build safer communities and to create a better future for our children. 

    We are also called upon to give all sectors of our society – men and women, young and old, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI community, and urban and rural people – a voice to determine how we address the problems of today and build the South Africa we want for future generations. 

    That is why we have agreed to convene an inclusive National Dialogue. 

    The dialogue will be a people-led, society-wide process to reflect on the state of our country in order for us to reimagine our future. 

    The National Dialogue is a chance for all South Africans, from all walks of life, to come together and help shape the next chapter of our democracy. 

    Through the National Dialogue, we seek a shared vision of what it means to be a South African and develop a new national ethos and common value system. 

    It is an opportunity to forge a new social compact for the development of our country, a compact that will unite all South Africans, with clear responsibilities for different stakeholders, government, business, labour, civil society, men and women, communities and citizens. 

    It is anticipated that the National Dialogue will drive progress towards our Vision 2030 and lay the foundation for the next phase of South Africa’s National Development Plan. 

    The National Dialogue itself is not an event.

    Rather, it will be a participatory process that unfolds in phases, from local consultations and sectoral engagements to provincial and national gatherings. 

    In my capacity as the Head of State, I will be calling a National Convention on Friday, the 15th of August 2025. 

    This National Convention will represent the diversity of the South African nation. The first National Convention will set the agenda for the National Dialogue. 

    It will be a representative gathering, bringing together government, political parties, civil society, business, labour, traditional leaders, religious leaders, cultural workers, sports organisations, women, youth and community voices, among others. 

    Through their various political, social and other formations, in their workplaces, in places of worship, communities, villages and sites of learning, South Africans will in the months following the National Convention be encouraged to be in dialogue to define our nation’s path into the future. 

    The views, concerns and proposals that will emerge from this conversation will be brought together at a second National Convention, that is planned to be held in the beginning of next year. 

    This second National Convention will reinforce our shared values and adopt a common vision and programme of action for our country into the future. 

    We expect that the National Convention will finalise a compact that outlines the roles and responsibilities of all South Africans. 

    To guide and champion the National Dialogue, I am appointing an Eminent Persons Group. 

    These are leading figures in our society, reflecting the great diversity of our nation, with a proven commitment to the advancement of social cohesion and nation-building. 

    The members of the Eminent Persons Group are: 
    • Dr Brigalia Bam, former Independent Electoral Commission Chairperson, 
    • Mr Robbie Brozin, entrepreneur and business person, 
    • Judge Edwin Cameron, former Constitutional Court judge, 
    • Mr Manne Dipico, former Northern Cape Premier, 
    • Dr Desiree Ellis, Banyana Banyana coach and football legend, 
    • Ms Ela Gandhi, peace activist and stalwart, 
    • Prof Nomboniso Gasa, researcher and rural activist, 
    • Mr Bobby Godsell, business leader, 
    • Dr John Kani, award-winning actor, 
    • Mr Siya Kolisi, Springbok captain and world champion, 
    • Ms Mia le Roux, Miss South Africa 2024, 
    • His Grace Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, leader of the Zion Christian Church, 
    • His Grace Bishop Engenas Lekganyane, leader of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church, 
    • The Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, 
    • Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, 
    • Dr Barbara Masekela, poet, educator and stalwart, 
    • Ms Lindiwe Mazibuko, former Member of Parliament, 
    • Mr Roelf Meyer, former Minister and constitutional negotiator, 
    • Ms Gcina Mhlope, storyteller, writer and actor, 
    • Ms Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, student activist and former Member of Parliament, 
    • Ms Kgothatso Montjane, Grand Slam tennis champion, 
    • Prof Harry Ranwedzi Nengwekhulu, former activist and educationist, 
    • Mr Bheki Ntshalintshali, unionist and former COSATU General Secretary, 
    • Hosi Phylia Nwamitwa, traditional leader, 
    • Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo, chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, 
    • Dr Gloria Serobe, business leader, 
    • Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers, 
    • Prof Derrick Swartz, academic, 
    • Ms Lorato Trok, author and early literacy expert, 
    • Mr Sibusiso Vilane, mountaineer and adventurer, 
    • Mr Siyabulela Xuza, award-winning rocket scientist. 

    UBaba uShembe uNyazi LweZulu has also been invited to join the Eminent Persons Group, but, as he is travelling, has not yet been able to confirm his availability. 

    I am grateful to each of these South African patriots who have made themselves available to act as the guarantors of an inclusive, constructive and credible process. 

    An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been established under the chairpersonship of the Deputy President to coordinate government’s contribution to the National Dialogue. 

    We will be establishing a Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of various sectors of society, to set strategic priorities and coordinate implementation of the National Dialogue process. 

    The Secretariat, which is responsible for day-to-day management of National Dialogue activities, will be housed at NEDLAC, the National Economic Development and Labour Council. 

    As a nation, we are embarking on a new path of partnership and united action. 

    We are drawing on our traditions of dialogue and debate. We are determined to define a shared vision of a nation which belongs to all South Africans united in their diversity. 

    I thank you. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2025-26 ACT Budget: Major investment to help tackle Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    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.

    Released 11/06/2025 – Joint media release

    The ACT Government is making a significant investment in the safety and wellbeing of victim survivors, with over $30 million committed in the 2025–26 Budget to strengthen and expand the Territory’s response to domestic, family and sexual violence.

    This investment boosts the capacity of frontline services, enhances early intervention efforts for children and young people, and supports the provision of culturally safe support through Aboriginal Community Controlled and led Organisations.

    Treasurer Chris Steel said the Budget reflects the Government’s deep commitment to addressing domestic, family and sexual violence and delivering trauma-informed, person-centred support for those affected by violence.

    “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes, in their relationships, and in their community,” the Treasurer said.

    “This significant investment in family, domestic and sexual violence responses builds on our record of funding vital frontline services and supports a safer, stronger Canberra.”

    The Budget allocates $24 million over four years to strengthen and sustain essential domestic, family, and sexual violence services. Key funding measures include:

    • Expanding the capacity of Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
    • Critical resourcing to the Domestic Violence Crisis Service
    • Continuing the PCYC’s Solid Ground early intervention program for young people experiencing DFV
    • Expanding the YWCA’s Domestic Violence Support Service to include two specialist children’s workers
    • Continuation of the Family Violence Safety Action Program, coordinated by Victim’s Support ACT
    • Continuation of the Victim Survivor Voices Pilot
    • Extension of the Safer Families Assistance Program

    Following the receipt of The Long Yarn report, this Budget allocates $6 million over 3 years to Aboriginal and Community Controlled and led Organisations to provide culturally safe services. This funding will enable the following initiatives:

    • Intensive case management services delivered by Yhurwun Bullan
    • Continued support for Sisters in Spirit Aboriginal Corporation to provide both individual and systemic advocacy services
    • Engagement of WhISPers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Softball Corporation to deliver healing through sport and cultural events
    • Ongoing support for Yerrabi Yurwang Child and Family Aboriginal Corporation to continue delivering the NaraGanaWali Strengthening Families Program
    • Development and implementation of a community and professional education campaign promoting the message that “violence is not our way”

    Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson, said the funding is aimed at increasing the capacity of frontline services to support victims of domestic, family and sexual violence.

    “Ending violence against women is a national emergency and the ACT Government is strongly committed to addressing this violence. This funding is a strong investment in the services that support those experiencing violence in our community.”

    “This package has a strong focus on supporting children and young people exposed to violence, as well as crisis support for victim survivors and supports the continuation of the high-risk family violence case coordination program,” Minister Paterson said.

    “I am strongly committed to working with our local organisations and supporting ACCO’s to strengthen and sustain the essential work that they do”.

    This comprehensive package forms part of the ACT Government’s long-term commitment to ending domestic, family and sexual violence in the ACT and ensuring a safer future for all Canberrans. It is supported by funding from the Safer Families Levy and the Commonwealth’s National Partnership Agreement, which together help strengthen responses to and the prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence.

    – Statement ends –

    Chris Steel, MLA | Marisa Paterson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Updates to guidance about CEDS

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    We’ve updated our website and PCG 2018/9 Central management and control test of residency: identifying where a company’s central management and control is located to:

    • reflect the amendments to section 295 of the Corporations Act 2001 enacted in December 2024 regarding the Consolidated Entity Disclosure Statement (CEDS)
    • confirm the PCG may assist companies required to complete the CEDS for their annual financial reports
    • clarify that a company won’t be considered ‘low risk’ under the PCG if it self-assesses and reports as a non-resident for Australian tax purposes but has inconsistently reported as an Australian tax resident in the CEDS. This applies for financial years commencing on, or after, 1 July 2024.

    The updates reflect the amendments in the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fairer for Families and Farmers and Other Measures) Act 2024. These amendments ensure tax residency disclosures in the CEDS align with tax return disclosures, to improve multinational tax transparency.

    ASIC’s information sheetExternal Link has also been updated.

    Keep up to date

    We have tailored communication channels for medium, large and multinational businesses, to keep you up to date with updates and changes you need to know.

    Read more articles in our online Business bulletins newsroom.

    Subscribe to our free:

    • fortnightly Business bulletins email newsletterExternal Link
    • email notifications about new and updated information on our website – you can choose to receive updates relevant to your situation. Choose the ‘Business and organisations’ category to ensure your subscription includes notifications for more Business bulletins newsroom articles like this one.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Evelyn Scott preschool marked ‘Excellent’

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.

    You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.

    MIL OSI News –

  • US Marines arrive in Los Angeles; California governor warns ‘democracy under assault’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday under orders from President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions in America’s second largest city, as California’s governor warned “democracy is under assault.”

    Trump’s extraordinary measures of sending National Guard and Marines to quell protests, which broke out in response to his immigration raids, fueled demonstrations for a fifth day in Los Angeles, and sparked protests in several other cities.

    As Trump and Newsom traded fulminations, the city’s mayor said the protests were limited to about five downtown streets, but declared a curfew for parts of the downtown area due to violence and looting.

    Police arrested another 197 people on Tuesday – more than double the total number of arrests to date.

    Democratic leaders have raised concerns over a national crisis in what has become the most intense flashpoint yet in the Trump administration’s efforts to deport migrants living in the country illegally, and then crack down on opponents who take to the streets in protest.

    “This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk. That’s when the downward spiral began,” Newsom said in an a video address.

    “He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety. … Democracy is under assault.”

    Newsom, widely seen as preparing for a presidential run in 2028, has called the deployments an illegal waste of resources. He and the state sued Trump and the Defense Department on Monday, seeking to block the deployment of federal troops. Trump in turn has suggested Newsom should be arrested.

    Trump, voted back into office last year largely for his promise to deport undocumented immigrants, used a speech honoring soldiers on Tuesday to defend his decision.

    He told troops at the Army base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina: “Generations of Army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness.”

    “What you’re witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags,” Trump said, adding his administration would “liberate Los Angeles.”

    Demonstrators have waved the flags of Mexico and other countries in solidarity for the migrants rounded in a series of intensifying raids.

    Homeland Security said Monday its Immigration and Customs Enforcement division had arrested 2,000 immigration offenders per day recently, far above the 311 daily average in fiscal year 2024 under former President Joe Biden.

    UNREST IN THE STREETS

    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday announced a curfew for one square mile (2.5 square km) of downtown Los Angeles that will run from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. locally (0300 to 1300 GMT) for several days.

    With five minutes until the curfew took effect, hundreds of protesters faced police with their hands raised, chanting “”peaceful protest.”

    Even so, state and local officials have called Trump’s response an extreme overreaction to mostly peaceful demonstrations.

    Bass emphasized at a press conference the distinction between the majority of demonstrators protesting peacefully and a smaller number of agitators she blamed for violence and looting.

    A curfew had been considered for several days but Bass said she decided to impose one after 23 business were looted on Monday night.

    “When these peaceful rallies end, and the protesters head home, another element moves in: opportunists, who come in under the cover of a peaceful protest to ravage and destroy,” Council member Ysabel Jurado, who represents the area, told reporters.

    As the mayor and the council member spoke, police and protesters were engaged in skirmishes outside.

    In what has become a daily ritual, police forced demonstrators away from the streets outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where many detained migrants are held. Multiple groups of protesters snaked through downtown Los Angeles, monitored or followed by police armed with less lethal munitions.

    Protests also took place in other cities including New York, Atlanta and Chicago, where demonstrators shouted at and scuffled with officers. Some protesters climbed onto the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza, while others chanted that ICE should be abolished.

    Christina Berger, 39, said it was heartbreaking to hear about children who are afraid of being separated from their families due to immigration raids, adding, “I just want to give some hope to my friends and neighbors.”

    MARINES AT THE READY

    About 700 Marines were in a staging area in the Seal Beach area about 30 miles (50 km) south of Los Angeles, awaiting deployment to specific locations, a U.S. official said.

    A U.S. official said there were 2,100 National Guard troops in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, more than half the 4,000 to be activated. The Marines and National Guard troops lack the authority to makes arrests and will be charged only with protecting federal property and personnel.

    Even so, California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Reuters the state was concerned about allowing federal troops to protect personnel, saying there was a risk that could violate an 1878 law that generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement.

    “Protecting personnel likely means accompanying ICE agents into communities and neighborhoods, and protecting functions could mean protecting the ICE function of enforcing the immigration law,” Bonta said.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday posted photos on X of National Guard troops accompanying ICE officers on an immigration raid. Trump administration officials have vowed to redouble the immigration raids in response to the street protests.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release: Fatal house fire, Trentham

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are now in a position to release the name of the man who was found deceased after a house fire in Trentham, Upper Hutt on Tuesday [10 June] morning.

    He was 69 year old, John Louis.

    Police extends our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.

    The cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • Trump warns protests at Army parade will be met with force

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump warned people on Tuesday against protesting at the weekend military parade in Washington marking the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.

    “For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” Trump told reporters in the White House’s Oval Office.

    Law enforcement agencies are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to attend Saturday’s parade, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool said on Monday.

    McCool said thousands of agents, officers and specialists will be deployed from law enforcement agencies from across the country. The FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department have said there are no credible threats to the event.

    At least nine permits have been issued for protests on that day, a U.S. Secret Service spokesperson said on Tuesday.

    In unscheduled Oval Office remarks, Trump discussed his decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles after protests erupted in response to federal immigration raids at workplaces there.

    Trump defended his decision to take that rare step and said troops were necessary to contain the unrest, despite objections from local and state officials that they were needed.

    Saturday’s event, which will coincide with Trump’s 79th birthday, includes an Army birthday festival on the National Mall and will culminate with a parade through the capital and an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony presided over by the president.

    Nationwide protests on that day were being organized by a group called No Kings.

    “They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights and slashed our services,” the group says on its website. “The corruption has gone too far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”

    (Reuters) 

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police continue search for missing man Kyle

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police are continuing their search for missing man Kyle in the far north of South Australia.

    Kyle was last seen about midday on Sunday 1 June at Arkaroola.

    Kyle, 39, is about 180 cm tall, with a slim build and chin-length dreadlocks.

    He is believed to be driving a white 2023 Toyota Hiace rental van with South Australian registration S129CWL.

    The van was last seen in the area just after 6am on Monday 2 June.

    Since he was reported missing, police and emergency services have been searching the area where he was last seen, including the area between Arkaroola and Yunta, where Kyle is believed to have driven the van between 30 May and 1 June 2025.

    PolAir and extra patrols have been searching the area but have been unable to locate him.

    Police have concerns for Kyle’s welfare and anyone who sees him or his van is asked to call police immediately on 131 444.

    Please quote reference number 149686.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Train versus truck exercise a multi agency success

    Source:

    Trawool Fire Brigade and Seymour VICSES hosted a large-scale multi-agency training exercise last month in collaboration with Victoria Police, St John Ambulance Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, V/Line and Defence Australia.

    A train versus truck collision was simulated in Seymour on Friday 30 May with over 200 people participating in the event including first responders, injured passengers, and event observers.

    From a hazmat incident to an amputation, the experience provided all involved with an opportunity to refine their first response skills working alongside other agencies.

    Trawool Fire Brigade Captain and Exercise Director Sean Kerris was pleased with the outcomes of the exercise and thanked Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) for hosting the successful event.

    “The exercise itself was designed to utilise a real-life scenario in a high-risk local area to guide the end product,” Sean said.

    “We used lessons from recent Trawalla, Kerang and Lara train incidents and the Wallan derailment to formulate the exercise, alongside coroner reports, inquiry documents and firsthand recounts to further elevate it.

    “The realistic response allowed crew members to challenge themselves through real-time concerns and foster innovation when working with multiple agencies.”

    CFA Deputy Group Officer Mitchell Shire Laiton Telfer said brigade members predominantly supported fire suppression and the hazmat incident on the night.

    “It was great to work with the other agencies to get to know them better, as we do see them out on ground at the local incidents we respond to,” Laiton said. 

    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Motorists reminded of dangers of drink driving following crash in Kingborough area

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Motorists reminded of dangers of drink driving following crash in Kingborough area

    Wednesday, 11 June 2025 – 1:17 pm.

    Police are reminding motorists of the dangers of drink driving following a crash in the Kingborough area last week.
    “On 5 June, police attended a single vehicle crash on Baretta Road at Baretta where a motorist had allegedly fallen asleep while driving after consuming alcohol,” said Constable Hollie Barwick.
    “The driver had veered onto the left side of the road and collided with a cluster of trees which caused extensive damage to the vehicle and enabled the automatic crash detection to alert emergency personnel.”
    “Police attended and the driver allegedly recorded a reading of 0.146 – more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in their system whilst driving a motor vehicle.”
    Luckily the driver, a 51-year-old man from Cygnet, was not injured.
    He was charged with drive a motor vehicle while exceeding prescribed alcohol limit and will appear before the Hobart Magistrates Court in September.
    “This driver was extremely lucky that he didn’t kill or seriously injure himself or someone else on the roads,” said Constable Hollie Barwick.
    “Drink driving is one of the ‘Fatal Five’ contributing factors to fatal and serious injury crashed on our roads and it’s lucky this crash didn’t have a devastating outcome.”
    Police urge all drivers to remember the fatal five and follow them every time you travel on the roads:

    Obey the speed limit – it’s there for a reason.
    Never drive after drinking or taking drugs – you’ll be putting more than your life on the line.
    Pay attention – one moment of distraction is all it takes to cause a crash.
    Rest if you’re tired – arriving late is better than not arriving at all.
    Buckle up every person in the vehicle – seatbelts save lives.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Careless driving – Girraween

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    NT Police Force have arrested a 32-year-old man after he allegedly crashed through a residential fence and attempted to evade arrest by diving into a lagoon yesterday afternoon.

    Around 2:20pm, police received reports that a vehicle had collided with a fence at the corner of Daniel Circuit and Girraween Road. Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle stationary and still running; however, the driver had fled the scene on foot.

    A short time later, police located the driver who then entered a nearby lagoon and swam to the middle to avoid apprehension.

    Additional resources were deployed, including the Search and Rescue Section, who provided a vessel to assist. During the arrest, it is alleged the man attempted to grab an officer’s firearm; however, the officer was able to block this attempt.

    The 32-year-old was subsequently arrested without further incident and taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for assessment.

    Investigations remain ongoing.

    Police urge anyone with information to contact 131 444 and quote reference number NTP2500059377. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    **This release has been updated to include that the incident occurred yesterday afternoon being Tuesday 10 June 2025. **

    MIL OSI News –