NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Canberra’s best kids’ menus

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Pollen Café at the Australian National Botanic Gardens is a hit with kids and parents. Image: Tourism Australia

    Canberra has so much to offer when it comes to café culture, and that extends to the smallest community members as well.

    A babycino is well and good, but when little tummies rumble, these are some of the cafes serving up seriously yummy fare:

    Southern Cross Club Woden

    If you’re after lunch or dinner, the Southern Cross Club Woden offers a large range of options for kids.

    The kid’s menu boasts 10 different options. Choices range from items like chicken nuggets and a wagyu beef burger to things like rice paper rolls, a whole foods tasting plate and make your own tacos.

    There are also kid-friendly sweet treats. Options include strawberry or banana fondue, yoghurt crunch, and gelato.

    Mains are $13 for members (or $15 for non-members), while desserts are $5 for members ($6 for non-members).

    Café Stepping Stone, Dickson and Strathnairn

    Café Stepping Stone’s seasonal and locally sourced menu extends to kids.

    Options for children include toast, and cheese toasties with or without tomato. There’s also hummus and carrot sticks or a bowl of yoghurt.

    Prices start at just $5.

    There are also toys in the cafés and room for them to roam.

    Kitchen Garden at Rodney’s, Pialligo

    This picturesque café, located in Rodney’s Plants Plus, has a good range of adults and kids’ options.

    Their kid’s menu includes eggs and bacon on toast and pancakes. There’s also spaghetti bolognese, fish and chips or a ham and cheese pizza. The lunch box option includes a sandwich, sultanas, cheese, a fruit box and a chocolate treat.

    There’s a playground next to the café and lots of space to play.

    Prices start at $12.

    Pollen Café, Australian National Botanic Gardens

    A trip to the Australian National Botanic Garden is always fun for kids. A stop in at Pollen Café helps fill little bellies for big adventures.

    During the school holidays, Pollen offers a Bilby Bites menu item that includes vegetable sticks, bilby-shaped toast, fresh fruit and a sweet treat for kids.

    Pollen’s regular kids’ menu includes dippy eggs and a mini hot dog. An optional fruit juice popper, shortbread cookie or paddle pop ice cream can be added to both.

    Prices start at $13.90.

    As the café is sit within the Australian Botanic Gardens, there is plenty to see and do including a children’s discovery walk.

    Café Gather, Braddon

    Café Gather’s menu of colourful, healthy food includes a selection for kids. Choices include a toad in the hole, a mini hashbrown with avocado and egg, a bacon and egg roll, and a crumpet with honey and blueberries.

    All options are $12.

    Sweet Bones, Scullin and Braddon

    This vegan café features an all-day breakfast menu at both the Scullin and Braddon locations. The kid’s menu has a blueberry pancake with coconut whipped cream, a sandwich with cucumber, avocado and hummus, or carrot sticks with peanut butter or hummus.

    Prices start at $6.

    Two Blind Mice, Curtin

    Locals love this family-friendly spot, not least because of the weekly meal specials.

    On Thursday, kids eat free with every $50 spend. The lunch and dinner kids’ menu includes a cheeseburger and chips, ham and cheese pizza or spaghetti napoletana.

    On the weekends, the kids breakfast menu offers toast and jam, a hotcake, or a bacon and egg roll.

    Prices start at $7 for breakfast, or $15 for breakfast and lunch.

    Penny University, Kingston

    The kid’s menu at this inner south spot has a range of options. Choose from a ham and cheese toastie, egg and ham, or a chicken burger. There’s also a brekkie plate with porridge, yoghurt and fruit, a lunch box with a toastie, fruit and a brownie, or crisp barramundi bites.

    Prices start at $8.

    Did we miss your favourite? Send us an email at ourcanberra@act.gov.au.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: New community batteries for Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Three new community batteries are on the way for Canberra.

    The batteries will be installed in Casey, Dickson and Fadden by 31 March 2025.

    These batteries will increase solar capacity in the electricity network and allow more households to connect to rooftop solar. They make the grid more reliable and efficient and support lower electricity bills and emissions.

    The ACT Government and Evoenergy will work together on delivery. Evoenergy will design and maintain the batteries which are likely to produce 160 kilowatts of power and store 400 kilowatt hours of energy.

    The grant funding is part of the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Gungahlin’s top spots for dogs

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Yerrabi Pond is a great spot to take your pooch.

    Whether you’re a long-time resident or new to the area, Gungahlin has a lot to offer its human and canine residents.

    Here are some spots to explore:

    Dog parks

    There are two existing dog parks in Gungahlin, with another one on its way.

    Forde – Amy Ackman Drive

    The dog park has agility equipment including hoops, hurdles and pipes. There is one small area that’s shared by all dogs.

    Remember that you can only take you dog into a dog park if they are desexed, registered and fully vaccinated.

    The dog park is located within Forde Heritage Park. The Heritage Park includes:

    • lots of shady trees
    • barbecues
    • picnic tables
    • a playground
    • toilets
    • walking tracks.

    Dogs are allowed within  these areas when they’re not in use. If the playground, picnic area, or barbecue areas are being used, they become dog prohibited areas – so you’ll need to come back another time.

    Casey – Springbank Rise

    This dog park has two separate areas: one for small dogs and one for larger dogs. There are grassy areas with mulched garden beds.

    There are also benches so you can sit and relax while you watch over your dog.

    Franklin – between Nullarbor Avenue and Oodgeroo Avenue

    Work has begun on the new Franklin dog park.

    It’s expected that the park will be ready for Gungahlin dog owners to use by next summer (weather permitting).

    Not only will it feature a dog agility area with play elements, but it will also include dog poo bag dispensers and bins.

    Read more about the park here.

    Make sure that wherever you visit, you’re prepared to pick up your dog droppings. Failing to pick up after your dog can earn you a $150 fine. You can also receive a $75 fine for being caught without appropriate equipment to pick up your dog’s droppings.

    Off-leash areas

    There are more than 30 areas in the Gungahlin region where dogs are allowed off-leash.

    Amaroo District Playing Fields

    If the oval isn’t being used for formal sport or training, you’re free to let your dog run around off-leash.

    There are some small shady trees that provide shelter on sunny days.

    If there’s any training or sport being played, the space becomes a dog prohibited area.

    Check when the sportsground is booked for use.

    On-leash areas

    Yerrabi Pond

    This is the perfect spot for some one-on-one exercise with your dog on-leash. Take your furry friend for a run around Yerrabi Pond where they can also enjoy a refreshing swim on the North-eastern shore.

    Keep in mind that along paths, including within 10 metres of a path, dogs must be on-leash.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: What it’s like to be an Access Canberra worker

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Paige’s role at Access Canberra allows her to help the staff who are the first point of contact for many locals trying to access government services.

    In her career working at the Access Canberra Contact Centre, there have been multiple times Paige has had to terminate a call.

    And while she says it’s not something she’s experienced every day, having the support from Access Canberra to end a confronting, upsetting or downright rude conversation with a customer is something that empowers her to keep working—and moving upwards—in a job she loves.

    Originally joining the Access Canberra team six years ago as a contractor on the Contact Centre phone lines, Paige is now the Operational Support Officer—a role that allows her to help the staff who are the first point of contact for many locals trying to access government services.

    “On the phones, I used to love being able to assist the community, being able to speak with people and have the conversations where you can tell they need that friendly voice over the phone,” she says. “It was really rewarding knowing that with each phone call, you were able to assist with fixing a problem.”

    “In my new role as Operational Support Officer, I like being able to support the staff who are taking these phone calls or being able to ensure all the admin is squared away, that their rosters are looking good, that they’re getting the best out of any training they want to do and just making sure that they don’t have any problems to worry about.”

    “We’re not here to be yelled at and abused.”

    Access Canberra has recently brought in an ‘Occupational Violence Break’ for contact centre staff to use when they need to step away from the desk after a hard or upsetting call. It’s just one of the recent changes that Paige says has been ‘amazing’ in helping to support the teams, as are internal workshops that focus on the processes in place for dealing with aggressive customers.

    “”For every bad call, I’d get 10 good calls and at the end of the day, I knew that once the phone call is over, it was over. I didn’t have to answer that phone call again. We’re not here to be yelled at or abused and we know that we are supported by our management team to end those calls,” Paige says.

    Understanding that everyone has bad days and sometimes they don’t have anyone else to take it out on, for Paige and her team at Access Canberra having this boundary in place helps them to remind callers that they’re only human too.

    “I find that customers will call Access Canberra and they speak to us on the phone as the first point of contact and they expect us to be able to fix all of their problems…we are human and we can’t be specialists in everything,” she says.

    “We’re just the first point of contact and we’re here to help as much as we can but there is going to be a limit to what we can assist with.”

    The OV break initiative is just one of the ways Access Canberra is working to support its staff, with a comprehensive OV Management Framework in place to support staff safety.  Key to the framework is empowering staff that ‘OV is not part of the job’ as well as to hold members of the community who may behave unacceptably towards staff to account.

    Back to Paige and from helping the vulnerable, hanging up the phone, and what she wishes customers would understand (plus all the other thoughts running around in her head), what stands out when Paige thinks about her role at the Contact Centre?

    “My favourite phone calls will always be with elderly customers who aren’t good with computers or don’t really understand the new technology side of the way things are done. Being able to find ways to assist them and deliver the service is always really rewarding,” says Paige.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: How COVID has changed the nature of teaching

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Jen is a Principal at an ACT public school.

    Jen remembers the day she decided to become a teacher. She was in year 7 and knew someone whose mum was a teacher who worked with young people with disabilities.

    “I just remember seeing what she would do and how she would talk with people and engage with people,” says Jen. “I remember that exact moment going, ‘That’s what I want to do. I want to be a teacher.’”

    So Jen did just that, and today she is a Principal at an ACT public school.

    Having worked in the public school system since 2001, Jen says her career has been just as rewarding as she expected. However, she notes that the nature of teaching has changed during that time, especially after the global pandemic and its impact on educators, their students and school communities.

    “COVID has certainly increased [demand] within the community,” explains Jen. “School has had to change.”

    While Jen says learning during lockdowns was “scaffolded and supported” there’s no denying the strain that independent learning put on educators, students and families alike in addition to the collective community trauma of a global pandemic.

    “Young people’s school and social lives have been disrupted for the most part of the last three years…[and] my belief is that this has led to more anxiety and mental health needs,” she says.

    “Schools and other support services have really had to work in that space around wellbeing for students and families…And there’s no doubt that with rising living costs, this is having an impact for our families.”

    Helping families and students, even now that face-to-face learning has resumed, can be challenging when aggression and violence enter the picture. Occupational violence is a very real challenge for educators, who are already prioritising education and care for their young charges.

    Workplace violence towards teachers and school staff—which spans everything from confronting phone calls to abusive emails and even physical encounters—is never okay, and often, it’s parents who are the perpetrators.

    A paper from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, published in late 2020, found that 80% of surveyed teachers had experienced bullying and harassment in the preceding 9-12 month period; with over half reporting this unacceptable behaviour coming from both students and parents.

    “Occupational violence is challenging, I’ll be straight up,” says Jen.

    “It’s a challenging space because what [occupational violence] means is that a person has become so dysregulated or distressed about something in their life that they’re acting out in ways that are either physically violent, or verbally violent, or both. And that can also relate to parents as well.”

    “By violence I do include verbal abuse, but also do include online abuse as well…you know, naming a member of staff and writing about them in threatening or harmful ways.”

    While Jen says she always tries to “come back to the point that everyone in life makes mistakes” and notes the wide range of quality support services that educators can access to help manage these behaviours, there’s no doubt they can cause a lasting impact.

    Supporting school staff and teachers faced with workplace violence is a focus for the Education Directorate’s Safe at School Taskforce.

    Jessie Atkins, Executive Branch Manager of the Directorate’s Safe at School Taskforce, says staff have a right and responsibility to be safe at work. Occupational violence is a serious and complex matter requiring a measured and consistent response from staff, schools and the education system.

    “The Directorate has developed evidence-based approaches to preventing and managing occupational violence risk to support the safety of our staff,” explains Jessie. “These include experienced staff who can provide assistance to schools, training and resources to help keep our staff safe at work, and support services for staff if they experience occupational violence.”

    “The Directorate is working with schools and communities to promote respectful relationships because every student and every family are important to us. Verbal or physical abuse is not okay and we want to work together to resolve concerns. We know that when we work together, our children and young people can learn, develop and reach their full potential.”

    When asked whether Jen would recommend a teaching career to other people, she says the benefits “far outweigh the challenges”.

    “I love this job. I absolutely love it and while it’s challenging, and the challenge has increased and pivoted, I certainly wouldn’t walk away.”

    “It’s about helping young people understand that their differences are what they should embrace in life and that pressure and conforming is not what life’s about. It’s about standing on your feet and declaring who you are—by helping them to understand who they are, and what pathway they want to choose in their own life.”

    “That’s what I love—because every young person has a different story. Every young person has a different journey that they need to walk. So, in fact, it’s quite inspiring as an educator and I love that young people inspire me. I’ve learned a lot from them across my 20 years in this career, and being able to embrace that has been crucial for me to do my job better.”

    Find out more about how you can help make Canberra’s workplaces free from aggression and violence.

    ACT Government employees featured in these articles have volunteered their stories to raise awareness around occupational violence and the impact this has on them and the Canberra workforce.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


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  • MIL-OSI Australia: The reality of working as a paramedic in Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As paramedics for the ACT Ambulance Service, Debbie and Xain are savings lives on a daily basis.

    Other workplaces like to joke that they’re “not saving lives” on a daily basis.

    But for Debbie and Xain, that’s exactly what they do. As paramedics for the ACT Ambulance Service, no two days are ever the same for the pair, whose shifts can encompass incidents ranging from life-threatening injuries to mental health crises, and elderly folk who have had a fall and can’t get up.

    For Xain, a previous career in the Australian military informed his move into paramedicine.

    “I was looking for a career with purpose, direction and community service,” he explains. “I love the team environment—I love that every day you’re working with either a small team or in a big team across ambulance, police, fire, SES and community mental health—and the fact that every day is different.”

    Debbie says she’d always dreamed of working in her current career.

    “I suppose it’s the sort of job where everything is different every day. I think people are drawn to the career because they want to help people.”

    “Like every job there are good days and bad days, but I really enjoy my job. I like the team aspect—that you’re always around different people—and I like that you have to be on your game the whole time. You just don’t know what’s next.”

    Naturally, however, a ‘bad day’ for a paramedic is worse than most.

    Earlier this year, Debbie and Xain attended an early morning callout for a patient in distress. After transferring the patient to the stretcher, Debbie went to secure the guard rails to safely transport the patient to the ambulance. In response, the patient punched her in the side of the head.

    Having been a paramedic for seven years, Debbie says she has developed a “pretty good sixth sense” about patients and how they will react to the arrival of paramedics, however in this incident, she was caught completely off guard.

    “It was so unexpected and that’s the part that’s shaken me the most. Our situational awareness is so high, and I just didn’t pick this. Sometimes a patient is resisting, and you get accidentally kicked or punched but…this felt very intentional.”

    Debbie’s voice breaks as she recounts the incident. It’s still a raw memory for her.

    “Sometimes you think ‘Is this just part of the job’?’ but it shouldn’t be.”

    After the assault, processes kicked in immediately to make sure Debbie was supported in her physical and mental recovery. She says she felt bolstered and well-supported by her team, but says the assault had other impacts too.

    By the time Debbie and Xain finished the job, had Debbie checked out at the hospital and completed the necessary reporting, it was the end of their shift.

    “That’s another side of it—the fact that this happened meant it stopped us from being able to respond to someone else.”

    Xain says he too didn’t expect the assault from this particular patient, and says he feels “overwhelming guilt and frustration” about the incident.

    “To be caught off guard and as a result your partner getting assaulted, I was gutted.”

    “It’s pretty foul. You walk away from shifts like that with this pit in your stomach thinking ‘Is this a normal day of work for me? Really?’.”

    “People have an expectation of us that is not always realistic,” explains Debbie. “When it comes to occupational violence, people think that as an industry, we should ‘take’ a certain level of verbal abuse…but we shouldn’t have to tolerate any of that.”

    “You get torn between trying to help people who have requested your services and protecting your colleagues.”

    “We’re just normal people and these things affect us just like they would with anyone else. I know we sign up for a job and can see some terrible things, but that’s different to being treated that way.”

    For Xain, it’s as simple as flipping the situation to realise how absurd these kinds of expectations are.

    “Should we accept the expectation that assault is just partand parcel of the job? Imagine turning up to your quintessential public service job at the Tax Office and being like ‘Oh well, I might get punched in the head today but that’s part of work’.”

    As for how the public can support paramedics to do their job, Xain says it’s about being aware of the situation.

    “Just give us some space,” he says. “It’s hard for us to work when people are closing in on us, yelling at us or even trying to talk at us while we’re trying to assess and ask the patient questions. It makes everything so much more difficult to manage both bystanders and patient. A bit of space is all we need to get anything done.”

    Luckily, Debbie says there are more positive interactions than negative in the job and that the core principle of helping people that got her interested in the role still rings true.

    “There are awesome patients who are so lovely and genuinely grateful for your help. That makes you feel great about your job—it’s the reason we’re doing this job. People don’t have to sing our praises, but they’re the people we do the job for.”

    When asked what advice they’d give to someone considering a job as a paramedic, Debbie and Xain don’t hesitate. “Do it,” they both say, without skipping a beat.

    “I couldn’t recommend it enough,” says Debbie. “Every job has its ups and downs, and this is no different, but it’s a great job.”

    “It’s like any job,” adds Xain. “Sometimes you’ll leave feeling frustrated, but many jobs you’ll leave feeling like ‘Wow, I have made a tangible difference in that person’s day.”

    “It’s not always a ‘lifesaving’ thing either. Sometimes it’s just pointing someone in the right direction or getting Nanna up off the floor and making her a cup of tea. There are some jobs that make you push aside the frustration and say, ‘That’s definitely worth it’.”

    Find out more about how you can help make Canberra’s workplaces free from aggression and violence.

    ACT Government employees featured in these articles have volunteered their stories to raise awareness around occupational violence and the impact this has on them and the Canberra workforce.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Upgraded Chisholm play space now open

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Five tips for a more sustainable build or renovation

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Visit the Suburban Land Agency’s Display Village in Whitlam to see innovative design and building practices to inspire more environmentally conscious living.

    Living in a more sustainable home can help you save money, lower emissions and make your home more comfortable.

    Whether you’re buying, building or renovating, the Suburban Land Agency (SLA) Innovation Precinct at the Display Village in Whitlam can give you ideas for sustainable living specific to Canberra’s climate.

    The Precinct includes three sustainable homes to showcase innovative design and building practices to inspire more environmentally conscience living.

    SLA Acting Director of Sustainability and Innovation, Bec Kaye, shared her top tips for sustainable living in Canberra homes.

    Build a smaller home

    If you’re building a home, the number one thing you can do to build more sustainably is to build a smaller footprint home.

    “That will save you money upfront because obviously you use less materials, but it also saves you a lot of embodied carbon.”

    Bec says when people visit the Precinct, they’re surprised by the look and feel of the smaller homes.

    “People are shocked that a smaller house can be designed so well to feel open, and to feel like there’s more space than there is,” she said.

    Think about orientation

    “The second most important thing to do is to orient your home correctly,” Bec said.

    When it comes to orienting a home in Canberra, you need to consider:

    • warm sun from the north
    • hot summer winds from the west
    • cool summer breezes from the east
    • cold winter winds from the south.

    Orienting your home to the north means that in winter, you’ll maximise the warmth and light from the sun.

    “Think about how you can minimise getting heat into the western-facing part of your home during hot summer days,” Bec said.

    That can include things like:

    • getting thick curtains
    • installing double-glazed windows
    • having smaller windows on western-facing walls
    • planting trees or climbers outside for shade.

    Pay attention to insulation and sealing

    Regardless of whether you’re building or renovating, insulating your walls is very important for Canberra homes.

    It’s also important to seal up the gaps in between where windows connect with the walls during your build or renovation. These gaps allow air to get through, bringing the cool in during winter and the heat in through summer.

    “Your builder can use things like building tape and silicone to seal up those gaps and help improve the thermal comfort,” Bec said.

    Consider your garden

    Another environmentally conscious choice you can make is to couple your sustainable home with a climate resilient garden.

    “Allowing space in your backyard to grow a garden is not only a way to add amenity to your home and create a place for the birds and the bees, but it also creates a cooler microclimate within which your house is situated.”

    If you have shade trees in your garden, the temperature around your home will be cooler. That means your house will stay cooler in summer, and you won’t need to use your cooling system as often.

    Download the SLA Climate Wise Garden Designs booklet.

    Optimise energy efficiency

    Choosing energy efficient appliances can reduce the amount of electricity you use, helping to reduce your electricity bill.

    “If you want to make your electricity cost even lower, installing a solar panel system is the best way to go,” Bec said.

    “If you couple a solar panel system with a battery for your house, that battery will store energy that’s generated by the sun during the day so that you can use it at night.”

    Some other tips for sustainable homes include:

    • using recycled materials like Canberra red bricks or recycled timber
    • choosing materials that have a recycled component
    • using more durable materials that need to be replaced less frequently, or can be recycled in the future
    • using permeable pavers to reduce the risk of flood damage
    • decorating your home with second-hand furniture.

    Find more tips in the Your Resilient Home Guide.

    You can see all of these sustainable living choices in action at the SLA Innovation Precinct in the Display Village in Whitlam.

    Learn more about the Precinct.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Weed-seeking lasers keep Canberra looking sharp

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Weed control is essential to keeping Canberra free from invasive species.

    The ACT Government’s City Presentation Team works to keep Canberra weed-free in several ways.

    But did you know these include the use of lasers?

    While some Canberrans spend their Sundays pulling weeds from gardens, City Presentation Team members work through the night.

    “We start early in the morning – 3am,” City Services employee Yogesh said.

    Their vehicle is fitted with an optical boom sprayer equipped with an infrared beam. As they move along roadsides, the laser zeroes in on plant material, then sprays it with herbicide.

    Not only is this more precise, but it minimises chemical use. Working in the early hours of the morning allows work to be completed to avoid any traffic disruption.

    “We follow strict rules when using chemicals for weed control. The trucks move slowly so the sensor can accurately detect and target the weed. It won’t spray a dead plant or areas where there are no weeds growing,” Yogesh said.

    “We spray 30cm above the ground, to minimise the risk of spreading to another non-invasive plant. We don’t use chemicals in areas with native grasses.”

    Yogesh and his team employ a wider combination of weed control practices. These include brush cutting and hand weeding, used in sensitive areas like waterways.

    Weed control is essential to keeping Canberra free from invasive species.

    It is carried out along laneways, in urban parks and open spaces, along kerbs and gutters, in stormwater channels, along fence lines and bollards, on gravel medians, and in and around car parks and shopping centres throughout the year.

    And weed control varies each season.

    “Spring to autumn we focus on laneways, parks, shops and urban spaces. In winter we target guard rails, bridges and areas we don’t frequently do. We use pre- emergent chemicals more in winter to prevent the growth of weeds in warmer, wetter months,” Yogesh said.

    The City Presentation Team also seek out and trial alternative methods. They prioritise activities to prevent weed growth such as mulching, and landscape design.

    Yogesh has seen such pre-emptive weed control used successfully.

    “One of the projects I worked on was to control environmental weeds along the Barton Highway. We identified that the highway was becoming a high-speed transport corridor for weed seeds,” he said,

    “We conducted reactive brush cutting/spraying along one part of the highway just for them to pop up in another area. We started using pre-emergent spray to target weed seeds before they started growing.

    “This reduced the number of weeds along the highway and allowed us to control their spread more effectively.”

    Find information on invasive weeds and how to identify them.

    Get weekly updates of weed spraying in your region.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Disability Strategy to help create a barrier-free Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The strategy aims to support the one in five Canberrans who live with disability to have full and equal participation in all aspects of community life.

    The ACT Government has released the 10-year ACT Disability Strategy 2024-2033 and First Action Plan 2024–2026.

    One in five Canberrans live with disability.

    The strategy aims to support them to have full and equal participation in all aspects of community life.

    It will guide how the ACT Government works to create a more inclusive Canberra by making systemic changes to embed consideration of people with disability in all it does.

    Canberrans with disability experience significant disadvantage and marginalisation.

    On average, people with disability are less likely to finish school, attend university or have paid employment, and more likely to experience violence.

    The Government has allocated $5.54 million over four years to address the priorities in the Strategy.

    Some of these initiatives include:

    • support for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to deliver culturally safe and inclusive services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with disability
    • setting employment targets for people with disability in the ACT public service
    • working with the community sector to deliver a peer support program to improve the wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people with disability
    • creation of new disability liaison officer roles in Housing ACT and Access Canberra
    • strengthening the ACT Government’s capacity to consistently provide accessible communications and information.

    Implementation of the Strategy will occur through three action plans over 10 years.

    The Strategy and accompanying action plans will focus on achieving outcomes against each of the 12 wellbeing domains of the ACT Wellbeing Framework.

    The principles and actions in the Strategy and First Action Plan were developed through extensive consultation with people with disability, families, carers, community organisations and ACT Government agencies.

    Local organisation Advocacy for Inclusion welcomed the new strategy.

    “In particular we welcome: the commitment to introduce a new Housing Disability Liaison Officer position, the funding to an Aboriginal community controlled organisations to deliver culturally safe and inclusive services, work to establish a communications hub with an easy English Specialist and Auslan Interpreter within Access Canberra, the increases to the Inclusion Grants and the I-Day grants, the training to up skill Domestic Family and Sexual Violence Workers and the systemic self-advocacy program for people with intellectual disability,” Head of Policy Craig Wallace said.

    “We also welcome an ambitious 9 per cent target for disability employment in the ACT Public Service along with moves to transition the International Day of People with Disability celebrations to community control.”

    Disability Reference Group Chair Renée Heaton said the strategy builds on good work already taking place.

    “This ACT Disability Strategy brings together the important work already happening while committing us all to a future direction paved by real actions and goals. Canberrans have benefited from a progressive and contemporary community, and we want these benefits to extend to people with disability. We want to aim high and work together so that this strategy and the subsequent action plans see every Canberran doing something to make inclusion a reality,” she said.

    The ACT Disability Strategy and First Action Plan build on the other interconnected strategies, including the ACT Inclusive Education Strategy 2024–2034, the ACT Disability Health Strategy 2024-2033, and the ACT Disability Justice Strategy 2019–2029.

    View the Strategy and Action Plan at act.gov.au/open/disability-strategy.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Kippax Group Centre upgrades have begun

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The upgrades to the Kippax Group Centre include wider shopfront pavement, allowing space for outdoor cafes.

    Construction has began on improvements along Hardwick Crescent in the Kippax Group Centre.

    Consultation was carried out  in 2022 to get feedback on the preliminary designs, which had been developed in response to the Kippax Group Centre Master Plan 2019. The project follows extensive site investigations and targeted engagement with local businesses and community groups.

    The ACT Government heard requests from the community for:

    • improved pedestrian access
    • a greater number and variety of plantings
    • opportunities for outdoor dining
    • new furniture
    • safety and accessibility improvements.

    The upgrades to the Kippax Group Centre will increase accessibility along shopfronts. This includes wider shopfront pavement, allowing space for outdoor cafes and public outdoor furniture.

    New streetlighting will make the area safer. Three pedestrian crossings in this section will be raised to further improve pedestrian safety.

    There will be line markings within the surface carparks. These will direct pedestrians between the currently separated commercial centres on either side of the large carparks.

    There will be eight new parallel timed parking spaces along Hardwick Crescent. These will replace the existing spaces. There will be two new accessible parking spaces within the surface carpark adjacent to Hardwick Crescent.

    Community members can look forward to a new streetscape, including new plantings and landscaping. Twelve new Chinese elm trees are expected to grow up to 10 metres tall.

    New retaining walls will be added between the road and pedestrian areas. These will provide additional seating options for visitors.

    Construction will be staged to minimise impacts to businesses and the local community. The first stage of works will be at the service station end of Hardwick Crescent.

    There will be street closures as construction is completed. Signed detours will direct road users, and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

    Construction is expected to take around nine months to complete. The most disruptive works are aimed for completion ahead of the Christmas trading period.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New fire station for Acton on the way

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The station will provide a comfortable, well-equipped base for both ACT Fire & Rescue and ACT Ambulance Service personnel.

    Construction is progressing on a new state-of-the-art emergency services station in Acton. The station will further improve response times in the city centre and surrounds.

    The new station is between Clunies Ross Street and Parkes Way. Construction is planned to finish in December 2024. The ACT Government expects that the station will be operational by June 2025.

    The Government has committed more than $40 million to the design and construction of the station. It emphasises energy efficiency and aligns with the ACT’s Climate Change Strategy goals.

    The new Acton Emergency Services Station will improve emergency response times for city and inner north residents.

    The sustainable design of the station is in line with the ACT’s emissions reduction strategy. It will have electric vehicle chargers to meet the needs of the agency’s electric vehicle fleet. The station’s roof will also have solar panels expected to create 142MWh per year.

    The station will be a comfortable, well-equipped base for both ACT Fire & Rescue and ACT Ambulance Service personnel.

    “The Acton Emergency Services Station represents another step toward equipping our first responders with the facilities and infrastructure to carry out their vital work and service one of Canberra’s fastest-growing regions,” Emergency Services Commissioner Wayne Phillips said.

    “We listened to our people when designing the facility and I’m heartened to see their input taking shape in the construction.”

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Cordons in place Rata Street, New Lynn

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police have closed a section of Rata Street, New Lynn following an ongoing Police incident.

    Rata Street is blocked from Binsted Road to Great North Road.

    Cordons are in place and the road has been closed as part of enquiries to locate four offenders who fled from Police.

    Motorists are being advised to avoid the area or seek an alternate route.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Traffic changes as Monaro Highway Upgrade progresses

    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 04/04/2025

    Work is continuing on construction of a flyover and interchange at the Monaro Highway and Lanyon Drive intersection to improve safety, freight efficiency and commute times.

    From 14 April 2025 there will be changed traffic conditions to support the demolition and construction of a new bridge over Dog Trap Creek.

    Temporary traffic lights will be installed on the northbound lanes of the Monaro Highway at the Lanyon Drive intersection and lane changes put in place northbound to Dog Trap Creek bridge.

    The traffic lights will allow vehicles on Lanyon Drive to safely turn north onto the Monaro Highway and light sequencing will be coordinated with other traffic lights in the area.

    Road users travelling northbound, after the new temporary traffic lights, will see a change in lane configuration over Dog Trap Creek for the duration of the bridge work. These changes start from 14 April 2025 and are expected to be in place for approximately 15 months. These changed traffic arrangements will only impact northbound traffic.

    During the peak travel periods the speed limit will remain at 60km/h. Outside of peak travel periods, the speed limit may be temporarily reduced to 40km/h as required.

    Travel impacts and alternate travel options

    The changed traffic arrangements will impact travel times throughout construction. This will be most significant in the morning peak periods where delays could be up to 8 minutes for northbound travel on the Monaro Highway and up to 10 minutes for westbound travel, towards Canberra on Lanyon Drive.

    Road users travelling northbound towards Fyshwick, Symonston, Pialligo, Majura, Canberra City, and other suburbs are advised to expect delays of up to 8 minutes, particularly in the morning peak period.

    The ACT Government recognises this is a major delay and has investigated alternative traffic management options. The traffic management plan that will be implemented is designed to have the least impact on traffic and ensure safety for all.

    Alternative travel routes have been identified, however, it is acknowledged that additional traffic on the alternative routes will also impact travel time on those roads.

    Road users coming from Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra or Googong and surrounds heading to the airport or central Canberra can divert along the northern most section of Lanyon Drive, toward Canberra Avenue.

    Road users coming from Tuggeranong or Royalla and surrounds and heading to the airport or central Canberra can divert along Johnson Drive, Ashley Drive and Yamba Drive.

    Electronic signage will be installed on the Monaro Highway before the Isabella Drive turnoff and on Isabella Drive to advise road users of proposed work as well as regular updates.

    The ACT Government will undertake ongoing monitoring of the changed traffic arrangements on the Monaro Highway as well as the overflow impacts on alternate routes. Traffic cameras will be installed on the temporary traffic lights and a live feed will be available to our Traffic Management Centre. Whenever possible, changes to the traffic light phasing will be made to try to ease overall congestion.

    Road users are encouraged to rethink their routine including travelling outside of peak periods where possible. Some apps such as Waze and Google Maps can be used to identify the best travel time.

    Construction of the flyover and interchange is expected to be completed at the end of 2026.

    The Monaro Highway upgrade is jointly funded by the Australian and ACT Governments.

    To stay up to date on the impacts visit www.act.gov.au/builtforcbr/travel-impacts.

    – Statement ends –

    Infrastructure Canberra | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Directorate Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What our reaction to Adolescence tells us about our fear of boys, sex and the internet

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Alexandra James, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University

    News feeds have been flooded with reactions to Adolescence, Netflix’s newest viral hit. Released in March, the limited series racked up over 66 million views in just two weeks, making it the platform’s most-watched limited series to date.

    The show follows the arrest of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a young girl. It hints at potential radicalisation through the “manosphere” – pointing to emojis, incels and influencers like Andrew Tate.

    From the BBC, to Rolling Stone, Harper’s Bazaar, and a range of Reddit threads, Adolescence has quickly become one of the most talked-about UK series in recent memory. While some of the buzz reflects its gripping cinematography and performances, much of it centres on the show’s depiction of online dangers and the risks for young boys exposed to this content.

    The show has reignited debate about boys and their relationship to digital spaces, particularly social media. The UK prime minister even backed a proposal to screen the series in schools for free, alongside calls for school smartphone bans – measures already in place in parts of Australia.

    This public reaction to Adolescence reveals a broader social anxiety about boys, sex and the digital world. But while the public reaction focuses on fear and internet restrictions, evidence shows that young people – boys included – are already engaging with the digital world in complex, thoughtful ways.

    A history of moral panic

    The same anxiety underpins Australia’s world-first ban on social media for under-16s – framed as a way to protect young people from sexual content, harmful gender roles, and the influence of platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The federal education minister has described social media as a “cesspit” from which children must be protected.

    Yet this policy was introduced in direct response to a rise in women being killed by their intimate partners. It’s a subtle but powerful misdirection – one that offers a political fix while avoiding the more difficult work of addressing men’s violence.

    Instead, this policy response draws on a history of moral panic about young people and the internet. Young people are a “problem” we can “fix”, while ignoring deeper social and cultural issues.

    This framing of boys and the internet ignores their capacity, skills and how they engage in the digital world. It also ignores the many ways in which they learn about relationships.

    Most importantly, it risks further marginalising boys from the conversations and education they urgently need.

    Young people engage with online spaces thoughtfully

    Our research with young people and experts shows that teens engage with online spaces far more thoughtfully than they’re often given credit. They know how to assess credibility, search for diverse sources and navigate content in ways that reflect their needs.

    This process – of searching, comparing, evaluating – isn’t passive consumption. It’s an important part of how young people develop and find space to think about their identities, sex and relationships.

    Their engagement is often nuanced: they weigh content against other information, test it against their own experience, and assess how trustworthy or relatable a source might be.

    In a context where young people routinely report receiving inadequate education on sex and relationships – via parents or school-based programs – online spaces play an important role in helping them to fill these gaps.

    These platforms often provide the only accessible way for young people to explore aspects of their identity, sexuality and relationships.

    Boys are left out

    Some of our other research shows that cisgender, heterosexual boys are often left out of conversations about sex, relationships and consent. Such conversations could give them space to ask questions, express uncertainty and give adults a chance to hear what the boys are thinking.

    Instead of engaging boys with empathy or curiosity, we tend to talk at them, as if they alone are the problem, rather than talking with them.

    When pornography is demonised, we also shut down the possibility of honest discussion. This leaves boys, who are often too afraid to ask questions, to interpret what they’re seeing without support. That silence creates a vacuum, one increasingly filled by figures like Tate. The “self-proclaimed misogynist”, with more than 10 million followers on Twitter, is known for promoting harmful views about women, violence and sexual assault.

    Banning access to social media won’t fix this; it only deepens the lack of meaningful engagement with what young people might be seeing online.

    Educators are also nervous about broaching these topics. This is hard in an environment where talking to kids about sex remains taboo and who is responsible for having these conversations is unclear. Should it fall to schools? Parents? Police?

    How we can support young people

    What’s needed are policies and education that support youth educators to address this effectively. This also means meeting boys where they are and providing all young people with the digital and relational skills to navigate these issues.

    Young people don’t need Adolescence to understand the internet – they already do. What they need is support, space to ask questions and skills to navigate the ideas they’re exposed to, both online and in the world around them. That requires brave policies that prioritise education and equip them with critical digital literacy.

    And if we’re serious about supporting young people, we need to stop pretending the problem starts with them.

    Alexandra James receives funding from The Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and Lifestyles Australia.

    Andrea Waling receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

    Lily Moor receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

    – ref. What our reaction to Adolescence tells us about our fear of boys, sex and the internet – https://theconversation.com/what-our-reaction-to-adolescence-tells-us-about-our-fear-of-boys-sex-and-the-internet-253746

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police make arrests following Ōtara aggravated robbery

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police were quickly on the scent of two offenders following an aggravated robbery at an Ōtara dairy.

    Investigators are also making good progress in identifying other offenders involved.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Paea, of Counties Manukau CIB, says a group of six offenders entered the East Tamaki Road dairy just after 9.30pm on Sunday.

    “The group of offenders had arrived in a sedan, before storming into the store and jumping over the counter.

    “One of the staff working suffered a minor assault, and the group stole a range of cigarettes and vape products.”

    The group then fled in the vehicle they arrived in.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Paea says a frontline unit came across the vehicle parked on Rongomai Road while carrying out patrols.

    “Police deployed one of our dog units who tracked to a nearby address, which was cordoned, and the occupants appealed to come outside.”

    Two males, aged 13 and 14, were arrested and have been charged with aggravated robbery.

    They are both before the Manukau Youth Court.

    “We are following positive lines of enquiry in identifying the outstanding offenders and our enquiries will continue,” Detective Senior Sergeant Paea says.

    “Our investigation teams are continuing to work diligently in holding offenders to account, particularly those offending against businesses.”

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What our reaction to Adolescence tells us about our fear of boys, sex and the internet

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra James, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University

    News feeds have been flooded with reactions to Adolescence, Netflix’s newest viral hit. Released in March, the limited series racked up over 66 million views in just two weeks, making it the platform’s most-watched limited series to date.

    The show follows the arrest of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a young girl. It hints at potential radicalisation through the “manosphere” – pointing to emojis, incels and influencers like Andrew Tate.

    From the BBC, to Rolling Stone, Harper’s Bazaar, and a range of Reddit threads, Adolescence has quickly become one of the most talked-about UK series in recent memory. While some of the buzz reflects its gripping cinematography and performances, much of it centres on the show’s depiction of online dangers and the risks for young boys exposed to this content.

    The show has reignited debate about boys and their relationship to digital spaces, particularly social media. The UK prime minister even backed a proposal to screen the series in schools for free, alongside calls for school smartphone bans – measures already in place in parts of Australia.

    This public reaction to Adolescence reveals a broader social anxiety about boys, sex and the digital world. But while the public reaction focuses on fear and internet restrictions, evidence shows that young people – boys included – are already engaging with the digital world in complex, thoughtful ways.

    A history of moral panic

    The same anxiety underpins Australia’s world-first ban on social media for under-16s – framed as a way to protect young people from sexual content, harmful gender roles, and the influence of platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The federal education minister has described social media as a “cesspit” from which children must be protected.

    Yet this policy was introduced in direct response to a rise in women being killed by their intimate partners. It’s a subtle but powerful misdirection – one that offers a political fix while avoiding the more difficult work of addressing men’s violence.

    Instead, this policy response draws on a history of moral panic about young people and the internet. Young people are a “problem” we can “fix”, while ignoring deeper social and cultural issues.

    This framing of boys and the internet ignores their capacity, skills and how they engage in the digital world. It also ignores the many ways in which they learn about relationships.

    Most importantly, it risks further marginalising boys from the conversations and education they urgently need.

    Young people engage with online spaces thoughtfully

    Our research with young people and experts shows that teens engage with online spaces far more thoughtfully than they’re often given credit. They know how to assess credibility, search for diverse sources and navigate content in ways that reflect their needs.

    This process – of searching, comparing, evaluating – isn’t passive consumption. It’s an important part of how young people develop and find space to think about their identities, sex and relationships.

    Their engagement is often nuanced: they weigh content against other information, test it against their own experience, and assess how trustworthy or relatable a source might be.

    In a context where young people routinely report receiving inadequate education on sex and relationships – via parents or school-based programs – online spaces play an important role in helping them to fill these gaps.

    These platforms often provide the only accessible way for young people to explore aspects of their identity, sexuality and relationships.

    Boys are left out

    Some of our other research shows that cisgender, heterosexual boys are often left out of conversations about sex, relationships and consent. Such conversations could give them space to ask questions, express uncertainty and give adults a chance to hear what the boys are thinking.

    Instead of engaging boys with empathy or curiosity, we tend to talk at them, as if they alone are the problem, rather than talking with them.

    When pornography is demonised, we also shut down the possibility of honest discussion. This leaves boys, who are often too afraid to ask questions, to interpret what they’re seeing without support. That silence creates a vacuum, one increasingly filled by figures like Tate. The “self-proclaimed misogynist”, with more than 10 million followers on Twitter, is known for promoting harmful views about women, violence and sexual assault.

    Banning access to social media won’t fix this; it only deepens the lack of meaningful engagement with what young people might be seeing online.

    Educators are also nervous about broaching these topics. This is hard in an environment where talking to kids about sex remains taboo and who is responsible for having these conversations is unclear. Should it fall to schools? Parents? Police?

    How we can support young people

    What’s needed are policies and education that support youth educators to address this effectively. This also means meeting boys where they are and providing all young people with the digital and relational skills to navigate these issues.

    Young people don’t need Adolescence to understand the internet – they already do. What they need is support, space to ask questions and skills to navigate the ideas they’re exposed to, both online and in the world around them. That requires brave policies that prioritise education and equip them with critical digital literacy.

    And if we’re serious about supporting young people, we need to stop pretending the problem starts with them.

    Alexandra James receives funding from The Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and Lifestyles Australia.

    Andrea Waling receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

    Lily Moor receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

    – ref. What our reaction to Adolescence tells us about our fear of boys, sex and the internet – https://theconversation.com/what-our-reaction-to-adolescence-tells-us-about-our-fear-of-boys-sex-and-the-internet-253746

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: A century of service at Bannockburn

    Source:

    Over 20 trucks and emergency service personnel marched down the main street of Bannockburn to celebrate the brigade’s 100th year serving their community on Saturday night.

    The brigade was born out of a need in the community for an organised fire service in 1925 following a community meeting led by Councillor Samuel Donald Gillett and Constable Ainsworth, who were to become the first president and secretary.   

    The brigade quickly purchased fire-fighting equipment, such as fire beaters, tanks, and a pump and was active almost immediately due to the ongoing fire season. 

    The brigade grew steadily in both membership and equipment and their early work included responding to major fires, like the Bannockburn Wood Reserve fire in 1927 and the Pound paddock fire in 1931. 

    The brigade’s first fire truck, an ex-Lend Lease Chevy, was often difficult to start, and members would either hotwire it or roll-start it by pushing it down High Street. 

    In the early days, without radio or telephone communications, organising responses to fires was difficult and key figures like the postmaster, Fred Matthews, and the Moreillon family played vital roles in coordinating efforts.  

    During the war years from 1939 to 1945, many men from the district were away fighting overseas or otherwise committed to military duties and brigade numbers on the ground were limited.  

    However, this did not stop the brigade from still stoically serving their community. 

    In the early days of the brigade there was no station, equipment and trucks were stored on the properties and in sheds of members. Eventually, in the 50s, work began on the first Bannockburn fire station.  

    The CFA purchased land for the station in January 1955, and the brigade moved into their new building by October 1955. The station initially had a tin shed with swing doors. 

    By 1962, the station had a concrete floor and plans for a siren and fence were underway.  

    Over their 100-year history the brigade has been involved in many major incidents like the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983. 

    Bannockburn suffered its greatest losses from fire in the devastating fires of the 8th of January 1969. There were a number of horrendous fires on that day, including the Lara fire that took 10 lives.  

    The brigade has also been involved in many strike teams where members have been deployed to help in major events like Black Saturday, the 2019/2020 bushfire season, and the Echuca floods in 2021/2022.  

    In 1995, the new Bannockburn Emergency Services Facility opened on the site of the old fire station. The development began in 1991 with a proposal to combine the CFA and SES services in a shared facility. 

    The Bannockburn brigade has a long history and over the years has gone from a rural brigade, predominately made up of farmers, to a semi-rural brigade which is now full of young families.  

    To celebrate a century of service the brigade has events dotted throughout the year to gather both old and new members together with the community.  

    One of the major events was their community day and torchlight parade on Saturday 5 April. 

    During the day the station was open with the community coming out to explore the trucks, historical displays and food.  

    In the evening members both past and present marched alongside Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, and SES down Milton Street in a torchlight parade.  

    Over 20 trucks from the Bannockburn and surrounding brigades were also a part of the procession.  

    Captain of Bannockburn Brigade Shannon Robinson said she was extremely proud to be captain at this special moment in history.  

    “We are a great bunch of people, and it was fun marching, with our members side by side, it was a very proud moment,” she said.  

    “We might have flashy new trucks but at our core we are still the same, community minded people who just want to do what they can.” 

    Brigade member and Community Safety Officer Dale Smith has been leading a dedicated committee who have been working tirelessly on celebrations for the 100-year milestone. 

    “Community members got together 100 years ago and decided there was an issue and set about fixing it and that’s why we have the brigade we do today,” he said.  

    “The events throughout the year but particularly the torchlight parade and community celebration day are a way for all of us, past, present, and community to reflect on this amazing history.” 

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Fatality following fire, Ashburton

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police and Fire investigators have completed a scene examination at the scene of an Ashburton house fire in which a person was located, deceased, on Sunday 6 April.

    The circumstances of the fire have been determined to be not suspicious and the death has been referred to the Coroner. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update in Manurewa homicide investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police have made good progress in the homicide investigation launched in Manurewa over the weekend.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Hayward, of Counties Manukau CIB, says the investigation has been looking into a disorder which occurred at the time the victim was injured.

    Police attended Marr Road after midnight on 5 April where the victim suffered critical injuries.

    “We have spoken with a number of people since Saturday morning and this has helped progress our enquiries,” Detective Senior Sergeant Hayward says.

    “As a result, we are not currently seeking anyone else in relation to this homicide.”

    Police are working through the next steps in the investigation, but no charges have been laid at this stage.

    “We anticipate we will be able to release further information about the victim in due course.

    “The investigation team are continuing with some additional enquiries, and we will release further information around charges once decisions are made.”

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Teenager faces drugs charges after failing to stop

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    A Kerikeri teenager has fast-tracked himself into court on serious drugs charges after failing to stop for Police.

    After 7pm on Sunday, a frontline unit in Kerikeri came across a vehicle travelling at excessive speeds.

    Relieving Far North Area Commander, acting Inspector Kylie Newton says the unit signalled for the vehicle to stop.

    “The driver disregarded the blue and red lights and carried on at speed and was not pursued further given the manner of driving.”

    Police carried out further enquiries and located the vehicle on Keridale Lane.

    “Our staff approached the vehicle and smelt a strong odour of cannabis coming from the vehicle,” acting Inspector Newton says.

    “A search of the vehicle was invoked which located cannabis and LSD inside.”

    The 18-year-old man was arrested on the roadside, and the vehicle has been impounded.

    He will appear in the Kaikohe District Court today on possession for supply of cannabis and LSD.

    He has also been charged with failing to stop for Police.

    “Possession for supply is a serious offence, so it’s a pleasing outcome that these illegal substances are out of circulation in the community,” acting Inspector Newton says.

    ENDS. 

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Group’s plan gets spiked by Eagle eyed officers

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    A vehicle stolen from a church carpark and spotted by Police in Flat Bush has slammed the brakes on one group’s plans.

    At about 9.15pm, officers on patrol in East Auckland observed a vehicle travelling on Murphys Road, which had previously been reported as stolen from a church car park.

    Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Rakana Cook, says within minutes Eagle was overhead and quickly gained observations on the vehicle which was headed south.

    “Units were able to successfully spike the car in Papakura, however five occupants got out and attempted to flee from Police.

    “All five were swiftly apprehended, with three of the group remanded in custody.”

    Inspector Cook says the result highlights the great work from all staff involved in bringing this incident to a safe conclusion.

    “It is disappointing to see these young people out committing unlawful takings and we hope these arrests reassure our locals that Police are patrolling, responding and holding offenders to account.”

    One person, aged 16, will appear in Manukau Youth Court today  charged with unlawful interference with a motor vehicle and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle.

    Three people, aged 14-16, have been charged with unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle and will also appear in Manukau Youth Court today.

    A 13-year-old has been referred to Youth Aid Services.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Swift response leads to the rescue of a man in New Plymouth

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Swift actions by Police and community partner agencies helped rescue a man from the water near Omata in the weekend.

    At around 12.15pm on Saturday 5 April, a member of the public notified Police of a person in need of assistance in the water after they had put their hand up and called for help.

    As the man was swept further out to sea, Taranaki Rescue Helicopter provided the man with a buoy to assist him in staying afloat while Taranaki Surf Life Saving and Taranaki Coastguard quickly responded to the incident.

    Police Search and Rescue assisted on the ground coordinating with the partner agencies in the water and air.

    After a period of time, the man was successfully rescued and was transported to hospital by Ambulance for hypothermia and to be further assessed.

    Police would like to thank the members of the public who saw the man in trouble and did the right thing by calling emergency services and remaining on scene so we had the best possible chance to locate and rescue the man.

    Police would also like to thank the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, Taranaki Surf Life Saving, Taranaki Coast Guard, and Port Taranaki for their response and assistance.

    This incident is a reminder that water safety is key, and Police commend the man for raising his hand and calling for help.

    Police urge anyone going near waters, no matter the skill level, to take the basic precautions to keep themselves safe in case something goes wrong.

    If you’re swimming or surfing, ensure you stick to your limits, and if in doubt as to the conditions, don’t go in.

    Tell someone where you are going and when you will come back – this can be crucial information for us to locate you.

    Be aware of your surroundings and the dangers they may have – check the local marine weather forecast before you go and expect both weather and water state changes.

    You can find more information on water safety at www.watersafetynz.org/water-safety-code

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pedestrian dies following Henderson crash

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police can advise that the pedestrian critically injured in Henderson on Sunday has died.

    A collision involving a vehicle and pedestrian was reported at 10.20am on Lincoln Road.

    The pedestrian was transported to Auckland Hospital in critical condition.

    Sadly, Police can now advise that the man succumbed to injuries and died in hospital on Sunday night, 6 April.

    Our thoughts are with the man’s family.

    An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the crash, and this remains ongoing.

    Anyone who may have witnessed the crash and has yet to speak with Police can do so by calling 105 using the reference number 250406/2570.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Upper Tantallon — RCMP investigates fatal crash in Upper Tantallon

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Upper Tantallon.

    Yesterday, at approximately 9:25 a.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment, fire, and EHS, responded to a report of a vehicle crash on Hwy. 103, near Exit 5.

    RCMP officers learned that a Toyota Matrix was travelling westbound when it left the roadway and entered the ditch.

    The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, a 47-year-old woman from Dalhousie Junction, New Brunswick, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

    An RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the location of the crash; the investigation is ongoing.

    A section of Hwy. 103 was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

    Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lower Truro — Missing person: Help the RCMP find Kelly Chaulk

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Colchester County District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 28-year-old Kelly Chaulk. She was last in touch with her family on April 4 and is believed to be in the Truro area.

    Chaulk has brown hair and brown eyes. She’s approximately 5-foot-2, 125 pounds. No clothing description is available.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kelly Chaulk is asked to call Colchester County District RCMP at 902-896-5000. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: A murder investigation is underway after a teenager was fatally stabbed in Shepherd’s Bush

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Met detectives have made two arrests after a teenage boy was stabbed in East Acton.

    Around 13:10hrs on Saturday, 5 April, police were called to reports of a stabbing in Erconwald Street, Shepherd’s Bush. The incident took place near the junction with Du Cane Road and Old Oak Common Lane. Met officers attended with the London Ambulance Service and found two teenage boys who had suffered stab injuries.

    Despite the efforts of paramedics and responding officers, one of the teenagers had tragically died at the scene.

    He has since been named as 17-year-old Keiron Charles, who is from East Acton. Keiron’s family are being supported by Met officers.

    The other teenager – aged 16 – was taken to hospital with stab injuries and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder. His injuries were assessed as non-life-changing, and he was later discharged from hospital. He was then taken to custody, where he remains.

    A third teenager – aged 16 – had left the scene and an urgent investigation commenced to locate him. He was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, 6 April and taken into custody, where he also remains.

    Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila, whose team is leading the investigation, said: “This is an awful incident in which a teenager has lost his life. The thoughts of everyone in the Met remain with Keiron’s family and loved ones as they begin to come to terms with their tragic loss.

    “Detectives have worked around the clock to follow every possible available line of enquiry and I’m pleased that we have made two arrests as part of our early enquiries. While we are working hard to understand the exact circumstances, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident at this stage.

    “I’d like to appeal directly to anyone who was in the area between 1pm and 1.20pm on Saturday and witnessed the incident. Our team are also keen to speak to anyone who might have any other information that might assist us. Keiron had his whole life ahead of him and any information might prove vital in achieving justice on behalf of his family.”

    Police are appealing to anyone who may have information – no matter how big or small. Do you have CCTV or phone or dashcam footage? Have you been sent footage of the incident or seen anything that might be able to help detectives on social media? If so, please get in touch with police, or Crimestoppers, as soon as possible.

    Anybody who witnessed the incident – or who has any information which can assist with the investigation – – should contact the police officers on 0207 175 2206, quoting reference 3435/05APR.

    Alternatively you can provide information, and upload any footage directly to the investigation team by using our Major Incident Public Portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X56-PO1

    You can remain 100 per cent anonymous and pass information onto the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting Crimestoppers-uk.org

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Repeat drink driver caught by police in St Helens

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Repeat drink driver caught by police in St Helens

    Sunday, 6 April 2025 – 1:51 pm.

    A 29-year-old Warrane man has been apprehended and charged with drink driving and other serious traffic charges for the third time in Northern Tasmania.
    Just after midnight, police officers from St Helens apprehended the man after he allegedly attempted to evade officers conducting a random breath test.
    Inspector Luke Manhood said the man reportedly fled on foot before being caught by officers and subsequently returning a reading of 0.095.
    “He has been charged with evading police, exceeding 0.05, and driving whilst disqualified, and his vehicle has been clamped for 28 days.
    “This is the third time in recent months the man has been apprehended for similar offences on Tasmania’s East Coast.
    “On 31 December 2024, the man was apprehended by police on the Esk Highway, Fingal, where he returned a reading of 0.122 and was charged with evading police, stating a false name, speeding, driving with a suspended licence, and exceeding 0.05.
    “Then on 25 January 2025, he was intercepted by St Helens Police, where he returned a reading of 0.088, was charged with exceeding 0.05 and driving with a suspended licence.
    “This type of dangerous and repeat behaviour is unacceptable and places the community at serious risk.
    “This pattern of behaviour may result in significant legal consequences,” said Mr Manhood.
    “We remain committed to road safety and want everyone to get home safely.
    “Our message is simple – if you drink and drive, it’s only a matter of time before you get caught. We could be anywhere, at any time,” Mr Manhood added.
    Anyone who witnesses dangerous driving or suspects someone may be driving under the influence is urged to contact police on 131 444, or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash at Mantung

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police and emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Mantung in the Riverland.

    Just after 12.30pm on Sunday 6 April, police and emergency services responded to a single vehicle crash on Evans Road.

    Evans Road is closed just north of Farr Road. Motorists are asked to avoid the area.

    Major Crash Investigators will be attending the scene.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Op Kereru targets antisocial road users in the Hutt Valley overnight

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Infringements, checkpoints, and seizures are some of the results from Hutt Valley Police’s focus on disrupting antisocial road user activity overnight.

    Operation Kereru saw an increased Police presence into the early hours of this morning, taking a zero-tolerance approach to unlawful road user behaviour.

    Police intercepted and disrupted a number of gatherings in the Hutt Valley area.

    One gathering in Pauatahanui was successfully disrupted as Police established a checkpoint at the only exit from the area where antisocial road users had gathered.

    Hutt Valley Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Shaun Lingard says Police were agile and persistent, making it clear that this activity would not be tolerated.

    “Our visibility and enforcement approach meant groups were intercepted before they were able to participate in antisocial road user behaviours.”

    Over the course of the night, eight vehicles were ordered off the road, 43 infringement notices were issued, and four drivers were processed for excess breath alcohol.

    Bailiffs from the Ministry of Justice were also present, leading to four vehicles being seized and a large number of fines being collected.

    Hutt Valley Police are committed to ensuring those participating in unlawful road user behaviour are held to account, as we know the impact this activity has on the wider community.

    “Not only does this keep residents nearby awake and damage roads, but it places drivers, passengers, bystanders, and other motorists at extreme risk,” says Inspector Shaun Lingard.

    Police ask members of the public to report unlawful activity to us, as soon as possible with as much information as safely possible.

    This will assist in an effective response to the issue, and in cases where we can’t immediately respond, allow us to follow up with drivers and take later enforcement action.

    You can report information to us by calling 111, if it is happening now, or through our 105 service for non-emergencies.

    Alternatively, you can report information anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –